What I found interesting on Saturday was that for all our many years of craving two wide men, success v Villa was gained largely by quick breaks up the middle. A few points:

1. There's a danger we start relying on CB and lapse into this one counter-attacking style of play. But the only other player I can see replicating that kind of play (and necessary pace) is Dyer, who prefers to play deeper anyway. Once defences suss Bellamy out - and they must now be realising that Shearer is no longer the chief goal threat - or once he gets injured, or just has an off-spell, we could find ourselves looking a little toothless if we keep playing that way.
2. I can see why we're scoring goals away from home, but if teams come to SJP and start packing men in front of the D, we could struggle again. Just because we've found this new attacking style and outlet, we mustn't abandon crosses from widemen for Shearer, Speed etc. We should be able, in other words, to put together attacking moves that bypass Bellamy altogether. I may end up eating my words, but the way we played against Villa suggests to me that we're likelier to score more goals away at Fulham than home to Derby.
3. The other problem with counter-attacking is that you invite pressure on your defenders. I don't think we sufficiently accomplished in that dept yet to allow the opposition that much of the ball in our half. For a fifteen minute period in the 2nd half on Saturday, we sat back too much. If they'd have pulled it back to 2-1 at that stage - which they had chances to do - there could have been a different outcome.

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

Answers

yada yada

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

I think the difference on Saturday was that even when we were a bit under the cosh for that fifteen minutes, we never ever looked as frail as we have in many other games.

I think the defence played as well as I've seen for a long time. I've said elsewhere that it wouldn't bother me if we adopted a style that left us a bit vulnerable to the quick counter, as long as we still ended up scoring more than the opposition.

I take the point about becoming type cast, but it seems to me that we're type cast already as a side that can't handle packed defenses, so we might as well try to shift the emphasis to the opposition coping with us rather than we having to cope with them.

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

I agree totally with Pit Bill, Vassell is the Villa danger man I think hes a class player he performs for the under 21's consistantly. However we marshalled him perfectly how many shots did Vassell have - A BIG FAT LONELY ZERO. and that was we defended resolutly.

I was impressed with O Brien he is very good with the ball at feet, The only thing id like to have seen was Griffin but he wasnt even on the bench.

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

I think our defence has really come good in the last few matches and not enough credit is given for what they have achieved. Dabz and O'Brien has been forging a great partnership in the middle and not as mistake prone anymore like in the past. Even Elliot(Clarky is goona love this) has improve to a certain extent and has linked up well with Lolo in the last few matches.

Whatever we achieve this season, due credit must be given to the boys at the back. They are showing us a side that you normally don't associate with us, DEFENDING.

Fact: In 11 matches we have let in 14. Kept 3 clean sheets. Limited 4 teams to just 1 goal. Of course we tanked at Wham and home to Pool and Spurs but of those, one was formation problem, another was, well, London and the last is probably this season's champ. So IMHO, wor defence has perform admirably. And I say this b'cos I don't get anxiety attacks anymore when the opposition venture into our half. Just mild heart burns.

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

Our defending has indeed improved, and as I said in my Villa match report, the main problem right now is individual errors that are invariably due to over-elaborating and/or trying to be too bloody clever in dangerous positions.

We demonstrated this propensity again on Saturday on 3 or 4 occasions - including Given, under no real pressure, passing the ball 6 or 7 yards straight to the Villa top-scorer - in our penalty area!! Just think about it for a moment - how stupid and unnecessary is that? Talking about Seamus, while he apparently had a blinder at Everton last week, I actually thought he was less than convincing on Saturday even though he didn't have very much to do.

The defensive priority now has to be to cut out these stupid individual mistakes.

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

Clarky, I don't thing Shay had a bad game on Saturday. He continued punching, which is something new to his repertoir this season AFAIK. However, we all can recognise that he lets himself down with his distribution, particularly when he's under the slightest pressure. This too can't have gone un-noticed by opposing coaches. So WTF does the bliddy defence continue to put him under pressure??

I don't blame Shay for this. There have to be other options for the defenders. Just like there are other options (Row Z for instance) when they over-elaborate. Do you suppose this is something we learned when that guy with the 'tache above his @rse was defensive coach?

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

There were half a dozen occasions on Saturday when Given could and should have come to collect the ball to help his defenders out, but stood rooted to his line. We all know he is a top-class shot-stopper, but there are other key facets to being a really top keeper.

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

Sorry lads, but I refuse to nit pick on what might have gone wrong to take the edge off one of the best games I've seen for long enough.

The points being made are all fair, but I think the players involved will have a much better chance of sorting the faults if we're winning consistently than they will if we continue to play crap.

Games like that haven't shown up often enough for me not to take every opportunity to just simply gloat. Bollix to the odd even glaring weakness (for the time being).

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

Wipe that bliddy smile off yer face PB. If the pollis see ya, ye'll be in trouble ;-)

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

Her indoors just will not believe that I don't have a really gorgeous bit on the side.

Trouble is, if they could keep playing like they did Saturday, a gorgeous bit on the side would just be icing.

Sad or what ? :-))

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

I'm not surprised she won't, especially after I phoned her from the Straabeery on Saturday evening. Sorry mate, you shouldn't have bought me that last beer - you must know the effect it can have ;-))

Anyway, nowt another holiday in the sun can't fix, eh??

-- Anonymous, November 05, 2001

I'm with PB on this: it was a good performance and it's hard to critcise. In fairness, we did take our customary time to get into the game (there were defensive lapses, including Shay's pass to Angel) which might have been punished and changed the game. Having said that, there weren't too many feet put wrong after the first ten minutes.

-- Anonymous, November 06, 2001

The sooner the better, Screach.

-- Anonymous, November 06, 2001