Nothing new.

Seasider1

Well-known member
Would seem over the last 2 seasons under Grayson and now Critchley the team has a couple of nasty habits. First one attacking and in front of goal, again this season when goal scoring opportunities seem to occur, players won't take the chance and instead look for another option. Why don't the players seem to trust themselves to take on a first time shot?
Secondly we don't look to kill off teams when going in front. And the longer the game goes on being a goal up the more we look to defend and not increase that lead. The frustration was there and very vocal when Grayson was in charge. The noises are getting louder now. Unfortunately you don't deserve to win matches when you playing at home winning 1-0 with 15 minutes left and decide your happy to hang on and defend what you've got. It invites trouble and like today can end up getting your fingers burnt.
 
I've said it all season I don't think we are a very good side be it from a TV screen.
Thank God we ain't in the ground otherwise NC would have been toast by now and I'm still confused if it is the quality of the players we have or the manger or a mixture of both.
 
We were better today than midweek but shuffling the system mid game disrupted the team and left us vulnerable to the sucker punch.

I think we have a decent squad but we need players to carry the ball forward more to hurt the opposition instead of playing in front of them. Virtue and Yates are the only two who do that.
 
Would seem over the last 2 seasons under Grayson and now Critchley the team has a couple of nasty habits. First one attacking and in front of goal, again this season when goal scoring opportunities seem to occur, players won't take the chance and instead look for another option. Why don't the players seem to trust themselves to take on a first time shot?
Secondly we don't look to kill off teams when going in front. And the longer the game goes on being a goal up the more we look to defend and not increase that lead. The frustration was there and very vocal when Grayson was in charge. The noises are getting louder now. Unfortunately you don't deserve to win matches when you playing at home winning 1-0 with 15 minutes left and decide your happy to hang on and defend what you've got. It invites trouble and like today can end up getting your fingers burnt.
I feel like the trying to pass the ball into the net thing comes partly from an increased reliance on data and xG stats. Which is something that doesn't really encourage spontaneity. And Critchley has been put through an FA course since they set out trying to create an England DNA, to move on from kick and rush. Michael Jolley, similar ex U23 coach background, was on that course with him and has just lasted seven games at Barrow due to a disagreement on playing style, which says more about their board than him. They need results now and don't have the players for anything elaborate, but he wants to pass around and play keep ball as that's his background. But that takes time, funding and commitment to develop the lower you are.

It feels like we're a mish mash of that here too with Critchley focusing on shape and passing control. And old school Calderwood having input on organising the defensive side. And the result is a team that now plays it's home games to go 1-0 up and then try to manage it out. With the occasional individual who breaks out of the structure, like Yates has. But it's very reliant on the fine margins of the opposition not equalising with their one big chance, which they get whatever you do.

We've been coming away from most of these recent home wins with a sense of relief at having seen it out, rather than feeling that we're in control. But I think we're now seeing that the opposition are coming here with a plan to start and finish games stronger than us, close down our passing routines. Critchley seemed particularly rattled in his post match. Said it felt like a defeat, which is the first time the Mr Positive mask has slipped, so maybe a slight rethink will be on the cards.
 
First one attacking and in front of goal, again this season when goal scoring opportunities seem to occur, players won't take the chance and instead look for another option.
I'd agree with that - we seem to pull our strikers away from goal though which is a problem.
 
I feel like the trying to pass the ball into the net thing comes partly from an increased reliance on data and xG stats. Which is something that doesn't really encourage spontaneity. And Critchley has been put through an FA course since they set out trying to create an England DNA, to move on from kick and rush. Michael Jolley, similar ex U23 coach background, was on that course with him and has just lasted seven games at Barrow due to a disagreement on playing style, which says more about their board than him. They need results now and don't have the players for anything elaborate, but he wants to pass around and play keep ball as that's his background. But that takes time, funding and commitment to develop the lower you are.

It feels like we're a mish mash of that here too with Critchley focusing on shape and passing control. And old school Calderwood having input on organising the defensive side. And the result is a team that now plays it's home games to go 1-0 up and then try to manage it out. With the occasional individual who breaks out of the structure, like Yates has. But it's very reliant on the fine margins of the opposition not equalising with their one big chance, which they get whatever you do.

