Lack Of Goals

[KiwiScot 1,436]

Our recent unbeaten run reminded me of last years inwhich the wins were dominant by narrow margins. We still seem to be lacking goals which in this league need to be scored for the top 6. I''ve gathered we have improved, but why are we still not getting the goals?

[Nexus_Canary 1,016]

Because the ball isn''t crossing then line.

[Hoola Han Solo 448]

Because we take too many touches, play more passes than we need to and don’t get enough into the box. We also lack a goalscoring central midfielder at present. I’ve been really impressed with how Farke has organised us and steered us to the recent wins, but he’s a very pragmatic coach and goals are going to be hard to come by with the way he likes to play.

[ron obvious 1,501]

Just watching MOTD & the main difference between Prem. & Champs strikers seems to be the ability to strike the ball cleanly more often than not.

I wonder if we practice shooting under pressure much? It might just improve the confidence of our players to have a pop occasionally rather than passing (& passing the responsibility).

[Keith Scott 243]

Binner. But spot on.

[Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB 1,017]

A slight concern but just to accentuate the positive, the fact we are winning by "small margins" means we are conceding fewer goal........

[king canary 7,580]

It was only the second game we''ve not scored in this season so far.

[hogesar 9,618]

Middlesbrough have scored one less than us. Do they also stand no chance of top 6?

[Yorkshire Canary 118]

Lots to be pleased about recently but my observation on the goals front is even when the man in possession is in front of goal we prefer to pass it out wide again rather than goal for goal. Plus very few players in the squad are natural goalscorers. Our successful recent game plan is based on keeping it tight and getting the first goal. We struggle when we go behind

[TIL 1010 4,722]

[quote user="hogesar"]Middlesbrough have scored one less than us. Do they also stand no chance of top 6?[/quote]

A very selective stat hoggy so in order to put some perspective on it can i point out they have only conceded 6 whereas we have conceded 15. They have a goal difference of +8 and ours is nil.

[KiwiScot 1,436]

What I''m gathering(from the forum and followng the games) is we have played well recently, are more entertaining, got the run of luck, got the wins, but are still a mid table side who play it tight and don''t look like scoring that many. So I''m basically asking are we are going to improve to a manner where we can turn games like the ones against Derby and Stoke to our advantage by scoring more. Or continue to be a team that plays tight(like a Pulis or Karanka Middlesborough) and hope that does.

[nutty nigel 7,509]

We certainly don''t play like a pulis team Kiwi. Karanka? Maybe more so but Farke has his own style.

It''s true we don''t score enough yet to be genuine top six challengers. But it''s also true that the same posters who thought Farke''s style would bring a relegation scrap now worrying about not making the top six is real progress.

[lake district canary 4,531]

[quote user="KiwiScot"]What I''m gathering(from the forum and followng the games) is we have played well recently, are more entertaining, got the run of luck, got the wins, but are still a mid table side who play it tight and don''t look like scoring that many. So I''m basically asking are we are going to improve to a manner where we can turn games like the ones against Derby and Stoke to our advantage by scoring more. Or continue to be a team that plays tight(like a Pulis or Karanka Middlesborough) and hope that does.

[/quote]

Run of luck?  Pukki was a whisker away from scoring against Derby with the minutest of deflections off a defender to take it wide.  Meanwhile we lost an unlucky goal against Derby and against Stoke, so I don''t think we have been lucky. Imo we have we have not had the luck needed and the good results we have got were thoroughly deserved on the balance of play.  The two last results were definitely due to the luck being against us on those occasions.  

[hogesar 9,618]

[quote user="TIL 1010"]

[quote user="hogesar"]Middlesbrough have scored one less than us. Do they also stand no chance of top 6?[/quote]

A very selective stat hoggy so in order to put some perspective on it can i point out they have only conceded 6 whereas we have conceded 15. They have a goal difference of +8 and ours is nil.

[/quote]

If anything you''re underlying my point for me Til!

It shows that our goal-scoring isn''t actually a problem if our defence improves. Which the recent clean sheets suggest it has been, and with yesterday being an own goal that''s hardly a set back on that front.

[TIL 1010 4,722]

You were not making a point hoggy you were asking a question and that question was based on a slanted statistic.

[king canary 7,580]

Our xg stats of late though do suggest we''re not creating the chances recently. 5 of our last 7 games have seen us with an xg under 1.

Important to change that and soon.

[KiwiScot 1,436]

[quote user="lake district canary"][quote user="KiwiScot"]What I''m gathering(from the forum and followng the games) is we have played well recently, are more entertaining, got the run of luck, got the wins, but are still a mid table side who play it tight and don''t look like scoring that many. So I''m basically asking are we are going to improve to a manner where we can turn games like the ones against Derby and Stoke to our advantage by scoring more. Or continue to be a team that plays tight(like a Pulis or Karanka Middlesborough) and hope that does.

[/quote]

Run of luck?  Pukki was a whisker away from scoring against Derby with the minutest of deflections off a defender to take it wide.  Meanwhile we lost an unlucky goal against Derby and against Stoke, so I don''t think we have been lucky. Imo we have we have not had the luck needed and the good results we have got were thoroughly deserved on the balance of play.  The two last results were definitely due to the luck being against us on those occasions.  

[/quote]

Well I was thinking more of the Reading game(Reading lost concentration after equalising), The QPR game(deflection), Wigan game(penalty) and I''m also saying if we scored more goals then luck would not matter so much and we''d have won against Derby and Stoke. Hence why I''m asking our style of play is looking like more goals are on the horizon.

[lake district canary 4,531]

[quote user="KiwiScot"][quote user="lake district canary"][quote user="KiwiScot"]What I''m gathering(from the forum and followng the games) is we have played well recently, are more entertaining, got the run of luck, got the wins, but are still a mid table side who play it tight and don''t look like scoring that many. So I''m basically asking are we are going to improve to a manner where we can turn games like the ones against Derby and Stoke to our advantage by scoring more. Or continue to be a team that plays tight(like a Pulis or Karanka Middlesborough) and hope that does.

[/quote]

Run of luck?  Pukki was a whisker away from scoring against Derby with the minutest of deflections off a defender to take it wide.  Meanwhile we lost an unlucky goal against Derby and against Stoke, so I don''t think we have been lucky. Imo we have we have not had the luck needed and the good results we have got were thoroughly deserved on the balance of play.  The two last results were definitely due to the luck being against us on those occasions.  

[/quote]

Well I was thinking more of the Reading game(Reading lost concentration after equalising), The QPR game(deflection), Wigan game(penalty) and I''m also saying if we scored more goals then luck would not matter so much and we''d have won against Derby and Stoke. Hence why I''m asking our style of play is looking like more goals are on the horizon.

[/quote]

Well you have demonstrated my point, we have had mixed luck, sometimes worked in our favour, sometimes not.  Of course we would like more goals, but all you have to do to win a match is get one goal ahead of the opposition. Imo goals will be more forthcoming as the team gains in experience.  After all, we have only seen our recent superb style of playing for a few games - it has been a revelation - all that is needed is a bit more composure up front, particularly from the younger players - and that will come with time and experience.

[KiwiScot 1,436]

Yeah no not really. I''m saying we''d be less reliant/liable on luck if we scorced more goals and posted to query this lack of goals with our current playing ability.

[Yellowbeagle 0]

There can be no denying that we are not that potent infront of goal or even at getting infront of goal often enough. For me it looks like every game is going to be tight, but we really don''t have enough about us the smash a team off the park currently. Saying all that I think we look better than last season and I do feel with a slight speeding up of the play and being alittle more direct that the goal scoring is not insolvable.