About the only pundit/commentator this season actually understand what the am are doing with the high line.
I agree, I thought our approach to the game was wrong from the kick off. Weâre 2-0 up, get out there and score the first goal and itâs game over. Instead, we were too slow and casual, which gave Inter plenty of encouragement. Then, they score and itâs twitchy bum time after that. But then it could have been avoided if Mo wasnât trying his best not to score.
Wrong one in studioâŚooopps!!
Not what I predicted!
Worst. Bruce Forsyth impression. Ever.
Got through,that is what matters!
I donât think we can have it both ways. Van Dijk is a defender who always plays the %'s. Itâs what allows him to look so calm and casual, he allows the low probability chances so he can position himself to stop the high probability.
In this circumstance I think heâs made the calculation that Martinez shooting first time on the run from 20 yards is less of a danger. The alternative is he rushes to get to the ball and at best has a 50/50 challenge as the last man, if he gets beaten then Martinez is through 1v1.
To my mind van Dijk is consciously thinking âGo on then hit itâ. Weâve seen him do similar to attackers before. Unfortunately on this occasion Martinez found the top corner.
As an aside what does it say about the state of Italian football that Inter Milan fans and pundits are absolutely ecstatic with the tie. After both legs Iâve seen nothing but praise for the team in all aspects of their game and for âmaking it toughâ for us.
This is the Italian champions and current league leaders getting giddy with themselves because they looked mildly more competent than expected (although, as Iâve said that narrative may be different had we actually taken any of our insanely easy chances).
I guess itâs actually a huge compliment to the quality of our team that the height of ambition for the Champions of Italy is to make it tough for us and get beat anyway.
The same can be said for Gomez when he got lambasted for not closing down in his last game, both IMO should have closed down a bit more however on each occasion it was errors from others that were the main cause.
Hope, with regards to chances, we arenât back to where we were this time last season in not taking them. Our conversion rate this season has, without looking at stats been good in comparison.
Was only able to watch the first half due to an appointment. Sanchez should have been off in the first half for the studs up tackle on Thiagos knee. The ref was conned multiple times. Fabinho wasnât anywhere near Martinezâs mouth but he went down like he was shot. Also when Fabinho stretched to pass to Jones and Vidal flopped without being touched.
Just finished watching a recording and will go back to see what others thought.
My take is we are through to the last eight, thatâs the main thing!
Apart from that we were up against trifecta - a ref who barely gave us anything and performed very erratically; a cynical yet talented Italian team; and our own sloppiness, manifest in the lack of urgency in our play - understandable in some ways due to being 2-0 up, and some iffy finishing, bar, post, post, off the line.
Sanchez deservedly went. He was lunging in late all game, leaving his studs up. Inter showed their quality and also their cynicism. They wonât be missed.
Not a great night for the reds, but good enough and we are through, and thatâs what matters in knockout football.
And?
I can understand some merit in leagues but this is a cup, does 538 take into the width of the post of the last ditch slide of Vidal on Diaz chance? I have my doubts having read Nate Silverâs book it goes that deep.
Anyhow for tonight under pressure and a really sloppy performance until the red/Hendo came on (you can judge which changed it but I reckon a bit of both). Every chance they had we gifted to them, I said before the game they would press and we would have possession and thatâs how it played out, however before the goal I was annoyed but comfortable I really couldnât see them scoring as they were creating zilch.
As for the ref he has been crap before and was so erratic tonight. I was hoping he pulled Jota earlier as I was sure he was after levelling the game.
Not really a fan of Inter at all after that, I canât see beyond their card waving and antics. As for the red it was two yellows at least and we are lucky if we havenât had an injury. Also how we didnât score Iâll never know, saying that Iâd rather hit the woodwork tonight than draw a blank in the league, as a friend said itâs a bit of a wake up and thatâs probably right, that Leeds game has had the effect of lulling us, also the Anfield pitch looks a shocker. Might be beneficial to play away at nice pitches in the next two.
Some of the analysis on here is as embarrassing as the lot on BT sorry guys.
If we had to lose a game, this would be the one where we win the tie despite losing the game. Front 3 needs to practice their shooting skills for Brighton.
Luis Diaz starts for me and the rest can battle it out.
Oh the high line was one of the best things we got right tonight to be fair, the two times it was breached the player couldnât get to the ball.
Teams are going need more than that and for all their huff Inter didnât have much more.
And?
I can understand some merit in leagues but this is a cup, does 538 take into the width of the post of the last ditch slide of Vidal on Diaz chance? I have my doubts having read Nate Silverâs book it goes that deep.
His models for football are terrible.
Currently has Ajax rated as the 5th best team in the world, for example.
I rarely look at XG but according to CBS:
Liverpool finished with 12 shots and an xG of 1.65 yet somehow didnât find the back of the net, while Inter had six shots and an xG of 0.30.
In addition, the ref was a model of inconsistency (as others have said).
Anyways, on to the last 8. Donât mind who we get really, but would prefer to avoid Citeh given we play them in the league around the same time. That will be more than enough of Pepâs sideline scatter talk/antics.
Yeah that average goal doesnât surprise me, I remember one other chance in the entire game that concerned me for Inter and it was more to do with Alisson palming it away.