Our low ratio of goals to chances/opportunities has been a discussion point for a large part of this season. Following yesterday’s last home game of the season, I thought about the apparent reasons for this.
I have identified the following 3 main contributors to this and look forward to reading whether others agree with this analysis or if there are other ideas on the reasons for this malady:
1. We don’t have players who can run at the defense, beat a player or two and then slot home the ball on a regular basis. We have seen Jack Clarke do it a few times pre-Boro, Roberts and Harrison on an occasion or two, to the best of my recollection, but that’s it.
2. Our finishing is not clinical, seems to lack killer instinct. So many games we have shots that should be goals but get saved, cleared off the line by a defender other than the goalkeeper or just hit random players, theirs and ours. So many other teams seem to place the ball so as to go into the net.
3. Our crossing is off the mark. Game after game, multiple times per game, so many times, Tipton seems, Ayling, Alioski, Harrison, Dallas and others get the ball on the side and cross it high into the center. Invariably there is no one to head it home. Why aren’t players coming in to attack the 6 yard area? Why aren’t the players aiming for a player that is in the penalty area? Why isn’t the crosser hitting it hard and low, increasing the chances of a toe punt or an own goal to put it into the net? Obviously at a different level, but Man City have done something similar as far as getting it close to goal, but with so much greater effect, getting it to the goal line or close thereto and driving it across goal or pulling it back to the edge of the 6 yard area and converting into goals.
Those are the 3 situations that I see as the primary cause of this problem, what are your thoughts?
The Efficiency Issue
posted on 29/4/19
Think that’s about it Jonny. There is a hybrid of 1 and 3, which is that wide guys with a bit of pace who run at players, stretch defenders, and put them in two minds as to what they might do... means defenders are more likely to show them the outside and back off a bit... giving better crossing opportunities.
There is another point which is less about the individuals than it is about the system. We often camp in the opposition half because of the aggressive press we do. There is simply a large number of players to get through in congested areas. Hence we get a lot of half chances and we are always going to be more ‘inefficient’ than a counter-attacking side. The thing to work on here in my view is to try to move the ball a bit quicker, before the defence is organised, when we first win the ball back. But there’s still a congestion issue and it’s easier said than done.
The only other point i’d throw in there, linked to point 2 is luck. It’s the indefinable thing about sport. I definitely agree that our finishing has lacked efficiency, we miss a lot of good chances as well as all the half chances, but take the Norwich game. Were their 3 deflections efficient? It should even out over a season but i’m Not sure it has, bielsa doesn’t think so, dean smith yesterday appeared to imply he thought we were both inefficient and unlucky. Fans don’t like this line of thinking, because we like cause and effect, but coaches are most interested in opportunities created because they know that generally it’s a numbers game.
posted on 29/4/19
Its weird, when people raised these same issues a week or so back you complained people were being negative....
The issues are clear and like it or not are mostly the responsibility of the coaching team, in particular the crossing.
posted on 29/4/19
I agree with the analysis but I think a lot of it is down to the sum of the overall quality of the players - what ever happens they have over achieved and if we have the same without MB next season it will be tough.
posted on 29/4/19
Good morning everyone.
Haven't posted for a while - I've been through the wringer and didn't have anything very positive to say! Never mind that's life ha!
Glad Bielsa took the decision to throw the match yesterday: it was the right thing to do. Thought the team played really well, considering Bielsa's prematch revelations. I still have plenty of belief we can secure promotion through the playoffs.
Re the subject of the post, I can't help reflecting on what Chris Wood might have done in this team. Roofie's not big enough and Bamford's too soft, that's the bottom line, although they're both cracking strikers in their own ways.
Lots of half-chances going begging - players snatching at shots might be something to do with playing in such a high-octane style?
Got to say, Alioski's crossing is abysmal; and what happened to Douglas's so called pinpoint delivery? Ayling hasn't been firing on all four cylinders for most of the season and Harrison goes missing. Only Pablo and Roberts have shone consistently but the former may now be too old while the latter is still a bit green.
Still there's no use crying over spilt milk, as I keep telling myself. Promotion or heartbreak, Bielsa has deserved every accolade, every penny he's earnt and all our love - and more. He has completely changed the club in so many positive ways and has given us a season to remember forever, after so many years of dross. Bielsa has proved it is possible to made a silk purse from a pig's ear! I just hope we can hold onto him for another year, but I'm not sure AR has the money to do what needs doing.
In the meantime, bring on the playoffs. We can beat any of those other teams. We can do this!
posted on 29/4/19
I raised the not scoring enough goals over 5 months ago. Of course I was clueless.
We can every game 1-0 was the response.
posted on 29/4/19
comment by Jonty (U4614)
posted 4 hours, 29 minutes ago
Its weird, when people raised these same issues a week or so back you complained people were being negative....
The issues are clear and like it or not are mostly the responsibility of the coaching team, in particular the crossing.
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