Martin Boyle & tracking a full back

[Springbank]

That was the worst I've seen from Martin
It might (might) have been the manager asking him to do this (though I doubt it) but time after time after time Boyle drifted into no man's land between McGinn & Digne, marking neither, leaving a top class full back 15 yards room to shape his cross.

I'd be plying MB up top against old firm, hearts & Aberdeen and nowhere near the right of midfield, after watching that tonight.

Will be interesting to see if the No Man's Land positioning (ie sitting in space, in between full back & midfielder, but marking neither) is a tactic from the manager.

If it is, it's easy to play against & needs binned.

[lucky]

He was appalling tonight. His failure to work back cost us two of the first three goals. Campbell got bullied for the second and the game was gone

[Unseen work]

That and his lack of awareness for the offside tonight was really poor.

When we rarely get the ball and into a forward area, when we actually do he needs to work far harder to make sure he’s onside.

[J-C]

He was appalling tonight. His failure to work back cost us two of the first three goals. Campbell got bullied for the second and the game was gone

Unless he was told to stay higher up, we've seen him in the past tracking back no problem.

[Boyle89]

Think it was a tactical decision. Given how narrow we have defended in the last 3 games. It almost cost us against luzern and raith and it cost us big time tonight. Shocking tactical decision from johnson. We basically conceded the same goal 3 times and still didnt get tighter to the wide players.

[Rick Rude]

Think it was a tactical decision. Given how narrow we have defended in the last 3 games. It almost cost us against luzern and raith and it cost us big time tonight. Shocking tactical decision from johnson. We basically conceded the same goal 3 times and still didnt get tighter to the wide players.

Yeah seemed intentional to me but no idea what the logic was. After the first few times and goals we should probably have made some sort of change.

[IberianHibernian]

He`s obviously still far from fully fit . And even in his best years with us he often had spells of several weeks or even months when he didn`t make much impact . The possible penalty incident tonight was frustrating as we had players up in good positions before he fell . Yellow card could have been a red too . Positive thing is that teams still think it`s worth doubling up on him so others get more space . Hopefully he`ll improve in coming weeks or months as we need as much good attacking play as possible while defence is struggling .

[Chorley Hibee]

Think it was a tactical decision. Given how narrow we have defended in the last 3 games. It almost cost us against luzern and raith and it cost us big time tonight. Shocking tactical decision from johnson. We basically conceded the same goal 3 times and still didnt get tighter to the wide players.

We done the same against Rangers at ER last season in thr midweek 4-1 humping.

Here we are still making the same mistakes.

[Onceinawhile]

He was awful. Far from being alone though.

[The Hibee Harp]

Whether it was Johnson’s instructions or not to remain high, Boyle was very poor tonight and left Miller badly exposed time and again. For weeks now I’ve thought Boyler looks to have lost a yard or two of pace and I hope I’m proved wrong. He has been let down though by Johnson playing him time and again against medical opinion.

[brianmc]

As much of a fud LJ is I don't think his tactic tonight was for Boyle to constantly be offside - time the player took a bit of responsibility for his performance.

[wookie70]

Whether it was Johnson’s instructions or not to remain high, Boyle was very poor tonight and left Miller badly exposed time and again. For weeks now I’ve thought Boyler looks to have lost a yard or two of pace and I hope I’m proved wrong. He has been let down though by Johnson playing him time and again against medical opinion.

I was saying the same tonight. I'm hoping it is like Doidge and in time he will get his fitness and natural movement back. He isn't close to the player that left, at least for now. I'm not writing him off though and he has plenty time to get back to what he was

[JohnM1875]

Hate puling him up, but that was abysmal tonight. Probably offside nothing short of 10 times?

Do you think he's maybe lost a bit of belief in his own ability/pace so he's starting from deeper in their half now? Or is it simply a case of coming up against a defence that is so far and away better than we'll ever face domestically?

[snedzuk]

That was the worst I've seen from Martin
It might (might) have been the manager asking him to do this (though I doubt it) but time after time after time Boyle drifted into no man's land between McGinn & Digne, marking neither, leaving a top class full back 15 yards room to shape his cross.

I'd be plying MB up top against old firm, hearts & Aberdeen and nowhere near the right of midfield, after watching that tonight.

Will be interesting to see if the No Man's Land positioning (ie sitting in space, in between full back & midfielder, but marking neither) is a tactic from the manager.

If it is, it's easy to play against & needs binned.

