Why dummy when a shot's on?

[Glorio]

Admittedly, it's a small sample size (2 games or so), but I'm beginning to notice that players are "dummying" when they have at least the same chance as the final recipient of shooting and scoring.
I'm not seeing what the benefit is here. I appreciate a good dummy when the final recipient is unmarked and in a better position, but that hasn't been the case in my opinion and I do find it annoying.

Do you think it's justified or not?

And are the players trying to be too cute, or is this a confidence issue with some of our attacking players?

 

[Judas]

We're very guilty of being over elaborate and going for that extra extra pass, instead of just....having a shot. We don't shoot anywhere nearly as much as we should.

 

[kouroux]

I think it's instinctive, not something that they can plan. The Pogba one for Fred made sense but the Martial to Pogba just felt too forced and it made Martial look like he was more concerned of missing the shot than anything else.

 

[crossy1686]

It's obviously something they've worked on when they feel the box is too crowded, the problem is it's not coming off at the moment but it will look good when it does.

 

[R'hllor]

It feels good.

 

[Mcking]

Nothing wrong with it. Presents a teammate with a better sight at goal. Teammates repeatedly get calls for the ball to be left. You only notice the ones that were indeed left.

 

[SadlerMUFC]

Need to be more specific but typically if someone is dummying the ball it's because they think that someone else has a better chance of scoring...

 

[RashyForPM]

We look truly brilliant in some games, but there are others where our attackers like Pogba, Martial and Rashford resemble Arsenal players in the back end of Wenger’s era. Enough of the stupid flicks, dummies and passing when a shot’s on. Not just last night and Villa either. For example, Pogba’s back heel to VdB against Everton when 8 yards out.

 

[Jaqen H'ghar]

Noticed it too, and I think it's largely a confidence issue.

 

[Nickelodeon]

Isn't it too specific of an issue for a thread? The decision making lies with the person on the ball. Rashford, on multiple occasions, has successfully sat the opponents on their butts, before scoring. Examples of his poor choices are aplenty as well. Ultimately, the proof lies in the execution. You can't just stop dummying and start shooting every time.

 

[TheBreadTruck]

I've actually noticed it across a bunch of other games recently, not just in ours. Seems to be trending, it's occuring far more often in the last 2/3 weeks - people trying to iterate tactics to help unlock new block fad?

 

[CM]

It's becoming a bit of an annoying habit, especially when we're chasing a goal. Put your foot through it!

 

[DWelbz19]

I think it’s a mix of not having true confidence, and something tactical the players work on.

Also: I don’t think anyone bar Greenwood is truly a super goal hungry player in our side. Cavani, too perhaps. They’re all relatively selfless, which has its strengths but also has its faults.

 

[RUCK4444]

In fairness once in a decade it works a peach though.

 

[Glorio]

In fairness once in a decade it works a peach though.

 

[Glorio]

Isn't it too specific of an issue for a thread? The decision making lies with the person on the ball. Rashford, on multiple occasions, has successfully sat the opponents on their butts, before scoring. Examples of his poor choices are aplenty as well. Ultimately, the proof lies in the execution. You can't just stop dummying and start shooting every time.

I get that, however, when you have as clear a sight at goal as anyone, surely just take the shot?

Pogba for Fred for instance, Pogba was closer to goal, and surely is a more prolific scorer anyway. Similar point applies to the Martial to Pogba one too

 

[MattofManchester]

Because we like to be fancy instead of just trying to put the ball in the back of the net.

 

[Ole90+3]

I think it's instinctive, not something that they can plan. The Pogba one for Fred made sense but the Martial to Pogba just felt too forced and it made Martial look like he was more concerned of missing the shot than anything else.

Not sure what world that made sense in. Pogba had a much closer position to goal and space to curl it in the near post. I don't think there's any scenario Fred shooting over Pogba makes sense.

 

[kouroux]

Not sure what world that made sense in. Pogba had a much closer position to goal and space to curl it in the near post. I don't think there's any scenario Fred shooting over Pogba makes sense.

In this instance it was sensible, Pogba was closed down

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

I think it's instinctive, not something that they can plan. The Pogba one for Fred made sense but the Martial to Pogba just felt too forced and it made Martial look like he was more concerned of missing the shot than anything else.

Shooting should be instinctive, not shirking the opportunity.

 

[Carl]

Admittedly, it's a small sample size (2 games or so), but I'm beginning to notice that players are "dummying" when they have at least the same chance as the final recipient of shooting and scoring.
I'm not seeing what the benefit is here. I appreciate a good dummy when the final recipient is unmarked and in a better position, but that hasn't been the case in my opinion and I do find it annoying.

Do you think it's justified or not?

And are the players trying to be too cute, or is this a confidence issue with some of our attacking players?

Why pass when a shot's on? Presumably because they think someone has a better chance of scoring.

