Football is such a simple game. Just play to your strengths.
There’s no point in trying to emulate Manchester City by playing out from the back. There is a reason as to why our players are playing in League 2 and not the Premier League.
JTG
I think they are trying to play to the strengths of the players they have recruited
Would be fairly pointless smashing it and fighting for a hopeful ball with Kelly, Campbell, Darcy, Forster, Khaleel, Tsaroulla, Adeyemo and even Lolos and Orsi as these are not big physical players who will win big battles in the mould of your Bradford’s, Salford and Suttons
While I get frustrations when the team gives the ball away through passing, overall it’s still probably a better option to try and keep possession rather than giving the ball away trying to smash it to players who don’t fit that style of play as they can’t physically dominate their bigger opponents. Notts County and MK Dons are both possession based teams doing well at the top end of the table, that suits their squad with the players they have. Do they both get it right every week, no, they also concede goals, but generally they are doing well and overall given last season, plus our budget we are doing okay and given time I’d like to think we will continue to improve
ill bet if we started smashing it, gave the ball away and lost games, you would probably be calling for the team to stop giving the ball away and pass it more
Football is such a simple game. Just play to your strengths.
There’s no point in trying to emulate Manchester City by playing out from the back. There is a reason as to why our players are playing in League 2 and not the Premier League.
JTG
I think they are trying to play to the strengths of the players they have recruited
Would be fairly pointless smashing it and fighting for a hopeful ball with Kelly, Campbell, Darcy, Forster, Khaleel, Tsaroulla, Adeyemo and even Lolos and Orsi as these are not big physical players who will win big battles in the mould of your Bradford’s, Salford and Suttons
While I get frustrations when the team gives the ball away through passing, overall it’s still probably a better option to try and keep possession rather than giving the ball away trying to smash it to players who don’t fit that style of play as they can’t physically dominate their bigger opponents. Notts County and MK Dons are both possession based teams doing well at the top end of the table, that suits their squad with the players they have. Do they both get it right every week, no, they also concede goals, but generally they are doing well and overall given last season, plus our budget we are doing okay and given time I’d like to think we will continue to improve
ill bet if we started smashing it, gave the ball away and lost games, you would probably be calling for the team to stop giving the ball away and pass it more
Exactly paul2924. Clearly explained and on the mark.
Most of this newthink about keeping possession came from a study by the University of Warwick about 15 years ago which looked into a variety of factors including retaining possession. They looked at a huge number of variables in Premier League matches (note: Premier League) and the figures were stark. You don't need to be stat minded to see the difference, although pretty much all clubs use stats extensively now.
The data showed that if a keeper kicks the ball out, there is just over a 50/50 chance (50.04%) of his team retaining possession. if he passes the ball or throws it, the figures are different. If he throws it, possession is retained 97.4% of the time and if he passes the ball the retention rate is 87.9%. It's not even close. The data also states that one touch passing will result in 60.5% retention, while controlled passing will result in 74.5% retention.
You can see why clubs try passing out from the back and concentrate on control first, then passing.
Almost every club is trying this now and it is easy to see why. What it doesn't take account of is skill variation, decision making and retention beyond the first pass, which in League Two, can I suggest may be slightly inferior to Premier League standard but there is still little justification for booting the ball clear if it is under control.
The other key factors in trying this style is do the players understand what they are meant to do and are they capable of doing it?
I think Peterborough showed how easy we can be undone,in the 2nd half they just strung a line of players across the halfway line pressing us to keep passing in our half till we made a mistake or we humped the ball forward for their defence to gain possession.