Penalties and Playing Out

[The Bedlington Terrier]

It's the main reason Pep got rid of Hart, I've read some 'experts' who think it's a reason Gareth might be reluctant to put Pope into the England team, playing for Burnley he's not exactly well versed in the art of playing it out from the back.

I well remember a smart arsed journo asking SD post Burnley away victory, why we did not play it out from the back and we always seemed to knock it long (nudge, nudge, wink, wink)? Quick as a flash Sean retorted, "It's not very often you see a team score a goal from their own defensive third and why do we want to invite pressure on our own defenders?"

Media man went away to sulk and consider his career options!

[sinkov]

I well remember a smart arsed journo asking SD post Burnley away victory, why we did not play it out from the back and we always seemed to knock it long (nudge, nudge, wink, wink)? Quick as a flash Sean retorted, "It's not very often you see a team score a goal from their own defensive third and why do we want to invite pressure on our own defenders?"

Media man went away to sulk and consider his career options!

It's a while since I heard Sean talking about this, some time last season I think, and his thinking was basically 'if you play it out from the back and lose it in your third of the pitch, you're in trouble, if you play it long and lose it in their third of the pitch, no great problem.' Sounds perfectly logical to me.