 

[Carl]

Not sure what world that made sense in. Pogba had a much closer position to goal and space to curl it in the near post. I don't think there's any scenario Fred shooting over Pogba makes sense.

For all we know Fred was screaming for the ball.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

Why pass when a shot's on? Presumably because they think someone has a better chance of scoring.

I'm beginning to think they're all in here reading Rashford's player performance thread and don't want to be accused of being greedy for wanting to score goals and win matches.

 

[Carl]

I'm beginning to think they're all in here reading Rashford's player performance thread and don't want to be accused of being greedy for wanting to score goals and win matches.

Our entire squad reading the shite that gets written on here would explain a few things tbf.

 

[Dr. Dwayne]

Our entire squad reading the shite that gets written on here would explain a few things tbf.

 

[LilyWhiteSpur]

To give yourself an extra space.

 

[Ole90+3]

In this instance it was sensible, Pogba was closed down

It wasn't sensible at all, especially if Pogba did indeed know it was Fred he was leaving the ball for. Watch it again, there was a path for Pogba to score near post.

 

[manutdrphenomenal]

We're very guilty of being over elaborate and going for that extra extra pass, instead of just....having a shot. We don't shoot anywhere nearly as much as we should.

exactly. Rashford took the chance and we got a goal vs Wolves. Same game i was thinking if we shoot more we might get a deflection or something. Specially when the opponent has full team defending then you are likely to recover the ball to rebuild attack. So you are not taking too much risk if losing the ball.

 

[Ole90+3]

For all we know Fred was screaming for the ball.

I'm pretty sure we would have heard the scream, there's no one in the stadium. Also, if I'm Pogba, I'm ignoring any screams Fred might have to shoot the ball in a worse position.

 

[Nickosaur]

I think Welbeck used to do it quite a lot too. As if he was too scared to feck up the chance, so he'd just step over the ball instead

 

[MadDogg]

I get that, however, when you have as clear a sight at goal as anyone, surely just take the shot?

Pogba for Fred for instance, Pogba was closer to goal, and surely is a more prolific scorer anyway. Similar point applies to the Martial to Pogba one too

Pretty sure it was slightly behind Pogba so he would have had to take a touch to set it up properly. I highly doubt he would have left it if it was going to be able to hit it properly in his stride.

For all we know Fred was screaming for the ball.

Honestly Fred looked surprised that Pogba left it. He noticeably had to accelerate quite a bit to get to the ball quickly after Pogba let it go. I could be wrong but from what I could see it didn't look like he called for it.

 

[Glorio]

Why pass when a shot's on? Presumably because they think someone has a better chance of scoring.

In recent instances, that's not been the case

 

[NinjaFletch]

This has been causing me to tear my hair out for weeks. So many players guilty of overplaying it.

Just shoot man.

 

[Sandikan]

I think it's instinctive, not something that they can plan. The Pogba one for Fred made sense but the Martial to Pogba just felt too forced and it made Martial look like he was more concerned of missing the shot than anything else.

This one made no sense as Pogba was coming on to the ball on his strong foot, inside the area.
But absolutely madly left it, meaning the ball was going to a far worse angle, and surely he knew Fred - who never scores any - had way less chance of scoring.

 

[MileStolar]

Tell that to Diego Milito, the guy nailed it in UCL final...

 

[calodo2003]

Plays into the ‘why try for an incessant 1-2 flick when a turn & a touch could unlock a defense?’

We like the cutsie shit a little too much.

That’s a big reason why we play more effectively with Cavani.

 

[kouroux]

It wasn't sensible at all, especially if Pogba did indeed know it was Fred he was leaving the ball for. Watch it again, there was a path for Pogba to score near post.

I did and you make it sound like he almost passed an easy scoring chances. He just simply didn't trust himself there

Shooting should be instinctive, not shirking the opportunity.

I agree. You won't see me argue here

 

[VeevaVee]

I find confidence to shoot such an odd thing. How much confidence do you need to boot a football in a certain direction?

 

[Red00012]

Why pass when a shot's on? Presumably because they think someone has a better chance of scoring.

Martial seems unable to shoot if he’s outside the box , he always feels the need to walk into a bunch of defenders and thinks he’ll waltz past them or do a 1-2, it’s infuriating , just SHOOT

 

[Andersons Dietician]

I think it's instinctive, not something that they can plan. The Pogba one for Fred made sense but the Martial to Pogba just felt too forced and it made Martial look like he was more concerned of missing the shot than anything else.

When that Fred one happened and it wasn’t in shot as to who was coming on to it in my head I was thinking please anyone but Fred. To be fair to him if I remember correctly it was a pretty decent effort.

I think the Martial one, not a great position to be shooting from but here in lies Martials problem. Aguero, Kane, Lewndowski, Cavani, Halland even Rashford are more than likely not doing a dummy there and taking that shot on.

If it Had worked out better and Pogba is striding on to it and cracking it in top bin we are all think genius. It doesn’t so it’s a what could have been.