20 Dec 2023 07:39:01
{Ed's Note - Ed001 has posted a new article entitled, Liverpool v Manchester United - A Quick Liverpool Perspective
1.) 20 Dec 2023
20 Dec 2023 08:05:36
Good read Ed. I thought Klopp got this game all wrong. Aside from tactics, While the press was on in the first half we were winning the ball that bit further back. If we started Jones I'm confident we would have won a few more dangerous higher turnovers. My heart sinks every time I see Gravenberch in the team. I rarely go hard on a player but I'd honestly consider selling. I really hope this comment comes back to bite me but he is just doesn't get stuck in the same way other players do.
Also why both Nunez and in particular Diaz came off together was stupid. Took all the pace out of the forward line. I liked the thought of Elliott coming on to get into the gaps but taking off both Nunez and Diaz was just idiotic. Diaz was a threat and causing problems at least. He would have created more space for Elliott to work in. Jones was never going to add much to a game like that in terms of changing it. Although I would have started him where he would have had more of an impact.
I commented after the game that this was a 2/ 10 for Klopp and his decision making for this game and a few days on I stand by that comment.
{Ed001's Note - I agree with you completely to be honest. I am not impressed with Gravenberch either, but I really hope he proves us both wrong. He is a floater, just floats about not doing enough to affect games. The ability is there, but the application is missing. Hopefully some work on the training pitches can fix that.}
2.) 20 Dec 2023
20 Dec 2023 08:34:47
Great article Ed. Another thing I’ve noticed recently is Soboszlai is going out wider to give a bit more width which is just bizarre. You’re dragging him out of his natural position to give width to accommodate Trent in the middle. Trent is brilliant in the middle but he’s equally as creative down the flank, so why not just let the players play their natural position? Add to that you have Konate moving out to right back to cover Trent, it’s just a horrible system.
I’m getting quite sick of this tactic and worried that it will ultimately cost us any chance of the title.
{Ed001's Note - Szoboszlai has often played as a winger, but I do agree that it is clear that he is so much better in the centre it makes no sense to push him out wide to accomodate Trent. I love Trent, he is great in the centre and I think he will end up there long term, but it shouldn't be at Szobo's expense. Right now there is no one close to being able to provide the quality Trent can from wide areas, so why would you not want him there as much as possible?? Once the opposition tires and gaps open in the centre is the time to invert him, not at the beginning when they are fresh and not being pulled around out of place to open gaps for Trent to pass into.}
3.) 20 Dec 2023
20 Dec 2023 08:46:03
Thanks as always, Ed. Like you, I am absolutely fed up of this idiotic inverted system. It’s almost like Lijnders needs some sort of tactical approach he can put his name to, and Klopp is equally as foolish for permitting it.
Our attacking play is infuriating. A lot of our attacks seem spontaneous and reliant on individual moments of quality rather than through attacking patterns and practiced moves. None of the players have any idea how the next move will end, only that they have proven quality to score. I think this is why so many runs are mistimed and crosses/ passes mis-hit.
{Ed001's Note - Lijnders has spent most of the season going round various podcasts telling everyone that will listen how much he has done for Liverpool and how everything is seemingly his idea and plan. He is even claiming credit nowadays for new pieces of equipment on the training ground as well. The problem is that none of it seems to have actually improved us. We are so much less fit, pick up more injuries and play worse football than before he came back. He is not helping, not making us better and constantly making things about him is not good for a team spirit.}
4.) 20 Dec 2023
20 Dec 2023 09:47:10
Come back buvac.
5.) 20 Dec 2023
20 Dec 2023 09:47:23
100% spot on Ed, We've got so much more to give in games, but when we play like we have been its a hard watch because we know we're a lot more capable of producing better . We need to put more intensity for the rest of the season to reach our goals otherwise I think we'll fall short.
6.) 20 Dec 2023
20 Dec 2023 09:49:41
Top review as always Ed, unfortunately I don't see us winning another league under Klopp. His faith in Lijnders is holding the team back, if last seasons results especially away to Wolves and Brighton weren't enough to reconsider things then i guess this is how the team plays football now, boring predictable possession based football relying on special moments from top players.
{Ed001's Note - when you have players going down with fatigue injuries after 60 minutes of a game, you have to start to question the training surely? Especially when it is not a player who has been a regular starter, so he should not be suffering with any kind of fatigue! We are still in with a chance of winning the league right now, but we are going the right way about throwing it away. I just don't understand why Klopp wants to listen to Lijnders, the guy failed miserably as a tactician. He reminds me a lot of Mick Beale, talks the talk but that's all he has - talk.}
7.) 20 Dec 2023
20 Dec 2023 10:03:07
Ultimately the responsibility is with Klopp here. I love Klopp so much and never want him to go after all he has done for us. But I got to admit he takes some fault here as he does not need to listen to Pep L but is choosing to.
