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Football: Make us dream, Paulo


Raja

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We saw the very same problems against Brentford, City, Milan and Atletico as we failed to hold a lead.

MF is a gaping problem with Fabinho, Thiago, Keita, Milner and Elliott all missing.  And unfortunately Ox is still very poor.  He seems to have no idea about the structure MF should provide the team.  Jones went missing too.  He’s talented but not disciplined about using the ball (still overplays at times) or holding shape.

Defense isn’t great either, TBF.  It needs the MF structure ahead of it.  Part of that is our FBs playing so far forward, but we’re pretty open at the back.  VVD is not dominating defensive space like he used to.  Tsimikas has earned a start at this point over Robertson, and we need someone other than TAA on free kicks.  Firmino scoring one of his chances may have changed the result here, but that’s just papering over the problem that we’re far too easy to get at.

Klopp has not adapted well to the MF situation, either in general or specifically within the game. Ox and Jones are showing the same weaknesses they’ve always had, and they haven’t learned anything from it. So either coach them through their weakness or else set the team up differently.  And don’t keep three forwards on the field while we’re being overrun in MF.  You have to shore up the middle first because forwards are no use if they never receive the ball.  That was easy against United who have no MF, but lots of other teams will try to swamp MF — Brighton do it all the time.

Sometimes I think the team focuses too much on what’s working well and ignores the problems that are building up.   Not signing a MF replacement for Gini was such an obvious problem.  Conceding soft goals while in the lead has been a big red flag.

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We still have an awful lot of midfielders, so I don't think replacing Wijnaldum was that obvious an issue. It just seems that there are certain combinations that don't work that well- Ox, Keita and Jones should probably only be used one at a time in tough games as they don't provide enough stability under pressure.

Hopefully we'll soon back be to having Fabinho, Henderson and Thiago available, and we can get back to running two solid guys with one flaky-but-lively maverick

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38 minutes ago, The Sunland Lord said:

Why did Spurs hire a discount Mourinho, when at least they had the real deal?

Nuno was a desperation hire. If you recall, Levy botched their manager search so spectacularly that the club turned into a meme and laughing stock.

Re: Mourinho. They had to sack him. Once things go to shit with Mourinho it doesn't get better. Mourinho himself actively makes a bad situation worse.

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5 minutes ago, Consigliere said:

Nuno was a desperation hire. If you recall, Levy botched their manager search so spectacularly that the club turned into a meme and laughing stock.

Re: Mourinho. They had to sack him. Once things go to shit with Mourinho it doesn't get better. Mourinho himself actively makes a bad situation worse.

This is all true, but to add to this; Daniel Levy promised the fans he was going to hire a manager who would get us playing attractive football again, and we were on the verge of appointing Paulo Fonseca; but then our new DOF Fabio Paratici arrived and convinced Levy to hire Nuno instead.

Levy wasn't sure Nuno fulfilled the promise of "attractive football" that he made to the fans, so Paratici showed him videos of Nuno's Valencia team playing decent football in order to persuade him. Levy fell for it, and laughably tried to sell the Nuno appointment as a fulfillment of his promise.

So to sum up; Levy wanted an attacking coach, Paratici wanted a more defensive coach; they tried to convince the fans (and themselves) they'd found a balance with Nuno, but had instead appointed someone who offers neither.

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15 minutes ago, Consigliere said:

Nuno was a desperation hire. If you recall, Levy botched their manager search so spectacularly that the club turned into a meme and laughing stock.

Re: Mourinho. They had to sack him. Once things go to shit with Mourinho it doesn't get better. Mourinho himself actively makes a bad situation worse.

I recall, they had the longest search for a manager in history (or one of longest).

I agree re Mourinho, I just don't see Nuno as an upgrade in brand of football.

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15 hours ago, Soylent Brown said:

We still have an awful lot of midfielders, so I don't think replacing Wijnaldum was that obvious an issue. It just seems that there are certain combinations that don't work that well- Ox, Keita and Jones should probably only be used one at a time in tough games as they don't provide enough stability under pressure.

Hopefully we'll soon back be to having Fabinho, Henderson and Thiago available, and we can get back to running two solid guys with one flaky-but-lively maverick

I'd exclude Keita from that list. He can work reasonably well in a midfield two with Jones. Ox and Jones, wasn't that more born out of necessity (lack of alternatives) rather than choice.

I think if either Elliott, Fabinho, Thiago, Milner had been available, Klopp would've picked them as a sub for Keita over Ox.

Overall, Liverpool have objectively enjoyed a rather good start this season. Still undefeated, sitting in second and lying ahead of City. So nothing dramatic has happened thus far. Oh, yeah, in the CL you are also on course with a perfect record. Thiago should be back around the International break I think.

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