Buzzing today after 3 points away to Stoke.
We just cant be come away unhappy with that. Best result of the weekend me thinks although perhaps United's win vs. Spurs was decent as well.
Verdict Stoke game
So lets start with the obvious, the highlight of the game and what won us the game. Couthinho picks up the ball of Joe Gomez on the left wing and hits a fantastic strike into the right top corner albeit not as far out as you might think.
Jack Butland got a hand to it but was not able to keep it out. These are the type of strikes that people now like to call "worldies". Not sure I am big fan but when on a podcast earlier today used it myself so I guess it is becoming a part of our vocabulary.
Thought we defended well against a decent Stoke team today. Nothing fantastic and the was a few risky/shaky moments specifically from Lovren, Mignolet and Gomez but it did not end up hurting us.
This was our line-up starting the game in a 4-2-3-1
Mignolet
Clyne, skertel, Lovren and Gomez
Milner, Hendo,
Ibe, Coutinho and Lallana
Benteke
Many like to call this a 433 depending on how offensive our wingers are in their pressure or on the ball but the way we line-up/where Coutinho is positioned when we are without the ball and how far back we sat when stoke had the ball at times I could even be inclined to call it a 4411 or a 451 depending.
At the outset we looked comfortable about the half the possession and not committing a lot of men going forward. To me this was deliberate because I think we had to make sure not to concede early in the game considering the 6-1 defeat fresh in many of the players minds.
Benteke was at times isolated up front but he battled hard, kept trying to nick it on or down to his midfielders around him and the wingers and at times it came off, other times he found it difficult.
To me the obvious thing that was lacking was not enough running into deep and wide areas....especially late in the game.
Ibe was trying but was shown inside all the time from their left back Muniesa who coincidently had a great game. On the opposite wing I didn't think we saw enough from Lallana. He is always decent in pressure but he likes to tuck into the middle and doesn't keep the width enough.
Henderson was time and time again looking for an outlet ball down the wings when we gain possession and try to attack and there was little room due to how many players Stoke chose to keep back but behind Glen Johnson there were opportunities. Lallana gets stuck centrally either next to Coutiho which makes our attacks very narrow and Stoke had a relatively easy time defending against that.
I do not mind him doing that from time to time but varying it, having an understanding of when to go wide and burst into space for a pass or two either get Glen Johnson tracking back or dragging the CB (Jeff Cameron) wide will open up space for others (be it benteke, or any of the oncoming midfielders or wingbacks coming from behind).
I know you forego the defensive responsibilities in tracking the full back if you do that (lallana tracking Glen Johnson in this instance) but to me that was a risk worth taking especially towards the end when they started to tire. Perhaps this was a tactical choice from Brendan and if it was it is hard to criticize him now considering Coutinho came up with that goal and won us the game. But what happens is that Glen Johnson cant forget about who ever runs in behind him... or if he does it creates problems for the rest of the stoke defence.
Coutinho's goal certainly was something special and we know from last season he has got it in the bag so hopefully they keep coming.
When he scored the goal he was about to be taken off by Rogers and totally understand why. He played copa America in the summer and is not fully fit, he was starting too look leggy. He was both slow to come out and pressure pressure and he failed t exploit the wide area shortly But I didnt think we saw enough in his pressing and lack of running into space behind Glen Johnson... Same with lallana (especially the running bit into space...) which for example Sterling is great at.
Part of the reason City decided to pay so much for Sterling is because how much he has improved tactically both defensively (knowing when to cover) and vice versa knowing when to run into that space in behind the full back (which today is more important than ever when most managers want their full backs to be bombing on.
Henderson was long for the long diagonal into space several times today and he hit Ibe a few times with those type of cross field balls. But that was his only option... nothing down the left which again makes it easier to defend against when you have as many men back as stoke did.
From a positive standpoint I thought everyone worked hard today with maybe Clyne and skertel as the two stand out players for us. Many played decent. Both Henderson and Milner ran hard through the middle and matched Stoke's physicality.
To me it started to look a lot better though when we got Can into midfield in and around 75minute. He has more thrust and drive through the middle than Henderson and Milner in my opinion and attacks with more purpose.
Milner was placed out on the right and although I thought we remained narrow when Firminho came on all of a sudden there was just a different quality on the pitch.
What a team this can turn out to be once Can, Firminho and Coutinho get fully fit. If Sakho and Moreno comes into defence for Lovren and Gomez I think we are even stronger as well so there is a lot to look forward to.
Can I am worried about playing time for him considering Henderson and Milner are preferred at centre mid. I agree with @daveHendrick_AI in that he is better, had higher ceiling and more natural centre mid than Milner but Milner is a safer pair of hands against Top8 until we start consistently placing in the top4.
He is more disciplined defensively when there is not a clear defensive mid behind him is my main reasoning for that which we need against capable teams.
We have got a lot too look forward to and it will be interesting to see if we can improve a lot here before Xmas. I think and hope we can which may make things interesting for Top 4.
https://twitter.com/liverpoolfcnews/status/630474050876223488 (Rogers talking about Planning to take coutinho off)
http://anfieldindex.com/16036/post-match-stoke-liverpool-learn.html Thought this article made some brilliant points as well about our pressing etc.
Anways, 3 pts in the bag and we move on. Makes for a fantastic Sunday.
Thoughts and opinions are always welcome!
YNWA,
Stian
@sga555
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