ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

The Mail Bag

Cahill — neutralised by our own tactics?

I believe one of the main reasons why Tim Cahill is looking so knackered recently is because he is the victim of our own tactics.

When Howard takes along goal kick or we have a throw in, Cahill is positioned so as to challenge for the ball in the air. Previously it was Campbell, perhaps even Watson, then Ferguson, then Beattie and even Kilbane - now it's Cahill.

Now if you've ever had to jump from a standing start at least 30 times in a match, you'll know that it's knackering. Also, being a target man is an anathema to Tim's game. He is the sort who makes up for his relative lack of height by timing his runs. You can't do this with a big man right up your back facing a 40 yard punt.

Just because he's good in the air, doesn't mean that he's good for this sort of aerial challenge. I know that we have of late tended to play the ball a bit more on the ground but playing Cahill as a target for long balls is effectively neutralising his potency and knackering the guy in the process.

Alternatives anyone, given the relative lack of height at the moment?

Ray Robinson, Warrington Posted 24/01/2008 at 21:08:12

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Lyndon Lloyd

Erm... play it to feet?

Alan Clarke
1 Posted 24/01/2008 at 22:01:57

Do you mean last night or in general? In general, Moyes isn’t doing too badly with Cahill, howmany goals has he scored?

Terry Lloyd
2 Posted 24/01/2008 at 22:01:09

I am starting to think Cahill is a bit of one trick poney, arriving late and getting a few goals in a season. Sometimes I think why not just make him an out and out striker and see how he gets on.

Ben Jones
3 Posted 24/01/2008 at 22:00:41

God Lyndon.. that is awful! Play it to feet from long balls.. are you absolutely mad? You reckon Howard and our defenders are always that accurate.. with people like Hibbert and Neville there? C’mon! Ray is absolutely right with his article.. Cahill is being used as a target man and that’s not his game. The only alternative is to stop getting him in that position in the first place of playing long balls constantly.. play more passing football! It should be more acheivable with Fernandes.. because even though he did do some mistakes with passing.. that should be sorted once he gets match experience. It is easier said than done though

David Moore
4 Posted 24/01/2008 at 22:20:09

Well we will have to try something different against spurs because he is banned.

stu jonno
5 Posted 24/01/2008 at 22:26:04

i just feel the whole 451 formation is completely negative and fuckin boring for want of a better word

Ray Robinson
6 Posted 24/01/2008 at 22:46:26

Lyndon, does Howard have to take all his goalkicks short to the fullbacks then? Do we have to rely on Hibbert taking possession 20 yards from his own goal line? Do throws down the line have to always be to feet . I’ve never seen any team manage to do that. What’s worse is when our star man, Lescott starts targetting Cahill from 40 yards. as was the case last night (and at Wigan)

The point I am making is that, yes, you should play more on the ground, through mdfield, but what do you do when the ball goes long, as it inevitably does sometimes? Even Arsenal have learnt that it benefits the team to have a natural target man - Adebayor - rather than play it endlessly on the deck.

Cahill is working his bollocks off just having to cover the ground to get into position for these instances - it’s not his natural game - which is more of a free role.

Mark Pendleton
7 Posted 24/01/2008 at 23:03:53

Stu - it’s only a few games ago that the 4-5-1 formation with Ossie, Arteta, Pienaar and Cahill with the Yak up front was terrorising teams and resulting in some of the best one and two touch football, flicks and through balls that we’ve seen in years. We’ve finally got a first 11 and a few extras that can actually play football. Right now we’re missing about 3 or 4 of those players it’s unsurprising we’re not as effective. We’re not yet in a position where we can cover for such losses.

Karl Masters
8 Posted 24/01/2008 at 22:59:44

You could see last night that Fernandes was trying to play the killer ball along the ground and a couple of times it nearly came off. Given a bit of practice and some time added to the return of Pienaar, I believe the long ball play will give way to our passing style again.

