Another unwanted statistic

[Rob_the_Ram]

According to one of the tabloids this morning, since 1992, no second tier side has scored so many goals (85) and missed out on top six.
Its been exciting to watch but reinforces the lack of a competent defence.

[swaledale]

Thats one way of looking at it, another is that we have the 8th best goals against figure out of the other 24 teams i the league (56) and 3 of those teams have let in only 2 less goals.

That doe snot suggest that over the season our defence has been a major issue - the comedy gold defending over the past 6 or 7 games has been our downfall.

[Rob_the_Ram]

Thats one way of looking at it, another is that we have the 8th best goals against figure out of the other 24 teams i the league (56) and 3 of those teams have let in only 2 less goals.

That doe snot suggest that over the season our defence has been a major issue - the comedy gold defending over the past 6 or 7 games has been our downfall.

We've discussed before that maybe the best way to defend is to attack or keep the ball. It certainly is the most entertaining.
We have until recently, defended well as a team taking into consideration the above. Even Ibe was praised for his backtracking.
But the recent slump has shown that when our defenders have any kind of pressure on them, they cannot cope.
Maybe in our pleasure at seeing the great attacking skills of an Ince or Lingaard, we miss the team play of a Ward, Russell or Dawkins.
Maybe Bent's goals have papered over the fact that we don't retain the ball as well inviting pressure

[blackandwhite56]

It's not just the loss of CDM and centre forward, important as those two players/positions were for our success. We've also been coping with the breakdown of our full backs in the attacking sense, as well as their defending. Both Christie and Forsyth lost their confidence going forward compared to what we know they have done/can do.
On Saturday we saw a painful reminder of the way we've struggled to move the ball forwards with sideways or backwards being preferred and no other obvious options.

Given these issues went on for so long, MacClaren and his coaching team do have to accept some responsibility for not sorting things.

[AngryRam]

It's not just the loss of CDM and centre forward, important as those two players/positions were for our success. We've also been coping with the breakdown of our full backs in the attacking sense, as well as their defending. Both Christie and Forsyth lost their confidence going forward compared to what we know they have done/can do.
On Saturday we saw a painful reminder of the way we've struggled to move the ball forwards with sideways or backwards being preferred and no other obvious options.

Given these issues went on for so long, MacClaren and his coaching team do have to accept some responsibility for not sorting things.

Agreed but to be fair to the full backs there was little movement from the players in front of them,,often forcing them to go long... Players hid on Saturday and did not want to take responsibility. Add this to the fact that as a unit we were pants at the back,their first priority was to defend.. We'l

[Popsidepaul]

It's not just the loss of CDM and centre forward, important as those two players/positions were for our success. We've also been coping with the breakdown of our full backs in the attacking sense, as well as their defending. Both Christie and Forsyth lost their confidence going forward compared to what we know they have done/can do.
On Saturday we saw a painful reminder of the way we've struggled to move the ball forwards with sideways or backwards being preferred and no other obvious options.

Given these issues went on for so long, MacClaren and his coaching team do have to accept some responsibility for not sorting things.

Agreed but to be fair to the full backs there was little movement from the players in front of them,,often forcing them to go long... Players hid on Saturday and did not want to take responsibility. Add this to the fact that as a unit we were pants at the