A much better performance all over the pitch tonight. I’ve seen some posters saying that although we won we didn’t perform ‘THAT’ well? Well, I’ll take points over performance every time. A winning run will do some of the squad a real confidence boost. When a team is on a run of wins it gives players confidence to try something different and maybe shake it up a bit. I’d quite happily take two crap performances in our next two games as long as we win them.
COYR YNWA 
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I saw improvements that’s what I was hoping for.
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from klopps comments, seems like we will use this formation going forward. probably a hybrid of this and the usual formation
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Thought we were excellent tonight all over the pitch. Only disappointment was not scoring in open play. Thought Henderson was really good but doubt he’ll get much praise.
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We should be in position now to go through. Was just looking at Napoli’s goal diff. Yikes!
Just keep getting better, all one can ask.
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At least we didn’t lose or draw the game, right?
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He’s second in the motm poll
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Agreed overall; my only concern is will the system work as effectively without Thiago though.
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Yup that’s certainly one drawback, though with the 4-3-3 it wasn’t working with Thiago anymore eithier.
I do think with Hendo and Fabinho it does but I think after those three you’d have to see.
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I don’t think Fab has enough quality in possession to make it work although I maybe wrong cos didn’t he play a double pivot for his last team? I think it would suit Naby … If only he was fit.
Well I said we would look at that formation when we were looking at signing Thiago
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Agreed. Much better from him and that included covering for Trent and basically keeping him in check as well.
His departure signalled chaos down that flank.
I’m still a bit concerned with Salah and in general our finishing was poor at times.
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I’ve always said finishing is an issue when your not hitting it on target a fair few were straight at Macgregor but that Jota save was quality, I thought Jota had put it over.
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My observations about the 4231:
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One of the big problems this season I feel is that both FBs haven’t had the support from our wingers like previous years. As good as Diaz has been, he doesn’t give anywhere near the support to Tsimi/Robbo that Mane did, nor does Fabio when he’s there. On the other side we have seen Salah’s form drop off and I don’t think he’s dropping back anywhere near as much as he has done previously. Some will get up in arms and scream about the gut running Salah has done on occasion this season when we’ve turned the ball over with Trent stranded up field and he’s sprinted to take up space (same with Diaz on occasion). Yep that has happened, but this isn’t what I am talking about. I’m talking about providing closer support to Trent that he usually does when we are in the defensive phase.
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Fab as a single 6 has seen him constantly be drawn out very wide to fill in the space between the wingers and the FBs, and that leaves tremendous space in the middle of the pitch that teams are able to run into and then gives VVD and Matip/Gomez a decision to make. This feeds into my first point about the lack of defensive support from the top of the pitch by the wingers. Absolutely having the pair of 6’s alleviates this issue, but it will still over the long term somewhat rely on Fabio,Elliott, Bobby,Jota or whoever plays that central attacking role on doing their part of dropping back to provide support.
- Its ridiculous drawing too many conclusions from the game against the Rangers. If it didn’t work, even against the likes of Rangers, then there may be a case to bin it. But it being a success against Rangers means very little. I saw plenty of occasions where a player like Thiago drifted very high and it sort of broke formation in the middle. But he did that in response to the way Rangers were playing. They lacked any sort of attacking threat, so the likes of Thiago could go out and be a bit more adventurous. Against a quality team, firstly I don’t think Thiago would do that. Would that change our attacking threat? There are too many variables to even warrant discussion about ‘success’ of the formation when the evidence is only from a game against a terrible Rangers outfit. Klopp may think its too early to use this against a very in-form Arsenal but maybe not.
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The alternative is the 4-3-3 and that isn’t working at all.
From his comments I expect he will continue. Not sure whether they considered it previously or this was a move post game on Saturday. If I’m honest my heart may sink a little if we don’t try it against Arsenal because the alternative is just being caught out again and again especially against the pace they have on the wings. In fact if it was Man City I might not.
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Hopefully this Nunez performance puts an end to the idiotic comparisons with Andy Carroll. He played left, right and centre and ran them rugged. He should have scored as well but that’s not an issue. It’s only a matter of time before the floodgates open.
Also pleased with Jota. He is coming into form after a long time and he’s making a real difference. His left volley was the best finish of the night too, pity that it touched MacGregor’s fingertips.
Overall much better and one of the few times we’ve looked like ourselves this season. However, the proper test to see if we have started turning the corner or not will be delivered by Arsenal.
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Any fool can look good against Rangers…
Apart from you so what does that say?
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I was just about to make the same point so I’m glad that someone made it more elegantly. To my mind, Diaz is better on the ball and in possession than Mane was but he doesn’t have that same understanding with the left back that the Mane/Robertson combination did. The drop off in the Salah/Trent combo is more to do with the lack of supporting play around them but both players have been in rather mediocre form for a while.
We started playing a regular 4-3-3 around the time that Coutinho left and that was a case of adapting to the available personnel. With the players we have now, 4-2-3-1 is probably preferable but that will take time to adjust to. We were making the chances last night but there isn’t yet that kind of telepathic understanding between players whereby they instinctively know where passes will be coming from and where those passes need to go. Once that understanding happens we will find players with that extra half second of time to control the ball and that extra couple of meters to make it count.
It’s all fine margins but last night was a good confidence booster. It’s something that the players can build on.
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Harsh to judge Diaz against one of our best ever players. He’s doing well and will bring something different.
I had no doubt we would miss Manè, on so many levels. People were talking like he had been replaced by Diaz so we didn’t need to worry. All good things come to an end, but there were many periods were he was our best attacker and defender
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