Not good enough on the ball

JJpool

JJpool

Well-known member
Said it win lose or draw but we don't look good enough to go up as were not good enough on the ball.

Which leads to use not creating enough chances or scoring enough goals.

Crewe keep the ball well but you'd expect us to also, but today we made a poor relegation candidate look more like a promotion side and it bit us on the backside in the end.

A team with ambition of going up shouldn't be hanging on like that. Gifting them the ball back time after time.

The basics of a good touch, a good pass, movement should be exactly what Critch was here to improve, yet we've been pretty terrible at times.

We've been solid in games and nicking the odd goal but not pulled up any trees all season really.

The style of play for me is a bit of a disappointment given what what was said when the manager arrived, in that we want to dominate and dictate play etc. Possession is not the be all and end all but you have to use the ball wisely, when you give it away you give them chance to attack us.

Early season we were more dominant but abandoned it somewhat after poor results, but that was more because we were a brand new side, not gelled, not scoring and making mistakes. Players like Yates couldn't buy a goal and Ekpiteta made mistakes. Now the players have much improved but they style of play is too direct and not enough control.

We still have games in hand but we just look pretty average to me, mid table. Hope they improve but am not seeing the quality needed.
 
Early doors its easy to play with “gay abandon” but when targets get set and points totals reached and every point becomes essential then I suppose its natural for a fear factor to creep into a managers mind. Given its Critch’s first year in charge where results really matter (against U23 where its all about developing players rather that points on the board) then its still a learning curve.

Couple of years ago that was exactly the kind of game (and v Crewe) we would just have lost. I suppose its also easier to accept by not being there, might be a different matter if we had been in the ground!
 
We lost attacking intent before we kicked off with Turton at full back. I'm not blaming him for the result and he was involved in our goal but we missed Gabriel's attacking intent. No coincidence that the one time he did get forward we scored. Never did it again and we never looked like scoring.
 
I don't get it as I thought this is something Critch would have implemented by now.

As I say, pre season we were all buzzing about the style of play, yes only friendlies but we looked slick. Season start we looked good but couldn't score or defend.

I dont think the style was the issue back then, it was the lack of goals, final pass and gifted goals we gave away.

Should have stuck at it and stuck to our principals and grown as a passing side IMO.

I remember people losing their shit about Graysons side losing control in games, where we couldn't pass it for ages, its not as bad now but today we were gifting the ball away far too easily and its not the first game.
 
Our passing game isn’t great, not enough players running off the ball, instead we are passing to players who are standing still, or as usually happens we pass it backwards across the defence.
Pity really because I think we have a good squad capable of better things
Need to win Tuesday now
 
Wizaard said:
We lost attacking intent before we kicked off with Turton at full back. I'm not blaming him for the result and he was involved in our goal but we missed Gabriel's attacking intent. No coincidence that the one time he did get forward we scored. Never did it again and we never looked like scoring.
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Personally, I felt that Turton had a decent game, Husband too. You could see that Wimbledon like to get it wide and put balls in for Pigott so some defensive solidity was no bad thing. And both full backs tried to get forward. Credit the opposition a little here, they played well. Even if ultimately we should have killed the game off and claimed 3 points, it’s hard to deny that Wimbledon were worthy of a point.
 
Wizaard said:
We lost attacking intent before we kicked off with Turton at full back. I'm not blaming him for the result and he was involved in our goal but we missed Gabriel's attacking intent. No coincidence that the one time he did get forward we scored. Never did it again and we never looked like scoring.
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There's much more to it than 1 person, who I don't think was at fault at all today. As a unit the style of play that comes from the coach.

There's plenty of quality on the pitch in midfield etc, but they aren't doing the basics often, not playing with freedom at times.

Remember this below.....

Where is this style now, we were promised? Started like this but not now.

"On the front foot, attacking football, in the oppositions half, forward thinking, we want to control the game and dominate the opposition as much as we can, therefore we decide what happens of the football pitch."

 
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Charliecleanstonysheens said:
Personally, I Think we are quite good on the ball. There is a problem with players NOT moving off the ball and providing options for the player in possession.
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I disagree, were alright sometimes in spells but as shown today and tue if pressured we often fold.

A lot of the time its easy possession along the backline and nothing on so go long and often its lost to their defence.

The way we allowed Wimbledon to dominate late on, we had Brett in commentary thinking they were actually a good side, no they are down their and made to look better due to our inability to keep the ball.
 
