“Possession Based Football” Critchley

Lost Seasider said:
The guy who's missed the whole of last season with injury, and has struggled to do 60 minutes so far this one.

Fair enough, I'm sure you know more about his fitness than the guy who works with him in training every day.
Click to expand...
If he is not fit fine … but the club should have got another striker in then. I bet there is very few league sides with only one fit striker available, and knowing that will be the position for a few weeks and not addressed it
 
This issue is not playing possession based football, that's what we want.

If we are to establish a long term style that can benefit us in the championship once we get back there, we have to start now.

Being good on the ball is absolutely crucial.

The issue is we haven't seen a passing style, we abandoned it vs Exeter for large parts when pressed, for much of the last 2 games we had no idea how to use it to break teams down as we're far too safe and slow at passing out.

What you'd expect to see is a team like Burnley, they were dominating but at times messing up at the back, but it was obviously going to improve in time.

I've not seen us attempt to pass out that much tbh, marv ends up with it and we know how that ends. Probably happened vs Burton though.

Our midfield seem too high to pass out, they should be deeper, if the other team press us that high up then there space in behind to pop a chipped ball over.

Not sure if they players are just reverting to long balls when pressured but I doubt it, as they would be told and coached how how do it.

We need to actually try to pass it out more, with which passing, players getting the ball on the half turn etc.

At least then we'd dominate and we could see what we're aiming to do.

If we were that dominant and able to advance up the pitch rathe than pointless passing at the back then the fans would probably cheer the passes.

The stats show us we aren't dominating the ball, which has to be the very first goal of a passing side who want to dominate.

It all builds from there.
 
We do passing, possession and creativity well when we have the ball further up the pitch. A lot of our possession is being wasted but relying on Ekpiteta as an easy pass, but then exposing him. Wingbacks aren't coming back to carry the ball upfield, other centre-backs don't want it, and Norburn regularly the only player trying to find space. The long ball he is being forced to play surely isn't part of our possession football approach.
 
I would hazard a guess that our possession stats are mainly in our own half and include Grimshaw. Eventually you need someone who can see an opening and slide a pass in, or push your fullbacks further up the field. Otherwise it's just pointless possession, with passing for the sake of passing and ending up with a crossfield lump.
 
Thinking about that game after the anger subsided. If Lavery had scored that goal which was a "world class" save from their keeper, things could have been so dofferent.
 
Lavery had 3 chances one of them should have been converted 1st was a good save, 2nd hit post poor on reflection, 3rd didn’t hit the target. By his standards not good enough 3pts should have been ours enough said.
 
The only possession football we play is around the defence, who eventually hoof it as far as they can, into the valley of giants, who shrug off our small strikers lik Shane, or physically undeveloped like Beesley. To their credit, they run their socks off trying to do something, but they can’t. The midfield, in an attacking perspective, doesn’t exist because it’s largely bypassed. They’re only there to try and stop the opposition.

It’s dreadful to watch.
 
Matesrates said:
The only possession football we play is around the defence, who eventually hoof it as far as they can, into the valley of giants, who shrug off our small strikers lik Shane, or physically undeveloped like Beesley. To their credit, they run their socks off trying to do something, but they can’t. The midfield, in an attacking perspective, doesn’t exist because it’s largely bypassed. They’re only there to try and stop the opposition.

It’s dreadful to watch.
Click to expand...
Spot on.
 
Matesrates said:
The only possession football we play is around the defence, who eventually hoof it as far as they can, into the valley of giants, who shrug off our small strikers lik Shane, or physically undeveloped like Beesley. To their credit, they run their socks off trying to do something, but they can’t. The midfield, in an attacking perspective, doesn’t exist because it’s largely bypassed. They’re only there to try and stop the opposition.

It’s dreadful to watch.
Click to expand...
It's nowhere near as bad to watch as last season, when it was ridiculously easy to score against us.

I disagree it's bad to watch. There is a system in place that is a work in progress and we'll get more comfortable and better in.
 
Wizaard said:
It's nowhere near as bad to watch as last season, when it was ridiculously easy to score against us.

I disagree it's bad to watch. There is a system in place that is a work in progress and we'll get more comfortable and better in.
Click to expand...

What planet is that view from? It’s absolutely terrible. Playing wing backs on their wrong side will never be work in progress, it will be damage limitation. What other football manager would play wing backs on their weaker foot? Go through all the top teams and try and name one.

Neil has a pretty white board vision in his head which is over complicated and the players look completely lost.
 
A_Tense_Grin said:
What planet is that view from? It’s absolutely terrible. Playing wing backs on their wrong side will never be work in progress, it will be damage limitation. What other football manager would play wing backs on their weaker foot? Go through all the top teams and try and name one.

Neil has a pretty white board vision in his head which is over complicated and the players look completely lost.
Click to expand...
Many, many managers play it.
 
After a week on the training ground I would expect to see an improvement on Saturday.
The last few weeks have been 2 games per week so not much time to learn the system and for Critchley to talk to the players away from the match environment.

And yes, it is far better than last season whatever the knockers on here say.