We've been coming away from most of these recent home wins with a sense of relief at having seen it out, rather than feeling that we're in control. But I think we're now seeing that the opposition are coming here with a plan to start and finish games stronger than us, close down our passing routines. Critchley seemed particularly rattled in his post match. Said it felt like a defeat, which is the first time the Mr Positive mask has slipped, so maybe a slight rethink will be on the cards.
Interesting post. I don't know what xG stats are but I get your drift. Also, the point about sponteneity lacking is bob on.
 
I feel like the trying to pass the ball into the net thing comes partly from an increased reliance on data and xG stats. Which is something that doesn't really encourage spontaneity. And Critchley has been put through an FA course since they set out trying to create an England DNA, to move on from kick and rush. Michael Jolley, similar ex U23 coach background, was on that course with him and has just lasted seven games at Barrow due to a disagreement on playing style, which says more about their board than him. They need results now and don't have the players for anything elaborate, but he wants to pass around and play keep ball as that's his background. But that takes time, funding and commitment to develop the lower you are.

It feels like we're a mish mash of that here too with Critchley focusing on shape and passing control. And old school Calderwood having input on organising the defensive side. And the result is a team that now plays it's home games to go 1-0 up and then try to manage it out. With the occasional individual who breaks out of the structure, like Yates has. But it's very reliant on the fine margins of the opposition not equalising with their one big chance, which they get whatever you do.

We've been coming away from most of these recent home wins with a sense of relief at having seen it out, rather than feeling that we're in control. But I think we're now seeing that the opposition are coming here with a plan to start and finish games stronger than us, close down our passing routines. Critchley seemed particularly rattled in his post match. Said it felt like a defeat, which is the first time the Mr Positive mask has slipped, so maybe a slight rethink will be on the cards.
Its a bit of a mess to be honest and recent results have masked poor performances

We started the season with Robson being the midfield king pin, the continental number 6

He's now 4th choice

The style has changed as has the shape and i honest don't think Critchley has a clue on how to get the best out of the players he's signed
 
I feel like the trying to pass the ball into the net thing comes partly from an increased reliance on data and xG stats. Which is something that doesn't really encourage spontaneity. And Critchley has been put through an FA course since they set out trying to create an England DNA, to move on from kick and rush. Michael Jolley, similar ex U23 coach background, was on that course with him and has just lasted seven games at Barrow due to a disagreement on playing style, which says more about their board than him. They need results now and don't have the players for anything elaborate, but he wants to pass around and play keep ball as that's his background. But that takes time, funding and commitment to develop the lower you are.

It feels like we're a mish mash of that here too with Critchley focusing on shape and passing control. And old school Calderwood having input on organising the defensive side. And the result is a team that now plays it's home games to go 1-0 up and then try to manage it out. With the occasional individual who breaks out of the structure, like Yates has. But it's very reliant on the fine margins of the opposition not equalising with their one big chance, which they get whatever you do.

We've been coming away from most of these recent home wins with a sense of relief at having seen it out, rather than feeling that we're in control. But I think we're now seeing that the opposition are coming here with a plan to start and finish games stronger than us, close down our passing routines. Critchley seemed particularly rattled in his post match. Said it felt like a defeat, which is the first time the Mr Positive mask has slipped, so maybe a slight rethink will be on the cards.
Very interesting observation. Now clubs are hawk eyeing players with data, it does make you wonder if a player knows his career will be more successful if he plays accurate passes rather than takes a chance with a shot at goal and records a miss.

It's obvious over the past 30 years or so that football has changed from being a game with a vast array of styles played in many different conditions into one with limited styles and very limited conditions. The upshot is that it is a lot more robotic than it used to be.
 
We keep being told Critch is learning but I don't think he knows his strongest side. I was firmly behind him but doubts crept in after the Ipswich debacle away. We were playing a team at a low ebb and he said he picked a side to combat their midfield and set up negatively. Our attacking options from the bench are limited and Lubala has disappeared for some reason. A big month ahead only hope Critch can get us back on track.
 
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