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Transfer Rumour 25/26 Summer Transfer Window (28 Viewers)

  • Thread starter AFCCOVENTRY
  • Start date May 7, 2025
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Terry_dactyl

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,626
long way home said:
Its was my Allo Allo policeman impression.
Click to expand...
I couldn’t piss up the opportunity.
 
Reactions: Lamps, Sky_Blue_Dreamer, Calista and 1 other person

Skybluedownunder

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,627
Tommo1993 said:
Not enough bickering you fucking slags.
Click to expand...

David O’Day enters the chat




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Reactions: Lamps, BlueSkiesForever, Ccfcisparks and 1 other person
K

KenilworthSkyBlue

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,628
fernandopartridge said:
The circumstances of the Middlesbrough game suited him perfectly, where they'd pushed right up looking for an equaliser. More often than not we're playing against teams defending a lot deeper, and he just doesn't have the right skills to be particularly effective against that.
Click to expand...

To be honest, none of our strikers are particularly proficient against teams which deploy a low block.

Undoubtedly it's also something the coaching staff need to look at from a tactical standpoint as to break a low block ultimately you need to move the ball quickly using width to stretch the defence, exploiting overloads in wide areas taking on defenders and have your striker/s making runs in behind.

We don't do this which is why you often just get this side to side pendulum swing until we lose the ball and get caught on the counter - see Derby away.
 
Reactions: Winny the Bish, fernandopartridge, djr8369 and 1 other person

David O'Day

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,629
Skybluedownunder said:
David O’Day enters the chat




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
skippy come back when you have something worth while saying, the adults are talking
 

Gibbo

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,630
I can see post up on post of mea culpas coming up if either Bauer or bamford sign

"I thought (enter name) was a crap signing but am happy to eat humble" ... or something like that

The Waghorn Exemption does apply though.
 
S

SkyBlueSteve81

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,631
KenilworthSkyBlue said:
To be honest, none of our strikers are particularly proficient against teams which deploy a low block.

Undoubtedly it's also something the coaching staff need to look at from a tactical standpoint as to break a low block ultimately you need to move the ball quickly using width to stretch the defence, exploiting overloads in wide areas taking on defenders and have your striker/s making runs in behind.

We don't do this which is why you often just get this side to side pendulum swing until we lose the ball and get caught on the counter - see Derby away.
Click to expand...
Couldn't agree more. Too often we seem to be thinking that each of the back 4 need to touch the ball as it is moved from one side of the pitch over to the other. Surely there are times where we can miss out at least one of the 2 CB's and get it moving a bit quicker.
 
Reactions: Macca1987 and Brighton Sky Blue

David O'Day

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,632
SkyBlueSteve81 said:
Couldn't agree more. Too often we seem to be thinking that each of the back 4 need to touch the ball as it is moved from one side of the pitch over to the other. Surely there are times where we can miss out at least one of the 2 CB's and get it moving a bit quicker.
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the issue is that if you play the ball forward to quickly the defensive is still in shape, the idea is play it about an try and make a defender leave a gap

if we play too vertically we'll just find the defence sat in 2 banks of 4 or 5 and a 4. This means there is much less space to attack
 
B

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,633
David O'Day said:
the issue is that if you play the ball forward to quickly the defensive is still in shape, the idea is play it about an try and make a defender leave a gap

if we play too vertically we'll just find the defence sat in 2 banks of 4 or 5 and a 4. This means there is much less space to attack
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There is again a distinction between just lumping it forward versus quick passes up the pitch with some off the ball movement.

Slow tempo sideways stuff just allows the opposition to sit and watch while nothing happens.
 
Reactions: Lamps and Mucca Mad Boys

Mucca Mad Boys

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,634
fernandopartridge said:
The circumstances of the Middlesbrough game suited him perfectly, where they'd pushed right up looking for an equaliser. More often than not we're playing against teams defending a lot deeper, and he just doesn't have the right skills to be particularly effective against that.
Click to expand...
KenilworthSkyBlue said:
BTA really has to start to make a tangible contribution to a game. I can't be bothered to find the stats but I'd imagine he started the majority of games during that season for West Brom.

Apart from the Middlesbrough game at the end of last season I don't actually remember a time where he had any impact when coming off the bench. He's not clinical enough really to be that kind of player.
Click to expand...

I don’t know too much about BTA from his WBA days but I agree with these assessments based on his time with us. In his and Simms’ defence, they formed a good partnership with a lot of goals in the Jan-Feb run where we played 5-3-2.

