Every game now is like watching a rerun of the Villa match from 2 years ago where we got destroyed playing a highline because our midfield applies no pressure on the ball carrier.
Pre Match - Napoli (a) CL - Wed 8pm
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Every game now is like watching a rerun of the Villa match from 2 years ago where we got destroyed playing a highline because our midfield applies no pressure on the ball carrier.
This is the worry, when the players and coaches can identify the problem and it still keeps happening over and over. Either complacency has overtaken our squad or too many of these guys simply have nothing left in the tank. Maybe both
It would seem it's an amalgamation of factors, not width alone, or the lack of playing as a unit results in the players being too spread out and easy to play through. However responsibility must lie with both players and coaching. Surely this results in our press and tackling being off as a result? Thiago made 4 of our just 7 tackles in the whole game after he came on in the 62 minute. There is something very very wrong with that statistic.
The gaping holes in midfield sees us having absolutely no pressure on the opposition.
Milner is just not good enough anymore. Elliott was far to wide and Fabinho was left in the middle alone.
No pressure in midfield and the result is that we're not compact enough and Napoli could just hit it in behind with ease. Must be a nightmare to play in defense when its like that.
Individual mistakes doesnt help. Penalty after 5 mins, Gomez giving the ball away 100 times and the rest of the defenders off form.
Milner is just not good enough anymore. Elliott was far to wide and Fabinho was left in the middle alone.
No pressure in midfield and the result is that we're not compact enough and Napoli could just hit it in behind with ease. Must be a nightmare to play in defense when its like that.
Individual mistakes doesnt help. Penalty after 5 mins, Gomez giving the ball away 100 times and the rest of the defenders off form.
With Milner you could add that his lack of pace (he's never been fast but he's being left standing now) is causing him to dive in all over the pitch, missing badly the majority of the time, with the result that our midfield is then a man down with the obvious consequences.
We should see a big difference with Thiago's return and hopefully Melo's introduction (though he was not impressive yesterday - though with, rightfully, all the ameliorating footnotes to that).
We should see a big difference with Thiago's return and hopefully Melo's introduction (though he was not impressive yesterday - though with, rightfully, all the ameliorating footnotes to that).
Virgil van Dijk spoke of the need for Liverpool to remain unified after the disappointment of their defeat at Napoli on Wednesday evening.
The Reds' Champions League journey in 2022-23 began with a 4-1 loss against the Serie A side at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Jürgen Klopp's squad now have a quick turnaround as they gear up for Wolverhampton Wanderers' visit to Anfield in the Premier League this weekend, with Van Dijk calling for everyone to 'stick together' and deliver a response.
Read on for Liverpoolfc.com's post-match interview with the No.4 in Naples…
Virgil, a difficult night at the office. How do you reflect on it after the game?
Disappointed, of course. Tough one to take. We're not in the best shape, best situation but we're going to make this right – that's the confidence I have. We need each other, we need to stick together – not only us as players but the whole club. Obviously we've been through it all and that's the message. Obviously we're all human beings, we want to try to perform as good as we can, sometimes you can have a bad patch and at the moment we're in it. But I'm confident we can get out of this and enjoy our football again.
You've set the bar so high for yourselves over the last few seasons in terms of how you approach games, how you control games, when you're defending games. How do you go about finding those levels again?
Stick together, don't point fingers. Everyone knows that everyone can do better. What I said, we're not robots, we're trying to perform and you can have bad moments. It's how you deal with them and now we'll definitely have a good look at what happened tonight together, speak with each other and focus on the game ahead of us. It's good for us that there's a game quite quickly after this and hopefully [we] get a great performance and result.
You say sticking together, it's about being a little bit angry but being angry in the right way, that controlled anger...
Definitely. Obviously we all know that we can do better. We all want to win games. What you said, we've been through it all, this team has won it all and we have to stick together. We're in a situation [where] we expect a lot more from ourselves and, what I said, we have to be with each other. We're all human beings, we go through difficult moments together and the only way to get out of it is to do it together and be together, so we will do that.
In terms of the Champions League and a bit of perspective, there are many different ways to get through a group, many different ways to be successful. You go back to the year we won it, we lost here in Napoli in the first game. This can change very quickly in terms of the Champions League...
