Yeah the passing quality leaves me exasperated
Why is our passing so garbage?
- Thread starter klayton88
- Start date
Hopefully we now pull trigger on Amrabat
I realise the pace of the game is insane but I'm not a professional footballer. To see professional footballers pass the ball without looking, to imaginary players only to lose possession is beyond frustrating. It's grass roots shit that shouldn't be happening at this level.
The formation was stretched way too far apart, imo. From back to front, left to right.
The word "compact" can be a bit of buzzword sometimes. But it's exactly what was missing yesterday.
By spreading out across the pitch, we made it really easy for Wolves to anticipate our passing lanes and make interceptions. They had the most interceptions of any team all weekend. I don't have any other stats to hand, but it wouldn't surprise me if the numbers for yesterday's match were historically high as well.
Bring the defence closer to the midfield and force Bruno/Mount closer to Casemiro, and we'll make it all a hell of a lot easier for ourselves.
The word "compact" can be a bit of buzzword sometimes. But it's exactly what was missing yesterday.
By spreading out across the pitch, we made it really easy for Wolves to anticipate our passing lanes and make interceptions. They had the most interceptions of any team all weekend. I don't have any other stats to hand, but it wouldn't surprise me if the numbers for yesterday's match were historically high as well.
| Team | Interceptions |
| 1. Wolves | 18 |
| 2. Everton | 13 |
| 3. Sheffield United | 11 |
| 4. Liverpool | 10 |
| 5. Tottenham | 10 |
| 6. Luton | 9 |
| 7. Manchester United | 8 |
| 8. Nottingham Forest | 8 |
| 9. Brentford | 8 |
| 10. Arsenal | 7 |
| 11. Chelsea | 7 |
| 12. Newcastle | 7 |
| 13. Bournemouth | 7 |
| 14. Burnley | 7 |
| 15. Aston Villa | 6 |
| 16. West Ham | 6 |
| 17. Crystal Palace | 4 |
| 18. Manchester City | 4 |
| 19. Fulham | 4 |
| 20. Brighton | 4 |
Bring the defence closer to the midfield and force Bruno/Mount closer to Casemiro, and we'll make it all a hell of a lot easier for ourselves.
Passing quality is terrible and passing decision making is even worse, like once Bruno had the possibility of sending Antony with an easy pass and he didn't, Antony did it in the first half with Garnacho completely left wide in the 1st half and Garnacho also did at some point 
It's like they're one upping each other in terms of bad decisions
It's like they're one upping each other in terms of bad decisionsThey're rare as long as you look at the same market and clubs, however those players are there. We're terrible at scouting. Newcastle landed Tonali without any problems.We signed Mount but in reality the first choice was a deep lying playmaker like De Jong who was out of our price range or didn’t want to come. Or both
Those players are so rare and we don’t have anyone in the mould. Bruno is basically doing his best deeper but he’s not the same level.
Is it some sort of tactical instruction that when we have the ball, all 5 of our attackers need to be stood next to their back line. With everyone parallel.
It just seems very static and counterintuitive.
It just seems very static and counterintuitive.
Our passing has been rubbish for so long. Our lack of movement infront of the ball has been rubbish for years. Since the last year's of SAF Our midfield has been run over.
I remember a game against spurs where they literally ran through us. (Pretty sure that was fergies last year and we won the league). Ever since then we have been miles off in terms of intensity, movement, fight.
It simply cannot be every manager. There has to be something else. We can't blame the Glazers for it (as much as I'd love to). Smaller teams with lessers budgets and worse managers look better and more comfortable on the ball.
United have shown glimpses of changing it don't get me wrong. Spurs last season at home we were on it one of the best games we've had in years. In terms of movement and pressing etc.
ETH has credit in the bank but he needs to address the issues that are pretty clear to us mere fans. We don't have the answers even if we think we do but he needs to find them.
