One thing very evident from Wednesday 6-1 bollocking was the devestating pace of Arsenal's attackers and once we tired in the second half their pace killed us leaving Arsenal to almost score at will. We haven't had that sort of pace in our forward line since Michael Mifsud and although a very limited footballer with the ball under his chin running at defences he caused panic and created space around him. I just hope new manager Robins sees this and does something about it, any team in this division with anything like pace in their forward line will do well.
Going back to the Jimmy Hill era his two wingers Willy Humphries and Ronnie Rees had blistering pace and skill and used to rip fullbacks apart, they were the backbone of our success then.
It does make a difference no doubt about it. At our level it can be devastating like other said Misfud was last pace player we had. Robins needs to search high and low with player with quality and pace. This was difference Wednesday night. These players are hard to find but they are out there.
I think its possible we may go too far and too many with the loans ,to the detriment of some of our own youngsters and the likes of Conor and Nathan,and its still too early to write off some who've only just arrived here.
Its not just the pace of the individual thats important - its the speed of thought, the speed of movement off the ball, the speed when not on the ball to find space for a pass - out and out individual pace is all well and good but if the ball is being passed backward at glacial pace then hoofed aimlessly down the middle of the park then its a wasted asset. Its the overall pace you play the ball around that really counts and we have too many players who do not look for space or look to make a positive pass and opt for the easy option of a sideways or backwards pass. Its this that Wenger has instilled at Arsenal and that Robins has to try and instil here, albeit with much poorer players.
Its not just the pace of the individual thats important - its the speed of thought, the speed of movement off the ball, the speed when not on the ball to find space for a pass - out and out individual pace is all well and good but if the ball is being passed backward at glacial pace then hoofed aimlessly down the middle of the park then its a wasted asset. Its the overall pace you play the ball around that really counts and we have too many players who do not look for space or look to make a positive pass and opt for the easy option of a sideways or backwards pass. Its this that Wenger has instilled at Arsenal and that Robins has to try and instil here, albeit with much poorer players.
I completely agree with this quote above. the pace absolutely destroyed us, you are right, in the second half. but that is on the basis of some of the best speed players in the country, against a team two and a half leagues lower then them. Just pace is not going to be the solution - and as someone else posted, we have some fast players in the team anyway.
Just dont think we can use the Arsenal game as any kind of marker - we are talking about two of the best impact pace players in the country against a team nowhere near their standard. Arsenal have a nice big pitch also for them to play into, alot bigger then some of the tight small grounds of League 1.