That worked right up until teams worked us out and targeted the pair of them. As a pairing, they aren't very press-resistant in deep areas and lack athleticism. Bajcetic is a real talent but there are also question marks over how quick he is. He is brilliant at flying into challenges but isn't the quickest in a foot race. He has had a huge growth spurt so hopefully his body catches up and he gets quicker.
Agree with that. I do think we got away with it until you point you mention. There have been games earlier in the season where we were physically dominated (Newcastle away, Crystal Palace away being examples, games we pinched having been dominated for 75 minutes...taking off Endo Steptoe for Elliot ramped up the mobility vs Newcastle, and Palace going down to 10, decisive factors in both). We never won away to Abu Dhabi, Arse, Man U, Spurs (we don't know how that would have gone though) and Chelsea...and at home to those five we have only beat Chelsea (who were in midtable). Away especially you need a strong, athletic midfield, "men" as Souness would correctly say. West Ham away, again, weak. Bowen breezing past that slow 6, the 6 then pulling back another player who had gone past him for which he got a booking. If we fail to win at Villa (think it's likely), we will have won one away to the top nine, and that a robbery at Newcastle.
That Atalanta game at home, the game when the Chicken's came home to roost, when the man behind the curtain finally revealed himself. Humiliating, sobering, you name it. Final (and fitting) farewell in Dublin, up in smoke.
To see a Jurgen Klopp side, "heavy metal football" (hasn't been for two years), get bullied, overpowered, outrun, and manhandled, in midfield, was damning. What was worse was less than 72 hours later he picked the same feller at the heart of the crime scene, to start against Palace, the opposition (Will Hughes et al) who had already targeted him at their place. What transpired in the first half with the slow, unathletic goosed lad on the field was inevitable. With him hooked Jurgen tried to salvage it in the second half but yet another comeback mission was too much. You can only go to the well so many times, and we had more than used up our quota for the season.
Watching Bayern vs Madrid last night, that Madrid midfield, full of power and athleticism (again like us once) would humiliate us even more. Camavinga coming on from the bench..if he did so against us I'd hope the ref would show mercy and stop the game.
Regards Bajcetic, i'm really not sure what his exact position is. Technically he looks elite, but does he have the physical characteristics to play the 6?. The game at Wolves last season when they scored, it was him who got done there and couldn't recover. The massacre at home to Madrid in Feb '23, to see him languish behind the breakaway midfielders as they easily scored to make it five, that's not what is needed for someone in such a key position who is meant to provide a barrier to our backline.
