I am mindful of the source here but a pretty decent article on something being blown out of porportion.
Great win yesterday at West Brom as well.
It is probably the best I have seen us play through the season as well. Pressure was much better and for that reason we kept winning the ball back quicker than we have in most our games this year.
There was just a different energy about us and that makes a difference.
Suarez was world class and scored three great goals. His header from outside the box was the highlight in my opinion although the second goal header was pretty fantastic as well.
Sturridge lob from outside the box was another peach of a goal and you have to give him credit.
As if this wasn't enough both hit the bar. Suarez one timed a poor header by the West brom captain Jonas Olson and Boaz Myhill tipped his overhead kick on to the bar and Sturridge showed the power in his left foot and with a short back lift crushed the bar as well in what would have been his 5 goal in 5 games since Suarez was back.
Together the SAS (Sturridge and Suarez) now have 4 and 6 goals in the 5 games since Suarez returned. Hard to argue with that.
The rest of the team played well and passed it around nicely and kept possession better than they have in a long time.
Lucas looked the best I have seen him for a while and everyone worked harder at closing the ball down. If it was down to not being tired from internationals or players just finding form I do not know.
Playing Henderson in the whole (AM) made sense and provided much more urgency and defensive discipline and athleticism than Moses has provided recently.
Moses perhaps is able to give more technique going forward but I think he is part of the reason we have not seen the ball as much in previous matches as we would have liked. There has been many reasons.
In many ways it is interesting that Agger cannot force his way into the team again. One wonders if that would not make us even better although Skertel has been great and keeps getting to a lot of headers and clears the lines beautifully. It is hard to change a winning team as well. Sakho has not put a foot wrong and we need Toure's leadership in there. Having said that I think Agger is better on the ball than all of these defenders which is the way that Rodgers likes to play. I would like to see him in for Skertel but I can understand that Rodgers continues to go with the guys that are in there because they have not put much of a foot wrong at all.
Next week we are up against Arsenal and I wonder if we are going to continue with the formation we have had so far. It is probably the strongest team in the PL at the moment and we have be in trouble. Ramsey, Ozil and Giroud all have looked very good. Koscielny has been in terrific form and Sagna is back on song so who knows.
I think we would be best going back to our 4231 despite the success we have seen recently. We are doing well to be in 2nd but this may be our first loss. I would like to see Agger and Toure together in the middle with more people packed in midfield to deal with carzola, ozil, ramsey and wilshire.
I wonder if Johnson willl be out after the knock to his knee. Luckily we have a good deputy in Martin Kelly who has risen to occasions before when he has been tested. I think we are more vulnerable on the other wing back with Cissoko looking ok but he is no Enrique. He set up a nice goal for Suarez the other night and there was not much pressure from West brom to be fair but I still am not convinced about him. I guess we will give him the benefit of the doubt because he has not been properly tested yet. There was just a few things the last few weeks that has worried me now that I come to think about it.... Billy Jones went past him a bit too easy a few times in the West brom game, he was not aware and let Paul Dummet sneak around the back of him to let get behind and score the goal in the Newcastle game and Hatem Ben Afra was also able to get past him a time or two that game without too much worry.
In the end Rodgers have done well and I hope he does something a little bit different from the West brom game because I think Arsenal is that much better. Having said that they have problems in defensive mid themselves with Flamini (who by the way has been a fantastic player for them this season coming in on an free) potentially injured and Arteta suspended. Diaby is not back, Wilshere and ramsey are both options there but not really defensive mids and I guess Serge Gnabry is another one who can play there but who is liable to move further up the pitch.
I think we could potentially see Vermalen be stuck in there but who knows. He certainly wants a game.
For us there are question marks about the team and will Rodgers change the tactics and the personnel considering the strength of their team. I hope he does but don't think he will. Coutinho could also be back but probably too rusty to start. With Sturridge and Suarez everything is possible. I
I look forward to the game anyway and think there will be goals.
YNWA,
Stian
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