Get tight, close him down, push higher up..

[RawmarshMiller]

Tired every game continually shouting the same three things, get tight, close down and push higher up.

Cardiff had one player of scoring yesterday, Lambert. His pace has gone (if he ever had any), but his strength and touch have not diminished. If ever we needed a high defensive line it was yesterday, Lambert is never going to beat us for pace chasing the ball over the top.

But no, sit deep and the guy come to his own, he plays up against the centre halves, holds the ball up and brings runners into play. To continually surrender possession and let any player have time on the ball at this level will only ever result in one thing - trouble.

To not pick Lambert up from one set play was bad enough, a free header in our box was probably the easiest of goals he has ever scored. The second, why oh why were we not getting tight to win.

To have continually seen this for the past 10 games, tells me our current defensive ploy is deliberate, we are intentionally dropping off, zonal marking and not closing down. Surely by now Stubbs, Holden and Deehan must have spotted that it doesn't work.

I fear we are going down and we are going down with a whimper.

[Lasterman]

It might work in the Scottish league where most strikers couldn't hit a cows arse with a banjo, but give Championship players room and the opportunity to take pot shots like this, and they'll score....as we've all seen.

[monty_rhodes]

God, I thought this was a script from a **** movie.

[Lolmorgan]

God, I thought this was a script from a **** movie.

Well that might get us a little more excited than the football of late.

[kempo]

Yep

Good post Rawmarsh

[millmoormagic]

Tired every game continually shouting the same three things, get tight, close down and push higher up.

Cardiff had one player of scoring yesterday, Lambert. His pace has gone (if he ever had any), but his strength and touch have not diminished. If ever we needed a high defensive line it was yesterday, Lambert is never going to beat us for pace chasing the ball over the top.

But no, sit deep and the guy come to his own, he plays up against the centre halves, holds the ball up and brings runners into play. To continually surrender possession and let any player have time on the ball at this level will only ever result in one thing - trouble.

To not pick Lambert up from one set play was bad enough, a free header in our box was probably the easiest of goals he has ever scored. The second, why oh why were we not getting tight to win.

To have continually seen this for the past 10 games, tells me our current defensive ploy is deliberate, we are intentionally dropping off, zonal marking and not closing down. Surely by now Stubbs, Holden and Deehan must have spotted that it doesn't work.

I fear we are going down and we are going down with a whimper.

Couldn't agree more fella, spot on

[redandgreen]

Good post.
We could start defending from the front, but then we'd have to have players up front to do that! If he didn't notice how the crowd were lifted by Taylor closing them down at 1-0 (or was it 1-1), then what is he watching? But that was a one off, so clearly this is intended as he didn't do it again. How about competing at throw ins, as the way we back off is the equivelant of a free kick. Two more goals conceded from inside the area whilst we have enough players so close together we could take a team picture, proves once more that defending from only 18 yards out is a tactical and managerial disaster. Further more, defending 18 yards out, means teams fire shots off with ease. Something that our opponents don't let us.