8.) 20 Dec 2023
20 Dec 2023 10:15:33
Great review Ed and thanks for your time in doing these. Totally agree that the tactics seem to be complicating things unnecessarily at the moment. Really hope we can push forward and the strikers find a bit of form. Like you, I love Nunez but just wish he would settle down a bit and start to pop a few into the net! Here's wishing for a good week ahead #YNWA.
{Ed001's Note - fingers crossed mate!}
9.) 20 Dec 2023
20 Dec 2023 10:31:33
Brilliant read, Ed01. Of all the great stuff you wrote, this one got me in stitches:
"What is even more worrying is some of the ridiculous, and frankly idiotic, justifications for the tactics being employed. Though I think the very worst was the one that stated it allows the team to change when it is not working. "
Wait, is this the new one they just launched to defend the rubbish inverted nonsense? They must be getting desperate to defend the utter ridiculous. And you will not find anyone giving you one benefit of the system cos I have asked on this forum and nobody can provide one.
One more thing I will add, you mentioned that TAA's ability and accuracy is taken away and we are suffering from it. You know who else is suffering from it? Darwin Nunez. We all know how brilliant he is in the air BUT apparently, someone thinks it is STILL a good idea to take TAA's ability to get Darwin the ball from out wide away hence, removing the quickest way to serve him the ball and score goals. Seriously, how is that going to help him get goals, exactly?
Oh and even worse, we take Darwin off and start spamming crosses into the box near the end of the game? Another genius move. Yeah, Klopp is on the hook for this one and it needs sorted ASAP.
{Ed001's Note - Diaz is excellent in the air as well, but it's not like we get to see that either!}
10.) 20 Dec 2023
20 Dec 2023 10:55:34
I think our forward lines decision making seems to be questionable as well.
Salah seems to cut in onto his left foot everytime and then shoot and on Sunday he chose to shoot when others were in better positions.
Diaz cuts inside everytime and defenders are starting to read it. He had Dalot on the back foot in 2nd half on the edge of their box and cut inside which dalot read all day and put his leg out and stopped him easily.
Gakpo came on and it looked like his only intentions were to have a shot whenever he had the ball regardless of where on the pitch he was. If he took a goal kick for us he would have probably gone for goal.
Nunez seemed to spend most of the game offside and that includes when the ball came into his feet and not running behind. He had one header in first half that he headed across the goal and can someone explain why he was appealing for a penalty when the ball was still there and it was an empty goalmouth.
11.) 20 Dec 2023
20 Dec 2023 11:21:56
Ed01, I even forgot about Diaz's great ability in the air and you can add Jota to that, as well. I guess we will have to wait and see.
@JK23 that last one, I have no idea what Darwin was doing there either and even in real time, I though it was strange that he didn't back up the play and why he was busy appealing for a penwhereas he could have at least chased the ball down, recover it and look to do something, is beyond me, as well.
{Ed001's Note - good point, I forgot about Jota as well. We have such power in the air in the forwards and it is being wasted.}
12.) 20 Dec 2023
20 Dec 2023 11:40:40
Ed do you think Diaz struggle to beat a man is due to the knee injury or just that he is out of form and poss struggling due to the family situation and stress around that?
{Ed001's Note - he was doing well early in the season, scoring for us and his country, I think he has just lost form and focus due to the kidnapping. Totally understandable.}
13.) 20 Dec 2023
20 Dec 2023 12:36:21
Ben Doak has torn his meniscus. Just been reported.
Jota back running so hopefully not too far away.
Here’s hoping to Diaz, Nunez and Gakpo bagging tonight for their confidence ?.
14.) 20 Dec 2023
20 Dec 2023 14:31:49
Here, here JK23.
15.) 20 Dec 2023
20 Dec 2023 14:52:45
Great writeup, Ed. Thank you for continuing to point out the tactical nonsense. It is so frustrating and boring to watch.
16.) 20 Dec 2023
20 Dec 2023 15:55:22
Oli I gave you a few positives from using the new system but it really doesn’t matter you have your head so far up Ed1 you’ll just echo everything he says anyway.
We didn’t play well on Sunday either inverting or not so I don’t really think you can put all of the blame on the system. I know you will and you have but it’s a very short sighted view in my opinion.
No matter what system you play, when a team comes to be as negative as Utd were you need to pull players about by taking people on and making unselfish runs. We did neither. We played everything in front of them and got desperate and just started to shoot from anywhere. All offensive movement was static and within the penalty box which just made us easy to defend with 9 defenders on the box closing spaces.
Even when we managed to pull them out we just made straight runs towards the goal which makes the pass so much harder to execute and the passing was woeful from everyone.
What was telling was the fact that Utd didn’t get into our half until we went to 4 at the back and got the fullbacks high. Then they just waltzed through the middle with little to no pressure. You can criticise the inverted system all you want but if we go back to the high fullbacks with this midfield we will concede twice as many goals. Be careful what you wish for.
