Too reliant on Huckerby

[YELLOW BELLY 0]

I thought the boys played well against Spurs, the first half was a bit ''backs against the wall'' but the second half when Huckerby got more involved we looked a good premeirship team. 

It does worry me that we are too reliant on Huckerby to create chances and provide pace upfront.. When Huckerby was running down the left at Spurs we lacked pace ''upfront'' to provide another man in the box.. I thought Leon had a reasonable run out and would like to see him given more of a game..

If Huckerby was to get injured we would lose both our creativity spark and pace in attack.. I''m not sure we need a new target man as much as another pacy stricker with Huckerby given a free role on the left..

With the start we have made we look capable of staying up and winning games.. but we need to score more goals..

[DumbleDelia is Magic 0]

I agree with you yellow belly.  Although the Huck is outstanding, and IMO our best player by a long way, we are totally reliant on him.  If he did his cruciate knee ligements tomorrow we would be absolutely screwed!  I hope to god that he stays fit but I do think we need to look to other avenues to create chances

[Meeky 0]

"I thought Leon had a reasonable run out and would like to see him given more of a game.. "

Agree with your points there. I to, would like Leon given a good run out, even start a game instead of Doherty. Why do we need a target man? Yesterday in the 2nd half when Hucks was making his runs, there was no one in the box for him to cross or pass it to. However when Leon came on and Hucks made yet another run, Leon was in the six yard box for him to pass to, and if it wasn''t for exceptional defending he could have scored. It''s no good having a player of Hucks ability if he has to do it all on his own.

[Tufnell Park Canary 0]

You''re right - if leon was upfront with hucks it might mean that rather than failing to score after a dramatic run, Hucks could provide a simple pass for leon to tap in or head. The Doc has a role to play, but hucks is too quick for him.

[beelsie 0]

several good points made on this thread, Yes! I''m afraid we do make our attack into a one man Hucks band. This is due to the inability of the team to quickly move forward as a team. We must have at least two or three striking options in the 18 yard area to support him and vary the approach.  He has several times started to make his forward move when our mid field have the ball, only for them to play the ball too late and get him into an off-side position.  The lack of midfield support speed cries out for the old fashioned hold the ball up striker, Ist div stuff i''m afraid, and of no use in the prem.  We must get the team moving forward as a unit quickly passing and moving giving our forwards options and learning that the diagonal ball is so much harder to defend against :

[gazzathegreat 0]

boys and girls, this is music to gazza''s ears

 

the era of no more target man can not come quickly enough!!

and yes, leon should start the game, how is he ever going to prove himself in the final ten minutes

 

[Morph 31]

Don''t want to appear negative in saying this but I don''t think Worthington knows how to play without a target man.

I''d agree with several of the others who have posted in this note on both points:

a) need to find an attacking option that is NOT Huckerby

b) need to give Leon a start and try playing the type of game where the ball is on the deck when it goes forward.

Can you imagine defending against both McKenzie and Huckerby making diagonal runs behind you looking for passes from the midfield?

Actually that last question does raise something else - to play that kind of game you need somebody on the ball in the middle of the park that can knock those through balls through. Dare I say Mulryne?

[gazzathegreat 0]

[quote]Don''t want to appear negative in saying this but I don''t think Worthington knows how to play without a target man. I''d agree with several of the others who have posted in this note on both points: a...[/quote]

now come on morph, you are verging on the fantastical!!

i for one would love to see it though

 

and yes, we do have to start playing proper football without a target man and learn to pass to each other, most of the points on here today are about our passing going astray - or who is better than who - for god''s sake this should be elementary stuff!! 

worthy must get the hoofing up to a target man out of his mindset and play on the deck, put leon upfront with hucks

the days of greeno to iwan are gone - we have to get used to life in the premiership and that means short sharp passing to each other, not long speculative balls upfield. 

 

[KeelansGlove 0]

At last ! Spread the word, thought I''d been talking to myself since the begining of the season.

Yes we are too reliant on Huckerby but that is because he is playing upfront whilst actually dropping deep onto the left (where he is most effective) but that means there is nobody infront of him to play the ball too.

Lets just try for once the formation that served us so well last year, as posted elsewhere.

Green

Edworthy Charlton Fleming Drury

Jonson (or Mcveigh) Safri (or Helveg) Francis Huckerby

Doc McKenzie

If you wanted to be more defensive you could play Helveg in front of Edworthy to cover the defending Huckerby wont do, I think Safri is worth another try in the Centre whilst he lost lots of ball his pass over the top to Huckerby was without doubt the best pass from midfield.

I would be happy with either Jonson or Mcveigh (something tells me Jonson is going to click soon given the chance) Bentley Isnt enough of a team player for me, a spell on the bench may focus his mind to play the easy ball rather than just looking for the 25 yarder every time.

I think McKenzie needs 90 minutes, he has had chances in every single game this season. With more confidence and a better touch he should surely have scored at least 2 by now (and that probably would have equated to 4 more points) so he needs the chance to proove if he can do it or not.

 

 

 

 

 

[Morph 31]

<quote>now come on morph, you are verging on the fantastical!!</quote>

Me, fantastical!!!

Actually KG I''d prefer to see Doc out of the front man configuration completely. Not because he''s done anything wrong, but simply it puts a certain type of play into other players minds.

Playing CM03/04 with the current City side I have a formation like this:

                                          Green

Edworthy            Docherty                Shackell              Drury

                            Safri                 Holt

                                   Francis

Huckerby                                                              McVeigh/Bentley

                                 Jonson

You could pick the front man as anyone of Jonson, McKenzie, Svensson. Similarly at the back perm two from four for the centre halves of Docherty, Shackell, Fleming, Charlton.