I felt sorry for Cahill jumping against those huge defenders - and AJ too. As a Chelsea fan I know put it, ?? You?re not a million miles off being a very good team - you just need a couple of powerful, down and dirty players in that team to help you compete that bit more.?? Luchio types perhaps? It?s over to the Board now to provide the cash for at least one top class dictating midfielder to add to what we have....

Wayne Smyth
9 Posted 24/01/2008 at 22:58:52

It was noticable in the chelsea game that when the defenders had the ball Manny always came short, looking for it.

We finally have someone in the centre of the park willing to show for the ball, and capable of passing it forwards.

Assuming he gets the games, I think we will see our football move up a level and the likes of cahill & johnson will start getting more balls to feet rather than the 40 yard punts they are used to.

If we have the ball more, then we dont have to fight for it as much, and the knock on effect is that our players should start to feel less knackered towards the end of the game.

As an aside, I think the 451 formation does not work against a good side, if we are trying to get a win.

The basic reason is that our midfield usually drops deep against quality opposition, leaving our striker isolated. Happened lots against chelsea, and I thought we held the ball better with 2 up top.

Tony Williams
10 Posted 24/01/2008 at 23:04:14

Good point Ray, it must be knackering and also I deffinitely noted last night that Lescott was alway looking for Cahill with his punt upfield. The passes usually got near him but Chelski just doubled up on him and the ball came back to us.

As a defensive unit Chelski are fantastic, apart from the 4 goals against them by Villa, teams find it hard to score against them. Carvalhio is class and Alex is just so tall it was a nightmare time for the guys upfront.

It would be nice occassionally if Howard rolled the ball out to the defence to build it up and play to feet. Yoy only have yo look at the Larrisa game and Ossie’s goal to show what can come if you pass the ball about and not just hoof it and hope for the best.

I think the ban will do Cahill good, as he has been looking knackered for the last couple of games.

Steve Carter
11 Posted 25/01/2008 at 04:30:45

Well, hopefully he’ll really refresh himself, Ray and Tony, because he’s flying to Melbourne shortly to play for the Socceroos in the World Cup qualifier against Qatar on 6 February.

Darren Frendo
12 Posted 25/01/2008 at 07:43:36

The problem in my opinion is moyes tactics.Don t get me wrong I love the guy but there is no movement off the ball and therefore our players when they have no one to pass to they play the long ball. movement comes from training and this is the problem. I think we need a good defensive midfielder and two full backs and a play maker in the middle hopefully fernandes will come good in that role.

Andrew Mahon
13 Posted 25/01/2008 at 08:23:11

Good points above but in te first half vs Chelsea all Neville’s throw ins went near post to Cahill who had one in front and one behind. The effort involved in trying to jump in a 6ft 2 sandwich is doubly difficult. But Nev kept on doing it! No wonder Timmy was knackered

Jonathan Fletcher
14 Posted 25/01/2008 at 08:48:22

Face it. We just don’t have the quality of players and there is no real plan B.

Cahill is only effective when we have someone to hold the ball up (so why play AJ?).

There is little skill and creativity up front. Look at the way Anelka effortlessly led the line. Vaughan & Anichebe both rely on strength and pace but aren’t very skillful. AJ is meant to be very quick but I haven’t seen much of that lately - when was the last time he skinned someone?

Arteta isn’t having a great season and goes missing when we need him most.

Fernandes isn’t fit but is excellent and will make a difference.

Chelsea are a much better team than us. No two ways about it. They were in complete control.

We are the best of the rest but a long way off the top boys. It takes time boys we are getting there.

Chris Birtles
15 Posted 25/01/2008 at 10:26:22

You are right about Cahill being wasted as a target man, but when we’re missing the natural width Pienaar has offered this season everything goes down the middle or gets clogged up down one side (Arteta’s side).

Cahill will have to do that job, until players return and the team has more balance. As for Johnson he’s at his best when we draw a defender out of position by passing it and controling the game, becasue then he will find the gaps. Unfortunately there are no gaps in the Chelsea defence, and they didn’t have to push up or anything.

For now, we may have to scrap our way through but once we have a full squad I think we’ll pass our way through.