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Fresh 9:54 Sun Dec 11
Possession and passing accuracy ...

Sorry to say but it's a massive problem when passing out from back. We couldn't string more than 3 passes together without giving it away. Need to improve.

zico 10:51 Mon Dec 12
Re: Possession and passing accuracy ...

Neither Oggy or Reid are Glen Hoddle but at the same time they should do far better in their distribution than they are. Having said that a lot of it is down the movement in front of you. With Antonio in the first half even Reid played a nice ball over the top for Antonio to chase. That nice ball however to Carroll would have been an absolute waste of a ball.

Been watching some of last seasons stuff online and whilst most of us seemed to have a fairly negative view of Moses his pace and mentality of getting forward meant that he was a decent out ball a lot of the time, and because Cresswell was bombing up the left wing Payet, Lanzini and Noble ended up quite centrally so therefore Moses had support to just play a simple pass to feet further up the pitch.

I also noticed that if players did run with it on the counter and got tackled we still seemed to win the second ball a lot. Think this season that has been a big difference because we aren't winning it back high enough.

A Michael Carrick at his prime is what we need. Someone of quality just sitting in front of the back four spraying short or long passes about with accuracy.

Chip Shop Charlie 10:37 Mon Dec 12
Re: Possession and passing accuracy ...

About 30 mins in to the second half yesterday we put together a string of 5 passes going forward in to liverpool's half, the 5th pass went back to Nordtveit who then played the ball back to Randolf......who's long kick up field went to a red shirt and we were straight back under pressure. It makes me crazy FFS

terry-h 10:24 Mon Dec 12
Re: Possession and passing accuracy ...

Keeping possession in the second half was the big problem which led to Liverpool's constant pressure but our resolution in defence was wholly admirable. Let's hope this is a foretaste in our battle ahead. We need any crumb of comfort at the moment.

Russ of the BML 9:57 Mon Dec 12
Re: Possession and passing accuracy ...

Hot potato!!

Roeder-nowhere 8:51 Mon Dec 12
Re: Possession and passing accuracy ...

Thats why I liked the combination of Byram and Creswell either side of defense as they can both get forward and are comfortable on the ball. The hoofers at CB (all of them, Reid/Collins/Oggy) can then play it to them rather than hoof!
Another reason Nobles position is problematic. When the CB's play through the middle and he drops back to collect invariably he'll either pass straight back, try & turn (can't beat) his man and lose it or jist go sideways. So all pace/momentum is immediately lost.
I'd like to see Fernandes in that role therefore bridging gap between defense & attack. He's not a defensive midfielder but he has the pace and passing ability to get things moving leaving Payet/Lanzini to stay further forward where they are most effective

we did the great esc 12:40 Mon Dec 12
Re: Possession and passing accuracy ...

Our passing has been diabolical, hopefully with a couple of decent results players confidence will improve.

Sir Alf 12:39 Mon Dec 12
Re: Possession and passing accuracy ...

We simply are not accurate enough with our passing at speed and our centre backs and defenders are being coached to belt it out and back to the opposition even when they have a bit more time and could play their way out. But you need constant movement by every player and strength when on the ball. Only Antonio shows any true strength on the ball.

At the back you wonder if the likes of Reid and Ogbonna have the technical ability. I watched a bit of the Southampton game and Fonte and Dick Van Dyke were looking to play short and our of trouble far more. Then again Southampton's midfield and defence all looked to play short. We still look like a team that was drilled by Allardyce when it comes to bringing it out of defence and we second half we tended to go long every time as our midfield gets overrun and out paced so we drop deep to create a wall of players.

Will be a complete adjustment to be in possession more in the next 2 games but with Carroll up top. We will go direct in those games too. Hopefully we can a few players around Carroll if that is the case.

Jam rock Ammer 12:37 Mon Dec 12
Re: Possession and passing accuracy ...

However saying that it does require players that have sufficient quality..

Jam rock Ammer 12:36 Mon Dec 12
Re: Possession and passing accuracy ...

Something Slav is hopefully addressing cause it's been shocking this season.

Alex V 12:25 Mon Dec 12
Re: Possession and passing accuracy ...

It's a huge issue I agree. Even looking at the stats after a welcome point at Anfield is depressing reading.

The club has to strive to break that pattern of basically a siege mentality against the better teams where we just hope to nick something from the very few bits of solid possession we get. Because the trouble then is that if and when we play against the teams we're better than and have the ball, we just aren't fluent enough to do anything with it. That's my fear with the upcoming games where we might have more of the ball by default - it's like having to relearn an approach from scratch each time. Consistency is very hard to find playing the way we do imo.

Scraper 10:53 Sun Dec 11
Re: Possession and passing accuracy ...

How?