by International Royal »
03 Oct 2006 08:03
Einstein agogo Lita is a good finisher
he is not getting any balls in the box of quality that he can latch onto
this is due to the fact that.. the teams we are playing are so much better than the teams we played last year.. the wingers like delivering crosses ..which he is never going to connect with.. and sidwell and harper don't know a creative/forward pass if it slapped them in the face.
solution
1.change the way we play... not gonna happen. it's working for us at the moment
2. get a creative midfeilder in jan (possible)
3. lita has to grow 6 inches..
4. say thanks for your efforts but buy another big guy as back up to kitson ( 99% sure that's what will happen )*
5. harper and lita learn how to make use of space at premiership level ( who knows..)
*don't mean get rid of lita..he is young and as squad improves he may fit in to certain plans in future
I'm not really that critical..we have a game plan that works at the moment for the squad we have.. everyone is working hard BUT it's mainly a defensive containment tactic, coupled with some direct play that just doesn't suit our current front line.. to continue this tactic has to mean a target man.. i'd wager that coppell is on the look out for such a player
Regarding the debate on strikers I think that EA is closest to laying it out the best. We have to accept that the way we are playing at the moment that we are not going to create many chances, even at home. When you're not creating that much then it's hardest on the strikers. Look at the games and consider if Lita or Doyle have missed many clear cut chances. Lita has been working his socks off along with Doyle, look how much time they spend in their own half. When the ball does leave midfield it's normally a chase ball into the channel.
I thought Lita was very good vs West Ham and won a bit in the air. His pace is going to be nullified if you spend a lot of the time sprinting down channels and closing down. That's the way we play, its containment and it's working with the players we have. What we lack up front is a physical presence, someone to let the central defenders know they have been in a game and knock them about a bit - Kitson style. Let's face it the West Ham central defenders had an easy afternoon. Daley who is past it and crap and who is more of a traffic bollard than a central defender had an easy ride. Same at Wigan, the 2 there (who are big) had an easy afternoon where Doyle and Lita never got a look in.
The most physical we have is Long, he does put himself about and leaps well.
When Kitson comes back it will be him and Doyle up front with Lita coming on for impact. Lita is a good finisher but you can't prove it if you're not getting chances. To do as well as we have done without Kitson is amazing and the current strike force have most definitely played their part.
The key I believe is Kitson. Plus someone in January perhaps?
