Long Balls to the Fore

[a1canary 0]

We don''t like it, and we want to see more passing one touch stuff. But some food for thought from some recent big games in the news.

Everton 1 - 0 Arsenal
Beattie chases long ball through the middle, out muscles defenders, slots home.

Chelsea 1 - 1 Charlton
Bent heads midfield punt over Cech

Arsenal 2 - 2 Wigan (Carling cup)
Winning goal from huge skied punt up field that Roberts reacts quickest too 

If you''ve got the right type of players up front, any team even in the top division can profit from the ugly stuff. Why else have Sheff Utd just paid nearly £2m for Akinbiyi. Seems like Ashton wasn''t so suited to it. Will Jerome be?

[gazzathegreat 0]

A1, you know what you are going to get from me I expect and here goes.....

Everton, not exactly renowned for being a passing team, well not anymore, Arsenal yes, and you can excuse a few punts when you have the passing skills of their talented players.  That Middlesbrough match was just wonderful to watch..... Chelsea same as Arsenal.  Wigan, having to mix it as they are adjusting to the Prem, but making a much better job of it than us.

Sheff U - have at last got themselves into a true promotion spot, and no cup run to distract them.  Why pay for Akinbiyi, cos he''s on form at the mo, and Warnock is more long ball than passing.  Yes, any team can profit from the ugly stuff, but our best years have all been when we have played proper passing football.

We don''t do it now and never will under Worthington, (just where is the midfield) though even I was fooled when he bought Ashton, sadly it was soon evident we weren''t going to become a passing team again. 

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

[quote user="a1canary"]

We don''t like it, and we want to see more passing one touch stuff. But some food for thought from some recent big games in the news.

Everton 1 - 0 Arsenal
Beattie chases long ball through the middle, out muscles defenders, slots home.

Chelsea 1 - 1 Charlton
Bent heads midfield punt over Cech

Arsenal 2 - 2 Wigan (Carling cup)
Winning goal from huge skied punt up field that Roberts reacts quickest too 

If you''ve got the right type of players up front, any team even in the top division can profit from the ugly stuff. Why else have Sheff Utd just paid nearly £2m for Akinbiyi. Seems like Ashton wasn''t so suited to it. Will Jerome be?

[/quote]

Theres nothing wrong with the long ball but the best results we have had this season have come when we passed it. Jerome is playing in a team in which Jason Koumas pulls the strings so I doubt it. also with hucks and McVeigh we have 2 players whom do not play well witht he long ball, McVeigh preferring to keep the ball on the deck, and hucks having won about 1 header in his career.

[lucky green trainers 0]

[quote user="a1canary"]

We don''t like it, and we want to see more passing one touch stuff. But some food for thought from some recent big games in the news.

Everton 1 - 0 ArsenalBeattie chases long ball through the middle, out muscles defenders, slots home.

Chelsea 1 - 1 CharltonBent heads midfield punt over Cech

Arsenal 2 - 2 Wigan (Carling cup)Winning goal from huge skied punt up field that Roberts reacts quickest too 

[/quote]beattie ran onto a midfield pass - not a hoof.bent scored from a beautiful intended reverse pass from ambrose, he was running away from the goal at the time  - when interviewed after bent said he saw ''daz'' with the ball and started to make a run into the box, jumped and headed the ball over the advancing keeper - superb skill from both.roberts goal did come from a desparate last minute hoof admittedly, but in a game of end to end passing football that produced over 13 goal attempts from both sides, surely this was more entertaining to watch than a hoofing contest?agreed, A1 - jerome will not be best suited to balls played over the top and passes for him to run on to, the sort of service henry gets.  we will need to change our style of play, to get the best out of him for sure - if, and its a big if, he comes here.

[lucky green trainers 0]

[quote user="lucky green trainers"][quote user="a1canary"]

We don''t like it, and we want to see more passing one touch stuff. But some food for thought from some recent big games in the news.

Everton 1 - 0 ArsenalBeattie chases long ball through the middle, out muscles defenders, slots home.

Chelsea 1 - 1 CharltonBent heads midfield punt over Cech

Arsenal 2 - 2 Wigan (Carling cup)Winning goal from huge skied punt up field that Roberts reacts quickest too 

[/quote]agreed, A1 - jerome will not be best suited to balls played over the top and passes for him to run on to, the sort of service henry gets.  we will need to change our style of play, to get the best out of him for sure - if, and its a big if, he comes here.[/quote]sorry, last post should read, jerome WILL be suited to ................

[a1canary 0]

It''s ok gazza, i agree with what you say, that everton, sheff u etc are not renown passing teams, i was just making the point that the long balls have been particularly effective for teams recently. But i guess this was always the case.

We do play better when we pass but unfortunately passing football flourishes in a confident team, and we don''t have much of that at the moment. 

I can''t agree with your analysis lucky green - these things are judged on such fine margins. Take Beattie''s goal for example. Cahill plays the ball in the air ahead of Beattie with Senderos and Campbell both homing in on it. They get in each others way a bit and Beattie does superbly to hold them off and finish cooly. What''s the verdict on that? Great play from Everton!

Now substitute Everton with Norwich. Etuhu, Safri, or whoever plays the same ball as Cahill, in the air for Huckerby to chase, Campell and Senderos snuff out the danger. What''s the veridct on that? Same old long ball cr*p from Norwich.

[ZLF 271]

All successful teams use the long ball (Chelseas, Manure and Arsenal all use it ) as part of a varied game plan, but its entirely different to having the long ball as your prime tactic of avoiding midfield;

When the back four all look for a long ball first, and the midfield likewise hits the corners too quickly that is the long ball game;  against Watford the midfielders rarely turned to face their own goal to take a ball fromthe back four; prefering to start moving forward for a loose ball expecting a hoick.    Our passes are the exception, not the norm.

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

And our repetitive ridiculous kick off routine which I have mentioned before typifies our style at the moment. If this is the level of our coaches imagination no wonder we are doing so poorly.

[lucky green trainers 0]

[quote user="a1canary"]

I can''t agree with your analysis lucky green - these things are judged on such fine margins. Take Beattie''s goal for example. Cahill plays the ball in the air ahead of Beattie with Senderos and Campbell both homing in on it. They get in each others way a bit and Beattie does superbly to hold them off and finish cooly. What''s the verdict on that? Great play from Everton!

[/quote]on reflection A1,   agree beatties goal was more route one than anything else.

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

[quote user="Rudolph Hucker"]And our repetitive ridiculous kick off routine which I have mentioned before typifies our style at the moment. If this is the level of our coaches imagination no wonder we are doing so poorly.[/quote]

I noticed it 3 times against watford, the second time it went out for a goal kick!!!