Liverpool FC Forum

[damjan193]

Didn't see the game but it looks like there weren't many positives, apart from the win obviously. One big positive for me though, is that if Fulham can cause us problems, they may be a problem for City as well, when they play them after the international break.

Not good that we've conceded a goal but nice to see it was Babel at least. Heard he was one of their better performers as well. Was never good enough for us but I've always liked him.

[redshade]

City won't have to worry about Fulham as they will have the man in black on their side.

[7_Kewell]

City won't have to worry about Fulham as they will have the man in black on their side.

Fulham won't stop City...but Spurs, Manure or Palace might.  Especially as City have to play Palace away. And we all know how that lot enjoy ruining someone's title challenge 

[damjan193]

City won't have to worry about Fulham as they will have the man in black on their side.

Fulham won't stop City...but Spurs, Manure or Palace might.  Especially as City have to play Palace away. And we all know how that lot enjoy ruining someone's title challenge 

Yes, but we also have to play Tottenham, and also Chelsea. Thankfully both at home at least. I think the next 5 games will be key and will decide the title.

They've been "lucky" with refs decisions in their past 4 or 5 games as redshade says, but that should give us even a bigger motivation to finish above them.

[electrum]

I just hope that the dog fight for third and fourth is still ongoing when Utd play City.

If top four is in the balance the scum will be have to put on a performance and at their place should get a draw at least; if they play at the level they have since Ole took over.

If we are a point either side of City then (which I reckon we will be) I can't think of anything sweeter than  Utd indirectly placing the PL crown on our heads. 

[Red Rum]

Hardly any room for error now.. The tension is unbearable! Two tough games coming up v Spurs and Chelsea in the next 2/3 weeks, it Could be decided then.

[Red Rum]

On Another note, just watching the Betis- Barcelona game... Barca 3-0 up. Suarez and Messi on fire tonight. They still have got the tools at 31/32. I worry for the Mancs

[electrum]

Don't worry for the mancs mate...just enjoy them get battered...I think Ole will get a good pasting 5 -1 on aggregate,

[redshade]

Yup i think we will get a very good idea after the Chelsea match. Next month this time will be very interesting.

[Reg]

Ok so here is my analysis of the game from the point of view of a Porto, Chelsea or Spurs scout:

1. The wingbacks are very effective, great running, penetration, passing but little actual impact if no one converts their effort into goals.
2. The effectiveness of the wingbacks castrates all creativity in midfield. Gini is a nice lad but supports rather than creates. Lallana is a terrier but also supports not creates.
3. Fabinho the other midfielder hangs back to cover the gap created by the wingbacks, playing in front of VVD/Matip. Little attacking impact on the game last night.
4. Salah is being boxed off by at least 2 players so when he finally gets round his man is either on the touch or goal line in a greatly reduced danger position.
5. Mane is on fire and defenders haven't learned how to nullify him yet, as they have Mo.
6. Bobby is a creator but is struggling to be a creator/striker.
7. VVD, Matip, Allison are great, barring occasional cock-ups.

So last night the wingbacks charged and hoofed in 237 crosses. No one met them, no one converted them so whats the point of crossing? If we had a 6'38"centre forward then I agree, lets cross every 30 seconds but Mane, Mo and Gini are all 5'7", Lallana 5'6" and Bobby 5'11". So why are we banging so many crosses over? They were no threat but the wingbacks didn't take a second to think 'this isn't working'. It was noticeable how little dribbling there was last night. Macmanaman  and Johnnie Barnes were so effective because they ran direct at goal, cutting in, improving the angle and drawing in defenders.

If we insist with the wingbacks then all our creativity is on the touchlines and the midfield becomes defensive. In the past we had Souness, Molby, Terry Mac, Barnes who were creative, direct footballers who played as second line attackers rather than forward defenders. The wingbacks need to calm down and half their forward runs and allow proper attacking midfielders to press forward through the centre of the park and link with the forwards or go direct on goal. What we needed last night was the Ox, or Shaquiri to run straight at goal and bundle the ball into the back of the net whether it wanted to go there or not. Instead our 200 crosses caused no threat whatsoever.

