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+----- Thread: Scunthorpe Part 2 (/showthread.php?tid=11978)
Scunthorpe Part 2 - Dancingwilldoit - 02-01-2023
Almost a repeat of the game a week ago but a slightly different outcome in the end.
We still want to walk the ball into the back of the net. Why we don't shoot from outside the area is one of life's mysteries.
Once again the visitors showed us how to do it. They had 3 good shots. 1 goal, 1 hit the post and the other was saved. By contrast I think we had 1 shot from outside the area that missed the target by about 10 yards.
The main difference this week was that we brought on attacking subs when we were running out of steam. We obviously learned something last week about not trying to hold onto a one goal lead and it worked. We could have scored a few more but I'm glad we didn't as it would have messed up my prediction.
In all my time watching Town I can't remember the kop being so quiet. Hope it was a case of hangovers, even the drum sounded as if he'd lost his sticks and was playing with his fingers.
The one player who has really impressed me is Bailey Clements. He is a terrific defender and gets forward with some terrific crosses. We need to get him on a longer contract, he's definitely one to watch.
Kabby even managed to get minutes on the pitch and score a good goal. Wonder if it was his last appearance?
RE: Scunthorpe Part 2 - SaltergateBorn - 03-01-2023
Thanks for the report, Dancing. I was intending to go myself, but not feeling too good on the day so stayed at home.
To be fair, I think the problem with wanting to walk the ball into the net is pretty much universal these days. I`ve lost count of how many times I`ve watched games on the telly and been yelling at the screen for them to let fly from distance. They just don`t any more. The days of Bobby Charlton banging them in from 30 yards with either foot are gone, I`m afraid. (There is a reason, which should be obvious to all, why I sound like an old fart.)
To plead mitigation in our case, however, I think there are a couple of extenuating factors. Our style of play is to attack mainly down the sides using our wing-backs; and, in fairness, in King and Horton/Clemence we have three very good ones so it makes perfect sense. With that line of attack, though, apart from free-kicks the chances of direct shots from distance are going to be limited.
It`s also hardier to find the gaps to shoot through if a team packs their own area and plays on the counter, as most of the teams coming to our place seem to these days. I`ve only seen the highlights, admittedly, but it certainly looked as though Scunny did that on Sunday.
At the end of the day, it`s 3 points and a nice little boost to our goal-difference so let`s not complain. (And as for your predictions; you did just fine last week-end, thank you very much. Greedy sod.)
RE: Scunthorpe Part 2 - Devongone - 03-01-2023
Seems to me trying to walk the ball into the net is the natural denouement of obsessively playing out from the back. About 50% of the goals I see on telly come from teams passing goalie to full back to hapless centre back facing the wrong way, with a man on and no shout. The back pass rule that was supposed to discourage back passes seems to have tripled them so that teams will work the ball back from a vaguely promising attacking position all the way to their own keeper to begin again and this is instance, unless he's playing for Man City, he hoofs it wildly into no-man's land 90% of the time and they lose the ball anyway. When they actually get the ball up front players' heads are still full of the mantra "look after the ball" so instead of shooting or playing a riskier through ball they lay it off for someone else to take responsibility. When Ray Wilkins died they obviously injected him into an entire generation of players.
One reason behind the death of long-range shooting is the growth of goalkeepers. At 6' 3" I used to be tall, now many keepers would tower over me. When I narrowed the angle I was tall enough and agile enough to stand a good chance of reaching any corner of the goal. It was my big advantage. Now almost everyone can do it. The result is that the best way to score a long range shot is right-footed from the left hand side of the pitch, or left-footed from the right so that with these lighter balls they can bend it outside the keeper's telescopic reach and into the corner of the net. Chesterfield's Sam Hardy, who had the reputation of being the greatest keeper ever, stood less than 5' 10" and now would probably rejected at the Academy stage.
Another factor is the blocking of shots. Once upon a time far fewer players had defensive duties, now they are all there throwing themselves in to block shots, and attackers seem almost to invite their own shot to be blocked. They shoot even when it is obvious the ball will travel a few yards (lack of ideas?). Of course those of us old-fart enough to remember the case ball will understand the level of disincentive in blocking a well-struck shot. Now of course teams set up to break like lightning if a blocked shot opens up a defence ........ so teams pass instead of shooting out of fear of ending up conceding.
Perhaps Scunny are bottom because they do shoot. Certainly they aren't an ideal role model.
Would Tshimanga be amongst the league's top scorers if it were assessed on goals per minutes played?
Should we keep Tshimanga and offer Cookie to Pompey?