When we have players that over deploy the short 3 to 6 yards side and back passes and fumbles when it comes to the final pass in the final third that matters, or do not know what to do with the final pass in the final third while big Lambert supposing to be attacking down the middle of the box using his sheer size and strength but continue running away and drifting to the far post and remain anonymous for most part of the game, Lallana camped most of the time outside the box when he's supposed to be running into the box (which is his strength at Southampton), Cou trying to make the final pass but ended up passing to the wings most of the time because there's no one to pass the ball to inside the box without failing to mention Sterling almost dribbled the ball into goal because there's no one to pass the final ball to inside the box while others ball watched suggests that something is very very wrong with the tactics in the final third, or do we have one in the first place.
Not to mention we have Lucas and Hendo slowing down the pace has taken the sting out of our attack, this need a major revamp. The number of shots on target is nothing but shocking. Ok, Sunderland parked the bus, they had to and we already expect that but we don't have a game plan to breach it.
Its the same old same old, neat short passes and build up from the back, yes we did build from the back but painfully slow and when it comes to the final third opposition defence had simply closed shop and we simply do not know what to do with the ball, ping-ponging it outside the box (refer para 1)
How I wish I have more Morenos in our team, he ran and attacked like a pitbull and he simply gave the opposition midfield and defence no time to re-act with his speed and aggression. His body language suggests that, don't dilly dally just attack with speed and aggression and head straight towards the opposition goal. That's the first lesson for BR and the coaches.
I believe, we don't see the weaknesses before as Suarez did all the running and unlocking of defences, now he's gone and BR and the coaches simply don't have a game plan to do that. We attacked at random, hoping for the best, that's how I sees it. When we have only 1 player inside the box trying to score while others camped outside the box suggests that whole structure of attack has failed miserably.
Instead of putting the blame on the players, I'm now starting to question the quality of our coaches and is BR listening too much to what the coaches have to say or does he spends enough time on the training ground to work on the players strengths and tactics. I don't have a crystal ball to see what they do in training but when a certain constant pattern of weaknesses emerges during match days is simply a transformation of what we do in training.
Ok, I've been one of the strongest critic of Markovic so far but when he came on at least he tried to unlock the Sunderland's defence and almost did that and made the sunderland defenders work harder, question is why not before? Could it be that the tactics deployed by BR was so regimented, so rigid that it has to follow certain pattern and safety first at all cost while the opposition could read our tactics like a book.
In fact, if we look at the quality of our players, they're not that bad, we should be among the top 4, just to name a few :-
Sterling - can go pass defenders
Lambert - can unsettle defenders, we have already seen that
Lallana - can run into the box or move around the box to score
Cou - could make a decisive final pass (only if he could find someone to make the final pass)
Hendo - could burst into the box to score, he has done that on a few occasions already
Stevie - we already know what he brings to the team
There're so many combos that we can worked on with the players strengths stated above but the cohesion is simply missing while they're just doing the simple things of knocking the ball sideways or back. Apart from Lambert, the rest are very mobile players, they'll tear defences apart if we we can make them to move fast and play as a cohesive unit.
Give this attacking unit to Rafa or Maureen anytime (sorry i have to name him, he knows how to make best use of the players strengths) and they'll demolish defences.
In conclusion, I know I'm going to be torched but never mind for the good of the club I will have to say this, we need new and brialliant attacking coaches to assist BR, he has diamonds in front of him that he still did not realize.
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