Interesting discussion. The creation of space is not only down to an individual player. Usually, if one player is denied it, another has it. Suarez was the best i've ever seen at creating space, both for himself and for others.......and boy do we miss that up front. Besiktas were well organised, a bit like a poor mans Mourinho team....deny any team space and if their forwards have an off day, they'll struggle. Lallana in a fully functioning team will be just fine
yes this is true. the instinct of the player is important as well as physical attributes. I would say that in fairness to lallana that suarez is now faster really. suarez had strength, cheating and an instnct to get in behind all the time going for him. Contrast for example to balotelli who has strength but no instinct to get in behind a side but rather go wide or deep... Besiktas only scored against us as we went really ropey in the second half. They could have been there for 5 games and not scored if we'd held our own shape. They made it hard for us in first leg and fiar play to them for that... cambridge made it hard for utd in fa cup... wimbledon did the same to us... my point would be that if there is no space between the lines that a player has to do something else... coutinho can go deep.. but we cannot have two lads doing that can we? We need to stretch sides when they defended in depth and that means go wide or go in behind and pull them apart. I think..... really... when we next come up against a deep who will defend deep we need to be chosing either coutinho OR lallana not AND. then put the others around that.. to make it as you say fully functional.... I would also say that would mean sturridge not sterling at no 9.
Going wide is all well and good and is the text book thing to do when you're the better team and the opposition are well organised.....Unfortunately, I can't remember when the last time we scored from a cross from such a wide area!! Even the very best crosses are wasted trying to find our team of midgets!
the thing is when i say get in behind I don't mean way out on the side line and crossing it deep. I mean two things: 1. width within the pen area and cutting it back from the byeline low towards oncoming options. (or across 6 yard if that is on) 2. getting in behind forces back line deeper as forwards seek to get between CB and full back and run on goal where a through ball can give them a shot. I don't think in either case lallana has shown us much to say he's outstanding at either. I can see him doing little 1/2s in around another player to get in behind but i cannot see him making a run to be found by a coutinho pass for example... not really. I can see defenders tracking him easy enough and sheparding him out. that said in fairness to him sterling isn't exactly mighty as his delivery in the same scenarios isn't great record either. I just feel he can make those runs and get the ball. The thing is... like at the start of the season I assume its lallana OR coutinho not both. I can see coutinho playing those passes in and i can see lallana doing the same just not as much. So for me... coutinho is the man.. how do we make the most of him and make most space for him.... not by playing a guy who wants to stand in the same places and not by all coming deeper. Sturridge and sterling running good lines challenges players to follow them and challenges coutinho to find them.
also for the record alst goals form wide area were prob balotelli ones really. i'd have to recollect more... our game is a through ball and longer shot game right now. We need sturrdige in to improve the options.
Yup.....Although I wouldn't mind to score a few more from set pieces/corners through our defenders, very much as Chelsea do.....right now, if we get a corner I just worry about the break and our CB's being out of position!
I really think that you're doing Lallana a disservice, Sure, he doesn't have lightning pace but he can finish and when playing against teams defending deep, he's tricky and can turn with the ball inside the box and get a shot off. Pace is great if you have room to run into. Sterling has the ability to shift the ball and get by a man but his decision making/final delivery and shooting is woeful.....if he can address that, he could be world class, he really could
