Most goals conceded outside of the bottom 4 - why?

[Nick QQQ]

"We've conceded closed to 2 goals per game so far this season, compared to 1.4 last season, when let's face it we were horrible in the league. Moyes will tell you it's because we are adopting a more open attacking style of play, which is absolute nonsense. So why are we conceding so many? A few of my own views:- - We allow too many balls into the box. Both Coufal and Emerson do not stop the supply. - Our CBs have been poor (outside of straight high balls into the box). Aguerd's positing and mistakes have cost us and Zouma's leg's look gone. That goal yesterday when he literally gave up was a good example. - We are ""forcing in"" a midfield 3 of Soucek, JWP and Alvarez. No pace between the 3 of them and they seem to too close together often getting in eachothers way. - Paqueta loses the ball a lot and when played out of position on the left gives Emerson little to no cover. - We play too direct and force pressure back on us. Regardless of why though, it's a big problem that needs fixing. We can't keep conceding so many goals and something needs to give. Any other thoughts? Also not sure Zouma is working as captain. We lack a leader on the pitch."

[Nagel]

"If you play in a completely passive way, don't press, give the opposition time and space and the confidence to come at you then you will face a lot of attacks. It's pretty simple. We've conceded a lot of goals because we've faced a lot of shots at goal: more than any other team except Sheff Utd and Bournemouth."

[LeroysBoots]

"A paradox considering Moyes and his defensive approach. Yet Moyes response, will be, we won the conference league, top of our EC table, in the quarters of the Caraboa and he""s fantastic...so all's good"

[zico]

"I don't think it helps that there isn't a voice there, although I'm not sure that Dec was a ranter and a raver. We seem to miss a bread and butter defender like Dawson and whilst both decent neither Fab or Areola are convincing coming for crosses. Aguerd looks nervy and I can't make my mind up about Zouma. Half the time he stands there with his hands behind his back but he does win some good headers and makes decent blocks. I'd personally give the captaincy to JWP."

[El Scorchio]

Possession also allied with where the majority of the game is played too. Sitting really deep rather than playing with a higher line or the players pushed on a bit pressing or occupying more ground will give the oppo much more possession much closer to our goal. Also a recipe for putting yourself under pressure and conceding. But for some reason he likes to play like this constantly.

[Lee Trundle]

"You've just shown me games where we've conceded goals in each one of them comma, so good one. Have a look at the overall STATS of the season. The teams with who are down there with the least amount of possession have conceded the most amounts of goals."

[Mad Dog]

If we let the other team attack for 85 minutes and have all the possession. Yes we'll concede goals. And loads of them. Only one person on the planet disagrees.

[Charoo]

"We sit too deep and invite pressure, if we pushed up 5 yards and had a better out ball it would reduce the goals conceded."

[,]

The teams with the least amount of possession concede the most amount of goals. WHU 3 Chelsea 1 24% possession. Brighton 1 WHU 3 22% possession. WHU 0 Everton 1 64% possession WHU 3 Arsenal 1 28% possession. Possession is not the be all and end all of winning a game. It seems some people are unaware of the difference between defending and possessing.

[Steady]

Change of keeper possibly

[Lee Trundle]

The teams with the least amount of possession concede the most amount of goals. It really is that simple.

[Westside]

"Moyes will tell you it's because we are adopting a more open attacking style of play, which is absolute nonsense. Only two teams outside the top 5 have outscored us, in the league. We have scored 1.75 goals per game. Last season after 12 games it was 0.9166. So our goals per game ratio, has nearly doubled. How has that happened? Before anybody says ""set pieces,"" we've scored 4 from set pieces and a penalty, in the league."

[,]

We defended better when Rice and Dawson were part of the defence.

[El Scorchio]

Zouma's not the problem. We're better when he plays. Part of the problem as mentioned is inviting the opposition on to us and being deep. When you look at the high line other teams employ it's like a different game.

[El Scorchio]

Zouma's not the problem. We're better when he plays. Part of the problem as mentioned is inviting the opposition on to us and being deep. When you look at the high line other teams employ it's like a different game.

[Takashi Miike]

"we're also missing the ability declan had of transitioning defence in to attack and carrying the ball past the first man rather than hitting it long. paqueta could also do it but is mostly out of position this season, ward prowse could also possible do it but is also out of position"

[Takashi Miike]

"a combination of not caring about having the ball, and how deep we sit on the pitch. It's suicidal tactics"