I agree about Suarez as the main forward but I'm not sure that is the role he is playing. He seems to pop up all over the pitch and, as I keep saying, Brendan likes the Spanish 4-6-0 formation because he prefers movement and interchanging player to individuals in set positions There is not a centre back out there that is more suited to playing the ball out from the back than Danny Agger! Skrtel as shown he can do it but as also been caught out, he will learn with time. You should always look before passing, I had clocked Tevez making a move before Skrtel even turned towards the left touchline yesterday, of course it is much easier for spectators to see too
Top 4? Bloody hell. 6th I reckon. There will be a few **** results yet but I think it will be a case of seeing improvements and looking at the bigger picture. Next year we will be more experienced and ready to challenge for top four.
Assuming we keep up the improvements we showed. The test will really be against the so called mid table teams. We have shown we can compete against City but can we do the same against the likes of Stoke, Fulham, Spurs in mid winter? If we can improve our terrible goals to chances ratio and cut out defensive blunders, then why not?
I don't think we're ready yet. We will still drop points and make errors untill we're used to playing this style. I don't think we're in a position to start knocking on that door yet - i'll happily be proved wrong, but I think your expectations are very high.
the fact must be stated that stupid unprofessional errors have been common place for years.... i can't see how rodgers can eliminate them ALL without changing every person in the team. we had a good day and STILL dropped 2 points and yet its 4th is ironed on.... come on, city are not that impressive yet, their midfied was very average there and we did well to exploit it. Skertl did something so thick it was unreal.. he passed it to where he should have been basically. I mean what was he thinkin as a CB all the way out of position? "someone should be there" I've seen invidicualerrors like this all the time from reina, johnson, agger, gerrard etc. unitl those get cut out we won't be getting up there. Guys think back to last year, cheslea were making errors like this and they ended up where precisely? they only cut them out in the champions league, we cannot play like they did i nthe CL in our league as we won't get points. Lets jsut be realistic and look forward to hearts then arsenal, i hope we beat arsenal but know we need to work dmaned hard to make it happen on the day. if we play like we did v city we can do it, if we play like west brom we will not.... simple!
No arguments there, however on recent form its a massive IF, perhaps 3 good performance for us in the last 2 years? , but yes if he can consistently play at that level he is once more an asset!
Top 4 will still be a big ask. Yesterday we were very good on the ball, and carved out a few chances.. But we have still not scored from open play yet and it remains to be seen whether our finishing will improve, I think a lot hinges on the ins and outs in the last few days. Rodgers stating he'd like a "few" more players to bolster the squad, assuming one would be Dempsey, surely Rodgers will be in the market for a proven goalscorer? I've heard Huntelaars name recently, but any sort of striker of his quality could really see us push on. I'm quietly optimistic but their's still 36 games to play so we need to take it a game at a time, so let's see if how we get through this tough run of games and asses our squad after the transfer window closes.
The big difference for me was his work ethic, he got stuck in a tracked back, he even chased a player down before winning the ball from a sliding challenge: aka - the old Gerrard I agree about recent form too
Yes! Rodgers is telling them to pass it at all costs, it is what he wants them to do. He wants the keeper to play as a sweeper so again, yes, Skrtel expected Reina to be there BUT Skrtel also put the pass too fair outside the area. I think people also need to give Tevez credit for reading the situation. And this is coming from someone that is not exactly a Martin Skrtel fan!!!!
i think i'm dissappointed in borini.. he's yong and thats fine but in general play and in the box he is not up to it yet. for me we have carroll and the minute he came on the other players forgot that borini never touched it and started lumping the bloody thing. thats their fault not andys. i say this as IMO huntelaar is no better than carroll at all. he will just stand there and do nothing unitl it is lumped in at him. We need to compliment what we have now with a different type of player and i don't see dempsey or huntelaar being that. sturridge is ok but he's never coming, we need that forward i nthe rush mould.
I agree with this. We don't need a Huntelaar, Van Nistlerooy, Fowler type, we need someone like Tevez, Rooney or Aguero. A player that works hard, harrasses defenders, provides movement and knows where the net is. A player that doesn't mind popping up on the left, right or helping out the defence. Suarez is superb at all these apart from putting the onion in the bag
I echo your thoughts. Yesterday was good performance so let's just accept it as that. There is still a lot of work to be done. Our forward line still lacks 'punch' in the box for example. This season will not settle down for at least a few more games yet. So I'm hoping that we continue to improve game on game. Is 4th possible? Well it has to be our target but time will tell.
I find it slightly amusing that last week we were **** and never going to achieve anything but this week the top four is nailed on. Obviously, this is only the minority but it is still unbelievable
I don't have any doubt about Aggers passing abilities, I just think the system can invite pressure that so far we have not dealt with, but you're spot on, we could get better with time. Re the 4-6-0 system, I think you need the 6 to all have the potential to score 15 a season (potential, in not expecting all to score that every season) and I don't think we do that.Suarez has squandered a lot of chances that have fallen to him while he was in a CF position, rather see him have a free role starting on the right and have a proven CF to slot some chances away.
MITO, Interesting thoughts in your last two posts. Another way of looking at your comments upon Sktel's 'howler' is to ask where was the covering player to give him pass options? For my money with 10 minutes left to play perhaps he would have been better served by 'hoofing' the ball down the line - totally contrary to the new philosophy but the more pragmatic ball to play. Initially I had the same thoughts as you about Borini. But he's now played 3 competitive games and probably needs a few more before we can start to form a true opinion of his capabilities. As for Carroll, I totally agree that it's not his fault if other players chose the route 1 option. He can only play with the balls that are played to him! But we do need a true strike option.
I don't think all six should be expected to, maybe four of them. In theory, that is like having a 25+ a season guy up front with two or three others sharing 30-35 goals between them, or 10-15 goals a season from midfielders and wingers, maybe supporting forward too. In an average season, a good team would score what? 60-80 goals? If four of your six can get 15 that is 60 of them, that leaves twenty to come from 'others'. IMO, that is possible but would need Johnson, Agger and Skrtel to step up. Please note that I am not saying this is what we should do
The mistake here is entirely skertl's he was away out on the left back slot, turned his back on play then played a blind pass inside. in other words there's three mistakes there. If you find yourself that wide, can't see an option the very worst thing you can do is turn your back on your opponent as you'll end up with him up your backside and any mistake at all then = he's in on goal. I've seen kelly do this v west brom and i've seen carragher do it v hearts as well though... as a CB if you've no options and you turn your back on play you've two choices, put it over the sideline and get back in position or play a proper pass to someone you can see. Skertl cocked it up royally.... i'd be happy with him putting it down the line in that position rather than turn his back on the perosn coming in to challenge.... crazy stuff. after playing so well all game as well just makes it worse in one way.
I do agree, but who are we looking for here, coates to leave his position totally to come over or allen to have dropped in. I agree ball down the line i nthat poistion was best..... i'll bet doing that the scremaing about no options would please rodgers a lot more than a gift goal. You might be right about borini but he does seem to not be involved in play and quite isolated. perhaps he can find a way to get involved, perhaps not but its not so good. I'd like us to use carroll more or sell him as 10mins cos the manager doens't like him does neither borini nor him much good.