The thing is, Critchley isn't going anywhere, regardless of the moaning and bed wetting amongst certain supporters. I would trust his judgement above any of the 'experts' on here, let him do his job. If we are floundering in January then perhaps it would be time to rethink, but seeing as we are currently unbeaten and haven't conceded a goal I would suggest that the wannabe coaches get over themselves and let the man the club has chosen do his job. He is infinitely preferable to Appleton or McCarthy.
 
Wizaard said:
England. Walker has played on the left side.
Click to expand...

Kind of proves my point. A left back injury crisis and a one off game where Kyle Walker plays left back for England.

It’s an absolute shambles and no coincidence the likes of Oxford and Wigan have started well because they are playing a system that suits the players and gets the most out of them.
 
A_Tense_Grin said:
Kind of proves my point. A left back injury crisis and a one off game where Kyle Walker plays left back for England.

It’s an absolute shambles and no coincidence the likes of Oxford and Wigan have started well because they are playing a system that suits the players and gets the most out of them.
Click to expand...
It's not a one off.

Critchley has said all along that the squad isn't complete, so you're not comparing apples with apples. I'd hazard a guess that Gabriel would be in at RWB ahead of Hamilton. Lyons was playing LWB before he joined us.
 
Im feeling that Critch signings are a bit meh. I think he got lucky with Yates and Anderson who gave us an attacking edge and were recommended to the club by Wellens apparently. The hope is that he can repeat his loan successes like Simms and Embleton. Weir might be one. Joseph when fit. He seems enamoured of squad filler types though. Its all about retaining possession and winning the ball back it seems.
 
Wizaard said:
It's not a one off.

Critchley has said all along that the squad isn't complete, so you're not comparing apples with apples. I'd hazard a guess that Gabriel would be in at RWB ahead of Hamilton. Lyons was playing LWB before he joined us.
Click to expand...

I don’t care if Lyons has played left back before. He is completely wasted in this position. Even if your scenario is true, it’s pretty stupid Critchley playing people out of position whilst waiting for Gabriel to return from injury.

It’s a complete mess. No one plays this way even at the top level nevermind at League One level.
 
A_Tense_Grin said:
I don’t care if Lyons has played left back before. He is completely wasted in this position. Even if your scenario is true, it’s pretty stupid Critchley playing people out of position whilst waiting for Gabriel to return from injury.

It’s a complete mess. No one plays this way even at the top level nevermind at League One level.
Click to expand...
League One has much tighter squad numbers, so options are far more limited. I'm not saying I agree with inverted wingers, but Critchley sees them every day and works on patterns of play. He must see it as worthwhile, rather than us dropping in for 90 minutes once a week and deciding we know better.
 
Wizaard said:
League One has much tighter squad numbers, so options are far more limited. I'm not saying I agree with inverted wingers, but Critchley sees them every day and works on patterns of play. He must see it as worthwhile, rather than us dropping in for 90 minutes once a week and deciding we know better.
Click to expand...

If it’s wingers then playing on the wrong side is fine as per Josh Bowler and Keshi. This provides space for the full backs. I can’t see the benefit of wing backs playing on the wrong side. Is the plan for Husband and Casey to overlap? Critchley obviously sees something that many don’t.
 
FY4MIKEH said:
I posted this before todays game where we had been dominating possession.
Click to expand...
Was that the same 'dominating possession' which had seen us take an earth-shattering 3 points from a possible 9?
I rather think 'pointless possession' is the pretty little couplet you're looking for.
 
Wizaard said:
It's nowhere near as bad to watch as last season, when it was ridiculously easy to score against us.

I disagree it's bad to watch. There is a system in place that is a work in progress and we'll get more comfortable and better in.
Click to expand...
'There is a system in place that is a work in progress ...'

Really? So, what are the objectives we've set out to achieve? Because, for the life of me, I'll be damned if I know! And, rather worryingly, the team are looking equally clueless. There is clearly no sense of cohesion, and the team is evidently lacking a game-plan. Out on the pitch, during home matches, we are being made to look second-best, by sides, who, prior to their visit to Bloomers, had been struggling against all-comers.

We're currently so far off the pace, we're beginning to look something of an embarrassment. Unless action is taken soon, we're in danger of being cut adrift before the campaign has even got going. And we're not even into September yet. Frightening!
 
TheTangerinewizard said:
Thinking about that game after the anger subsided. If Lavery had scored that goal which was a "world class" save from their keeper, things could have been so dofferent.
Click to expand...
And if my aunt had been born with b------s she'd have been my uncle. What an utterly, utterly pointless post.
 
BFCAleman said:
If he is not fit fine … but the club should have got another striker in then. I bet there is very few league sides with only one fit striker available, and knowing that will be the position for a few weeks and not addressed it
Click to expand...
Critchley 2.0 possession-based football?

Whatever possessed Sadler to restore him?

Like impotent men between the sheets.

From side to side, without penetration.

Hire a coach after failure elsewhere.

As with Grayson's and Appleton's returns

Don't sign proven goal makers and scorers.

Find the club in possession of a slump.
 
