| Bravery on the ball in the first two thirds of the pitch 08:53 - Aug 16 with 2275 views | 1BobbyHazell |
Ooh, I love to see it. You can't play good football if you don't try and play good football. We've spent a lot of time in the last 12 months listening to Stephan and Tuchel bemoaning their players refusal to do so. In picking Chair and Vale to start centrally away to Portsmouth (Portsmouth!), JS made it quite clear. 'We are going to start passing this ball properly if it f*cking kills me'. Fair enough.
There is a whole world of difference between fear based playing AROUND at the back, which is what we have often been doing for years, and brave actual playing OUT from the back which we saw yesterday.
Obviously it all starts with Charles. I mean, f*ck me, his calmness, vision and technique is mental. Any type of attack can start with him. Short balls with perfect weight to allow the recipient to move forward even in tight ish spaces ( not you, pass straight to the Portsmouth forward in the 2nd half!). Long, driven balls landing perfectly on the foot of a winger. Lofted passes landing straight on Amadou's head to set up the 2nd goal. So hard to defend. Beautifull! There's no pass he can't do. It sets such a tone for the defenders and midfielders and really, really helps players receive the ball in more space. Allied with them then being braver, making bolder choices and trusting themselves the ball moved up the pitch. Witchcraft! After years of groaning at our ability to turn any situation in a back pass to the keeper, now it's exciting.
That 20 odd minutes period in the 2nd half when we passed them to a standstill was a joy. We were bold, confident and eventually they (Portsmouth, at home, first game of the season) kind of gave up pressing, knackered. That's some achievement. We seemed to create opportunities at will. Adamson's square balls to the centre mid, that filthy pass by Varane to Kamara after he was trapped by the left corner flag, Charles goading the presser onto him before slipping it away. Seemingly little things but along with Ronnie and Kamara being neat, positive and trusting themselves they beat the press and opened up a whole world of space for Smyth, Alfie etc.
All of that with no Madsen. Impressive, keep it up.
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| Bravery on the ball in the first two thirds of the pitch on 09:04 - Aug 16 with 2151 views | dmm |
Few, if any, can argue with that, Bobby. It's what most of us have wanted in some form or other, and now we have it. Thank you Julien. |  | | |
| Bravery on the ball in the first two thirds of the pitch on 09:12 - Aug 16 with 2064 views | soops |
Great post. And to maximise the opportunities that Charles will give with the ball at his feet, we need to accept the odd mistake/howler (and not get in his back for trying!) |  | | |
| Bravery on the ball in the first two thirds of the pitch on 09:43 - Aug 16 with 1865 views | Stainrod |
Good post by Bobby Hazzell.
As you say a joy to watch for that period in the second half.
Agree it’s the way to go at home. My question tho is whether better sides will rip through us if we set up like that. Pompey were all over us for 25 mins. Vale and Chair don’t do enough of the ugly stuff which left Edwards with a huge amount to do.
Madsen and Vale looked comfortable against Millwall and could see a similar set up (if Madders fit) against Bolton.
But you have to win your right to start stroking it around and next away game I’d be tempted to start with Madsen and Kamara (who to me looks a great balance between physical strength and ability to keep us moving). |  | | |
| Bravery on the ball in the first two thirds of the pitch on 09:48 - Aug 16 with 1833 views | Dorse |
| Bravery on the ball in the first two thirds of the pitch on 09:43 - Aug 16 by Stainrod |
Good post by Bobby Hazzell.
As you say a joy to watch for that period in the second half.
Agree it’s the way to go at home. My question tho is whether better sides will rip through us if we set up like that. Pompey were all over us for 25 mins. Vale and Chair don’t do enough of the ugly stuff which left Edwards with a huge amount to do.
Madsen and Vale looked comfortable against Millwall and could see a similar set up (if Madders fit) against Bolton.
But you have to win your right to start stroking it around and next away game I’d be tempted to start with Madsen and Kamara (who to me looks a great balance between physical strength and ability to keep us moving). |
With the obvious caveats that I have been critical of him in the past and the game had fragmented a bit, I thought Varane looked sound yesterday too. Far more intent in his passing yesterday than at times last season. |  |
| 'What do we want? We don't know! When do we want it? Now!' |
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| Bravery on the ball in the first two thirds of the pitch on 09:59 - Aug 16 with 1779 views | Stainrod |
| Bravery on the ball in the first two thirds of the pitch on 09:48 - Aug 16 by Dorse |
With the obvious caveats that I have been critical of him in the past and the game had fragmented a bit, I thought Varane looked sound yesterday too. Far more intent in his passing yesterday than at times last season. |
Yes agree with Varane. Suspect a lot of frustration with him at home is when we are looking to dominate and last season he offered nothing positive. Which contributed to the ball coming back so quickly, our defence being under pressure and our very poor possession stats. But to see games out and periods away from home when you are under the cosh there is an argument to play him ahead of Vale. Agree also in the flashes I’ve seen of him pre-season and also yesterday he/ coaches have clearly worked on getting him to look forward which improves him significantly. | | | |
| Bravery on the ball in the first two thirds of the pitch on 10:05 - Aug 16 with 1742 views | PlanetHonneywood |
Thought Kamara looked a wily old fox when he came on, and a definite upgrade on Hayden.
As has been mentioned: really good shifts from KA, AM, and I thought JCS looked ok, too. Importantly, all our subs came on, slotted straight in, and we didn't really miss a beat as a result.
As in the PSFs, we look quicker and more capable of passing through the lines. We'll have tougher opponents and harder days, but yesterday was a clear marker.
Odd game footy, we walloped Pompey 6-1 in March off of six shots, and flattered ourselves. Yesterday, with the chances we created/maybe should have created, we could have rattled in six and Pompey couldn't have moaned.
The juggernaut rolls on and the revolution is being televised! |  |
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| Bravery on the ball in the first two thirds of the pitch on 11:42 - Aug 16 with 1488 views | JezHoops |
Agree about JCS. Watching him and Ronnie exchange confident passes and moving the ball forward out of defence was a pleasure. Having JD alongside allows them the opportunity. There may be tougher games, but it was great to be there to watch it happen as it should. | | | |
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