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Post by empresstouch on Apr 27, 2022 22:39:31 GMT
World-class opponents failing to follow their manager’s instructions. All eyes of the footballing world watching a David vs Goliath chess match. In little apparent hope – one man nearly pulled off a minor miracle. It wasn’t to be.
A lot to discuss and ponder upon after a very tense and compelling Merseyside derby.
A lot has been discussed since the final whistle was blown.
But with little time and very little room for error left – what do we know now that we might not have after scraping a 1-1 home draw against an opponent we travel to in the very near future?
We all joyfully remember James Rodriguez slicing Liverpool’s defence apart in less than three minutes of Anfield action last Winter. It got a very unwelcome monkey firmly off our backs – for last year, at least.
He may not wear the captain’s armband full-time, but ringleader van Dijk was clearly missed by those in red last season. But despite his positional play crucial to nullifying Gordon, Gray and Richarlison in a pedestrian 1st-half, there was an unusual element to Liverpool’s play. An element that Jurgen Klopp’s opposite number deserves rich praise for achieving; complacency from frustration.
And this completely calculated gameplan Lampard had spent the previous three days working on didn’t just vanish after Frank’s opposite number’s half-time team talk gave those under-performing reds a stern telling off. Oh no. The sight of Mo Salah dribbling backwards in possession from OUR penalty area – and then playing a 40m backpass, all inside the first three minutes of the 2nd-half…
This was grudging respect our players AND manager had won from those who both knew just how little player resources Lampard had to deploy – against (arguably) the #1 form team in Europe. And this confirmed in the 90th minute; Mo Salah no less, wanting the ball back quickly to boost his club’s goal differential, slashed by one-third after City’s 5-1 win over Watford the day before, not getting his wish – but knowing he’d grossly under-performed on a day where a grass roots level-scoreline had been predicted – and feared.
Salah, one of the most placid-tempered players in the global sport, sincerely smiling in embarrassment. He – AND HIS TEAM – had got away with one, by the skin of their teeth.
This may as well have gone completely unnoticed by most media observers. It certainly won’t the Chelski manager Tuchel and Brendan Rodgers – Lampard’s next opponents to outfox.
But despite respect won on the pitch, a chronic lack of chances being created by our own players is all-too-alarming. Alarm bells are ringing, it can no longer be swept under the carpet. The question is: WHAT alarm bells need to be pressed internally, and what do all involved need to do – apart from the obvious (fight as a fully-united team)?
Some penalty appeals and possible professional fouls-aside, we only created one chance to score, and at that, when 1-0 down (where most teams will NOT be chasing a high goal differential against opposing clubs in the marathon League season). In the 72nd-minute, one of many Anthony Gordon counter-attacks led to Demarai Gray having half the goal to shoot at, from 20 metres out – and failing to hit the target (albeit an out-swinging shooting angle).
And yes, this was in the most part a result of ALL eleven players being given the instruction of stopping Salah, Jota & Mane at just about all costs. The gameplan that so nearly worked, against very long odds. Working to such effect that Klopp, burning with inner anger at how his half-time team-talk was blatantly ignored by world-class players, decided to sub both Mane & Keita – with a message of intent. We have to hold our hands up and praise Jurgen’s courage to wield THAT axe…
The biggest test Lampard NOW faces, against one of his ex-player employers in Chelski, will be to install genuine belief not only in all his players’ individual mentalities, but as a functioning team for the full 90 next Sunday afternoon at Goodison. The opponents are far from guaranteed a Top four finish, as things stand, so we shouldn’t expect complacency from them to be easily induced. But we got a point at Stamford Bridge by hanging in there this season and we’ve defeated them in previous Goodison fixtures, despite conceding over 3/4 possession on many of those occasions.
Once again, the odds will be against us. Speaking the complete obvious, of course.
Yet like Man Utd, Chelski are no longer in Champions’ League participation – and are beatable.
Despite some questionable positioning from Michael Keane for Liverpool’s breakthrough goal on Sunday: everyone wearing blue last Sunday gave their best – whilst ON the pitch. How much they give to their professions OFF the pitch in all forms of preparation is something of discipline Frank Lampard absolutely MUST install throughout the Everton organisation to a far greater effect – IF genuine dedication on the pitch is to yield those priceless results we have to secure.
There’s definitely hope.
There’s grudging respect.
Both the above must be backed up with the fear that we can score goals.
Chelski and Leicester: ideal opponents to show our immediate rivals that we’ve got what this will take.
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Post by jimmy on Apr 28, 2022 11:35:07 GMT
The players are doing ok but we have nobody that can create anything other than putting it out wide or running down the wings.
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