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Watters has got a lot of shit recently and, to be fair, I've been one of his biggest critics.
But the more I watch us, the more it becomes obvious that our midfield is just as big a part of the goalscoring problem.
Nobody is breaking beyond. Nobody is capitalising on the space that Watters or the wide men create. The amount of crosses in the last 5 games that have been put on a plate 12 yards out from goal - with nobody on the end of them - is staggering.
And I'm not sure why this is, especially with the insurance of Wintle sitting deep. Rinomhota describes himself as an energetic "box to box player", but I don't think he's actually set foot in the opposition penalty area yet. Running beyond the player in possession used to be Ralls' bread and butter, but he doesn't seem to have the legs for it anymore. And Sawyers obviously sees himself as a deep lying playmaker who is happy to provide the short option rather than break into the box.
Don't get me wrong, our final ball isn't always perfect. But there are 2 or 3 occasions in every game where the wide man is putting balls in good areas and nobody's attacking the space. If the centre forward is going near post and taking the defender with him, any player who is willing to take that gamble has got a tap in half the time. But nobody seems interested. I don't know if that's because of Morison's instruction, because they don't have the intelligence or experience to make those runs, or if they simply can't be bothered. But if he insists on playing with wide men, then the same thing is going to keep happening week after week with the same end result.
And as if to illustrate the point, look at Luton's first goal tonight. A midfielder running into the box and getting on the end of a cross.
There's a lot to like this season. I enjoy the way we play out from the back and work the ball up the pitch. But Morison needs to swallow his pride and look at a different approach in the final third, because the current one is not working at all.
And it's not because of Max Watters.
But the more I watch us, the more it becomes obvious that our midfield is just as big a part of the goalscoring problem.
Nobody is breaking beyond. Nobody is capitalising on the space that Watters or the wide men create. The amount of crosses in the last 5 games that have been put on a plate 12 yards out from goal - with nobody on the end of them - is staggering.
And I'm not sure why this is, especially with the insurance of Wintle sitting deep. Rinomhota describes himself as an energetic "box to box player", but I don't think he's actually set foot in the opposition penalty area yet. Running beyond the player in possession used to be Ralls' bread and butter, but he doesn't seem to have the legs for it anymore. And Sawyers obviously sees himself as a deep lying playmaker who is happy to provide the short option rather than break into the box.
Don't get me wrong, our final ball isn't always perfect. But there are 2 or 3 occasions in every game where the wide man is putting balls in good areas and nobody's attacking the space. If the centre forward is going near post and taking the defender with him, any player who is willing to take that gamble has got a tap in half the time. But nobody seems interested. I don't know if that's because of Morison's instruction, because they don't have the intelligence or experience to make those runs, or if they simply can't be bothered. But if he insists on playing with wide men, then the same thing is going to keep happening week after week with the same end result.
And as if to illustrate the point, look at Luton's first goal tonight. A midfielder running into the box and getting on the end of a cross.
There's a lot to like this season. I enjoy the way we play out from the back and work the ball up the pitch. But Morison needs to swallow his pride and look at a different approach in the final third, because the current one is not working at all.
And it's not because of Max Watters.
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