For me, given that all of our strikers have struggled in a 4-2-3-1 (including Wright), there’s clearly something tactical going on there.

We need more out wide in terms of goal contributions but even in our build up play, we often pass back rather than taking opposition fullbacks and it’s always going to hard for strikers if they’re surrounded by 2-4 players in the box when everyone is set.
 
Reactions: Lamps, Fusilier, Jimmy87 and 1 other person

Winny the Bish

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,635
Mucca Mad Boys said:
I don’t know too much about BTA from his WBA days but I agree with these assessments based on his time with us. In his and Simms’ defence, they formed a good partnership with a lot of goals in the Jan-Feb run where we played 5-3-2.

For me, given that all of our strikers have struggled in a 4-2-3-1 (including Wright), there’s clearly something tactical going on there.

We need more out wide in terms of goal contributions but even in our build up play, we often pass back rather than taking opposition fullbacks and it’s always going to hard for strikers if they’re surrounded by 2-4 players in the box when everyone is set.
Click to expand...
If we're going to play inverted wingers like we do, we absolutely need more goals from them. Saka's 4 goals in 42 league games isn't good enough at all if we're serious about being a real threat in the league this season.
 
Reactions: Hincha, Fusilier and fernandopartridge
K

KenilworthSkyBlue

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,636
Mucca Mad Boys said:
I don’t know too much about BTA from his WBA days but I agree with these assessments based on his time with us. In his and Simms’ defence, they formed a good partnership with a lot of goals in the Jan-Feb run where we played 5-3-2.

For me, given that all of our strikers have struggled in a 4-2-3-1 (including Wright), there’s clearly something tactical going on there.

We need more out wide in terms of goal contributions but even in our build up play, we often pass back rather than taking opposition fullbacks and it’s always going to hard for strikers if they’re surrounded by 2-4 players in the box when everyone is set.
Click to expand...

I've caveated this in my follow up post.

It's not the total reason as I do think the strikers we have naturally struggle when up against teams in a low block, but tactics will definitely have a role to play and it's something the coaching staff needs to review and address.
 

David O'Day

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,637
Brighton Sky Blue said:
There is again a distinction between just lumping it forward versus quick passes up the pitch with some off the ball movement.

Slow tempo sideways stuff just allows the opposition to sit and watch while nothing happens.
Click to expand...
not true, the issue isn't passing it sideways it is that the players in the attacking half don't move the defenders about with their runs
 
C

CCFCSteve

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,638
Sick Boy said:
What game was that?
Click to expand...

Think it was one where Mason Clark was struggling and ended up not starting. Meant a team rejig. Possibly Derby away but don’t quote me on that
 
Reactions: Sick Boy
K

KenilworthSkyBlue

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,639
David O'Day said:
not true, the issue isn't passing it sideways it is that the players in the attacking half don't move the defenders about with their runs
Click to expand...

That, and if you look at the rate at which we move the ball it's painfully slow which just allows the opposition defence to position themselves accordingly, cut passing lanes and keep tight to our attacking players, ultimately squashing our ability to create opportunities.

A ball moves quicker than a player, so if our outlet is to push the ball wide, tempo is everything.
 
Reactions: Brighton Sky Blue

David O'Day

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,640
KenilworthSkyBlue said:
That, and if you look at the rate at which we move the ball it's painfully slow which just allows the opposition defence to position themselves accordingly, cut passing lanes and keep tight to our attacking players, ultimately squashing our ability to create opportunities.

A ball moves quicker than a player, so if our outlet is to push the ball wide, tempo is everything.
Click to expand...
nah, we not that slow but we can seem it due to us having to play extra passes due to there being nothing open up front
 

Flying Fokker

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,641
KenilworthSkyBlue said:
That, and if you look at the rate at which we move the ball it's painfully slow which just allows the opposition defence to position themselves accordingly, cut passing lanes and keep tight to our attacking players, ultimately squashing our ability to create opportunities.

A ball moves quicker than a player, so if our outlet is to push the ball wide, tempo is everything.
Click to expand...
Moved the ball quicker against BRFC. Sheaf seems to slow things down when he’s on the ball.
 
D

Deity

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,642
KenilworthSkyBlue said:
That, and if you look at the rate at which we move the ball it's painfully slow which just allows the opposition defence to position themselves accordingly, cut passing lanes and keep tight to our attacking players, ultimately squashing our ability to create opportunities.

