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Liverpool Vs Chelsea Match Thread

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This game was a good reminder of the biggest systemic problem of the current squad – lack of genuine pace and penetration up front and on the wings. Sturridge's natural tendency is to drop deep, which can be pretty exasperating when the other 3 attackers are all doing the same, crowding the middle and making it easy to defend against by, once again, crowding the middle defensively. Then Moreno and Clyne (and sometimes Milner) become the only outlets on the wings and they are both not great creators. This is why Ojo has been making such a difference even in short time on the pitch – he is the only player who is able and willing to beat his man on the outside and put a quality cross in (this is also where Ibe has failed to make an impact, as he keeps trying to cut inside and shoot, which is not too different from what Coutinho and Lallana are doing).

If we want to seriously challenge for the league next season, we should use the summer recruitment period to become more like Bayern, with their large collection of speedy wingers – Douglas Costa, Ribery, Robben, Koman, even Götze to some extent (not a typical speedy winger, but a great dribbler and crosser of the ball). If we do that, it will also open up space for players like Coutinho, Firmino and Sturridge to do what they do best. Those kind of games like tonight show that for all the progress Klopp has made with the current squad, we need some real targeted infusion of quality to make the next step.

Good post. The subject of wingers actually playing down the wing and crossing the ball in has been discussed on here before. Like you I think it's something we need to be able to add to our repertoire, but the idea tends to get penny-in-the-slot replies along the lines of "it's old-fashioned" or "nobody does that nowadays". As you indicate above, tell that to Bayern.

And Modo, you can stick that endless "Lallana out" bullsh!t of yours. We still need players coming in off the wing at times too.
 
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It was obvious that our usual plan wasn't working and we needed width. Everyone round me was asking for Benteke from about the 47th minute.

Normally love watching Coutinho / Lallana / Firmino knocking it around a defence but last night it was pass pass pass run pass run pass pass run - ok, you've got past one, now there are another seven. Chelsea were far too organised in the middle, Milner doesn't offer enough wide, so we needed a big fucker and a pacy winger. Once we had that we scored. But let's be honest, no one really gave a fuck about the match.
 
Hazard is a disgrace. The way he's played since the Spurs game just underlines how he downed tools for most of the season. It's like he's just woken up from suspended animation.
 
It was obvious that our usual plan wasn't working and we needed width. Everyone round me was asking for Benteke from about the 47th minute.

Normally love watching Coutinho / Lallana / Firmino knocking it around a defence but last night it was pass pass pass run pass run pass pass run - ok, you've got past one, now there are another seven. Chelsea were far too organised in the middle, Milner doesn't offer enough wide, so we needed a big fucker and a pacy winger. Once we had that we scored. But let's be honest, no one really gave a fuck about the match.

Agreed, you could see it in that we started to revert to hopeful balls forward that just weren't sticking, Chelsea were winning everything and we needed someone up there to ruffle them a bit and to hold up the ball, it was also fucking obvious that their keeper was flapping everytime a high ball was played in, ergo, get Benteke on and a natural wide man. It might be rudimentary, route one stuff, but horses for courses and all that. They were terrified of Benteke at their place earlier in the season.
 
Photo of the aforementioned mini vintage style match ball, I know I'd never seen one before & there's always loads of surprised looking people when they get them pre match so I can't imagine too many people (relatively speaking) have seen them.

453932dee26230c85b4e82329fcb2428.jpg
 
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Photo of the aforementioned mini vintage style match ball, I know I'd never seen one before & there's always loads of surprised looking people when they get them pre match so I can't imagine too many people (relatively speaking) have seen them.

453932dee26230c85b4e82329fcb2428.jpg

That ball should be misshapen with a bit of bladder sticking out and lacing across the top. It should also have been treated with dubbin so that when you head it you get a slight smear on your forehead and the imprint of the laces if you were unlucky enough to meet it in the wrong way.

Nearby will also be my Dad, with an air pump cursing because the ball's flat again.
 
That ball should be misshapen with a bit of bladder sticking out and lacing across the top. It should also have been treated with dubbin so that when you head it you get a slight smear on your forehead and the imprint of the laces if you were unlucky enough to meet it in the wrong way.

Nearby will also be my Dad, with an air pump cursing because the ball's flat again.
Yes, it should have a slight egg in it from someone sitting on it. It should also have all the outside layer worn off and the ability to absorb the moisture of half a field after heavy rainfall.
 
Many great chances? Courtois? Someone clearly didn't watch the game... 🙂

I was actually AT the game and didn't know that Courtois had been replaced by Begovic at the last minute.

If I have been watching on TV I would have known.
 
Shades of Chris Kamara and that sending-off he failed to notice despite doing match reports from inside the stadium. 😀
 
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