Round 12 - Adelaide v CCM @ Coopers (Boxing Day)

[scottmac]

I feel the top six slipping away sadly.

If we dont sign a proven goal scorer in Jan, more than likely have to be a marquee, we will not make the 6 and will be second last to the Nix.

 

[Tevor]

I like PO and he has given us some hope and improved our team and club since being with us but 9 out of 10 times he is out coached by the good coaches in the HAL, Kurz is a very good coach and AU will do well this year, to me we didn’t surprise AU all game and they easily handled what we threw at them and our poor finishing hurt us again. The whole game seemed to be us slowly moving up the field and them quickly counter attacking and putting us under pressure. The good HAL coaches now know what we have and change tactics to shut us down and counter quickly to catch out our defence being to far forward. PO needs to change things up or he will just remain an ok coach not a good one in the HAL. Similar to Ange and they clearly both went to the same school of stubbornness. Top 6 a stretch if we don’t keep the other teams guessing what we are going to do.

If we don’t easily put away the Nix I will be really upset and don’t want to sit through another frustrating game like this one.

 

[Forum Phoenix]

. in theory maybe, but consider:

• Kubi was back on the wing for the first time in a while
• Powell had his first start up front
• Astroboy had his first game as a sub (citation reqd as I am going from memory)
• Hoole was in at 10 for the first time in a long time (which apparently was a licence to take his ball hogging to a whole new level)
• None of them had DDS feeding them the ball or offering an outlet (same could be said for the returning Hiariej who was well below his usual level)
• ... and .... nobody has mentioned the loss of our other great attacking weapon ... McGing!*

. so although the theory is that we had one significant positional change, the collective impact of the changes was much greater

. i do agree about the impotence of our attack - but there is nothing new there ... it did however highlight the absence of DDS in the attacking area. others have already discussed the limitations of our attacking players so i don't need to go over that again

* although we haven't scored tonnes of goals in this fashion, Jake's early crosses into the box have been a legitimate threat (it is others that have been unable to finish them). Storm wasn't bad, but he also struggles like Hoole & Pain (quickly getting to the 'ahh, what do i do now?' position when moving forward

Yeah agree Hooles switch with DDS likely impacted, but I still don’t think Kubi going back to his natural position or Powell getting a start or Adsrubal etc really had much to do with the bulk of the issues I believe I saw in our attack.

And as our attacking problems are not at all isolated to the last game, I think that unfortunately proves it can’t really be on switching DDS or even all of the the above issues you raise -- though I’m sure they didn’t help.

I’d really like you to be right actually BG. But to me most of our attacking flaws and mistakes seemed directly linked to a combination of lack of ability, intelligence and our style/coaching.

I think this deep in the season playing the same well drilled system, even with different players coming in we still should have looked a lot more cohesive and effective in attack than we did. And while Hooles holding the ball for too long hurt us at times and he loves to dribble. TBF it also helped get us into the front third and keep the ball and he regularly created enough space that I don’t think he would have failed to play people in so much if the right runs and movement were also happening around him.

FWIW I think he makes a mistake of not just holding the ball for too long but trying to play in the space between the lines - this used to work a lot more because it is better suited for a number ten playing in a 442 where the two strikers create two passing options that draws defenders and means it’s harder to close the #10 down and gives them more space. 4231 does not offer this. Even if you beat your opposing midfielder like Hoole does a defender can still close down the passing lane/mark the forward and two other defenders can slide to close your path forward down until the DM recovers — unless your wingers are also regularly looking to make a well timed run inside to create a potential channel in behind and put the CB in two minds - as opposed to always staying wide for a possible overlap like we do where their own FB simply covers until the other CB can now afford to slide across and so we end up just recycling the ball backwards.

The only time this has worked for us is when our movement of the ball (and player) is fast enough that Hoole and Pain can turn back inside at the top of the box as their defenders get wrong footed when they try to slide across to cover and we manage to get off a cracking shot. It’s a good tactic that we probably could employ more mindfully still, but it’s also most effective in sides that switch their wingers so that they can cut back on to their good foot.

So anyway... 4231 and not playing two strikers does not equal impotent in attack though many people always thought five mids meant exactly this and defensive football.

Not suggesting you think this btw - my point is there have been many great 4231 attacking sides but they typically have had terrific wingers and a forward who can create something from nothing and is not easily overpowered or outpaced.

I think our wingers are letting us down at present, (the lack of intelligence I keep referring too) and it’s looking increasingly to me like we don’t have a real 10plus goals a season striker in the squad.

In attack I think we default to passing (half because of the over coaching issue Wombat nailed) and half because we just don’t know what to do in attack or more specifically how we go about breaking down other sides once they’ve bunkered down. So I think that’s part the players and part the coaching.

I think our demonstrative lack of goals and the way we’ve been playing support this theory.

So, in attack, I think we’re mesmerising when we have space to run into ie Counter attacking (which we’ve so far done best after we press and force a turn over) but once the other side bunkers down, which we’re constantly allowing them to do, we really struggle to threaten. And if we want to play possession football then we need to solve this. Idiots like Ned think that moving the ball forward faster is the solution but it’s only a part as it will never be the consistent answer for a posession based approach like ours.

