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05 Jan 2021 09:57:17
Hi Ed001. Rather than a Match Review, any chance you could do a few thoughts on our current situation? Personally, I feel there has been an over-reaction to a couple of off performances - which can happen anytime, yet alone this most difficult of seasons. Watching us, it seems like that late equaliser conceded against WBA has really knocked us. You can really feel the frustration in the way we are playing. Also, the lack of fans seems to really help those home sides (like Newcastle) who can now completely "sit in" and literally not come out of their own half. Home fans would not tolerate that and this, I feel, has certainly not helped our away form. Not looking for excuses as such, just would be interested to know your current thinking. Cheers.

{Ed001's Note - I don't think we are anything like as far off as people are making out. It is tiny margins. Yesterday it was Southampton getting bodies to every ball in the box, as they played their hearts out and fully deserved the result. Another day one of those blocks ends up in the back of the net or falling to the feet of a Red to put in the net. It is the same every game, good balls go into the box but they are just not quite falling to our players or being mishit etc.

You are right, it doesn't help that teams we face are able to just sit deep and defend without fans to moan and groan about it. It is making it easier for them. But it is such fine margins that it could change at any moment.

The thing that is most frustrating for me is how bad the refereeing has been and how much that has cost us. Fraser Forster wipes out his own man and then gets a free kick before the ball can be put in the net, so it couldn't even get referred to VAR. And that was just one of a litany of ludicrous calls going against us recently. It feels like we used up all our luck last season (even though we had a huge amount of calls go against us then too).}

Agree0 Disagree0

05 Jan 2021 10:36:49
I totally agree when you say it is fine margins! we are definitely getting no luck at the moment. The penalty shouts really sum that up. Mane's was absolutely no different to Pogba's against Villa . personally, I would say neither were penalties, but for one to get given and one not just feels wrong. Maybe a game like United is exactly what we need - this season definitely shows that literally a couple of wins makes a massive difference. 2 wins in our next 2 league games and we will be right back.

{Ed001's Note - it was different to Pogba's, there was much clearer contact on Mane's leg. It was far more of a penalty, though I agree neither should be given, if you give one, you have to give the other.

What would help us most of all, imo, is to be able to put a consistent team out for a run of matches. Starting with the backline. If Klopp thinks Hendo is the best option right now, then he needs to stand by that decision and allow the players to grow into their roles. Putting players in and out is making it difficult for an understanding in defence to grow.}

05 Jan 2021 10:53:30
That's a really good point about a consistent team and especially a consistent defence. Just make the decision and try and go with that, if that means Hendo then so be it. Maybe with Thiago now seemingly fit that is the way it will go, with Fab and Hendo in the middle of defence with Thiago in front. Then maybe Matip can just be used to give Fab a rest in the odd game rather than trying to make him the consistent partner to Fab. I'm really looking forward to the United game . it is the mark of truly good sides (in all sports, not just football) in how they react to tougher times and poor (ish) form rather than just "easy" wins all of the time. Like I said before, 2 wins and the garden is rosy again.

05 Jan 2021 10:53:40
Totally with you ed. I tend to think that we are sometimes too quick to give credit to our application when things are good and also too quick to criticize the team when things are bad. When in reality there is a happy dose of luck that we never acknowledge either way, but it really should be lol

I watched a youtube clip of all our goals from the last season and it's amazing how many goals we scored where the opening or the shot came from a bobbled pass, deflection of a defender, nice bounce off the post etc.

I really think we are right there. I mean obviously we are, as we are right up at the top of the tree still. We may slip behind in the next week or two, but there is no doubt we are in the race. I just think the team need as much love as they are getting a kick up the arse to get through this tough patch and then make a run at the second half.

05 Jan 2021 10:54:45
Agree with you Ed. This is a product of constant changes (our 14th CB pairing of the season), opposition defending by crowding their boxes and lastly, awful refereeing performances. I do think that if we are to get out of this malaise and challenge we need to get our best midfielders into midfield. That, or we go for a different system altogether. Did I say that we desperately need to get a CB in this window?

