Our achilles heel needs sorting once and for all

I was pleased with the level of hardwork and commitment today and clapped the team off at the end.

Apart from the fact the game was even, felt even more disapppointed for the defeat cos right before the goal went in, I was thinking
"We're too deep ! we're too deep !"

NOOOOOOO !!!!  

Don't want to say it but now the runs over I'm going to - I saw the warning signs in the Southport game.
Was seriously soul searching and deliberating whether to post a thread callled "Can I talk improvements ?" after that game.
I even wrote it but didn't post it (see below)

Why not ?
Rightly or wrongly didn't want to say anything to upset the applecart while the run was going or get slagged off by the postivity police !  

Anyway here it is....
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Great battling performance, well done to all.

Can we talk possible improvements ?

Two things really.
Main one this old habit of dropping so deep into our own box.
I know it's natural reaction to get bodies behind the ball but I still think we play with fire at times.
Can understand 1st half more cos Southport with wind were throwing deep into box but can't we try to push out a bit more ?
Sometimes it's 3 or 4 players near the 6 yard box.
Players just seem a bit too over-keen to scramble back, wish they'd be as keen to push out.

Sorry, always had concerns with attackers defending - always have, always will.
Not knocking Elding one bit for the OG (think I've seen Duffy make a mistake in defence this season) + several others like Bore before.
Maybe sometimes they're more trouble than they're worth back there and we might be better off using them as an outlet to counter-attack more ?
Attack a better form of defence than sitting on your own goalline.  

tbh thought our ball control was a little sloppy at times, players got to believe it will stick.

When everyone is closed down, also like to see a player pick up the ball and run to open up space.

We look fairly solid at the back, midfield need to help defence and win the ball a bit more ?
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Not saying "I told you so"(sod off in advance if you're gonna imply it, think I'm not gutted seeing us lose ?), the point is this has been like a bad habit for GTFC for far too long.

Even under Woods !
No real idea why - is a Grimsby thing ? Have we been too used to hanging on to leads or defending ?

I noticed Shaun Pearson talk on RH about lack of marking etc and fair enough.
But surely the point is, if you're pushed up to the edge of the box it's bloody difficult to score from a header !?

I understand it isn't easy at all - York pass it well around the edge of the box but IMO S&H have got to drill it into the players individually and collectively to bust a gut to push out of their defensive area/6 yard box as quickly as possible like their lives depended on it !

At the end of the day fans will moan and get frustrated at players all they want at 0-1 but the damage is already done.

One other tactical issue we're faced with is one that we've had earlier this season aginst the top teams.
It's the gap between the midfield and defence.

When York got behind the midfield and were breaking with pace, you could see the defence weren't sure whether to back off or push up.
Disley especially did well with his tackling (got his foot in loads) but it was a constant job to track back and get goalside against pacy players like Chambers.

What's the answer ?
Not much you can do about opposition pace and our midfield isn't the fastest.
You can play a man in front of the back four but no-one really wants to be that defensive (especially at home).

I'd be interested to know if people agree and if so, what they'd do.
Not sure there are any easy answers.
I suppose my philosphy is the more you've got the ball, the less you have to defend.
Simply put, get better at keeping the ball and use it more effectively.

What a complete load of bollox

Quoted from pseudonym

What a complete load of bollox

This

Quoted from 1600

I was pleased with the level of hardwork and commitment today and clapped the team off at the end.

Apart from the fact the game was even, felt even more disapppointed for the defeat cos right before the goal went in, I was thinking
"We're too deep ! we're too deep !"

NOOOOOOO !!!!  

Don't want to say it but now the runs over I'm going to - I saw the warning signs in the Southport game.
Was seriously soul searching and deliberating whether to post a thread callled "Can I talk improvements ?" after that game.
I even wrote it but didn't post it (see below)

Why not ?
Rightly or wrongly didn't want to say anything to upset the applecart while the run was going or get slagged off by the postivity police !  

Anyway here it is....
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Great battling performance, well done to all.

Can we talk possible improvements ?

Two things really.
Main one this old habit of dropping so deep into our own box.
I know it's natural reaction to get bodies behind the ball but I still think we play with fire at times.
Can understand 1st half more cos Southport with wind were throwing deep into box but can't we try to push out a bit more ?
Sometimes it's 3 or 4 players near the 6 yard box.
Players just seem a bit too over-keen to scramble back, wish they'd be as keen to push out.

