How do you defend a lead with 10 minutes to go?

[Rattus Norvegicus]

Perhaps we could share the benefit of our wisdom ............ :winking:

I think there is only one way ....... to continue to play in the same method that got you the lead in the first place! Best of all, go and get another goal. (Easier said than done of course but I've always valued a good goal difference tally).

And that means, a big fat NO to time wasting, taking off strikers and bringing on more defenders, hoofing the ball into the far corners rather than passing and certainly not feigning injury or diving under the lightest of challenges ........... and worst of all, winning a corner and then passing it all the way back to your own goalie. Very annoying.

 

[McNasty]

If the ball is in our possession in the opponent's half it is difficult for them to score.

 

[Pak Power]

Park the bus!

 

[Clinton Baptiste]

I agree with Ken, get people running with the ball and just keeping possession. If the opposition dont have the ball they cant do anything with it. As soon as I saw Hills had come on for Hall I had a feeling Hereford might nick a goal. If you have too many natural defenders on the pitch there is a tendency to sit back. Our defence is not the greatest, particualry with Barker being such a liability at the mo, so best to keep the ball down the other end. Surprise that Blair wasnt brought on. For all his faults he is pretty good at keeping the ball, couldve got him and Hall running it into the corners.

 

[dannypav]

Perhaps we could share the benefit of our wisdom ............ :winking:

I think there is only one way ....... to continue to play in the same method that got you the lead in the first place! Best of all, go and get another goal. (Easier said than done of course but I've always valued a good goal difference tally).

And that means, a big fat NO to time wasting, taking off strikers and bringing on more defenders, hoofing the ball into the far corners rather than passing and certainly not feigning injury or diving under the lightest of challenges ........... and worst of all, winning a corner and then passing it all the way back to your own goalie. Very annoying.

What you say is correct , but it is the natural physcology of almost every team to drop deeper and defend a two goal lead in the last 10-15 minutes.
You can see this in every league the world over.
As you allude to , if you've achieved a two goal advantage after 75 minutes then it's usually true that you have been the better team , so push on for another.
But , the 'defend what you have' mentality always takes over.
It's really dangerous , especially if the opposition get one back and then the crowd behind them , but don't think the mentality is easy to change

 

[Jam_Man]

Its very easy to say " keep playing the way you were" but the other team may be playing differently. We play direct football where our front men don't play with much posession so why would they be keeping the ball when the opposition are going hell for leather to equalise.

Leaving space for the opposition and trying to defend by attacking seems very naive.

 

[blueveined]

I agree with Ken, get people running with the ball and just keeping possession. If the opposition dont have the ball they cant do anything with it. As soon as I saw Hills had come on for Hall I had a feeling Hereford might nick a goal. If you have too many natural defenders on the pitch there is a tendency to sit back. Our defence is not the greatest, particualry with Barker being such a liability at the mo, so best to keep the ball down the other end. Surprise that Blair wasnt brought on. For all his faults he is pretty good at keeping the ball, couldve got him and Hall running it into the corners.

Well he was standing next to the fourth official for the last few minutes waiting to come on so we were all surprised he didn't come on either!

 

[mattytheshrimper]

Not sure the subs that are made help us too much. Best form of defence is attack.

 

[blue79]

Focus well and score another goal.

 

[Greebosan]

Keep the ball and keep calm. No chancy back passes - if in doubt, hoof it out. Play the percentages - keep everything down the wings hoping for throws if no progress can be made. Still, where's the fun in that! :-)

 

[Rob1920]

Panic, and treat the opposition like they're Barcelona. Seems to be our current plan anyway..

 

[Shrimper2thecore]

In this division you do it by extending your lead!!

 

[Thorpe Groyney]

When the opposition score a late goal, the perfect antidote to this is to already have a two goal lead, leaving it academic. If only the team could do that. Oh .....

 

[Smudger]

Bring on Gareth Risbridger to mix it up.

 

[South Bank Hank]

Its very easy to say " keep playing the way you were" but the other team may be playing differently. We play direct football where our front men don't play with much posession so why would they be keeping the ball when the opposition are going hell for leather to equalise.

Leaving space for the opposition and trying to defend by attacking seems very naive.

It was a somewhat enforced substitution as Suarez was injured but at 2-1 yesterday with about 5 minutes to go in Liverpool's FA Cup tie, Kenny Dalglish opted to substitute his striker with a midfielder before hitting the corners and attempting to smother the game. Much as crowd wisdom calls for the attacks that secured the lead to continue, the pragmatic approach seems to be prevalent amongst managers. No one wants to see the team sit back and defend, but strengthening the midfield seems to be a sensible balance of protecting the lead without inviting undue pressure.

 

[BrettieAngell]

We go through periods of scoring late goals and conceding late goals, but throwing away a 2 goal lead in the last 5 minutes like we did at plymouth is unforgivable.

 

[Bromley Blue]

We go through periods of scoring late goals and conceding late goals, but throwing away a 2 goal lead in the last 5 minutes like we did at plymouth is unforgivable.

Yes it is really poor defending but it happens. We won't be the first away side to let a 2 goal lead slip in the last 10 mins and we certainly won't be the last. It happens sometimes and is just part of what makes football such an exciting sport to watch.

I think at our level you should only really employ time-wasting tactics such as running to the corners, etc after around 85 minutes. The average game is going to have at least 3 minutes of stoppage time and for me it always seems to be the dreaded 4 or 5 on the board when we're away from home and hanging on. 8-10 minutes is quite a long time for League 2 level players to successfully keep the ball in the corner without the opposition managing to hit on the counter at least once.

I'd instruct the side to keep possession as much as possible and definitely bring on someone up top to make it stick up front. So for Saturday's game I'd have brought Blair on for Hall or Benyon. The players would have been instructed to keep possession when possible and Blair told to run his knackers off in an attempt to get on the end of as many of our clearances as possible. If he wins possession then play the simple pass and just aim at keeping possession. As you approach 88-90 mins you can start the runs into the corner, etc. Before that with just a 1 goal lead I think is a bit risky.

 

[BrettieAngell]

Thats a fair point, I think it just boils down to naivety at this level.

 

[southend4ever]

"Attack is the best form of defence".

 

[Norwichshrimper]

It's simple

If you don't concede then you've made the right decision.

If you do concede then you've made the wrong decision.