Long ball team?

Just my thoughts for discussion but having read a lot of comments on various social media about how VI has us playing as a log ball team I just wanted to offer my thoughts and to see how you all see it....

From memory when we’ve played the “footballing” teams - Bournemouth, Watford, Norwich, Brentford, Reading, Derby, Forest we’ve predominantly played on the floor, pressed high (except Brentford) and looked pretty good albeit with results against teams at the top not going our way.

This has also been the case against Bristol C, Hudds, QPR and Blackburn. We’ve played high tempo, high press football getting the ball forwards quickly. No little amount of skill and generally all have been decent games with some positive results.

Where we’ve struggled and adopted a more long ball approach has been against Cardiff, Swansea, Rotherham, Birmingham, Pigs and Wycombe who played a long ball game themselves to avoid our press.

So are we seeing the direct approach from us as a direct match up to the tactics being deployed by the opposition because, IMO, I don’t believe we a re along ball team. Thoughts?

 

The long ball to me seems a loss of focus, or even panic when playing local teams or teams who are giving a bit rough out. We’re not long ball, but slip into it under pressure....

 

I saw Watford. And we hoofed it. I saw Bournemouth, and we did have spells when it was on the floor, but we hoofed it. Brentford. We hoofed it a lot for 80 minutes, and played on the floor more for the last 10.

I can't comment on the others. QPR I saw, his first game, and we hit it aimlessly forward a lot.

I suspect there are efforts to slightly alter the style depending on what we're facing, but in the games I've seen, our primary tactic have been to launch the ball aimlessly upfield with no obvious target in mind.

The results are far better than any of us probably expected. But this is probably the least pleasing style of intentional football tactics I've seen as a Barnsley fan.

 

We don't mess about with it in our own half. This is why we're doing a lot better against teams outside the top 6 than we did last season, when they knew they could play it long and wait for our defence to make a mistake.

But, the challenge will be when fans are back in grounds and only three subs are allowed. Not sure how crowds will react to the style of play, or if they can sustain it for 90 mins with only three subs.

 

I actually think we need a different type of midfielder to be effective using this style. We need terrier like players Scowen and Perkins would fit this system. We don't win the ball back quick enough for all our pressing.

 

Totally agree.

 

The same Perkins that got dog's abuse on here from some posters?

 

Yeah the albino one. Me and Laura thought he was a trier who ran his blood to water. He was limited but we're bypassing midfield anyway.

 

Definitely a long ball team, but a long ball team that is soft as $hite

 

I don't see what Morris brings to the party. If we're going to play as we are we need another Kieffer Moore.

 

May as well put Halme in there for the head tennis.

 

If the opposing team also plays hoof (Swansea and Wycombe spring to mind most), the game more resembles the animal football contest in Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

 

I think the intended approach is to play forwards quickly but not in the ‘lump it to the big man’ way as we don’t have that sort of player. We often have the 3 forwards supported by the wing backs which is not a typical long ball tactic.

We all see things differently but I’ve only really noticed it in a handful of games where the opposition go long to bypass the press but I do understand why it can look like we are the long ball team.

 

I think we've come as far as we can as a squad without spending money. Only Woodrow is genuine Championship class. We need two more strikers. They cost money.

 

Are we a long ball team? In my opinion, no. Do we play the long ball at times? Again, in my opinion, yes.After witnessing the last two performances especially, it still baffles me when some fans complain we never have a Plan B. We rarely play the ball around in defence like we did before, inviting pressure and making numerous mistakes. This was almost universally disliked on here.
Valerien Ismael has only been here three months. In that time, he's transformed us from a winless team deep in a relegation battle, to one in mid table looking upwards with the same squad of players. Unlike others, I believe our players are developing along the right lines, have truly Championship quality and will continue to improve under this Head Coach.
I respect that other fans don't share my viewpoints, which is fair enough.

 

Suppose we play more long ball as we don’t tip tap in defence now , and none of our midfield drop too deep to play ball out from back . It’s working as results are coming and we just need more quality in team to kick on again

 

I think the fact we don't dwell on the ball is the main thing. When we see players hook the ball clear, it's because they don't want to try and bring the ball down and turn with it for fear of losing possession in their own half. Similarly, those instances were the midfielders aren't under pressure 30/40 yards from goal, if there's no movement either up front or wide, then it's a case of get the ball upfield and press. Look at Bournemouth's second goal when Woodrow held onto it for too long as an example of something we're trying to avoid.

When we play other long ball teams, it ends up being a situation where neither team wants possession in their own half, and that leads to midfielders being spectators.

On the flip side, we've scored some excellent goals. But without any real pace or targetman up front, if teams nullify our wing backs then we can look toothless.

 

I'd agree. I'm thrilled we don't bugger about with it at the back any longer. We just don't have the quality of players who can play that game.

Going forward, it seems more of a mix. Not saying we've got it right at the moment but the players and the coach are still learning. Tbh, i think the Coach is pretty much at the limit as to what he can get out of the current squad - and credit to him for doing that.