Match Day Thread Liverpool V Arsenal (LC)

Yesterday just shows why sometimes you do need those unpredictable tricky players. It’s something we really don’t have, that forward player that can go past a man 1v1 with skill in tight areas.

Said before Salah mane use their speed and movement to get past players but in a packed box or final 3rd we need something more. Let’s not forget that we did the same v Chelsea earlier in season with both of those so not sure how much diff they would have made.

Crying out for something different. The problem is that they can be frustrating. Remember coutinho shooting over from outside box numerous times. Or trying to dribble and lose the ball and attack would break down. Those types have both pros and cons and in our normal system and style it doesn’t really work. We’ve needed the midfield 3 to be workmanlike and you can’t now turn around and blame henderson Milner for being that player when they’ve helped us win titles the last 3 years.

It’s like blaming a turtle for not being a horse. It’s not their fault, they are what they are and their jobs have been to win the ball and give it to others.

Klopp for all his strengths does have a slight lack of plan when come up against these teams. We have no alternatives. Even when Jones came on he went more wide rather than being in the middle. Klopp it seems doesn’t want a midfield playmaker like coutinho Fernandes etc as they can’t be trusted to do what he wants his midfield to do.

So unless we dramatically change our whole system, our midfield will also be less creative. But does just mean we need variety in attack. Mentioned other day about Jota and Bobby not being quick which is fine when you have Salah and mane pace alongside. But when you have minamino Jota and Bobby yoj have no pace at all. Bobby has nice footwork but doesn’t really go past player with tricky. Need someone that’s going to commit defenders.

It’s easy to stand their and not make a tackle just make blocks, if you have someone running at you with step overs, bit of skill it forces the defender to make a decision. Back off into box and risk a pen? Go and tackle outside and risk getting done and expose the space behind. That’s the kind of player we were crying out for in this and a few others games.

 

you are right. its the same old same old.

our plan a is running hard and fast in broken play and exploiting space with mane and salah. we don't even want a player who can play centrally and finish. we pant player who can press and close pace and win ball.

however we need to compare and contrast to man city against a packed defence

see below. not all CMs in fornt of the ball blocking space. (wolves have a man sent off here as well)


note the width and the city player is running onto ball not standing waiting for it and then running backwards.


note that the full back on the right isn't stood in the middle so he is free. note rodri position outside box where he belongs. its 8 men back plus keeper for wolves but ball across causes panic still.

gundodgan and rodri appear for lay offs and shots if wanted. look at us and we are 2 yards away from the player i nthe box and can't do anything or are back to goal.

again they are plying in and running onto things quickly. We are not. Its all too slow. Who said last night, take a touch, look about, take another touch roll it back stuff? they are right.

I want trent RUNNING over lapping to corss OR i want someone else overlapping him and running onto ball. IMo we are not playing it infront of players, there's far too many getting ahead of the ball, standing about static with back to goal and have zero talent to turn and shoot.

nobody wants to run the channel and demand a ball, nobody wants to over lap and get behind. thats IMO the issue not forward shave no pace.

 

Another thing to add, we get a ridiculous amount of corners in most games so we've really got to come up with something else there as well. Trent last night changed it up a bit trying in-swinger but they weren't effective. The players could try crowding the goalie as well. We are quite predictable in our positioning.

 

the corners last night were utterly pathetic. most didn't even get off the ground.

 

I would ... but then I realised that we're still without Thiago, Mane and Salah.

 

Mentioned this in another thread - Klopp's system (Plan A) is really good and it will work most of the time against all types of teams (including low blocks). The issue is that we have a system which requires all components. Unfortunately, we're missing Thiago, Mane and Salah, all of whom are crucial to that system.

As you say, Klopp should be changing system / shape to suit the players that are available but he doesnt - he still expects something from Milner and Henderson which is clearly lacking. Klopp has this annoying loyalty to certain players like those two and also Robertson who is offering nothing going forward and hasn't done for almost a year. That's not the players fault, that's on Klopp. The personnel that is left is not good enough to play this system and that is down the owners for not investing in the squad.

 

Love to know why Trent is still our free kick taker when he's **** at them?

 

Only if we're playing against 11 men

 

Petition to ban Robertson from taking set pieces!

 

Pretty much sums up the need for a quality LCM alongside Fabinho:

 

I can't remember the last time we won the header from a corner, never mind score from one. Supposedly, this is one of our strengths statistically too

 

It is a bit weird that we get the FBs to take them. Plus, they only seem to take them on their own side of ther pitch meaning all our corners are out swingers too.

Ox used to be great at them, all did they just seem great because Gerrard took them before that he was terrible at them?

 

One thing that got me about last night was the fact no one seem prepared to try a long range shot after all when a team is as deep as Arsenal naturally were the goalies view won'f be great and there is always the chance of a deflection .

 

Are you joking? Henderson, Ox, and Matip all tried at least one and they all came down with snow on them.

I kept thinking if any of you are trying long shots at least get them on target. Is this season's ball lighter?

 

I dont think the technique demonstrated or space the gave themselves was anywhere near adequate.

Minamino though... goodbye.

 

i meant proper ones
perhaps i just wiped them from my memory bank if they were that bad .

 

Only really remember ox having a few strikes and they were both miles over.

 

Hendo, Ox and Jones all tried long range later on but none were close

 

FFS

 

Hendo tried to do a lay off to Taki on the edge of the box, and that caused more harm than good.