by Sutekh »
05 Oct 2019 17:27
NewCorkSeth Snowflake Royal NewCorkSeth Might sound silly here but I dont think we are going to start getting anything from games until our closing down tactics change.
Currently we have 1 player close down the ball while the others close down space. We need to either start having the other players close down the passing routes a la Pep or have 2 players close down the ball a la Jurgen. Currently we are half assing it and Rinomhota is the only player we have capable of: intercepting, passing, dribbling and holding it up.
At least that's my big takeaway from the first half. We allow teams so much space on the ball because half the team are busy marking the space thise players "could" move into. Fundamental flaw in Jose's defensive plan.
I'd assumed it was incompetence rather than deliberate, but that makes sense.
Would explain why Rino's been a shadow of himself from last season too. And why Pele still looks clueless.
We're absolutely in this game, and are a little unlucky not to be back even. But I see nothing better from Gomes.
Bet Swift comes straight back in for Pele or Rino.
I'm positive it is instructed. In fact in the second half they started closing down in pairs in midfield. Start the oxf*rd game like that Jose. Christ.
That’s the other thing wrong with it. Games are never started in the front foot, there is nothing but tepid slow plodding possession played while the opposition race about and press and force Reading into mistakes. Sir Steve and Brian would be spitting feathers over that sort of approach.