Hoof Ball

[sufc_dave]

Why oh why are we regularly hoofing the ball up to our front two, instead of playing it along the ground? 9 out of 10 teams in this league hoof the ball but I honestly thought Sturrock would tell the players to keep it on the ground.

For points during the game we looked decent playing it around on the ground. I think Dickinson and certainly Harris play a lot better when the ball comes to their feet and I honestly think we need to get back into the routine of playing it along the floor.

The results and goals from Harris (who I think needs that goal to get started - after that he will be banging them in right,left and centre) will come when we stop hoofing the ball!!

 

[sufclee]

I think Dickinson and certainly Harris play a lot better when the ball comes to their feet

Nail on head, not difficult to see for us mere supporters, you need to ask why our experienced leader cannot or refuses to see this also.

 

[Billy Bests boot laces]

I cannot see the point of signing Harris, if we are going to play this way throughout the season. The guy must be frustrated beyond belief at the tactics deployed so far?

 

[Cricko]

I cannot see the point of signing Harris, if we are going to play this way

throughout the season. The guy must be frustrated beyond belief at the tactics deployed so far?

Please God NO!

 

[SWF BLUE]

Ball on the ground, Dickinson on the bench, sorted.

 

[sufc_dave]

Surely instead of telling the players to look in the mirror he should be telling them to keep it on the floor...And literally drill it into them so they do it every Saturday!!

 

[Ayrshire Blue]

I wasn't there today but from what I've already seen this season Dickinson looks so uncomfortable in the air. He needs the ball to feet. It's a terrible cliche but he does have good feet for a big man.

 

[sufc_dave]

I wasn't there today but from what I've already seen this season Dickinson looks so uncomfortable in the air. He needs the ball to feet. It's a terrible cliche but he does have good feet for a big man.

I think his feet left the ground once for a header! However, when he does have it controlled at his feet he is half decent. Just wish he went up for a header where his feet actually left the ground..

 

[sufclee]

Amazes me, we play with two strikers who like the ball to feet therefore it shouldn't be rocket science as to our approach.
If the manager is so stuck in his ways as to the style of play then surely we should be questioning as to why he has signed the two strikers that are playing in the team as they clearly don't fit into 'his style'.

 

[Onion_Bag_Dave]

It sums it up nicely that when a long ball is played to him he often tries to bring it down.
Sooner we stop hoofing the sooner we win games easily, simple!

 

[southendkid]

As much as some people don't like him Blair plays short passes along the ground, the sooner he returns the better

 

[The Big Shrimp]

According to PS we don't play hoofball!! I should have gone to Specsavers as I could swear we do play this crap every week!
:angry:

 

[Beefy]

I couldn't be there yesterday but has out style really changed hugely in two weeks? Or is it the result that was different?

Paul Sturrock is a long-ball manager. Always has been. He's not going to change.

 

[Hazey]

I must say the current way of playing makes me miss Tilson in ways, I remember our football in our opening championship game against Stoke was outstanding, obviously we know what happened that season but still. We clearly have players that are just made for a passing game, Harris, Hall, Sawyer, Johnson would benefit so much from playing it on the deck.

 

[Angell Delight]

I must say the current way of playing makes me miss Tilson in ways, I remember our football in our opening championship game against Stoke was outstanding, obviously we know what happened that season but still. We clearly have players that are just made for a passing game, Harris, Hall, Sawyer, Johnson would benefit so much from playing it on the deck.

Thought I'd be less angry this morning but nope still furious!

I miss good football terribly, one great attribute Tilson had was that whether we were doing well near the top or not so well down the bottom he always got his sides playing FOOTBALL no matter what. And he's done the same with Lincoln, their fans freely admit that he got them playing football within a few weeks and they'd been a long-ball side for years (cue the smart alec's that now highlight Lincoln's relegation!). But it's not necessarily Tilly that I miss, it's just having a manager whose principles are to play football the right way. The way that not only gets the best out of players and sees them playing with a smile on their face (and ours are clearly uncomfortable with this dreadful style) but that also entertains the fans and we are soooooo boring to watch. Seriously 23 years as a die-hard seaso and I'm finding it a chore at the moment and it's solely down to the style of play.

