Basel Post-Match Post-Mortem

[Wizardry]

They're professionals, why can't they do such a simple thing without Suarez? I mean it's pretty simple.

You may have played this a lot and found it simple, Barak, but I found it one of the most difficult things to do.

The effort, training and commitment to press well at a high level is astonishing. To do it at the level Suarez managed is beyond most mortals. That junk-yard dog mentality he displayed is extremely rare and something we needed to identify for the future before he was gone.

 

[mom]

Henchoz on the radio this morning was going on about not having a leader at the back. That neither the keeper or defenders have a solid leader amongst them. I'd say he has a point.

 

[Dave G]

Sad as it may seem, either Gerrard needs dropping, or if you insist on playing him, you drop one of the cb's and play him there allowing for more (and better) cover in the middle of the park. he clearly doesn't warrant a starting place in the middle. If played at the back he does possess the ability to tackle and read the game, and you still get the 50 yard balls to people out wide. you just need someonr fast around him to cover any quick forwards.

 

[Dahuge]

Defence - Ming is shite and needs to be gone..he spreads fear and panic everywhere...
Midfield - they are ALL doing the same thing, hence why it makes no difference whether Coutinho or Lallana starts..It will make no difference if Can replaces Gerrard or allen replaces gerrard.
Attack - Balotelli is completely wrong for us and must have been a panic buy.

It is from the Attack that this all stems, we don't press which means when we get it everyone is in our half and we have no one up top who will run beyond. Balotelli, can't hold it and when he does he tries to do too much, with him not running beyond it puts everyone else under too much pressure. That is why we see Stirling trying to beat and do too much, it is why Coutinho is try the most impossible of passes and why Lallana tries to do too much when he comes on.

Also Rodgers buys have been shite...

His good buy:
Sturridge

Have there been others?
Looking through that team and those injured there is only really Coutinho you could make a case for but he has been only ok at time this season but good last season, there is no one else...Allen a few good games but overall a disappointing signing, Lallana disappointing so far, the fullbacks hit and miss, Lovren - shite, Can not played, Balotelli - fucking shite, Ming - awful, Sahko - ouch, Lambert - shocking...

 

[refugee]

Also Rodgers buys have been shite...

His good buys
Suarez
Sturridge

Kenny bought Suarez

 

[Dahuge]

so his buys have been extremely shite then..

I'll edit it, thanks.

 

[Brizzle]

I thought Ming had a classic game for him - some great stops when the defence kept letting players through but some poor clearances. I get the impression he is instructed to pass rather than hoof which is why he passed to Stevie when he did. Poor decision though.

 

[Piedro]

Most fans realized how critical he was to this team and what we did last year ...

Don't worry, I know exactly how important he was. I have a season ticket so spent the whole year watching the lad up close, best player I've ever seen. And I've been going since 1992 so seen a few good'uns.

 

[FoxForceFive]

Don't worry, I know exactly how important he was. I have a season ticket so spent the whole year watching the lad up close, best player I've ever seen. And I've been going since 1992 so seen a few good'uns.

Just claw that ticket back of your kid & all will be right again.

Sorry fabs, but you know it's true.

 

[Judge Jules]

You may have played this a lot and found it simple, Barak, but I found it one of the most difficult things to do.

The effort, training and commitment to press well at a high level is astonishing. To do it at the level Suarez managed is beyond most mortals. That junk-yard dog mentality he displayed is extremely rare and something we needed to identify for the future before he was gone.

Absolutely. Even with Suarez in the side we regularly showed the physical cost of all that effort and commitment in the first half of each season, before the squad as a whole grew into it after Christmas and New Year.

 

[Piedro]

Just claw that ticket back of your kid & all will be right again.

Sorry fabs, but you know it's true.

Im going Saturday

3 points in the bag!

 

[LeTallecWiz]

Don't worry, I know exactly how important he was. I have a season ticket so spent the whole year watching the lad up close, best player I've ever seen. And I've been going since 1992 so seen a few good'uns.

