How can we solve the dreaded final ball problem?

It's probably the hardest thing to do in football consistently, there's a reason most games don't register more than 4 goals. But I think Turnbull and Rubin created f-all today, and Salech is on an absolute graveyard shift. He never gets an opportunity to shoot, and while part of that might be on him, I really think we're struggling to pick apart defences at the moment, and the problem comes from service.

I know it's easier said than done, but how do you create opportunities for Salech and the wingers more consistently?

Drop Turnbull from the squad he offers nothing.

Stop playing Kellyman on the wing.

Play two strikers.

Move the ball quicker, we have loads of possession but don't do anything with it. Their keeper might as well have brought a deckchair along with him and read the local paper.

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Originally Posted by alan_corneli

Move the ball quicker, we have loads of possession but don't do anything with it. Their keeper might as well have brought a deckchair along with him and read the local paper.

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This, faster pace, overlapping fullbacks and balls into the box. We’ve shown we can play like that but seem happy to complete 5000 shit 5 yard passes, yes you David Turnbull.

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Originally Posted by Coyote

It's probably the hardest thing to do in football consistently, there's a reason most games don't register more than 4 goals. But I think Turnbull and Rubin created f-all today, and Salech is on an absolute graveyard shift. He never gets an opportunity to shoot, and while part of that might be on him, I really think we're struggling to pick apart defences at the moment, and the problem comes from service.

I know it's easier said than done, but how do you create opportunities for Salech and the wingers more consistently?

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We need to start putting early balls into the box. We are stopping and passing and trying to go through the middle all the time. I don't think its BBMs way mind to potentially give up possession

Teams have worked us out. Id say most we will eventually be too much for. But im not convinced we will be in the play offs let alone top 2 unless we change things

Drive up the pitch. Can you imagine NML in the position we were in and the ball be in our net 30 seconds later?

Their goal was horrible perfect chance to run direct up the pitch but no stop attempt to pass and it goes horribly wrong.

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Originally Posted by Hilts

We need to start putting early balls into the box. We are stopping and passing and trying to go through the middle all the time. I don't think its BBMs way mind to potentially give up possession

Teams have worked us out. Id say most we will eventually be too much for. But im not convinced we will be in the play offs let alone top 2 unless we change things

Drive up the pitch. Can you imagine NML in the position we were in and the ball be in our net 30 seconds later?

Their goal was horrible perfect chance to run direct up the pitch but no stop attempt to pass and it goes horribly wrong.

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It is about putting the ball in the box early,midfield to slow

Make an attempt at a final ball should be the start.

Seems like a lot of our early season success was driven by the Colwills driving us forward, Joel in particular felt like our most important player even if he wasn't our best. Didn't get to watch the game earlier but seems invariably outside maybe a couple of games early in his City tenure we are shite whenever Turnbull plays one of the midfield roles.

Also the wingers aren't good enough. Davies is an option to bring off the bench when we are chasing a game and Kellyman isn't a winger. In fact with Ruben, Kellyman and Turnbull you can argue we set up with 3 players whose best position is #10, it's hardly surprising we didn't get any balls into the box and got bogged down in attacking positions.

Really odd team selection in general today I reckon, seems to think he's the league 1 Pep. If anyone can explain why he's chopping and changing a team up so much that was top of the league, I'd love to hear it.

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Originally Posted by LA Bluebird

Really odd team selection in general today I reckon, seems to think he's the league 1 Pep. If anyone can explain why he's chopping and changing a team up so much that was top of the league, I'd love to hear it.

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Apparently, Willock is injured and it sounds like he could be missing for a while. That explains Davies being in the side, and he was totally ineffective.

I’m guessing Kpakio was benched because BBM was worried about Bolton’s threat on the wings and he thought Ng would be a more solid option. Dropping Osho was an obvious move.

Why he persists with Turnbull I don’t know.

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Originally Posted by The Lone Gunman

Apparently, Willock is injured and it sounds like he could be missing for a while. That explains Davies being in the side, and he was totally ineffective.

I’m guessing Kpakio was benched because BBM was worried about Bolton’s threat on the wings and he thought Ng would be a more solid option. Dropping Osho was an obvious move.

Why he persists with Turnbull I don’t know.

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He can’t do anything about injuries, but you can probably argue J. Colwill, Wintle and Kpakio were three of our five most important players in our good start to the season and he’s had all 3 available today.

We also beat teams early on with the press and finally being more athletic and working harder than other teams. Outside of Davies who is totally ineffective every single change today made us slower and more predictable. Just don’t really understand what the plan was.

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Originally Posted by LA Bluebird

He can’t do anything about injuries, but you can probably argue J. Colwill, Wintle and Kpakio were three of our five most important players in our good start to the season and he’s had all 3 available today.

We also beat teams early on with the press and finally being more athletic and working harder than other teams. Outside of Davies who is totally ineffective every single change today made us slower and more predictable. Just don’t really understand what the plan was.

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Wintle and Robertson might make a good midfield two and perhaps add Joel instead of Ruben

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Originally Posted by Der Kaiser

Drop Turnbull from the squad he offers nothing.

Stop playing Kellyman on the wing.

Play two strikers.

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Salech and Robinson should both start home games at least.

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Originally Posted by NYCBlue

Salech and Robinson should both start home games at least.

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We kept possession comfortably today but when we worked a crossing or shooting option always chose to make another pass, usually backwards. We need to mix it up more , put the ball in the box earlier. I know we want to retain possession but we need to test the opposition defenders more and then at this level it’s possible to pick up any clearances in more dangerous areas .

BBM said that Bolton scored too late for us to react and we’ve certainly seen against Reading and Orient recently that when we’ve gone behind we’ve upped the pace , the full backs have overlapped and we’ve put more balls into the box.

I suspect if Bolton had scored say around the 60th minute we would have brought Robinson on earlier , played at a higher tempo and created chances and shots on target. Why we couldn’t have done that earlier when it was still 0-0 to try and win the game I don’t know, I think we have the attacking players to do it but seems they are stifled to retain possession rather than take risks to create chances.

Attempt to play a final ball would be a start :hehe:

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Originally Posted by Pedro de la Rosa

Attempt to play a final ball would be a start :hehe:

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Fair comment.

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Originally Posted by Pedro de la Rosa

Attempt to play a final ball would be a start :hehe:

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Funny but true. We don't get a chance to make a final ball, because there's always one pass too many before we get there. We need to be making the final ball before we get to the penalty spot.