Defensive issues

[Blue Yonder]

The defence is currently the only element defending.
What's this about a team approach to defence? I thought Noor's attempt to stop the first Maidenhead goal typifies our shortcomings.
He looked surprised that an opposition player was behind him: the cheek of the guy trying to score against the mighty Blues!
It's been said a bazillion times that Bridge can't defend, so count him out. Bonne? Was he meant to be decorative?
For the aforesaid first it was seven against three, and still they scored.
At set pieces it's all about awareness and an on-your-toes approach.
We currently ain't got that.
Now, the $64 dollar question is why?
This time last season we won 2-0 at Woking. Missing from that defence on Saturday was Demi and Kensdale; Hayes was keeper.
But also missing from Saturday's debacle and present at Woking was Cards, Coker, and Miley.
Otherwise four of the same team including Taylor, Husin, and GSM were at Kingfield.
So, maybe the midfield might defend better for starters.

PS. Borrowing a keeper still costs. Some of those Chelsea suggestions will be on a good whack. Can we afford it? Maybe, Kev's got other outfield loanees in mind?

I was surprised a 5' 8" bloke was allocated a 6' 4" bloke to mark at a set piece.

 

[Thundersley Blue]

Defending set pieces, taking Kensdale and Cardwell out of the equation has weakened us no end. No wonder we are struggling, it will get sorted. Talking about Collin, I think he more than anyone else is missing Kensdale, who was usually his favoured outlet.
One wonders whether the Kensdale situation has divided the team. We don't know the full facts neither should we. However, there may be some who thought the penalty harsh, while others would have supported the decision. Either way we have lost a very good player.

 

[onceknownasrab]

I was surprised a 5' 8" bloke was allocated a 6' 4" bloke to mark at a set piece.

Husin wasn't even ball side of the attacker. Ralph was and he appeared to marking space as the ball floated over him and then dispatched into the net.

 

[leeblue]

Defending set pieces, taking Kensdale and Cardwell out of the equation has weakened us no end. No wonder we are struggling, it will get sorted. Talking about Collin, I think he more than anyone else is missing Kensdale, who was usually his favoured outlet.
One wonders whether the Kensdale situation has divided the team. We don't know the full facts neither should we. However, there may be some who thought the penalty harsh, while others would have supported the decision. Either way we have lost a very good player.

On the kensdale situation I think it was a gut punch on so many levels....really hard for all at the club as well as Ollie himself. I know kev called it his toughest week when it all went down....

 

[SuperRonnieP]

Husin wasn't even ball side of the attacker. Ralph was and he appeared to marking space as the ball floated over him and then dispatched into the net.

Defending for both goals, and the goal line clearance from another corner, was shocking. Cardwell and Kensdale big losses defending set pieces, but it needs addressing urgently. Bigger issue imo than Collins form.

 

[kentblues]

I agree about Crowther playing on the right side. I wonder if, given what we have on our disposal, Taylor is the best bet to play in the Kensdale role.

We need what we haven’t got in the middle of the three. Ideally experience of the position, organisation, can cover for the RCB and LCB, ability on the ball and good distribution. Hence why Callum Butcher was in the frame when there was at least the hint of some transfer activity. That seems to have passed.

 

[Strykr]

Chelsea have got at least four decent goalkeepers on their books - surely they can't all be happy just sitting around on a Saturday afternoon! Jørgensen was on the bench with Sánchez starting so let's have Bettinelli or Bergström on loan please!

View attachment 34242

If we were league one perhaps.

I cant see any premiership team loaning out to a vanarama non league side.

 

[stewart]

seems reading all the threads one things very clear ,just about everyone i think except Kev and co agree with what i said in a thread a month or so ago on the Transfer thread that what we need is a genernal and leader CD In the mould of a Barrett and a hard nut take no prisoners type midfielder in the mould of a McCormack. I will add to that now if Kev and co dont believe Hillson is good enough to warrant a game when its plain for all to see that Collin is in need of a rest then we need a GK add to that some players out wide with Pace to burn, Bridge needs a restit seems from all your comments, Husin needs a rocket up his posterior as a wake up call, Now im wondering seeing as GSM has a 1 match suspension will Wind get a chance or will Kev and co play Taylor RB causing a major reshuffle in the CDs , Also believe KEV and co must give Wood a start or send him out on loan

 

[Bratislava Blue]

I'm fed with reading that the loss of Kensdale and Miley started the run of defensive issues that have been evident of late.

Both Kensdale and Miley had mistakes in them during games and goals were conceded as a result of them.

Our recent run of bad results is down to the tactics that are being deployed and the ability of those that are expected to enact them. We are carrying individuals who are not performing their role. We are also suffering from individuals being given additional chances and minutes on the pitch they don't deserve.

 

[edwardss2]

I am no tactician, but there seem to be a couple of obvious issues

1. If your defence is not very good, maybe it is not wise to constantly play it out from the back, or keep passing the ball back.
2. Not having a forward who can score is a major defensive issue, because it puts the defence under more pressure. Concede a goal, and the game is lost. When we inevitably go behind we never really look like getting back into games.

