The amount of passes backwards especially to Riena yesterday was such a bore.

I know it's supposedly to stretch the opponent but it also leaves us open to a higher pressed game like we are supposed to be doing at the other end of the pitch...

Not to mention someone like Tevez latching onto a pass back to the keeper.

I have a feeling this strategy will cost us about 5 or so goals this season easy, Maybe more...

I am sick to death of seeing us play and have most the ball in not important area's of the pitch...

Too much Tika not enough Taka

No

nope.

the idea being that the other team is knackered come the 60min mark and you go bash them...i don't mind it cept we ain't comfortable doing it yet,take a while.

to be honest i as long as we are the team in possession i have no problem with it. I would love to see that type of passing in the midfield but we aren't there as yet hopefully with Sahin stevie and allen we could see that happen.

just to add even if the ball is kept in the midfield it wont be any different than passing the ball to reina because its all about patience and picking out the right pass, it isnt a game oof ping pong where as you get the ball you charge forward and lose it defend then repeat, its about frustrating your opponents to make a mistake that we capitalize on.

We just get better and better with every game - couldn't disagree with this thread more.

It's what you need to do to keep the ball. If a forward pass isn't on then it's better to go back than just hoof it forward and hope for the best. It's play like that that is what is wrong with English football. When you look at any good technically adept team, they're not afraid to pass back to keep the ball.

My worry is still that some of the passes back to Reina are done blind. Skrtel had the ball on the right wing yesterday probably in and around the 70min mark. I think he literally stood still with it looking for an option, took it forward a bit and then when a Hearts player pressed him, he pivoted and passed back to Reina. A Hearts forward had kinda ambled into the rough area in front of Reina but didn't gamble on the back pass. I can see goals coming that way unless we learn to look up first

the back passes will become less as the team gets more confidant and experienced with the system

Yes I am, may be not sick to death but almost afraid to death. I feel that the teams with quick attacking players (like City) are going to love it, now that they know how we play. We are not an accident waiting to happen, in fact it already happened trice, twice against WBA and once against City (2 goals conceded in the process). I feel that this is going to cost us much more than 5 goals, hopefully we score more.