01 Oct 2017 05:25:14
Just a quick idea for a thread - what 1 (and I do mean one! ) thing did you take away from the Saturday games related to Liverpool? This is not to descend into a slagging off session of Liverpool and its players (take note Harry), just something you noticed. It can be a knee jerk reaction even, but just one thing from that one group of games.
For me it was that, though I am not always right, I was right about Christensen, we should have targeted him, not VVD, in the summer. He was defensively sound and very calm and composed on the ball. Christensen would not have solved all of Liverpool's defensive issues, but he would have been a leap forward.
01 Oct 2017 06:33:06
Ed001, would Christensen have been for sale though?
At least Soton do not want to sell to us so unlikely VVD will be coming.
Alderweireld still has not signed a new contract so that would be another option worth pursuing.
{Ed001's Note - early in the summer he was considering his future as Chelsea were buying centre backs and he probably would have listened to any offers from us. Can't be 100% sure as I do not know whether Chelsea would have sold him.}
01 Oct 2017 06:40:40
That the gap between the big clubs and the others appears to be growing.
01 Oct 2017 06:46:02
My one takeaway is that maybe Klopp was right after all in getting a number of players to share in the goals rather than rely one player. Chelsea lost Morata after about 35 minutes and looked pretty toothless after that.
01 Oct 2017 07:31:52
The one thing for me is that the EPL race will probably end up between City and UTD but UTD are still to face any of the big boys. Things can change in an instant at the top.
Win today can take us into 4th. How about that after all the doom and gloom over recent weeks. Race for a top 4 finish is going to be extremely tight this season.
I agree with Smeg, I have said it before too. The outcry for a front man still boggles the mind. As you suggest, who is going to lead the Chelsea attack if Morata is out for many weeks? It will also have to see Conte mixing up his tactics now.
With Klopp he may only have "one way" of playing but his team does not rely on one individual. If someone is injured the following player takes his spot so no need to change the entire tactical setup. Versatility is key to Klopp.
01 Oct 2017 08:00:03
Spot on, Smeg and Max. I have always maintained that the outcry for a true front man was nothing but a false argument and red herring and a complete waste of time. Chelsea had a front man in Morata who I love BUT struggled to create one good chance in 90 mins. They did the same thing vs Arsenal as well as they were very easy to defend against (If Wenger is hammering you tactically then you are in trouble) . As for Spurs with Kane, he is an excellent player but like us, Spurs have Eriksen, Alli and Son who are always amongst the goals so they can chip in if Kane has a bad game.
I also believe that the "Klopp has only one way of playing" is just a stick to beat him with. We changed our style late last season to a more protective 4-4-2 diamond and we still scored goals and kept clean sheets so again, that narrative is just crap. The plan A works perfectly as it creates chances for fun. That is what a system is supposed to do. Sometimes it will work and the chances will come good (like at LC), other times it won't but as long as it works most of the time (which it does since Klopp got here), you don't just rip everything up cos you did not take your chances in a couple of games.
01 Oct 2017 08:22:22
Main thing i took from it was that our understanding in the final third on the break has to improve. I see Son, Davies and Sissoko running at 4 players on the and they scored. Nobody can tell me they are better individuals than Mane, Firmino and Salah. But they are a better team.
Against Spartak at one point we had Arnold, Henderson, Salah, Mane and i think the 5th player was Firmino all running at 2 players and they stuffed it up.
Our lads don't seem to know what runs each other are going to make, and the decision making was lacking in confidence. Indecisiveness has crept in recently. Only way that get's better though is by giving the players time to gel, and hoping they get a good result soon to boost the confidence. They're not playing badly, but so far the final ball or finish has been found wanting. That same Spurs move i mentioned showed how much luck plays a role though. Sissoko only scored thanks to a heavy reflection, and our blocked shots just aren't ricocheting in at all.
On the bright side i did have a dream we won 4-1 and Mane scored a hat trick so touch wood it was a vision 😂.
01 Oct 2017 08:32:08
Max mate, United haven't been tested at all this season, their hardest game was against Stoke and they could only manage a draw., Hughes tactically out thought Mourhino that day. I don't think it will be quite so cut and dry when it comes to the top two.
01 Oct 2017 08:47:30
Yeah Drogie, as I said, UTD have not faced any of the big boys yet and things can change in an instant at the top.
UTD up at Anfield after today. Mourinho may very well park the bus and try nick a goal or two on the counter.
Win for us vs Newcastle will be a massive result. Especially with the International break coming up.
Let's get them 3 points on the board!
01 Oct 2017 09:01:05
No matter what we say about utd, they're doing good, credit where credit is due and it'll be a difficult game for us, they will be confident as hell, personally i can't see them parking the bus, I think they'll be right at us, knowing how bad our defence is. I obviously would love to see us batter them but I right now would be happy with a draw.
Fingers crossed for today, we need them 3 points.
01 Oct 2017 10:22:14
It looks like Mourhino is getting his side to come out of the blocks firing to get that early goal, then sit back and soak up the pressure and hit on the counter.
Will he do they against better opposition? We'll have to wait and see.
Stoke apart and Everton in the second half, all of United's opposition have given them time and space to get their game going, when they've had pressure they Look a bit shakey and they can certainly be got at.
01 Oct 2017 12:18:11
Harry Kane looks the real deal.
01 Oct 2017 13:31:46
agree with Ed001 Christensen look good so composed on the ball and can defend, as for Chelsea to sell him- yes they will as i read somewhere that Chelsea has a price set for every player and if the buying team want to pay it and the player want to make the move they won't oppose it.
second thing was the midfield of Kante and Bokoyoko - my god the pace power and tenacity that midfield has.
01 Oct 2017 13:43:07
One thing?
There is no team to trouble us this season ðŸ†.
01 Oct 2017 14:51:03
I think Morata would have been a nice fit for Liverpool. Mane and Salah either side. Firmino, Coutinho and Can behind. I don't know if he was achievable, but I think he could have complemented others well.
01 Oct 2017 14:53:01
That's the spirit, Ron. MK, I saw the same thing you saw vs Spartak on the counter attack. There were three players who made the same run to the near post on that play and I was pulling my hair out (I barely have any to begin with) cos If these players need me or Klopp to tell them that one player goes front post, the other goes back post and the third sits deep for the cut back then we are all in trouble.
As you said, this is due to lack of confidence as the players seem to be doing too much and overthinking things at crucial moments. Scoring goals is based mostly on instinct and right now, our boys are thinking way too much. We are playing great and creating a shed load of chances BUT the final touch is missing. The boys just need to play their game and relax a bit and not panic in the final third and all will be fine. Afterall, this team scored almost 100 goals (92) last season. Up the Pool and 3 points for us tonight!