06 May 2024 07:35:14
Much better yesterday. 3 key things for me that changed our fortunes.
1) Trent back playing as an actual right back and holding the width.
2) Going back to the midfield that saw us playing our best football this season (Endo, Macca and Elliott) . If only we'd done it sooner instead of persisting with Jones and Szoboszlai who've just looked miles off it since coming back from injury.
3) Gakpo and Diaz interchanging throughout the game, so Gakpo was on the ball more in his preferred wider role and as a result looked arguably the best player on the pitch (along with Elliott) .
Went a bit to pot after the substitutions disrupted our flow but we'd already done the damage so it ultimately didn't matter. It's almost certainly too little too late this season (barring a quite spectacular implosion from both Arsenal and City) but hopefully we can end on something of a high by carrying this performance into the final 2 games.
06 May 2024 08:02:17
Mk I might be wrong but quickly glancing back over the season line ups it appears that yesterday was the first league game that Mac, Endo and Elliot have started together in midfield this season.
06 May 2024 08:27:42
JK23, possibly as a 3 because I think Macca was injured for a bit around February time, but they are the form players who carried us through that period of mass injuries January-March in my opinion. They and possibly Clark to a lesser extent are our only midfielders who I believe can say they have performed to their best this season. I really don't think we look solid with Jones and Szoboszlai in there, with Macca in the 6. They go too high and wide, and Macca isn't suited to being a lone 6 as it is, never mind when he has 40 square yards to cover on his own in the middle. Endo makes such a difference and I can't believe we dropped him in so many important games.
06 May 2024 08:41:01
Double checked JK23, and you're not far wrong. They only actually started 1 game together I can see, which was the 5-1 win over Sparta Prague. However whilst skimming through, it seems to be quite noticeable how much better our results are when Macca/ Endo (this duo especially) or Macca/ Elliott or Elliott/ Endo have started together. Looks like the main reason they haven't played together often is due to rotation for Europa league games. Such a shame they've not played together more as a 3 because they dominated Spurs yesterday and that's 9 goals scored in the 2 games they've started together which say's it all really.
06 May 2024 08:42:29
Mk cheers for the reply mate. I didn’t actually look at that stat to call you out. I looked at it yesterday before the game when the team was announced because my first thought was I couldn’t remember this midfield playing together. So thought I’d throw my 2p in that’s all to add discussion.
On Endo I’m not sure which games you mean when you say he was dropped. Our season seemed to derail when we went out of the fa cup against Utd and then after that we drew with Utd, lost to palace, Atalanta and Everton and drew with West Ham.
Of those 6 games Endo started 5 of them. Only game he didn’t start was the derby.
In regards to Clark mate I’ve hardly seen him this season to really judge. Think he’s played 87 mins in the league and then 150 mins across the other comps.
On Elliot yesterday though I thought he was fantastic and so was Gakpo. But I’ve got to call a spade a spade and those two haven’t always been fantastic when played this season. But in both’s defence they’re probably the ones (and Gomez) who have been shifted around the most position wise and then seem to be the ones that get sacrificed out of the starting 11.
06 May 2024 09:10:22
Mk agree on the Endo and Mac call.
It’s been a bit of a nightmare getting them into the team together. Endo started very slowly and I’ll even admit after watching him live at home in the europa I wrote him off of which he’s undoubtedly proven me wrong. When Endo eventually got up to speed and came into the team it was Dece, her and Mac then picked up the injury that kept him out for a month.
When Mac returned Endo was at the Asian games for a month so it wasn’t until February that both started games together regularly which saw us go on a 7 game unbeaten run in the league.
Both haven’t been great mind in the poor run we then saw recently and I thought both were ok yesterday and not spectacular.
06 May 2024 09:18:18
Or did we play better yesterday as pressure off? Didn't get to see game myself due to family get together so can't comment on game but according to reports and what i read here we played much better.
06 May 2024 09:19:16
Playing it forward quicker helped a tonne.
