Pubey
Guest
DEFENCE
The good (or bad) thing about football and being a football fan is that statistics tend not to lie. Often you hear people saying that the stats "don't tell the full story", or "we are better than our position in the league shows", but this is often only justified in the very short term. For Southend this season there are some alarming stats which go some way to explain why we just haven't been good enough this year. Especially the fact that this season we conceded 3 or more goals at home eight times! This analysis will look at what I believe to be our fundamental failing this season, our DEFENCE, or more accurately how our team has conceded too many goals.
“There’s no I in TEAM”
The first thing to mention is that football is a team game; there are 11 players on the pitch. At this level, all 11 have a crucial role in how we defend and attack. Keepers are getting assists, starting counter-attacks and even scoring goals, where as we have also seen strikers often making goal-line clearances or ending up pulling on some gloves and keeping clean sheets as temporary keepers. Therefore when looking at the problem of conceding goals, it would be inaccurate and unfair to single out the defenders and ‘keepers. This isn’t to say that there haven’t been individual errors or tactical mistakes from our ‘defence’, but many goals could well have been prevented from further up the pitch.
“The best form of defence...”
As a team our attacking play is what has excited me over the last few seasons. Not just the Freddy Eastwood factor, but seeing stunners from midfield, wingers flying down the wing and Juppy rampaging forward at the Mill Stad. When we decide to inject some urgency into our game and push forward, we can be a dangerous proposition. I have never seen us play well sitting back and soaking up the play. Therefore what has frustrated me is that often when under pressure, we have never really used our outlets, and when on the counter-attack, we have rarely capitalised. You can’t concede when the ball is in the opponents half (although Luton and Xavi Alonso proved this wrong!) and so our problems in bringing the ball into the opponents half at pace has meant that we have been on the back foot for large periods in our games. Here the old adage that ‘possession means goals’ is often true.
I believe that getting, and using pace in a team is the best way of switching the balance of play. When we are defending we need to play the ball out to our pacey (who are few and far between) players, who can bring the ball out whilst still defending it; not giving it away.
“Set-pieces”
The nerves in the stands at Roots Hall when our opponents get an attacking set-piece are obvious, and justified. We have really struggled all season at properly defending set-pieces. Many will look at the obvious lack of height that we have as a team, and this does have a role to play. However I think there have been fundamental problems with our defensive play against set-pieces, and simple solutions which don’t require 6’5” defenders:
Firstly tracking runners is something you get drilled into you when you play football. A number of goals have come from players running in from deep and getting the start on us. Naming no names, concentration and effort has been lacking at times and this is something that can be sorted out. The standard of set-pieces is one of the key differences between League 1/ 2 and the Championship. They are rarely wasted and often well worked. We need to be switched on and committed to going with the runner all the way, and then sticking with them until the ball is safe.
Secondly, when defending corners especially, we have all 11 back in and around the box. When Tilly was questioned about this, it is “what the players wanted”. However Tilly is in charge of the team, and I don’t see other teams employing this tactic when at the top or bottom of the table. Player power is a dangerous proposition, and whilst I can understand Tilly saying that 90% of tactics are forgotten on the pitch, he can influence whether a player stays up or comes back from the sidelines. Having everyone back might mean we have a greater chance of clearing the ball first time… but where is it going to go to?? More often than not it comes straight back to us as we can’t clear our lines due to no target upfield! Also it sees a congested box with bodies and legs everywhere, which is a defenders and ‘keepers nightmare. Giving our defenders and ‘keeper space to see the ball out is important. If we leave a player up the pitch, then the opposition will have to leave 1, more likely 2 players with him, and so relieve the pressure on the box.
“Second Balls”
Our midfield has been rightly praised, and much improved in my opinion from 05/06. We have seen a good return of goals from our midfielders and have some prospects on the bench. However there have been very few occasions where we have really dominated from the midfield for a large portion of the match. Winning first and second balls are how you control a game. Getting your foot over the ball and passing it around means that you are suddenly in control and making them do the work. Too often there has been a lack of challenge for 2nd balls in the middle of the park, which very quickly sees us on the back foot. Height and muscle are a problem here, but also touch and skill are required to get the ball under control. Work needs to be done over the summer to make sure we improve our control and mentality to turn 50/50 balls into possession and attacks. Positional play is also important, strikers and defenders need to play an active role in become a quick option for midfielders to play a ball to so we don’t become out of position and under pressure.
