Roberto Soldado Starved

[mpickard2087]

I think the way AVB wanted us to play was nice quick passes outside and around the box Lamela, Eriksen, Holtby, Towesnd, Siggy are all on paper good passers of the ball. All are comfortable on the ball and should be able to knock the ball around and find a bit of space... I dunno why they arent doing this. All our passes ar knocked about just as they get inside the final third and when they get in or around the area they shit themselves, Il go back to Soldado's goal from open play. Watch it again we seemed to do it sooo easily, quick passes, great movement and a great finish. Thats what I think AVB is tryign to drill into them but I have no idea why its not happeneing. There is no one pushing up to link the play and everything seems soo indecisive.

I still think its early days but we have a massive 2 games coming up, both are winable IMO but we need to be a lot more adventurous.

I think its poor coaching in all truth.

As you say, we see glimpses of good stuff when natural talent shines through. For the most part though we are static and predictable and so the play is laboured. They aren't constantly moving around and zipping short, sharp passes at a good tempo as if its second nature to them, which is what you would expect to see if they were constantly working on this on the training pitch.

 

[jezz]

I wouldn't dispute that our play in the final third leaves a lot to be desired, but for all those lamenting the lack of through balls to him I will say this:
When you are in the midfield/wide positions and see someone up there who a lot of the time doesn't have much pace to chase after the ball or get away from defenders, nor strength to hold them off, you probably question whether to pass it to him at all and choose another option in the heat of the moment... Lets face it, we have all probably been there in Sunday League or whatever standard we play at, thinking twice about giving it to the players who we don't trust with possession of the ball

So why does anyone pass to townsend then?

 

[mpickard2087]

So why does anyone pass to townsend then?

a) Because he can beat a man and get into dangerous situations.
b) In general its the easy option to spread the ball out wide rather than through the centre.

 

[Donki]

I think its poor coaching in all truth.

As you say, we see glimpses of good stuff when natural talent shines through. For the most part though we are static and predictable and so the play is laboured. They aren't constantly moving around and zipping short, sharp passes at a good tempo as if its second nature to them, which is what you would expect to see if they were constantly working on this on the training pitch.

But why? Is it to much focus on defence? Too many new players? Players scared to break from the game plan?

When you look at the top teams play in and around the box the ball is always ahead of the play being played into space, ATM were playing the easy balls. We need vision, a pass that can take 1 or 2 opposition defenders out of the game. If we can all see this wtf are they doing for 3-4 hours everyday?

 

[mpickard2087]

But why? Is it to much focus on defence? Too many new players? Players scared to break from the game plan?

When you look at the top teams play in and around the box the ball is always ahead of the play being played into space, ATM were playing balls the easy balls. If we can all see this wtf are they doing for 3-4 hours everyday?

I don't know mate. I wouldn't say its neglect and not coaching it at all (as I kind of indicated in my previous post), I'm sure AVB and the staff are trying to get them playing in a more fluid, cohesive way but for some reason he is struggling to get his ideas over and translate them into performances on the pitch.

The high line and offside trap works very well and reflects the work they put in on it. Our possession game not so. I've theorised before that maybe AVB, for all his reputation as an attacking manager, is actually a good coach of the defensive side of things but not the attacking game.

 

[Time for Heroes]

Totally wrong man for the current system in place. Will never work.

Blame Baldini or AVB, whoever identified him as a top target who can lead our line.

He can't lead our line, our current system is crying out for a more physical presence who can hold the ball up better and who can move the oppositions defence around more.

 

[jezz]

The only players i have seen trying to link play in the final third and move are holtby, lamela, paul and erikson.
The others look like there playing for there positions and personal glory.
Hardly a team effort.
Our team goals have come from the above mentioned.
Some posters just dont understand the system, chelsea first goal Saturday prime example of the system.
Our cardiff goal, AV 2nd goal is how it should work.
AVB is not going to change the system, he bought the players for this system.
So Townsend aint going to play on the left anytime soon.
Soldado has scored 6 in 12 and has 2 assists, nobody will give a shit at the end of the season if there penalties or screamers, a goal is a goal.
When AVB gets his head out of the sand and tells the press to do one, we will see a better team.
Sorry but Lennon, dembele, dont fit this system, the less they play the better.
We bought the upgrades, fcuking play them.
If the others dont like fcuking sell them and get replacements.

