Our players don't see or make passes quickly enough

TN8

TN8

Well-Known Member
Something I'm noticing more and more. Maybe the benefit of my seat being a decent height above the pitch.

Roofe on a few occasions had space between their CB and RCB and got his body turned for a through pass - never came.

Hagi, countless occasions found himself great spaces between their defence and midfield, arms out shouting for the ball - never came.

There's always that 3rd touch when the pass could be away with the 2nd one. Always the safe option when a riskier one could split them open. And another thing becoming a real fucking bug bear is how often the passing is either to feet, or just behind, or not enough zip on it - totally kills momentum.

I don't think there's alot wrong with our formation or the positions we get ourselves into. It's just the sharpness and intensity seem to have gone.
 
I felt this last night too. They play wide far too much, Roofe was available in the middle and space was opening up. Especially in the 1st half, he was trying to make a run while staying on side and the ball never came.
 
Bassey was available a good few times last night nearing the end but as is being said here,too many touches before he was fed the ball and the space had closed and the ball ends up coming back inside. had me fizzing tbh when we we needing a bit of urgency
 
Surely this is something that should be worked on in training?

Gerrard and Beale must see how slow we are, yet it’s the same pedestrian pace from one game to the next.

What marked out our best football under Gerrard was the ability to play quick, flowing, one-touch moves at a pace others, even in Europe, found it difficult to deal with.

I go back to my feeling that the efforts of last season have taken too much out of many of this group of players and we’re simply not able to play like that anymore.
 
TN8 said:
Something I'm noticing more and more. Maybe the benefit of my seat being a decent height above the pitch.

Roofe on a few occasions had space between their CB and RCB and got his body turned for a through pass - never came.

Hagi, countless occasions found himself great spaces between their defence and midfield, arms out shouting for the ball - never came.

There's always that 3rd touch when the pass could be away with the 2nd one. Always the safe option when a riskier one could split them open. And another thing becoming a real fucking bug bear is how often the passing is either to feet, or just behind, or not enough zip on it - totally kills momentum.

I don't think there's alot wrong with our formation or the positions we get ourselves into. It's just the sharpness and intensity seem to have gone.
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when they do see a pass they are often overhit
 
Overcoached in my opinion, players seem like they’re looking for a specific option or run that should be there and almost waiting for it rather than just doing what’s right. It’s just so slow, I’ve rarely seen anything like it. Personally just think this is what we’re like (and always have been) without Kent and there’s a reason we paid that money for him. Injury to Kent and a failure to get an upgrade on an Arfield type midfielder, who was excellent last season for us, is what’s missing.
 
Spot on, Goldson being one of the worst culprits in my opinion.
Much as I have seen a lot of criticism on here about Roofe last night I’m not convinced it’s entirely justified. From the club deck last night you could see the number of excellent runs Roofe was making which, if a quick pass was made would have created opportunities.
Time and time again an extra touch was taken or a reverse pass instead of an incisive pass to someone making good runs to try and get clear and in behind.
 
One thing that frustrates me and has for a long time.

When the ball is in one area of the park and someone is free at the opposite side and a pass is on. It will go to someone in the middle. Then go out to the free man. By which time he isn’t as free as he was.

It’s almost like the players are scared of making longer passes.
 
silverbear said:
Spot on, Goldson being one of the worst culprits in my opinion.
Much as I have seen a lot of criticism on here about Roofe last night I’m not convinced it’s entirely justified. From the club deck last night you could see the number of excellent runs Roofe was making which, if a quick pass was made would have created opportunities.
Time and time again an extra touch was taken or a reverse pass instead of an incisive pass to someone making good runs to try and get clear and in behind.
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Think Roofe is a tremendous footballer in terms of his movement, actually really like watching him off the ball and I’m puzzled to see him getting a lot of stick. Least of our issues I reckon.
 
TN8 said:
Hagi, countless occasions found himself great spaces between their defence and midfield, arms out shouting for the ball - never came.
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Yep, it’s fucking brutal to watch.

The worst one was in the second half, and he found himself on the right about 40 yards from their goal at a 45 degree angle from Goldson, kept the space for about 15 seconds and never got the ball whilst throwing his arms up.

I was going to make this point in the thread with people saying he’s not good enough, but that’s been the case since he arrived.

It’s infuriating.

Then, when he got one in the second half in a similar position he had to wait an eternity on the ball arriving which then meant his chance to turn had gone.

The tempo needs upped.
 
Papasmurf said:
One thing that frustrates me and has for a long time.

When the ball is in one area of the park and someone is free at the opposite side and a pass is on. It will go to someone in the middle. Then go out to the free man. By which time he isn’t as free as he was.