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To often we see players in possession with space ahead of them stop and play it square or backwards. I used to coach my lads team to move in to space and change the angles but everyone has to buy in to making themselves available and give you at least two options to feet. Disclaimer: NC is a far better and knowledgable coach than me. Just an observation though.
 
We lack technically gifted players. I can think of Garbutt and Yates off the top of my head. After that I'm struggling.

It's been such a stuttering season. I feel we still haven't found an identity and stuck with it. This certainly isn't the attacking, front foot football that we were promised upon NC's arrival.

Critchley won't have envisaged his Blackpool team playing this way when he arrived. Is this a Calderwood influence?
 
Dr Huffuhruhr said:
To often we see players in possession with space ahead of them stop and play it square or backwards. I used to coach my lads team to move in to space and change the angles but everyone has to buy in to making themselves available and give you at least two options to feet. Disclaimer: NC is a far better and knowledgable coach than me. Just an observation though.
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Exactly, so why are we now not seeing free flowing, freedom attacking football. Not dominating with the ball or chances either.

Class_of_2010 said:
We lack technically gifted players. I can think of Garbutt and Yates off the top of my head. After that I'm struggling.

It's been such a stuttering season. I feel we still haven't found an identity and stuck with it. This certainly isn't the attacking, front foot football that we were promised upon NC's arrival.

Critchley won't have envisaged his Blackpool team playing this way when he arrived. Is this a Calderwood influence?
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Its certainly not what was promised.

As I quoted him from that video, it feels a long way from that type of football.

Can we really say we have a Blackpool style, a set way of playing thats effective, attacking, creates chances, dominates, use the ball wisely.

Not seen it myself, small spells thats it.
 
JJpool said:
There's much more to it than 1 person, who I don't think was at fault at all today. As a unit the style of play that comes from the coach.

There's plenty of quality on the pitch in midfield etc, but they aren't doing the basics often, not playing with freedom at times.

Remember this below.....

Where is this style now, we were promised? Started like this but not now.

"On the front foot, attacking football, in the oppositions half, forward thinking, we want to control the game and dominate the opposition as much as we can, therefore we decide what happens of the football pitch."

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Critchley is clueless.
 
62years&counting said:
Critchley is clueless.
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Thing is he started us off playing good passing and domination, but without results or end product, in part due to a brand new side not used to each other.

Yates is now scoring more, no real mistakes as much. If we were playing like we didn't then, mixed it up a bit, took chances created and not gifted goals wed look way way better.

People want to blame the style of play for the early season results but it wasn't that at fault. Its not a bad thing to dominate the ball, create more chances etc.

If done right you win more games than you lose and is very difficult to play against.
 
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JJpool said:
Thing is he started us off playing good passing and domination, but without results or end product, in part due to a brand new side not used to each other.

Yates is now scoring more, no real mistakes as much. If we were playing like we didn't then, mixed it up a bit, took chances created and not gifted goals wed look way way better.

People want to blame the style of play for the early season results but it wasn't that at fault. Its not a bad thing to dominate the ball, create more chances etc.

If done right you win more games than you lose and is very difficult to play against.
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We won't win enough games because we don't score enough goals.
 
I'm glad others have seen this as I've been feeling this for a while now, we seemed to have turned into a long ball team from the back. Don't see why dougall is suddenly out of the team as he has been great at recycling the ball. Where are the one-twos or the link up play between the strikers? Where are the overlaps from the full backs. Luckily we have a strong defence that has kept us going but we need to be better going forward to make it in the playoffs. We have dropped 4 points there this week.
 
southshore said:
You can’t take your target man off and still play the long ball.
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Yeah but for me we shouldn't be hoofing it so much anyway an out ball ok, but not the main tactic. If anything the philosophy should be to pass as thats progressive football.

Altyseasider said:
I'm glad others have seen this as I've been feeling this for a while now, we seemed to have turned into a long ball team from the back. Don't see why dougall is suddenly out of the team as he has been great at recycling the ball. Where are the one-twos or the link up play between the strikers? Where are the overlaps from the full backs. Luckily we have a strong defence that has kept us going but we need to be better going forward to make it in the playoffs. We have dropped 4 points there this week.
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Exactly, all those things, simple things really like good touches, good weight of pass, good movement, 1-2's etc as you mention.

This is what should be being worked on and usually by now a style would have come together.

The style that has come together is more of a solid unit, nick a game with a goal of we can. I know we plan to score more but we aren't good enough on the ball mostly.

