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26 Nov 2017 07:18:52
Ed01 curious your take - is it coincidence we seem to be struggling to control midfield with Coutinho in there or is that harsh on him? It does seem our best performances to date continue to be with a front 3 of Mané, Salah and Firmino, with Firmino acting as the creative engine, then a midfield 3 that is just efficient at getting it forward to them as efficiently, plus willing to put in a shift defensively.
At the moment it seems Coutinho's skill on the ball isn't quite enough to justify sacrificing the midfield control we seem to have with a setup of Hendo, Gini and Lallana/ Can.
{Ed001's Note - I don't think it is a coincidence, he is going missing for long periods of the game and not doing enough off the ball to help out defensively. The question is whether his flashes of brilliance make up for that or not.}
1.) 26 Nov 2017 09:04:33
Although I see your point, I don’t think our other Centre mids control the game anyway.
2.) 26 Nov 2017 09:15:17
to be fair taking him out for a player that will put a shift in defensively, may help control a game smplfc.
3.) 26 Nov 2017 10:29:55
Was saying this before the season started, and people laughed at my comments and questioned whether I watched the game. Coutinho is a fine player with key skills to pick a pass that people will feel are suited in midfield. Maybe if we still played a diamond or if our midfield 3 had coutinho at the point of it, but we dont. We typically have hendo anchoring with two runners. And coutinho doesn't have the engine or physqiue to stamp his authority as one of those runners. MK did a big breakdown of midfield but I think it missed that the way our midfield set-up isn't exactly ideal to coutinho's strengths. Yes he can track back and press, but we've that most effective when he starts from the left wing or when he was at the head of our diamond under BR. But as a central-mid? No, he has a lot more developing to do to really be impactful imo. Am sure he'll get there, just not right now.
4.) 26 Nov 2017 15:23:42
Spot on, OP and Ed01. Cou is not offering much defensively and his brillia nce is not consistent enough for now, to offset that. In the last two games, he has been too absent defensively and not consistent enough offensively hence and we wonder why Hendo is all over the pitch trying to put out fires in CM and covering for Moreno, Wij and Milner and breaking up play, all at the same time.
26 Nov 2017 04:11:34
Only the odd exception would be OK for change in management so far as I can see, although more and more on here see patience is running thin on the eternally wobbly defence
I believe front 3 was just rotation to avoid fatigue, but maybe a hint of something about not performing second half against Sevilla? If so I think that would be unfair as in reality they were exhausted and should have been subbed for Solanke and Ox far earlier IMO, then maybe they could have started today?
24 Nov 2017 07:51:06
I think it’s a good reminder that
1) when you sell your best player, don’t scatter the funds across the rest of the team, you just end up weakening your previous strength, and disenfranchising the rest of the players (like we also managed to do when Suarez left)
2) you can’t change a significant number of the team and expect them to all click like a team that’s played together for years (unless your name is Pep and you have hundreds of millions to spend) . a warning for all those on this site that want to replace 6-7 players because they think we have no leaders on the pitch so therefore want Hendo, Gini, Coutinho, Can, Moreno, Lovren, Klavan, Migs etc. etc. to be replaced!
23 Nov 2017 15:31:45
2005 still gives me goosebumps but I loved the game at Anfield vs City in 13/ 14 when we were in the run for the title. The crowds YNWA and Coutinhos goal to win it still stick in the memory.
23 Nov 2017 15:22:57
Agree he was needing a rest after 70mins - we needed a hold up player like Solanke while the lad has run miles every game this season.
23 Nov 2017 15:21:19
Well said - we have no god given right to win every game and yet we react to every defeat (or draw) like we need to replace half the team. We deserve to have high expectations but that is not a license to knee jerk at every result, but to take everything in context.
That context for me is we drew in the CL away from home when we deserved to win. but that after a few great games where we looked a solid side with good balance and scoring 3 goals a game. let's take the lesson and move onto Chelsea and do better.