The defensive mid
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kante
he does everything i'd want a proper midfielder to do, and he does it superbly well.
breaks up play, sets up counter attacks, harrasses oppenents all over. picks the timing of his pass, doesn't take 50 touches and waits for the striker to tackle you ala lucas leiva v swansea.
he does everything i'd want a proper midfielder to do, and he does it superbly well.
breaks up play, sets up counter attacks, harrasses oppenents all over. picks the timing of his pass, doesn't take 50 touches and waits for the striker to tackle you ala lucas leiva v swansea.
If I had the treasure chest I would go all out for Kante first. He'd be my top, top priority. The rest can wait.
With Kante on your side that's like half your problems solved for the next few years.
Can you imagine what this forum would be like then ? No more retarded multiple Lucas threads ever again for a start.
With Kante on your side that's like half your problems solved for the next few years.
Can you imagine what this forum would be like then ? No more retarded multiple Lucas threads ever again for a start.
For 20 million, it would be a fantastic signing ... However, are there NO doubts that this season was a blip? Will he be able to replicate this when he's playing at Arsenal (most likely) or another top club?
That's a nasty way to talk about Liverpool's 2nd God (following Robbie after all)
We don't know if Kante is a one season wonder. We don't know how he would cope with the pressure playing for a top club. Some players play excellent for a smaller club like Leicester and when they move to a big club then they suddenly play a lot worse.
PL experience isn't that important. It is much more important how a player will fit into the team.
He played excellent this season but he really didn't play as a defensive mid. He played more like Can do for us or like Vieira did for Arsenal.
PL experience isn't that important. It is much more important how a player will fit into the team.
He played excellent this season but he really didn't play as a defensive mid. He played more like Can do for us or like Vieira did for Arsenal.
When you lose a final like that because of some clown who can't defend you don't have time for lengthy reasonings.
We didn't lose because we lacked a player like Kante.
We're talking about 2 very different things here.
These 2 positions can play in the same side, and usually to good effect - i.e. Gilberto / Vieira, Alonso / Sissoko (before he turned shit), Drinkwater / Kante.
In my opinion we need the option 1. Some calming intelligent influence who can dictate from deep, calm things down when needed and just ensure more control. We were desperately missing this type of player on Wednesday night.
- The Holding Midfielder - generally doesn't stray from sitting deep, just in front of the back four. His main role isn't really winning the ball back, but more using positioning sense to protect the back four, always be available for a pass, calm the game down when needed, and recycle possession. Prime examples - Makelele, Alonso, Hamman, Drinkwater, Busquets, Carrick, Lucas
- The Ball Winning 'Enforcer' - generally doesn't hold position in front of the back four and often plays higher up the pitch to stamp more authority on the game, even though they might not be much of a goal threat. Try to dominate midfield by chasing and winning the ball back, and putting pressure on the opposition. Often confused for a defensive midfielder. Prime examples - Vieira, Kante, Essien, Davids, Momo Sissoko, (Henderson could do this role well when on form)
These 2 positions can play in the same side, and usually to good effect - i.e. Gilberto / Vieira, Alonso / Sissoko (before he turned shit), Drinkwater / Kante.
In my opinion we need the option 1. Some calming intelligent influence who can dictate from deep, calm things down when needed and just ensure more control. We were desperately missing this type of player on Wednesday night.
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You can't calm things down if you've got no one to pass the ball to; it takes much more than one player. Even the best conductor in the world is helpless without an orchestra. I thought Emre was actually making right decisions with the ball for the most part, but the advanced players couldn't get a hold of the ball for more than 5 seconds in those 25 minutes since the start of the second half and it was wave after wave of Sevilla attacks. We could have done with a second holding mid at that moment to stem the flow of these attacks, but I don't think replacing Can with Xabi Alonso, let alone Lucas, would have solved the problem.
I agree with Jonathan Wilson's point – the best defense would have been playing two tight banks of four, as Dortmund did at times under Klopp, but in this short and busy season I guess he didn't have time to teach this way of playing to the team, as we had to get the pressing game and the attacking game going first. Also frankly there were not many opponents in the EPL or Europa league who were capable of breaking through our press and putting us under severe pressure for a large chunk of the game, as Sevilla did last night, so there was not much opportunity to work on this side of the game. The games we lost this season under Klopp were mostly down to vulnerabilities of dealing with crosses, set pieces and individual errors; I can't quite remember a game where we were actually outplayed in a fast-paced combination game – until that 2nd half of the last game of the season.
I agree with Jonathan Wilson's point – the best defense would have been playing two tight banks of four, as Dortmund did at times under Klopp, but in this short and busy season I guess he didn't have time to teach this way of playing to the team, as we had to get the pressing game and the attacking game going first. Also frankly there were not many opponents in the EPL or Europa league who were capable of breaking through our press and putting us under severe pressure for a large chunk of the game, as Sevilla did last night, so there was not much opportunity to work on this side of the game. The games we lost this season under Klopp were mostly down to vulnerabilities of dealing with crosses, set pieces and individual errors; I can't quite remember a game where we were actually outplayed in a fast-paced combination game – until that 2nd half of the last game of the season.
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Good points. For the record I would never have pulled Can off, but we did need Lucas next to him quite early in that second half.
Completely agree regarding the 2 banks of 4. It's been proven to be the best defensive system. It's what got us to Istanbul those years ago. Atletico do this particularly well, and look at their defensive record.
Yeah, I wish Klopp brought in a 3rd CM at 1:1, but once we were 2:1 down, subbing Coutinho for Lucas would be the kind of move only someone [completely immune to conventional fan logic] like Van Gaal or Rafa would do, even if objectively that probably would have been the strongest move (together with subbing Sturridge for Origi to hold on to the ball better).
The midfield needs balance and cool heads. Had we had players of the likes of Mascher, Alonso and Gerrard, God knows what we would have done as a team.
Klopp will recruit players to his style, and with less games than the season that's gone, I think we will see a very different Liverpool.
Klopp will recruit players to his style, and with less games than the season that's gone, I think we will see a very different Liverpool.
Isnt that an oldie goldie?
"Barnsey, youve only just signed, and arent up to full fitness, so I'm going to pull you off at half time"
"Wow gaffer, we only got given oranges at Watford"
I've wanted us to sign one since Mascher went. Modern football requires you play with one.
Biscuits at Barca.
Martinez and Alonso at Bayern.
Motta at PSG.
Pogba at Juve
Leicester just won the league with Kante.
It's glaringly obvious.
Biscuits at Barca.
Martinez and Alonso at Bayern.
Motta at PSG.
Pogba at Juve
Leicester just won the league with Kante.
It's glaringly obvious.
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Best not to tantalise ourselves with the prospect of signing Kante, methinks. Citeh are interested, and if they want him they'll get him with their squillions to spend. If that doesn't work out we might have a chance, but we'll be competing against the Arse for him and their French influence may well swing it.
We do need such a player though, and we also need to make provision for a back-up, even if that's a promising youngster.
We do need such a player though, and we also need to make provision for a back-up, even if that's a promising youngster.
We should forget about Leicester players for this season unless non-1st team regulars. Those players have CL football to look forward to next season.
If we had players of the likes of Mascher, Alonso and Gerrard, then we wouldnt be in the Europa League in the first place.
Hmm. That's a very good point.
Yup. Instead of losing Europe League finals, we'd be losing CL finals instead.
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