Huge drop. We were spoiled indeed and might not see the like again
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I actually didn’t think it was too bad, certainly work in progress, the concern is the blunt nature of attack.
It is always a tough place to go and we’ve seen this weekend many teams look far more ropey in their games.
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When Andoni Iraola took the job, everyone was saying that he will need time and that it will take some time for the players to adjust to his style.
We are after 1st game of the season.
There’s no need to be throwing toys out the window and pointing fingers.
Patience is certainly very much needed to break bad automatic habits that have been ingrained.
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I agree with this mate, it’s more of a personnel issue for me. The team today looked like it needed a RW, a DM and a RB. We’ve known this all summer.
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Don’t get the negativity here, first game under a new manager and I saw a much improved Liverpool compared to last season. Lots of negatives as well, but thats a given with a new system and new roles for many players.
Also, I think its important to understand that our team was very unfit last year with poor conditioning from the old regime, so it will not be easy adjustment for the players to get to grips with Iraolas system. Complete opposite to what we saw when Slot came in.
Many positive performances, good debuts for Araujo, Jacquet and Munoz. Good to see Gakpo get a goal. Hopefully we get Wirtz and Isak some good performances in the coming weeks.
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As many already said - plenty of things to work on - the press looked a bit ineffective, our passes in the final third were quite bad at times etc. But I thought overall it wasn’t bad and we will improve with time.
One thing that I am very worried about though is Virg. I love him, but today he looked like he retired a couple of years ago and came back for a legends game. It’s not that he made some big mistakes, but on a few occasions he could and should have done better, while he basically remained a spectator.
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I think Ali seems to have gotten away with criticism for the first goal. Is it just me or was he way too slow to come out to Elanga, and left far too much space at the far post?
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I do hope that Andoni is able to use this game as a bit of a rallying point to the team, remind them that just 18 months ago we were a squad that were never out of it. We lost that last season, hopefully the players start to feel it again.
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Very, very fortunate to get that point. Newcastle had far too many good crosses, including two low balls that just slashed across the 6-yard box that really should have ended up in our goal. I am not sure if their wings are much better than expected, our fullbacks worse, or some blend of the two, but not a great showing.
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Yet in one of the two years we won the league
What did you think was improved?
Their wide areas are known as by far the strength of their team. Elanga had a terrible 1st season, under a bad manager in Eddie Howe, but he was terrific at Forest before that. Barnes has consistently been good, if not spectacular, Hall is a brilliant full back who should have been starting for England this summer and Dedic has come over with a good amount of hype at RB.
Conversely the wide areas are acknowledged as pur weakest point and we left our FBs exposed all game in 1v1 or even overload situations - which I think is a relic of Slot because Iraola normally wants his wingers tracking back and working extremely hard. On both flanks ours weren’t even pretending to track back.
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When it comes to Newcastle, we love a late Hi-Jack.
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The big thing for me was that we were more direct and not as passive as last year. We were moving the ball with more intent, although we did not yet see it result to much. Similarily I thought we were more active off the ball which was refreshing to see.
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There was also the increasingly regular element of his CB not covering and closing off the channel Osula was running into.
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We had enough chances but quality ones less so.
However 27, 7 on target and 3 big chances with a 3 XG
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Fair enough.
I thought we looked like we had no idea what to do with it and didn´t move it forward quickly enough particularly in central areas, personally.
I suppose it spent a bit less time with the defenders perhaps, which would support what youre saying.
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Both were well taken.
Cant blame keeper when their players ran unchallenged for 100 yards to score…twice
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Looking back at the first goal I think there a number of errors - Kerkez losing a footrace is not one of them.
Gravenberch I think doesn’t realize he’s in the middle of the goal with no one near him. He clearly should have shot but I think he didn’t know how much space he had and he saw Isak in the corner of his eye. Terrible pass too.
Once they’re running at our defence van Dijk has to force Osula towards to the right. We had numbers in defence that side. If he takes away the pass behind Kerkez Newcastle have a much more difficult attack going at Jacquet and Frimpong who are in position and against a slower player in Barnes.
Then the shot itself isn’t well hit Alisson seems to give up on it. The stats say Alisson has been underperforming his expected goals against for 2 seasons now and I think that was an example of why. It’s not that he should have saved it, but the fact he came nowhere close just shows his drop off in shot stopping in recent seasons.
For the 2nd goal I think Szoboszlai has to hold Wissa up in midfield, but dives in instead. I always teach my players that the first presser’s primary job is to slow the opposition down or make them turn back, the second player in takes the ball. Szoboszlai was our deepest midfielder and dove in, allowing himself to be turned way too easily.
Frimpong could have fouled Willock but couldn’t because of the bullshit yellow he got in the 1st half when Attwell went on a 5 minute power trip.
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Ive come to the conclusion we need to ditch either isak or wirtz.
Not sure who as both dont suit the way we play.
Wirtz will be back in germany next summer maybe Jan
Isak for a 9 is nowhere near the ball in the box all game. He may improve if we get barcloa and another winger but for a 9 he never looks like scoring.
Id like us to sign Evanailson of bouremouth as he could be our new bobby with the wingers around him.
1 Like