09 Aug 2015 18:05:37
Positives:

Wonder goal from Coutinho lifts the performance above the distinctly average.

Joe Gomez has an excellent competitive debut: Moreno has serious competition.

Defence in general looked, more or less, solid.


Negatives:

Lack of creativity.

Benteke's movement was nil - a lethargic, lazy performance in which he neither created space nor pressurised Stoke when they had the ball - must do better.

Lallana very peripheral.

1.) 09 Aug 2015
09 Aug 2015 18:16:57
Don't normally say this to other posters, but what a nonsensical statement about benteke.

He spent the whole game coming short, moving into space asking for the ball. He can play around the box under pressure, I don't know why other players weren't trusting him to.

2.) 09 Aug 2015
09 Aug 2015 18:17:20
Lallana was shocking today. If not for his price tag, there would be an uproar why he was included in the match day squad at Markovic's expense. Looking like a bad buy with every passing game.

3.) 09 Aug 2015
09 Aug 2015 18:22:37
A thought he just didn't get the ball quick enough. Made plenty runs. Some1 of his size won't chase the play all game that's y he has 5 midfielders behind him

4.) 09 Aug 2015
09 Aug 2015 18:23:42
Agree completely, Forza. He was very isolated. Feeding on scraps. But the team dug deep.
God, a hard-fought victory like that tastes sweet!
Please lads, let's just enjoy it and be positive.

5.) 09 Aug 2015
09 Aug 2015 18:25:45
Benteke got no support from the flanks as we never used the width at all. I have said it many times, there won't be any tactical change to suit Benteke, we will continue to play through the middle and that's it.

6.) 09 Aug 2015
09 Aug 2015 18:27:57
Not trusting themselves. Neither Llana nor Ibe looked comfortable with the cross. Both wanted to cut in with ball and take off towards the goal eliminating the space that Benteke needs for his game. Ibe still had good performance but Llana looked out of place playing wide and would have been better slotted in behind Benteke.

7.) 09 Aug 2015
09 Aug 2015 18:31:57
He is not suited out wide and I got bucket of abuses 24 hours ago. And I might still get some.
BR has his fav players and they would be in the team regardless.

8.) 09 Aug 2015
09 Aug 2015 18:43:18
EG we don't need to play from the flanks, Benteke won headers and came short, that's fine, if there's runners in the gaps he makes and onto the headers he wins. Ibe stayed wide, that's fine, that's his role, but other midfielders had to break the line, and hendo and Milner can't do that as a midfield two.

9.) 09 Aug 2015
09 Aug 2015 18:46:48
Firmino has to take lallana place in teM and I suspect he will. Lallana does nothing! Absolutely nothing all game every game!

10.) 09 Aug 2015
09 Aug 2015 19:17:25
fencey

I am sorry but you need to stretch the opposition by using width which ll open up the space in the middle for countnho and Henderson to burst in.
If you play narrow you would get cramp for room in the middle and no place for the runners to get inside the defenders. That's exactly Suarez and sturridge did two season ago drawing players out wide making space for Sterling to run at people.
but now we have to use your full backs and wide players to do it.

11.) 09 Aug 2015
09 Aug 2015 20:31:44
E G ,We won the game mate. It's the 1st game of the season at a ground were not many sides come away the points.No pleasing some fans.

12.) 10 Aug 2015
10 Aug 2015 04:10:57
Sorry but Benteke was lazy from start to end yesterday - there was no pressing at all from him when we didn't have possession and no movement up front from him when we did. This is just laziness and nothing more - everybody, except Benteke, pulled their weight yesterday - it is laughable that he is being defended 'he was isolated' 'you can't expect a big man to run around all game' what?? Top strikers work tirelessly to create space, run opponents ragged and forge chances - Benteke did none of those things. And he is certainly capable of pressing the ball, he chose not to.

{Ed001's Note - sorry who was pressing? Where do people get this crap from? The team as a whole were not pressing, so why would Benteke press? I am no fan of his, but yesterday his lacklustre performance was purely down to the lack of service he got. You do not press on your own, you press in packs, so no way should anyone be blaming Benteke for not pressing.}