07 Apr 2021 05:07:34
#stopthehighline
Ed01, do you agree, Klopp should stop playing with the high defensive line, at least until we have the players back who suit it?

{Ed001's Note - no, utter nonsense. The problem was not the high line, the problem was that Jota, Wijnaldum and Keita were just watching rather than pressing, leaving the back line exposed. All dropping deeper would have done is allowed them to attack us further up the pitch, which is more dangerous when no one is closing down and allowing their players time on the ball to pick a pass.}

07 Apr 2021 08:32:11
Exactly, Ed. This is a very myopic way of thinking. We play the high line cos we press in attack and midfield, end of. One is linked to the other. If the midfield are supposed to press effectively while the defense holds the line and they don't, who is to blame? The defence that did its job or the midfielders and attackers who did not do theirs? Nonsense. Our press was disjointed and crap near all game long. That is the problem. It all started from there.

07 Apr 2021 08:36:24
We played like Arsenal did against us, no heart no fighting spirit. We were terrible from the first minute and the only reason it wasn’t worse is because Madrid settled for the 3-1. Not sure if Klopp can get a team together to beat Villa and then Madrid. I don’t blame the cbs they try their best. We can’t play Williams I wonder if Davis deserves his chance. It’s a real worry as not even one player turned up.

07 Apr 2021 09:14:46
Myopic is continuing to play a high line when you have a team that isn't pressing the from the front. When the defence sees no one pressing they need to drop back or they are Myopic.

07 Apr 2021 09:19:10
Agreed markp - it was men against boys across the park unfortunately apart from 15 mins at start of second half. Like you our second string defence can't really be blamed. My biggest shock was how apathetic and unsure Fabino was throughout the game. Usually when he plays apprehensively it goes through the rest of the team. Even his passes were too soft. Jota was also disaappointing. Rest played as they have most of the season so wasnt that surprising.

07 Apr 2021 12:58:52
low line, high line, no line, it doesn't matter. so long as we ball watch we can have any kind of defense out there, it will be hopeless and torn apart.

07 Apr 2021 15:57:28
It looked like Madrid prepared for this game over Easter. And our players spent it at home.
The lacklustre lazy performances of the past 12 month was back on show and to be honest, we seemed terrified of the fact it was Real. We’ve seen the same uninterested effort many times before in the Prem and we’ll probably see it again before the summer, I wouldn’t go as far to say he’s lost the dressing room, but I would say we need a hell of a lot of money spent on this squad, money we apparently don’t have.
But listen we’re far from out, these boys can turn it on. If Anfield was full and I was going to the game as normal I’d be very very confident, so they can do it!

07 Apr 2021 17:10:03
Totally agree with you there Ed001.
Nerves, or what, I don’t know but they seemed in awe of the situation.
Mane livened up when he was getting fouled but the whole team got bullied, mentally as much as physically.

{Ed001's Note - too many players coasting didn't help. We missed Henderson, Milner and Firmino, as those are the 3 that set the press.}

07 Apr 2021 19:35:58
BT had Rio Ferdinand analysing the first goal and he kept going on about high lines and Phillips not dropping off and didn’t mention the fact that Jota was 10 yards away from Kroos just watching him. I thought he was going to get his phone out and take a picture!

Any line will get torn apart if you allow their best passer that amount of time with pacy wingers running in behind.
I think Jota earned his start last night but he should be played against teams that sit back in a low block and leave Firmino to disrupt the better teams. Then he can come on if we need a goal in the second half.