I remember a game against spurs where they literally ran through us. (Pretty sure that was fergies last year and we won the league). Ever since then we have been miles off in terms of intensity, movement, fight.
It simply cannot be every manager. There has to be something else. We can't blame the Glazers for it (as much as I'd love to). Smaller teams with lessers budgets and worse managers look better and more comfortable on the ball.
United have shown glimpses of changing it don't get me wrong. Spurs last season at home we were on it one of the best games we've had in years. In terms of movement and pressing etc.
ETH has credit in the bank but he needs to address the issues that are pretty clear to us mere fans. We don't have the answers even if we think we do but he needs to find them.
Because our fans think Bruno is a better midfielder than Odegaard
Our two best attacking players are Bruno and Rashford. Both are extremely erratic and very wasteful with their passing.
We had AWB at RB and Shaw playing as an inverted LB. It didn’t work at all. Surely the whole concept of inverted full backs is that both sides can do it? That’s a tactical mess which will cost us if Ten Hag persists. We had no width because of this structure.
Midfield of Mount and Bruno playing the same area of the pitch. And the less said about Antony the better, how we allowed Ten Hag to spend £90m on him.
It was a tactical mess last night and I hope we learn from our mistakes. I think Ten Hag is too stubborn though. Poor summer signings and another £175m spent. I thought we would go big on a CF and solidify midfield, defence and replace GK. How we started the season with Rashford as CF is unbelievable. Under Sir Alex we would have got Kane as priority, simple as.
We had AWB at RB and Shaw playing as an inverted LB. It didn’t work at all. Surely the whole concept of inverted full backs is that both sides can do it? That’s a tactical mess which will cost us if Ten Hag persists. We had no width because of this structure.
Midfield of Mount and Bruno playing the same area of the pitch. And the less said about Antony the better, how we allowed Ten Hag to spend £90m on him.
It was a tactical mess last night and I hope we learn from our mistakes. I think Ten Hag is too stubborn though. Poor summer signings and another £175m spent. I thought we would go big on a CF and solidify midfield, defence and replace GK. How we started the season with Rashford as CF is unbelievable. Under Sir Alex we would have got Kane as priority, simple as.
One of the issues and biggest difference between us and arsenal/city is that we still play like a bunch of individuals, especially going forwards when we get near the box.
I think it was guardiola who said something like you, "As a player for me, you should get as much joy from an assist as a goal".
We are all about the goal, forget about passing it to a teammate whos in a better position and getting an assist. No i can do it myself. We've been like that for a while. How many times have we seen arsenal and city, do the by line cutback which leads to a goal? How often do we do it? Pretty much never for us. When players get in that position its a aimless cross or a impossible angle shot.
We also dont really have anyone other than eriksen to control the tempo of a game. Knowing when to slow it down, when to speed it up. This is something the likes of scholes / carrick etc did. Hopefully getting in someone like amrabat will give us that.
Lastly, Bruno just wants to pass forwards and try to create chances even when its very low odds. Instead of holding posession and recycling the ball, he'll try something that rarely comes off.
All of this comes down to coaching by ETH and his staff. If players arent following instructions or cant be taught, get rid of them.
I think it was guardiola who said something like you, "As a player for me, you should get as much joy from an assist as a goal".
We are all about the goal, forget about passing it to a teammate whos in a better position and getting an assist. No i can do it myself. We've been like that for a while. How many times have we seen arsenal and city, do the by line cutback which leads to a goal? How often do we do it? Pretty much never for us. When players get in that position its a aimless cross or a impossible angle shot.
We also dont really have anyone other than eriksen to control the tempo of a game. Knowing when to slow it down, when to speed it up. This is something the likes of scholes / carrick etc did. Hopefully getting in someone like amrabat will give us that.
Lastly, Bruno just wants to pass forwards and try to create chances even when its very low odds. Instead of holding posession and recycling the ball, he'll try something that rarely comes off.
