Football: fixture congestion

[Iskaral Pust]

There's definitely a lot of squad-building needed.  Mane, Matip and Klavan looked like strong additions and Origi and Sturridge looked like they would add great depth for attacking options.  But the reality has been a very thin squad incapable of handling even this relatively light season.

[A Horse Named Stranger]

17 hours ago, MercurialCannibal said:

watching your home team score five from the stands is an awesome experience...I hear. never saw one myself. 

On the other hand you probably also never experienced the joy of a 1:8 rout at home from the terraces. Or the joy of dodging bottles flying your way at an away game (might have been the same year tracer bullets were shot over to see us safely off). Or freezing away at -13° C (around 9°F) (worst away game ever). 

 

 

[Rorshach]

3 hours ago, Iskaral Pust said:

There's definitely a lot of squad-building needed.  Mane, Matip and Klavan looked like strong additions and Origi and Sturridge looked like they would add great depth for attacking options.  But the reality has been a very thin squad incapable of handling even this relatively light season.

I think Mane and Matip are strong additions, while Klavan is more of a squad player. Still, you need those as well. However, if Lucas is preferred for Klavan, that doesn't really bode well for the latter. Lucas isn't really a CB, and will never be. 

Origi .. he works hard, he's big, strong and fast, and he's technically ok. He's not a very good striker, though, because he really isn't a finisher. While Sturridge really is a finisher, but he's neither big nor strong, and not all that fast these days either. 

Add in that Moreno really isn't good enough, that both keepers are looking dodgy at times, that Can is poor this year, and that Firmino is an on/off player, and suddenly the squad looks threadbare. Excellent when they can gegenpress as a team against your Spurses and whatnot - teams who like to linger on the ball at the back - but not really looking the business against teams that doesn't give them that possibility.

[mormont]

Everyone loves it when an outfielder has to go in goal, right? How about for the whole match?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39119114

 

[Iskaral Pust]

18 minutes ago, Rorshach said:

I think Mane and Matip are strong additions, while Klavan is more of a squad player. Still, you need those as well. However, if Lucas is preferred for Klavan, that doesn't really bode well for the latter. Lucas isn't really a CB, and will never be. 

Origi .. he works hard, he's big, strong and fast, and he's technically ok. He's not a very good striker, though, because he really isn't a finisher. While Sturridge really is a finisher, but he's neither big nor strong, and not all that fast these days either. 

Add in that Moreno really isn't good enough, that both keepers are looking dodgy at times, that Can is poor this year, and that Firmino is an on/off player, and suddenly the squad looks threadbare. Excellent when they can gegenpress as a team against your Spurses and whatnot - teams who like to linger on the ball at the back - but not really looking the business against teams that doesn't give them that possibility.

I agree with all of that.  In the early part of the season, we had enough movement and fitness to score loads against even defensive teams.  Playing at 100%, we can blow away any team.  Playing at 80-90%, we can get beaten by anyone, and especially by defensive teams.  That's too steep a decline in outcome for a predictable decline in form, fitness, availability and/or energy.  Chelsea are the exact opposite: they don't need to be at 100% to win and can generally eke out a narrow win even at 80-90%.  In fact, they often seem comfortable playing at 80-90% to preserve energy and manage the game.  Playing an all-or-nothing style can be fun to watch on the good days but it needs a confluence of good fortune to win much.

I had plenty of fun watching when we were fantastic, and I'm not sinking into depression when the wheels fall off, but it's a bit galling that our strategy is so fragile, especially when there is a very long history of how to play with more resilience.

[Consigliere]

That Brighton/Newcastle game was a good one. Newcastle showed great character to come back from a goal down to win and go top especially after Gouffran fluffed a golden opportunity to draw level. There is now a decent gap to third place so automatic promotion looks a virtual certainty.

[A Horse Named Stranger]

2-3 additions and the Liverpool squad looks quite decent.

A playing midfielder who can distribute the ball might do wonders. That's something noone on this roster can offer constantly. Henderson, Lallana and Can are more phsyical players who can win the ball or run with it. But none of them can step on the ball to slow down/dictate the tempo (a bit meaner put, some football brain for all the legs and lungs on this squad). Wijnaldum is maybe the closest thing to that, but he is imho more a player for quick pass into the final third. So also not exactly the kind of player Liverpool would need. Maybe Milner can play that role, but he is desperately needed as left-back.

Another quick winger to assist/take over for Mane. 

Another upgrade on the centreback position. Somebody who is roughly on the same level as Matip. I am not convinced Sakho is the answer the scousers are looking for. But who knows.

[MercenaryChef]

7 hours ago, Notone said:

On the other hand you probably also never experienced the joy of a 1:8 rout at home from the terraces. Or the joy of dodging bottles flying your way at an away game (might have been the same year tracer bullets were shot over to see us safely off). Or freezing away at -13° C (around 9°F) (worst away game ever). 

 

 

no shit? tell me more! I am always interested in the fan experience of other leagues and nations. 

I have only seen in person various American leagues, international teams and newcastle united. 

[Iskaral Pust]

Looking at the stats, which can be misleading, Liverpool's biggest shortfall is shooting efficiency and GK efficiency.  We are near the top of the league in shots on target and shots on target from within the box (not just hit and hope), but only midtable on chance conversion.  And we're lower half on goals conceded per shots allowed. 

