Goals conceded

[drfcsteve]

40 - the most goals conceded in the league (10 more than bottom place Port Vale).

We also have the joint worst goal difference along with Vale so we’re not scoring enough to compensate for having such a leaky defence.

Feels like any chance of survival rests on players coming in that can stop us shipping bags of goals every game.

[sedwardsdrfc]

It’s partly personnel but a massive amount of our goals conceded is just how open we play. It needs tightening up from a coaching and game management/tactics.

We’re not good enough up front to do the you score 2 we’ll score 4 football. We need to recolonise confidence is low and just get back to basics and be difficult to play against. I’m all for expansive football but it won’t work if the team have their heads down.

[Chris Black come back]

40 - the most goals conceded in the league (10 more than bottom place Port Vale).

We also have the joint worst goal difference along with Vale so we’re not scoring enough to compensate for having such a leaky defence.

Feels like any chance of survival rests on players coming in that can stop us shipping bags of goals every game.

In the 92 only Sheff Wednesday (total basket-case) and Bristol Rovers (recent lost 13 of their last 14 league games) have conceded more than us.

[drfcsteve]

It’s pretty shocking to say we supposedly strengthened the defence in the summer. We desperately need a better option than McGrath.

[MachoMadness]

Goals conceded isn’t just about the centre half pairing although that is an area of concern. The whole team is so easy to play through, front to back.

We're set up to strike quickly on the counter but the structure has more holes than a sieve and we're prone to mistakes and lapses in concentration. It's a recipe for disaster.

Yes we've had some bad luck but to some extent you make your own luck.

[Sammy Chung was King]

We need experience with a bit of pace back there. A lot of it is lack of confidence and loss of concentration at key moments, our side isn’t much worse than any side in this league. Young players find it hard to maintain performance week after week. We are a little lightweight physically as a whole. Maybe need to bring a few in that can improve that.

[ncRover]

We need experience with a bit of pace back there. A lot of it is lack of confidence and loss of concentration at key moments, our side isn’t much worse than any side in this league. Young players find it hard to maintain performance week after week. We are a little lightweight physically as a whole. Maybe need to bring a few in that can improve that.

Average age of last night’s starting XIs:

Stockport 27.0 years

Doncaster Rovers 27.2 years

[RugbyRover]

Somebody needs to do some stats.

Goals conceded with McGrath.
Goals conceded without McGrath.

We seemed to be ok at the start of season without him but do the figures back this up?

[mpc123]

It seems to me we are scoring enough now. Cb and a strong tacklng midfielder could be all the difference we need. I am a happy clapper as people call it, as I think positivity breeds success. One tweak on the set up could be stop making everyone come back, it puts so much pressure on us and we have Hanlan stranded or too often in his own half / box. Pressure just comes right back at us, at this level its impossible to expect no mistakes, more pressure =  more mistakes.

[drfcsteve]

Somebody needs to do some stats.

Goals conceded with McGrath.
Goals conceded without McGrath.

We seemed to be ok at the start of season without him but do the figures back this up?

You’re correct. McGrath has been in 20 starting line ups, out of 32 competitive games so far this season.

Goals conceded per game:

With McGrath - 1.75
Without - 1.08

[Usher wide.]

Somebody needs to do some stats.

Goals conceded with McGrath.
Goals conceded without McGrath.

We seemed to be ok at the start of season without him but do the figures back this up?

You’re correct. McGrath has been in 20 starting line ups, out of 32 competitive games so far this season.

Goals conceded per game:

With McGrath - 1.75
Without - 1.08

This is in total sh**e.

Who was his defensive partner?

Who was in goal?

You can make ‘statistics’ (or should I say manipulate them) look as though they are supporting your argument whilst choosing to look at other factors that may have contributed to those figures you’re spouting.

We have a back four (any permutation you like) that have shown to lack pace, height, aggression & organisation when it comes to defending.

It has to change in this window. Personnel, yes. Organisation, yes.

It’s not only the players it’s what is happening (or not happening) on the training pitch that concerns me. Why can’t we address the errors we are making there game after game?

As Grant says ‘We all need to look at ourselves, that includes the training staff’.

Time to crack on & do it Grant.

[drfcsteve]

Well it isn’t, it’s a fact. Of course there are lots of reasons for it, but the fact isn’t wrong, even if you don’t like it.

[selby]

  I would bet it was the same last season when we won the league with Anderson and with McGrath.  And the run in was on paper against other top sides.