Porto will eat this for breakfast, they just need to ruddy great big centrebacks standing in the box to head the crosses out and for the outside midfielders to track Mane/Salah back to link up with the left/right backs and push them out to the touchline and run them down to the goal line.

We have to be more creative, we need to hold back the defenders and empower the midfield to create the goal scoring opportunities - which has always been their job. Last season we were always about the front three, this season it's all about the wingbacks, next season it must be about having a real midfield.

By the way, all credit to Milner for slotting the penalty after the pressure of having only just come on and sliced the clearance that led to the goal. Kool as cucumber.

[fivecups]

We found a way to win which is the main thing. When you play week in week out for 9 solid months you are going to get situations like their goal. What I particularly liked was that both Milner and VVD tried to take the blame for the goal which is what you want to see, a team full of men.
Fair dues to Milner as well it took balls to take that pen, especially after it was his shanked clearance which led to their goal.
We've had Liverpool sides over the past 30 years who would have fell apart after they scored, this team didn't.
Fair dues to Babel for not celebrating his goal as well.

Great Post. There was a moment when we got caught on the break in the second half. Three of our players sprinted back to the 18 yard box to cover the defence, first one back was Mo. His firm and confidence are low but he keeps working.

[only me]

Ok so here is my analysis of the game from the point of view of a Porto, Chelsea or Spurs scout:

1. The wingbacks are very effective, great running, penetration, passing but little actual impact if no one converts their effort into goals.
2. The effectiveness of the wingbacks castrates all creativity in midfield. Gini is a nice lad but supports rather than creates. Lallana is a terrier but also supports not creates.
3. Fabinho the other midfielder hangs back to cover the gap created by the wingbacks, playing in front of VVD/Matip. Little attacking impact on the game last night.
4. Salah is being boxed off by at least 2 players so when he finally gets round his man is either on the touch or goal line in a greatly reduced danger position.
5. Mane is on fire and defenders haven't learned how to nullify him yet, as they have Mo.
6. Bobby is a creator but is struggling to be a creator/striker.
7. VVD, Matip, Allison are great, barring occasional cock-ups.

So last night the wingbacks charged and hoofed in 237 crosses. No one met them, no one converted them so whats the point of crossing? If we had a 6'38"centre forward then I agree, lets cross every 30 seconds but Mane, Mo and Gini are all 5'7", Lallana 5'6" and Bobby 5'11". So why are we banging so many crosses over? They were no threat but the wingbacks didn't take a second to think 'this isn't working'. It was noticeable how little dribbling there was last night. Macmanaman  and Johnnie Barnes were so effective because they ran direct at goal, cutting in, improving the angle and drawing in defenders.

If we insist with the wingbacks then all our creativity is on the touchlines and the midfield becomes defensive. In the past we had Souness, Molby, Terry Mac, Barnes who were creative, direct footballers who played as second line attackers rather than forward defenders. The wingbacks need to calm down and half their forward runs and allow proper attacking midfielders to press forward through the centre of the park and link with the forwards or go direct on goal. What we needed last night was the Ox, or Shaquiri to run straight at goal and bundle the ball into the back of the net whether it wanted to go there or not. Instead our 200 crosses caused no threat whatsoever.

Porto will eat this for breakfast, they just need to ruddy great big centrebacks standing in the box to head the crosses out and for the outside midfielders to track Mane/Salah back to link up with the left/right backs and push them out to the touchline and run them down to the goal line.

We have to be more creative, we need to hold back the defenders and empower the midfield to create the goal scoring opportunities - which has always been their job. Last season we were always about the front three, this season it's all about the wingbacks, next season it must be about having a real midfield.

By the way, all credit to Milner for slotting the penalty after the pressure of having only just come on and sliced the clearance that led to the goal. Kool as cucumber.

Great Analysis ,the MF are contributing next to nothing in creating/scoring all season long...As to Salah i wouldn't get him off the hook that easilly ,in each game he still gets those 1-2-3 great chances which he fails miserably to convert ,i also find him to be a bit too selfish as of late and losing the ball way too easily..He is having a rough patch.

