League results with Lallana - P:15 - W:3 - D:3 - L:9 - Pts:12 League results without Lallana - P:8 - W:2 - D:5 - L:1 - Pts:11 If he can bring his creative magic to a team in a great run of form then I think we could pull off a couple of shocks in the next few games.
Don't forget that Fonte is out as well...we've had to cope without our best CB (so far). I wonder if Poch will be more open about injuries.
I think you have to credit Guly's defensive effort in Lallana's absence. The emergence of Shaw and return of Cork have clearly played a part as well but Lallana has to continue the improved defensive performances we saw from him before his injury.
I honestly think we would have won tonight with Lallana in the side. We just lacked that creativity which he brings. Great news that he'll be back soon
Morgan did, and rightly so. He was like a young Deschamps in the middle of the park. I do agree though, we've looked a lot more defensively solid down the left with Guly - he really puts in a hell of a lot of effort on that side, but yes, lacks the creative nous of Lallana. It's a trade off really. If Adam picks up the defensive work rate a little, then in reality he has to start ahead of Guly. But really, there's nothing wrong with the big Brazilian in the interim, or in the more defensively trying away fixtures.
Why do people criticise Lallana's defensive work rate? His defensive work rate is fantastic, he had ridiculous stats for tackles and interceptions at the beginning of the season, and it seems to me he seemed extra determined to protect Shaw a little bit more, perhaps as he is only young and is doing his skipper's duty to look after him. Lallana is one of, if not our best player, I would have him over Guly, Ramirez or Puncheon at the moment (not that I don't rate any of them).
Morgan, and greatly deserved too. Honourable mention to Guly, but it must have been clear that he was being instructed to play at the higher tempo of say a 60 minute game, because he was absolutely everywhere in the 1st half. Morgan was immense throughout in his interceptions, his positioning, his running, his tackles - it was a complete game. He just keeps getting better and better. Jack Cork had a pretty good game himself, but he just didn't compare to Schneiderlin. Tbf, I don't think anyone had an absolutely poor game, although Rodriguez seemed to find it difficult to find the pace of the game, when he came on - it was rather high. Puncheon was somewhat nullified by Everton - they'd done their homework. Hooiveld would have been damaged by a 1st class striker on form, but there wasn't one, so he was OK. And Davis came on in midfield and did his job. No complaints there. Good team performance.
