West Ham post match
- Thread starter Mors
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Only lost twice in 08/09. Just saying
What last season - hell, what every season since Klopp's been here - taught us is that we tend to have injury crises at this point, and then during the run-in. So either or both a change in training/rotation and the recruitment of more players should have been the response. Training seems much the same - it's the way we do things and it has a built-in tendency to break some players. As for recruitment - it looked good but the keeper hasn't strengthened the squad, he's strengthened the first XI - behind him is either a shite senior sub or untried kids. Then there's Keita, a player who's managed to weaken the squad and the first XI - quite a feat. Our defence has fewer options than before - real genius. Of course, the other option would have been to bring on our most promising young players as back-up, but the best way to have done that was to have given a few of them games in the cups, and of course our crashing out of those competitions put paid to that opportunity (if you don't trust your young RB and CBs then go out and bloody buy players who you WILL trust, instead of constantly playing midfielders out of position). So it doesn't look as if we really did learn much from last season - we're still a team that needs our very best players, in their very best form, to look really dangerous. Title-winning teams usually go through the run-in patched up and panting - we're at that stage now, with a team that looks more incoherent every game.
There's definitely an argument for a good cup run giving more momentum and positive attitudes within the squad,it certainly never does City any harm.
City can afford to have Sane and Jesus as benchplayers.
Thanks - but I wish there was a job that was grinding me down. My problem is a lack of one to grind me 🙂
We're not playing well, the break in Dubai does seem to have shafted us and we have a load of crucial injuries. But the team need to return to the calm confident rapier-like side that was looking both lethal and impossible to score against.
I'm sure we will return to it.
Regardless of our troubles over the past couple of games we are still three points clear. Yes we will be second on GD once Everton piss their pants and roll over on Weds, but we will beat Bournemouth on Sat.
Loooooong way to go and it was never going to be easy. Everyone just need to calm the fuck down.
I'm sure we will return to it.
Regardless of our troubles over the past couple of games we are still three points clear. Yes we will be second on GD once Everton piss their pants and roll over on Weds, but we will beat Bournemouth on Sat.
Loooooong way to go and it was never going to be easy. Everyone just need to calm the fuck down.
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Urgh. A supine, mediocre display, which seems depressingly symptomatic of an imminent and early collapse of our title challenge. Injuries are clearly a huge factor, but it's also down to poor form, a thin squad - look at that fucking bench - and the fact that several of the players on the pitch are nowhere near 100% after the disastrous Dubai trip that looks like it will go down as the "turning point" this season, as they came back ill.
Anyway, here's the fucking RAAAAATTTTIIINNNNNGS:
Allison (6) Motionless for the goal, which was struck hard, low and right into the corner. Made one good save, but had little else to do. Seems a bit jittery and distribution was sloppy.
Milner (4) Rinsed time and again by Anderson, and looked uncomfortable and laboured all game. Assist for the goal, but even that was fortunate, given he was offside. Makes the absence of Clyne and Gomez even more painful.
Matip (5) Made some positive forays forward, although caught on his heels a few times and again timid in the tackle. We are suffering with him playing next to Van Dyk, he isn't good enough.
Virgil (6) Clearly struggling with whatever bug they brought back from Dubai, he was less imposing than usual and didn't seem as confident on the ball. Reliable as ever in the air and got some important challenges in, but nowhere near his usual level.
Robertson (6) His usual energy and aggression, but wasted too many crossing opportunities and had his hands full with Antonio, who gave him a tough night. Tired as the game went on. Looks like a player who could with a rest. But we don't have anyone else.
Fabinho (5) He was left to try and hold the midfield together on his own, and that showed as he struggled to cover the ground. Looked sluggish at times, and his passing was also too slow and safe. Outplayed by Rice and Noble, which is worrying.
Keita (4) Utterly dismal in the first half, lazily ceding possession, not tracking back and generally a total liability. Improved after the break - not hard - and made some positive attacking runs, but he seems to be almost entirely brainless and has no picture in his head of where other players are, or what he actually trying to achieve. A dreadful signing.
Lallana (4) Nice close control and footwork for the goal, and then .....fuck all. Zero pace and offered nothing apart from his usual 3mph Cruyff turns. Should be nowhere near the starting XI.
Mane (7) Our only threat once again, with great movement and a super turn and finish for the goal. Can't do it all on his own though and lots of his movement and runs were wasted as nobody could find him.
Salah (5) Anonymous. He was back in his more usual right-sided attacking role, but didn't see enough of the ball, and was swamped by defenders when he did. Couple of efforts later on, but never looked like scoring.
Firmino (3) Fucking horrific. He's not quick, and isn't a reliable goalscorer, but his movement, work-rate, clever passing and vision that was so influential last season just hasn't been there often enough. He was genuinely dreadful last night; his flicks were aimless and his passing was diabolical. Never looked like scoring and if we had any genuine alternatives wouldn't be playing after that showing. Putrid.
Subs: Shaqiri (4) As terrible as he was in the last game. Form has collapsed just when we needed him.
Origi (5) Did more than Firmino when he came on, but Joey Deacon could have done more than Firmino last night. Made a total Divock of his easy chance with the last kick of the game.