The Villa game will not be any different. They battered us earlier in the season and they were excellent at Old Trafford last week. It will be another difficult game. Klopp may have to play a strong team if we are to play our way back into form although history suggests he will field a second string for the FA Cup games.

Feels very odd not to remember what it feels like scoring goals and winning.

I am sure it'll be fine. Just difficult to find positives right now other than convince ourselves that it is a miracle that we are top right now.

05 Jan 2021 11:37:14
Why o why do the majority claim dreadful refereeing is the major cause of this so called bad patch we are currently going through I will referee again to law 5 in the opinion of the referee people blame the referee but the game is all about opinion so try doing the job of referee yourselves see how hard it is the moan whilst refereeing most levels there always seems to be more referees at the side of the field of play than are on the actual park if everybody agreed on everything what would we talk about that's what makes football such a popular game.

05 Jan 2021 11:59:08
Ever heard of punctuation Hunter mate 😂

No one debates that refs job is tough but the level of ineptitude on a consistent basis is actually insane, even with video tech to assist.

05 Jan 2021 12:11:59
M8 sorry about the punctuation a left school dec 1979 I'm 57 on mon please can a put that down to being old a still follow Steve Nichols 1st senior team cut me slack on that one to please mate.

05 Jan 2021 12:37:53
I don't think we're far off but after their goal I thought we looked like we were going to play well for about 10 minutes. then there was a mad 2 minutes with Alison giving the ball away and then thiago. after this though until half time it didn't look like we knew how to play a pass 5 yards at all.

That being said Southampton pressed phenomenally but that 30 mins or so in the first half was the worst I'd seen from us in a while.

Every other game I think we've actually played all right. I still fully expect us to put on a clinic v United. When we really get ourselves up for a game which we surely will be for that game I still think we've been unplayable this season.

05 Jan 2021 14:43:40
I was so frustrated with the game last night but today I have a fresh perspective on the team in general.

It's said above, but to have three quality CBs out for a considerable amount of time is hugely disruptive to any team. Everything in life is cause and effect and interconnected. Last night made me re-asses what the impact of this is and the wanting to see the glass half full rather than glass half empty. We had two quality midfielders, and I mean that in every sense of the word rather than the Paul Merson sense, who are stepping into a role virtually unknown to them. That is obviously going to impact the midfield and thus, the entire chain is rusty and struggling to move. No world, European and domestic champion winning team can continue to win with their three starting CBs out but somehow, we’ve only lost two out of 17 games.

While the results are frustrating, that’s only from our ivory tower of league champions and the 19/ 20 season. So let’s take a moment to see the team for what they are – a team that continues to strive for success, match after match after match in the face of huge obstacles that are placed upon them. You cannot question the drive and determination from the team. Robbo sprinting down the wing, Mane constantly picking himself up after being kicked around for 90 minutes, Salah continuing to run at pace despite a choker hold. This team are built on fighting and fighting they do, every single minute of every single game. Imagine being out there with your team and pushing and pushing and pushing only to come up just shy of 3 points then repeating it again, and again. It would push anyone to the brink of insanity but there they are, week in, week out, driving forward with a somewhat makeshift team. Whilst it is easy to blame one person or another, or drop their heads in defeat, let’s take a moment to credit to the team for turning up in defiance of those obstacle and fighting in every minute of every game. I couldn't be more proud of them. And remember, YNWA!

05 Jan 2021 16:05:42
We are not miles away but to win the league we need a cb, it’s a must. Also Jota needs to get back firing.

05 Jan 2021 16:11:52
Some good points in this thread. Agree on being able to put the same 11 out for few games in a row. It was happening until Matip got injured again. That's why I think if they know the CBs they want they should push for one this window if possible to allow us to have a steady back five again.

One thing I would say is although Southampton made a lot of blocks which yes on another day could of ended differently and goals for Liverpool on days like that we need to learn to mix it up. Southampton setup to stop crosses into the box yesterday and all that happened is we kept trying find no one.

Yesterday I think we missed someone like Jota. He could of come on with the front three and that would of given Southampton something to think about because not only would there be attacks down the wings but also an extra forward to move between the lines.







 

 

 
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