So we've been struggling in the final third now for a wee while. That's about all that's wrong with our game and it's frustrating. So, a simple question for you: what would you do to shake things up? I think the big man needs a rest.
Well I would've signed another striker in January. As to your question about what to do now, I'm not sure. Try Mane up top perhaps, especially as our next game is away.
Dropping Pellé would necessitate a change in approach too. The long ball up to him has yielded so little. We have pace down the wings but lack support in the box from midfield and I think that may explain the reluctance to put the ball in quickly. Concentrate on our strengths and we'll start banging them in again. Remarkably this weakness hasn't damaged us too badly at all (disappointing today as it was against Swansea and West ham) and we're still right in the mix but I think Koeman needs to change it for the next home game. I'd give Mané or Long a whirl just to stretch defences instead of battle them.
Play anyone up front who's not afraid to shoot. We seem scared to shoot and the need to walk the ball into the back of the net. Just shoot, the number of wasted free kicks or positions around the box. Just look at courtinho today
We need a new MLT. That Goal of the Season of his shown on MOTD last night was very similar to Coutinho's today. We don't have anyone currently who would even try and score a goal like that from distance, but given the conditions today it was obviously worth a punt, and so it proved. I know Pellè has scored from 25 yards and Clyne and Wanyama from even further out, but they aren't even trying at the moment. Get on it Ronald!
The service to Pelle has not helped him and we do not have midfielders arriving late in the box. Problem today was that Liverpool sat back early once they scored early and we struggle to break teams down.
Aside from the home game to Arsenal, we've hardly looked like an attacking threat at all since we ditched that formation. Three goals vs Everton followed up by three goals vs Palace, that formation worked.
The 3-5-2 formation I just mentioned against Everton, we did. And if I am correct, it's the last league goal Pelle scored for us.
Yeah you are spot on when I play football in those conditions, I'm thinking about shooting from Distance with the follow up secondary. Keeper can't hold on to shots in the wet.
If we do persist with (roughly) the same formation, then at the very least I would play Tadic/Djuricic ahead of JWP as the furthest forward of the three CMs (with Morgan, Mane and Long coming in for Davis, Djuricic and Pelle - not to mention Toby and Bertrand returning in place of Yoshida and Targett). I really don't want to lose faith with JWP, but he's starting to make it a little hard not to.
Whilst Elia, Tadic, Davis, JWP all do reasonable jobs in the attacking third none of them ever look like scoring. Pelle/Mane/Long seem the only goal threat that we have Pelle is totally out of form and needs a rest. Long should come in now and play up top with Mane!!
