Thomas Frank - Head Coach

[MartyFunkhouser]

Richy was the replacement, we just bought Solanke because Richy very obviously wasn't the answer.

That's even worse then and plays back to horrendous planning

 

[Mcfee]

No i agree and it’s extremely tough to replace them, but we have never been good at it. Waiting a year for Kanes replacement and it to be Solanke a year later, its not good, we knew he wouldn't be here forever and he wasn't an arseh0le so planning shouldn't have been an issue, also same with Son who we actively helped place at LA haha.

We were close to signing Diaz which looked like good planning for Son’s replacement but that failed for whatever reason.

 

[thfcsteff]

Does it? Do you not think we were instructed last season to not take on long range shots? It was very noticeable to me, especially with Son

This is the way football is going - high percentage chances = good, low percentage = bad and it isn't something new this season.

So you think Frank has instructed the players not to take long range shots? It did strike me as one more thing to throw at Frank rather than having any particular kernals of truth, but I honestly don't know.

 

[MartyFunkhouser]

We were close to signing Diaz which looked like good planning for Son’s replacement but that failed for whatever reason.

Yeh and that's commendable, but our plan B was to sign Odebert then panic on Tel

 

[billyiddo]

So you think Frank has instructed the players not to take long range shots? It did strike me as one more thing to throw at Frank rather than having any particular kernals of truth, but I honestly don't know.

I don't know, I haven't particularly noticed many instances that shots were on that were not taken but given what I said re playing for the percentage chances I wouldn't be surprised if there's a focus on looking for the pass before the shot.

I do think it was a part of our instruction in the two seasons previous - evidenced by our low number of long range goals and the regular occurrence of Son not taking his bread & butter long range shots whenever they arose.

I don't see it as an issue for either manager fwiw

 

[thfcsteff]

I don't know, I haven't particularly noticed many instances that shots were on that were not taken but given what I said re playing for the percentage chances I wouldn't be surprised if there's a focus on looking for the pass before the shot.

I do think it was a part of our instruction in the two seasons previous - evidenced by our low number of long range goals and the regular occurrence of Son not taking his bread & butter long range shots whenever they arose.

I don't see it as an issue for either manager fwiw

What you're saying does bear out when I think about...trying to remember the last rocker (Porro maybe?)...I've seen Xavi try to 'shoot' his way into confidence and matches without much success it has to be said. I would hope it is, at best, a general ethos that better chances come from not taking too many long range efforts.

 

[Bullet]

Richie scored from half way against the goons.
Sarr used to have quite a few shots from 20 yards.
I agree variety is the spice of life; we've conceded soooooo many shots from 20 yards+, we must fancy trying it ourselves.

 

[Daisuk]

I listened to The Extra Inch today and heard them comparing stats between Bentancur, Phalinha and other central midfielders - basically describing Bentancur as "coward" as he always chooses the safe option, he basically never progresses the ball either by foot or by pass. Same with Phalinha, but he's meant to be a destroyer, of course, and does that job well. It's baffling that we have started so many games with those two on the pitch together (or with Bentancur in particular).

I think we need to get a midfielder able to pass and progress the ball, as well as withstand pressure, in for Bentancur - should be a main priority in Jan, if we can get one in.

 

[DaveT316]

I listened to The Extra Inch today and heard them comparing stats between Bentancur, Phalinha and other central midfielders - basically describing Bentancur as "coward" as he always chooses the safe option, he basically never progresses the ball either by foot or by pass. Same with Phalinha, but he's meant to be a destroyer, of course, and does that job well. It's baffling that we have started so many games with those two on the pitch together (or with Bentancur in particular).

I think we need to get a midfielder able to pass and progress the ball, as well as withstand pressure, in for Bentancur - should be a main priority in Jan, if we can get one in.

I’ve been so angry at his performances on this basis this season and that we’ve extended his contract. In his defence, he may be being instructed to play this way, but he’s been eye-gougingly bad this season, cowardly in his use of the ball.

 

[DubSpur]

I listened to The Extra Inch today and heard them comparing stats between Bentancur, Phalinha and other central midfielders - basically describing Bentancur as "coward" as he always chooses the safe option, he basically never progresses the ball either by foot or by pass. Same with Phalinha, but he's meant to be a destroyer, of course, and does that job well. It's baffling that we have started so many games with those two on the pitch together (or with Bentancur in particular).

I think we need to get a midfielder able to pass and progress the ball, as well as withstand pressure, in for Bentancur - should be a main priority in Jan, if we can get one in.

Cowardly is the way I'd describe most of our passing this season, not just from Bentancur, although he is probably the biggest culprit. But part of that is the lack of players and movement ahead of the ball. A cowardly set up alongside cowardly passing.

 

[Finney Is Back]

Cowardly is the way I'd describe most of our passing this season, not just from Bentancur, although he is probably the biggest culprit. But part of that is the lack of players and movement ahead of the ball. A cowardly set up alongside cowardly passing.

I think it comes from the coach. It has been evident in many games this season that teams go man for man against our attacking players to create an extra attacker for themselves when they have the ball. We, on the other hand, keep an extra (spare) man back and therefore have fewer players to attack with when we have the ball. Our shape and our lack of forward passes through the middle are both cowardly, ‘low risk, low reward’ ways of playing.

 

[DubSpur]

I think it comes from the coach. It has been evident in many games this season that teams go man for man against our attacking players to create an extra attacker for themselves when they have the ball. We, on the other hand, keep an extra (spare) man back and therefore have fewer players to attack with when we have the ball. Our shape and our lack of forward passes through the middle are both cowardly, ‘low risk, low reward’ ways of playing.

Yup, the set up is 100% on Frank. With Gray and Xavi in the side it has improved a bit, still a long way to go though.