Ludogrets Verdict
I thought we had our best game in a while yesterday. The pressing looked better if not good, Lucas had a decent game at the base of the diamond. Gerrard and henderson helped out although at times it got narrow which in fairness restricted space for ludogrets through the middle but maybe left us more open down the sides where they had a lot of their success when attacking.
Mignolet had one of the worst games for a while in my opinion. Johnson made a howler for the second game and should have been subbed for Moreno. Sterling could have been subbed for Markovic and I think we would have won that game. It is all hypothetical though.
Maybe also Can for Lucas would have helped.
Toure I am undecided on. I think he is currently the best option at centre back because he tried to organize the defense, but Agger would have been preferable if he was still around. It strongly believe it was a mistake to sign him because he is different from the other defenders at the club. Less "gong-ho" than Skertel, Lovren or even Toure. You saw it yesterday with the tackle Toure made that he almost deflected into his own net. Kolo also cleared it straight into the attackers feet at 35 yards a couple of times (first for the 1st goal and secondly on another occasion where he got away with it).
I also wonder if Sakho back can be the leader we are looking for. Skertel and Sakho as centre back pairing are technically to similar as discussed before but maybe one of them can learn to drop back more and be that type of defender.
I think it is worth giving Wisdom (yes he can play both right and centre) or Illori a chance at centre back as well but that wont happen until next year as they are both on loan at WBA and Bordeaux.
Point is we keep conceding too many goals and that needs addressed. Once again I hope Rodgers and players can learn from mistakes. On evidence of what we have seen thus far this season the answer is no so change of personell is needed or Rodgers needs to re-examine and learn.
I hope he swallows his pride gets Carra in as a consultant. Carragher would be happy to.
On a positive we are scoring goals again. Lambert have done great since he came in and it helped him that Sterling is moving and running in behind him. Poachers goal yesterday and hopefully he can continue scoring.
This is partly taken from Andy Hunters question and answer session with LFC and I picked out a few things as well as added some comments here and there.
DonkeyWan asks:
Is the media focus on departed strikers and the addition of new players a red herring? Is it not the decline in form of a number of players from last season – Gerrard, Sterling, Henderson, Skrtel, Johnson, Mignolet, Allen, Coutinho – and their continued use despite indifferent to bad form, the real issue? It's just every time I watch a game I see those name players sleepwalking through 90 minutes,
but afterwards read about the failure of the new signings (when there might have been just two to three new signings actually playing).
Guardian staff I think it's a combination of factors, many related. Suarez leaving, new players struggling and Sturridge injuries might be repetitive but they're all relevant, not red herrings. Suarez and Sturridge scored 52 of Liverpool's 101 league goals last season. That's gone. Their movement, ability and pace also benefited others - Sterling, Coutinho, Henderson, Gerrard - and without them all four have suffered a drop in form this season. It's also relevant to highlight the impact, or lack of, from the new signings. Almost £120m was spent in the summer and, as you say, sometimes only two or three have played. £20m Lazar Markovic, for example, has not featured in the Premier League since September. You can't shy away from what appears to be another missed opportunity in the transfer market by Liverpool.
Why do you think Rodgers was so reluctant to play Lambert when Balotelli was misfiring so badly? If Lambert doesn't fit into Liverpool's style of play then why is he there at all?
Guardian staff I don't think Lambert's had a fair chance so far. He was signed ostensibly as Liverpool's Plan B, only for Liverpool to sign another Plan B in Balotelli as the transfer deadline loomed. Lambert was refreshingly open and honest when he spoke to the press yesterday, however, and admitted he wasn't in the right frame of mind when he joined Liverpool (accepting he was going to be a back-up was the wrong approach, he said) and didn't create the first impression he wanted. There's a big chance for him to possibly turn Liverpool's season tonight though.
ChrisAlmighty asks:
I feel many of Rodgers' tactical and personnel calls smack with a certain amount of pride, playing the same tactics as last season, persisting with Balotelli in a lone role and hanging Gerrard out to dry in that 'quarterback' position. He seems loathe to admit these elements are not working now. Am I wide of the mark here?
Guardian staff That certainly appears the case so far this season. One of Rodgers' strengths last season was his flexibility, tactically and with selection, whereas he has been intransigent in those respects this term. To give him his due though, I think it's more a belief that this is the right way forward for the team he has available, rather than pride, that is behind his decisions. He admitted after the press conference last night to spending countless hours thinking of new ways to galvanise the team but, when key players have left or are injured, and new signings are struggling to make an impact, then his options are limited.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/11246863/Liverpool-forward-Raheem-Sterling-Hopefully-I-can-achieve-what-I-want-at-Anfield.html
Stian
No comments:
Post a Comment