It’s almost like the players are scared of making longer passes.
Click to expand...
Yep, 2 or 3 passes to get to the same place when 1 would do. We're shooting ourselves in the foot.
 
Neilston Unionist said:
Overcoached in my opinion, players seem like they’re looking for a specific option or run that should be there and almost waiting for it rather than just doing what’s right. It’s just so slow, I’ve rarely seen anything like it. Personally just think this is what we’re like (and always have been) without Kent and there’s a reason we paid that money for him. Injury to Kent and a failure to get an upgrade on an Arfield type midfielder, who was excellent last season for us, is what’s missing.
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There doesn't seem to be any funds available or Stevie G would have freshened up this squad.

The one and only positive I can draw on right now , this team was so good last year (with kent) that it didn't matter what other teams would do. We would get the points.

So Im hoping Ryan Kent gets us back to business as usual , him and a now on form Alfie are our best players
 
TN8 said:
Something I'm noticing more and more. Maybe the benefit of my seat being a decent height above the pitch.

Roofe on a few occasions had space between their CB and RCB and got his body turned for a through pass - never came.

Hagi, countless occasions found himself great spaces between their defence and midfield, arms out shouting for the ball - never came.

There's always that 3rd touch when the pass could be away with the 2nd one. Always the safe option when a riskier one could split them open. And another thing becoming a real fucking bug bear is how often the passing is either to feet, or just behind, or not enough zip on it - totally kills momentum.

I don't think there's alot wrong with our formation or the positions we get ourselves into. It's just the sharpness and intensity seem to have gone.
Click to expand...

I agree!!

Drop Hagi back one and you have someone who can see a pass!

Aribo is not the right man in there
 
Stephen Kelly does.

Won’t see game time though despite being our best pre-season player.

For some strange reasons.
 
Our midfield especially hold onto the ball too long. Taking 3-4 touches and by the time they make the pass the other team are back set and covering.

Doesn’t help that our off the ball movement is poor too.
 
Agree on this. Kamara in particular was terrible for this last night, couple of times he had a clear passing lane to Tav who was in acres of space, but instead of just getting the ball to him he inexplicably decided to slowly dribble the ball about 20 yards closer to Tav before releasing it by which point the opportunity was gone.
 
If you play a game having given the opposition a start of two goals then the pressure increases and you make, more often than not, more mistakes. There was one instance in the second half were Hagi had the ball, and lost his man to the outside and only had to cross the ball into the box, but goes outside and takes the same defender on again, and loses the possession. We can be too elaborate at times, especially when we're chasing the game and trying to ensure a goal.
 
I think the posts on this thread have nailed the problem with the team for me. Yet we have seen the same players being the exact opposite of what is being commented. What has happened to them? Why do they just stop playing? These are the important questions and need sorted. And pretty damn quick or we are very unlikely to get 56.
 
Papasmurf said:
One thing that frustrates me and has for a long time.

When the ball is in one area of the park and someone is free at the opposite side and a pass is on. It will go to someone in the middle. Then go out to the free man. By which time he isn’t as free as he was.

It’s almost like the players are scared of making longer passes.
Click to expand...

Most of them can't pass it 10 yards accurately and/or with the correct weight, so I'm thinking your last statement is probably the reason.
 
Burgh-Ger said:
I agree!!

Drop Hagi back one and you have someone who can see a pass!

Aribo is not the right man in there
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If only Hagi was not caught in possession so much when he tries a little move because he does not have the pace to burst away from an opponent. I am getting right annoyed with how he claims a foul every single time someone challenges him and beats him.

I am slightly surprised that there has not been more of a clamor for Billy Gilmour in January ( not that he would be anything other than very short term).
 
Said to the guy next to me that the amount of time hagi gets himself into space in the 10 position is unreal. We just don’t have anyone that can find him with a decent pass
 
It was so evident last night the way to stop the squeezing the game so tight and there defence playing on the half way line was pace in behind. Get the ball in behind they cant squeeze us. Sometimes football doesnt have to be played pretty.
 
Was very noticeable last night. It's just another symptom of a lack of confidence that has passed through the squad. When you're on form you just look up and ping it. No one is willing to take the risky option just now.
 
It's been an issue for as long as I have remember - particularly at home where players are fearful of the fans getting on their back for a misplaced pass.

We rarely take a risk in terms of quick direct passes into space. Too many players hide and play is laterally or back to the centre backs.
 
I noticed this as well last night. So many times Roofe or Hagi were in acres of space and the wrong pass was made.
Mostly it was after we were 2 down and I think they realised they had messed up giving away the goals and were just too scared to try a riskier pass.
Last season they would have done it anyway but they seem like a bunch of shitebags this season.
 