Wizaard said:
It's not a one off.

Critchley has said all along that the squad isn't complete, so you're not comparing apples with apples. I'd hazard a guess that Gabriel would be in at RWB ahead of Hamilton. Lyons was playing LWB before he joined us.
Click to expand...
I think absolutely 'anyone' would be 'nailed on' for the RWB spot ahead of Hamilton. You can see from his body language how deeply uncomfortable he is in the role, so how on earth an experienced pro such as Critchley fails to see it is just completely unfathomable. One of life's great mysteries ...
 
tarantula said:
We're currently so far off the pace, we're beginning to look something of an embarrassment. Unless action is taken soon, we're in danger of being cut adrift before the campaign has even got going. And we're not even into September yet. Frightening!
Click to expand...
3 points off top. Scary!
 
voyeur said:
Not like you to have such a positive outlook.
Click to expand...

Neither negative or positive, just the honest truth. Critchley is playing pretty white board patterns and trying to slot players into those positions even if they are rubbish in that role.

We are a disorganised mess. Only a change of formation and tactics will halt the inevitable slide down the table.
 
Last edited:
A_Tense_Grin said:
Either neither negative or positive, just the honest truth. Critchley is playing pretty white board patterns and trying to slot players into those positions even if they are rubbish in that role.

We are a disorganised mess. Only a change of formation and tactics will halt the inevitable slide down the table.
Click to expand...
Your own honest truth.
 
Chesterbfc said:
I,m glad he,s at least explaining his reasons. I ,m impressed with that .
However surely he,s got to get better passers of the ball than Eki and Casey who appear incapable of executing a pass of further than 20feet sidewards.
Norburn must get his pass accuracy better but now Critch has admitted we are a “work in progress” I for one am prepared to wait and watch the development of this system.
No shouting from me this Saturday
Click to expand...
At about £30 a game if we wait just 5 games before things start to improve ,I could have saved £150 and 450 minutes of boredom which I won't get back. Football is suppose to be an entertainment.
 
My old man said after the Vale game, ‘Son please don’t ask me again’. Very sad on a personal note but don’t blame him as those thoughts are not far from my mind.
 
Tangerine_Dream said:
recently watched the Burnley documentary and last season they started off by dropping a load of points by drawing games they definitely should have won.

Wonder how many of their fans cried like little girls after a few games?
Click to expand...
There's a clear difference between telling a few home truthes, and crying 'like little girls after a few games'. The fact of the matter is we've been serving up complete dross since the start of the campaign, and there seems to be little sign of this changing any time soon. I know it's only early days but already we look to be in clear danger of finding ourselves in something of a rut, as our 'performances' thus far have been absolutely appalling.

There is a distinct sense of disquiet on the terraces at the moment and this is simply being compounded by some utterly bizarre managerial decisions. The continued selections of both CJ and Marv is, frankly speaking, quite baffling. Any confidence they might previously have had is now 'shot to pieces' and, when in possession of the ball, they both simply look like an accident waiting to happen. You get the distinct impression neither of them wants the ball, and when it does somehow arrive at their feet, it quickly becomes apparent, on the evidence of what we've been shown thus far, they haven't a clue what to do with it.

How on earth can you justify their continuing selection on the strength of the evidence shown so far? I'll be damned if I know, and, I'm sorry, but it really must bring into question the state of mind of the individual with his hand on the tiller.
 
TangerineJD said:
We do passing, possession and creativity well when we have the ball further up the pitch. A lot of our possession is being wasted but relying on Ekpiteta as an easy pass, but then exposing him. Wingbacks aren't coming back to carry the ball upfield, other centre-backs don't want it, and Norburn regularly the only player trying to find space. The long ball he is being forced to play surely isn't part of our possession football approach.
Click to expand...
'Wingbacks aren't coming back to carry the ball upfield ...' Because if the one I have in mind suddenly found himself in that position, he'd immediately be having to look for a change of underwear. And, I kid you not.
 
voyeur said:
3 points off top. Scary!
Click to expand...
But, and I know the season is still in its infancy, do you not find it utterly bizarre (and something of an anomily) that we are only 3 points off the top and yet have a team comprising 11 indidviduals who seem to lack any idea of what to actually do with the ball when its physically at their feet?
 
tarantula said:
But, and I know the season is still in its infancy, do you not find it utterly bizarre (and something of an anomily) that we are only 3 points off the top and yet have a team comprising 11 indidviduals who seem to lack any idea of what to actually do with the ball when its physically at their feet?
Click to expand...
I dont think that's true. Its more bizarre that you think it is, really.

Improvement needed but mostly in one bit of the pitch.
 
Can't find the thread but I think the poster was right who said he's been badly affected by what happened on QPR.
It's a results based industry and whilst Sadler would be concerned if he saw a huge drop in attendances, he won't put Critch under any pressure when we're not losing or conceding.
My way of thinking is two fold. 1: He is short of the players he needs to play the way he wants and 2: He has always said his style etc will take time to implement.
I think his planning for the future is the reason for hopefully the short term pain.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top