I know we were **** defensively etc... But can we all agree that for the next few days at least we'll be positive after winning and Sturridge coming back with 2 goals
Sturridge is hardly match fit but scored.I think we need to ditch the 5 at the back as I have noticed one of the three defenders switches off when a cross is put in and then the other is left in no man's land. With Hendo Benteke and Firmino yet to come back all I can do is hope for better attacking performances
I don't think the formation is the problem there, I just think when you have a central midfielder playing as one of the 3 he's going to make some mistakes in a position that is alien to him. Add that to the fact that the other 2 centre backs can be iffy anyway and its not a solid foundation to build the defence on anyway. Though I do agree we need to ditch the 5 at the back because of the fact we have 1 less player in attack and the 3 usually end up marking 1 striker, like they were doing today with Gestede.
Benteke and Firmino are part of the problem. Benteke waits for service and Firm is slower than a drunk turtle wearing lead boots. We're Crap usually with or without them. With them that's two players out of xi who can't press, can't tackle, and can't chase down a ball. We can't afford two players on the field who can't contribute to us winning the ball back, or keeping the ball.
Good to finally get 3 points. Moreno, Lucas, Coutinho, Ings were the best performers for me. Sturridge was largely quite poor but his presence causes problems and comes up with the big goals. Can't wait to have him fully fit and sharp. Ings is really growing on me - he and Studge work well and it's hardly rocket science. Why we spent £32m on a striker who just doesn't suit our creative players is beyond me. Ings showed us the type of player we needed when Suarez left. Thought Sakho made some mistakes today - not his best performance. Lucas was really good I felt. Still painfully slow but did a job. The concerns are that despite having so much of the ball and villa not really attacking us, they still scored two goals. Not sure what Can was doing for the first goal but he looks out of form - take him out of defence ASAP and give Gomez a go. The second goal was what we needed to be wary of Before the game - Gested is not a footballer. But in the air, he's a monster. Cut off the supply to him and he won't do anything. When you put in a good cross and he's running at full pelt, there's only one winner. All in all, just nice to get 3 points amidst the doom and gloom. Tired of constantly arguing with fellow fans. Still think Rodgers is gone very soon.
I think Benteke and Sturridge could actually work very well, with time. Firmino is just ****e though and couldn't be more unsuited to this league if he tried - strange considering he came from Germany! He's the player that stood out in an average German team, blagged a few Brazilian caps and gets a 30mil move
Harsh on Firmino. One of his strengths is pressing and winning the ball back. He was one of the best players in Europe at winning the ball back in an opponents final third in the Bundesliga IIRC and he had a really high tackle per game count at Hoffenehim. The problem so far is that instead of playing a high pressing approach our style has been to stay organised and fall back when opponents have the ball which clearly doesn't suit his strengths as a player.
Firmino is slow? He's actually quick on and off the ball. His movement is exceptional. Play him centrally and you'll see how good he is. And even on the wing, he should have had two assists to his name, and he's come close to scoring than other mids. Benteke I agree with - a lot of fans were trying to argue that Benteke is more than just a target man. Yes - he can pass a bit and he makes a few runs but that doesn't mean he excels in those areas. Completely at odds with the way we play.
Far too early to be writing firmino off guys. He she's not been great but give him a chance. Needs to get up to pave in the prem but doesn't help when you come into a team that is still trying to find a way of playing.
I agree that Benteke COULD be better for us but it requires a different strategy and we'd need to have more possession first. Right now he's just a player who doesn't contribute because he can't get the ball.
I'm not writing him off. He's young and been placed in a downtrodden team that is ineffectively run by a manager who doesn't know how to play a team to their strengths. Right now he doesn't look too much different to Aspas did. Lost and confused, a spectator as the ball is played around him. Until/unless he improves he shouldn't be playing. He may have been great in Germany. He may one day be good in England but right now he's not getting the ball and is outpaced in every challenge. I'm not suggesting we throw away Benteke or Firm... Just saying they're two of the most ineffective players this season and don't merit constant inclusion in the first team... At least not yet.
Firmino struggled at first but I have started seeing signs of him slightly improving in terms of anticipation and reaction. I saw Modric struggle likewise and I believe it's only a matter of time
How's he meant to do that without playing? Hes not been the best but has he been any worse than Milner, ibe, lallana, can this year? Seems ms to have just been singled out a bit so far. Needs a run of games in the team with coutinho Sturridge and Inge around him, players who are quick and offer movement.
Ibe and Lallana have been bad this year and Milner mediocre. What I notice as one of our biggest problems this year is possession, especially up top. We also don't threaten up top. Sturridge back will improve that. What happens is we go forward and no one is in a spot to collect the ball... Or Firm loses the ball because he is outrun by someone 20yards further away. What happens is we lose the ball easily in the opposition area and no one is challenging and pressing the opposition. We don't win the ball back in that third. We give them space and play frequently with too much of a gap allowing them to quickly move forwards and challenge our defence. Our defence leaks in part because we give away too many challenges. Milner hasn't been great but he does press... He doesn't just let them get away with crap or give them time. Ibe has been bad this season, I concur, but I guess I just expect less from him in the first place and he isn't a write in for the first team either. Lala is bad too. Ive hardly given him a love fest this season.