[Kenny Kan]

Ok so here is my analysis of the game from the point of view of a Porto, Chelsea or Spurs scout:

1. The wingbacks are very effective, great running, penetration, passing but little actual impact if no one converts their effort into goals.
2. The effectiveness of the wingbacks castrates all creativity in midfield. Gini is a nice lad but supports rather than creates. Lallana is a terrier but also supports not creates.
3. Fabinho the other midfielder hangs back to cover the gap created by the wingbacks, playing in front of VVD/Matip. Little attacking impact on the game last night.
4. Salah is being boxed off by at least 2 players so when he finally gets round his man is either on the touch or goal line in a greatly reduced danger position.
5. Mane is on fire and defenders haven't learned how to nullify him yet, as they have Mo.
6. Bobby is a creator but is struggling to be a creator/striker.
7. VVD, Matip, Allison are great, barring occasional cock-ups.

So last night the wingbacks charged and hoofed in 237 crosses. No one met them, no one converted them so whats the point of crossing? If we had a 6'38"centre forward then I agree, lets cross every 30 seconds but Mane, Mo and Gini are all 5'7", Lallana 5'6" and Bobby 5'11". So why are we banging so many crosses over? They were no threat but the wingbacks didn't take a second to think 'this isn't working'. It was noticeable how little dribbling there was last night. Macmanaman  and Johnnie Barnes were so effective because they ran direct at goal, cutting in, improving the angle and drawing in defenders.

If we insist with the wingbacks then all our creativity is on the touchlines and the midfield becomes defensive. In the past we had Souness, Molby, Terry Mac, Barnes who were creative, direct footballers who played as second line attackers rather than forward defenders. The wingbacks need to calm down and half their forward runs and allow proper attacking midfielders to press forward through the centre of the park and link with the forwards or go direct on goal. What we needed last night was the Ox, or Shaquiri to run straight at goal and bundle the ball into the back of the net whether it wanted to go there or not. Instead our 200 crosses caused no threat whatsoever.

Porto will eat this for breakfast, they just need to ruddy great big centrebacks standing in the box to head the crosses out and for the outside midfielders to track Mane/Salah back to link up with the left/right backs and push them out to the touchline and run them down to the goal line.

We have to be more creative, we need to hold back the defenders and empower the midfield to create the goal scoring opportunities - which has always been their job. Last season we were always about the front three, this season it's all about the wingbacks, next season it must be about having a real midfield.

By the way, all credit to Milner for slotting the penalty after the pressure of having only just come on and sliced the clearance that led to the goal. Kool as cucumber.

Fair post Reg.

I think the fullbacks do provide width which allows us to stretch teams and both found acres of space against Fulham, and I do think both Robertson (esp) and TAA have been guilty of wasting the final ball in decisive moments. And when you're controlling games like that it is imperative you snuff out any possible chance of a comeback by being more ruthless. I'd say, on the whole, we have been lacking that final ball in many games recently to punish our opponents and our fb's are as culpable as anyone.

Lallana got the nod because he did the business (like you say terrier type), against Burnley last week where he ended up MoTM. Someone else noted that he is a little inconsistent and we didn't really see (well not that I can recall), Lallana having the same kind of impact as last week. And for me it seemed logical to start Lallana against a team you'd have thought to set up their stall to defend and have his nimble feet in and behind the attacking trio. It didn't pan out like that as Fulham defended very narrowly and centrally allowing out fb's to exploit the gaps.

[algymoon]

It was a performance helped by team credit goes to Mane to win the game for us, rather than drop yet another 2 points. however, We are over the moon for the three points.

[Pig Catcher]

Thought we did OK overall. Fulham barely troubled us and only got a goal due to a major ***** up on our side. Trent was about 50/50 with balls into the box. Some were really good and some were terrible. Robbo made some good runs. Fulham played compact which made it harder for the midfield to create anything but did give acers of space to the fullbacks and they really needed to be more clinical. Think it’s time Klopp had a word with Salah. It’s been bugging me for a few weeks and commentators and pundits finally picked up on it but Salah’s greediness is costing us goals. He’s generally more head down than Mane or Firmino but lately he’s been taking the *****. Fabinho hit a few good passes but he looked a little off the pace yesterday and that yellow made him tentative. Shout out to Matip who’s been great since he got a run in the side.