Last year, even when we got into any good wide attacking positions, the delivery of the ball into the box was atrocious. Two friendly games this year and nothing has changed, even more evident in games that we dominated and got wide and to the byeline countless times. There seems no point getting in any strikers if we do not learn how to deliver the ball. Even Mark Hateley and Peter Crouch would struggle with our current input.
Difficult to disagree with that. It was credit to George that he got as many goals as he did.
if they can't cross in the air, then at the very least the could fire it on low along the 6 yard line and collect a few own goals!
Romeo was the only person able to hit a half decent cross, and even he lost that ability after Christmas.
For me, his inability to cross is the biggest reason I will not be too upset if we cash in on Harness to fund the new strikers.
To be fair to BlueArmy, he posted this same point yesterday ;-)
(04-07-2022, 06:10 PM)scumslayer Wrote: [ -> ]To be fair to BlueArmy, he posted this same point yesterday ;-)
Yep, in Bluearmy 300 plus games as as a professional footballer in the lower leagues he scored 89 of his 111 goals from crosses
I believe he actually crossed them himself.
Perhaps playing at the fast press speed makes it harder to cross?
The ball still travels at roughly the same speed when it reaches the byline though Hammie. Ogilvie regularly managed to put in good crosses. Unfortunately, he was seldom employed to do that.
it does seem a lost skill for many players, too busy playing 5 a side passes to try and get the goal of the season.
It's a skill that has to be requisite to play wide. Curtis, in particular, doesn't seem to try much to get to the byline. I wonder if that's a confidence thing in his crossing ability.
We were atrocious at crossing under Kenny too. Leads me to believe its the player rather than the coach. It is astoundingly bad at times though. Even at corners.
(04-07-2022, 11:12 PM)Pedalo_menders Wrote: [ -> ]We were atrocious at crossing under Kenny too. Leads me to believe its the player rather than the coach. It is astoundingly bad at times though. Even at corners.
I actually groaned at the sight of Curtis, with a ball in his hand, walking towards the corner flag.
Curtis is not really a winger, more a modern 'wide player' who is good cutting in to shoot but not a natural crosser of the ball. He is generally quite effective at what he does but if you play a player like that on the left then you need someone who can cross on the right.
(04-07-2022, 08:47 PM)Cunninglinguist Wrote: [ -> ]It's a skill that has to be requisite to play wide. Curtis, in particular, doesn't seem to try much to get to the byline. I wonder if that's a confidence thing in his crossing ability.
That's mainly to do with him being right-footed playing on the left. Mot of the time he cuts inside to be playing on his stronger foot.
Curtis and Harness are both like old fashioned inside forwards. Neither can put over a decent cross consistently but are good at ‘ cutting in’.
Darren Anderton is the only PFC winger in the last 30 yrs who could put in a great cross with either foot.
We ought to get him down here coaching these useless wide men how to put in a decent cross.
(05-07-2022, 03:04 PM)exterminator Wrote: [ -> ]Darren Anderton is the only PFC winger in the last 30 yrs who could put in a great cross with either foot.
We ought to get him down here coaching these useless wide men how to put in a decent cross.
I was about to complain that you were forgetting Alan Rogers when I realised he was more than 30 years ago. Where did that go ! But he was the best crosser of the ball I've seen in a blue shirt, just ahead of Nicky Jennings.
Glen Johnson and Proseneki weren't bad at putting balls in dangerous areas. Quite different players, mind.
You could probably add Kranchjar (sp) to that pot too.
(05-07-2022, 03:57 PM)DeepBlue Wrote: [ -> ] (05-07-2022, 03:04 PM)exterminator Wrote: [ -> ]Darren Anderton is the only PFC winger in the last 30 yrs who could put in a great cross with either foot.
We ought to get him down here coaching these useless wide men how to put in a decent cross.
I was about to complain that you were forgetting Alan Rogers when I realised he was more than 30 years ago. Where did that go ! But he was the best crosser of the ball I've seen in a blue shirt, just ahead of Nicky Jennings.
I was going to mention Kevin O’Callaghan but that was a sod of a long time ago too, late 80’s.
In terms of accuracy I’ve never seen a better crosser of the ball than him.
Good actor too! Played as a goalie in Escape to Victory with Pele, Bobby Moore and Sylvester Stallone. Must have been while he was at Ipswich as several other of their players were involved.
(05-07-2022, 04:43 PM)exgaffer Wrote: [ -> ] (05-07-2022, 03:57 PM)DeepBlue Wrote: [ -> ] (05-07-2022, 03:04 PM)exterminator Wrote: [ -> ]Darren Anderton is the only PFC winger in the last 30 yrs who could put in a great cross with either foot.
We ought to get him down here coaching these useless wide men how to put in a decent cross.
I was about to complain that you were forgetting Alan Rogers when I realised he was more than 30 years ago. Where did that go ! But he was the best crosser of the ball I've seen in a blue shirt, just ahead of Nicky Jennings.
I was going to mention Kevin O’Callaghan but that was a sod of a long time ago too, late 80’s.
In terms of accuracy I’ve never seen a better crosser of the ball than him.
It would be a close run thing between O'Callaghan and Rogers but both are miles better than anyone we have now at crosses.
(05-07-2022, 05:29 PM)Hermann's_no_hermitl Wrote: [ -> ].
It would be a close run thing between O'Callaghan and Rogers but both are miles better than anyone we have now at crosses.
I'll agree both O'Callaghan & Roger's had wands of a left foot but neither of them could do anything with their right foot.
Darren Anderton however could put in a great cross with either foot.