Passing Back To The Keeper

[King Kev]

Were City trying to break some sort of record for the most pass-backs last night?

I don't know if this is something they have been instructed to do or if too many players are taking the easy (lazy) option but it needs to stop IMO. The fact that Given looked so uncomfortable dealing with some of them and that only 11 of his 29 passes/clearances found a blue shirt shows that this tactic is dangerous and would have been punished by a better team than Bolton.

[CityFanFromRome]

I didn't like that at all, it was like most of the time a defender was put under pressure by a Bolton player (and some times, even without pressure), they chose to resort to a back pass to Given. It's probably something they have been told to do, because in a way it allows the defenders to relieve the pressure. I mean, if an opposition player chases them, they lay it off to the keepr. That oppo player will then go to press the keeper, who, if he's comfortable with the ball, will easily find a now free defender to pass the ball again, and in this way the defender is now free to pick an option without being immediately pressurised, so I can somehow see the logic in it, but I still don't like it.

[Fish111]

I've never liked keepers hoofing it out from a pass back. To me it shows a lack of skill & invention. We have the players to play it out from defence so we should do that at every opportunity. Long balls from the keeper invariably end up with losing possession so what's the point in doing it?