A ball moves quicker than a player, so if our outlet is to push the ball wide, tempo is everything.
Click to expand...
Tempo and diagonals and a centre forward who can link the play …
 
K

KenilworthSkyBlue

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,643
David O'Day said:
nah, we not that slow but we can seem it due to us having to play extra passes due to there being nothing open up front
Click to expand...

Against Portsmouth, Plymouth and Derby - all teams that deployed low blocks against us - we were painfully slow on the ball and we were often just passing the ball in front of them not really doing anything with it.

The quicker you move the ball up the pitch, the easier you can can disrupt a defensive line, which can therefore lead to space being freed up for attacking players to exploit by making runs in behind.

Granted, lack of movement is definitely a general problem at times though. I also think there's a reluctance to play balls as well. There are times when a forward makes a run and whatever player will choose a safer option. I'd rather us lose a ball trying something than losing it by overplaying crap sideways passes.
 
Reactions: ovduk78
B

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,644
Mucca Mad Boys said:
I don’t know too much about BTA from his WBA days but I agree with these assessments based on his time with us. In his and Simms’ defence, they formed a good partnership with a lot of goals in the Jan-Feb run where we played 5-3-2.

For me, given that all of our strikers have struggled in a 4-2-3-1 (including Wright), there’s clearly something tactical going on there.

We need more out wide in terms of goal contributions but even in our build up play, we often pass back rather than taking opposition fullbacks and it’s always going to hard for strikers if they’re surrounded by 2-4 players in the box when everyone is set.
Click to expand...

David O'Day said:
not true, the issue isn't passing it sideways it is that the players in the attacking half don't move the defenders about with their runs
Click to expand...
You need both the ball and the players to be moving to drag opponents out of position. The antidote to the Russell Martin type way of playing is to sit back and not take the bait.
 

procdoc

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,645
this is why Torp is an important player, he can quickly see a forward pass and can unlock the shit teams who put every fucker behind the ball
 
Reactions: Becksy, BlueSkiesForever, CCFCSteve and 7 others

CovLis86

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,646
Think we've got to be more confident and take some more shots, too many times passing it round edge of opponents box, trying to get wide to put in a cross to a then absolutely jam packed area.

(I exclude Sheaf from the above opinion... Please stop)
 
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B

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,647
CovLis86 said:
Think we've got to be more confident and take some more shots, too many times passing it round edge of opponents box, trying to get wide to put in a cross to a then absolutely jam packed area.

(I exclude Sheaf from the above opinion... Please stop)
Click to expand...
I mean we scored a ridiculous amount from crosses into the box to be fair.
 
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CovLis86

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,648
Brighton Sky Blue said:
I mean we scored a ridiculous amount from crosses into the box to be fair.
Click to expand...
I guess I was thinking more especially against those teams mentioned above who just completely sat in. Derby, Plymouth and Portsmouth who no coincidence were some of our worst performances. Yet it feels like if we had snatched a goal early on we would have controlled each one of them very comfortably if they had to come out back at us.
 
B

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,649
CovLis86 said:
I guess I was thinking more especially against those teams mentioned above who just completely sat in. Derby, Plymouth and Portsmouth who no coincidence were some of our worst performances. Yet it feels like if we had snatched a goal early on we would have controlled each one of them very comfortably if they had to come out back at us.
Click to expand...
Derby and Plymouth we started strongly, didn’t capitalise, then got sucked in to a scrap from which the garbage opposition got what they wanted. Very similar narratives in both games
 
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David O'Day

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,650
The "slowness" will be solve by better movement

Take for example the game vs Bristol Rovers, KKH inverts and makes a great run and grimes picks him out for the goal. Most of last season the forward 5 or 6 players are very static and at best run sideways in front of the defence. It was promising that instead of the full back continuing to always overlap they have started to sometimes invert and underlap as this just makes it much harder to defend.
 
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fernandopartridge

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,651
I still think part of the better movement is that central forward being willing to drop off and get on the ball (a 'false 9' if you like). None of our forwards look like they'd be comfortable doing that though.
 
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Chicken Mcgraw

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,652
fernandopartridge said:
I still think part of the better movement is that central forward being willing to drop off and get on the ball (a 'false 9' if you like). None of our forwards look like they'd be comfortable doing that though.
Click to expand...

