Match Day Thread Porto v Liverpool

Milner at right back, I don't have a problem. But starting in midfield is potentially an issue.

Jones needs patience but the LCM is the disciplined defensive role. He would be better playing on the right where he has more freedom and a slightly less defensive burden.

 

but theres nobody better to lock the side down and let someone pile on past him?

you are of course right about the fact he is right footed as well.

I think on jones he's always played left side so need to stick with it. If in general he was told go do a henderosn on it and run about all over then ok but i'd perfer he learned the proper discipline and positioning you mention

BTW, talking of discipline. IMO henderson was poor v brentford as he basically piled on all the time ahead of the ball and even in a 4231 (which i advocated for pre game) he was poor as he was still gambling rather than staying goal side and shutting off the lanes of attack.

 

Yeah, let's hope Jones develops his off the ball ability. Because he clearly has talent - a player who can do something out of nothing.

Defensively, Hendo has been poor all season. He can't play in a midfield 2 - his only position and role is at a RCM in a midfield 3 and not as advanced. It's the only way you can fit him in this team unfortunately.

But in his defence, it's on Klopp because Hendo simply doesn't have the legs anymore.

 

Darn!

 

very solid is a big difference to great which was your original statement and i dispute that he is great at moving the ball forward though he at least isn't so careless with it .
This isn't an attack on him just an honest appraisal from my pov and when fit he would be my 2nd choice as LM .

 

i get the impression Klopp has instructed him to play further forward though players do need to take it on themselves to feel the way a game is going and adjust accordingly particularly when as experienced as Hendo .

 

yet he raced about and totally destroyed ac Milan as part of the massive press?

Methinks you are ignoring what happened there

 

Definitely Klopp has tweaked the system so that the RCM is more advanced (we saw it with Elliot as well). Just think it's unfair on Hendo to do the same because he doesnt have the legs to cover the ground behind him, which left Trent exposed.

 

Look at Milan's goals and they attacked the space on our right side (where Hendo should have been covering)

 

i'm not sure anyone has the legs to be both an attacking MF & holding MF tbf

 

I'm sure it was nothing deeper than a bit of complacency, tbh. We know we have the quality, and we underestimated theirs. We were taken aback and if there's a fault it was a failure to recognise this and adjust in time.
Three goals is enough to win the majority of games - and we should have had at least one more.
Anyway, we can't win every game - I'm sure lessons have been learned.

 

Milner says hi

 

he only has the legs as he had kicked off at least one leg from direct opponent

 

The first was the only time he didn't press and the second was tragically bad defending.

All goals stem from errors somewhere.

 

Not only does Milner have legs, he has ankles too... I think he's got the position covered!

 

I think he has a collection of body parts that don't strictly belong to him.

 

Doubts about Trents availability for tomorrow

 

As long as he is fit for the weekend.

 

Carra did an interesting piece last night on the Liverpool Brentford game looking at the goals.

The first one, Jones switches off, Robbo doesn’t get over quick enough to stop the cross then it’s bundled in at the back.

The next two are strange ones. The second TAA is left with a 3v1 at the back post but it’s mainly because half the Brentford team don’t get back in shape after a long throw. It gets recycled back out and we start going back into positions but you ended up with a centre back crossing the ball from the right and a centre back, central midfielder and left winger all over in our right back slot. Now, poor that was no communication but it wasn’t really any of our players being out of position and not tracking back as such.

Similar with third, shows that hendo is in Lb slot, Fabinho at CB with Robbo running back from the right corner and vvd central midfield getting back. Allows Brentford to get up with pitch while we sort our positions out.

Then they end up with an overload at the back post on Robbo but gets cleared and then an overload on the right when it’s recycled. That one would think someone should get back and help out but Brentford just pushed players on and we didn’t react quick enough with communicating to get someone to come help.

small margins and wasn’t really a targeted tactic, more just took advantage and gambled. Quite easy that they put in a poor cross, we clear it and suddenly we have 4 v 4 attack where Brentford are all out of shape.

 

or if we ****ing kick the ball out of play like



Fair enough first goal. they worked is and jones hasn't seen his man run while salah is closing down the passer. thats ok.


however robertson see it and goes out but cocks up his defending. but look inthe middle. zero reaction to their guys in the middle. all the 5 guys who should be defending are on thier heels. they were expecting to play out offside.

goal 2

theres far more errors here than carragher is saying imo. robertson all over the place. matip is more interested in vvds man than anything behind him. one look should tell him is is in awful trouble and to back off.



robertson shoudl have him. Matip is nowhere. Fabinho nowhere. now theres 4 on one t be honest. totally switched off defenders vv is even attracted towards ball.



robertson fails to get closer and lets him have a free cross. matip is running to near post racking nothing. Trents now totally exposed



ball dops and matip has finally woken up too late.


ball hits cross bar. fabinho and vvd have not got on the single guy in the box have they?

he gets a free header.

this is all about attitude and being switched on. Matip was piss poor here imo hes not read aything not looked about and didn't even get central of the gaol. vvd and fabinho have ball watched the entire move.



finally to compound this. Look where matip ends up. miles outside the 6 yard line.
Look at fabinho carging towards the guy heading it rather than letting vvd deal with it. he actually sprints off the line where he would have easily cleared it.

Its a shambles all round of bad desicions and sleepy play.


I won't even bother with the third goal.

what i see is failure to read the game and get good shape and then failure to deal with the most danger. all 3 are asleep.