Less playing around at the back. The defence and the midfield seemed eager to get the ball moving up the pitch. Big difference from last few games.
06 May 2024 09:20:30
JK23, no worries mate I worded it badly anyway. I meant they've been our best 3 midfielders rather than them as a unit and your point was correct so nothing to dispute! I hadn't even considered how many they'd actually started together, I just knew I'd found us better to watch in the periods those 3 were playing more minutes.
With Endo mate it's more taking him off early in games recently (although dropping him in the derby was madness) . The guy did 120 in a Cup final and didn't falter once so subbing him after 60/ 70 minutes most weeks of late is baffling for me. As you say, he did play in our last 6 games but his minutes were very fractured.
Against United he was hooked on 69 minutes and they took complete control of the game eventually going 2-1 up. Elliott came on and salvaged something by winning a penalty.
At Palace he was taken of at HT but to be honest everyone was poor that day. Not having his security in midfield in the 2nd half didn't help though as it clearly hampers Mac Allisters game when he doesn't have Endo giving him more freedom, and Macca is our key to unlocking low blocks.
Yesterday vs Spurs he was hooked on 65 minutes with us 4-0 up and we lost control again and conceded twice. Luckily the lead was unassailable!
Against West Ham he was hooked on 79 minutes with us in the lead and looking more likely to extend the lead than to lose it. Not long after he was subbed they scored to make it 2-2.
Our only comfortable win in the last 6 games where it didn't feel like we were having to do any desperate defending at any point was the 3-1 vs Fulham and it is not a surprise to me that Endo played 90 minutes in that game.
To compare, in our 7 league games between Endo coming back from the Asian Cup and our United collapse he started 5 of those games and played the full 90 minutes in all of his starts. We won 4 of them and drew 1 against Man City. In fact every defeat we've had in the league this season Endo has played 45 minutes or less! He's such a key player for us that I'd be sending him out onto the pitch in plaster if I had to! The guy is a machine. I still can't comprehend people wanting to replace him next season when he's arguably our player of the season.
06 May 2024 09:21:25
Jones and Szobo, before their injuries, were solid and I thought deserved their minutes. Jones looked very natural in midfield and for a period of time, I thought he was our best CM, especially since Macca was still finding his feet back then. I do agree that they have not been great since they came back from their respective injuries but then again, no one from the team did during that period.
06 May 2024 09:40:57
Dracred, Jones and Szobo started the season very well but I think Szobo got figured out and needs to adapt to cope with English football, and Jones fell apart again with injuries and just never found his form.
Both players haven't played well arguably this calendar year. I don't think they can complain if they don't start again this season. Even Gravenberch has done more in recent weeks and to be honest, I wrote him off before he even pulled on a red shirt, but whilst others have faded away this season, he's got better and better. So hold my hands up there, because he might turn into a decent player for us if that trajectory continues.
06 May 2024 09:43:29
Agree about Endo MK but just wish he had a bit more pace over the 1st 10 yards. If he had that he’d be the perfect platform for Mac and to protect the defence.
Since Endo found his feet he’s the perfect out ball from defence or keeper to break the press. Opposition close him down and he invariably plays it simple to a fullback or occasionally wriggles free, leaving Mac or the wingers available for the killer out ball. But if he had that burst of speed he’d be the perfect CDM for this team.
06 May 2024 09:44:59
Digger, I'd like to think the players won't give up on the league until it is mathematically impossible so if they were playing without pressure, that's damning of their mentality this season! You could be right though mate.
Davey, I really liked that about the performance. I think having Robbo and Trent back and coming back to being fully fit will help a lot. They both progress the ball very quickly either with Trent's passing range or Robbo's forward runs. Throw in that Elliott and Gakpo also likes to travel with the ball and are very direct and it all came together in that first hour of the game. Shame it fell apart towards the end but I think that epitomised our season really!
