Coaching Angst - ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Costa looked to be struggling with the pace of the game, which is probably only natural since he hasn't played all season. Three times he tried to round his man one on one, three times he was easily dispossessed.

Completely from memory, but they were pushing all bar two forward for corners I think.  So you have one on each post and then go man for man and that leaves you with not a lot left.  In fact you're still a man short if you leave Greenacre out up front.

Would you give them another free man in the box instead? 

From corners yes.  I believe that a good enough zone D should cover it with that many numbers in the box. 

You almost always get continued pressure from a corner clearance. Whether you've got one man out or two or three tha chances of retaining possession directly from a corner clearance aren't great.  I'd rather minimise the risk of conceeding.

 It's a rare team that clears from a corner and counter-attacks.

I just think having a man up there gives you a better chance of retaining possession and not instanly being on the back foot again.

I'm with Steve-O on this.

Aerial balls into the box are a struggle for us. We were lucky to get away with one in the second half when they crossed it in from their left. There were two guys unmarked at the far post but the guy stuffed it.

Everyone back for corners is silly unless its the last moment of the game. I cant recall but I doubt Greenacre was back was he? That would surprise me. Normal circumstances I reckon best to leave one right up supported by those breaking from edge of box. Smithy, if the keeper grabs it and throws it, you can get good value out of corner counter attacks. I also reckon, at all levels, too many players welly the ball under limited pressure when they have a good chance to break from a corner.

On a different note, I think that Ifill is playing out of position. Too often he is the provider of crosses, when as a striker he should in the box looking for a goal. Don't get me wrong, Ifill is our best player by far and arguably the league, but I think he would better suited out wide as that is where he naturally tends to drift into. We need more players in the box if we are going to start scoring. azyr052009-09-28 11:25:43

He's not a striker.  His English career was primarily as a wide forward midfielder who could also play more centrally a bit if required.  In Ricki's 4-3-3 he is in fact given a roaming forward role.  But generally he gets into the sort of positions a wide attacking midfielder would be expected to, and plays that style of game.  (Which IMHO leaves bertos wondering where the heck to be half the time. lol)

The club media stuff about looking for two strikers got very misleading.  I suspect they were genuinely after two strikers, and I guess Ifill might have done that job for them.  But in reality Ifill is playing his natural game and doing a job helping out the midfield defense.

For my money Ricki is playing this 4-3-3 to get the best out of Ifill.  Personally I'd rather see Bertos played clearly as the wide player on one side and Ifill hold more centrally and forward behind Greenacre (with the obvious flexibility about players runs and crossing centrally to wide).   But that's not what we are getting.    Ifill spends half his time holding up the defensive central and wide midfield.  So we don't see him forward early as often as you'd like.  He's often back there with the central midfield and not forward for the central midfield to play out to.  Ideally Daniel and Bertos as wide players would also be better at tracking up and down and be stronger defensively, so Ifill could hold further forward, but that's not the skillset they have.  Daniel doesn't have the pace (or attitude?) to consistently get back and recover the ball.  Bertos has the pace to do it but doesn't seem to have the defensive skill set in any great strength.  So expect to see Ifill running about doin the business for now.  

We play forward a lot, and well, but often have to hold up while the midfield come through or need to play early crosses to a single outnumbered (and physically outsized and outpaced) target.  Neither being a recipe for easy goal scoring. 

That's my view of our limitations and therefore the areas you'd try to improve on.  I'm not intending to winge, and I am leaving a lot of good things unsaid.

I am starting to think, as the defense is showing itself to be more robust, that Ricki might ask Ifill to hold further forward more often and let Brown/Lia and the back four deal to things.  A bit riskier, but creates more opportunity to break out through Ifill and two pacey wider mids, all playing forward towards Greeny.  And with Brown/Lia coming thru to the top of the box behind them.

It aint broke, but that hole up front needs filling somehow to pick off the easier counterattacking goals and to create early presssure going foward more often.

Now we'll let News and his mates sigh and huff and puff at me.  Should be fun.

Why? What you have outlined there (Ifill does not play as part of the 2 in a 442) is a much closer fit to what News and Smithy have been saying than those who have been arguing against them. 