Not to take away from Rudoni as he’s brilliant at other things but this is what O’hare was great at. His first touch and ability to take the ball under pressure meant we could almost use him as a target man and hit his feet from basically anywhere. Even from stupid things like throw ins.
 
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K

KenilworthSkyBlue

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,653
David O'Day said:
The "slowness" will be solve by better movement

Take for example the game vs Bristol Rovers, KKH inverts and makes a great run and grimes picks him out for the goal. Most of last season the forward 5 or 6 players are very static and at best run sideways in front of the defence. It was promising that instead of the full back continuing to always overlap they have started to sometimes invert and underlap as this just makes it much harder to defend.
Click to expand...

That relied on a ridiculously good pass by Grimes to unlock the defence in a friendly against a vastly inferior team in all fairness. But yes it's something we do need to do more as we often look terrified to make a forward pass.

Fundamentally though, 'better movement' alone isn't going to unlock defences when they're set up in a low block, it needs to be combined with other elements otherwise your forward players will be making runs aimlessly.

With how we progress the ball up the pitch, moving it quickly is what will stretch the opposition defence for forward players to be able to make runs in behind and thread balls in or attempt a shot at goal.

The first goal against Bristol isn't an awful example of that.
 
Reactions: Brighton Sky Blue
K

KenilworthSkyBlue

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,654
fernandopartridge said:
I still think part of the better movement is that central forward being willing to drop off and get on the ball (a 'false 9' if you like). None of our forwards look like they'd be comfortable doing that though.
Click to expand...

If McGoldrick was 7 years younger he'd be ideal. Someone of his mould really is what we should be looking for.
 
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Robinshio

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,655
I love reading all of those who think they know better than Lampard on how we should set up
 
Reactions: Samueljames1991

procdoc

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,656
Robinshio said:
I love reading all of those who think they know better than Lampard on how we should set up
Click to expand...
Anyone would think this was a forum where you can discuss your opinions on players, tactics etc
 
Reactions: Diogenes and BlueSkiesForever
J

Jimmy87

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,657
Mucca Mad Boys said:
I don’t know too much about BTA from his WBA days but I agree with these assessments based on his time with us. In his and Simms’ defence, they formed a good partnership with a lot of goals in the Jan-Feb run where we played 5-3-2.

For me, given that all of our strikers have struggled in a 4-2-3-1 (including Wright), there’s clearly something tactical going on there.

We need more out wide in terms of goal contributions but even in our build up play, we often pass back rather than taking opposition fullbacks and it’s always going to hard for strikers if they’re surrounded by 2-4 players in the box when everyone is set.
Click to expand...
Agree with this. I only managed to catch the second half of the Bristol Rovers game, but i noticed 3 occasions when we had to chance to pick a pass forward and they weren't executed. Twice Simms made good runs and once from Raphael, the ball to Raphael was played behind him which meant he had to check back, and the other two, we chose to turn and pass backwards. When Grimes eventually did try and break those lines, we score.
It's something that happened far too often last season. You're right in that all of our strikers have struggled with this way of play. They all are the type that prefer to be running on to a ball rather than coming deep, i don't think any of them are suited to the role with their backs to play.
This is why i think Torp is vital to the way we play, for me the starting midfield (from the current options) had to be Grimes, Rudoni and Torp. Of course there are games that aren't going to suit that, but he has that ability to pick those passes. We saw that Grimes is also capable of it when he comes forward a bit more.
We definitely need some competition for Tats, we need that extra contribution from our wingers.
If it is a tactical problem and they need to ship out one striker to bring in someone like Bertaccini, who can play multiple roles across the front then so be it, i'm sure it's something they'll have noticed and are hopefully addressing as we speak.
 
Reactions: ExmouthNeil, Gaz71, Winny the Bish and 4 others
Q

quinn1971

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,658
Going by the friendlies so far we’re setting up the same as last season, ball out wide and crosses into the box, hopefully we’ll bring a couple more in so we’ll have a plan b else we’ll be very predictable again , just sit deep against us and counter ?
 

Ccfcisparks

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,659
Hopefully we can agree wages with Bertaccini quick and he can be in the squad for St Pauli
 
Reactions: BlueSkiesForever, Jimmy87, Sky Blue Pete and 1 other person

Sky Blue Goblin

Well-Known Member
  • Jul 28, 2025
  • #9,660
Ccfcisparks said:
Hopefully we can agree wages with Bertaccini quick and he can be in the squad for St Pauli
Click to expand...
If it’s happening
 
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