Defensively lost our way?

[Eric the Half a Bee]

Much of that 4 game winning streak was based on 3 successive clean sheets and keeping things tight at the back. Since then we've conceded 10 in our last 5 and only a Smithies penalty save has prevented us from conceding at least 2 in 5 consecutive games. We've scored 7 in our last 5, which isn't too shabby, albeit if most were from set pieces.

The only time we've had comparable defensive stats like that since Harris took over include the 3-3 at Leeds and the thrashing at QPR. Last season we conceded in 7 successive games, 6 under Warnock. We've a long way to go to match conceding in 17 successive games, achieved between Trollope and Warnock (10-7 to Trollope).

The reality is that 10 goals conceded in the last 5 could have been worse considering there's been a penalty save, how many good chances Norwich missed and so on. Yes, we've played 3 of the top 4 in the last 5 games, but we have looked quite easy to carve open with a bit of pace and movement.

[NYCBlue]

Re: Defensively lost our way?

It is what it is. We're a mid table side. I hope we don't waste any money in January. I don't want to hear any nonsense about the playoffs. I want to see some action next Summer. Change.

[blue lewj]

Re: Defensively lost our way?

We seem to have a soft underbelly that wasn't there with the Warnock team. Certainly not the one that went up. Even at the end we were only losing a lot of games by the odd goal.

The main thing that worries me if Tan sticks with Harris is the defence. With a manager if that is defensively solid they improve things overnight if we are defending badly as we saw with Warnock. You see the organisation and positional play improve. Under Harris this seems to have gone backwards. For this style to work, given that the long ball style doesn't exactly get a team raining goals for, it has to be based on a solid defensive effort. If this team concedes 2 or more under Harris then you are not surprised and the last few games have not surprised me. It could and should have been more too. It is all the more worrying that when things start going wrong he seems to know little of what to do to plug the gaps or change it up to tighten things up.