Although the MF drives me batshit at times, the streakiness of Firmino, Coutinho, Origi and decline of Sturridge alongside two leaky keepers seems to be a really big factor.  With Diego Costa (or a not-slow Zlatan) and Courtois or DDG, we'd pick up a lot more points. 

[A Horse Named Stranger]

16 hours ago, MercurialCannibal said:

no shit? tell me more! I am always interested in the fan experience of other leagues and nations. 

I have only seen in person various American leagues, international teams and newcastle united. 

Not shit. The freezing part was winter '09. Some people from my stadium group had the great idea, we're on promotion course (which we clinched that season), let's go to the final game of the year. I had to look up the date (20th of December) and wheather conditions, to get the temperature right. I was wearing three layers of cloth and was still freezing. We met at 2 or 3 am at the central station and went there by slow trains (really not sure if we had to switch two or three times). Anyway, two or three more people having the same idea in addition to the usual traveling crowd, meant the typically overcrowded train travel to the game. Toilette's on the train were eventually going defunct (for obvious reasons). The stadium was somewhere in nowhere, which is not great when you have some time to kill before the game starts. So we had settled for some sausages from a foodtruck before entering the stadium. And the temperature's were still well below 0° C. The stadium's (pre-match) music did match the bleak climate. Some shitty euro-trance/techno mix blasting through the speakers. And to top it off, our heroes (damn tossers) managed to lose that game. Which did not really enhance that away game experience. Let's say, I was really happy when I got home later that evening. Freezing and tired and freezing.

I am pretty sure most posters here have had similar away game experiences. 

The flying bottles and tracer bullets is another story from other away games. There at least the temperatures were a bit higher, and we won. So that made those games a bit more enjoyable.

[AncalagonTheBlack]

Sturridge injured again!

In other news,who will/should replace Luis Enrique once he leaves at the end of this season?

Quote

SkyBet LATEST BETTING:

Jorge Sampaoli 6/4
Ronald Koeman 6/1
Arsene Wenger 6/1
Ernesto Valverde 9/1
Juan Carlos Unzué 10/1
Mauricio Pochettino 10/1
Oscar Garcia 20/1
Pep Guardiola 20/1
Frank de Boer 20/1
Diego Simeone 20/1
Eusebio Sacristan 20/1
Laurent Blanc 22/1
Antonio Conte 25/1
Jurgen Klopp 25/1
Frank Rijkaard 25/1
Unai Emery 25/1
Joachim Low 33/1
Cesare Prandelli 33/1
Carles Puyol 33/1
Louis Van Gaal 33/1
Marcelo Bielsa 33/1
Michael Laudrup 33/1
Xavi Hernandez 33/1
Carlo Ancelotti 33/1
Claudio Ranieri 33/1

 

[Consigliere]

Didn't Pep say recently that he has no intention of ever returning to coach Barca? Although one can never completely rule out a return. Not sure about Conte or Simeone - they would be great choices but I don't think that their style of play would be what Barca is looking for. For coaches outside La Liga, I think that Klopp or Emery could be a good fit but I think that Barca will end up appointing someone currently coaching in La Liga. Sampaoli or Valverde would be my favourites to take over.

[Philokles]

From what I have read, it is likely that it will be Valverde, with Koeman as a backup in case talks break down. Sampaoli would be a better choice, but the Barcelona hierarchy think his style is too idiosyncratic for one of the biggest clubs in the world which has its own identity. Eusebio Sacristan has publicly confirmed he will stay at Real Sociedad, but was always an outsider. Guardiola won't return at this stage in his career, and they would prefer a coach with links to the club if possible. They might have broken that for Pochettino but his Espanyol links would make him unpopular.

[polishgenius]

Well that was bad reffing. Both Zlatan and Mings should have got straight reds. Zlatan's definitely getting retroactive action there.

[Consigliere]

I can't believe that we have only managed to score one goal with the chances we've created. This game should be put to bed already. Our efficiency in front of goal has been mediocre all season. Both sides should be down to 10 men; Mings for stamping on Zlatan's head and Zlatan for deliberately elbowing Mings in retaliation a little while later. Instead Surman is shown a second yellow for dissent in the aftermath of the Zlatan elbow incident. I expect that both Zlatan and Mings will be receiving bans.

[Philokles]

Nice to see Cargill making his Premier League debut. A very classy centre-back, I'm surprised he hasn't been used before given how leaky their defence is.

[polishgenius]

Ridiculous that we haven't won that. But it was a ridiculous game in general.

[Mark Antony]

Good guy Zlatan missing the pen since he shouldnt have been on the pitch

[Jeor]

Very frustrating game for United. The decisions probably cancelled each other out (Mings and Ibrahimovic both escaping reds) but I can't believe Bournemouth held out. Two big points lost for United when they could have made up maximum ground on one of Arsenal/Liverpool given they play each other tomorrow.

[Consigliere]

A perfect illustration of why we won't be finishing in the top 4 this season. Far too many points have been dropped in games where we completely dominated and should have won. It's not all down to 'inspired keeper' either. We have just not been good enough in front of goal and and that will ultimately cost us a top 4 place. Zlatan was godawful today. Easily his worst game in a United jersey. If he weren't one of the untouchable players, he'd have been subbed at halftime.