problems when being pressed

[CJ]

i think we all see that when our current squad is pressed it really struggles.

How do we sort it out? what causes this problem? and do we think names we are linked with will sort it out?

[RichC]

i think we all see that when our current squad is pressed it really struggles.

How do we sort it out? what causes this problem? and do we think names we are linked with will sort it out?

yup it's an issue - I think it's about getting our players back to being comfortable with the ball at their feet and being able to play the quick pass and moving type of football - hopefully we're starting to see this happen but too often we revert to type still.

[wiw]

Tempo, movement, guile and skill.

We need to spend a bit of dosh basically

[RedReet]

To be fair, Chelsea pressed us high up the pitch and had a narrow midfield and we coped fine (bar the odd dodgy moment). Under Kenny I don’t think it’s that much an issue if we have most of our first team players. We don’t do half as well without Agger though.

[Lecter]

i think we all see that when our current squad is pressed it really struggles.

How do we sort it out? what causes this problem? and do we think names we are linked with will sort it out?

When you are pressed in this manner you need "get out balls"

Which is either a defender who is comfortable on the ball and capable of drawing the opposition out to create a little bit of space which starts the chain reaction off

OR

Someone upfront who is capable of winning any ball pumped forward by defenders under pressure

[JohnOK]

When you are pressed in this manner you need "get out balls"

Which is either a defender who is comfortable on the ball and capable of drawing the opposition out to create a little bit of space which starts the chain reaction off

OR

Someone upfront who is capable of winning any ball pumped forward by defenders under pressure

If a definition of a Get Out Ball is a big hoof up the pitch then Carra plays a lot of Get Out Balls.

I hope with Carroll about to be a regular starter we don't just knock it long too often.

[el matador]

pressing teams high up the pitch means marking midfield men tightly and pressurising defenders when they have the ball.

the way you get around being pressed is either by playing passes into the front players and supporting them or trusting your midfield players to take the ball from defenders even when theyre marked closely.

quick first time passing also gets around being pressed but with out current set up only gerrard is capable of laying the ball off first time properly. no one else has the ability to do that.

when pressed our only option is the play called 'carras hoof'.

[Lecter]

If a definition of a Get Out Ball is a big hoof up the pitch then Carra plays a lot of Get Out Balls.

I hope with Carroll about to be a regular starter we don't just knock it long too often.

I'm not bothered about going long as long as its not ****ted 70 yards into the air as well

Paisley had it right "Its not about the long ball or the short ball, its about the right ball"

Carroll is perfectly capable of winning high balls as well as running the channels or even holding balls played into his feet

[anfieldanfield]

More defenders like Dan Agger.

[yamiedo]

Yeah I agree about Agger, he is what is called a ball playing defender, more creativity than the like's of Carra or Skrtel. With Kenny's style we need more like Agger because he is comfortable going forward and make's much better use of the ball than the other's, who, with all due respect, are more limited that way. Not to take anything away from Carra though, defensively he is a rock.

[Rudo]

More defenders like Dan Agger.

What, injured for a 1/3 of our matches?

[yamiedo]

What, injured for a 1/3 of our matches?

That is the problem with Agger, I'd really like to see us sign a similar player to Agger and get rid of Skrtel because I don't think we need him. We have good young player's coming in (Kelly, Wilson) Already have Soto and Carra who are similar to Skrtel. We need another Agger type, somebody less injury prone.

[Exiled_red]

As people have said it's about having movement, finding space and playing the right ball. It's tight games like these where I think we need a winger who will stay out wide. Our lack of width makes it easy for teams who come with the aim of keeping it tight, they can play a solid narrow formation and stop us playing through the middle, knowing that we very rarely do anything from wide positions to stretch them. Now we have Carroll in the box, a winger who can get behind the full back and deliver good balls into the box will give our game another dimension.

[Fernandinho]

I seriously think even one average winger who just stays out wide and just whips it in all day will make us so much better not only by offering a new dimension via crossing, but by creating more space through the middle as the attention is moved elsewhere. Could make all our CM's play a lot better due to the better space.

[dww]

I think it would help if our players made better use of the full size of the pitch. This doesn't necessarily mean wingers but you need players who can comfortable control the ball in wide areas and look to start play from there. Xavi is a prime example of a central player who knows how to do this, Nasri is also very good at it (he plays wide but is not a traditional winger by style).

Other than that I agree with Lec about defenders bringing out the ball and/or a consistent longer out ball.