Press or Stand Off

[Beamer]

I understand that MS likes to keep his shape when we lose the ball (which is happening far too often but that's another debate) but why do our players, both forwards and defenders seem happy to stand static in front of opposition players with the ball and wait to see what they do with it. I'm not suggesting that we dive into tackles and lose shape but at least move towards the player with the ball to make him play it rather than give him time to pick the perfect pass.
Brighton was a good example of that where they made life uncomfortable by their forwards pressing Leno and the defenders when we had possession whereas their goalie and back four seemed to have all the time in the world to meander forward looking for a pass while we backed off.
Even around the edges of the box they were not pressured enough and for the first goal we were simply not close enough given where the scorer picked up the ball.
The other thing I notice is the number of times opposition wingers get their crosses in even though the defender is with them. I don't like to say it but whilst Ryan does stop the advance into the box he rarely blocks the cross and he is not alone in that.
I didn't think we deserved anything from yesterday's game but was absolutely delighted with the result as I think it helped even out the games where we had deserved more than we finished with.

[bencher]

Pretty much sums up what I am seeing too I think there are a couple of reasons:
1. We don't have the legs/engine that some teams have. Players like Raul and ESR can only do it in fits and starts.
2. When we do press higher we can get bypassed quite quickly and our midfield doesn't have recovery pace to get back, leaving defenders stranded and not good enough to defend 1v1. Welbeck's disallowed goal was a good example, we started to press higher, lost control of the  ball and were exposed very quickly.

There's another aspect, which is that our defenders don't have the same on the ball quality as Brighton, so pressing them high is pretty effective, whereas Brighton are very good at finding their way out of the press.

The frustrating thing for me is high much we struggle in the build up phase to get the ball into the midfield and attackers. For me Berge is the main culprit in not offering passing lanes quickly enough and then invariably passing it back when he does get it.

[H4usuallysitting]

Where's Pereira when you need him

[Drewry66]

We defo struggle with a very high press against us and both Leeds and Brighton used it to good effect. We played around it nicely a few times first half and we are better than we used to be but got caught a lot yesterday and just couldn't get out for large spells in the game.

We tend at the moment to spring press in many games rather than all out. We drop a bit, let the keeper pass to the defender and then go at a trigger points. I too was frustrated we weren't pressing all the way to their keeper as Brighton are known for getting in trouble with that. We know this as last year we did employ a high press against Brighton and their keeper stuffed up and we scored!

The negative to it is you can get caught out. As good as Brighton's press was, Andersen by passed it with a great long ball and as they were pressing so high we got in and scored. I remember we pressed really high against Arsenal at the Cottage a few years ago and they were just too good, played around it and we were left open again and again.

Often tough against the likes of Arsenal and City then but against the right team we don't do the very high press enough these days I don't think. Prob because of no AP and Raul running on fumes half the time plus ESR not being that quick. Brighton did it brilliantly yesterday and Leeds last week and prob why we looked second best a bit in both games so it is a good point.