That all depends however at this level the defender must be aware that most players are technically capable of beating the closing down. This means they have to be sure their cover is in place or moving into that position. It’s the movement that’s important here, neither our midfield nor Nat have anticipated none are on the move. The closing down is not on.
Just using this instance as an example. I have seen many inexperienced players do this even experienced players to be honest. So many times that I instictively shout 'No stay where you are at the tele. This was far from the worst I’ve seen the worst was during a French match, I might get to remember which one and who was involved during my sleepless night thinking about it.
@Sweeting Nice still. It shows us with 6 players upto 3 meters behind the play. Only Rhys is actually up with play but beaten (unfortunately). Everyone else is out of position. There is noway an inexperienced CB pairing could compensate for that imo.
Btw our midfield needs a lot of work we have seen this far too often this season.
Yes, this is what I said in the in match thread. It was obvious in the first 15 minutes that WBA left something in on the challenges against Nat in both our box and in theirs at the corners.
Once Nat settled, he then started to give the same medicine back to them, refusing to be bullied. Yes he made a couple of errors and got away with it, but that’s normal for a 6th choice.
WBA had many corners and Mike Dean gifted a lot of freekicks which were launched into our box, and mostly Nat did really well.
So much so, that WBA then tried to target Rhys, so Klopp swapped them over to position Nat on the left.
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The elbow that gave Nat the split lip should have won us a penalty. It was pure thuggery, blatantly deliberate. Nat just got on with his job in his way.
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That’s how I see it.
You can have him and Williams (age he is at) playing for us in the cup games but if you want to mount a challenge you are looking at one of these guys being a 5th choice at best.
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Both were really poor at times but what do you expect from 2 slow donkeys. 
The first goal is a number of errors by different players. Williams could have done better but he was left with two players in front of him because Fabinho had gone to challenge for the ball and lost the first header. It felt like Fabinho and Phillips lost every 50-50 yesterday, both struggled with West Brom’s physical approach.
The game reminded me of some pre-Van Dijk struggles we had under Klopp with these types of sides, instead of being sensible and focusing on the second ball we try to win the first every time and end up looking silly. Robson-Kanu was made to look like a prime Drogba.
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Guys, we have Klopp to analyse the mistakes and offer remedies. Let’s just enjoy the games.
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Which games?
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All 3 of them did poorly. I think Trent and Phillips were too wide in general, but definitely needed to both shift over one man each for Williams to be covered to hare out like that like. Without that direction from the players inside/behind him, Williams cannot step out like that though and has to stay with the more dangerous man, which was the one who is closer to goal.
But those are the sorts of patterns you develop when you’ve got familiarity. You can look it and identify the faults while also understanding that it’s maybe not reasonable to expect them to be all working together yet.
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Nats main fault for the goal was that he was too deep, if he had been in line with Trent and Robbo Robson kanu would have been offside
I keep hearing this about Nat & Rhys jumping out of line to follow and press the player, I don’t particularly like it, but it happens all the time and must be what the coaching team is wanting from them!!!
He was in line with Williams before Rhys stepped out so I wouldn’t criticise him for that.
If Fabinho dropped off 5 yards instead of contesting a header 50 yards away from goal with a guy bigger than him that goal would have been easily avoided. If Robertson was closer to Williams it could have been avoided. There’s lots of elements to look at there, it was far too easy for them to get in behind us by winning a single flick on.
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Ultimately, Rhys goes out of position to step in and pressure, but without doing much or anything. He doesn’t have to do that. If he does, then he obviously takes a risk and needs to do better than he did. I’m okay with the kid, hopefully we secure him a nice loan move this summer and monitor his further development. He does have a few tools, we don’t have to rush with him. With Nat, he should simply use all of this to finally find a proper next home for himself; a settled contract, regular football and just squeeze as much as he can from his playing careeer.
Closing down, stepping up is fine if the DM is doing his job. As others mentionned Fabs closed down for a header as well so that should indicate to Nat and Rhys to hold back but rhys is young and inexperienced.
I don’t mind stoppers stepping up, Gomez is good at it and Nat is a stopper for his level (just not this level). Rhys has still a lot to learn but could become a good player which is why I hope he gets a decent loan deal next season to a club that ‘needs’ to play him.
Williams probably made the wrong decision but even if he held the line the exact same pass would have been on. The problem was getting turned around so easily.
It wouldn’t as the space would have been different and Rhys would have been covering Robson-Kanu. The player with the ball that Rhys stepped up to would have had more options but much less dangerous ones for us.
Still a major problem for us was the position of our 6 other defensive players as mentionned before. 6 players either out of contention or over 1/2 a meter behind the game is a lot to make up for. That we single out Rhys and Nat is just an indication of how we took for granted VVD and Gomez/Matip.
I’m just thanking our lucky stars we have Becker still making a difference.
let’s be totally honest here
someone has to run the line. normally you have VanDijk, Hendo, Milner on the pitch. someone is barking orders for player assignments and who is picking up the free man.
Trent was out to lunch on that play. The minute that Rhys steps up to challenge the ball (as required, because Fab wasn’t able to get there) then Nat has to step across to track the run behind Rhys. Trent should have been on the goalside of his mark, but once again was asleep and caused the mis-match when he forced Nat to check his man.
Ultimately, the DM should have broken up that play but I believe there was a wierd bounce and the assist was on a one-touch.
That’s football. create a mis-match and exploit. we’d be fools if we think that it’s not going to happen to us on occasion.
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Kanu had the run on him, same pass would have been on but it would have been more difficult, hence why Rhys, on balance, made the wrong decision.
I think Phillips, Fabinho and Robertson all could have reacted quicker to the danger. It was a really crap goal to concede, far too easy for West Brom.
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Please name me one player that wasn’t out to lunch on that play?
Yes, Hendo would have had Robson-Kanu forced to the side line in no time, noway would that run have escaped him.
We are essentially saying the same thing with VVD and Hendo this just wouldn’t end up the same but we have to accept these things are going to happen without them and refrain from pointing fingers when in this instance 6 players fucked up.