I have to agree with biglil , I also believe we are not playing hoofball , we are now tending to mix it up & play a more horses for courses game showing we have more than plan A . I also believe we have learnt to defend better from open play , we now clear our lines more effectively as opposed to tippy tappy stuff which used to bring trouble of our own making . I know sometimes it is not pretty but after 7 games this season we had 7 points & was in big trouble but by adapting to VI"s coaching & tactics we have managed to achieve a healthy league position & are through to the 5th round of the cup , happy days for me
We hoof it when there are no options. But there were more times today where Andersen would try and find a team mate, with a cushion header or short pass than in the last few games that I’ve seen put together. Issue today wasn’t the style of play, it’s that our forwards lost the ball too easily whenever they got it.
we hoof it when there are no options. We hoof it when there are options. When we could control the ball in open space, we flick it on blind. At times (very very few I’ve seen, but I don’t see every single game) we play pockets of decent football. But like 5 minutes. then it’s hoof, flick, head tennis, hoof. I think it’s sad, because we’ve got better players than this style of vertical hoof merits. The longer it goes on, the more ingrained it becomes and I wonder if the players enjoy this style?
I thought far better crosses into the box and better set pieces were needed today and on occasion we chose the wrong option when in decent positions.
I don't agree. We hoof it as first instruction from the back. I agree there's a difference between targeted and aimless hoof. If they've got time they'll try and aim at someone. If not, it's a hoof nevertheless. It's when there's nobody in the vicinity into which it's been hoofed that makes it look terrible. Even Cawley was hoofing it aimlessly a couple of times. And he's in their half. The forwards don't have a chance at the moment, cos they're not the right forwards. They try and create as much disruption as they can so that the other side have their new found possession compromised. But it's not good to watch.
It's true mate. I don't think we play this "hoof ball" either. I saw Wimbledon do it in the 80s, Bolton do it in the 90s. I don't see our team anywhere near doing that.
Clearing our lines isn't the issue. I think that's welcomed by 99% of supporters. Sometimes we need to have a bit more composure and awareness of what's around us, where the giant boot up the pitch could be more controlled but I don't mind the players getting that part wrong as we're clearing the danger. Where I do have an issue, and where I think this argument is really valid, is where talented footballers like Styles, Brittain, Mowatt and Kane, get control of the ball in our half, turn to face the opposition's goal, and without an opponent within 20 yards of them and space to run in to, we give it this lofted, aimless punt up field that our forwards aren't going to do anything with. What happened to carrying the ball when the opportunity is there? Or at least playing the ball forward 40 yards but in to the channels and in front of our forwards so the battle is holding it up and bringing others in to play? The ball doesn't have to be head height only to go 40 yards. It's not an out and out criticism as I'm happy with how we're developing. But it is allowed to be critical of some fairly awful decision making by our better players - especially when it appears to be based on instructions from the dugout.
Nail on head. We've played much better football in most of our games, and it's produced results. We're comfortable. But the last two league games have been a step backwards and awful to watch. Ok, we took a point in each of those games, but Forest were extremely poor today, and had we played as I believe we can do, we would have hammered them. Very disappointing.
No its a winning business and if you win every game playing garbage the place will be packed and rocking but if you play entertaining football and are struggling then people will not part with their pounds.
I find it difficult to watch at times. There is definitely something ‘agricultural’ about how play. We don’t always kick and rush but do so quite a lot. I can see the reasons for this in terms of other clubs we are limited and it’s vertical percentage based football. The main issue I have is that the most talented players in our squad are midfielders and too often they are either bypassed or hoofing it into space. But let’s all be honest it’s a starting point to get a foothold in the division and sometimes you need to take the pragmatic choice. I would say to play it properly we need more pace and physical presence up front.