Souness made some good points about Liverpool's play recently. As much as van Dijk, Gomez and Robertson looked almost perfect in the past defensively a lot of the reason they were able to be so calm, collected and efficient at the back was because of the graft of the midfield. The midfield has, frankly, been pretty poor and completely bypassed in recent games. I wouldn't say the whole blame is on them at all, it's a team game, but they're offering next to no protection to the back line but people want to build a statue of Fabinho who, if he isn't winning the ball back up high, has often been passed like a pylon en route to the goal, and his recovery speed is not great. Wijnaldum has been lazy as **** since the new season started and frankly I'd rather see Jones starting over him. Keita has been exciting going forward as well but doesn't really put in a shift the other way. The midfield is really missing that energy and workrate it had that made Liverpool tick for so long. You saw a lot more of the pressure against Chelsea and Arsenal, but for all the talk about the lack of skill and ability in Liverpool's midfield for years they've been so very important, especially Hendo.
Anyway, hopefully Thiago and Hendo are both fully fit and starting again soon especially with Alisson out for a while. The whole team has been disjointed. Sorry for the rant.
Souness made some good points about Liverpool's play recently. As much as van Dijk, Gomez and Robertson looked almost perfect in the past defensively a lot of the reason they were able to be so calm, collected and efficient at the back was because of the graft of the midfield. The midfield has, frankly, been pretty poor and completely bypassed in recent games. I wouldn't say the whole blame is on them at all, it's a team game, but they're offering next to no protection to the back line but people want to build a statue of Fabinho who, if he isn't winning the ball back up high, has often been passed like a pylon en route to the goal, and his recovery speed is not great. Wijnaldum has been lazy as **** since the new season started and frankly I'd rather see Jones starting over him. Keita has been exciting going forward as well but doesn't really put in a shift the other way. The midfield is really missing that energy and workrate it had that made Liverpool tick for so long. You saw a lot more of the pressure against Chelsea and Arsenal, but for all the talk about the lack of skill and ability in Liverpool's midfield for years they've been so very important, especially Hendo.
Anyway, hopefully Thiago and Hendo are both fully fit and starting again soon especially with Alisson out for a while. The whole team has been disjointed. Sorry for the rant.
Yep, and I feel like in the past a lot more you would see the midfielders covering back for Trent and Robertson, and that insulation just doesn't seem to be there anymore. I know that Liverpool hold a high line, and that they want to win the ball high up the field, but the reality is that when teams are attacking Liverpool the way that they have been they need that extra support from the midfield to cover for guys like Trent, Robbo, etc. pushing high up. Right now it's basically Gomez and van Dijk marooned and trying to do the defensive work of two phases of play which also puts a ton of pressure on the keeper. Gomez certainly has had his faults since the COVID break (and before, as no player is perfect, but especially since then) but so have most of the players on the team. Unfortunately the way that Liverpool play the defence looks more egregious in this respect because they're left on their own so much without support, or they're having to rush back to cover for the non-existent defending from the flanks.I'd say TAA also essentially not existing on his own side of half has also thrown the rest of the defensive line off. Gomez is basically covering half the field which also causes VVD to have to move out of position.
TAA has obviously never been amazing defensively, but he's also not been this irrelevant either.
Start with a bang
Start with a bang
They better this year. Year three Mourinho going to be a doozy. But yeah I think they are better than United and Chelsea right now for sure. Probably better than Arsenal.
They better this year. Year three Mourinho going to be a doozy. But yeah I think they are better than United and Chelsea right now for sure. Probably better than Arsenal.
That doesn't seem very realistic at all.Yeah the question is more who doesn’t have it.
realistically they need to lockdown everyone.
I haven’t wanted to say this for obvious reasons, but was certainly thinking it. I think this is their 7th positive.Shaqiri has COVID and now I’m convinced our whole team has it. Would certainly explain the last performance because nothing else does. Our players are going to spread it to their international teammates and everyone’s going to get it.
I also think that when Alisson was in doubt for the Arsenal match, it was COVID related and they thought he might test positive.
If there are no fans and the mascot can't do any in person appearances due to physical distancing then why should they keep him on the payroll?
It sucks and it's great that Ozil is going to cover the guy's salary but it doesn't make sense to keep him on the payroll.
Fans will come back at some point, are you just going to hire another person after.... You saved about 20K nicely done. Totally worth it and fixed Kroenke's finances. Must've been a slow year at Walmart.If there are no fans and the mascot can't do any in person appearances due to physical distancing then why should they keep him on the payroll?
It sucks and it's great that Ozil is going to cover the guy's salary but it doesn't make sense to keep him on the payroll.
Because the reason the owners asked the players to take a pay cut was so they didn't have to lay anyone off.
Some of the players agree and then the owners sacked a bunch of people anyway and continue to do it.