Match Day Thread Vs Arsenal (H)

Letting two goals lead slipped at Bournemouth was the beginning of the whole thing.

 

you are right and coincidentally (or not i suppose) if you look at bournemouth's form their slide began there too and they are up **** creek now.

 

Agreed - he's struggled all season and played through injuries.

But even at full fitness, he and the others will continue to struggle against lesser teams who sit deep.

 

Aye, got a point there Dribs! 3 games that we could and should have got something out of have that in instead kicked us in the nuts..

• 3-1 up against Bournemouth with less than 15mins to go.. should see that out, 3pts dropped
• 2-1 up against Sunderland, give a needless Pen, should have seen that out, 2pts dropped
• Getting back to 2-2 against the Swans, at the least not lose that from that position, 1pt dropped..

But, IF is the biggest word in football..

 

there is a small sliver of hope that we should all huddle round and cherish lads.

Klopp dropped the "playing for your future" bomb on these players. Could they take that to heart? On the next game will tell IMO.

 

With a Midfield 3 of Hendo, Gini and Lallana, we have better balance and more legs in Midfield, I expect Can to make way for the Skipper when he's fit.
He had a good enough game against Arsenal, not great! He's no where near the form he had last year, until he regains that level of play he shouldn't be starting when the other 3 are fit!

 

I agree totally, all easily controllable positions.

 

We've only lost 5 games this season... that's pretty impressive compared to normal I think? Few too many draws in there which is the issue. Just looks bad because the 5 defeats have come against teams should have beaten really. If we'd lost those 5 games against Chelsea, city, Arsenal etc then wouldn't be too annoyed plus we'd be further behind because they'd have more points from beating us.

 

Keeping a clean sheet is a major key in winning matches.
Borrowed from Rafa Benitez:" If we keep a clean sheet we are going to win many matches".

 

Normal is 8th though. Yes this season started great and just imploded to leave us with nothing but we can show good form for last 3rd of season and get as high in table as we can.

it must be said. Our record in 2013/14 was 26/6/6. This ear it stands at 15/7/5.

If we won 10 and lost one more it'd be nice n all that but there you go.

Last year we lost 10 games. Our season just petered out around europa.

 

Sorry, but Can was really lucky not to get a second yellow yesterday. If you want our players to start committing those sorts of fouls high up the pitch they'll be getting sent off all over the place.

 

yeah but thats not the one i was happy about

the first one was a good honest to god professional foul preventing sanchez setting up another goal chance.

thats all I'm saying. We don't do enough cynical things IMO.

I see it week in week out at other clubs. they don't get sent off.... nd dare i say it a hamman, alonso or maschernao would do it and do do it.. all the time.

That was a perfect example of the right time to go do it. its not a cheap knock a guy over when there's loads of cover. Literally If he didn't it would be a chance on goal IMO.

 

My point is that the reason that players like Lucas give away fouls in dangerous positions is exactly because it is a dangerous position.
It's a high-risk, last-ditch attempt to prevent an attempt on goal. Giving away fouls higher up the pitch might prevent a situation developing, but it will still earn you a yellow card, so in a situation where a lot of things can still happen it's cheap and pointless.

 

Yes but if you KNOW its going to develop into a dangerous position but you can take a guy like a sanchez out with a little shirt pull or a push then you've demonstated good game awareness in knowing where your team is and where their players are too.

If you allow it to develop like LFC regularly do and end up hacking a guy down after a cheaper, maybe non yellow foul would have done on half way? thats just poor.

I see it all the time off corners against us. We put in a **** ball and a side breaks and we just stand up and let them run past us and create chances.

I don't see that as pointless at all. The guys back is not to play, he's not bottled up so you just buy yur team time to get back.

IMO its a good foul.

 

I think recently we were the victim of one of these types v leicester maybe where someone pulled a shirt and got a yellow cos he knew he couldn't run with our player?? he'd got cover but he didn't take any risks.

we are too soft IMO

 

We might just have to agree to disagree here.
You should only commit blatant, bookable offences when there's no alternative.
I think a bit more concentration would improve Can's game rather than just burying people now and again. You might get all misty-eyed over the old fashioned gladiatorial nature of it, but if you pick up unnecessary yellows you're not helping the team cause in the long run.
This is just my opinion, of course - I'll have to wait for Diego to toddle along and tell me if I'm right or not.

 

Against top teams we usually play as a unit, like against Arsenal everyone was defending, but teams below top six we usually take them for granted.

 

I think there's always a time and place

I agree an unneeded yellow is detrimental always but when a guy can see a bad situation if he doesn't then.. well... it shows he's reading the game when he does it.

clumsy hands on back rubbish annoys me in this day and age cos guys are looking to flop thats a different sort of thing.


IMO can's yellow was him v sanchez, knowing if the guy got going chances were it was going to be a good chance to arsenal and he cut it off. I was delighted someone finally showed that find of cynical ability to play mourinho style for us

 

TBH the Can yellow could have been a bit less blatant. He practically did the splits to reach out and trip Sanchez rather than being in a position to body check him. And the advantage was played so the foul was completely bypassed and pointless in the end.

 

except they blew up and he stood in front of the ball as well