Higher Defensive Line

[Juno10]

One thing that I haven't seen mentioned anywhere is the higher defensive line we played. When there keeper/cb's had the ball our defence was on the halfway line.

Also our press was slightly changed with Doak and McGree supporting ELL, with Azaz sitting on a holding midfielder. It also meant Morris actively tracked one of their attacking midfielders, when he went deep to try to create an overload and get out. It meant they invariably had to hit the ball over the top, which we dealt with easily. Doak and ELL are very aggressive with their pressure (more so than Jones, Azaz etc) and try to win the ball back rather than 'hurry them up'.

The press was also backed up by Borges and Dijksteel being brave (and alert) enough to follow their wide players when they tried to drop off.

Hopefully a sign of things to come.

 

[Way_Out_West]

With Ayling at CB and Dijksteel at RB it gave us quicker progression rather than Clarke slowing it down.

 

[TheYorkshireTerrier]

Yeah we can probably afford to do that when Dijksteel is playing, he was the first to get all the way back when Stoke had that first counter after our corner.

I thought Dijksteel had a decent game yesterday, seems a much more confident player this season now he’s had a few games.

 

[Frozen Horse]

I think Stoke gave us plenty of time to push up to be fair.

I don't think I've seen a worse attempt at playing out from the back since Birmingham last season.

I've tried to keep my criticism of Stoke down: we were good and deserved credit, but I think we all know they were rank too.

 

[edinboro]

Did anyone see how high a line Brighton were playing yesterday? Almost in the other half.

 

[Tryasize10]

Did anyone see how high a line Brighton were playing yesterday? Almost in the other half.

They could have been 7 or 8 down at half time, was absolutely ridiculous

 

[starplayer]

Edmunson has been really good and is not scared to run into spaces well inside the opposition half. Really good addition.