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Going backwards

El Guepardo

El Guepardo

Rafael Van Der Vaart
Why do we persist in sending play backwards when we have a lead of a couple of goals? We regularly elect to play the ball back to the defenders, and then on to Lloris, before the ball is hit up field again. The cycle leaves us slower, ensures that we are unable to strike a further goal which would increase our strength and confidence and leaves our goal difference potentially looking inferior to that of other sides.

The only defence that I could offer up would be that we are trying to control the game and that we are trying to see the game out. But, what if a defender makes a mistake, what if the ball is in our defensive areas and the opposition seizes upon this mistake? We then have a good chance of conceding a goal which will make life more difficult for us, especially as the players will then have the mentality of the backwards passing instilled in their play.

I think we should continue going for the throat of the game, trying to score more goals. We then have the opportunity to score these goals and furthermore, if we lose the ball then we have likely lost it so far up the pitch that we will have a good chance of stopping any potential attack that may ensue.

Jenas would be the perfect signing for us again now, he used to pass the ball backwards with the best of them.

So why do we continue going backwards?
 
We play a possession game and by holding onto the ball we can also rest whilst also tiring the opposition
 
But we're resting at the end of games? Surely the backwards passing would be a more integrated part of the game and wouldn't just be the recycled use of backwards passes at the end of the game?

I do see the argument for tiring opposition players as they run about chasing the ball down but again, there is still no room for error in the backwards passing in case the opposition seize the opportunity.
 
El Guepardo said:
But we're resting at the end of games? Surely the backwards passing would be a more integrated part of the game and wouldn't just be the recycled use of backwards passes at the end of the game?

I do see the argument for tiring opposition players as they run about chasing the ball down but again, there is still no room for error in the backwards passing in case the opposition seize the opportunity.
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AVB is essentially a safety first manager. He is not going to commit men forward when it increases the risk of us conceding.
 
In the first half today they were pressuring us all over the place. It's almost impossible for us to go out there and dominate, so instead we focus on retaining the ball and patiently wait for the right opportunities.
 
Jordinho said:
In the first half today they were pressuring us all over the place. It's almost impossible for us to go out there and dominate, so instead we focus on retaining the ball and patiently wait for the right opportunities.
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That last statement is a contradiction.

It was our desire to dominate that cost us in the first half. They were pressing leaving gaps behind them, but rather than try and play the ball quickly behind them we tried to be patient and ended up playing ourselves into trouble time and time again. We simply don't have a fast tempo to our game and can't seem to adapt.
 
Jordinho said:
In the first half today they were pressuring us all over the place. It's almost impossible for us to go out there and dominate, so instead we focus on retaining the ball and patiently wait for the right opportunities.
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Absolutely right. We tired them out without breaking sweat. Masterful.
 
And having monstered them Sheriff with another clean sheet we can take it even easier in the remaining group games.

They were great on the break, shame for them they had to break so fast they ended up having to snatch tiredly at the opportunities they created.
 
The answer to the question in this thread title really is very obvious, and it is the mark of a top team to do it.
 
Hardly monstered Sheriff did we ? How many times did they get behind our defense with ease? Are you telling me you were sat there comfortably when they had that chance cleared off the line as well as few one-on-ones? Great result but I still find myself scratching my head at the tactics and the slow approach avb seems to be adopting!

I'm desperate to get excited about everything but It's been a bit uninspiring up to now!
 
Late in the game, can the opposition create momentum? I believe momentum is something that is created earlier in the game than the last 5 minutes. I understand keeping possession in stints through the game, just that we should be open to attacking the opposition more than simply maintain our lead.

I believe that we should be able to push forward, especially with a two goal lead, and then potentially score further goals, the scoring of which will be just as effective as passing the ball around at the back. I can understand the fitness issue but again, unless the players are noticeably exhausted, which they didn't appear tonight then it's the last 5 minutes so they can use up the energy and then rest when they finish the match.

I can think that with Naughton's injury, perhaps this forced our hand tonight, as we were playing with effectively ten fit players on the pitch. We do though need to not always be satisfied with a 2 goal lead. We do at times need to push forward for another goal, as if the opposition can score on us then suddenly we're at the nervy position of only having a goal cushion.

We don't necessarily need to send everyone forward, we can keep good numbers back to prevent opposition counter attacks but the play and the ball will be in areas of the pitch where the opposition are, at least initially, less able to punish us.
 
in a midweek Europa game i don't see the need to push ourselves at 2 up like you're suggesting there El Guep - it's job done at that score, fortuitous as we were to be that far ahead at that point. if we had picked injuries up having played at a higher place with the win 'in the bag' i would bet my last £ everyone would be moaning that we should have shut up and seen the game out instead of going for more.

question - in our earlier games in the EL where we were looking a lot more slick and moving the ball about pretty well and creating/scoring goals whilst being tight at the other end ... were the same people losing their cool over tonights performance also working themselves up in to a lather about how well played then or were they just writing it off as being down to poor opposition?
 
It's really quite amazing.

Spurs have played 14 games this season.

Won 11.

Drawn 1.

Lost 2.

Scored 27 goals.

Conceded 5.

Kept 11 clean sheets.

Equaled our best start to a Premier League season.

Are two points better off than in the identical fixtures last season.

And there are still people who find things to complain about.
 
kanoute16 said:
Hardly monstered Sheriff did we ? How many times did they get behind our defense with ease? Are you telling me you were sat there comfortably when they had that chance cleared off the line as well as few one-on-ones? Great result but I still find myself scratching my head at the tactics and the slow approach avb seems to be adopting!

I'm desperate to get excited about everything but It's been a bit uninspiring up to now!
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I loved it. Dembele was imperious and Sheriff have a very unusal modus operandi.
 
THFC6061 said:
It's really quite amazing.

Spurs have played 14 games this season.

Won 11.

Drawn 1.

Lost 2.

Scored 27 goals.

Conceded 5.

Kept 11 clean sheets.

Equaled our best start to a Premier League season.

Are two points better off than in the identical fixtures last season.

And there are still people who find things to complain about.
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I want more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I think a large part of it down to the fact that we dont have a CM who is adept at playing quick passes and keeping the ball moving around. When you're as slow with the ball as we are, then it makes it easy for teams to line up defensively and therefore there's few options for us when we get the ball
 
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