Match Day Thread Vs Southampton (A)

My hobby-horse is Michael Oliver. He makes as many mistakes now as anybody else - but everyone, including VAR, seem petrified to pull him up. But there were two pen shouts last night: the handball I can understand because, although we had an identical one given against Joe at City in October, they've supposedly changed the guidelines now. But the Mane one - if Pogba can trip himself up and get a pen, I can't see how sticking your legs in between an oppenents and getting nowhere near the ball is not a pen either.

Say again though, a one-eyed homer though Marriner was last night, we got beat by the better team, who were just as injury-ravaged as us.

 

Yep. Same tide for everyone.

 

We got beat because we weren't good enough. I honestly don't think Southampton were better than us. Like most other teams when playing us they defended well. Like us they created nothing, the goal was a gift. Pleased for Ings though.

In terms of all squads being stretched that isn't strictly true, 6 squads have had European football to contend with as well. Unlike city eg. who have what amounts to two first teams in their squad, we don't. No excuse for our poor performances but saying all squads are facing the same challenge is incorrect.

 

But is that down to the mental strain of being champions, a lot's of appetite or fixture congestion?

 

Agreed - and we've suffered the worst injury crisis and are somehow still top. The knock on impact as a result of the injuries is what I think is causing the fatigue now.

 

I don’t agree mate. I think we are working just as hard but in less dangerous areas of the pitch....and in defending much more. The balance of our team is totally wrong, because we don’t have a recognised CB - that’s not whinging, it’s a fact. We should have replaced Lovren but Klopp made it clear, in a Covid world, we were ok to take the risk with 3 plus Fab. That’s backfired massively. Sh*t happens. You cannot win this league by playing Central Midfielders as CB’s for 3/4’s of it. It simply will not happen.

 

This.

It'd be utterly embarrassing for the rest of the league if we could tbh.

 

it wouldnt be possible to do that tho, despite Henderson being sort of decent yesterday in defence, his midfield importance is far more benifical

 

Didn't Man Utd win the league when Carrick had to play CB four numerous games?

 

what other midfielder was alongside him?

 

And so the **** is Fab's! Am I the only one who thinks this? Williams and Phillips, being protected by Fab (and possibly Hendo) in midfield (4-2-3-1?), is better than Fab and Hendo at Cb's being shielded by... no-one?

 

Definitely. If we had a fit defender. I would rather have one of the kids along side him and have Fabinho shielding Infront of them

 

We have Phillips and Williams. They're not top drawer (though Williams is still developing), but no point having them in the squad if we won't play them in this circumstance.

 

Giggs at LB. Plus, we chose to put Hendo there. We had VVW and Phillips available.

Not disagreeing btw, just be a argumentative ****

 

To be fair Henderson being at the back wasn't the problem last night. Southampton didn't create much. It was again how useless we look going forward

 

bar carragher ripped him apart for pulling players over to him for the free kick leaving a 3 on one for taa.

 

Him playing CB had no difference on the freekick though, he was in a position he'd have taken up anyway.

 

Missing Fabinho in midfield is actually a far bigger miss than Virgil at the back imo. And a bigger cause of your problems.

 

This is the level of football knowledge we've come to expect from Diego, bless 'im.
We only keep him to make the idiots feel smart.

 

Yes. There was that interview with Salah, wasn't there, and since then....

But we're just guessing