Sky's 'The Last Word' On Our Defending

[The Original Special One]

I only caught a bit of it as I'm watching the NFL game but Andy Gray was rubbishing our defending for Burnley's goals, - certainly the last two.
Did anybody watch the entire programme?

I believe Alan Hansen was similarly scathing last night

Do any of Hughes coaching staff know anything about defending?

[Spurge]

I only caught a bit of it as I'm watching the NFL game but Andy Gray was rubbishing our defending for Burnley's goals, - certainly the last two.
Did anybody watch the entire programme?

I believe Alan Hansen was similarly scathing last night

Do any of Hughes coaching staff know anything about defending?

I don't know - what do you think?

[edge275]

I only caught a bit of it as I'm watching the NFL game but Andy Gray was rubbishing our defending for Burnley's goals, - certainly the last two.
Did anybody watch the entire programme?

I believe Alan Hansen was similarly scathing last night

Do any of Hughes coaching staff know anything about defending?

I don't know - what do you think?

I think they know little about defending as the same problems happen week in week out.

[The Original Special One]

I only caught a bit of it as I'm watching the NFL game but Andy Gray was rubbishing our defending for Burnley's goals, - certainly the last two.
Did anybody watch the entire programme?

I believe Alan Hansen was similarly scathing last night

Do any of Hughes coaching staff know anything about defending?

I don't know - what do you think?

I think they haven't worked out yet how to integrate two attacking full backs, two centre backs, and their two central midfielders into a fluid, but cohesive unit

[DoomMerchant]

I only caught a bit of it as I'm watching the NFL game but Andy Gray was rubbishing our defending for Burnley's goals, - certainly the last two.
Did anybody watch the entire programme?

I believe Alan Hansen was similarly scathing last night

Do any of Hughes coaching staff know anything about defending?

I don't know - what do you think?

I think they haven't worked out yet how to integrate two attacking full backs, two centre backs, and their two central midfielders into a fluid, but cohesive unit

yeah, that seems really really fuclin hard. Seriously? with the talent we have it shouldn't take much management and 'coaching' to get these fucknuts playing together imho.

[mancitymark]

Did they use words like .... "shit" .. "waste of money" ..... "Bridge is wank[/i[i]"Lescott is a fucking joke " ... "sack that fucking welsh red twat"

If they did, then they know their stuff.

[Manx Blue]

I'm offering my services as a defensive coach.

As you can see from my overview in the bridge thread, I can't tell my left from my right, but I know my onions from looking at the sky +.

[The Original Special One]

I'm offering my services as a defensive coach.

As you can see from my overview in the bridge thread, I can't tell my left from my right, but I know my onions from looking at the sky +.

you'd certainly do a better job with the incumbent.
Hughes needs to ditch his asskissers and get himself a real coach!

[sandman]

Did they use words like .... "shit" .. "waste of money" ..... "Bridge is wank[/i[i]"Lescott is a fucking joke " ... "sack that fucking welsh red twat"

If they did, then they know their stuff.

I wish you were on football focus!!

[AlpsMaster]

I believe Alan Hansen was similarly scathing last night

Yes he was on MOTD and mostly targeting Wayne Bridge for his attacking runs up the pitch which leave gaping holes at the back.

Ironically, Bridge's performances and attacking tactics have been praised on here quite a bit earlier in the season, but I think someone forget to explain he can't get away with that as much when we're playing without a DM or 2 to cover for him!

[Wooders]

shame Pearce isn't available to come in as our defensive coach - for all his attacking failings as manager, we were solid at the back

[MaineRoadMemories]

I watched both programmes and both were well worth a watch.

On the first goal they highlighted Burnley's right back who managed to run past everyone in our half without anyone picking him up. This looked especially bad on Bellamy who just let him go. Barry reacted but was far too slow to keep up with the player. Bridge was nowhere to be seen and Lescott ran out with his arms waving like a bird.

Poor play from Bellamy, Bridge, Barry and Lescott.

As you might expect Andy Gray (forward) and Alan Hansen (defender) had differing opinions on Burnley's second goal.

Hansen blamed Bridge for been out of position, Gray said Bridge had every right to run forward as there were 6 players behind him and that Barry was at fault for the pass. He explained Arsenal scored a goal against Wolves exactly the same way difference is Arsenal don't give it away and can pass it nicely! All our players were too busy trying to push on for the counter attack that the ones still in a defensive position forgot all their responsibility.

He then said that Lescott did his job by coming out to meet the player but Toure and Zabaleta let themselves down badly as they both went to mark the player on the edge of the box and not the danger man running free into the 6 yard box.

Poor play from Barry, Toure and Zabaleta and too much attack minded ambitions from Bellamy, SWP, Ireland, Adebayor who all just raced up field without a second's thought

On the third Burnley goal Gray did lay blame at Bridge for punting the ball up to Bellamy and giving Burnley another chance to attack. He said top teams will just pass the ball to death in the final 5 mins and not go looking for a goal. He then went on to say that our formation was far too stretched for the 87th minute.

Bridge made the error by not heading the ball out but it was still an easily avoidable goal. When they freeze framed it and then pushed on you see Burnley midfielders racing past both Ireland and Barry who just were just jogging back. Zabaleta was wayyyyyyyy up field and out of position with the rest of the back four and could not get back in time to pressure the forward.

