I think the key is to concentrate on yourself and not the opposition. The one thing I noticed more than anything our players travel with the ball at feet.
If were going from the back to the middle of the park it has to be done via 6 sideway passes followed by 2 passes that go to a midfielder back to defence who in turn start the whole process again.
Sometimes it’s better to less complicated by a defender bringing it forward, you know, old fashioned make your yards by actually moving forward into space looking all the time “then” look for movement and runners.
Were obsessed with passing for the sake of it when all’s it needs is that player to move forward with the ball. Maloney clearly thinks to go forward you must pass not run with it.
Sometimes old fashioned running draws players and commits players. Watch the Pompey away highlights from last year, that exactly how we played.
Honestly it’s my pet hate seeing Kerr with acre’s of space in front of him wait for say M.Smith to drop into this huge whole, receive it and give it Kerr back when all’s it requires is Kerr run into the hole and M.Smith should be in the advanced role not a fookin make shift centre half.
Look I’m not saying everytime run with it just mix it up though, get players taking players on. That’s why McManaman does so well, he goes for it with 1 on 1’s, win lose or draw he has a go.
There’s a famous tiktok video doing the rounds were a bunch of say 9-10 year olds pass pass pass the perfect Pep goal and that fine but God it’s boring.
I remember the young Valencia at Wigan and how exciting he was running directly at defenders, a dying art
