|
Post by rugbytoffee on Feb 18, 2021 18:30:21 GMT
We give the ball away , because we lack confidence in possession and players don't want the responsibility. But they put us under pressure , whereas we let them have time and space. Easier said than done , but at least make an effort. They did put us under pressure, but we have to expect better, surely? Exactly , but I am sure we could have made it more difficult for them , if we were in their faces and snapping at there ankles. They had so much time and space it was embarrassing , world class players will thrive in those scenarios
|
|
|
Post by empresstouch on Feb 20, 2021 15:16:16 GMT
Painful defeat. Not for the first time, and despite treading the right ground, not for the last either.
What needs to happen every game (i.e. eleven players showing urgency to outperform opponents) clearly never happened against Fulham.
We wanted a reaction; for the players to show on the pitch why last Sunday evening was completely unacceptable.
Unfortuately, that on-field apology had to be against the most all-round complete team in England.
A team comprised from a squad of players who all know that if they take the foot of the accelerator for as much as a split-second, they'll be out of matchday participation for some time.
A squad where everyone is as fit in running and running without burn-out or fatigue, where everyone is muscular and balanced enough to pass the ball quicker, more accurately and with more disguise than any other starting XI in the Premier League - including today's opponents.
Performance that has slowly yielded much domestic success and crucially, the European experience the Man Utd "Class of '92" monopolised for 10-15 years.
Now yes, Man City's rise was never held to ransom by FFP red tape. Ditto for Chelski and to some extent, Tottenham.
It will take a long time for us to emulate them all, and the Covid-19 issue robbing Carlo Ancelotti of a first, thorough pre-season hasn't helped us one little bit.
The foundations may be far from stable, as that £85m Barcelona offer for our most valuable player only highlights.
But what can we look to TODAY in the 'here and now' that offers genuine optimism for an equal performance vs our biggest rival, as well as a much-needed result?
Well, the obvious one is the addition of DCL and Allan.
Calvert-Lewin's source of goals has kept solid performances in parallel with results.
But Allan has been so sorely missed. Yes, IF Gbamin is an equal and mirror asset, it makes our transfer plans a little less complicated in the Summer, but right now Allan's clear and unambiguous disgust at opponents being in possession of the ball under any circumstances is key.
Without him, our other midfielders simply do not have the confidence to regularly sprint into the opposing penalty area and offer (arguably) the best crosser in the Premier League MORE than one target to pick out - something Doucoure was specifically bought for, not to mention what this would potentially do for Andre Gomes' game, in tandem.
And how does this translate i relation to today's Merseyside derby?
Well, one such Anfield derby sticks in my mind - and for all the wrong reasons if you happen to be one of 'them'!
We all can recall that moment of stupidity that Dejan Lovren committed - nearly his club the 2018-19 Champions' League place - plus his manager's career - all in pushing DCL off the ball in his team's own penalty area.
We may have all seen the funny side, even if Klopp failed too.
And we all know why he then ordered his board to cough-up the £75m for a certain defender (we won't go any further).
But this very Anfield, December 2017, 1-1 draw should also be remembered for another honorable reason: the performance of Idryssa Gueye.
We've missed him too.
He always gave 100% to covering every blade of grass - every time.
But in this derby, when captain Jordan Henderson failed to get his team-mates to speed up the game (and grind us down both physically AND mentally, the way Man City did on Wednesday night), Idryssa Gueye passed the ball simply, assuredly and with little hesitation or fuss.
This meant before Liverpool players could corner any of our players when we had the ball, we were moving forwards and them backwards, thus breaking up the rhythm of Klopp's gameplan without the deployment of yellow cards turning to a possible red.
Of all players, Tom Davies is now treading in this vein: keep it simple, but quick and without fuss: pass the ball before the opposition close in.
This was starting to appear through the sheer adrenaline carrying us all in that Spurs extra-time win.
With BOTH Allan AND Tom Davies being able to do this, sharing the workload can be a far more manageable task.
We must hope that early game injuries like Yerry Mina's last Wednesday are a rarity, for Ancelotti needs to be able to spread the workload far more flexibly than he was able to against City.
I honestly don't know how this derby's going to end.
But I hope you're all excited as I am to see it unfold!
|
|