 

[tommy tucker]

yes the defence is ment to be the rear gard to protect your keeper . But can they be at fault fro .Colins poor kicking And poor distrbution .That problem lies with colin himself .Ok so he has lost his goal keeping coach .But he has a new keeper coach .When he goes over that white line its down to him to do his best .Because we dont really have a rea; number two keeper .All mistakes go unpunished .Tht is down to the managment And the owner not finding a second keeper . Yes we have a non contract keeper .But as yet he is untested as we dont have a res team for him to play in .So colin has no proper replacement as present .

 

[Whispering Bob]

Husin wasn't even ball side of the attacker. Ralph was and he appeared to marking space as the ball floated over him and then dispatched into the net.

Agreed, Ralph, who has great spring, and is usually excellent in the air, took off too early and was on his way down when the ball went over him.

 

[Leigh_Seasider]

Our defensive back line just aren’t clicking whatever Maher tries and they’ve been much shakier than usual. Crowther doesn’t look the finished article. Others rotating in and out and changing positions. Lack of confidence in playing the ball out also means more balls back to Collin who’s then under more pressure. Then the crowd being nervous which makes them nervous .. of course we’re struggling. It’ll take time and patience and we might see things get worse before they improve.

 

[LBBlue]

What I put on the other thread about the squad. Forget tactics and formations - it’s all about height.

“Cardwell, Kensdale and Crowther were our only players of significant height. ( plus Dackers at the end of last season)

We all know what has happened to the first two and unfortunately it appears that Crowther maybe out of his depth. So any team with players 6ft 2” and taller are likely to punish us at set pieces - they just need someone who will put the ball on their head and Ferguson did that twice on Saturday.”

I can’t remember Collin making another save. We can’t afford to give away free kicks and corners without another couple of 6’2” plus players who can jump and head the ball away.

Collin is only just 6ft which these days is not very tall for a keeper.

 

[onceknownasrab]

What I put on the other thread about the squad. Forget tactics and formations - it’s all about height.

“Cardwell, Kensdale and Crowther were our only players of significant height. ( plus Dackers at the end of last season)

We all know what has happened to the first two and unfortunately it appears that Crowther maybe out of his depth. So any team with players 6ft 2” and taller are likely to punish us at set pieces - they just need someone who will put the ball on their head and Ferguson did that twice on Saturday.”

I can’t remember Collin making another save. We can’t afford to give away free kicks and corners without another couple of 6’2” plus players who can jump and head the ball away.

Collin is only just 6ft which these days is not very tall for a keeper.

As much as you are right, we need some units, it's not the whole story. The opposition can be 4ft tall and win the header when unchallenged. Even our 'shorter' players can do enough, when marking, to not give a taller attacker a clear header. Sadly we are just not at the races.

 

[Blue Yonder]

Which of our coaches is the ‘defence’ coach ?

 

[Thundersley Blue]

I'm fed with reading that the loss of Kensdale and Miley started the run of defensive issues that have been evident of late.

Both Kensdale and Miley had mistakes in them during games and goals were conceded as a result of them.

Our recent run of bad results is down to the tactics that are being deployed and the ability of those that are expected to enact them. We are carrying individuals who are not performing their role. We are also suffering from individuals being given additional chances and minutes on the pitch they don't deserve.

Can I just take issue with one comment. Every player no matter how good can make mistakes. I dislike the phrase " has a mistake in him". They all have even Haaland !

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Concede a goal, and the game is lost. When we inevitably go behind we never really look like getting back into games.

We’ve fallen behind in seven games this season. In four of them we’ve equalised.

The bigger issue has been everytime
we’ve equalised before injury time we’ve gone onto concede again and lose.

It’s therefore not that we can’t score again but rather that we can’t stop conceding again. That kills confidence.

You can see it in our wins - all by two clear goals - and our draws: all last minute equalisers or games we led other than a game v 10 men.

For me the defensive problems are only partly due to the defence. We miss Miley sitting in front of the defence and we miss Cardwell’s pressing. To go from Miley to Morton, Coker to Moncur and Cardwell to Bonne is three huge defensive downgrades.

This was a team who defended from the front and attacked from the defence. This gave us mismatches as our attackers could stop defenders and their attackers couldn’t stop our defenders.

There’s also not enough pace, strength or aerial ability in there. We need more athletes so we can defend set pieces better, so we can press better and win the ball higher up the pitch. This has all been exacerbated by fielding midfields or forward lines that had no pre-season and by the time they’re up to speed the team’s confidence has/will be gone.

 

[BoyWonder2]

I think part of Collin’s problems stemmed from him not getting a move to the EFL in the summer when a few clubs really pushed for him…

 

[Holy Joe]

I think part of Collin’s problems stemmed from him not getting a move to the EFL in the summer when a few clubs really pushed for him…

No firm bids or bids rejected?