I'm very surprised Critch hasn't been able to improve this further.

Well, infact he did start off looking so promising, early season or pre season I was bragging about thr football we were playing to work colleagues, then we started and in actual games the new side under more pressure couldn't deliver yet.

We have gone further and further away from that type of football it seems. I dont see why like lots of sides who are up there, we cant play decent football and win. For me its more likely to win if we have more of the ball, create more chances like early season or get in positions to do so...

But the difference to early season now is players know each other, aren't struggling to get off the mark on goals, aren't doing blunders every game generally. So I think we would take many more of those chances.

Surely the style should have been stuck to, but yes mixed up a bit at times, but that was how we play and we surely would have improved with it more and more.

Now we seem to be drifting more and more to long ball. Which Grayson got pelters for.
 
straightatthewall said:
Personally, I felt that Turton had a decent game, Husband too. You could see that Wimbledon like to get it wide and put balls in for Pigott so some defensive solidity was no bad thing. And both full backs tried to get forward. Credit the opposition a little here, they played well. Even if ultimately we should have killed the game off and claimed 3 points, it’s hard to deny that Wimbledon were worthy of a point.
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Defensive solidity at the expense of attacking options.
 
I don’t think we are aggressive enough generally. We get in a winning position and it’s straight to a measured pass it around at the back mentality instead of an in your face aggressive attacking go for the killer second approach. That’s got to be coaching,
 
straightatthewall said:
Personally, I felt that Turton had a decent game, Husband too. You could see that Wimbledon like to get it wide and put balls in for Pigott so some defensive solidity was no bad thing. And both full backs tried to get forward. Credit the opposition a little here, they played well. Even if ultimately we should have killed the game off and claimed 3 points, it’s hard to deny that Wimbledon were worthy of a point.
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The truth is though that we shouldnt be swapping both full backs unless there are injuries especially when we are on a good run...we need to stop chopping and changing just for the sake of it
 
JJpool said:
I disagree, were alright sometimes in spells but as shown today and tue if pressured we often fold.

A lot of the time its easy possession along the backline and nothing on so go long and often its lost to their defence.

The way we allowed Wimbledon to dominate late on, we had Brett in community thinking they were actually a good side, no they are down their and made to look better due to our inability to keep the ball.
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Bretts a legend as a player but I have my doubts he’ll ever be a manager 😂
 
It's a mindset issue as much as anything. If you approach anything with positivity you are more likely to succeed. The issue I fear we have now is whenever we are in a similar position again there will be even more nerves and panic. It's not exactly what we were all expecting but we have made improvements. We have a young Head Coach who is still learning, I only hope this week has taught him a valuable lesson.
 
If we look at the last 3 games, Charlton we pressed and harried early on and dominated most of the game. Crewe came out pressed and harried and looked the better team for a lot of the game. Wimbledon came out pressed and harried and looked the better team for a lot of the game. It's not rocket science it's league 1 football, close players down deny them time and space and you dominate the game.
 
Scaramanga said:
That doesn’t make sense. It only takes 1 goal to win a game of football.
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Sometimes scoring 1 goal is enough but not when you concede an equaliser and draw 1-1 as we did against Crewe and Wimbledon. Low scoring teams like Pool are rarely successful in terms of winning enough games to secure promotion.
 
62years&counting said:
Sometimes scoring 1 goal is enough but not when you concede an equaliser and draw 1-1 as we did against Crewe and Wimbledon. Low scoring teams like Pool are rarely successful in terms of winning enough games to secure promotion.
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I agree a free scoring team is obviously a better option. Didn't Arsenal win the league often winning 1-0 ? If we had the ability to keep possession of the ball then I’ve no problem winning 1-0 every week. Unfortunately for us we have struggled to control the game once taking the lead and it needs to be addressed.
 
When you're a goal up at home you keep on attacking, not go into defensive mode. 🙄
Leave at least one player on the halfway line, not bring everyone back in defence.
To do it 2 matches on the run at home is pathetic.
There's an old saying, 'Attack is the best form of defence'.
Wimbledon manager had it right.
 
Scaramanga said:
I agree a free scoring team is obviously a better option. Didn't Arsenal win the league often winning 1-0 ? If we had the ability to keep possession of the ball then I’ve no problem winning 1-0 every week. Unfortunately for us we have struggled to control the game once taking the lead and it needs to be addressed.
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It could and should have been addressed in January. Creativity, control and goals have been missing all season. Pool are some way off a promotion side in my view.
 
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