Kick Off

[Bear1986]

Going back to the first goal yesterday and given the conditions, what are we actually doing?

Why at kick off do we put ourselves under pressure by playing the ball back to diomande, on to goldson, then souttar and then a hacked hook up the pitch by Sterling to concede possession straight away with our team not exactly set.

They regain possession and we are still so deep when hart clears the ball.

Basics is what win games. Pressing and hard work are basics. They are a given. And give men how many terrible starts we have had against them, address it from kick off.

Why are we not rolling it back then firing it into a corner. Put it on top of johnston at RB and have silva and dessers attacking. I really don’t get it. Worst case scenario is we knock it out for a throw in and reset high up the pitch. In our case we make several nervous passes and hand back possession with players out of position.

Just basics.

 

[WinkieWATP]

I think given Tavs position from KO that Sterling was probably supposed to hit it into the left back area when he received the ball?

 

[yosser hughes]

i think back to a game about 4-5 years ago we lost 2-0 at Ibrox, they kicked off and hoofed it straight out for a throw in down near the corner flag we were defending,it seemed to spook us for some reason, play was immediately deep in our half,after that we just never got going that day

 

[Bear1986]

Said it last time we played them as the OP. Start of the game, our KO, same pressure passes along the back line and hiked forward by borna. They then gain possession and almost score in the first minute again.

watch it back again if you dare, KO after their first. Same route across our backline, hooked on by borna, silva wins the header to no one as we are not set up, their CB wins it and hits a big diagonal ball and tav is miles off their crosser. Our midfield is chasing back towards our goal all over the place and Lundstram knocks it in our goal.

These are basics. I said it the last time we played them, they will chase us down. Panicked passes across our backline. They can smell that. If the manager is clueless to see this then surely we have players on the pitch that can do it. Not seen the Man City game from yesterday but it guessing their ko was straight back to their gk and launched forward early. If pep can do that then I’m sure it’s not the worst way to start a game. Even fire it into a corner for a throw in and shape us up after that. Means they’ll have to receive the ball with their back to the play.

We can’t continue to make basic errors like this.

 

[Lord M]

Because we have to give them a two goal head start. Don't ask me why.