Premier League Gameweek 3

[RobinLFC]

Liverpool were awesome in the first half yesterday. After a couple wins against them they were out there to put the record straight. Second half was more close and we could have nicked something if Lacazette hadn't fluffed his chance.

Thought we got done a bit with the decisions, the Mane incident looked a red to me and I'm sure there was a handball by Jota on their third goal. Overall the golf in quality was quite evident, Liverpool by far looked the better side.

Our midfield was so bad yesterday, Ceballos put in a good performance when he came on but clear to see that the midfield needs to be completely rebuilt. Really hope we can get the Partey & Aouar deals done.

I don't think that we were that awesome, it was just that you were happy to sit back and just invited pressure from our side. You immediately noticed a different approach in the second half from yourself, and yes that leads to more vulnerability at the back but you also looked much more threatening and much more comfortable on the ball after that (and indeed Ceballos replacing the useless Xhaka helped).

 

[BridgeBanter]

Exactly, it's just gonna take someone having the balls to attack them and go toe to toe. It may be end in defeat but I could easily end in them making a few mistakes. I for one, want us to counter press them and win the ball high up the pitch because we have the players to hurt them if we do.

Liverpool are not better at football than everyone else, they are better at pressing and have better work rate than everyone else. That is something you CAN coach, so feck knows why we don't play a similar way. We seem to press like we we've just come off a roller coaster FFS.

That's a strange analysis. Liverpool being better at pressing and having a strong cohesive pattern of play is precisely what makes them a better football team than almost everyone else in Europe right now.

 

[Pav1878]

That's a strange analysis. Liverpool being better at pressing and having a strong cohesive pattern of play is precisely what makes them a better football team than almost everyone else in Europe right now.

Not strange at all. I meant they are not necessarily better technically than our players, they just have a better game plan and press better.

 

[BridgeBanter]

Not strange at all. I meant they are not necessarily better technically than our players, they just have a better game plan and press better.

I understand that point. Undoubtedly any smart, competent coach should be able to implement tactics to do just that and improve team play. However, I don't think its as simple as you make it seem. To become a truly elite team I think you need an exceptional world-class manager to attain and sustain the high level of football that Liverpool has shown. Either that or a team of exceptionally world-class players (i.e Zidane with Ronaldo at Madrid)

 

[Pav1878]

I understand that point. Undoubtedly any smart, competent coach should be able to implement tactics to do just that and improve team play. However, I don't think its as simple as you make it seem. To become a truly elite team I think you need an exceptional world-class manager to attain and sustain the high level of football that Liverpool has shown. Either that or a team of exceptionally world-class players (i.e Zidane with Ronaldo at Madrid)

I don't think we are in disagreement here. Klopp is a world class manager, hence why he has been able to instill this in his players and keep performance levels and intensity up. My point is our team don't have that sort of leadership and that is why we are not the best team around like they are right now.

I also don't think it is something any competent coach can do, like you say, otherwise everyone in the top six would be performing like they are every week. If it something any competent coach could do, then we need to ask ourselves why Ole is not doing the same.

 

[Klopper76]

As is their injury record.

I don't agree with this. We do get injuries but not to players you would class as key. Salah & Firmino have had minor knocks but Van Dijk is always fit. TAA and Robertson have also had minor knocks here and there.

Alisson missed the first two months of last season, Fabinho was out for a long period, Henderson's been in and out, Gomez and Matip have had longer term issues over the last two or three years and some other players have been in and out. Chamberlain's got an awful injury record as has Shaqiri.

We do get injuries to players.

The thing is though, why do people talk as though we're supposed to be getting injuries to these players? City have had injuries to Laporte but they weren't supposed to. It's bad luck that normally doesn't happen. How often did Chelsea lose Terry, Lampard, Cole or Drogba for long periods? How often have United been without key players during United's era of success? How many games did Ferdinand, Vidic & Ronaldo miss during 07/08? Teams aren't supposed to lose their key players for extended periods.

 

[Suedesi]

A random question - what happens when a team gets 12 cases of COVID in their squad and their due to play the next day? Do they postpone the match or forfeit it altogether? Who's keeping track of all the testing?