Watford Highlights

[BigColSutherland]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRihkwyiOUc

[Filo]

Watching that, Browns goal as excellent as it was with a pinpoint cross from copps is done an injustice by not showing the build up play to the goal. The sending off was stupid from the Watford player and the correct decision, the penalty incident is a stonewaller for me, and a red card. The Watford goal was poor defending, Husband tracks the Watford goal scorer's run and then suddenly stops, I'm not sure if he was trying to catch him offside or he expected some one else to take over tracking him, by his hand movements it appears that he was shouting for some one else to continue to track him, if thats the case Husband got that one wrong, he was on the man and should have continued to track him, the onus is on other team mates to fill in at LB while Husband covered the attacker

[The Red Baron]

Watching that, Browns goal as excellent as it was with a pinpoint cross from copps is done an injustice by not showing the build up play to the goal. The sending off was stupid from the Watford player and the correct decision, the penalty incident is a stonewaller for me, and a red card. The Watford goal was poor defending, Husband tracks the Watford goal scorer's run and then suddenly stops, I'm not sure if he was trying to catch him offside or he expected some one else to take over tracking him, by his hand movements it appears that he was shouting for some one else to continue to track him, if thats the case Husband got that one wrong, he was on the man and should have continued to track him, the onus is on other team mates to fill in at LB while Husband covered the attacker

Agree with that, Filo. It looked as though Husband wanted McCullough to come across and pick up Anya but he was fully occupied by Forestieri. Husband needed to stay with the runner, not try and hand him off.

[BigColSutherland]

Fortunately it didn't cost us in the end, but that is woeful from Husband in particular, but also the unit as a whole. There's five - plus the keeper - on three in our favour, and yet they end up with a one on one.

[steve@dcfd]

Having looked at the highlights Anya looks to have run offside just before the ball was played forward.

[BigColSutherland]

Having looked at the highlights Anya looks to have run offside just before the ball was played forward.

Miles on.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Thing about Husband's tracking of Anya is that we generally play a zonal defence.

Was Husband supposed to track Anya to the righ corner of the six yard box? Or was one of the centre halves supposed to have been paying attention?

[BigColSutherland]

Both William.

We had a numerical advantage. Husband could see what was going on and McCullough could have paid more attention.

[The Red Baron]

Whatever way you're playing, you can't let a runner go unless there's someone else to hand him off to. In this case both centre-backs are anticipating a ball to Deeney and McCullough is expecting to have to pick up his run. So he can't take Anya and Husband needs to stay with him.

[BillyStubbsTears]

So we play a zonal system except when we don't?

I suggest the whole thing was a failure of a weak and patched up defence.

If Coppinger had been in position, there would have been someone to cut across behind the centre halves when Anya made his run.

Our defence is down to the bare bones and collective errors of this sort are inevitable.

[donnievic]

On the other hand of blaming husband if billy had of shot when had chance instead of trying to walk the ball in he wouldn't have been in that position to defend,sure if it had Been one of other players it would have been mentioned

[BillyStubbsTears]

Just looked at the video again. Husband was screaming to the centre backs for ten yards that there was a runner going into their zone. Both centre backs were ball watching. Husband was taking up a position in the zonal defence.

Consider. What if Husband had followed the runner and lost his position, Deeney was moving into an empty gap on the right side of the area. Foresteri would have had an easy ball to Deeney to put him through. As it was, he had to pull out a gem of a ball to pick out the runner.

It happens. Especially with a makeshift defence. Let's not have this turn into another witchunt.

[albie]

The issue is a matter of decision making AND timing.

Husband gets his timing wrong, choosing the Tony Adams salute after the ball had been played in. Good movement from Anya, and a well weighted ball released into the space behind Luke at the right time. McCullough is not aware of the runner behind him until its too late.

As folk have said, with a changed back 4 these things happen. Its about communication, and knowing what your colleagues will do in a particular situation, which only comes with playing together as a unit.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Husband wasn't appealing for offside. He'd had his arm outstretched for ten yards trying to tell the central defenders that a runner was coming their way.

[BigColSutherland]

If I've been accused of going over the top in singling out Husband for criticism, I have to say William you are guilty of going over the top in defending him.

