Joe Lewis and defending

[FPT]

Has to do much better if he wants to get anywhere near the number one position once Andy Lonergan is back. He runs around the penalty box like a headless chicken for the first - seemed to be caught in two minds whether to try and claim the overhead kick return or stay on his line, he ended up doing neither. The second goal he misjudges the flight of the strike, leading to him deflecting it into the path of Chris O'Grady. And for the third, it's a set piece, he's standing dead centre, shuffles over to follow the flight - Mills' header goes dead centre, seemingly right next to Lewis.

Of course, look at alternative variables. The first goal - Ryan Fredericks gets stuck between two Nottingham Forest attackers, allows the Forest player to not only get to the second ball but overhead kick it back into the danger area where Matt Smith and Tom Cairney just stopped concentrating and left Matt Mills and Chris O'Grady on their own. Jamie O'Hara gets turned way too easily for the second and Cairney doesn't really do anything before the Forest runs past and takes a dig on goal; and if you watch the replay, both Stearman and Ream pause for a moment whilst the balls in flight - all while O'Grady gambles on the deflection - he gets the first, he gets rewarded. Finally, number three, Richard Stearman simply loses Matt Mills, the marking is really poor and Mills has a free header - could also contribute Stearman to number three - is Fredericks outnumbered/stuck because Stearman switched off? Our standards need to be much higher, and we need to expect more from our senior players.

Disappointing defending for all three goals, but I do feel goalkeeper really could have prevented all three also.

To end on a stat, Joe Lewis has conceded 17 goals in 8 starts. Compare that to Andy Lonergan's 14 goals in 12 starts.

[J]

All good points but Joe Lewis is 3rd choice and I don't expect that to change. He is only on loan in any case.

[westcliff white]

I've not been impressed by him, he doesn't command his box well at all

[H4usuallysitting]

Your observations point to a defence (I include any of our three keepers) that has not been drilled and without repetition.... At the moment (all season) they are a bunch of individuals trying there best - they simply need repetitive training so that when one moves the others know what he is trying/doing - this should also include the holding midfield and flair midfield.....at the moment all over the pitch we have individuals and not a team

[f321ffc]

Your observations point to a defence (I include any of our three keepers) that has not been drilled and without repetition.... At the moment (all season) they are a bunch of individuals trying there best - they simply need repetitive training so that when one moves the others know what he is trying/doing - this should also include the holding midfield and flair midfield.....at the moment all over the pitch we have individuals and not a team

Too right on the repetitive defensive training but as Kit said thats boring so the players probably dont want to do it fp.gif lets hope whoever comes in kicks them into some sort of defensive unit.
We really shot ourselves in the foot unloading Stockdale.
:merry christmas:

[MJG]

The second looks bad from his point of view, but I was close as youn ould get as a Fulham to see how hard it was hit and moved in the air, he did well to stop it going in as he did.

[colinwhite]

We have had a problem at defending set pieces for several seasons , basically since Stekelenberg came in.
Bettinelli ,Lonergan , and now Lewis are all good shot stoppers,reaction keepers but are uncertain with balls coming into the box and do not dominate their six yard box, let alone the whole penalty area . This cause uncertainty in the rest of the team .
Whoever it is that is buying players should have identified this ,as it has been blatantly obvious for years (even embarrassing). Until we resolve this problem and get a Scwarzer style keeper who dominates his box we are going to have problems, no matter how many drills we do at training.
The people making these judgements are supposed to be professionals , but dont know much about football quite frankly.

[H4usuallysitting]

We have had a problem at defending set pieces for several seasons , basically since Stekelenberg came in.
Bettinelli ,Lonergan , and now Lewis are all good shot stoppers,reaction keepers but are uncertain with balls coming into the box and do not dominate their six yard box, let alone the whole penalty area . This cause uncertainty in the rest of the team .
Whoever it is that is buying players should have identified this ,as it has been blatantly obvious for years (even embarrassing). Until we resolve this problem and get a Scwarzer style keeper who dominates his box we are going to have problems, no matter how many drills we do at training.
The people making these judgements are supposed to be professionals , but dont know much about football quite frankly.

eermm......shouldn't we be drilling the keeper

[leonffc]

What I can't work out with Lewis is his kicking. The last two weeks have been really windy but he insists on kicking the ball as high as he possibly can. If he isn't bright enough to realise that by driving the ball lower through the air it won't get caught up as much then surely the coaching team should have a word?!

[H4usuallysitting]

The longer the ball is up in the air - the less chance the opposition have of scoring....it's a shame he cant keep it up there for 45 minutes at a time

[leonffc]

The longer the ball is up in the air - the less chance the opposition have of scoring....it's a shame he cant keep it up there for 45 minutes at a time

Very good point. I hadn't thought of that

[Twig]

The longer the ball is up in the air - the less chance the opposition have of scoring....it's a shame he cant keep it up there for 45 minutes at a time

Brilliant plan.

[andy]

We have had a selection of keepers in the last couple of years and leaked goals with them all. I like Joe L and think he is a fine player. The problem is the center of defence and the way the team performs its duties.... the outfield not the keeper is the problem.

If we stuck players on the posts it would be a step forward.

[grandad]

We have had a selection of keepers in the last couple of years and leaked goals with them all. I like Joe L and think he is a fine player. The problem is the center of defence and the way the team performs its duties.... the outfield not the keeper is the problem.

If we stuck players on the posts it would be a step forward.

For the 1st goal we did have players on the posts but it was headed in the middle of the goal with Lewis nowhere. He just does not command the 6 yard box.

[HV71]

Yesterday I unfortunately could not get to the game but I was in the Nottingham area and listened to the match live on Radio Nottingham . First of all I was impressed that the commentators did not appear to be biased and in fact kept going on how Forest did not deserve their first half lead. Secondly it was interesting on their take on our performance - they were nonplussed on how we seemed to fail defend as a team . They remarked how players failed to cover for each other when someone was either beaten or were out of position. In their words we clearly were " not a unit "They bemoaned the fact that no one seemed to take charge in midfield and move us forward ( they were surprised Parker only ever seemed to go either backwards or square )
They were worried about us as an attacking threat before the game. They were fearful of Ross - however they could not believe that such a prolific goal scorer  was taking the corners and free kicks ( at least those that did not present a direct scoring opportunity ) whilst they had seen players like Drogba often taking corners - they just couldn't understand how a poacher like Ross could be wasted in such a way.
They , like all of us , thought we must improve when we get the management situation sorted as we appeared to lack real leadership and organisation


It was just interesting to get an impartial view on our current plight

[bill taylors apprentice]

The failure to cover and support team mates has been obvious to a blind man for sometime now.

Parker's been moving sideways or backwards ever since he arrived (with a few notable exceptions)

As for Ross talking the corners, I despair that none of the coaching staff can see this error or are too timid to tell him to desist.

[andy]

We have had a selection of keepers in the last couple of years and leaked goals with them all. I like Joe L and think he is a fine player. The problem is the center of defence and the way the team performs its duties.... the outfield not the keeper is the problem.

If we stuck players on the posts it would be a step forward.

For the 1st goal we did have players on the posts but it was headed in the middle of the goal with Lewis nowhere. He just does not command the 6 yard box.

No disrespect intended but no we did not have players on the post for the first goal. As the corner comes over our posts are naked and bear and devoid of players. The corner is long and when the ball is played back One of our defenders drifts back but the damage is already done. the corner is appaulingly defended and the goalkeeper is nowhere near the main culprit for such shocking defending. But it is as clear as day when the ball is played from the corner, neither post has a player.