Anyway, here's the fucking RAAAAATTTTIIINNNNNGS:
Allison (6) Motionless for the goal, which was struck hard, low and right into the corner. Made one good save, but had little else to do. Seems a bit jittery and distribution was sloppy.
Milner (4) Rinsed time and again by Anderson, and looked uncomfortable and laboured all game. Assist for the goal, but even that was fortunate, given he was offside. Makes the absence of Clyne and Gomez even more painful.
Matip (5) Made some positive forays forward, although caught on his heels a few times and again timid in the tackle. We are suffering with him playing next to Van Dyk, he isn't good enough.
Virgil (6) Clearly struggling with whatever bug they brought back from Dubai, he was less imposing than usual and didn't seem as confident on the ball. Reliable as ever in the air and got some important challenges in, but nowhere near his usual level.
Robertson (6) His usual energy and aggression, but wasted too many crossing opportunities and had his hands full with Antonio, who gave him a tough night. Tired as the game went on. Looks like a player who could with a rest. But we don't have anyone else.
Fabinho (5) He was left to try and hold the midfield together on his own, and that showed as he struggled to cover the ground. Looked sluggish at times, and his passing was also too slow and safe. Outplayed by Rice and Noble, which is worrying.
Keita (4) Utterly dismal in the first half, lazily ceding possession, not tracking back and generally a total liability. Improved after the break - not hard - and made some positive attacking runs, but he seems to be almost entirely brainless and has no picture in his head of where other players are, or what he actually trying to achieve. A dreadful signing.
Lallana (4) Nice close control and footwork for the goal, and then .....fuck all. Zero pace and offered nothing apart from his usual 3mph Cruyff turns. Should be nowhere near the starting XI.
Mane (7) Our only threat once again, with great movement and a super turn and finish for the goal. Can't do it all on his own though and lots of his movement and runs were wasted as nobody could find him.
Salah (5) Anonymous. He was back in his more usual right-sided attacking role, but didn't see enough of the ball, and was swamped by defenders when he did. Couple of efforts later on, but never looked like scoring.
Firmino (3) Fucking horrific. He's not quick, and isn't a reliable goalscorer, but his movement, work-rate, clever passing and vision that was so influential last season just hasn't been there often enough. He was genuinely dreadful last night; his flicks were aimless and his passing was diabolical. Never looked like scoring and if we had any genuine alternatives wouldn't be playing after that showing. Putrid.
Subs: Shaqiri (4) As terrible as he was in the last game. Form has collapsed just when we needed him.
Origi (5) Did more than Firmino when he came on, but Joey Deacon could have done more than Firmino last night. Made a total Divock of his easy chance with the last kick of the game.
Firmino is always off colour after a rest. He needs to be playing a lot and regularly to find form.
Also, while everyone was clamouring for buying a CB or left back cover, I was pretty sure we needed to buy another attacking player. We needed another shot in the bow to get us over the line in tough situations...we look really flat right now.
Also, while everyone was clamouring for buying a CB or left back cover, I was pretty sure we needed to buy another attacking player. We needed another shot in the bow to get us over the line in tough situations...we look really flat right now.
All said and done... starting Keita and Lallana at this stage of the season is suicide mission..
Can people stop saying 'our title chase collapse'?
We're top of the fucking league.
We're top of the fucking league.
And you would have picked who in that midfield?
Yeah, but I remember being top of the league after a 0-0 draw with West Ham under Benitez, and being pessimistic then for very good reasons.
same shit, different year
Not so much glass half empty as empty glass smashed into your face then.
Yeah well just look at their squad !
Exactly - the only other midfielder was Shaqiri, so the alternative options were Fabinho-Lallana-Shaqiri or Fabinho-Keita-Shaqiri, neither of which look particularly better than what we did put out; couple that with the current common wisdom that Shaqiri is better off the bench and the choice was obvious & enforced.
Tick tock.
Yeah, and Cruyff didn't do Cruyff turns because he had no fucking pace. He did them to create space and cross the ball or shoot, not just to hang on to it for another 10 seconds, still in the same fucking place because he couldn't run.
It's his thing. He just slows everything down. He kicked the habit for a while in his good period under Klopp, but has gone back to the Lallana we saw in the early days.
For all our much vaunted "sqaud depth".. City are bringing Mahrez, Jesus and Sane off the bench.
We are reliant on the old injury prone Studge and Lallana still (who can barely run). Players on huge wages (probably more than the City lot in Studge's case) but don't contribute their fair share (in relations to their wages).
bit of a weird thing to say immediately after lallana creating our only goal yesterday.
Best turn and pass he’s done in about two years that.
Well, that was good yeah. He can have an assist-assist for that. Shame he did fuck all else
When the mancs are level points with us, let's see if everyone's still drinking from their half full cups then. Or will they be filling their cups with their tears instead ?
It was miles offside. Any half decent linesman and we'd be cursing Lallana for holding onto the ball to long
Sounds like you're looking forward to the situation so you can say "Told you so"
Sounds like your blood is bleeding very red, give your head a wobble.
I'm just frustrated like the next person. Give me a break.
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