I feel for the players, I really do. Particularly Harris and Dickinson, they both clearly would be great at this level if we played to their strengths and both of them want the ball to feet. It really does beggar belief that Sturrock can put together such a talented squad for this level and then reduce them to looking like donkeys by not playing a style that gets the best out of them. I'll give Sturrock credit for his past record and clearly he has made his style of play work at certain clubs but it won't be tolerated here, we are not a long-ball club and the fans won't accept it - particularly after Tilson. The whole demeanour of the players suggests to me that PS is close to losing or has already lost the dressing room. If that's the case we can expect poor performances and results to continue until Sturrock is gone. Personally IF the style of play doesn't change I can live with that, because I don't know how much more I can take of watching this hoofball. I tell you something else, this group of players would excel under a manager who played the game in the right manner.

Perhaps a few renditions of "on the floor, on the floor, on the flo-or" (to the tune of Liverpool and Arsenal's regular chant) would be appropriate next Saturday......Sturrock has to know we're not happy with this.

 

[Hazey]

Thing is, if we were a side like Stoke a few years ago that can really effectively mix in the hoof tactics with some on the deck play it wouldn't be so bad, but the fact that the team pure and simply is not suited to this style is whats most frustrating. It's like signing Messi and sticking him in goal, whatever tactics Sturrock likes to play, he needs to adapt to the players that he has bought in.

 

[dashman]

Our back line had less time on the ball, Eric seemed unwilling to pass inside to the centre back but go long to the corner flag. Clohessy was good coming forward in the second half. High, long ball didn't work at all as the ball nearly always came backwards. I feel we need to attack as a team rather than leave it to just 3/4 players to do it, even near the end of the match when we were pressing for an equaliser; no one looked confident enough to score..........................................

 

[IloveShrimp]

Thought I'd be less angry this morning but nope still furious!

I miss good football terribly, one great attribute Tilson had was that whether we were doing well near the top or not so well down the bottom he always got his sides playing FOOTBALL no matter what. And he's done the same with Lincoln, their fans freely admit that he got them playing football within a few weeks and they'd been a long-ball side for years (cue the smart alec's that now highlight Lincoln's relegation!). But it's not necessarily Tilly that I miss, it's just having a manager whose principles are to play football the right way. The way that not only gets the best out of players and sees them playing with a smile on their face (and ours are clearly uncomfortable with this dreadful style) but that also entertains the fans and we are soooooo boring to watch. Seriously 23 years as a die-hard seaso and I'm finding it a chore at the moment and it's solely down to the style of play.

I feel for the players, I really do. Particularly Harris and Dickinson, they both clearly would be great at this level if we played to their strengths and both of them want the ball to feet. It really does beggar belief that Sturrock can put together such a talented squad for this level and then reduce them to looking like donkeys by not playing a style that gets the best out of them. I'll give Sturrock credit for his past record and clearly he has made his style of play work at certain clubs but it won't be tolerated here, we are not a long-ball club and the fans won't accept it - particularly after Tilson. The whole demeanour of the players suggests to me that PS is close to losing or has already lost the dressing room. If that's the case we can expect poor performances and results to continue until Sturrock is gone. Personally IF the style of play doesn't change I can live with that, because I don't know how much more I can take of watching this hoofball. I tell you something else, this group of players would excel under a manager who played the game in the right manner.

Perhaps a few renditions of "on the floor, on the floor, on the flo-or" (to the tune of Liverpool and Arsenal's regular chant) would be appropriate next Saturday......Sturrock has to know we're not happy with this.

I agree with every word!

 

[ooh-andy-ansah]

If Sturrock is such a long ball manager then the recent signings are even more bizarre. We could have got a few donkeys and bruisers in for less money so I just don't get it.

Looking back to last season it was claimed that Widdrington left for "footballing reasons", was the real reason that he actually wanted to play some football :unsure: I have no idea if Widdrington's views differed to Sturrock's in that respect so anyone with a more informed view may want to comment.

 

[Beefy]

I'll give Sturrock credit for his past record and clearly he has made his style of play work at certain clubs but it won't be tolerated here, we are not a long-ball club and the fans won't accept it - particularly after Tilson.

If we win football matches it'll be tolerated.