It's ok for teams like Barca who know ymtheyre going to score a few every game but for lackluster teams like ours it's just plain suicide.
Yes to block him then pass him on that's how it works. He can't physically stop him just slow him up. Hernandez did the same to O'Shea last week. It's really not difficult and I'm sick of explaining it and it's right in front of peoples eyes. We line up along the six yard every ****ing time. While they wait towards the penalty spot to run in. They get the timing right with the run and the cross and the delivery and it's a good chance of a goal. The chance is increased because the ****ing attacker can climb higher to head the ball as he is running in to attack it while our defender is static.
You genuinely think we wouldn't have conceded to Benteke whilst man marking? We've conceded the most in the league and that was before Silva got here!
It hasn't helped. If you isolate games against Palace and Sunderland then yes that's exactly why we got relegated. Despite the horror show start to the season - we'd got safety back into our own hands. But we spectacularly ****ed up. As for today - disgusted in those players who didn't even look like they were going through the motions. I don't even think Dawson is good enough for the Championship on that showing.
So if we conceded those goals whilst man marking, there's no blame on the system? It doesn't matter which system we used or didn't use, we're **** at defending crosses.
But we weren't man marking. We were using the worst defensive strategy I have ever seen. It doesn't work. Full stop.
We should have Mason (at some point) and Odubajo back, which is effectively two new signings. Bowen and Tymon could step up and I think Rodgers is a good understudy for Dawson/Davies.