Same space he occupied second half v motherwell making it really difficult for anyone to pick him out on the wing

[lugz]

It was clear to see from very early on that digne had the freedom of the pitch, from how it looked it was as if boyle had been asked to "cheat" let digne go and when we get the ball back get it out to him while opposition is out of position.
The biggest concern is that everyone could see it wasn't working and 3 or 4 goals came down that side surely Johnson has to notice this early on and correct it.

[CropleyisGod]

Hate puling him up, but that was abysmal tonight. Probably offside nothing short of 10 times?

Do you think he's maybe lost a bit of belief in his own ability/pace so he's starting from deeper in their half now? Or is it simply a case of coming up against a defence that is so far and away better than we'll ever face domestically?

I think so. The offsides an attempt to compensate for the loss of pace. Unless it’s a fitness thing, I fear he is goosed.


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[Callum_62]

I think so. The offsides an attempt to compensate for the loss of pace. Unless it’s a fitness thing, I fear he is goosed.


Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkGive him a break

He's been back about 4 weeks and scored 3 goals

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[WeeRussell]

The offsides an attempt to compensate for the loss of pace.
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Or he felt he needed to play closer to the edge of offside given who he was up against, as opposed to just burning full backs giving them a 3 yard start?

I agree we were caught offside an awfy lot last night though.

[Allant1981]

I think so. The offsides an attempt to compensate for the loss of pace. Unless it’s a fitness thing, I fear he is goosed.


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Goosed!! The guy has been out for 7 months and had next to no pre season, its going to take more than 4 games to get him fully fit

[B.H.F.C]

I think so. The offsides an attempt to compensate for the loss of pace. Unless it’s a fitness thing, I fear he is goosed.


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He’s never offside as often as that domestically. The offsides were down to playing against a team who had a totally different speed of thought. As soon as the ball went out so did they. They saw everything before it actually happened.

Boyle is still trying to get back to full fitness and find his sharpness but he’ll still comfortably get double figures this season. He’s far from goosed.

[DH1875]

Unai Emery said he knew that's how we'd play and that they worked on it all week.

[LaMotta]

Give him a break

He's been back about 4 weeks and scored 3 goals

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He’s never offside as often as that domestically. The offsides were down to playing against a team who had a totally different speed of thought. As soon as the ball went out so did they. They saw everything before it actually happened.

Boyle is still trying to get back to full fitness and find his sharpness but he’ll still comfortably get double figures this season. He’s far from goosed.

:agree::agree:

No danger has he lost his pace. Watch him bursting free from the half way line away at Luzern and getting taken out as the last man. Still rapid.

[500miles]

I wasn't concerned he wasn't fast enough or didn't put the work in, my concern is him and Miller don't instinctively know when to pass on thier man and that is a coaching issue.

[WeeRussell]

I wasn't concerned he wasn't fast enough or didn't put the work in, my concern is him and Miller don't instinctively know when to pass on thier man and that is a coaching issue.

Coaching instinct must be petty difficult though?

[Viva_Palmeiras]

Give him a break

He's been back about 4 weeks and scored 3 goals

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that’s what I love about this place, always a sense of perspective as folks wade in with their analysis :)

it’s like the three blind men and the elephant - one at the tail, one at the belly one at the trunk. None have the full picture.

[marinello59]

He’s never offside as often as that domestically. The offsides were down to playing against a team who had a totally different speed of thought. As soon as the ball went out so did they. They saw everything before it actually happened.

Boyle is still trying to get back to full fitness and find his sharpness but he’ll still comfortably get double figures this season. He’s far from goosed.

:agree:

[superfurryhibby]

Whether it was Johnson’s instructions or not to remain high, Boyle was very poor tonight and left Miller badly exposed time and again. For weeks now I’ve thought Boyler looks to have lost a yard or two of pace and I hope I’m proved wrong. He has been let down though by Johnson playing him time and again against medical opinion.

Another post just making things up. It seems like open season for just saying anything you like.

Johnson playing Boyle against medical opinion, time and time again, like you could really know that 💤

[flash]

Another post just making things up. It seems like open season for just saying anything you like.

Johnson playing Boyle against medical opinion, time and time again, like you could really know that 💤

The opposite is actually true. LJ had to leave Boyle out of the team at Motherwell due to medical advice.

[Silky]

I wasn't concerned he wasn't fast enough or didn't put the work in, my concern is him and Miller don't instinctively know when to pass on thier man and that is a coaching issue.

100% not a coaching issue. Kids at 7 and 9 asides know when to do that. I'm all for criticising the manager and staff when deserved, but I'm not buying that one. I'd be booting both their***** for not carrying out a basic skill.