“Pressing”
Pressing down the defence requires little more than fitness and tactical substitutions. Put a player under pressure and he is more likely to make a mistake (Roycey!). Pressing and getting tight to their attackers is also crucial so that they can’t get the ball under control. Tilly prides himself at maintaining a fit squad, but towards the end of the season we looked dead on our feet. Col Ewe ran rings around us and many signings have come straight into the 1st XI whilst nowhere near match fit. Tilly needs to also look at using substitutions across the park to make tackles and force mistakes, in general to be a nuisance.
“Substance over style”
Last ditch tackles, blocks and line-clearances look spectacular, but often could have been prevented. Praising Barrett or Clarke for preventing a goal is fair enough, but often it’s down to mistakes that have lead up to them being required to throw themselves across the pitch to block a shot. Mistakes are mistakes, but working hard to get rid of them will hopefully see us defending in a boring, but effective manner.
“On the ball”
Finally, Hammell and Francis came to us with a reputation as ‘cultured’ defenders who were ‘comfortable on the ball’. This has been proven on occasions but also they, and all our defenders at some stage, have looked like rabbits in headlights when with the ball at their feet. Confidence comes into play here, but also basic skill and passing is massively important. Look up and use the options around you, once you pass, become an option for the return. There are simple tactics that our defenders can work on so that they become effective distributors of the ball without requiring a Scholes/Gerrard 60yard cross-field pass.
“So… where do we go from here?”
I think many of our problems in defence have come from a lack of confidence, especially after conceding early when we have started brightly. I trust that Tilly and Brush will keep much the same, and allow our back four to continue to gel. We don’t need wholesale changes as we had these at the beginning of the season, although we will need some squad players, who hopefully will bring a calm head on a 6’5” frame!! If we get back to winning ways I’m sure we will forge a solid defence like we had in 05/06 and that will give us the platform to mount an effort on returning back to the CCC.
Up the blues!!
The good (or bad) thing about football and being a football fan is that statistics tend not to lie. Often you hear people saying that the stats "don't tell the full story", or "we are better than our position in the league shows", but this is often only justified in the very short term. For Southend this season there are some alarming stats which go some way to explain why we just haven't been good enough this year. Especially the fact that this season we conceded 3 or more goals at home eight times! This analysis will look at what I believe to be our fundamental failing this season, our DEFENCE, or more accurately how our team has conceded too many goals.
“There’s no I in TEAM”
The first thing to mention is that football is a team game; there are 11 players on the pitch. At this level, all 11 have a crucial role in how we defend and attack. Keepers are getting assists, starting counter-attacks and even scoring goals, where as we have also seen strikers often making goal-line clearances or ending up pulling on some gloves and keeping clean sheets as temporary keepers. Therefore when looking at the problem of conceding goals, it would be inaccurate and unfair to single out the defenders and ‘keepers. This isn’t to say that there haven’t been individual errors or tactical mistakes from our ‘defence’, but many goals could well have been prevented from further up the pitch.
“The best form of defence...”
As a team our attacking play is what has excited me over the last few seasons. Not just the Freddy Eastwood factor, but seeing stunners from midfield, wingers flying down the wing and Juppy rampaging forward at the Mill Stad. When we decide to inject some urgency into our game and push forward, we can be a dangerous proposition. I have never seen us play well sitting back and soaking up the play. Therefore what has frustrated me is that often when under pressure, we have never really used our outlets, and when on the counter-attack, we have rarely capitalised. You can’t concede when the ball is in the opponents half (although Luton and Xavi Alonso proved this wrong!) and so our problems in bringing the ball into the opponents half at pace has meant that we have been on the back foot for large periods in our games. Here the old adage that ‘possession means goals’ is often true.
I believe that getting, and using pace in a team is the best way of switching the balance of play. When we are defending we need to play the ball out to our pacey (who are few and far between) players, who can bring the ball out whilst still defending it; not giving it away.
