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IT has become increasingly difficult to make a case for the defence at Wanderers in the last 18 months, but that's where Owen Coyle will have to start if he is to begin winning back the confidence of those now calling for his head.
Clean sheets have become an endangered species in the league, with just four registered since the infamous FA Cup semi-final exit against Stoke City in April 2011, and only one in 47 attempts on the road.
Facing a Hull side who had struggled for goals this season and employing a 4-5-1 formation, with new loan signing Jay Spearing acting as extra protection in front of the back four, you’d have expected Wanderers to provide a stubborn presence at best at the KC Stadium.
Yet despite Spearing’s efforts – the Liverpool man was one of few excused on the afternoon – the Whites reverted to trading counter attacks in the same way they had in the previous four games, with little success.
The central midfield had been scrutinised after being out-fought by Burnley and out-numbered by Forest and Crawley Town, but on this occasion, Keith Andrews and Mark Davies showed there could be mileage in the new central trio.
It wasn’t as encouraging around them, however, as both Chris Eagles and Chung-Yong Lee struggled to adapt to the Tigers’ wing-back system, exposing full-backs Tyrone Mears and Sam Ricketts on several occasions.
Midway through last season, a statistic was published that claimed Wanderers had conceded more goals from wide positions than any other club in the top flight. And six months on, it would be a surprise if they were still not top of the pile, albeit at a different level.
The ease with which Ahmed Elmohamady was able to cross for Hull’s first goal was just as alarming as Wanderers’ inability to clear it. And it had been a similar straightforward story for Junior Stanislas at Burnley and Nicky Adams at Crawley.
But though Ricketts nor Mears have been in top form thus far, it is arguably at the heart of the defence that Coyle has his most pressing issue.
Zat Knight has been a consistent presence and, in the main, has deserved to hold down his place – but neither Tim Ream nor Matt Mills, pictured below, have made a legitimate claim to provide a regular or consistent partnership.
Coyle chose to drop Mills, presumably after he was implicated in Forest’s second goal at the Reebok just over a week earlier, but Ream didn’t cover himself in glory and continues to look a player short on confidence.
He was pushed off the ball too easily by Jay Simpson for Hull’s third, at which point his manager spun in the dugout with his head in his hands.
Ream looked comfortable in the Premier League after arriving from New York Red Bulls last year and forged a decent pairing with David Wheater before his injury.
But alongside Knight, the 24-year-old has had a rough ride in the Championship so far and it would be no surprise to see Mills return to a starting spot in 11 days’ time when Wanderers entertain Watford.
It has been a far from happy start for the former Leicester City man since his summer arrival, and his full debut against Forest saw him castigated for failing to win a header in the build-up to Andy Reid’s equaliser.
His greater experience at this level could well give him the advantage as Coyle selects a side for a crucial three-game stretch that could well decide his own fate as Wanderers manager.
For his sake at least, it would certainly be a good time for the team to rediscover some defensive solidity.
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Great article Marc - almost as though I (and a few others off here) had written it ourselves!
In all seriously Marc, if you ever find anything off here that you can use then please feel free to take it - we all want the best for the club at the end of the day.
A few name checks for our site wouldn't go amiss though if you are ever feeling generous enough though!
Thank you.
IT has become increasingly difficult to make a case for the defence at Wanderers in the last 18 months, but that's where Owen Coyle will have to start if he is to begin winning back the confidence of those now calling for his head.
Clean sheets have become an endangered species in the league, with just four registered since the infamous FA Cup semi-final exit against Stoke City in April 2011, and only one in 47 attempts on the road.
Facing a Hull side who had struggled for goals this season and employing a 4-5-1 formation, with new loan signing Jay Spearing acting as extra protection in front of the back four, you’d have expected Wanderers to provide a stubborn presence at best at the KC Stadium.
Yet despite Spearing’s efforts – the Liverpool man was one of few excused on the afternoon – the Whites reverted to trading counter attacks in the same way they had in the previous four games, with little success.
The central midfield had been scrutinised after being out-fought by Burnley and out-numbered by Forest and Crawley Town, but on this occasion, Keith Andrews and Mark Davies showed there could be mileage in the new central trio.
It wasn’t as encouraging around them, however, as both Chris Eagles and Chung-Yong Lee struggled to adapt to the Tigers’ wing-back system, exposing full-backs Tyrone Mears and Sam Ricketts on several occasions.
Midway through last season, a statistic was published that claimed Wanderers had conceded more goals from wide positions than any other club in the top flight. And six months on, it would be a surprise if they were still not top of the pile, albeit at a different level.
The ease with which Ahmed Elmohamady was able to cross for Hull’s first goal was just as alarming as Wanderers’ inability to clear it. And it had been a similar straightforward story for Junior Stanislas at Burnley and Nicky Adams at Crawley.
But though Ricketts nor Mears have been in top form thus far, it is arguably at the heart of the defence that Coyle has his most pressing issue.
Zat Knight has been a consistent presence and, in the main, has deserved to hold down his place – but neither Tim Ream nor Matt Mills, pictured below, have made a legitimate claim to provide a regular or consistent partnership.
Coyle chose to drop Mills, presumably after he was implicated in Forest’s second goal at the Reebok just over a week earlier, but Ream didn’t cover himself in glory and continues to look a player short on confidence.
He was pushed off the ball too easily by Jay Simpson for Hull’s third, at which point his manager spun in the dugout with his head in his hands.
Ream looked comfortable in the Premier League after arriving from New York Red Bulls last year and forged a decent pairing with David Wheater before his injury.
But alongside Knight, the 24-year-old has had a rough ride in the Championship so far and it would be no surprise to see Mills return to a starting spot in 11 days’ time when Wanderers entertain Watford.
It has been a far from happy start for the former Leicester City man since his summer arrival, and his full debut against Forest saw him castigated for failing to win a header in the build-up to Andy Reid’s equaliser.
His greater experience at this level could well give him the advantage as Coyle selects a side for a crucial three-game stretch that could well decide his own fate as Wanderers manager.
For his sake at least, it would certainly be a good time for the team to rediscover some defensive solidity.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Great article Marc - almost as though I (and a few others off here) had written it ourselves!
In all seriously Marc, if you ever find anything off here that you can use then please feel free to take it - we all want the best for the club at the end of the day.
A few name checks for our site wouldn't go amiss though if you are ever feeling generous enough though!
Thank you.
