Theres no way we press like we did under Duff without Norwood Cole is a good striker in league one but he is not a workhorse
Sorry I have to challenge your opinion of Cole. Off the ball he works his nuts off all over the field - even defending at set pieces.
What I mean is... If the opponent keeper has the ball Norwood busts a gut to close him down Cole will often just leave him unchallenged
Pressing isn't just running about chasing the ball like a headless chicken, it's stopping the ball been passed, closing the space and often forcing the ball to go long. Watch Bolton in the play off n Wednesday away in the league that's how to press without the ball.
I dont think the striker in question was a headless chicken. He offered something no one else could- aggression, s-housery, experience, leadership And his workrate & attitude were superb. I would go as far as to say he was my favourite player
If I remember it took until October to get up to speed with fitness and form. He was good for the team last season ,imo over egged a little.
A lot of people seem to be going on about about “pressing.” Pressing isn’t just pressuring the ball over the pitch, even the fittest of teams can’t do that for 90 minutes. I found this break down of the three most common types of press online to help explain. I’d say that we always played the third type of press under Duff and it was clear different players had different instructions for playing different opposition. Gegenpressing – a form of pressing applied immediately after the loss of possession by the players that are positioned closer to the ball with the aim of regaining possession of the ball and scoring on a fast attack. This press is characterized by the application of intense and fast pressure on the player in possession of the ball. Positional Press – a form of pressing applied close or inside the final third, primarily by the attacking duo or trio with the aim of blocking passing lanes/options. This may result in a sloppy pass or missed 1st touch by the opposition. The positional ress is characterized by smart positioning, communication, body language, and attackers who can utilize their opponents’ mistakes fast and effectively. Pressing Traps – a hybrid pressing style that is used to force the ball to the weak link of the team (positional pressing) and then apply intense and fast pressing (Gegenpressing) to gain possession of the ball and score on a fast attack.
I'm not 100% sure how we play under our current coach I've only been to one game, it appeared not quite the same as under Duff. Certainly using the wing backs to get forward. I'm sure it will take time for the players to understand the new system. Patience is needed. As Williams asked one of the protesters recently. We need you with us to back us. Time is not always given at BFC . I've seen this for years. I think the current coaches will get there
I agree, I’m just pointing out that the fact that people talk about Norwood against Sheff Wed pressing all the time was clearly a tactic for that game and wasn’t employed at other games some of which Norwood didn’t start. In some games the press started in midfield and Kane/Phillips were pressing. Like you say it’s too early to say how Collins will set up his press and whether it will be a system we stick to every game like Val, whether it works or not, or if it will be more like Duff where it was tweaked every game.
For me we're missing them all @redrum, at different times and in different passages of play in each game. Right now I doubt anyone would claim that we're anywhere near as good a team as last season which is of course the frustration and the reason Norwood's name keeps on coming up. I hope that when the window closes things might have changed such that it no longer does. I fully agree with your last point btw.
Like a few have said pressing is actually the closest player chasing the ball down to actually win the ball back. For me watters is doing a fake press so it's pointless, runs to the defender but actually let's them pass it and doesn't try and tackle. Norwood was the opposite and and went straight in and then it makes defenders start thinking I haven't got anytime on the ball. Can't lie am disappointed it's not Nombe we are getting, the new lad is a different option being a big lad target man but am not sure that's how Collins wants to play.
But your saying we miss his press and him chasing the ball. But pressing isn't about chasing the ball. Like I said look at coles press v Bolton in the play off semi he closed the angle for defenders to pass occupied the space and others would keep to their man forcing the Bolton defenders to go long which mads mopped up. This was something duff worked on in training. If you just press by chasing the ball any half decent side will just pass through you.
Rewatch the match from Saturday up until their sending off. You'll see what Cole does. They pass side to side along their 18 yard box, and occasionally play a forward pass which we ultimately dealt with. That's down to Cole and Watters closing the space and making it difficult for them to play a pass. Even on the odd occasion they did get possession higher up the field, Cole in particular is tracking back to try and pounce on a mistake or catch them in possession. He caught their midfielder being indecisive in the middle of the park on Saturday which started the attack leading to the red card. He did the same vs Port Vale to score his hat-trick goal. The more I watch him, the more I realise what a good job he does in this system. It's reliant on your wing backs pushing up as well like, but I think we do that quite well too. As mentioned elsewhere, pressing isn't just closing down and making tackles. Take Tedic for example. I didn't rate him because out of possession, he'd go charging after the ball, leaving space between the defence and midfield, and inevitably inviting more pressure on our own back line.
Any particular reason you hate Norwood? Nobody is saying that he's the Second Coming of Pele - just that we miss him and we haven't replaced him. He's obviously not the greatest player in world history, but he's better than you give him credit for. I actually agree with you that Cole is the better player of the two, and is more valuable to us both last season and this. But it just fascinates me how you won't give him any credit at all, and seemingly pounce onto any thread to shout him down when folk praised him.
I dont think sheer work rate and passion has ever been devantes style. He is more like a poacher A cool calm characther Players like Frieser, Norwood, Dagnall are your gritty tough workhorses- Cole is certainly not in that mould But like I said he's good- in league 1
2nd time today you have jumped on me. I don't dislike Norwood he was good for us last season in many games I don't rate him as highly as many on here and I think a more prolific goalscorer last season and we would have gone up automatically games like charlton and Burton away where we dominated created chances but couldn't score could have been the difference. I do think we could have replaced him better though I wasn't convinced by watters last season, dallas is a gamble and Marsh and jalo should be ahead of Shaw. Although hearing about him everytime we lose or he scores a goal in non league is getting boring.