I've said before, it's good that we're being so eco-friendly in recycling yellow dusters - but I don't like the look. please log in to view this image
BREAKING: Manchester United are giving serious consideration to sacking Ole Gunnar Solskjær. [via - Samuel Luckhurst] Nooooo!
Did anyone notice how deep our defensive line was yesterday? I think it was intentional and Klopp genius. We'd normally be higher but there seemed to be a point in that to close us down Rashford, Fernandez and Greening had to cover longer distances and meant we could just pass it around them. This also explains the why are Utd trying to press us comments from all the pundits, it was because they thought they'd be closing down our high back line and it has caused us problems in the past. Subtle change from Klopp imo and it ruined It's. It also created the space in midfield and created an overload. Quite often we play to the DM and start there but Hendo was higher and we had to play longer balls into him.
I dunno. I do know we started with a lot of head tennis and then once the ball was got down there were so many passing options it was untrue. Once the first goal went in who knows really if the line was deliberate or just us drawing them. I do know any sort of press they might have had was shambolic. They never closed a single passing lane.
I think that's the point why was the press so bad? It's because of how unusually deep we were, they had to cover too much of a distance for it to be effective. I say it's intentional.
I think they were are not suited to pressing and have no clue anyway. Any side with slab head is ever going to be able to hold a line to allow a proper press. Greenwood for first gaol is a classic example. Hes not shut the lane to robertson off so he half runs at vvd who just bypasses him and then biscuit legs it from far to far away at robbo who bypasses him and then jota rolls it inside cos lindeloff isnt tight. Slab head is half following firmino brainlessly who then supplies to salah who is played inside by their single defender left. Nobody tracks keita at all from cm. Theres so much wrong with it that I'd put nothing past agent ole in terms of incompetence in telling them to press up having never trained it.
There was also a slight change with Robbo, normally in possession VVD pushes left and the other right and both full backs push on. VVD can then pick his passes and you get the long ball to Salah often. Instead though VVD stayed a lot more central Robbo deeper on the left and Konate right. Again this created a solid deep defensive line and Utd could not close the space or use the wide channels in behind our full backs as they were not there.
Yeah they are not suited to it anyway but in a game like this teams usually put more effort in and press more than they normally would. Imo Klopp knew this and changed it slightly to not give them that option.
He certainly put in konate for pace over matip so that would lend more to your argument but we probably stepped back to stop them just hoofing it. I thought fabinho as well youd not want to get run
I've seen a lot of comments from Utd fans putting the blame on Luke Shaw for well, basically everything.
Which would be stupid as **** and par for the course. He was left last man by his AWOL midfield and central defense for first goal. He was left thinking he had to go for the ball on the second by the donkey cb who got out of position again and slowly lumbered into him Not one tackle was put in by mctominay or fred (who was not fit) Rashford and Greenwood never got close to robertson or trent. That's criminal right there. Shaw wasnt great but he was by no.means the only one. They all looked slow and falling over each other.
