When 18 Yards out feels like 180

[Qprtanpa1]

Whether we applaud it or not, whether it truly wins games or not, we have shown the ability to possess the ball this season.

But when we get close to the opposition goal, we seem like deer in headlights.

Tentative, unaggressive, and lacking any creativity.

Even with modestly talented strikers, why can’t we improve here?

Would drill only this part of the game in practice.

Thoughts?

[Jeffqpr]

Thoughts? None

[stanistheman]

Lack of quality
Lack of practice
Lack of coaching in training
Lack of touchline coaching during games - it's difficult to get a message across to your players sitting on your icebox .

[shaggy24]

Lack of quality
Lack of practice
Lack of coaching in training
Lack of touchline coaching during games - it's difficult to get a message across to your players sitting on your icebox .

you can't expect an ice box to dish out instructions no matter what quality It is Thermos or Tescos own brand when some bald bloke sat on it.

[Stainrod]

Whether we applaud it or not, whether it truly wins games or not, we have shown the ability to possess the ball this season.

But when we get close to the opposition goal, we seem like deer in headlights.

Tentative, unaggressive, and lacking any creativity.

Even with modestly talented strikers, why can’t we improve here?

Would drill only this part of the game in practice.

Thoughts?

We don’t commit enough players into the box , that’s mainly down to personnel.Cameron , Ball and Carroll all have attributes but none of them are box to box .We desperately need goals from midfield. I see we have been linked with the Doncaster captain that has scored 8 goals from midfield this season.Amos may well have been that player over time .

[shaggy24]

I think Warburton was hoping to utilise both Amos and Owens this season in midfield to be fair to him

[Abseits]

It's been the same throughout Warburton's time. He simply cannot set up a team that can perform effectively over the whole pitch, he just cannot strike a balance. He conned most people in first few months by too much emphasis on attack. But that had to stop as we were leaking goals at a ridiculous rate so he tried to shore up the defence and had some success on that front but the goals up front dried up. He seems to have now settled on some sort of boneheaded set-up that is the worst of both worlds: a midfield that doesn't support the attackers OR offer screening to the defence.

[SheepRanger]

Rosenthalesque!

[Sleeping Giants]

Whether we applaud it or not, whether it truly wins games or not, we have shown the ability to possess the ball this season.

But when we get close to the opposition goal, we seem like deer in headlights.

Tentative, unaggressive, and lacking any creativity.

Even with modestly talented strikers, why can’t we improve here?

Would drill only this part of the game in practice.

Thoughts?

We seem to want to walk the ball into the net, they're afraid to chance it by shooting from distance.

[stanistheman]

We seem to want to walk the ball into the net, they're afraid to chance it by shooting from distance.

I remember hearing a commentator say that he tells his players not to waste possession with long range shots.

[stanistheman]

I think Warburton was hoping to utilise both Amos and Owens this season in midfield to be fair to him

Who is Owens? Is he a better option than Bettache? We have seen very little of either.

[Jeffqpr]

Who is Owens? Is he a better option than Bettache? We have seen very little of either.

Charlie Owens very promising midfielder out with long term injury