Sorry, always had concerns with attackers defending - always have, always will.
Not knocking Elding one bit for the OG (think I've seen Duffy make a mistake in defence this season) + several others like Bore before.
Maybe sometimes they're more trouble than they're worth back there and we might be better off using them as an outlet to counter-attack more ?
Attack a better form of defence than sitting on your own goalline.  

tbh thought our ball control was a little sloppy at times, players got to believe it will stick.

When everyone is closed down, also like to see a player pick up the ball and run to open up space.

We look fairly solid at the back, midfield need to help defence and win the ball a bit more ?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not saying "I told you so"(sod off in advance if you're gonna imply it, think I'm not gutted seeing us lose ?), the point is this has been like a bad habit for GTFC for far too long.

Even under Woods !
No real idea why - is a Grimsby thing ? Have we been too used to hanging on to leads or defending ?

I noticed Shaun Pearson talk on RH about lack of marking etc and fair enough.
But surely the point is, if you're pushed up to the edge of the box it's bloody difficult to score from a header !?

I understand it isn't easy at all - York pass it well around the edge of the box but IMO S&H have got to drill it into the players individually and collectively to bust a gut to push out of their defensive area/6 yard box as quickly as possible like their lives depended on it !

At the end of the day fans will moan and get frustrated at players all they want at 0-1 but the damage is already done.

One other tactical issue we're faced with is one that we've had earlier this season aginst the top teams.
It's the gap between the midfield and defence.

When York got behind the midfield and were breaking with pace, you could see the defence weren't sure whether to back off or push up.
Disley especially did well with his tackling (got his foot in loads) but it was a constant job to track back and get goalside against pacy players like Chambers.

What's the answer ?
Not much you can do about opposition pace and our midfield isn't the fastest.
You can play a man in front of the back four but no-one really wants to be that defensive (especially at home).

I'd be interested to know if people agree and if so, what they'd do.
Not sure there are any easy answers.
I suppose my philosphy is the more you've got the ball, the less you have to defend.
Simply put, get better at keeping the ball and use it more effectively.

WTF

Those constructive comments have certainly put me in my place.

80s is right, and to be fair he hasnt posted it as a moan at the team but he is pointing out a fault of ours. This fault does exist in our team IMO, but no team is 100% perfect & I for one am not going to moan about a low defensive line as after HandS know best as the last few months have shown.

Quoted from 1600

Those constructive comments have certainly put me in my place.

I think you seem to be forgetting that we are a team from the Blue Square Premier, not the Premier League or Championship! All teams at this level make mistakes in games. And considering we've lost twice in twenty odd games, I hardly see that our defensive line has been a major issue.

You don't see it ?
Fair enough, I do.

You say mistakes happen but I would argue it's not even a mistake, it's just a tactical habit that isn't doing us any favours IMO.

S&H are doing a great job and this isn't a dig at them whatsoever.
But if you think they're not trying to improve as managers or are 100% perfect themselves then I suggest you're probably wrong.

It's a tricky subject cos fact is, defending deep in numbers(in general) often works(hear Pearson say he got a bit lucky ?) and it's not an exact science.
I know it's sometimes unavoidable but bottom line, further you're pushed out as a unit, less you'll concede in the box.

And I'm not forgetting we're in the BSP at all mate.
Maybe if people stopped being so touchy about every bit of honest criticism meant to help, then expectations wouldn't have dropped so far and we wouldn't be !  

We always defend deep!

Me being a ex keeper and cb we were taught to push out at Every opportunity like you say burst at gut, also was told from a young age to drop back a few yards on a goal kick but still push up as soon as the ball goes over your head. It's not the players as it happens what ever back 4 we play. I have noticed macca burst blood vessels screaming push up most games its basic really.

Unless they get told to by the managers I don't know why they do it every game, it invites pressure and makes the crowd nervous.

Anyway on another note thanoj looks a player now can see him scoring a few soon and his tackling has improved alot since I last see him play which is the biggest part of his game that needs improving.

Utm

I mentioned today that we were too deep, but I don't agree that it's always the case. It was noticeable today though but when your playing against a team who try to counter as often as they can with 2 good quick attacking wingers you have to stay deep or your going to get caught out. Especially as we're lacking in pace with Pearson and Silk at the back.