In this situation Husband is the only one with a clear picture of the situation and an ability to do something about it directly. He can see the runner, he can see the passer, he can see the centre backs. He simply has to go with the runner. McCullough hasn't reacted, Husband has to take responsibility. Unfortunately he doesn't and they score.

[andysly]

Our first goal last night was excellent football for about three minutes, steadily playing the ball around pulling there defence around before delivering and executing the perfect cross and goal.
A lot of our fans screaming for us to lump the ball in but quality won out.

[wilts rover]

Big Col

In the Bournmouth game you were critising Husband for not cutting out crosses and ignoring the people who couldn't head those crosses away.

Now you are critising Husband as a reciever and ignoring the man who should have blocked the pass.

At least you are constant in your negativity and prejudice.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Col

Up to the moment that Forrestieri pulled off that pass, it was debatable whether Anya was a dangerous run or a decoy.

I made the point earlier that if Husband HAD (simply) gone with Anya, Deeney movement was taking him to an equally dangerous position free on the right side, with a far simpler ball required to put him through. McCullough was static and would have struggled to respond to that run. Husband holding his run and screaming at his colleagues to pick up the runner filled that gap. It's what you do in a zonal defence.

As for Husband being the only one with vision of what was happening, did McCullough have his eyes shut when he looked over to Anya in response to Husband's call?

A couple of weeks ago, you said that Husband shouldn't get the credit for us generally having a frugal defence when he plays, because deafening is a team game. Strange that it stops being a team game and becomes Husband's fault every time we concede.

Eh well. It's all opinions int it.

[BigColSutherland]

Wilts, I've blamed the whole unit, but feel Husband is particularly to blame in this instance.

But you read what you want to read pal.

[BigColSutherland]

A couple of weeks ago, you said that Husband shouldn't get the credit for us generally having a frugal defence when he plays, because deafening is a team game.

Maybe that's why McCollough couldn't hear Husband's shouts?

[Filo]

I'm in agreement with big Col, husband was the only one with a clear picture of the situation, he should have covered the runner

Zonal marking is only effective when the defenders are familiar with each others positioning

[BigColSutherland]

I'm in agreement with big Col, husband was the only one with a clear picture of the situation, he should have covered the runner

Zonal marking is only effective when the defenders are familiar with each others positioning

Hello old friend!

[wilts rover]

Wilts, I've blamed the whole unit, but feel Husband is particularly to blame in this instance.

But you read what you want to read pal.

From what I have seen, rather than read, Coppinger is the main culprit as he lets the guy with the ball just walk past him, who then has all the time in the world to pick a pass.

[BigColSutherland]

Coppinger does half his job. He shows him inside to where the numbers are. Unfortunately, neither he nor Keegan then get anywhere near the ball - although it has to be said it's a sumptuous pass.

[Filo]

You have to remember Copps was an emergency defender,I don't think it's fair to blame him, I think Husband was a little nieve, he's still learning the trade and I hope in the analysis that it's pointed out that sometimes you need to react to the situation, on this occasion he didn't

[Dagenham Rover]

Guess what, tonight I don't care cos we won 

[The Red Baron]

I'm not having a go at Husband, by the way. I like the lad and think he's a grand prospect. He chose the wrong option in that instance and I'm sure the manager will have pointed that out to him. And yes, you do need to make allowances when the defence has been disrupted so much by injuries.

Here's hoping we can get an experienced replacement for Tamas. And I stress experienced because if we can only get a young kid we may as well stick with McCullough. He did well alongside Khumalo and would probably do likewise with Meite. He only struggled when he found himself playing either side of lads who were less experienced than he was.

[BillyStubbsTears]

As I say. It's all opinions. For me, if Husband tracks Anya, there's a huge gap down the left side of our defence, with Deeney heading in that direction and an easy pass to put him through. If that had come about, we'd have (probably rightly) been berating Husband for following the dummy run and allowing himself to be pulled out of position. As it is, Forestieri has disguised and executed a far more difficult pass for Anya.

[The Red Baron]

I'd expect McCullough to go with Deeney's run.

[BigColSutherland]

I'd expect McCullough to go with Deeney's run.

So would I. It's in front of him, Deeney is moving from a standing start. It's an easy job for him to do (if it had come about).