Every bit of possession we have is played in front of the opposition back four. Very rarely do we play a ball in behind or have a runner from midfield. Its just pass from side to side. Lack of pace in our mid 3 and front 3 is killing us atm.
 
After losing that first goal last night, we reverted to playing the easy and safe ball.

Everything was slow and ponderous, and as a result we barely created anything from open play.
 
Alex Venters said:
100% correct OP.
A split second delay is all it takes to ruin an opportunity.
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I posted almost similar last night that we're half a second too slow and its costing us. Caught sleeping in defence, caught on the ball in midfield, and more importantly, the ball being nicked just before we shoot at goal. Is just basic lack of fitness or lack of motivation. ?
 
Craigton said:
I noticed this as well last night. So many times Roofe or Hagi were in acres of space and the wrong pass was made.
Mostly it was after we were 2 down and I think they realised they had messed up giving away the goals and were just too scared to try a riskier pass.
Last season they would have done it anyway but they seem like a bunch of shitebags this season.
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Correct. Wrong passes . And almost the opposite, there was a point we were d!cking about in the left back area in the second half trying to play a ridiculous pass up the line and just getting in all sorts of trouble, just had to knock it back to the keeper and switch it fast and hagi was completely open.

Or goldsons ridiculous through balls that were never going anywhere.

The wrong decisions when to risk something v when to play it safe all over the park.
 
Coza said:
Second half Hagi was stood waiving his arms in a pocket of space but the passing went;

Tav- Kamara-Goldson-Balogan- Bassey- Hagi.

Chance to properly create was as good as gone.
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90% of our moves involve a pass to Goldson. Its beyond a joke.
 
Taking too many touches tells me the confidence in the team has gone.
Passes are being played behind advancing players also which slows our attacks.
Steven Gerrard might have to face up to some hard decisions in the coming days to try and change the mood in this team.
 
So frustrating not just going at a player like Bates, we have literally seen for ourselves how shit a defender he can be when put in awkward places, pinging the ball into areas where he can head it and playing to his advantage, it is hard to explain that
 
Riquelme said:
Stephen Kelly does.

Won’t see game time though despite being our best pre-season player.

For some strange reasons.
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It’s a strange one for me, I’m not saying he’s the answer but there was a stage we were struggling with injuries and suspensions in midfield and wasn’t even on the bench.
 
Have been going on for ages re passing:-
Kamara does not have a pass of more than 10 yards in his armoury,passes sideways or back most of time and makes too many hospital passes.
Tavernier more or less same as Kamara.
Aribo tries too much to beat man after man and is not a greater passer.
 
It’s very true. There are many cases where a gap opens up, maybe just fleetingly for a forward pass that would take a couple of their players out the game. Alas, even although this pass is only a little riskier, we usually reject it, and play a zero risk side or back pass…. only to end up getting backed into a corner for Goldson to hit a much riskier 40 yard pass.
Another problem is the unwillingness of our centre backs( or over-deep lying midfielders) not running into the acres of space in front of them, which occasionally appears, to at least draw a man out.
It’s all too slow.
 
TN8 said:
Something I'm noticing more and more. Maybe the benefit of my seat being a decent height above the pitch.

Roofe on a few occasions had space between their CB and RCB and got his body turned for a through pass - never came.

Hagi, countless occasions found himself great spaces between their defence and midfield, arms out shouting for the ball - never came.

There's always that 3rd touch when the pass could be away with the 2nd one. Always the safe option when a riskier one could split them open. And another thing becoming a real fucking bug bear is how often the passing is either to feet, or just behind, or not enough zip on it - totally kills momentum.

I don't think there's alot wrong with our formation or the positions we get ourselves into. It's just the sharpness and intensity seem to have gone.
Click to expand...
It’s like there is a set play that they must play, otherwise they can’t think on their feet.
That goal from the goal kick exemplified it.
Bassey was standing out wide, shouting for the ball yet it didn’t fit in with the pathetic ‘have to pass to a player in the box’ thing we do and we lost a goal because of it. Everyone around me was literally saying what was going to happen just as it did.
 
Our midfield are basically under instruction to make short sharp passes until the full backs overlap.

My biggest bug bear with this team is that we rely on the centre backs to make the passes the midfielders should do (I.e Davis last year, he excelled in this role)

But instead our midfield slink into the ether and get themselves marked out of the game.

Opposite teams know this and its why we're so easy to play against.
 
I just can’t get my head round why we are so slow from the back, through the midfield, to the front men and our need to put the wall wide all the time.

Baffles me when our manager was the best in the business at picking the ball up in midfield and driving straight through the middle with it.

Our tactics are to protect possession at all costs which has a detrimental impact on our ability to move forward quickly and makes it easy for teams to defend against us.
 
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