But the criticism comes down to the idea of just playing Chiesa/Elliott and it really isn’t that simple.
The team has been on a two game per week rhythm now for a while and this means that once they have rest and recovery taken into account, they are barely training.
So for Chiesa and Elliott, they just aren’t getting time at the AXA to work with the core squad and integrate integrate them into the first team.
you do make a fair point @Mascot to be fair… that is why going to one game a week will hopefully mean more game time for those two
Slot mentioned the exact thing midweek. Too many supporters think its like FIFA where you make 8 changes and the team performs just the same.
He’s gone public multiple times to say that if he doesn’t play more he’s going to leave - even during a period when he ended up playing more games than Alisson did!
I didn’t literally mean he’d throw a hissy fit but what I mean is we promise him LC games to keep him happy but why do we care about pleasing him when he’s all but gone in a few months time anyway?
I think I just have a very different view of him than everyone else (and different from multiple Luverpool managers now so they’re on everyone elses team not mine) but I keep seeing people calling him a £30m+ GK and that he’d start at almost every other PL side etc and I don’t see it. I think he’s bang average with the exception of 1v1 situations where I think he’s very good.
I wouldn’t have dropped Alisson to play, fuck whatever his contract says or what he was promised in August. Make a final, play your best team.
For clarity I’m not saying the loss was his fault, play like we did today and we could have had anyone in goal and still lost but I’m just questioning the logic. If we were still in the FA Cup and CL then fair enough but we aren’t so we shouldn’t have weakened the team.
looks like salah stayed in mendes pocket and has not found his way out.
Just gold.
And where as that got them, just look at Saka, injured through overuse
Games like today it felt Diaz was the only viable option for the defense to play a longer ball to. Mo was invisible for long stretches and Jota showed for it but couldn’t get it to stick. Those are balls we look for more when we’re being outrun in midfield, but on days today it meant we were just giving it back to them.
So while it looks like today we lost the game by losing the midfield, the thing from our recent past that would have best address that was not a Gini (to fight) or Thiago (to retain possession) but a Bobby who provided a more consistent and reliable outlet.
This game was x-rated him sat with trollies around ankles and a sprained wrist.
Teams want consistency not hard to understand.
I think given the way people are reacting to our posts, you are the one in need of calibration.
It’s fine to be disappointed. But let’s be honest. This would have been the cherry on top of a very nice cake. It doesn’t really matter.
You don’t need to be prophecising doom right now. We’re twelve clear with nine games to play. The very worst case scenario is that we have to win five to win the league.
These are good times.
(And yes, I think there is a lot of work to be fine in the Summer. But let’s not forget to enjoy a title run in while we think about that).
Dismal performance.
One bonus with Europe at least is there will generally be 7 days between matches and I think it’s rather required. Chiesa should be getting more minutes as should Elliott.
All this talk of walking the league should be put to bed as we have to find some form and we’ve got those cunts next.
Also I hope those 3 confirm if they are leaving or staying over the next two weeks it’s getting a bit tiresome.
I thought you’d have said a prime Sadio
well said @mattyhurst
There are and that’s on Slot. The fact Chiesa and Elliott were among our better performers should raise questions about why Slot hasn’t used them more?
But by the same token, his approach has us top the league, topped the CL first phase and in a cup final. It’s hard to criticise him for that. We were just unlucky to draw one of the best teams in Europe despite topping the league phase.
I think today we fell into their trap. They really disrupted us with their physicality whilst then playing up every time we did the same. They almost dared us to play through the press and then their midfield would snap into ours. Meant our attacking phases were often back to goal if we did get it forward early or they sat so deep we couldn’t find space. We also really missed attacking threat from fullback.
Ultimately that’s our fifth loss all season. I know for some that’s somehow unacceptable but it’s just unfortunate that three of those see us get knocked out of cup competitions. Although quite frankly I’m not arsed about the FA Cup and think we’re better off out of it this season.
People were frustrated with Diaz at CF for it not being his natural role but I thought (and still think) he has all the natural abilities to make that work for him. Unfortunately Gakpo’s injury really screwed that development.
I had worried that too many players were spent after Tuesday night and it showed here. I think Slot was hoping that the faithful regulars could keep it even until 60 minutes and then throw on the fresh legs.
I actually think the subs made a big difference, Chiesa and Elliott in particular, and Jones offered some threat even if he was a bit sloppy.
Anyway, there is something of a break now, so they should be able to get some life back into their legs.
Next game Everton? Oh God, it will be carnage, won’t it?
We should be competing for the top comps. PL and CL.
I never shed a tear going out of the domestic cups early. We’re a bit weird across Europe in that we have two of them anyway.
Elliott knows the players, has been with the team since pre season, so he should know where to be and what to do.
With Chiesa he isn’t getting a chance late in games when our forwards are struggling.
Lastly, please tell me what our game plan was today?
Earlier in the season our midfielders were loving how they were more involved in build up play, with how we wanted to progress it through midfield, with vertical balls into the midfielders/forwards feet.
Today we just played long hopefull balls, sorry for keep beating the drum in regards to long balls, but it pissed me off.
This was their World Cup final; this was our PSG hangover. And even then, we only lost 2-1.
Gonna try and not be too dramatic about it. They were better and wanted it more. We’re dead on our feet.
Nine games left — the league is all but sealed, but I want us to win it in style, not stutter over the line. Big improvement needed from a few boys, particularly in attack (what’s happened to Jots?!!!)