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CL run has exposed our midfield.

Discussion in 'Liverpool' started by moreinjuredthanowen, Nov 30, 2018.

  1. moreinjuredthanowen

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    People talk about 5 away losses.... but the reality is there's a common theme here.

    The prem is all kick and rush football, certainly outside the top 4. We kick possession away and the opponents give it right back. You only need look at watford game last time out for number of long ball played at salah.

    My strong view is that we have missed coutinho and While ox did a bit our game moved more and more towards going to salah quick and direct (even if i wouldn't admit it to diego)

    My view is not one of our midfielders want the ball or want to take it and control the game, be positive and bring players into the game... and none want to take any risk.


    group stage game 2.. napoli away. we were absolutely awful but should have been 0-0.

    Midfield: keita windy milner. keita went off injured after 19mins.

    group stage game 4. red star no excuses, none. absolutely the pits

    Midfield: lallana, windy milner

    group stage game 5. psg away outplayed and out fought.

    Midfield: windy, henderson, milner.


    The funny thing is people tried to convince me that we wouldn't miss Coutinho cos he held the ball too much and slowed us down. He was the one playing passes and interchanging with Firmino mane and salah.

    fair play to ox for covering the cracks i suppose.

    the prem is all kick and rush so we get the ball right back after lumping it. It sickens me to see Henderson hide behind a sides lone striker like cavani while or cbs look left and right for a pass. I tried to count times where a small move 3 yards one way would open a pass up and even allow him time to turn but i just lost count.

    When keita came on this week 2 men pressed onto him and they invariably fouled the kid to prevent him ever doing anything. PSG could afford to.

    We simply dont have the mentality to get on the ball and control a game.
     
    #1
  2. Red Hadron Collider

    Red Hadron Collider The Hammerhead

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    We're ****ing doomed <yikes>
     
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  3. moreinjuredthanowen

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    If keita doesn't turn this round then we aint winning ****.

    Defensively grand. we are being given enough ball back by the **** prem teams to keep lumping it at salah etc and hoping they get a goal or two.

    The mentiality of european teams, even a **** one like red star is keep it and don't let us have it. We've been seriously struggling to get any foothold simply cos we won't keep hold of the ball.
     
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  4. Red Hadron Collider

    Red Hadron Collider The Hammerhead

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    I know, mate. I was being flippant.
     
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  5. astro

    astro Well-Known Member

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    Completely #deluded

    Coutinho started four of our CL games last season and we got to the final. But apparently it's him we're now missing.

    He played:
    Matchday 2: 1-1 away draw against Spartak
    Matchday 3: 7-0 away win against Maribor
    Matchday 5: 3-3 away draw with Sevilla
    Matchday 6: 7-0 home win against Spartak

    We still had the problem of drawing games with him, difference is our group is 10 times harder than last season's

    We won one away game with Coutinho, against Maribor. I reckon we'd do okay against them this season too
     
    #5
    Last edited: Nov 30, 2018
  6. LuisDiazgamechanger

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    Who is our midfield general?. Who can be compared with Gerard or Didi Hamann??
     
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  7. Zanjinho

    Zanjinho Boom!
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    The midfield isn't great but nor was it last year. The difference is the set-up; we're more defensive and don't press.
     
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  8. moreinjuredthanowen

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    wow... you utterly missed the point.

    went sailing over your head didn't it.
     
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  9. moreinjuredthanowen

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    meh.

    forget those

    Look at alonso.. theres a reason the biggest clubs in european football wanted him.

    theres a reason barca miss xavi to this day.
     
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  10. astro

    astro Well-Known Member

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    Well I ignored the part where you whinge about our midfielders not taking risks because in your next post you also whinge about them not keeping hold of the ball

    #sortyourstoryout
     
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  11. Solid_Air 2

    Solid_Air 2 Well-Known Member

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    he must have been in midfield.<whistle>
     
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  12. saintKlopp

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    Agreed.
    It's not the personnel it's the attitude. Something has changed, and it's not for the better. Last season I wouldn't have minded going behind against PSG because I always expected us to be able to score freely enough to get back into it.
    It's a good job we don't concede many this season (in the PL), because the ability to outscore anyone has evaporated.
     
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  13. astro

    astro Well-Known Member

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  14. moreinjuredthanowen

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    well... that's why he will eventually end up sacked ;)

    seriously though his.comments were "are they ready"

    patently Keita isnt fit. and ox is injured.

    hence he misses coutinho badly. all the front 3 do as well.

    players of bravery who want to get on the ball and make things happen. not players who hide behind defenders to ensure they don't get a pass.
     
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  15. moreinjuredthanowen

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    simple really.... no defender is holding a deep line. the midfield just hasn't got any sense to it.

    imo klopps tinkered up front and with midfield to try resolve and he's found no formula.so far to resolve


    if you really pay attention we are not pressing centrally at all. we are pressing very hard however on full backs and in wide channels. where there's less of an option where to pass to.

    there's just not enough bodies forward to carry out a press on cms and cbs.... so we wait til full back is given ball then you will see 3 of our players sprint at that full back.

    so to say no press is not actually accurate. it's a modified.press.

    we need a couple more bodies in midfield who can get up and down to press high.

    teams know this and are careful not to cough up too many chances to us.

    if you also note teams now sit off our cbs. they don't press too hard on them cos they know they can string 3 guys along our line and our cms will just stand right beside them and not move. we end up passing it sideways til a cb eventually.lumps it at salah.

    we cannot even work a simple pass through midfield as sides know to choke the areas where firmino would operate and where shaqiri is now wandering into.

    it's not rocket science.

    just watch Everton. if they've any sense firmino won't get a touch and pur cbs will be left with long ball at salah as out.

    it's sick we can't even work a pass through the two lines if the team.
    . but we can't.

    Henderson turns like a bus. prefers a back pass. if he gets it facing forward he might play a decent ball but that rare.

    windy hogs it and runs sideways...

    I long for Keita to be fit and playing. anything other than this drivel
     
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  16. Zanjinho

    Zanjinho Boom!
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    Summary?
     
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  17. saintKlopp

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    mito knows all the answers. :)
     
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  18. saintKlopp

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    Imo, a big part of the problem is trying to pull Salah into the centre in the mistaken idea that he'll get more goals that way.
    Firmino is as good as him in front of goal, but useless out wide - and although he works hard in a withdrawn role, he's nowhere near as effective.
    Neither player is at their best because of this, and I think this is as much an issue as the midfield - which after all, is mostly the same as last year when we were playing much more positive football than we are now.
     
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  19. astro

    astro Well-Known Member

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    No point in having some of the best forwards in the PL when Coutinho would just be shooting from 40 yards anyway

    Which is also the easiest way to give possession to your opponent BTW
     
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  20. astro

    astro Well-Known Member

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    #meltdown
     
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