 

[jezz]

a) Because he can beat a man and get into dangerous situations.
b) In general its the easy option to spread the ball out wide rather than through the centre.

He can beat a man, the danger though is to row z, hardly inspiring.

 

[mpickard2087]

He can beat a man, the danger though is to row z, hardly inspiring.

Which is why his ability needs channelling into something purposeful such as putting him on the left at times and getting him to cross the ball more, and when he does cut inside have more runners and options to give the ball to. He has shown he is capable of picking out a pass.

 

[jezz]

Which is why his ability needs channelling into something purposeful such as putting him on the left at times and getting him to cross the ball more, and when he does cut inside have more runners and options to give the ball to. He has shown he is capable of picking out a pass.

i have heard this quite a lot lately, Townsend left.
And do you know what, i agree with this.
But AVB is not going to do this, i just dont see it.
If AVB wont do it, the question becomes, what now for townsend?
For me its the bench, Lamela should play, he is everything townsend isnt.
He links up play, moves the ball quickly and gets into the box with the ball or without.
All those saying he aint done a lot, guess what in his cameo against cardiff he set up the goal(linking up with holtby).
Townsend hasnt even set up a goal in 9 games.
Townsend can only learn from watching lamela, if he aint playing on the left, he should watch and learn

 

[DEFchenkOE]

I think the way AVB wanted us to play was nice quick passes outside and around the box Lamela, Eriksen, Holtby, Towesnd, Siggy are all on paper good passers of the ball. All are comfortable on the ball and should be able to knock the ball around and find a bit of space... I dunno why they arent doing this. All our passes ar knocked about just as they get inside the final third and when they get in or around the area they shit themselves, Il go back to Soldado's goal from open play. Watch it again we seemed to do it sooo easily, quick passes, great movement and a great finish. Thats what I think AVB is tryign to drill into them but I have no idea why its not happeneing. There is no one pushing up to link the play and everything seems soo indecisive.

I still think its early days but we have a massive 2 games coming up, both are winable IMO but we need to be a lot more adventurous.

I think if avb got these 3 on the pitch at the same time Soldado would see an increase in service.

The stats on Townsend and Siggy have already been mentioned but Sig made 2 successful passes in the attacking 3rd against Newcastle, Townsend has been trying to score himself more often than not. Dembele just passes sideways, and Paulinho isn't really creative on the ball. So at the moment if Eriksen is not on his game (which he hasn't been) then it's very easy to cut of Soldado's supply and leave him more or less useless.

 

[The Apprentice]

He's a really poor footballer.

It's all well and good complaining about Soldado with his supposed poorness, however, our current alternatives are pretty thin on the ground.

I'm a big Ade fan, but who knows his current fitness/mental capabilities at present. It would represent a leap of faith from AVB and his track record indicates this isn't one of his traits.

If you ever watched anything of Valencia over the last five years, you would know that Soldado is far from a "really poor footballer". Granted, it may transpire that he may not be suited to our team or style of play but that comment is ludicrous.

Let's give him until at least Christmas before we start writing him off. Then we can get Andy Booth in on loan (he was a really poor footballer)

 

[ultimateloner]

He is a good finisher though i expected better first touch.
On the plus side though he is faster than i thought.

 

[walworthyid]

It's not the level I have sunk to, it's the level Soldado has sunk to. I didn't think it before because I felt he was simply starved, but that Newcastle defence was all over the place, they were in no way as well organised as say Sheriff or Hull, and yet Soldado looked lost/lazy/poor with his touch. I really haven't seen anything of note from him. Before I felt it was a case of him just being the wrong man for the system, but now he's actually looking a really poor player.

If you have seen something else from Soldado, then well done on your incredible vision, because nobody else has out side of our fanbase.

Ok he is a poor footballer.

Will you go away now and let the rest of us have a real conversation?

 

[ItsBoris]

If you put Soldado in City or Arsenal's team he would score 25 goals at least.

He's not Drogba or Ibrahimovic clearly and expecting him to be that kind of striker is just dumb. He's a finisher, reminds me a lot of Gary Lineker actually, but that type of striker needs the team to create chances for them to score, which means the manager has to set the team up in a way to do so.

 

[ItsBoris]

No need for that.

True, you're right I am just frustrated. Will delete that bit.

 

[Sarsipius]

Hmmmm.

