Topic: BAHA 0-1 LFC Post match

[Hinesy]

It was really only in November when the pundits stopped saying "well that was the kind of match last year Liverpool would've lost/drawn" yet to be honest, THIS was the kind of match I expected us to draw if not lose. Not because we lost (by 11mm) to City (ignore the Wolves v LFC creche) but because we didn't have the 'nous' I think we have now. Call it 'mature' as Jurgen says, call it experience, but there was a feeling that we wouldn't lose the game, we just needed to make sure we didn't draw.
And we didn't. And today I had to accept that awkward sensation of kinda hoping the Norwegian Imp's team (he will be played by Andy Serkis in any biopic) would beat his mighty highness Lord Kane MBE's team. And they did. Here's to Wolves winning again. That's winning again, not hoping again.

So to our match and the case for defence m'lud. Lovren hobbled, Matip overlooked for Fabinho and Terence Trent D'arby rolling his ankle meant we had as a makeshift defence as Trump has for any of his impeachments.* (Fill in your own better shit defence analogy if you have it)

But we lined up and kicked off against a formation that literally wanted to crush the game to death in the midfield and treated our half as if it was a minefield.
We've recently, perhaps all this season, started to play slightly more cautiously with Robertson no longer always bombing to the byeline to get the ball across, but instead now heading 3/4 into their half, then stopping and passing it sideways or backwards. Probing not bombing. More hang on than gung ho.
This means we are slower in our own attacks. Which makes our counter attacks seem more faster than they are, because they are quicker than the regular play we now do. Side to side, waiting for the slip up. Bobby or Sadio dropping deep to pick up and try and move forward.
But that means against sides like Brighton, we are trying to get past a thick wall, persistently. And without the space, or the opposition  being in the wrong position, it takes us a while. We are almost more effective counter attacking than building. But here we were allowed to build from the back for a while then pressed a bit then back to Virgil and so on. At times it was almost back to the days of Hyypia out to Riise then run a bit and then back to Sami and so on.
But now we have the differing elements in the team and when that midfield and attack turn it on, the speed is there - usually when we're up one goal and they're chasing.
And they had to chase because of a certain penalty. No questions about Mo here of course, but again its interesting to note the press and their foibles: the last two penalties awarded to Mo "Definite penalties no softness here" as if we have to justify them. Allison demonstrating his fee "especially given his slip v Leicester" and so on and so on. City after a defeat aren't 'shaky'. We are.
I don't mind. If we can carry on playing this way and take the title I wouldn't give a flying Warnock.
Anyway: we beat them and that's a massive plus. Up the hill boys.

[Hinesy]

been a while but here's my thoughts on yesterday.

[John C]

Posts like these and days like these flood RAWK with the cyber equivalent of happy serotonin

Up the Reds, said Virgil Van Dijk.

[stockdam]

I'll keep it short.

Our defence looked secure as always. We have three great players in VVD, Alisson and Robertson. Fabinho was excellent considering that he isn't a centre back. TAA was carrying an injury but did ok.

Our front three were their usual selves although Mane was a bit quiet. Firmino's contol and chasing was suberb. Once Klopp gave Salah the flexibility to go deep and run with the ball then we looked much more dangerous. The penalty was 100% correct and Salah put it away with style.

The only problem was that our midfield was a bit meh. Nobody did anything wrong but we could do with a Salah in midfield who can run at players and link up with Firmino. Yes Salah did that job in the 2nd half but against deep defending teams we need another one or two players who can do this. Henderson and Gini were solid, Shaq didn't have a great game but his dinks are always a good weapon to have.

Brighton were very well organised but didn't do much to try to win the game. They hardly got out of their own half but that's because we are so dangerous if we have space.

Referee was fine and got most of the decisions correct. Brighton players and supporters tried to put pressure on the ref but he stood up to them well.

A tough game but we came through. We'll have more games like this and we'll have to scrap hard for the points but 1-0 wins will do the job.

Not many teams have gone to Brighton and played better.

[idontknow]

We played that game so professionally I was terrified. 0-0 at half time, after 45 minutes of probing, pushing, but not exactly exerting. That's cool, I'm learning to expect that, even at Anfield.

2nd half, early rightfully-given penalty, put away, and what happens? We just continue patiently playing football. I think we expected the 2nd goal, it didn't come, but we weren't that bothered. Since the 80s, even under Rafa, in the same position, we would have started throwing chariots forward to get that 2nd, a real head of steam. Sometimes we thumped teams, at other often key times, we were caught out. Yesterday was tight, 1-0 pen away, but we never looked like getting caught out.

[Bobinhood]

Well i loved watching Klopp high-tail it down the tunnel at half to organize the plan, as he does, and then out we come and Mo is 15 yards deeper, picking up the ball and driving, and within 10 minutes its paid off and we've got the lead we needed.

Not just a pretty face.

[88_RED]

I'll keep it short.

Our defence looked secure as always. We have three great players in VVD, Alisson and Robertson. Fabinho was excellent considering that he isn't a centre back. TAA was carrying an injury but did ok.

Our front three were their usual selves although Mane was a bit quiet. Firmino's contol and chasing was suberb. Once Klopp gave Salah the flexibility to go deep and run with the ball then we looked much more dangerous. The penalty was 100% correct and Salah put it away with style.

The only problem was that our midfield was a bit meh. Nobody did anything wrong but we could do with a Salah in midfield who can run at players and link up with Firmino. Yes Salah did that job in the 2nd half but against deep defending teams we need another one or two players who can do this. Henderson and Gini were solid, Shaq didn't have a great game but his dinks are always a good weapon to have.

