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Why Don't We Score More Goals?


cyprusjag
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If I could solve this I would be a better manager than Archie. And that clearly is not correct as I am sure I would lead us down the divisions.

 

I consider there are several reasons for this.

 

1. Archie has a belief that defence is vital to stay in games and organises the team accordingly. We usually have 2 out of Barton, Osman and Welsh in midfield, all fairly defensive mids who are never going to score many goals. When we play with 3 at the back, the wing backs rarely cut in and shoot with the 'wrong' foot like Tommy Gemmell. Perhaps we could switch wing backs at times during the game.

 

If Barton is playing mid there is not much distribution from the back.

 

I consider Edwards an attacking mid but he doesn't often get into scoring positions.

 

These are reasons that we don't score but also why we don't concede either.

 

 

2. Quality of crosses/ final ball. We really need to be more assured when the delivery comes in. Practice.

 

3. Movement in the box. Needs great improvement perhaps with exception of Doolan. Practice.

 

4. Lack of bodies in the box. I watched man city's 1st goal yesterday. Scrappy but they had 4 men in and around the 6 yard line and another 2 at the edge of the box. From open play we have max 2 in the box. I understand this but thought yesterday that our mids should have been supporting our front men because we were so dominant. Perhaps Lawless would have provided the link.

 

 

 

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In the january window we were in for Lee Erwin, Archie was keen to sign him and the player was interested in coming. He has proved that he is capable of scoring goals in the Premier league so if he had come here I think he would have been a positive addition to our attacking options. However Leeds United wanted to keep him in England so wasn't to be, though since Archie rates him he may look to sign him over the summer

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We need the "late arriving midfielder" with a real eye for goal and the intelligence to be in the position where the ball is likely to come to.

 

Albert Craig and Martin Hardie were different types of player, but both had that knack.

 

Casting the net wider, John Wark, Bruce Rioch and Frank Lampard were midfielders in the same high-scoring mould.

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Weebaw 1 covers most of my thoughts. Some of the wide balls in are too often poor. Not necessarily from an accuracy point of view but often too floated a ball and relatively easy to defend. Whip a ball in and accuracy isn't so crucial as you've still a chance a wrong footing an opposing player(s). Just need those in the middle to make a run into space, a wee bit of anticipation. A season or so ago Gary Fraser looked like he had that sort of instinct and before that Welsh in the promotion season. I thought Edwards could fill the bill. His goal at NDP was a perfect example of anticipation. He's already said adding goals is something he should be doing so I'd be hopeful he'll improve with that part of his game.

 

Azeez is the big challenge. Get him scoring and we won't be having threads like this. I've heard others say it's just a lack of confidence thingy. Personally I think that's over simplistic. For instance I don't believe it was pure lack of confidence that made him shoot straight at the keeper yesterday or not put his laces thru better chances in recent weeks. By all accounts the lad's attitude is great, which in my mind is all important. No idea how we go about making Ade more of a goal threat (a dedicated forward coach has been suggested elsewhere) but I feel if his attitude is indeed good, and he is still relatively young, he's worth persisting with.

Edited by lady-isobel-barnett
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We've played 3-5-2 and 4-4-1-1 quite a lot this season. Along with points made these formations tend to create less goals than the 4-2-3-1 formation.

We have scored three or more goals in only one game thus season. Also all our home wins have been 2-0, so I guess it was inevitable we surrendered our lead on Saturday...

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Maybe this quote from the official site commentary gives an insight...... Action races from one end of the park to another. Inverness work a short corner and that nearly catches Thistle out but Cerny claws the ball away. Thistle quickly break through Erskine and Azeez sees his shit saved by Fon-Williams.

 

Freudian slip there methinks!

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We've played 3-5-2 and 4-4-1-1 quite a lot this season. Along with points made these formations tend to create less goals than the 4-2-3-1 formation.

 

That's fair comment and it's worth remembering why we had to go to more defensive formations. I certainly (and think most others) welcomed the addition of Keown as opposed to an out and out forward.

 

Perhaps it's fairer then to judge the team on our goal difference, which is on average 16-17 goals better than the teams below us. Teams that have the likes of Moult, Boyce, Boyd and McDonald. Certainly our set ups are not exactly conducive to free scoring. So perhaps we're scoring at a decent enough rate considering?

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We need the "late arriving midfielder" with a real eye for goal and the intelligence to be in the position where the ball is likely to come to. Albert Craig and Martin Hardie were different types of player, but both had that knack. Casting the net wider, John Wark, Bruce Rioch and Frank Lampard were midfielders in the same high-scoring mould.

