Matchday Thread: Preston v Rams

[MadAmster]

They had more than twice as many shots and 3 times the amount of shots on target. How many more headers from opposition players totally unmarked around the penalty spot will go in before we decide to mark those players? We gave them too much time and space and made them look better than they are. Also, why do we find it so hard to find a teammate with 5 and 10 yard passes? Are we too static? Not running into space to be available for a pass? We're getting the basics wrong.


Some fan reactions elsewhere on "social media" get more ridiculous by the week. Saw one cracker on FB from a bloke saying something to the effect that this is, tactically, the worst he'd seen since Docherty's 80s side. I pointed out TD was gaffer from '77 to '79. No response from the originator as yet and I don't think there will be one.

[swaledale]

You say that, but the fact that we are in the middle of the table suggests that compared to other teams we are at least average championship standard. Which quite frankly is where I expected us to be, not much use playing pretty football if we get relegated.

[macstheman]

Fair enough Swale but I don't think it's too unreasonable to wonder why Championship players can't pass a ball five yards without a modicum of accuracy!
Anyway Yates may take some replacing against the Swans, after all he's one player who seems to consider a football his friend and not something to be treated more like a land mine. He also seems to find the net once in a while which helps.

[MadAmster]

If Collo or Daj had had 13 games, would they have equalled Yates' 4 goals? Quite feasibly. Love Yates' work ethic but he really does need to spend more time in the box than he does.

[Geoff Parkstone]

If Collo had had 13 games I suspect /fear his goal tally would be no different than it is now

[macstheman]

If Collo or Daj had had 13 games, would they have equalled Yates' 4 goals? Quite feasibly. Love Yates' work ethic but he really does need to spend more time in the box than he does.

Hence my 'once in a while'!

[swaledale]

Fair enough Swale but I don't think it's too unreasonable to wonder why Championship players can't pass a ball five yards without a modicum of accuracy!
Anyway Yates may take some replacing against the Swans, after all he's one player who seems to consider a football his friend and not something to be treated more like a land mine. He also seems to find the net once in a while which helps.

Its not, but then on Saturday the conditions were awful, so some mitigation and whilst we all observe this, its symptomatic of players with a lower overall skill level. \in the days when i watched a lot of live football both Championship and premier league and what always struck me was how the prem players would more often than not direct a clearing header to another team mate, whereas champ players would just head it away from danger most of the time. Passes were usually accurate and often forward, reflecting both the higher ability but more importantly the ability to and confidence to be able to make a split second decision and get it right.

But my comment really was given that other teams have players they have often paid more for and theoretically are better quality, they often make similar errors. I guess its all down to confidence, ability, mental alertness, the conditions and handling the pressure of playing in a match. MA's observation is perfectly valid, I was just putting forward my explanation for it. If they could make accurate passes, or finish chnaces etc. more than 70% of the time, I'd think they would be in a top champ team or in the prem and cost a lot more.