Our third goal yesterday

[dww]

Maybe I've been watchin someone else this season but that type of break from defending a corner or free kick has been common place this season,usually with Masher breaking with the ball and going on one of those long sprints of his.Yesterday was the fist time we scored from such a break though as Masher usually runs up an alley or plays a poor pass,the key difference yesterday being Alonso was the one the ball at his feet as the break developed

I think the big differences were that a/ the player on the ball (Alonso) used his head and made the opportunity count b/ the supporting runs were intelligent and made at pace. Too often in the past Mascher as you note has legged it off on his own and not known what in the world to do when in the oppositions half. An important part of a fast break is to get committed runners breaking from deep, we have rarely done that and even more rarely have they been found when they have.

[RedReet]

I think the big differences were that a/ the player on the ball (Alonso) used his head and made the opportunity count b/ the supporting runs were intelligent and made at pace. Too often in the past Mascher as you note has legged it off on his own and not known what in the world to do when in the oppositions half. An important part of a fast break is to get committed runners breaking from deep, we have rarely done that and even more rarely have they been found when they have.

In all fairness Xabi had two players in front of him when attacking. I can't recall Mascherano having the same sort of possibilities (No doubt someone will correct me).

[Skillz]

The game was already won by then.

If we hadn't of been two goals up they wouldn't have been so open at the back for the breakaway.

**** me. He's posting something positive which that goal certainly was. Why look at the negative's, seriously, why?? We won and won well, bring the rest on.

[Craig_H]

Maybe I've been watchin someone else this season but that type of break from defending a corner or free kick has been common place this season,usually with Masher breaking with the ball and going on one of those long sprints of his.Yesterday was the fist time we scored from such a break though as Masher usually runs up an alley or plays a poor pass,the key difference yesterday being Alonso was the one the ball at his feet as the break developed

Kinda the point i was making. We dont play like that often and when we do, we rarely score from it. If we did it more, we'd score more. I'm not just talking about a counter attack, i just mean the quickness, the movement, the numbers piling forward and the crisp passing.

The game was already won by then.

If we hadn't of been two goals up they wouldn't have been so open at the back for the breakaway.

It's not just the breakaway i was on about, more the pace at which we pushed forward. But having said that, even at 0-0, teams are always vulnerable to that kind of thing when they have a corner. We just dont usually play with such a tempo, nor do we leave men forward when defending a corner. It's usually hyper negative/cautious, slow and frustrating. Yesterday showed we can do it when we try to, so we should employ it more often.

[dww]

In all fairness Xabi had two players in front of him when attacking. I can't recall Mascherano having the same sort of possibilities (No doubt someone will correct me).

Thats true but he is welcome to have a go on goal or simply turn back looking to keep possession - legging it and then getting confused and giving the ball to the opposition seems like the worst alternative available but is the one he has taken more than once this season.

[1 True Red]

Was superb.

That's how you win games, fast attacking football. Lovely quick breakaway, crisp, one touch passing and bodies streaming forward. It was nice to see us playing with some tempo and pace, instead of the standard pedestrian, methodical buildup where the opposition have everyone on the edge of their box by the time we cross the halfway line.

This needs to become more regular. My only real complaint with rafa is that he rarely seems to get us playing like that. If we loosen up a bit and go for it, we can win the title.

Agree 100%

Thats the type of footy i like to see us play

[G]

I think the big differences were that a/ the player on the ball (Alonso) used his head and made the opportunity count b/ the supporting runs were intelligent and made at pace. Too often in the past Mascher as you note has legged it off on his own and not known what in the world to do when in the oppositions half. An important part of a fast break is to get committed runners breaking from deep, we have rarely done that and even more rarely have they been found when they have.

As I say Alonso on the ball,an intelligent and able passer and as you say,someone to pass to were key,take a bow Benny,his best game for us for some time yesterday.From memory there are a few times good supporting runs for masher were made as I clearly remember holding my head in my hands at the end of such breaks previously this season.Masher has his attributes but un-panicked passing or incisive forward running are not part of it.

[Tatterdemalion]

Can anyone explain to a dunce like me why, when presented with two choices, Xabi chose to play wide to Benni rather than through to Keane?

Was it because Benni could play the ball across the face of goal, increasing the chances for an own goal (at the very least - as someone above pointed out), or was it because he was unlikely to get the ball through to Keane? Or was it because he doesn't like Keane? (joke)

[Skillz]

Agree 100%

Thats the type of footy i like to see us play

If every midfield we play gave Gerrard and Xabi as much time as that you would get to see it more often.

[G]

Can anyone explain to a dunce like me why, when presented with two choices, Xabi chose to play wide to Benni rather than through to Keane?

Was it because Benni could play the ball across the face of goal, increasing the chances for an own goal (at the very least - as someone above pointed out), or was it because he was unlikely to get the ball through to Keane? Or was it because he doesn't like Keane? (joke)

Because Keane's running took the left back with him and left Benny unmarked meaning Benny had more time and space to pick out a good ball into the box.Keane's run was also across Alonso so it would have to be a pretty special ball to get it through with a defender following Keane close behind and 2 more in front of him

IMO

[Jaymo]

poetry in motion..

[wiw]

The game was already won by then.

If we hadn't of been two goals up they wouldn't have been so open at the back for the breakaway.

Exactly. When you're up against 11 men defending you need to switch it up a bit, like we have been doing, because it'll just keep coming back if everything is done at a million miles an hour

[Mono]

Rafa's ideal goal

[Parm]

Because Keane's running took the left back with him and left Benny unmarked meaning Benny had more time and space to pick out a good ball into the box.Keane's run was also across Alonso so it would have to be a pretty special ball to get it through with a defender following Keane close behind and 2 more in front of him

IMO

its what I would have posted but you got there first

[Joe King]

I will try and explain the reasoning to Mascherano breaking. He is small therefore no good in the the penalty area as seen against PSV hence is used as the man on the apex of the box to block any late runs attempted by the opposition. Now when Pepe disposes of the ball, Mascherano is reasonably quick enough to travel with the ball however for us to benefit from such breaks, we would possibly need Torres, Gerrard and Keane to stay active soon as the break in play occurs. I'm guessing the attackers are all in the second line in zonal marking (first line being the tallest line with the defenders) so we should be better in countering the opposition from set pieces.