 

I think it was hoped that Erskine and Lawless would do that to some extent but after a reasonable start they haven't managed it, though both have played well otherwise. I think we do need someone who can swap with Doolan because good as he is for us Dools has these spells when he doesn't score. If we can make the top 6 at the split we could maybe give Nesbit a run of games to see what he can do.

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Convince the players that getting to the byeline and floating in a high cross is not the only way to attack - particularly when the hope clearly is that Doolan and Lawless will somehow grow another foot in height in those seconds in order to compete with the typical centre-back or goalkeeper in this league. :wacko:

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Our defence is solid and has definitely allowed us to hit some good form this season.

 

However, if you watch the highlights, the breakaway from Erskine shows you the story of our season.

 

Time and time again we do all the hard work, with the undoubted talent we have at our disposal, only for the final ball to let us down miserably (often embarrassingly).

 

I've got no doubt Doolan would score even more often, if the delivery was half decent. He should be able to stay in the box, waiting for chances. Unfortunately, there aren't enough chances coming and he begins to drop deeper for scraps (certainly not his strength).

 

Azeez's touches and hold up play were sublime on Saturday. The lack of support he had at times was frightening. I think we should do away with one of the defensive midfielders and go to five at the back with wing backs.

 

I'd far rather see Edwards and AN Other in an attacking midfield role, with Osman behind them. Azeez and Doolan up front every week.

 

PS. We also need to get more inventive with corners and free kicks as we are wretched at set plays.

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That's fair comment and it's worth remembering why we had to go to more defensive formations. I certainly (and think most others) welcomed the addition of Keown as opposed to an out and out forward.

 

Perhaps it's fairer then to judge the team on our goal difference, which is on average 16-17 goals better than the teams below us. Teams that have the likes of Moult, Boyce, Boyd and McDonald. Certainly our set ups are not exactly conducive to free scoring. So perhaps we're scoring at a decent enough rate considering?

We have scored 30 league goals, Dundee have 31 and Motherwell and IVT have 32. St J have 37, although we have conceded less, 33, only bettered by Aberdeen and Celtic. We are not too far away from challenging the teams above us. I don't think we need to change anything too drastic. We have sorted our defence, we have scored goals from set pieces. I think once the midfield start chipping in with goals, we will see a further improvement. However, to contradict myself, I dont see too many opportunities missed from midfield players. Im still hopeful that Erskine will reach double figures for the season. But possibly the missing link between fighting for top 6 and established top 6 is another double figure scorer.

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At the risk of repeating myself from the other thread:

 

Off the top of my head recently, goals we've scored from crosses (of various kinds) include:

 

- Saturday's goal (overhit cross then short cross inside the box)

- Doolan v Hearts (long free kick)

- Lindsay v Hearts (free kick followed by cross from the wing)

- Doolan v Hamilton twice (full back/winger hitting the byline)

- Barton against St Johnstone (winger cutting the ball back for onrushing midfielder.

 

In fact I make that every goal we've scored in 2017 excluding the goals against Formartine. Add in the fact that Lindsay has another 6 goals this season (all from crosses?) and I think we're doing OK in that department.

 

We certainly need a midfielder that can throw in a few more goals. Edwards has the pace to get in behind the striker but not the composure. Welsh has the composure but not the pace. Ultimately though our improvement this season has come from making ourselves much harder to beat. That inevitably takes a toll on your attacking potential, but we still have the talent to take a reasonable number of the chances we create. It didn't happen on Saturday (we lost our best attacking player on the day and then had to adjust for Osman going off too) but it's not something that I think is overly concerning.

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Convince the players that getting to the byeline and floating in a high cross is not the only way to attack - particularly when the hope clearly is that Doolan and Lawless will somehow grow another foot in height in those seconds in order to compete with the typical centre-back or goalkeeper in this league. :wacko:

 

Agree 100% with this. I went to the North Stand for the game against Hamilton and, being closer to the action, was staggered to see that Amoo would do all the hard work in beating the defender and

then put in a cross to absolutely nobody.

 

I can't make up my mind if he puts in a cross without looking up (my first impression), or if he sees it us 'job done' if he puts the cross in regardless if no one's there to get on the end of it!

 

Similarly, on Saturday he would get to the bye line and just knock the ball into an area where Azeez was outnumbered by defenders. These guys need to talk to each other and come up with some

kind of variety in there play to out fox the defenders.

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