A week or 2 ago when Derek Adams pointed out our deficiencies were largely due to individual errors I wanted to go back through our goals with a bit more analysis and see if I could pick out any recurring themes or culprits, I was going to post this after the Dagenham game but binned it as I didn't want it to seem a man hunt but frankly after recent rumours about certain players inclusion I think it's important this is seen.
Yes we defend as a team but a lot of goals we've conceded lately can basically be attributed to not picking up runners or staying with your man, with one particular player cropping up time and again. If you're evenly remotely unsure as to Houghton's defensive shortcomings as a centre midfielder, which is most definitely costing us goals, I'd suggest you get on 'Argyle player' or youtube when you get a chance and watch these goals again in a bit more detail:
Yorks 1st goal - Houghton leaves his man and drops off standing all on his own at the edge of the area marking nobody, the ball is played across to his man (no.10), who has a free unchallenged shot on goal leaving McCormick no chance
Exeters 2nd goal - Yes Watkins is a quality player, but Houghton makes him looks like Ronaldo as he gets left for dead and Watkins fires past McCormick
Wimbledons 1st goal - We have a corner and Houghton is next to Lyle Taylor on the edge of their area, the move breaks down and they get possession, Lyle Taylor is then allowed to run away from Houghton as he runs right from his own area into our area unchallenged without being tracked and finds himself through on goal to slot past McCormick
Dagenhams 2nd goal - From the throw-in Houghtons man drifts off the back of him despite Houghton making it look like he’s marshalling him, the ball is then played to him unchallenged and he has absolutely acres of space to pick his spot
As I say, we defend as a team and play as a team and we need to be a whole unit which clearly there's more than just Houghton wrong in some of the goals and other goals we've conceded, but when you've got such a weak link then that leaves massive holes and they're getting exploited far too easily, I've also obviously only picked out crucial goal deciding bits of play, there's a huge amount of other awful play from him that I've not been bothered to include within games that have led to chances being created that weren't ultimately taken, and I'm sure the coaching staff are fully aware of this too.
Yes we defend as a team but a lot of goals we've conceded lately can basically be attributed to not picking up runners or staying with your man, with one particular player cropping up time and again. If you're evenly remotely unsure as to Houghton's defensive shortcomings as a centre midfielder, which is most definitely costing us goals, I'd suggest you get on 'Argyle player' or youtube when you get a chance and watch these goals again in a bit more detail:
Yorks 1st goal - Houghton leaves his man and drops off standing all on his own at the edge of the area marking nobody, the ball is played across to his man (no.10), who has a free unchallenged shot on goal leaving McCormick no chance
Exeters 2nd goal - Yes Watkins is a quality player, but Houghton makes him looks like Ronaldo as he gets left for dead and Watkins fires past McCormick
Wimbledons 1st goal - We have a corner and Houghton is next to Lyle Taylor on the edge of their area, the move breaks down and they get possession, Lyle Taylor is then allowed to run away from Houghton as he runs right from his own area into our area unchallenged without being tracked and finds himself through on goal to slot past McCormick
Dagenhams 2nd goal - From the throw-in Houghtons man drifts off the back of him despite Houghton making it look like he’s marshalling him, the ball is then played to him unchallenged and he has absolutely acres of space to pick his spot
As I say, we defend as a team and play as a team and we need to be a whole unit which clearly there's more than just Houghton wrong in some of the goals and other goals we've conceded, but when you've got such a weak link then that leaves massive holes and they're getting exploited far too easily, I've also obviously only picked out crucial goal deciding bits of play, there's a huge amount of other awful play from him that I've not been bothered to include within games that have led to chances being created that weren't ultimately taken, and I'm sure the coaching staff are fully aware of this too.
