Pre Match Pre Match - Crystal Palace (A) - Sat 12:30
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Yeah it reminds me of unai emery last season. Kept using the same players and eventually they ran out of legs. Bigger issue will be our first game after the international break. We were so poor last time.
They didn't have as many games as we'll get through though (about 11 less over the piece), and we're talking about a league that isn't anywhere as near as intense.
There are two notable aspects to the early days of Slot's reign :
1. we really need to improve our conversion of 'chances', and by this I mean breakaways and overloads and not the actual shots, or lack of. One instance yesterday drove me nuts, we had I think a 3 on 3 but what did our 3 forwards do? You could have thrown a net over them, instead of making space so the defenders were now 1 on 1 and couldn't intercept or go to another attacker than the one they were marking. It was inane and predictably the move broke down.
This happens so often. We outnumber the defenders and still don't even get a shot off. Where is the intelligence?
2. People can talk about 'oh the opposition should have scored' but that is a claim in every match for every team (statistically 3 out 4 big chances are missed anyway), there will always be chances for the opposition. However it seems to me that those chances are fewer and are farther away from goal (meaning less likely to score) than last season. This, not just the opposition, is one of the main reasons IMO that our defensive record is so good. I'd be interested to see if there are any statistics to back that up ... @kingbinny ?
1. we really need to improve our conversion of 'chances', and by this I mean breakaways and overloads and not the actual shots, or lack of. One instance yesterday drove me nuts, we had I think a 3 on 3 but what did our 3 forwards do? You could have thrown a net over them, instead of making space so the defenders were now 1 on 1 and couldn't intercept or go to another attacker than the one they were marking. It was inane and predictably the move broke down.
This happens so often. We outnumber the defenders and still don't even get a shot off. Where is the intelligence?
2. People can talk about 'oh the opposition should have scored' but that is a claim in every match for every team (statistically 3 out 4 big chances are missed anyway), there will always be chances for the opposition. However it seems to me that those chances are fewer and are farther away from goal (meaning less likely to score) than last season. This, not just the opposition, is one of the main reasons IMO that our defensive record is so good. I'd be interested to see if there are any statistics to back that up ... @kingbinny ?
I think Jota really helps with 1. His movement is brilliant. My big concern with Nunez under Slot is that he just doesn't seem to have the subtlety of thought to make the movements this style demands as yet. With Klopp even without scoring Nunez had an influence as an agent of chaos. He looked like he was just getting in the way half the time last night.
The top performing players had a difference of 3-4 games less than ours in the season in 23/24. Playing a lot of games is physically demanding no matter what league you are in.
And the second phrase doesnt really matter given you use data driven by the players from matches and training in terms of when you need to be rotated or rested. The team Slot has are excellent at performance and especially Ruben Peeters is absolutely fantastic.
This is one area were we are in very good hands going forward. If Slot starts the same team its because every player are okay to do so fitness wise.
Nunez looked depressed and lacking confidence from the off yesterday. The disallowed goal would have been a big boost (he's more than fast enough to have remained onside and still scored IMO).
I loved how he played an intelligent & integral part in the first goal and we need more of that - but I fear for his future here now.
Only two players have played close to every minute in the league so far. Virgil and Gravy with Salah close behind.
I think it will be the opposite and the new performance team will ensure that we wont burn out.
I agree but it's totally his own fault. There was no reason for him to be offside
I think Nunez will be gone next summer. We clearly lack a top striker that fits in with how we want to play. It needs to be Jota and a new striker going forward.
Definitely, if this continues. I hope we have a more ruthless manager now. At least we're seeing signs of it.
Can't have players who should be leaving running down their contracts, getting chance after chance after chance. So many players that should have been sold like Lallana, Ox, Moreno etc.
That's one thing I don't miss with Klopp.
Selling Nunez and getting someone like Sesko would improve us no end.
I think his 'causes chaos' approach was more feasible in a Klopp team than this Slot team. We need a footballing brain down the centre. I will continue to bang the drum that I think Salah can be that guy, but it requires a suitable RW which I don't think we have yet.
Yeah Jota is a super smart player. An example of this was in the match earlier this season against Brentford where Diaz scored on the break. Once the ball reached Jota he drove with it to where Diaz & the Brentford defender were, rather than the wide open spaces on the opposite side. This triggered Diaz to make the diagonal run & than Jota passed it at exactly the right time & weight leading to the goal.
View: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/OYT2MrJ6WD8
Hmm cracking goal but more Diaz's intelligence (diagonal run) than Jota's there methinks. I think you're mistakenly interpreting it to illustrate your point rather than what actually happened. All of the strikers were guilty of a lack of intelligence on a number of cases vs. Bologna, including Jota.
Yeah, exactly the sort of thing I was thinking about. He also helped orchestrate at least one of the goals against Utd without touching the ball, but through dint of his movement.
Respectfully disagree. So if I was to break down the sequence I see it in 4 parts a) Ball reaches Jota & he makes a deliberate run towards the right b) this triggers Diaz run which was extremely intelligent in its own right as with the change of direction he leaves the defender behind c) the pass from Jota & Diaz did not have to break his stride d) lovely finish by Diaz on his left foot. To me the goal in the way it got scored owed a large part to Jota intelligence.
Yesterday I agree our overall attacking play was disappointing specially when we broke through their man marking & were not able to make more meaningful chances out of them.
I thought Nunez wasn't as bad as being made out last night. I think he's clearly adapting his game to what slot wanted, after potentially already changing his game to do what klopp wanted. The offside goal he absolutely didn't need to be offside for, but as you say, the intelligence to see Salah in open space rather than just turning to get a quick shot away shows some development for me
Think it has to be this team, but I'd also like some rotation, especially for our players going long haul to limit the chances of them getting an injury whilst on internationals due to burn out
Do we think szob could work next to gravy, with Jones as the 10? Id also be tempted by gakpo for diaz
I'm not convinced. Szobo does a great job of being the focal point of our pressing game. That isn't something Jones does naturally. Good on the ball, probably a lot to learn off the ball.
Elliot when he's back will show how great he is off the ball, and I think will start rotating in.
Not sure what to make of Palace this season, are they really as bad as the table suggests…..or is this another false reading as Wolves showed to be? Either way I'd imagine the pattern in our performances/results (Forest result aside) to continue.
Ali
Grav Grav Grav Grav
Grav Grav
Grav
Grav Grav Grav
Maybe even have Grav in for Ali
Then tell Koeman to fuck himself, the boys staying home next week.
Ali
Grav Grav Grav Grav
Grav Grav
Grav
Grav Grav Grav
Maybe even have Grav in for Ali
Then tell Koeman to fuck himself, the boys staying home next week.
We all dream of a team of Gravenberchs!
Fair. I think I just want more from my 10 than just pressing. But it's not what I want, it's what slot wants
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