All of this comes down to coaching by ETH and his staff. If players arent following instructions or cant be taught, get rid of them.
Gotta say there is something to that effect, specially where it's too obvious of a pass to attempt.
We have bought a striker, hojlund. He has a back injury. Kane was always a impossible dream this summer.
The signings haven't finished. We may get pavard or todibo at CB, onana or amrabat for CM.
This has been one of the best windows in recent seasons. We are getting rid of players and bringing in ETH players for his system.
Besides Shaw, Onana and Lisandro who else do we have who is an assured passer? There lies the answer to that question, our passing is garbage because we don't have the players for a passing game period. Look at Varane, AWB, Casemiro, Bruno, Rashford and even Antony. It's important that we pull our fingers out our behinds go for Amrabat, look to try Hannibal in the 8 (at least until Mainoo comes back) and have Mount floating on the wings.
We should prepare ourselves for the possibility that Casemiro is done or the best case scenario is that after he picks up fitness he wont be able to play three in a week. If the management doesn't see that we are in for a long and painful season.
We should prepare ourselves for the possibility that Casemiro is done or the best case scenario is that after he picks up fitness he wont be able to play three in a week. If the management doesn't see that we are in for a long and painful season.
And they’d be correct.
Odengaard all day over Bruno.
And the management agrees with you.
Don't know if the passing was the issue, or if our play was to easy to read, but I had an issue with the first touch and controls of our players.
Is it physical ? But the players need to improve their first touch.
You never see so many bad touches at City or even now at Arsenal
Is it physical ? But the players need to improve their first touch.
You never see so many bad touches at City or even now at Arsenal
Yep.
The front 5 formation. All static
Depends what you want.
I wouldn’t put one season over Bruno nor would I ignore the midfield revamp Arteta is attempting over there.
Hard to say he values passing ranges etc Then watch him buy Rice
We treat the ball like a hot potato. We also have too many players who pass it for the sake of passing. Too many of our players aren't considered with the ball, always in a rush. Our general movement is still staggeringly static so often, which again,doesn't help. Decision making is baffling. Should at this point our players not know how to find space?
There was a definite uptick in our passing levels early on when Eriksen joined last season. He helped us transition smoothly which we lacked before him. I agree it’s gone downhill throughout this year though
Am I going crazy or were we not better at this when Ten Hag first started here? I remember being impressed with us after the first few weeks. Although that may be because I was comparing it to the dogshit we delivered before he arrived.
The most annoying thing for me is when someone passes into space and the receiver just stays static, probably trying to stay in position, then they turn and realise an oppo player is going to collect the through ball, then they panic and move out of position anyway.
The most annoying thing for me is when someone passes into space and the receiver just stays static, probably trying to stay in position, then they turn and realise an oppo player is going to collect the through ball, then they panic and move out of position anyway.
Stop buying players with garbage passing skill is a good starter
Because the footballers we have, and bought, for the most part, are generally shit under pressure.
It’s a hell of a lot easier to find the right pass with the right weight on it if you can evade the pressing attempt and get some time for yourself, or has an immaculate first touch that set the ball in the right direction of the pass, it’s no wonder that our best passers stand out in these regards.
It’s a hell of a lot easier to find the right pass with the right weight on it if you can evade the pressing attempt and get some time for yourself, or has an immaculate first touch that set the ball in the right direction of the pass, it’s no wonder that our best passers stand out in these regards.
I feel like I'm banging my head off the wall, season after season we are utter crap at passing, keeping possession and working phases of play. I haven't a clue what they are working on in training.
This is getting beyond embarrassing now, we still look like 70's defenders on the ball. Hoofing it upfield into spaces nobody occupies. I also found it strange when ETH said in pre season that the players didn't follow the plan in second half, why is that happening? ETH still has my support but I would love to see us dominate a whole game not just glimpses here and there. This game was just terrible.