Sorry, but anyone knocking Soldado's capabilities is just stirring it for the sake of whipping up a shit-pie.

There is a difference between playing badly for whatever reason and actually lacking ability.

His record shows he's averaged more than a goal every other game in his last 5 seasons in La Liga. Sorry, you don't do that by being a poor footballer.

Nor would our fairly stringent player purchasing committee agree to paying what was at the time a record fee for us and a whopping sum for almost any club.

No, he's not poor in ability. No doubt his confidence is a little shot though playing in a side so incapable of producing chances for him and having the fans of a new club, who don't know him, already start to lose faith with him. As Wiganspur rightly points out the few real chances he seems to have had he's put away comfortably. I agree he's snatched at a few half chances but if you watch Defoe, you'll see that's almost a cornerstone of some footballers' careers.

We obviously knew what his game was about before he arrived so for me its really the case that we haven't found the right mix of tactics and team selection yet.

I seem to be the only one blowing the Lamela - Eriksen - Lennon horn but damn it sounds good to me!

Get Ade back in the mix too ya fools!

 

[Spurger King]

I seem to be the only one blowing the Lamela - Eriksen - Lennon horn but damn it sounds good to me!

Get Ade back in the mix too ya fools!

I'd be interested in seeing Eriksen - Lamela - Lennon behind Soldado.

For me Lamela is a 10 that played on the right for Roma to brilliant effect. Eriksen and Lamela interchanging would mean they would both have opportunities to create from the centre, with Eriksen cutting in from the left, or Lamela providing left-footed crosses.

Lennon could do wonders for Soldado's game. Walker is good at getting forward, but he hardly ever provides decent crosses. Neither does Lennon, but he regularly gets into decent positions to cut back from the right wing. With Rose on the left we'd have a line-up with great balance of speed, width, and creativity in the middle.

Townsend has a big part to play, but I'd be interested in seeing him used as a sub more often.

I was over the moon when we got Soldado, and I still am. However, whilst I agree that he hasn't had many chances, I'd also have to be perfectly honest and say that he's not doing well when it comes to finding good positions for our players to play him in. He's too good a player for this to simply be a typical part of his game, so I can only assume that the understanding between our attacking players is way off. I think Lennon could help in that respect.

 

[ohtottenham!]

I'd be interested in seeing Eriksen - Lamela - Lennon behind Soldado.

For me Lamela is a 10 that played on the right for Roma to brilliant effect. Eriksen and Lamela interchanging would mean they would both have opportunities to create from the centre, with Eriksen cutting in from the left, or Lamela providing left-footed crosses.

Lennon could do wonders for Soldado's game. Walker is good at getting forward, but he hardly ever provides decent crosses. Neither does Lennon, but he regularly gets into decent positions to cut back from the right wing. With Rose on the left we'd have a line-up with great balance of speed, width, and creativity in the middle.

Townsend has a big part to play, but I'd be interested in seeing him used as a sub more often.

I was over the moon when we got Soldado, and I still am. However, whilst I agree that he hasn't had many chances, I'd also have to be perfectly honest and say that he's not doing well when it comes to finding good positions for our players to play him in. He's too good a player for this to simply be a typical part of his game, so I can only assume that the understanding between our attacking players is way off. I think Lennon could help in that respect.

Rose returning will give us back that width and speed on both flanks that we've been sorely missing. Plus, it'll mean that AVB's inverted wingers can be effective; I think Lamela is potentially our most versatile attacking player, but then AVB needs to experiment and allow him some freedom, probably coming in from the middle at first with space created by us having the park stretched with two regular wingers. That whole set-up allows Soldado to either get balls centrally, or fed from the wings with the defence stretched. The whole problem with Soldado's lack of service is he's crowded 'cause we haven't created space to draw defenders into other areas. I agree with you about Lennon. He still has a role with us, either as a sub or when we need real width. His presence also helps our pressing game when we need that. It means the oppo's wary of his speed and they're pushed back, and threaten less with counter attacks...see Everton, and don't see West Ham and Newcastle. I hope Rose gets back quick!

 

[Kendall]

Ok he is a poor footballer.

Will you go away now and let the rest of us have a real conversation?

Oh get a grip you pleb.

It's my opinion based on what I've seen and objectively comparing him against good footballers in the league, those that make something happen and don't have ropey first touches when they can't afford to.