No idea how that one isn't a penalty given recent standards.
Its now OK to just have your hands up like you're playing basketball defense I guess.
Its now OK to just have your hands up like you're playing basketball defense I guess.
defending a title is really hard. Even harder this year id expect.This Liverpool squad is in a deep, deep funk. That was pretty miserable stuff.
It's painful to watch them essentially handcuffed - they can't get forward nearly as early as they could with actual centerbacks and Fabinho/Henderson in midfield as defensive cover. They take up the ball in much less advanced positions, advance until they're confronted by their opposite number, and usually play a sideways/backwards ball to the nearest midfielder on their side - over, and over, and over when Liverpool are in possession. If they do cross the ball in, it's almost never from near the byline - so it has to be aerial and often is against a low block. Not the right type of ball for these attackers in general, especially with Firmino woefully off form.The only part i don’t understand which might worry me as a Liverpool fan (aside from what happens with FSG and no CL) is the drop off in form for both Robertson and TAA. Those two were just pumping the box creating so much the last two years and it just hasn’t been there. I’m sure some of it is related to VVD and freedom of course but if they can’t find that form again next year your attack is more conventional (but still good)
You guys have watched more than me obviously, but hasn't this been a much larger issue with TAA than with Robbo?It's painful to watch them essentially handcuffed - they can't get forward nearly as early as they could with actual centerbacks and Fabinho/Henderson in midfield as defensive cover. They take up the ball in much less advanced positions, advance until they're confronted by their opposite number, and usually play a sideways/backwards ball to the nearest midfielder on their side - over, and over, and over when Liverpool are in possession. If they do cross the ball in, it's almost never from near the byline - so it has to be aerial and often is against a low block. Not the right type of ball for these attackers in general, especially with Firmino woefully off form.
The times they are caught out in advanced positions, like today on Chelsea's goal with Mount advancing behind Alexander-Arnold, they are badly exposed. Mount made a great cut inside to find space and get his shot, but that doesn't happen with Van Dijk on that side of the defense and Henderson tracking back instead of an always-gassed Thiago.
Add in that they've been run into the ground, and the signed fullback cover in Tsimikas has been battling fitness issues himself / there really is no RB cover outside of Milner, and it's a recipe for mediocrity.