If and when their defence is set (because it often will be playing like we do) we either have to be able to consistently whip in dangerous aerial balls to dangerous forwards who can consistently score with their heads, (hmmm) rely on individual brilliance in someone skinning a man or two... (I think we have players who can so have suggested we need to see more of this) pass side to side with the pace to pull the blanket across quick enough that the other side is exposed sooner or later and or create pockets of space combined with clever runs/movement and little triangles etc... to me this looks like what I think we want to do but we’re presently failing at it.

So then we whip in a ball, which no one seems to be expecting, or just knock it back again as no one runs at a man.

We need to use all 3 ideally, and the players need to be aware of what they’re doing or trying to do, and when we’re doing it.

I just don’t see that right now. Which is what I meant by lack of cohesiveness etc.

 

[Wombat]

Good post.
We also don't have the balls to have a dig when on the edge of the box.
Appiah made a little bit of space for himself and had a decent shot that Izzo actually had to dive for.
But usually we just turn the ball backwards from good attacking positions.
The off the ball movement is a worry.

 

[bikinigirl]

But to me most of our attacking flaws and mistakes seemed directly linked to a combination of lack of ability, intelligence and our style/coaching.

. i agree, apologies if i implied otherwise

And as our attacking problems are not at all isolated to the last game, I think that unfortunately proves it can’t really be on switching DDS or even all of the the above issues you raise -- though I’m sure they didn’t help.

. this is the part i really struggle with - why make it worse? i can see how bringing Powell in may have been the 'shake it up option' but i would never have thought moving DDS away from 10 was going to solve our attacking issues - he is the one in our front 4 that has a proper football brain ... unless that is why they seem out of synch

. anyway, it doesn't matter - we won't really know what Okon was trying to achieve, it's all speculation. but now (if he is given another chance) Powell is a week later in working on the combination with DDS (and Hoole out wide I would assume). last match just seemed like a waste

 

[Big Al]

We have no triangles in the final 3rd.

The goal by MV for Barbarous was a beauty last night.

We also don’t get anything happening through the middle it’s all wings. Cuts down your angles to the goal. The biggest amount of available goal to score is smack bag in the middle. The wings give the striker for a tap in the smallest available angle

 

[adz]

We have no triangles in the final 3rd.

The goal by MV for Barbarous was a beauty last night.

We also don’t get anything happening through the middle it’s all wings. Cuts down your angles to the goal. The biggest amount of available goal to score is smack bag in the middle. The wings give the striker for a tap in the smallest available angle

Or as they say, UP THE GUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTS!

 

[greenlig]

Adelaides goal was a first time cross to a first time strike. Something I dont think we've done all year.

Replying from a page back: McGing did that when he started to show real value on the right. He smacked in some beautiful crosses from there, hitting them first time.

We're playing like I do in FIFA, heaps of passing, always seem to end up with their whole team defending and me trying to break it down. You gotta have really skillful, sharp-passing players to break through that. I don't know if we have them, or at least they aren't taking the risks to get there. Our best goals came from fast breaks, tearing them up quickly. Need more of that!

 

[TedShot]

Not sure if it’s been said here already, but looks like kickoff is now at 7pm according to latest club email and google.

Also, I agree with those hoping McGing is straight back in. Roux holds up the play every time instead of pushing to the line and crossing. Boring football.

 

[sydmariner]

Not sure if it’s been said here already, but looks like kickoff is now at 7pm according to latest club email and google.

Also, I agree with those hoping McGing is straight back in. Roux holds up the play every time instead of pushing to the line and crossing. Boring football.

it was allway's 7pm to begin with.

 

[tim...]

Not sure if it’s been said here already, but looks like kickoff is now at 7pm according to latest club email and google.

Also, I agree with those hoping McGing is straight back in. Roux holds up the play every time instead of pushing to the line and crossing. Boring football.

Was always 7pm as far as I'm aware. Last years NYE match was originally scheduled for 7:45pm and the club insisted it be moved forward to 7pm because 7:45pm would intersect with the fireworks and create chaos exiting the venue at fulltime.

 

[Big Al]

Was always 7pm as far as I'm aware. Last years NYE match was originally scheduled for 7:45pm and the club insisted it be moved forward to 7pm because 7:45pm would intersect with the fireworks and create chaos exiting the venue at fulltime.

Last year was you could sit in your seat and watch the fireworks. It was like 10mins after the game. Bit short for players and family to watch and fans was straight walk out and watch. However i found the palm trees and roof a hazard so ruined it a bit. 7pm sounds perfect. A little time to celebrate the win then go over to the fireworks

 

[tim...]

Last year was you could sit in your seat and watch the fireworks. It was like 10mins after the game. Bit short for players and family to watch and fans was straight walk out and watch. However i found the palm trees and roof a hazard so ruined it a bit. 7pm sounds perfect. A little time to celebrate the win then go over to the fireworks

As I understand the fireworks are now 9:15pm and the stadium does need to be vacated