“Set-pieces”
The nerves in the stands at Roots Hall when our opponents get an attacking set-piece are obvious, and justified. We have really struggled all season at properly defending set-pieces. Many will look at the obvious lack of height that we have as a team, and this does have a role to play. However I think there have been fundamental problems with our defensive play against set-pieces, and simple solutions which don’t require 6’5” defenders:
Firstly tracking runners is something you get drilled into you when you play football. A number of goals have come from players running in from deep and getting the start on us. Naming no names, concentration and effort has been lacking at times and this is something that can be sorted out. The standard of set-pieces is one of the key differences between League 1/ 2 and the Championship. They are rarely wasted and often well worked. We need to be switched on and committed to going with the runner all the way, and then sticking with them until the ball is safe.
Secondly, when defending corners especially, we have all 11 back in and around the box. When Tilly was questioned about this, it is “what the players wanted”. However Tilly is in charge of the team, and I don’t see other teams employing this tactic when at the top or bottom of the table. Player power is a dangerous proposition, and whilst I can understand Tilly saying that 90% of tactics are forgotten on the pitch, he can influence whether a player stays up or comes back from the sidelines. Having everyone back might mean we have a greater chance of clearing the ball first time… but where is it going to go to?? More often than not it comes straight back to us as we can’t clear our lines due to no target upfield! Also it sees a congested box with bodies and legs everywhere, which is a defenders and ‘keepers nightmare. Giving our defenders and ‘keeper space to see the ball out is important. If we leave a player up the pitch, then the opposition will have to leave 1, more likely 2 players with him, and so relieve the pressure on the box.
“Second Balls”
Our midfield has been rightly praised, and much improved in my opinion from 05/06. We have seen a good return of goals from our midfielders and have some prospects on the bench. However there have been very few occasions where we have really dominated from the midfield for a large portion of the match. Winning first and second balls are how you control a game. Getting your foot over the ball and passing it around means that you are suddenly in control and making them do the work. Too often there has been a lack of challenge for 2nd balls in the middle of the park, which very quickly sees us on the back foot. Height and muscle are a problem here, but also touch and skill are required to get the ball under control. Work needs to be done over the summer to make sure we improve our control and mentality to turn 50/50 balls into possession and attacks. Positional play is also important, strikers and defenders need to play an active role in become a quick option for midfielders to play a ball to so we don’t become out of position and under pressure.
“Pressing”
Pressing down the defence requires little more than fitness and tactical substitutions. Put a player under pressure and he is more likely to make a mistake (Roycey!). Pressing and getting tight to their attackers is also crucial so that they can’t get the ball under control. Tilly prides himself at maintaining a fit squad, but towards the end of the season we looked dead on our feet. Col Ewe ran rings around us and many signings have come straight into the 1st XI whilst nowhere near match fit. Tilly needs to also look at using substitutions across the park to make tackles and force mistakes, in general to be a nuisance.
“Substance over style”
Last ditch tackles, blocks and line-clearances look spectacular, but often could have been prevented. Praising Barrett or Clarke for preventing a goal is fair enough, but often it’s down to mistakes that have lead up to them being required to throw themselves across the pitch to block a shot. Mistakes are mistakes, but working hard to get rid of them will hopefully see us defending in a boring, but effective manner.
“On the ball”
Finally, Hammell and Francis came to us with a reputation as ‘cultured’ defenders who were ‘comfortable on the ball’. This has been proven on occasions but also they, and all our defenders at some stage, have looked like rabbits in headlights when with the ball at their feet. Confidence comes into play here, but also basic skill and passing is massively important. Look up and use the options around you, once you pass, become an option for the return. There are simple tactics that our defenders can work on so that they become effective distributors of the ball without requiring a Scholes/Gerrard 60yard cross-field pass.
“So… where do we go from here?”
I think many of our problems in defence have come from a lack of confidence, especially after conceding early when we have started brightly. I trust that Tilly and Brush will keep much the same, and allow our back four to continue to gel. We don’t need wholesale changes as we had these at the beginning of the season, although we will need some squad players, who hopefully will bring a calm head on a 6’5” frame!! If we get back to winning ways I’m sure we will forge a solid defence like we had in 05/06 and that will give us the platform to mount an effort on returning back to the CCC.
Up the blues!!
