Moussa Dembélé

[AlFayedsChequebook]

my theory is that the full-backs aren't doing their bit.

Keep an eye out tonight, but also even against the more average teams in the premiership, you could build a motorway in the gap between the front two and the midfield. 

I think this is definitely a problem. The gap between our front two and the midfield and also the defence means we are too easy to pass and run through, teams that play well between the lines will slaughter us.

I think a tactic being used by Athletic Bilbao, were the whole team presses from the front as one unit over 25 meters would work for us, albeit they are trained hard and have extraoridnary work rate. Bilbao retain the ball well when they have it, giving themselves a rest and are direct, yet short with their passes. Very very effective, and even the biggest teams i.e Barca, Real & PSG have failed to reak Bilbao down.

The problem with that is we do not have the defenders capable of playing a high line. See - Fulham 2-5 Liverpool

Your between the lines comment is slightly disingenuous in that we do leave space between midfield and attack, but this makes our defence stronger (our current record is still decent) and our attack isolated and rubbish, not the other way round

[richie17]

my theory is that the full-backs aren't doing their bit.

Keep an eye out tonight, but also even against the more average teams in the premiership, you could build a motorway in the gap between the front two and the midfield. 

I think this is definitely a problem. The gap between our front two and the midfield and also the defence means we are too easy to pass and run through, teams that play well between the lines will slaughter us.

I think a tactic being used by Athletic Bilbao, were the whole team presses from the front as one unit over 25 meters would work for us, albeit they are trained hard and have extraoridnary work rate. Bilbao retain the ball well when they have it, giving themselves a rest and are direct, yet short with their passes. Very very effective, and even the biggest teams i.e Barca, Real & PSG have failed to reak Bilbao down.

The problem with that is we do not have the defenders capable of playing a high line. See - Fulham 2-5 Liverpool

Your between the lines comment is slightly disingenuous in that we do leave space between midfield and attack, but this makes our defence stronger (our current record is still decent) and our attack isolated and rubbish, not the other way round

exactly. Our team is big and slow at the back and our midfield doesn't have the nip and stamina to press. Apart from that it could work!

(the problem with a high line is that it has to be run in conjunction with very, very good pressing. If the man on the ball isn't pressed he has time to pick a pass over the top.  In this situation you'd back almost any forward player to outrun our defence.  We don't have the recovery pace at the back or the midfielders to press, so it's a complete no-no.  Hodgson's teams didn't press at all (sometimes during games to mix things up, but usually not at all), Hughes had Sidwell so could do it a bit more, but generally it's just not how we play.

[ClarksOriginal]

my theory is that the full-backs aren't doing their bit.

Keep an eye out tonight, but also even against the more average teams in the premiership, you could build a motorway in the gap between the front two and the midfield.  

I think this is definitely a problem. The gap between our front two and the midfield and also the defence means we are too easy to pass and run through, teams that play well between the lines will slaughter us.

I think a tactic being used by Athletic Bilbao, were the whole team presses from the front as one unit over 25 meters would work for us, albeit they are trained hard and have extraoridnary work rate. Bilbao retain the ball well when they have it, giving themselves a rest and are direct, yet short with their passes. Very very effective, and even the biggest teams i.e Barca, Real & PSG have failed to reak Bilbao down.

The problem with that is we do not have the defenders capable of playing a high line. See - Fulham 2-5 Liverpool

Your between the lines comment is slightly disingenuous in that we do leave space between midfield and attack, but this makes our defence stronger (our current record is still decent) and our attack isolated and rubbish, not the other way round

Having watched them play yesterday Mr MJG, it looked as though the whole team moved forwards and back as one 25m unit, as if trying to squeeze the life out of the other team. BUT, I see where you are coming from, with a slow defence we are susceptable to the ball over the top.

I agree, our attack is stale, isolated and static. Fresh blood needed.