When the ball was delivered into the box the path was perfect to take out Toure so he could not do anything. The header was very good coming back across the goal mouth but one of the midfielders which had ran past Ireland - had now also ran past Lescott who was standing still - and had an easy finish over Given.

Poor play from Barry, Ireland, Bridge, Zabaleta and Lescott.

The conclusion is clear from the excellent analysis provided by both Sky and BBC. These are not individual errors that are costing us goals. Half the team are contributing to them through a mixture of the midfield being too attack minded and the defence not picking up on the players they need to mark.

When you freeze frame the game from a wide angle and look at our positioning over the pitch it is worrying to see the gaping holes through the middle of the park.

I believe that the players are getting confused with the changes of formations. We are playing a 4-3-3 mentality in a 4-4-2 system.

We attack as a team but defend as 4 players on their own. It's not fair on our back four but they do not help themselves with glaring errors.

[Bluez]

Our defending has been the biggest surprise of the season. Blackburn under Hughes could defend, the big complaint when he came woudl be that we woudl be too physical and boring with lots of 0-0. Hopefully the back four gel soon because at the moment they look like strangers half the time. If tehy do click we will be laughing because scoring isn't a problem

[sky_blue_stew]

The goals we've conceded have been so basic, that's the disheartening thing. No matter who is coaching, I would assume the defenders and defensive midfielders would have enough experience to read the game sufficiently to know when we lose the ball we're in trouble, and where attackers aim their runs. Not pressing, tracking runners and marking properly are things coaches shouldn't really be struggling to get their players to do at this level. The management clearly need to address this, but it bothers me the players aren't doing better regardless of coaching shortfalls.

[Fish111]

The last word on Citys defending? Easy, Shite!!

Lescott is actually improving imho but is being laid bare by Bridges ineptness and total disregard and inability to defend properly, Lescott is left exposed by Bridges mistakes time and again.

A left-back is a must in January and Petrov should be starting, Tevez back on the bench and Bellamy should play through the middle alongside Ade.

[The Original Special One]

I watched both programmes and both were well worth a watch.

On the first goal they highlighted Burnley's right back who managed to run past everyone in our half without anyone picking him up. This looked especially bad on Bellamy who just let him go. Barry reacted but was far too slow to keep up with the player. Bridge was nowhere to be seen and Lescott ran out with his arms waving like a bird.

Poor play from Bellamy, Bridge, Barry and Lescott.

As you might expect Andy Gray (forward) and Alan Hansen (defender) had differing opinions on Burnley's second goal.

Hansen blamed Bridge for been out of position, Gray said Bridge had every right to run forward as there were 6 players behind him and that Barry was at fault for the pass. He explained Arsenal scored a goal against Wolves exactly the same way difference is Arsenal don't give it away and can pass it nicely! All our players were too busy trying to push on for the counter attack that the ones still in a defensive position forgot all their responsibility.

He then said that Lescott did his job by coming out to meet the player but Toure and Zabaleta let themselves down badly as they both went to mark the player on the edge of the box and not the danger man running free into the 6 yard box.

Poor play from Barry, Toure and Zabaleta and too much attack minded ambitions from Bellamy, SWP, Ireland, Adebayor who all just raced up field without a second's thought

On the third Burnley goal Gray did lay blame at Bridge for punting the ball up to Bellamy and giving Burnley another chance to attack. He said top teams will just pass the ball to death in the final 5 mins and not go looking for a goal. He then went on to say that our formation was far too stretched for the 87th minute.

Bridge made the error by not heading the ball out but it was still an easily avoidable goal. When they freeze framed it and then pushed on you see Burnley midfielders racing past both Ireland and Barry who just were just jogging back. Zabaleta was wayyyyyyyy up field and out of position with the rest of the back four and could not get back in time to pressure the forward.

When the ball was delivered into the box the path was perfect to take out Toure so he could not do anything. The header was very good coming back across the goal mouth but one of the midfielders which had ran past Ireland - had now also ran past Lescott who was standing still - and had an easy finish over Given.

Poor play from Barry, Ireland, Bridge, Zabaleta and Lescott.

The conclusion is clear from the excellent analysis provided by both Sky and BBC. These are not individual errors that are costing us goals. Half the team are contributing to them through a mixture of the midfield being too attack minded and the defence not picking up on the players they need to mark.

When you freeze frame the game from a wide angle and look at our positioning over the pitch it is worrying to see the gaping holes through the middle of the park.

I believe that the players are getting confused with the changes of formations. We are playing a 4-3-3 mentality in a 4-4-2 system.

We attack as a team but defend as 4 players on their own. It's not fair on our back four but they do not help themselves with glaring errors.

Excellent report, thanks
(I was hoping to be able to tape 'The Last Word' late last night, but for some reason Sky didn't repeat it, as they usually do).

Its a good point you made about the change in formation,- and especially midfield emphasis, perhaps not being fully thought through by Hughes and his coaching staff.
But while I've no doubt Bridge has been given a 'licence to roam' by Hughes and his coaching staff, as part of our emphasis on freewheeling attacking play, they must be held to account for the problems this inevitably creates, and surely he should have been told to be more responsible as although Saturday was a particularly bad example, its been all too evident since he settled into the side
(and this has been the case throughout last season, also)