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Matt Morriss

Holt on the wing

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This has been mentioned before, by me mainly, and was very evident on saturday, Grant Holts constant inclination to pull out wide, it really frustated me saturday afternoon as far too many times Holt was out wide linking up with R. Martin and mainly Lappin, only for them to then put a cross in and theres nobody in the box.It happened a lot last season and saturday was just too much and the reason we didnt score. Even after McNamee came on Holt was still out wide and it seemed like whenever we put a cross in there was nobody in the box challenging. I really feel if Holt was a little less hard working and mobile and just stayed central all the time and gave the widemen an option we''d score more. Having said that without Holts industry down the wings would we have less of the ball in the final third?Id like to see Holt stay central and give Lappin and Mcnamee etc someone to aim at cause at the moment our gameplan seems to get the ball wide and put crosses in, but theres never anyone there to get on the end of them.

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I think it''s one of the drawbacks of the diamond. We don''t have out and out wingers, so there is space for Holt to run into.

I don''t see it''s a problem in the central third of the field, but it''s clearly a problem in the final third.

I wonder whether it is connected to a lack of confidence? You can''t miss chances if you''re out on the left wing. Just a theory - no particular evidence to back it up.

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This annoys me too, because he is on the pitch to win the headers and hold the ball up, not to beat players on the wing.

He quite clearly doesn''t have the speed to do so, but he still deserves a place in the team every week that he is fit.

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Agree with all of the above. Frustrating thing is its been evident for well over a season now. Either Lambert hasn''t picked it up (which would surprise me) or it seems that Holt just does it despite instructions and can''t stop himself. Either way something that needs sorting. The number of decent balls we have put into the box in our home games so far we should have had more goals than we''ve scored. As I said on another thread, the problem is compounded because Martin likes to drop deep as well. Maybe, therefore, the answer is ultimately to pair one of them with a more predatory goal poacher like Jackson who will stay in the box (e.g. his goal v Swansea). Harsh to drop either player really but for the greater good something lambert may have to look at if it carries on and they won''t stay in the middle!

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Yes, I agree with everything that has been said already. Most annoying. However didn''t he play for Forest on the wing? And if so, was he any good does anyone know?

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Calderwood played him on the wing for the very same reason. But he was not that effective, although saying that, I think he scored a few.

If Holt is on the wing, then players like Martin, Hoola, Crofts and Smith should be busting a gut to get in the middle.

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[quote user="Jim Smith"]Agree with all of the above. Frustrating thing is its been evident for well over a season now. Either Lambert hasn''t picked it up (which would surprise me) or it seems that Holt just does it despite instructions and can''t stop himself. Either way something that needs sorting. The number of decent balls we have put into the box in our home games so far we should have had more goals than we''ve scored. As I said on another thread, the problem is compounded because Martin likes to drop deep as well. Maybe, therefore, the answer is ultimately to pair one of them with a more predatory goal poacher like Jackson who will stay in the box (e.g. his goal v Swansea). Harsh to drop either player really but for the greater good something lambert may have to look at if it carries on and they won''t stay in the middle![/quote]

Good points about the man up front but there is one thing I dont get - Martin would be fantastic in that role as he is a clinical finisher. When he plays like that the crowd get on his back and say he is not putting any effort in forceing him back out. So like wise if somebody else played in that role doing that if they did not score every week it would be like a  poison challis as FCR will immediately brand you as lazy and you will be shot to peices. I do think Holt and Martin are the best we have had at this level for quite some time. It is just unfortunate that Martin needs another couple of years to become a top striker and Holt is unlikely at this level to score at the same rate he has in other divisions but after saying that will do a good enough job. I suspect the year we get promoted will be next season or the one after that and it will involve Martins goals fireing us out of the championship or the dream chasing forward brought in to get us up ( someone like Owen looking for one last challenge before retirement or an Ebanks Blake ).

 

 

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Don''t watch too many matches, but have seen Holt drift wide on occasions. Personally I think this is because he is getting dominated by the centre back so pulls out wide on to the full back. Not so easy to bully in the Championship.

I do think when he is 100% fit, and gets an injection of confidence, he will score regularly at this level.

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If Holt isn''t getting in the game he will go searching for the ball. Clearly there is a space out wide for him to find a pass to his feet. He has the skills to cut inside and shoot or cross it in. Take Rooney for example, often found lingering on the wing. Chrissy Martin will stick inside if Holt is wide.

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[quote user="Brendo "]Yes, I agree with everything that has been said already. Most annoying. However didn''t he play for Forest on the wing? And if so, was he any good does anyone know?
[/quote]

Calderwood did play him on the wing and he was quite effective in terms of goals he scored and assists he made, for a winger (both into double figures). It still annoyed the hell out of a lot of Forest fans I know who rated him better than Tyson and Agogo, the men that he''d been pushed out wide to accomodate.

 

 

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[quote user="Delia Out"]

This annoys me too, because he is on the pitch to win the headers and hold the ball up, not to beat players on the wing.[/quote]

 

It is odd and annoying, everyone around me comments on how many times he drifts to the wing when he should be in the box.

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Just a note (my opinion anyway....)

Isn''t Martin just as good in the air? maybe not in the box, but at least from GKs etc, Holt doesn''t seem to want to win them....

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Holt is playing for the team at the moment.  He is not naturally or inclined to play wide.  He is coming off the defence trying to collect passes and trying to find space by going wide.  He was trying to play like Drogba last night strating deeper and spraying passes  - Not him imoThe pivotal 3 at the front Holt Houlihan ( Jackson/Martin) are playing to close together  You could throw a blanket over them at times.  Lambert''s way is to congest through the middle of the parkLambert has decided to sacrifice Holt in the 6 yard box to give the other 2 more freedom  Not sure its working that well until WH came up with 2 goals in the game

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"If Holt isn''t getting in the game he will go searching for the ball"

As he did last night for the first goal

"then players like Martin, Hoola, Crofts and Smith should be busting a gut to get in the middle"

As Croft/Drury did last night

Holt is not one to be used simple as a target man. One of the benegits of moving around is that it pulls opposition defences around also.

If crosses are being put in and there is nobody there then clearly they have not looked up, which suggests those crosses would be pretty hit and miss anyway.

Let the big fella roam around a bit, he''ll find his place and best usage as with each game.

Some have criticised the diamond for being too rigid yet here we are demanding that Holt stays close to the penalty spot D to await crosses. Championship defenders will soon work out how to blank him out if he sticks to that.

Goals count for the team whoever scores them and whoever sets them up.

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agreed.

looking at holt and jackson last night, they seemed to be playing the opposite roles. jackson stayed down the middle almost waiting for the ball when holt was pushing out wide, where i would have much rather prefered jackson to push wider if needed, get the ball and then run at the defence.

i much prefered holt when he first joined. i still think hes quality, but those first few months he just pushed people about, won the headers and got into the box. towards the end of last season and this season hes trying to play more football, running down the channels and trying little touches and flicks which he really doesnt need to do!

watching steve howard last night is exactly how holt should have been playing. although howard is a better header of the ball, he didnt move from the middle 5 cuts of grass and flicked the ball down to the men up top.

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