Our Finishing...

[Red Shift]

1 hour ago, 3 Stacks said:

Our finishing being very variable and inconsistent is a product of one, the type of forwards we have and two, that finishing is variable from season to season anyway. 

 

Salah, Mane and Jota all create a high number of chances and run around a lot. It's not easy for these types of players to expend so much energy and be so involved in every aspect of play and then also be clinical. Most of the time, we rely on the percentages being on our side: if we create enough chances, one of the forwards will eventually finish one or a couple.

 

We don't have strikers that are expected to just be determinant around the box. Because of the way play, we have forwards that have to do loads of stuff and then also score. 

Now its so obvious to see the importance of the midfield combination of Henderson / Fabinho. When they bossed midfield, our front three had far easier games. They also had a much more varied buildup & creativity.

[Wicket]

1 hour ago, Lee909 said:

To have such a crisis of confidence in every forward is crazy. Seen a single forward struggle before but for a front 4 to be doubting themselves is crazy. I guess this is where a proper striker would be handy. A Fowler or Owen wouldn't let their head drop if they hadn't scored for 5 or 6 games and would need 4 or 5 chances to actually score. Didn't see today's games but this last 4 months especially they just don't look switched on. Mental and physical exhaustion is probably part of it, and luckily the front three won't be at the fucking Euros but them Salah, Mane, Keita will all fuck off for a month in the middle of next season instead. 

 

It's strange how 3 players that have linked almost telepathically for 3 years can't string two passes together. 

 

Something needs changed. I wouldn't be against selling any of them but in a depressed market and in the back of a shit year who's going to front up the cash. And how long before the agents start pushing for a move. I get the feeling the club want a offer for Mo. He's been pushing for a new deal for a while and the club just seem slow to make a move

I think the link up play is as bad as the finishing now, it’s the absolute basics that they’re failing with this year. Some of it wouldn’t look out of place in a Sunday league. 

 

[AngryOfTuebrook]

John Hartson (I think) just said that Timo Werner is playing "with the confidence of a striker who's got 20 goals".

 

What?  Like Mo?

[Red Shift]

2 hours ago, mike23 said:

Oh come on, that result today was entirely on the forwards. Sure we could have easily conceded a fair few times as Newcastle had some other good chances but the main issue today by some distance was the forwards. If they'd been even moderately efficient we'd have been out of sight and never been at risk of what happened at the end. Those weren't half chances they were missing. 

Nope. It was entirely on a toothless midfield lacking the creativity to create better chances, and unable to relieve the pressure on the defence.

[Lee909]

Salah and Mane are goalscorers but neither a natural finisher. Don't think we have a natural fully fit striker since Suarez and Sturridge tore the arse out of everyone in 2013/14. That plan B has been missing for a while, someone who just is in the right place as the right time. Makes the run across the defender, picks up spills and deflections etc. Or even someone who could get on the end of some of the crosses from the fullbacks. Not talking a fucking lump like Carroll but better football. Fuck a Peter Crouch would ha e a field day in this squad and be far better than Origi, Shaqiri etc off the bench 

[Elite]

13 minutes ago, Red Shift said:

Nope. It was entirely on a toothless midfield lacking the creativity to create better chances, and unable to relieve the pressure on the defence.

Better chances? You won't get many better chances that Salah and Mane missed today.

 

Its part of the wider problem but not today.

[Red Shift]

1 minute ago, Elite said:

Better chances? You won't get many better chances that Salah and Mo missed today.

 

Its part of the wider problem but not today.

Ok, I’ll give you that, but Mo scored a world class goal that was the difference between the two teams. I can absolutely say unequivocally that with Hendo and Fabinho in midfield, we’d have at least seen that game out 1-0.

[J-V]

11 minutes ago, Elite said:

Better chances? You won't get many better chances that Salah and Mo missed today.

 

Its part of the wider problem but not today.

Two of the cunts real Moneyball that.  Can one of them use their right foot.

[Guest]

That other two, Mane and Sadio can get fucked as well. 

[Butch]

6 hours ago, rubble-rouser said:

It happens every few years. Last time was just before we bought Sturridge and Coutinho if memory serves.

Every striker or goalscorer goes through dry patches and gets his form back while one of the other players keeps the goals coming, with us though its the whole team. Never seen anything like this before. Over 300 shots on target and less of a handful to show for it. 

Players are not doing what comes naturally to them any more and over thinking. It's shit and can next season be any different? 

[m0e]

23 hours ago, Butch said:

Every striker or goalscorer goes through dry patches and gets his form back while one of the other players keeps the goals coming, with us though its the whole team. Never seen anything like this before. Over 300 shots on target and less of a handful to show for it. 

Players are not doing what comes naturally to them any more and over thinking. It's shit and can next season be any different? 

I don't really know of any top goal scorers who struggled to hit double figures without any injuries, in a single season.

 

Especially in their prime years.

 

The 2 variables for me are covid and no fans. We have no comparitive eras for this type of situation in the history of football. Ever.

[VladimirIlyich]

On 24/04/2021 at 18:51, PrivateParts said:

I'm probably reading too much into this, but Mané doesn't look disappointed when he misses, as if he never expects to score.

Mane is suprised if he gets a free kick,let alone scores. He's probably as pissed off about the abysmal refereeing as anything else.