Brighton were very well organised but didn't do much to try to win the game. They hardly got out of their own half but that's because we are so dangerous if we have space.

Referee was fine and got most of the decisions correct. Brighton players and supporters tried to put pressure on the ref but he stood up to them well.

A tough game but we came through. We'll have more games like this and we'll have to scrap hard for the points but 1-0 wins will do the job.

Not many teams have gone to Brighton and played better.

Naby Keita is the player who can do this for us, once he's fully settled and playing regularly.. He did it very effectively in Germany and we have seen glimpses so far. Hopefully Klopp will work with him during the warm weather break in Dubai.

I'm so desperate for him to start showing us what he is all about.

My fear with Naby is that he was signed at a time by the club when we were playing a 4-3-3 with very high intensity for the full 90 minutes. We were a team that loved to attack in the transition and were largely brilliant at it. We also loved to win the ball back in the opposition 3rd.. You always found chunks within our games in the last 2 seasons when the game became stretched and that's when someone with Naby's skill set would have been devastating.

Through the course of this season, as many have already pointed out through very insightful posts, we are a different animal. Much more controlled, much more methodical, much more patient. And we seem to have changed system as well to a 4-2-3-1.

I think this could possibly be the reason why Naby seems to be struggling. But hey ho.. as long as the team is winning and continues to win, its' all good.. up the might reds..   

[ThePoolMan]

The only problem was that our midfield was a bit meh. Nobody did anything wrong but we could do with a Salah in midfield who can run at players and link up with Firmino. Yes Salah did that job in the 2nd half but against deep defending teams we need another one or two players who can do this. Henderson and Gini were solid, Shaq didn't have a great game but his dinks are always a good weapon to have.

Well put. It was frustrating to watch how non-existent our midfield was in an attacking sense for large tracts of the match especially in the first half.  They were not giving the centrebacks any options to pass to, and when they received the ball they invariably sent it right back to the same centreback. The centrebacks would then be forced to bypass the midfield area altogether by punting the ball to the forwards where possession would invariably be lost.

WIjnaldum and Henderson are good midfielders but I do not think they are a good match when played together. They need a more creative and driving midfielder beside either of them. In this regard Fabinho was a big loss though he did a great job as makeshift centreback, looking like he was playing his regular position.

Other than Keita, who has not hit the ground running yet, we do not have a midfielder who can take the ball forward into the midfield area and  ocupy that zone even against massed defences. I think this is a weakness we need to address on an urgent basis whether in Januart or the summer by adding another quality option with these attributes.

[88_RED]

Well put. It was frustrating to watch how non-existent our midfield was in an attacking sense for large tracts of the match especially in the first half.  They were not giving the centrebacks any options to pass to, and when they received the ball they invariably sent it right back to the same centreback. The centrebacks would then be forced to bypass the midfield area altogether by punting the ball to the forwards where possession would invariably be lost.

WIjnaldum and Henderson are good midfielders but I do not think they are a good match when played together. They need a more creative and driving midfielder beside either of them. In this regard Fabinho was a big loss though he did a great job as makeshift centreback, looking like he was playing his regular position.

Other than Keita, who has not hit the ground running yet, we do not have a midfielder who can take the ball forward into the midfield area and  ocupy that zone even against massed defences. I think this is a weakness we need to address on an urgent basis whether in Januart or the summer by adding another quality option with these attributes.

I don't think we'll dip into the market.. Klopp has pretty much ruled it out.. I say pretty much, but you never know..
As for the summer window, I'm sure Klopp would be hoping to have the Ox back for the start of next season.. So we might not pick up another midfielder.. Hopefully Naby would be better integrated with the system by then as well..

Dream scenario next season:

                  Fabinho

        Ox                   Keita

    Or

                 Fabinho

      Gini                   Keita

    Or

                 Fabinho

     Ox                     Gini

 

[royhendo]

been a while but here's my thoughts on yesterday.

Thank you

[stockdam]

Other than Keita, who has not hit the ground running yet, we do not have a midfielder who can take the ball forward into the midfield area and  ocupy that zone even against massed defences. I think this is a weakness we need to address on an urgent basis whether in Januart or the summer by adding another quality option with these attributes.

Keita may be a player who blossoms next year but so far it's hard (and unfair) to judge. Lallana is a player who can run with the ball but he has been dealt too many injuries. Ox can burst past players but maybe not so good in packed defences. Shaq has the ability to find an angle on a pass. Mane has the speed and skill to run past players but sometimes he is crowded out.

When Salah dropped deep, he started to ghost past players and play nice one-twos with Firmino. That's the style of player that I would like to see come in sometime.

Anyway, the key thing is that this is a minor issue if we keep on winning. We may come up against a team who shuts us out but that can happen to any great team.

[number 168]

Keita may be a player who blossoms next year but so far it's hard (and unfair) to judge. Lallana is a player who can run with the ball but he has been dealt too many injuries. Ox can burst past players but maybe not so good in packed defences. Shaq has the ability to find an angle on a pass. Mane has the speed and skill to run past players but sometimes he is crowded out.

When Salah dropped deep, he started to ghost past players and play nice one-twos with Firmino. That's the style of player that I would like to see come in sometime.

Anyway, the key thing is that this is a minor issue if we keep on winning. We may come up against a team who shuts us out but that can happen to any great team.

That's the player Fekir was meant to be. Klopp knows that we need that type of player and judging by our brilliant scouting set up we will have somebody in mind.

[kavah]

Nice one Hinsey old bean - up the 1-0 reds.

[Corkboy]

Terence Trent D'arby

I can't stop calling him that, either.