well I might as well add my two cents worth
a) torres
currently he is leading the line with no one near him because gerrard is dropping deeper and deeper in searching for the ball (will touch on this later) the frustration is being to get to him because when the ball is going up front it isn't sticking and he is getting the shit kicked out of him into the bargain.
really just needs to get on with it, yes he is getting next to no protection but what are you going to do. You’ve took worse in your time here and it’s only now you are starting to speak up, so what’s changed?
b) gerrard
when he has the ball he is simply one of the best players in the world simply unplayable, when he doesn’t have the ball he becomes almost headless in his search for the ball, he was dropping deep drifting wide and generally nicking the ball off the toes of his team mates, all well and good for his ‘all action’ reputation but when the likes of torres is left isolated for long periods it is blunting a major aspect of our attacking threat. He simply needs to trust his team mates more and stay put in the final third, you are not a central midfielder anymore gerrard so stop attacking like one, how ever incompetent you feel they are let them get on with their job without someone standing on their toes nicking the ball from under their nose.
c) lucas
needs to watch xabi videos, I’m not talking about the racking cross field passes perfectly weighted on an attacker’s toe I’m talking the bread and butter. I’m talking about ALWAYS making yourself available for the pass, I’m talking always keeping the ball ticking over, giving the ball easy, seeing the whole pitch and just giving the ball to the person in space.
If you don’t come and collect the ball from the defenders they will pass between themselves and then send it long, if you don’t pass the ball crispy and cleanly it will also the opposition to retain their solidity. Keep it simply, don’t hid, make yourself available. Do the basics, the complex stuff will come.
d) yossi
needs to have ‘some’ discipline when used out wide, if kuyt is inside stay outside and vice versa, it’s getting a little too congested in the middle of the park. Also give the fucking ball easy, I’m sure the mazy runs seems dazzling to most football fans but take something as a fact; the ball can move a HELL of a lot faster than you can. Those runs allow the opposition to get back in numbers and defend on mass the end result being 9/10 yossi has to make an ‘eye of the needle’ pass just to find a team mate. Keep it simple and stop thinking you are messi, you aren’t.
e) set pieces
the is nothing wrong with zonal marking whatsoever its our execution of it that is badly letting us down.
There is no way a system can be flawed if pepe reina is in with a shout of the golden gloves every single season.
We CAN defend set pieces we need to find that happy place we found last season and I’m sure we will with training and game time to get rid of the rustiness.
f) formation
again I think there is little wrong with our current formation, sure lucas is a step down from Alonso but the idea is sound, we have just been too slow and ponderous out of the blocks and our mistakes have been punished. Now is not the time for 4-4-2 or whatever we have to dig in and grind out ugly results until the team gels and returns to the level of last season. We mustn’t panic, panic will only aid more poor results. There is plenty of score to surpass 86 points especially when you consider we acquired 12 draws also the big teams have yet to play each other, this very week arsenal play manu ONE (or both) will drop points.
Dig in and keep the faith
