It was supposedly Kerkez. His delivery from the wide is pretty good…
But he is rarely wide and Cody just ignores him
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For the first half an hour we looked pretty bright. Salah looked sharper and we were building up a head of steam and it looked like we would score.
Unfortunately they got the goal - we were well beaten in the end, so this will sound like grasping at straws, but their player was in an offside position and also in Alisson’s way, especially as Alisson tried to dive to his right. Goal given, ugh.
What was then hard to watch was the lack of mental resilience. From only a goal down we fell apart when the game was still there to be won.
That tells me something is not right, deep down. I don’t know if it is an accumulation of bad results making heads drop too quickly. Part of it could be the lingering sadness over Jota. Part of it could be not getting the breaks from the officials. Clearly part of it is integrating new players.
The whole thing is poor at the moment, and it needs to turn around.
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There was about 2 or 3 instances in the first 15 minutes that happened and we got corners after corners…
After the first 15 minutes, it all disappeared for some reason…
Virgil van Dijk:
“I take responsibility. All the guys, and the staff, have to take responsibility. You have to digest this, take it on the chin and work harder.”
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It is not a criticism of isak the player. It is a criticism of how he is being used, which is a representation of why the season is in the toilet. I didn’t get why people are trying to earn honor points with their overly defensive arguments
But cannot wait for another press conference where his ineffectiveness is put down having had no pre season and still trying to work his way into fitness
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Nottingham Forest captain Ryan Yates, speaking to Sky Sports: "The lads were incredible. We thoroughly deserved the win and the dressing room is quite lively. We’re enjoying it.
On Liverpool: "They’re still a team full of a lot of quality and we knew that. When you come to Anfield, you have to weather the storm. We scored, knocked their confidence and never let them recover
Not sure we’d be able to put out 11 if we drop all the under performers.
Realistically who deserves their place right now? Robbo, Szobo and Ekitike are about the only ones I could think of.
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Virg was again good but he is just one man doing his job defensively, just too many gaps to fill
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Fair enough. We need more from Isak, I agree with that, and I was hoping today might see a corner being turned.
In the match thread I know I crossed swords a bit with you and also @odin_telamon but above all that I know you are good reds and see the game well.
My biggest frustration with it is he’s making a rod for Isak’s back with the way he’s shoehorning him into the side. You’ve signed an expensive player who isn’t fit and there is pressure to get him in the team regardless because of the fee. You know what mitigates that pressure? Another expensive young signing who’s already hit the ground running giving you some breathing room to get Isak up to speed and challenge for a place in the side.
It’s all just so belligerent especially as Slot is about the most insistent there is on him not being ready yet
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Arne Slot:
“If things go well or things go bad it’s always my responsibility. We weren’t able to create enough. I tried to adjust a few things that didn’t really work out. We weren’t able to score a goal."
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so true this
A good pre-season will get the body fit. The mind should be at the ready at all times. When he is not making the runs, or creating space, or missing the target when a chance has fallen to him, that is not down to missing pre-season, that is down to his mindset not dovetailing to what is happening on the football pitch.
We are judging Isak from his previous playing time, maybe the strike action, and the fall-out with the Newcastle fans is playing a significant part in the fruitless way he is attempting to adapt to our needs. At this point, none of us have a guarantee we will ever see the player that Isak used to be… maybe we are lumbered with the Isak he has become…!
To me anyhow, one thing is certain, he needs to start producing the goods we paid the money for, sooner rather than later, because as the weeks go by when he fails to deliver, any potential fanbase he might have, will be harder to reclaim.
I hear you, but there’s also a sense in which as Isak is nearing match fitness he needs to take that final step and see some action and play his way in.
Ideally today Isak would have scored when we were on top in the first half hour, the team would have stayed resolute and gone on to win the match, and Isak would have subbed out for Ekitike, having taken an important step for us with a goal and a good hour’s work.
In a parallel universe that’s how it would have played out.
Isak has gone from playing with Jacob Murphy to playing with Gakpo. Similar level of ability, but one player is there to serve his teammates and the other wants to pad his goal tally.
It’s the wrong blend of players up front. This system isn’t going to get the best out of him.
Diaz, Nunez and Jota struggled for chances at centre forward last season. Not much has changed here.
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He won’t be.
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Have one of the easiest set of fixtures in the pl after int break.. Now even west ham away looks like a loss.