Liverpool (H) 16/9: Build-Up & Match Thread

[Deutsch Wolf]

If we just try to defend then we'll lose and lose handily. We can't do that.

But O'Neil's approach as soon as we went 1-1 at Selhurst was worrying. You can only hope he's learned from that.

 

[prawnking]

I'm interested to see how his and Lage's trajectories differ.

I imagine the PL can do funny things to a novice manager's head when you start getting desperate for points (he's not quite there yet having gotten a win under his belt at least)

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Lage didn't materially change anything, PTS and the like have got the stupid idea that he reverted to a back three after the Brazil 1970 1-0 defeats, no he didn't.

We played three teams who set up in a way which meant we could hit them on the counter, our main strength back then in an attacking sense. After that everything just fell into its natural order. There was no "wow, I'd better change approach here" Damascene moment for the big dork.

No coincidence that under him our best two performances (United and Spurs away) were in games where we happily ceded possession for the bulk of the game and sat off in the main. That's how he plays. Like a wish.com Fernando Santos.

 

[C.L.D]

No one has really stood up as clearly having a good first 4 games. Trying to remember stand outs,
Man U - Cunha
Brighton - no one (google reckons Gomes?)
Everton - Sa
Crystal Palace - Lemina

Neto has been the best winger in side but that's not saying much given we've even had Nunes there. Hwang is not the answer, but he does have a goal-scoring shoulder. I think the position is a weakness more than striker as we need two players firing, not one. Bit like the #10 role is solely dependent on Cunha atm.

I think with Pedro we just hope to see more improved consistency, especially when it comes to beating his opponent. He's at least getting 1-2 good crosses in a game, better return than some wingers in the past.

 

[sycophantia]

No one has really stood up as clearly having a good first 4 games. Trying to remember stand outs,
Man U - Cunha
Brighton - no one (google reckons Gomes?)
Everton - Sa
Crystal Palace - Lemina

Neto has been the best winger in side but that's not saying much given we've even had Nunes there. Hwang is not the answer, but he does have a goal-scoring shoulder. I think the position is a weakness more than striker as we need two players firing, not one. Bit like the #10 role is solely dependent on Cunha atm.

I think with Pedro we just hope to see more improved consistency, especially when it comes to beating his opponent. He's at least getting 1-2 good crosses in a game, better return than some wingers in the past.

Think Lemina has been stand out. Good in all the games I think, he did fade in the second half against Palace due to fatigue but we didn't really have anyone to bring on for him, Bouba tries hard but not on the same class yet.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

It's another tactical one for O'Neil to solve, we did settle into a 4-4-1-1 under Lopetegui but we had Neves then plus we didn't have the centre halves trying (and often failing) to win the ball 40+ yards up the pitch.

Playing a two man central midfield - as we ended up doing vs Everton and Palace with neither Hwang nor Sarabia tucking in as Nunes used to from his wide starting position - will expose Lemina/Gomes/Bouba/whoever from time to time.

We'll see what he does now he has additional options in Doyle and Bellegarde.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Also to add; if we are going to stick with broadly speaking just 2 CMs, it would really help if one of the centre halves could step into midfield and carry the ball. Loads of PL teams do this now. Except you don't sign/play Craig Dawson to do that, Toti's strengths are his pace, commitment and aerial strength, and Captain Crap has the reputation for being good on the ball but he really, really, really isn't, unless you like aimless soft clips into no-one and him endlessly spinning round onto his left to play a five yard ball.

We'll have to see what Santi can bring.

 

[Squeak]

If we just try to defend then we'll lose and lose handily. We can't do that.

But O'Neil's approach as soon as we went 1-1 at Selhurst was worrying. You can only hope he's learned from that.

Tend to doubt it. Most coaches are usually convinced they made the right decision and that it was the players who didn't carry out the instruction properly. I've seen nothing yet to convince me GON is prepared to analyze himself as being the culprit.

 

[Squeak]

Also to add; if we are going to stick with broadly speaking just 2 CMs, it would really help if one of the centre halves could step into midfield and carry the ball. Loads of PL teams do this now. Except you don't sign/play Craig Dawson to do that, Toti's strengths are his pace, commitment and aerial strength, and Captain Crap has the reputation for being good on the ball but he really, really, really isn't, unless you like aimless soft clips into no-one and him endlessly spinning round onto his left to play a five yard ball.

We'll have to see what Santi can bring.

Me thinks you are forgetting Captain Crap's wondergoal in pre-season. We have the solution. We just need to take the shackles off and Messi has a challenger.

 

[Alan]

Max Kilman is Wanderers’ number 9…

 

[Aikiwolf]

Max Kilman is Wanderers’ number 9…

I'm more behind this than the idea of dropping Neto.

Low bar and all that

 

[Jinky]

Little Liam:

For me, Hwang should be one of the first names on the teamsheet right now.

 

[Tony Towner]

Of our likely 20 on Saturday I can't even get him in the top half alphabetically
Ait-Nouri
Bellegarde
Bentley
Bueno
Bueno
Cunha
Dawson
Doherty
Doyle
Gomes
Gomes
Hwang
Kalajdzic
Kilman
Lemina
Neto
Sa
Sarabia
Semedo
Silva

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Hwang is much more useful as an impact sub. Sort of a David Fairclough, which seems fitting against Liverpool!

 

[C.L.D]

So Alan and Liam are the same person, only difference is their writing skills. I'd stick with our Hwang-truther.

 

[Dire Wolf]

Van Dijk out, Darwin Nunez out: it's gonna be a walk in the park. Actually, it's all primed for Diogo to take us a part.

 

[Alan]

So Alan and Liam are the same person, only difference is their writing skills. I'd stick with our Hwang-truther.

Awww, that’s actually kind of sweet.

 

[lemonjelly]

Van Dijk out, Darwin Nunez out: it's gonna be a walk in the park. Actually, it's all primed for Diogo to take us a part.

It's a shame how toothless we are up front, as any team should be looking at Liverpool having a weak back 4, especially if vvd is out.
Their midfield and forward line are both v good tho.
We *should * be looking to be front foot, creating chances. Playing for a draw or to contain will result in defeat.

 

[Jinky]

Van Dijk out, Darwin Nunez out: it's gonna be a walk in the park. Actually, it's all primed for Diogo to take us a part.

It’s gone under the radar a bit but they’re 15 games unbeaten in the PL (I heard this on a podcast earlier). They’ve still got a ridiculous pool of talent to call on. I reckon they’ll win comfortably, unfortunately.

 

[Kenny]

. I reckon they’ll win comfortably,

and so they should really.