Winning ugly when it matters

[Dreambeliever]

We seem to have lost the knack.

Earlier in the season we won games we played poorly in and got the 3 pts to keep up with City.

Since a scrappy 1-0 win away to Brighton we haven't really won a game that you might expect a slip.

Apart from City we haven't lost but we have lost the ability to win those games.

In our last 6 games we've dropped points or failed to win against every decent side.

I expect us to beat Watford but Everton is a massive game. We will need to win ugly there and we've struggled to break them down both last season and earlier this year.

Personally I don't see it happening unless we inject some freshness into the attack in the form of OX

 

[MomoWASright]

Everton are shit.

 

[RedStar]

Earlier in the season there seemed to be a perception that while we werent playing well we were at least getting results and that in time the performances would click. We are now nearly 3 quarters of the way through the season and the performances havent really improved, sure there have been stand out games but never a prolonged period where we looked capable of beating anybody.

Last year we were a truly exciting team that was willing to go toe to toe with anybody resulting in some amazing games. This year we seem to be more a dogged, grinding team. Thats been beneficial in terms of accumulating points but at tbis point we look like a team in need of a shot of adrenalin to get the blood pumping again. I dont believe we can grind our way to the title from here, weve dropped too many points recerecently lately and the margins are too fine.

 

[Frogfish]

.......

Last year we were a truly exciting team that was willing to go toe to toe with anybody resulting in some amazing games. This year we seem to be more a dogged, grinding team. Thats been beneficial in terms of accumulating points but at tbis point we look like a team in need of a shot of adrenalin to get the blood pumping again. I dont believe we can grind our way to the title from here, weve dropped too many points recerecently lately and the margins are too fine.

It's very difficult to go against Klopp considering where we are but I'd love to have seen us keep the press and manic attack whilst now having Becker and VvD in defence. We would in all likellihood have conceded a few more but surely scored a lot more too. What might have been perhaps.

 

[FoxForceFive]

It's very difficult to go against Klopp considering where we are but I'd love to have seen us keep the press and manic attack whilst now having Becker and VvD in defence. We would in all likellihood have conceded a few more but surely scored a lot more too. What might have been perhaps.

I'm actually hoping we switch to that.

We have the personnel to do it. We have Keita & Fabinho who can both break the line with the ball like at Bournemouth, two full backs who can drop crosses in, Hendo who can switch the play quickly & Gini can do it all & interchange with Fabinho to defend when needed.

I'd actually like us to push right up the pitch, essentially switching to a proper old fashioned very aggressive 2-3-5 for much of the match, cos I think in VVD, Fabinho & Allison we have a great deal of strength & the right characters, as well as talent & playing style, to do that well enough to not concede too many. It's simply an extension of a 4-3-3 in many ways, but forcing the full backs up the pitch so aggressively means we will have much more space for the front three, more numbers pushing forwards, & more opportunities to get other players on the team sheet.

In almost all our eleven remaining matches (possible exception of spurs) I'd argue that if we can score at least twice then we will win. Relying on the front three to score those two goals every game is folly imo, & relying upon us to keep clean sheets yet find a way to win every match is equally as likely to cost us.

I suppose I'm arguing for a return to the Brendan Rodgers style of 'Let's score one more than them', only now we have a much much better defensive base to do it with, so let's trust that base, & just try to score a minimum of two against every team we play, cos I think that would be enough to win every one of these games in this run in.

 

[hmmmmm1]

The attack has been misfiring as a unit. The one 2's and stuff around the box has on the most part disappeared.

 

[manwithnoname]

The attack has been misfiring as a unit. The one 2's and stuff around the box has on the most part disappeared.

They're still trying them, just that they are now just ones

 

[hmmmmm1]

They're still trying them, just that they are now just ones

The worry is how much they have been misfiring as 3. The passing which was so slick last season has gone to bits; cant even make the simple passes. The attack know they are undroppable, with the options on the bench.