06 May 2024 10:04:05
Pompey Rouge, fair point on his lack of pace. Although Fabinho was never quick either. One benefit to his lack of pace is that he's unlikely to suffer from a major decline for a while yet because he doesn't rely on his legs, his game is mainly in his head. Same traits that allowed Milner to play for us until 36 years old.
I think Endo is ideal for us right now because he is not going to block the emergence of Bajcetic. Baj wasn't great yesterday when he came on but he has been out for a year in his defence. I'd probably wait until he has a proper pre-season under his belt before throwing him into a big game again though.
06 May 2024 10:38:05
Good points on Endo, MK. I have to agree that he has grown on me as the season has gone on and am glad that he has taken that DM spot for himself. I can see why a few would want an upgrade on him but unless that player is a prime Fabinho, I think we can wait for Baj to grow into that position.
One Szobo, I don't think teams have figured him out. I think he has sacrificed part of his game for the sake of the team. He does a lot more running around now off the ball than he did when he first came in. I think it is a tactical issue and he should go back to form if he is allowed to play naturally like he did when he first came in.
For Jones, his injury came at a bad time since he was a regular then and playing very well. Not sure if the injury is his fault though since I recall that it is an impact one. I think he still needs a run of games to build back his match fitness and he should be back to his best. I'm still reluctant to call it quits on him and to move him on.
06 May 2024 11:35:33
Unfortunately it’s the same every year with Jones he can’t put half a season together never mind a full one. I agree on Dom he really needs to knuckle down and try to regain his place next year. Endo has been a first class signing for the fee but he did have a major dip recently that led to Mac going back to no.6 and that was never the answer. I don’t think Endo will be first choice next year but he will still get plenty games.
I think Elliot hasn’t had the game time he deserved, why some players kept being chosen ahead of him I could never understand. He should be even better next year.
06 May 2024 12:03:19
MKS, Im with @Dracred on Szobo. It's not like he is playing the same positio, and doing the same things he was playing/ doing when he was killing it at the start and suddenly now, he is struggling cos teams are targeting him. It is the change in his functions on the pitch where he can no longer be as dynamic on the pitch like he was back then at the start (and at RBL, btw) that has set him back. All you have to do is watch him then, and watch him now and the diff. is clear, IMO. And with the wall the whole team has hit in terms of form, that has affected the confidence of everyone, him included. Just my take.
As for Quansah, the kid is talented, no question and can be really good esp. with the platform he set for himself this season. He just needs to be more aggressive in his interventions, stay focused and concentrate the whole time cos he can get sloppy and play a wrong ball to the oppo. via a blind pass. Something he did again vs WH last week and led to the corner that caused the goal. That will come with more experience, IMO.
06 May 2024 12:08:24
markp08, my hope is that Bajcetic is first choice next season after a barnstorming pre-season! Last summer we held off signing a RB because we knew how good Bradley was and I'm hopeful we do the same for Bajcetic. Endo might not be world class but he's not a weak link either so it's low risk but I'm sure Slot and Hughes will assess the squad in the summer and make their decisions. They might choose to go in a completely different direction.
06 May 2024 12:59:51
@mkscouser, I have always said gakpo should play out wide which is where he played for Ajax and for the Netherlands and in the games he has played out wide, he has been brilliant. Why klopp persisted with playing him central as a false nine is beyond me. Klopp is a legend but simple and obvious thinks that like make me thing that there’s perhaps more than just a bit of arrogance that made klopp keep trying to play him a position unfamiliar to him. In some ways, I am actually glad klopp is leaving. He is a legend but I think it had got to the point where his tactics had been sussed out, and teams knew how to play against us, I think deep down inside he knew this hence helping him make the decision to leave.
06 May 2024 13:22:46
Can I just say if we had twitter (or it hadn’t been so toxic) Peter crouch would have been crucified by so called fans.
06 May 2024 14:34:45
Endo is ok and an ok back up it his game is very limited, would hope we can get an upgrade in the 6 position.