20 Sep 2017 07:09:42
Not to go into a big breakdown of last night's game but it's not all doom and gloom.
We played very good stuff in the first half but just didn't find the net.
The goals from Leicester if you look at them, I do have to point the fingers at the midfield again for the first.
Wijnaldum was marking Okazaki at the corner, then when the ball was cleared he pushed up and out and completely lost Okazaki when technically the attack wasn't done, just in a second phase. Obviously we lost a couple of headers and Henderson was dancing on the edge of the box ball watching until the ball broke for the Japanese player, then he seemed to wake up again but it was too late and Klavan couldn't block the shot properly.
Again, in my opinion a failure to communicate either verbally or visually with each other in midfield is the main issue there.
The second goal was right out of the top drawer (obviously we could and should have defended it a bit better (Grujic was a little weak in the tackle but was on a yellow) . Where were the other 2 midfielders though?
Both of them were over on the far side of the pitch where the throw in/ move originated from and were slow to get back in.
Grujic who was employed as probably the most attacking of the 3 and who was on a yellow was left back alone with the defence (at least he got back into that position unlike his two more experienced partners in that midfield) .
We had enough half chances to score one or maybe two in the game but it's just not falling for us right now.
That will change.
Still fancy us to win there on Saturday.
Is it okay to be optimistic? :)

{Ed025's Note - of course it is kev, all teams have sticky periods and its not as bleak as some would have us think, the lack of squad depth was a concern but liverpools first 11 are a match for any team mate..

1.) 20 Sep 2017
20 Sep 2017 07:39:19
Liverpool's front 5 or 6 might be a match for anyone, maybe not the back 4 or 5 though lol.

2.) 20 Sep 2017
20 Sep 2017 07:41:51
You say we played 'very good stuff' and I know that means we had good possession, had chances, dominated the game etc. But 3 goals in eighty shots over the last week! There is an eye watering stat.

3.) 20 Sep 2017
20 Sep 2017 07:43:57
Not our centre defence or midfield. We were the weakest in the top four and won’t make it again at this rate.

4.) 20 Sep 2017
20 Sep 2017 07:56:59
Yeah Statto, I agree, it's a frightening stat.
If maybe we took less shots from 30 to 35 yards (hit and hopes), that stat might not be so bad.
How many times did we try it on Saturday?
I lost count.
Sometimes it's all that was on though as we didn't have bodies in the box I noticed.
This is why I made a suggestion yesterday on how to possibly fix this but was shouted down lol.
And I'll just leave that one as it is before I open that can of worms again because we can't ever tweak our system haha!
Relax, I'm kidding.

5.) 20 Sep 2017
20 Sep 2017 08:26:20
The long range shots are necessary though when teams such as Burnley pack all but one of their players into the box. Because, as we also found out, breaking through that many players in such a confined space is difficult.

6.) 20 Sep 2017
20 Sep 2017 08:50:25
Slowdog76, I we weren't so poor in defence and giving away soft goals, we wouldn't give teams the opportunity to park the bus. There is a blueprint to beating us that all teams now follow and it is patently obvious that we lack the personnel and ability to stop it.

7.) 20 Sep 2017
20 Sep 2017 08:56:02
OlIrish, your post is very good BUT disagree with the blame going to Hendo or any midfielder for the first goal. Watch it again. Grujic clears the ball with a good header then the whole team pushes up to play the offside. Everyone does BUT Gomez. He backpedals and keeps Morgan on side as Morgan wins the header. Now, with that happening, our boys are scampering back as our box is filled with umarked bodies. Okazaki even has the worst first touch for a striker on this ball and still manages to score. Why? Our boys were too late. Watch it again and you will see for yourself.

I will never blame Gomez for that as he is talented and needs to make mistakes so he will learn. Pretty sure he won't do that again. Apart from that, no issues with your post.

{Ed001's Note - to be fair, I would say that you could also blame the rest of the team for not marking, as Gomez was the only one who was actually defending. If you watch, he stays with his man, as most defenders are taught in the basics, stay goalside. The rest just run off upfield. I would say that the blame is more for those assuming the defending was done and looking to move onto the attack too soon. Sometimes you have to realise that the second phase is defending and there is no pressure on the ball, so you cannot look to play offside. When there is pressure on the ball, you can look to play it, but you never do that without it. Again basics of defending.}

8.) 20 Sep 2017
20 Sep 2017 09:01:16
If a ball can fit through for a shot, why not for a pass?
It's the same size gap isn't it?
I'm not being funny, feel free to educate me on your idea behind it.
The goals don't move, but players can in attacking positions so surely it's easier to get a ball through a crowded box to a player moving into space than ballooning it ovver the bar or hitting a static defender no?

9.) 20 Sep 2017
20 Sep 2017 09:20:41
Bingo, I think you need to watch that goal again if you can mate.
All you have to do is watch both Wijnaldum and Henderson, Wihjnaldum especially and tell me what exactly he did to assist the defence in a defensive moment. He just ran blindly up the left side. Take a look mate.

10.) 20 Sep 2017
20 Sep 2017 09:45:18
Ed, I know that the point you make is true as indeed we did not pressure the ball there BUT if Gomez runs out with the rest of the team, every LC player is offside, right? Gomez stayed goal side and by the same token, kept the whole LC players onside. I know it is not that cut and dry as it shows. Just my take, I guess.

{Ed001's Note - they can play a through ball to one of the midfielders running onto it if everyone moves out. The point is that he was the only player doing the correct thing, yet somehow he is the one that is being singled out as to blame. He is the only one of that back four to come out of the game with any credit imo.}

11.) 20 Sep 2017
20 Sep 2017 11:39:07
"First goal we don't push up together, you can say it one time or 1000 times"

This is actually a quote from Klopp from after the match last night and it has me worried that he is blaming Gomez directly.

It's simply ludicrous and an easy scapegoat if so. Shouldn't blame the young lad when his midfield of experienced internationals deserted their posts far to aggressively.

The blood attack from Leicester had only just moved to just outside the box. He's beginning to worry me because if he's playing for offside that close to goal, we will concede countless goals in the future from similar situations as we're very poor with second ball wins I have noticed.

It's poor from Klopp if blaming the kid for that publicly.
And it's poor from him to ask his defence to try to play for offside so close to their goal when it's a matter of inches in these decisions and one touch is all it takes to score from there.

{Ed001's Note - more to the point, if there is no pressure on the ball you do not play offside. That is worrying if he has not spotted that it was not the time to play offside.}

12.) 20 Sep 2017
20 Sep 2017 12:16:06
lets just hope it was him frustrated without seeing a replay (which is poor professionalism if you ask me) . And let's hope Gomez doesn't see that quote as his confidence will seep away next back there.
He looks the part to me, I want him starting now at CB, looks like Dejan will be back in on Saturday.

13.) 20 Sep 2017
20 Sep 2017 07:29:28
I was kidding mate with that last sentence as you probably know mate. Just checking with the doom mongers lol!