Attacking Away From Home Tactics

[White Noise]

A good piece from 'Craven Cottage Newsround' on our away tactics. There are several graphics that mean its better to read it on the site itself rather pasting it on here -

http://cravencottagenewsround.wordpress.com/2010/09/19/attacking-away-from-home-tactics/

[White Noise]

http://threeandin.com/2010/09/19/will-refs-keep-an-eye-on-blackburn/


Will refs keep an eye on Blackburn?


Posted by Last man back On September - 19 - 2010


Blackburn's goal against Fulham should not have been allowed yesterday.

As the ball came in Mark Schwarzer, eyes only on the ball, went to try and get it. El Hadj Diouf ran in, eyes only on the keeper, and barged into him so the Australian was in no-man's land when it hit Samba's head. It was as clear and deliberate a foul as you will ever see, and the second time in the game Diouf had done it.

It's hard to imagine that the referee didn't see either incident. He looked well placed to do so, especially for the goal. It was poor refereeing by any standards. And before I'm accused of anything untoward he made another serious error when Schwarzer handled the ball outside his area.

That doesn't alter the fact that Blackburn constantly, deliberately and tactically foul goalkeepers all the time. Arsene Wenger compared Stoke's treatment of Gomes to rugby, well Diouf's blocking off of Schwarzer belongs in American Football, not real football.

The incident was highlighted on Match of the Day and they were critical of the ref, rightly enough, but why not also be critical of a team who plays like that? Why not be critical of a manager who sends his team out with those kind of instructions? The same manager who reckons he's good enough to take charge of teams like Real Madrid or Man United, by the way. Let's face it, even if by some miracle that happened, the fans wouldn't take kindly to his industrial, clogging football.

It's been a poor start to the season for referees, there have been too many bad decisions and too many teams have gotten away with things that have no place on a football pitch, from bad fouls to the kind of thing Diouf was doing yesterday against Fulham.

You can only hope that lessons will be learned. From now on if there's a challenge on an opposition keeper in a Blackburn game they need to give the benefit of the doubt to the man with the gloves – and Allardyce's men will only have themselves to blame.