I didn't mean you Peter ... I'm going to re-name you Chaim David ... That will be your jew tang name.

 

[Piedro]

Ive got the nose for it!

 

[Whirly]

Some interesting comments from Streller saying Basel game planned to shut down Lovren and Gerrard.

With Skrtel in for Sakho, that's a really effective approach to keep us pinned deep.

 

[Best Believe It]

Some interesting comments from Streller saying Basel game planned to shut down Lovren and Gerrard.

With Skrtel in for Sakho, that's a really effective approach to keep us pinned deep.

We appear to be ridiculously easy to counteract at the moment - stick a man on Gerrard, or stick someone on Gerrard and on Lovren. That's all teams need to do.

We are worryingly easy to play against. Toothless in attack, and with a midfield that can't seem to stop attacks going through it. We're not pressing, or winning the ball back worth a damn.

And it always worries me when we seem to be pinning our hopes on a player coming back (in this case Sturridge). I can't remember a time when we were anticipating a player coming back in the side would sort us out and they actually have.

 

[tony]

I thought Ming had a classic game for him - some great stops when the defence kept letting players through but some poor clearances. I get the impression he is instructed to pass rather than hoof which is why he passed to Stevie when he did. Poor decision though.

His distribution is utter cack - and seems to be getting worse! Time upon time he either cedes possession or puts one of the defence in a difficult position and teams have picked up on that - just watch how quick most teams put a player on our defenders when he's got the ball at his feet. Brad Jones your time is coming - shudder.

 

[Whirly]

We appear to be ridiculously easy to counteract at the moment - stick a man on Gerrard, or stick someone on Gerrard and on Lovren. That's all teams need to do.

We are worryingly easy to play against. Toothless in attack, and with a midfield that can't seem to stop attacks going through it. We're not pressing, or winning the ball back worth a damn.

And it always worries me when we seem to be pinning our hopes on a player coming back (in this case Sturridge). I can't remember a time when we were anticipating a player coming back in the side would sort us out and they actually have.

That's the importance of Sakho versus Skrtel for me in the back line, having another player who can pick a pass forward is a huge boon.

 

[ChastenedMUFC]

You are still heavy favourite with the bookies to take the second qualification spot..

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Some interesting comments from Streller saying Basel game planned to shut down Lovren and Gerrard.

With Skrtel in for Sakho, that's a really effective approach to keep us pinned deep.

I think it wasn't so obvious in the first half, but in the second 3 of their players were quite visibly pressing very high up at Gerrard and both our CBs when we had the ball, and Henderson had to drop back a few times to help provide an additional outlet for us to move the ball out and up to break the press. I don't think it has too much to do with whether we played with Skrtel or Sakho either; Skrtel got himself out of the press a couple of times without too much trouble. Besides, Sakho gets a lot of flak here for his passes out of defence (accurate pass but often to a player in a difficult position).

Interestingly, from the passing diagrams / stats on FourFourTwo, Lovren and Skrtel played the same number of long passes out of defence. Lovren completed 1 out of those 5 passes, but Skrtel completed 3 out of 5.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

You are still heavy favourite with the bookies to take the second qualification spot..

That's because the bookies haven't heard of SCM.

 

[SummerOnions]

Reckon ludo will take points off basel

 

[StevieM]

I think it wasn't so obvious in the first half, but in the second 3 of their players were quite visibly pressing very high up at Gerrard and both our CBs when we had the ball, and Henderson had to drop back a few times to help provide an additional outlet for us to move the ball out and up to break the press. I don't think it has too much to do with whether we played with Skrtel or Sakho either; Skrtel got himself out of the press a couple of times without too much trouble. Besides, Sakho gets a lot of flak here for his passes out of defence (accurate pass but often to a player in a difficult position).

Interestingly, from the passing diagrams / stats on FourFourTwo, Lovren and Skrtel played the same number of long passes out of defence. Lovren completed 1 out of those 5 passes, but Skrtel completed 3 out of 5.

Put Lucas in - let them press him all they like.

 

[My_Blood_Bleeds_Red]

We'll draw this Saturday.