It can change, definitely. There's so many games still to play but you wanted to have a good start. The situation is how it is. Next game in the Champions League will be Ajax at home and we need the fans, we need a good performance from us.
It starts obviously on Saturday with a good opportunity against a good side as well, so we'll give everything. What I said, the key is to be together. We need everyone. If you start blaming others and don't look at yourself or create negativity around the club, then you're not getting out of this. I'm fully confident that we'll turn this around together.
The Reds' Champions League journey in 2022-23 began with a 4-1 loss against the Serie A side at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
Jürgen Klopp's squad now have a quick turnaround as they gear up for Wolverhampton Wanderers' visit to Anfield in the Premier League this weekend, with Van Dijk calling for everyone to 'stick together' and deliver a response.
Read on for Liverpoolfc.com's post-match interview with the No.4 in Naples…
Virgil, a difficult night at the office. How do you reflect on it after the game?
Disappointed, of course. Tough one to take. We're not in the best shape, best situation but we're going to make this right – that's the confidence I have. We need each other, we need to stick together – not only us as players but the whole club. Obviously we've been through it all and that's the message. Obviously we're all human beings, we want to try to perform as good as we can, sometimes you can have a bad patch and at the moment we're in it. But I'm confident we can get out of this and enjoy our football again.
You've set the bar so high for yourselves over the last few seasons in terms of how you approach games, how you control games, when you're defending games. How do you go about finding those levels again?
Stick together, don't point fingers. Everyone knows that everyone can do better. What I said, we're not robots, we're trying to perform and you can have bad moments. It's how you deal with them and now we'll definitely have a good look at what happened tonight together, speak with each other and focus on the game ahead of us. It's good for us that there's a game quite quickly after this and hopefully [we] get a great performance and result.
You say sticking together, it's about being a little bit angry but being angry in the right way, that controlled anger...
Definitely. Obviously we all know that we can do better. We all want to win games. What you said, we've been through it all, this team has won it all and we have to stick together. We're in a situation [where] we expect a lot more from ourselves and, what I said, we have to be with each other. We're all human beings, we go through difficult moments together and the only way to get out of it is to do it together and be together, so we will do that.
In terms of the Champions League and a bit of perspective, there are many different ways to get through a group, many different ways to be successful. You go back to the year we won it, we lost here in Napoli in the first game. This can change very quickly in terms of the Champions League...
It can change, definitely. There's so many games still to play but you wanted to have a good start. The situation is how it is. Next game in the Champions League will be Ajax at home and we need the fans, we need a good performance from us.
It starts obviously on Saturday with a good opportunity against a good side as well, so we'll give everything. What I said, the key is to be together. We need everyone. If you start blaming others and don't look at yourself or create negativity around the club, then you're not getting out of this. I'm fully confident that we'll turn this around together.
Diaz, despite the slight criticisms about the lack of end product, has been one of the few shining lights this season, even though he too is suffering some issues of his own - notably that he seems to be carrying the threat singlehandedly and this is resulting in him trying too hard and running himself into the ground.
It's a shame he's not had the benefit of a Liverpool attack firing on all cylinders, because the lad would be flying. It's just unfortunate that about 75 percent of the team is a fucking joke at the minute.
It's a shame he's not had the benefit of a Liverpool attack firing on all cylinders, because the lad would be flying. It's just unfortunate that about 75 percent of the team is a fucking joke at the minute.
Am I the only one not that bothered ?
Unpleasant thought it was, we've been crap in the first few CL group games before. It just happened all in one game the other night.
Joel & Thiago & Diogo will fix us.
Unpleasant thought it was, we've been crap in the first few CL group games before. It just happened all in one game the other night.
Joel & Thiago & Diogo will fix us.
wouldn’t be arsed if it was in isolation
We've been clinging on in games against relegation fodder like Fulham and Everton. The first decent side we faced ripped us apart, in 45 mins we should have 4 or 5 down. I don't know how that isn't concerning.
Does anyone know what did Salah say when he exploded with rage ? I thought it was targeted towards Trent.
I noticed he was angry. About fucking time. That stupid smile when he misses a chance pisses me off.
He looked far stronger and more agile than any of our midfielders. Maybe we just made him look better than he is…
Impressed against Barca (against Pedri, Gavi and N.Gonzalez) earlier this year too. Napoli were smart in getting him first on loan and then taking up the option to sign him for €17.3m.
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