Very dissapointing - was looking forward to some more debate. 
If Ricki doesn't tell Ifill to hold further forward, and central, and let poor lost bertos play wide, then sack Ricki.

Yeah that's exactly what we need.

Now, Leo, get out wide and stay there.  What?  You're not getting the ball out wide much so you keep coming inside looking for it?  Well I don't give a f**k.  You're here to cross the ball and that's it.  What do you mean you can do more?  Of course you can but I'm telling you to stay out wide and I won't hear another word on it.

Now, Browny, we've got Paul - he's going to stay up front and not come back under any circumstances - and we've got Leo, he's staying out in the wide channel all day, so what you have to do is cover the ground, win the ball and then set up our attacking play with your passing game.  Outnumbered?  What do you mean outnumbered.  f**king hell Browny get on my page or get out.  You will be the central midfield, all of it, or you will damn well die trying.  And no hoofing it long either because you don't have a short pass option.  I don't want to hear it.  Do everything, that is your job, and if you don't like it then I've got John McKain and Vinnie Lia here just waiting for you to fall over.

Smithy2009-09-28 15:37:53

Absolute quality Smithy!  Good to have a laugh on an otherwise dull day 

Deep breath Smithy. Relax and take a breather. You need to understand that everyone one here is an expert. No doubt there. People have differing opinions, even less doubt. People will express there opinion, no matter how much they contradict themselves. Personally I think it will all drop in to place sooner rather than later. It will take one ounce of luck and we'll be on a roll. The league is so tight we can afford this glut of wins.

I think you'll find Smithy is very relaxed... comedy gold like that doesn't flow otherwise.

The league is tighter than a condom on a black man

True Toffeeman, but if people are going to convey their opinion as gospel they also need to be prepared to accept constructive criticism

There was a small element of sarcasm in there wilso. You should know me well enough by now. The second half is genuine though.

Yeah, STFU Toffeeman.

Contruct that.

Thank you all, I'll be here all week.  Try the breakfasts at Colonial, they're delicious.

Omnomnomnomnomnomnomnomnom

Loved it.  Nice work Smithy.

Tho' you did distort my comments more than just a bit.  And put me in the same camp as Steve-O.  Now that's harsh criticism, I'm far gentler and do love our Ricki, really.

OK, so what you want, is:

Ifill, keep running around all day and whatever you do, don't get over half way, at least not before the ball does.  Bertos - whereever the ball goes, chase it, but be quick about it or Paul will beat you to it.  Brownie - work on your short passing game.  Real short.  Paul should be right next to you and Leo will be about a yard further away.  Yes, yes, both about 5m from Paston.  Daniel - hold up front there.  Ifill will do all the work helping out the midfield.  Look out for a pass and when you get one whip in a cross between those two 6'3" defenders and find 5'3" greenacre.  So that's a low cross we want.  Otherwise hang on to it a bit.  Brownie should get there eventually and Bertos will be there shortly after Paul, he'll be following him around.

lol - have a great day guys and glad you enjoyed the breakfast.

I should point out that while I want 2 up front, I've never said that the 2nd person should be Ifill.

mjp2 failed to bring his LOLs.

I'm disappointed.

There was one measly lol at the end - but the only intended serious bit was the "Nice work Smithy - loved it"

But buggered if I know what's wrong with suggesting the D is actually reasonably robust now (well, at least more than it was), that the six of them back there might just be able to handle things without Ifill ALWAYS tracking back and that if Ifill played further forward, a bit more often, then it may help Brown and Lia (it aint all Brownie by himself Smithy) play the ball out and transition from D to A.

Surely if we are playing a 4-3-3 two of our middies should be holding somewhat forward behind greeny, ready to break.  That's still seven back.

But hey, it's just an opinion.  I'd like to see our best player being more creative more forward more often, and less helping out back.  sh*t, how may do you want deep - more than seven?

Any case, just some thoughts.

Towards the end on Sunday, as in the last couple of minutes we had 8 players miles back and the gap between midfield and the forwards was quite simply unbelievable considering we should've been making a last push to win the game.

auskiwi2009-09-28 23:27:32

Oi! AusKiwi! Lay off my Ricki alright?