djs, on 23 November 2014 - 10:30 AM, said:
Another hoofball advocate, sorry I don't buy it! How many were played today? A dozen or more? And two paid off one of which was nodded on by a defender. Which sustains the lottery connection. I don't decry the tactic if there's a garentee that there's a product at the end, but it's soooo boring watching the ball being lumped forward from the back time and again as in the past!
It really gets my goat too when folk boo and show disapproval at our passing game. The keeping of possession in a vital part of our game now, looking for the incisive pass, looking for a chink in the armour of very organised defences in this league. If it's played across the back four for a few minutes so what! While we have the ball they ain't got it and can't hurt us. At one point Tendi could have got a cross in but didn't cos Doyle and Clucas were the only two in there, outnumbered 6 to 2 in the middle, so brought it back to start again and try something different and got a real chorus of disapproving shouts and catcalls from the stands. I love the way we are playing ATM. And I say carry on the way we do it now!
There's a lot of truth in that, but sometimes the passing game isn't going to work out and then something a bit different is needed. We never looked like breaking Crewe down after the first 15 minutes, because they just put nine men behind the ball and kept us out of their penalty area, and although we aren't going to meet many like that we do need an option.
Which is why Armand came back. Against Crewe it cried out for somebody to cross the ball to, if only to get it into their penalty area for a change and give them something else to think about.
Shame, but yesterday I don't think there was a single cross to Armand in the time he was on. The principle still applies though.