17.) 20 Dec 2023
20 Dec 2023 16:45:33
Silver lining moment, but isn’t it a nice feeling to be totally gutted we didn’t hammer Man United.
That’s not a feeling I had very often growing up.
We have totally leapfrogged them in recent years.
The tactics really need tweaking though, hopefully that’s worked on soon.
And the teams still gelling.
It’s good to find ourselves seriously challenging for the title at this stage of the season, but you could argue we could be doing much better looking back with hindsight.
18.) 20 Dec 2023
20 Dec 2023 17:14:28
The biggest positive for me is how Klopp sets us up every game and I don’t mean formation.
What I mean is regardless of who we play be it Real, City, Barcelona in the messi years or clubs who are doing better than us he sets us up to try and win the game.
In the however many years Klopp has been here he has never ever set us up once to try and draw or not lose a game. And for that I am thankful.
I couldn’t imagine supporting a club that plays not to lose. I’d imagine those Utd fans in the away end on Sunday spent a considerable amount of money on Sunday to watch their team stick 11 men behind the ball and hope for a draw.
Yes we didn’t play very well but that is very much down to the players. Regardless of what Klopp asks the players to do formation wise the intensity, decision making, passing, shooting and crossing were well below par.
Yes the buck always stops with the manager (in our case the assistant manager, only club in world football mind) but players need to stand up and be accountable as well.
Here’s hoping for a better performance tonight and and even better performance and result on Saturday.
19.) 20 Dec 2023
20 Dec 2023 19:41:02
He’s trying to use Szoboszlai like he’s Henderson.
20.) 20 Dec 2023
20 Dec 2023 16:58:35
We have become less exciting to watch don't you think Ed1? Its all about passing and passing and passing with less intensity these days. Our tactics are so weird. We have our best attacking midfielder playing as RB, our best crosser of the ball playing in middle of the field and our best attacker playing close to the touchline.
To be honest, we are 2nd in the league but I'm feeling less excited watch us play because most of the time its kinda boring. Don't you think most of our players right now is kinda restricted by our own tactics in how they are playing Ed1? Szobo, Diaz and Nunez all score goals and playing well for their country last time. that's all just a month ago. They can't all be bad player in a matter of a month. Yes the level is different but it can't be that huge level of different.
{Ed001's Note - yes we have, but that wouldn't matter so much if the tactics made sense and were working. When you have to constantly dump the tactical approach after going behind to get a result, then you have to question them. Boredom is fine if it wins and works.}
21.) 20 Dec 2023
20 Dec 2023 23:58:19
Trent doesn't want to stay out wide so that's why he's staying central. he's forcing the issue. He's doing what he wants offensively. Klopps allowing it.
22.) 21 Dec 2023
21 Dec 2023 01:17:26
Ah get in Ed1, love it! especially when I see it this time of night (my chill time) . Always appreciate these Ed1. Was only thinking earlier on today about some of your articles and just re read the Eusebio one before this. What articles do you currently have in the works mate? if any? I understand it's a busy time of the year. Hope all is well mate and hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas.
{Ed001's Note - at the moment I am working on one on the Rumble in the Jungle. Difficult to do as I have to keep stop-starting with editing and doing the match reviews etc. Hopefully though I will get it finished soon, fingers crossed.}
23.) 21 Dec 2023
21 Dec 2023 01:44:06
Ah mate, Round 8 when Ali just turned. I don't know your opinion on it but to me, I know fitness and everything is different nowadays but we'll never get anything like that again. I know there's been some great fights over the years, I'd say up until the end of Tyson still, some excellent fights but after that it seemed to go pretty stale for me. I'll stop diverting this Liverpool topic, it's too easy lol. Looking forward to that article mate! stay well :) .
{Ed001's Note - ok mate, take care and have a great holiday period. I hope you and all your loved ones have a great time and get everything they could need for the year ahead.}
24.) 21 Dec 2023
21 Dec 2023 10:43:55
@Beckers, all that "you are all up Ed01's. ", doesn't trigger me, man. You're not good at it clearly. And your lack of knowledge of my stance on this issue is showing. FYI, I have been against this system since last season when it was introduced so if you think I am just now talking about it cos the Ed01 keeps doing it then, you need to go read the damn comments.
You claim to have provided positives about this system YET you did not include even one of them in your comments? Strange. So the system has so many positives YET we have to ditch it every time we are in trouble to get a result or snatch the win vs bus parkers, yeah?
And even worse for you, you said this:
"No matter what system you play, when a team comes to be as negative as Utd were you need to pull players about by taking people on and making unselfish runs. "
This right here tells me, speaks volumes about how much you know about footie tactics. Again FYI, You need to pull people around by actually providing WIDTH on the flanks to create space btw the lines for players to run into. This inverted nonsense only condenses the space thru the middle hence, NO width nor space created to run into hence, you are doing bus parkers jobs for them like Luton, Utd and Palace before we ditched the system and won that one. Man, go take a nap and come back with real arguments, if you can actually find them.