For such a young team, do we lack genuine pace?

[shurlock]

Doesnt the DMG discussion reveal a bigger problem - that we lack genuine pace? In DMG's case, his lack of pace (rather than his laziness or lack of talent) forces him inside which then disrupts our overall shape. But isnt this also true of the rest of the team? Our formation (1 upfront, 2 on the wings) places a premium on pace but Dyer is gone, Thompson looks quick but isnt in the squad, James is quick if terrible at fullback. That leaves somebody like Smith but he's unproven. Otherwise, cant think of many speed merchants. The result is that we can look very narrow going forward - only somebody like Holmes has genuinely wanted to take people on the outside. While our lack of pace at the back is more or less well-known, as was exposed by Mckenzie on saturday. Strange to say about youngsters....

[Colinjb]

It's the english disease, use pace and strength to overcome a lack of skill......

 

Pace should not be an excuse here.

[1965onwards]

Good movement can be more effective than pace.

 

We just have too little of it in dangerous areas.

[Arizona]

Good movement can be more effective than pace.

 

We just have too little of it in dangerous areas.

 

Exactly. I still maintain that Rasiak is the quickest player over 1 yard we've had in recent times. Whenever a decent ball came in, he was usually there ahead of his marker to stick it in the net.

 

We don't seem to have that with our current crop. BWP and Dyer are both capable of running down blind alleys at 90mph, but other than that there is no pace and very little intelligent movement. Holmes and Skacel both have intelligence and can make themselves space to put a cross in, but neither is available for the team for different reasons.

[Alanh]

I had pace and power at the top of my list of attributes for new signings last January and over the summer as I felt that we really missed those qualities when Kenwynne Jones left last summer.

 

Sure, it would be nice to have a Theo type speed merchant in the first team but as Dyer has proved raw pace is of little use without control and a final product and there are very few players in the CCC who combine all of those things.

 

Even if we haven't replaced KJ I still think that compared to this time last year we are definitely quicker than we were, but that's primarily because we are moving the ball around more speedily and also the players are passing and moving more than we did last year.

[derry]

A lot of the problem is the space available to the opposition around our defence. Players without discipline/sloppy marking. The opposition playing in behind us.

 

The pace of players running and playing one/twos through a turning defence, especially one with their hands in the air appealing, looks quicker than it actually is.

[TopGun]

Good movement can be more effective than pace.

 

 

Yep, movement and passing is more important. Triangles etc. A quick player that can fit in to that would be great though. That's Walcott rather than Dyer though. Maybe Holmes can do ok when he is fit again on performances so far.

[1965onwards]

Well said Derry,we are defending too high up the pitch with this offside trap that very few sides have ever been good at,and making it easy for teams to hit the ball over the top at our hopeless FBs.