What should/could our plan B be?

OK, so it was all going swimmingly for a few months but now we've been found out as very one dimensional.

Sure, we can hold our own against teams who allow us to play but against teams that set up to frustrate, we struggle massively...

Do we need a plan B? If so, what type of players would that require?

Or do you believe that we have the right players.....they're just off form right now. Perhaps the squad is the problem and that our lack of quality squad players hasn't lightened the load on the first eleven....

Personally, I think we lack balance and width. We need someone in the centre who can dictate play WITH FORWARD PASSES and true wide players to stretch the game when needed (when was the last time we had a proper winger??) and next to him we need shield. A Kante type....or Mascherano if you prefer.....

That's not to mention a new CB and GK. We're 5 players short at least imo.

Or perhaps this lot need to stop thinking about the next ****ing Nivea advert and focus on playing.

 

Oops

I meant plan C

 

We need to perfect our plan A first by building a solid midfield and defence. Then we need to add more pace to the flanks - the full backs offer very little going forward, and Mane is the only fast winger we have.

 

For the players to apply themselves properly both mentally and physically. That's plan A though, let's get that right.

 

What if plan A only works against the bigger, more attacking teams? Let's be honest, we've struggled against packed defences all season and I see no change, at all, in our approach.....we've been awful at the back for an age....and now everyone has figured out how to blunt our attack.

If we don't have the personnel to execute plan A now then we really shouldn't be playing that way until we do....

 

When we had Mane Firmino and Coutinho in the first half of the season, they were able to cut open packed defences. There were so moments where they couldn't but they did show they could - so I'm not too concerned with the attack just yet.

But we definitely need to add width and pace down the flanks - the full backs currently add very little in terms of providing an outlet and stretching the play. Combined with the fact that Mane is the only winger we have.

 

First off the issue currently for me is two fold.

1. We are not passing fast enough.
2. Players like Firmino are not working hard enough.

Now what opponents are doing.

1. Teams are playing narrow knowing we will be slow coming forward and play narrow.
2. Teams know we have no set piece threat nor cross threat.
3. Teams are set up to break quick and play it over the non existent midfield. It's a 2 v2 on every break.


What we should be doing.

1. Both full backs are over committed. One should be staying if the other is advanced.
2. The front three must do much more running. They are not running channels. Mane yesterday gave clyne knew out ball all game, Coutinho has never given milner an out.
3. Deep players need to look for a fast ball over top/wide and not just pass square. Mix it up a little.
4. Need lallana and wijnaldum playing on half turn.
5. Take a ****ing challenge for once. Far too much lay it off ****e if we do play it forward.

Now plan b.

1. Lfc have no striker who can take a ball in and hold it up. Origi and sturridge have become pish and I saw lallana win more in air never mind that neither seem able to compare deals coming over to side for throw down line or hold it up.
2. Lfc also don't run in behind bar Mane.
3. No set piece threat. Get van dijk beside matip or whoever. Defensive and offensive threats.
4. 3 up top all come short so none ever get in at far stick... ever. That's annoying.

 

Pace I totally agree with. I think to some degree (it's not perfect), we have width; simple truth is that we don't use it. We never do. And teams have realised that if you defend narrowly and pack the centre, we (a) don't use the width and hence stretch the defence or (b) even if we do use it, we don't now what to do with it and our final ball is awful and (c) even if we stick in a decent ball, we're rarely have players making the right runs to make the most of it because we don't use it. It's basic stuff though and I don't want to believe that we can't get something so simple right.....

How many long straight balls do you see instead of working it down the flanks....it's how we are set up to play...and while I really want to believe that it is actually part of plan A, I don't see it being executed at all which makes me believe that it's not how we are sent out to play...

 

Quite frankly - we need better players. Mignolet, Lucas, Milner, Lovren should be nowhere near the first team.

Hendo, Can, Gini, Lallana are able squad players.

There is a lack of technical ability in the team as a whole - players who simply can't control the ball on the half and pass quickly. Or drop a shoulder and beat a man to create space. Or players from the deep who pass through the lines.

It feels like we've accepted mediocrity and players are given so much slack. We had defenders like arbeloa, hypia, carra, Aurelio but people are lauding the likes of Milner and Lovren. And then the club accounts tweeting how many forward passes Henderson has played to imply his status as the best CM in the league, when we had Xabi ****ing Alonso.

We need a spine first and foremost. Players who don't bottle occasions and stand up. Our captain is a coward, our midfield is cowardly. Our defence are a bunch of pansies as well.

 

Disagree. If only one goes forward then we don't stretch teams using width. What we need to do is employ a DM to protect the CBs and cover the FB areas if needed.

 

It's a domino effect.

It really is speed of play and that's what is annoying. All our forward 3, lala and Wiji have the ability to take the ball instantly. What they all seemed to be doing is then incessant dribbling 4 touches etc..this ruins aby quick run made by a team mate and eventually they stop making them...static.

Same problem with our wide players...if they stay wide with the above happening they are effectively out of the game. Having said that they do the exact same thing each time they do get the ball. Turn, turn, turn..this negates any runs made into the box and the ball is usually then passed backwards and inside. This problem is exacerbated by the fact neither wide man can cross on the run.

The CM's are slow of thought to the point of coma. There little 10 yard "driving runs" are so stuttery and slow that instead of drawing out opposition players to free up space further forward they simply allow the opposition to get set defensively and suffocate any runs our forwards have made.

Our defence plays too high against defensive opposition. I understand the idea...squeeze the opposition, close them down inside their own 25 yard area..force the mistake in their half....except it's having the opposite effect at the moment due to the points above. Because our forwards players are so slow it's reducing the space for them. We lose the ball and suddenly our entire half of the pitch is empty.

As K says..our team either through ability or loss of confidence can not play this way at the moment.

Personally I think it's our midfield and wide men..be it wing backs or not..they aren't good enough. Replace them and the forwards will click again...except Sturridge...he's for the glue factory...

 

This.

Far too often one will go up and the other won't push as far forward, that alone stops the attack having the width needed against the defensive teams. #frustrating

 

score a ****ing goal would be a start. And when we have successfully managed that ****ing defend it the other end

Although that logic should apply to our a,b,c,d plan etc.

 

I'm seeing two v two constantly which suggests the cbs ain't bothered to scream at Henderson and Henderson and can ain't bothered with position.

 

Hendo isn't a DM

 

What of we concede four before scoring?

 

Plan A) Win convincingly.
Plan B) Win some other way.
Plan C) At least win the possession stats.

 

Stick those responsible in the reserves lol.

What if we end up with no squad will be your next reply

 

What if we end up with no squad?

 

So it's plan a and b we are ****e at then lol.