Defence or attack?

[Spaghetti Legs]

Do we or should we sacrifice something from the attack to help shore up the defence?

Basically would it be a good idea to drop Sterling or Coutinho for Allen or Lucas to add some much needed protection for our defenders?

Il'd hate to see us stop scoring all these goals but on the other hand its horrible seeing us concede all these goals, would our attack really suffer if we done this? we would still have Sturridge and Suarez on the pitch along with one of Coutinho or Sterling.

Surely we can't keep getting away with the shambolic defending and leaving the midfield so open, then again its gotton us this far, and a lot of the errors are purely individual so the set up of the team doesn't come into it, fuck knows, on the fence here, really don't know, if push came to shove il'd lean towards keeping it as it is and have my fingers crossed.

 

[dantes]

No. Our defence would still be shambolic except now we wouldn't score as many. When the defence is useless, the last thing you should do is drop your attackers

 

[mom]

As long as ŵe can keep scoring one more than the opposition, leave it as it is and maybe coach the hell out of the defence until they improve. And maybe stick to a settled back line.

 

[localny]

I'm thinking its 75% individual errors right now. Subject to review. Bring Rafa in as defensive coach and we'll be grand

 

[Athens]

No. Our defence would still be shambolic except now we wouldn't score as many. When the defence is useless, the last thing you should do is drop your attackers

Correct. It would be taking away what we do really fucking well at the moment.

 

[My_Blood_Bleeds_Red]

It's basically a question of winning 4-3 or 1-0.

Which would you prefer ?

 

[Holle]

No. Our defence would still be shambolic except now we wouldn't score as many. When the defence is useless, the last thing you should do is drop your attackers

This. Exactly this.

 

[hmmmmm1]

A lot of goals we have conceded of late have been of individual mistakes.

 

[Holle]

It's basically a question of winning 4-3 or 1-0.

Which would you prefer ?

But only if our attack keeps on delivering.

Otherwise it's a question of 0-0 or 0-1 at best.

I know which one I prefer.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Actually, Sterling and Coutinho work very hard up front to win us the ball or just to close passing lanes, allow the team to organize while they harass, etc. in conjunction with Henderson. Coutinho doesn't do it consistently enough, but that consistency issue has been there all season for his attacking game as well. However, he does put in a shift in defending high up, whether he's played centrally or out wide. So, if you ask me, it's not a matter of taking either one of them out.

To me, if you're talking about tradeoffs - and I think I've read someone saying this as well - the more difficult question is whether you want to take out one of Suarez or Sturridge for Lucas or Allen. Suarez's pressing has actually dropped off together with his goals, but he's so talented, you never want to take him off. And with Sturridge scoring for fun now, it'd be crazy to remove him from the lineup, though he doesn't expend as much energy on harassing. If you want to have an additional body to help defend higher up, then I think it has to come from a tradeoff here.

It might not just be about adding another person who can contribute more defensive prowess though. Today was a really weird event in that all three of Sterling, Coutinho and Henderson were off their games in the first half, and were still struggling to put in a shift until Allen came in and sparked things. Henderson, especially, is so crucial to how we play right now that when he's not playing or when his energy level is lower, we immediately feel it. Not as bad if it's Lucas behind him, but if it's Gerrard, we're in more trouble because he can sweep up when the hard work's been done ahead of him, but he's not that great in gathering the leaves himself otherwise.

 

[Spaghetti Legs]

It's basically a question of winning 4-3 or 1-0.

Which would you prefer ?

Just winning would do right now.

As mentioned im on the fence really, i do wonder how much of a difference it would make to our attacking if we did switch it to help out the defence.

 

[Spaghetti Legs]

No. Our defence would still be shambolic except now we wouldn't score as many. When the defence is useless, the last thing you should do is drop your attackers

It is hard to argue with that, its basically cross fingers and hope the cock ups don't cost us to much.

 

[Mystic]

Gerrard was poor (in his defensive duties) in the first half today, and Agger wasn't much better, that's why we looked so suspect. Once Sakho is back, we'll look much better.

 

[Red Mullet]

Play Allen for Gerrard

 

[mom]

No.

 

[dee]

MotD just showed a collage of our fuck-ups

Absolutely gobsmaking - when shown collectively you'd think Sktel and Toure should be put down

 

[dantes]

MotD just showed a collage of our fuck-ups

Absolutely gobsmaking - when shown collectively you'd think Sktel and Toure should be put down

I think it good. They will have seen it too, made to look stupid and incompetent on national television. They will hopefully try harder to prove a point, and buy us some time to get Sakho back.

 

[nealmac]

Toure especially. But yeah, It's definitely a bit of a wake up call when you see it shown like that.

 

[gene hughes]

I feel a bit sorry for Toure though. He looks flabbergasted.

 

[Y1]

Let's just score for fun. And I don't mind letting a few. Only after we score 3.

 

[Modo]

I really want Suarez to get the PL goal record.
11 games to go and he needs 9 goals.

 

[FoxForceFive]

I really want Suarez to get the PL goal record.
11 games to go and he needs 9 goals.

Then he needs to have a proper fucking rest. The match before the postponed Sunderland game would be ideal. A full 14 days of rest with occasional light training.

Sturridge took up the slack alone when Suarez was suspended, he's doing it now whilst Suarez is playing poorly (by his standards) & gives us an extra man in midfield, which has seemed to make us more solid defensively of late when its been done.

He won't like it, but he will understand when he comes back & slots them in for fun again.

 

[Modo]

Then he needs to have a proper fucking rest. The match before the postponed Sunderland game would be ideal. A full 14 days of rest with occasional light training.

Sturridge took up the slack alone when Suarez was suspended, he's doing it now whilst Suarez is playing poorly (by his standards) & gives us an extra man in midfield, which has seemed to make us more solid defensively of late when its been done.

He won't like it, but he will understand when he comes back & slots them in for fun again.

He's getting a proper rest now imo. One game a week. He also missed the first 6 games of the season.
We'll have a two week break after the Southampton game. It'll do him some good.

 

[dee]

Let's just score for fun. And I don't mind letting a few. Only after we score 3.

Geordie

 

[Red Mullet]

No.

Yes

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

I really want Suarez to get the PL goal record.
11 games to go and he needs 9 goals.

One of the games is against Norwich.

 

[Glock21]

What kind of waffle is this? We should be grateful we're scoring many goals right now...we just need some steady figure in defence like Carra was. Agger and Skrtel seems to always prone making mistakes under pressure. Once we sign a top class defender we going to be good. For the time being, Gerrard just need to sit a little deeper to calm things down...

 

[Mors]

I think we might look a bit better next season if we flogged Toure, Skrtel, Enrique, Johnson and sent back Cissokho in the summer.
I just don't think those players are very good, not now anyway. I'd even add Agger to the list if the price is right.
There's a reason why Skrtel was dropped for Carra last season.

Toure and Skrtel are cockups just waiting to happen every game, Johnson is not the player he once was, and Cissokho is just shit.

I don't think it's down to coaching.

 

[Mors]

Oh, and fuck me, I don't rate him, but Lucas is a million times better DM than Gerrard is, he fucking swans around without a care in the world. Waiting to get the ball from someone doing the donkey work, so he can spray a hollywood ball to the forwards. No wonder the defence are constantly flapping, they've got fuck all cover from Gerrard.

 

[Silver Sean]

It's possible to have both. We should be striving for it. Us in '88, the scum under Ferguson, Numerous Dutch teams, Brasil – you can have both. Still crying out for a world class defensive midfielder who can screen in front of whatever brain fart Central defenders he picks.