West Ham Utd 3 Birmingham City 3 (09/04/12)

[taffhammer]

It depends upon several factors, a couple of which are the amount of pressure applied to the man on the ball (and the area of the field where it is applied) and the opponents closing down passing lanes.

Agreed, i think Brum were more of the latter and the only way to counteract that is to play your game faster not giving them time to organise and cover each other.We pass it about too pedestrian which BFS in my opinion has developed from his time at Bolton when in the prem 75% of the time you need to be cautious when playing better teams. If he could adapt to a more attacking home style and keep what he's doing away i think he'd be here for the long haul. That and not slag the fans off.

[Cuenca 'ammer]

If I know a team pass the ball around at the back press up high.

If they go direct but ping it about in midfield allow them to go long and press immediately the midfield become involved. If the player receiving the ball isn't that good with a first touch I might allow him that and pinch the "run away" ball. With one up top you can allow one player to play in front and win the short ball and one behind to play the long ball. Knowing we hardly ever get anyone up beyond of Cole even if he wins the header there's isn't anyone up there so it's not much of a direct threat. It goes harmlessly through to the keeper, full back, or if the CB knows he isn't going to win the header drop off and pick up the nod on.

Simples really.

[taffhammer]

Too true. But playing with more pace means more support for BFS's lone striker and more work for their defenders. It must be easy marking a lone striker who flicks it on to nobody. It's all about the pace of the game.

[Cuenca 'ammer]

Personally I think that we are easy to set up (maybe up to lately) to play against owing to our lace of pace, lack of width and predictability.

And that's why I think we struggle at home. (And sometimes away against the better teams).

[taffhammer]

Your right but its not about having a Bale or Giggs just about playing at a quicker tempo than we do now.