Wolves wouldnt have been tearing through our midfield if we had Rice last night amd casemiro wouldnt have been flogged to death with all the work he had to do.
We haven’t been a great passing side in well over a decade. Even Ferguson’s final few seasons it was often sloppy but you could put that down to our midfield but we were much more fluid in the attack then we are nowadays.
If the players continue not following the plan, then it's on ETH. If it is a one time incident, ETH calls them out for it and things change, then he should be applauded for it. It's a risky move though.
Overall, we were completely crap. The space they were left on the counter was absolutely embarrassing. Varane was brilliant yesterday with his positioning and anticipation. A more hot headed defender could have meant a complete disaster at the back.
Fully agree only three players came unscathed from this affair, AWB, Varane and Onana. The rest was terrible. Not only did we not look tactically there but we looked way behind in fitness as well.
Then I think we are in complete agreement. They looked much faster and stronger than us all over the pitch. The three players you mentioned are the only ones who delivered.
Thankfully Wolves are vaccinated against scoring goals.
Most of our players just seem utterly terrified of receiving the ball anytime there is an opposition player within 10 yards of them. It's really odd.
They scored 30 some goals last season so I think it's safe to say the vaccine worked.
Just watch City and Arsenal’s ( ….and some other teams like Brighton) constant movement, so that from their own penalty area to the other end of the pitch, the player in possession almost always has 2 or 3 unmarked, nearby passing options open to them.
That’s how they keep possession of the ball and have their opponents stretched and struggling to cover where the forward ball might go.
There are no massive movements, just players constantly and quickly, moving, drifting or rotating into nearby space to make themselves available to the player in possession. They are drilled to do it.
Being an accurate and reliable passer is a pre-condition, no matter what your silky skills might be.
If your not a consistently accurate passer, your out.
By contrast we are far too often stretched as a team going forward and far too static.
The passing options are limited or poor, which leads to dithering on the ball when looking to make a pass, or making rash passing attempts.
The space we leave and the lack of constant movement, or just poor movement, means we are so easy to press and to intercept.
Players constantly getting in each others way, is another indication of having no idea.
That’s how they keep possession of the ball and have their opponents stretched and struggling to cover where the forward ball might go.
There are no massive movements, just players constantly and quickly, moving, drifting or rotating into nearby space to make themselves available to the player in possession. They are drilled to do it.
Being an accurate and reliable passer is a pre-condition, no matter what your silky skills might be.
If your not a consistently accurate passer, your out.
By contrast we are far too often stretched as a team going forward and far too static.
The passing options are limited or poor, which leads to dithering on the ball when looking to make a pass, or making rash passing attempts.
The space we leave and the lack of constant movement, or just poor movement, means we are so easy to press and to intercept.
Players constantly getting in each others way, is another indication of having no idea.
It's odd to be so shite at it with a full preseason under ETH. The big thing was he was supposed to be detail orientated with every movement under scrutiny and yet it seems its been unattended.
The transformation of AWB is notable so its not like there's no improvement but I really expected us to link and pass as a team by now.
The transformation of AWB is notable so its not like there's no improvement but I really expected us to link and pass as a team by now.
Any DM would have been overran with the stupid giveaways we made and the odd defensive positions that left us in.
Rodri was much younger, had a lot less mileage on the clock and he struggled against breaks when he first came over until Pep sorted it out.
We played better when Eriksen came in and it’s not like he took Casemiros workload off of him
I think Wolves were forcing us to go wide at times as they packed the middle of the park. We didn't capitalise on Onana's passing range either.
Yeah it’s been like this for ages. But then look at our team - Awb is never going to be good at these things. Casemiero is better than expected but he’s no Busquets. Bruno loves giving the ball away. Rashford’s always been a bout end product and stretching teams rather than reliable all round play. Garnacho is a kid.
Martinez and Onana are big steps forward in this regard. Fingers crossed Hojlund will be too. But we have lots to work on to make this team capable of proper dominant football.