We are sh*t at crossing

[Owen1978]

Cant understand why these professional footballers can't put in a decent cross?

Why do they aim for Andy's head when they should be aiming for space between Andy and the Keeper?

Why are most of them underhit?

Edited February 6, 2012 by Owen1978

[Earl Hafler]

Cant understand why these professional footballers can't put in a decent cross?

Why do they aim for Andy's head when they should be aiming for space between Andy and the Keeper?

Why are most of them underhit?

 

We're s*** in the final third.

 

 

And some of those passes tonight - at this level if you pass straight to the opposition when not under any pressure it's reprehensible

[Stevie]

It is a strange one. I would have at least thought we'd practice crossing fairly extensively seeing that we are so s*** at it.

[Falconhoof]

My only criticism is that against Dawson and King we played too many balls in the air.

 

Spurs defended brilliantly though, Bellamy didn't get anything from walker and though Carroll had the beating of Dawson there wasn't often anyone near him to capitalise.

 

Our midfield didn't offer anything much in an attacking sense.

 

We just didn't know how to break spurs down and that's probably where we are. A draw and a win in the cups, a good win against wolves but then unable to break down a strong defence. We aren't quite there yet and we need more quality players in midfield.

[carrafan]

How many two on ones did we have against Walker? Crossing from deep is a very difficult skill, getting the fullback/winger/midfielder free after a 2 v 1 vs the opposition fullback isn't. We are missing something tactically.

[Epic Swindle]

Walker was excellent, the horrible little t***.

[Clay Davis]

Why do we find it so hard to score? Is it a mental thing?

[Ethan]

Why do we find it so hard to score? Is it a mental thing?

 

We change our attack too often and none of our guys know what the other is going to do ..... yet

[anfield11]

How many two on ones did we have against Walker? Crossing from deep is a very difficult skill, getting the fullback/winger/midfielder free after a 2 v 1 vs the opposition fullback isn't. We are missing something tactically.

 

 

Many times Walker was coming out to meet Bellamy and yet no one made a run in behind Walker to give Bellers another option. The rest of their defence was further back, so the run wouldn't have been offside, plus it would have pulled someone to the runner.

[yellow jumper]

issue's just as much about getting men in the box.

 

movement's non-existant from midfield. and there's rarely any sort of intelligent run in there. usually just carroll with his hands in the air.

 

last 10 the crossing wasn't any better, but we had a few chances simply because there were more bodies in there.

 

percentage mode of attack for me anyway, but if you're going to do it, critical that you flood the box.

[Nebraska Red]

McManaman was going nuts on ESPN 2 when we had 4 players in a line 5 yards outside the boxwhen the ball out wide on the left.

 

Crossing is not difficult when you play at pace and create space to allow time for the ball holder to cross it. We let defenses set up before we even think of getting the bal into the danger area.

 

As bad as the crossing, our dead balls were utter w*** toight, 2 great chances from 20 yds out totally wasted, and a free kick from the left that just about got into the area.

 

Lots of work to be done.

[Logic]

A couple of times each game we create huge spaces right outside the opponents box and you can see the midfielders holding the ball are trying to wait for someone to run into that space but no one ever arrives there meaning the midfielder is closed down or passes into the space where nobody is. It's driving me mad.

 

It's similar to how often we lack overlaps from fullbacks. At times in every game our midfielders get the ball when we have attacked on one side and got closed down, turns to pass it out to the wing on the other side but the fullback is nowhere to be found.

[smithdown]

The forward won just about everything in the air last night forty yards from goal and yet we gave him about two things to go for in the box.

 

Perplexing.

 

The mere sight of their full backs was enough to put us off the whole idea of sending one in and when we did we'd either aim at the nearest defenders knees or see if we could hit it raaaar over everyone for a laugh.

[Owen1978]

I thought Downing had the ability to put in a cross without having to beat his man?

Or was that a Youtube hoax?

 

I got frustrated by Johnson on the left so many times he was near their box but

didnt whip anything in with his right.

 

Fair enough if there aren't enough numbers in the box but at least try to put it in front

of Carroll so he can charge at it instead of trying to plonk it on his head!

[Cooldude]

We have no real pace out wide still, and can't get behind a full back and put a quick cross in. By the time we get to wide areas, teams have flooded back to pack to box and it's hard to pinpoint anyone. Plus our midfielders criminally don't attack the box

 

We still need a genuine quality quick wide man

[Earl Hafler]

That's another thing - the low crosses. We don't have anyone running front post and we have a kraken in the area. It's a double whammy.

[Benzo-13]

We don't back up beyond the far post or run the front post.

Movement is poor.

[Owen1978]

I think we would have been better off with Matt Jarvis than Downing and he would have cost a 3rd of the price!

[Flasher]

I'm more worried about our movement, even though our crossing is awful.

 

We don't need a finisher or a creative wizard, we need those without the ball to f***ing move!

 

Lack of nouse up front is terrible.

[Euphrates]

Our corners don't beat the first man often enough either.

[Kvarme Ate My Food]

Does ayone know what channel Steve McManaman was on?

The exact channel, please.

[cymrococh]

Does ayone know what channel Steve McManaman was on?

The exact channel, please.

Someone mentioned ESPN 2, presumably that's abroad.

[schmuckdonald]

As I said in the match thread, lost count of the amount of times we worked the ball to the wing and then the player didn't have any options to progress play. If the defence is set we really struggle to get a good angle for the cross in but just put it in anyway, usually to only one or two players.

[Nebraska Red]

Does ayone know what channel Steve McManaman was on?

The exact channel, please.

 

 

He does ESPN 2 alongside Ian Darke.

 

He generally does a good job.

[KD07]

We are the Livampires!