IT’S hard to put a finger on our second half drop off but with that Suarez goal at Sunderland I’m hopeful that brings an end to the constant discussion of the issue. Rodgers said that it was a press thing as opposed to any sort of panic within the club but it surely must have been starting to play on our minds.
However, just because we scored a goal doesn’t mean that we are clear of the issue because we’re not.
We have several new players adapting to our system which will be a contributing factor as they adjust to our way of playing and we’re switching between systems which also won’t help. The team doesn’t feel settled at the moment but that’s down to injuries as much as anything.
In our wins this season we haven’t been clear in the last twenty minutes, we’ve been just the one goal in front and that will hugely impact on performance. I don’t know what time a manager looks at a clock and thinks “it’s time to shut up shop” but when you’re 1-0 or 2-1 up with the clock ticking down you’re going to be happier to sit deep and let the opposition just come at you. It’s not pretty, it looks desperate and it is most definitely nervy as hell, but we’ve won 4 out of 6 games so you can understand why we just choose to shut games down.
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Fitness has to be an issue. I might be alone in this but I thought that our pre season was one of our most intense and impressive for a good long while. I attribute that to the reason we’ve hit the ground running but equally I think it did cause a bit of fatigue. That now seems to be wearing off because the second halves at United and Sunderland were much better than they have been in other games this season.
But for me the overriding issue is central midfield. I think we get overrun too easily in there. Teams find it easy to swarm on top of us and get a foothold in games, even though we are clearly a better team. I think we’re going to find this an issue all season and that was one area we needed reinforcements but Rodgers just didn’t see it as a priority. We need to toughen and smarten up in the middle of the park.
I think we’ve seen the worst of poor second halves now though, we played well at Old Trafford and whilst Sunderland smashed into us we held pretty firm and when we kept the ball we drew their admittedly very weak sting with relative ease. It’s not just one issue though it’s a combination of factors which means I’m not too worried – for now.
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Good observation,i though i was alone on our midfield weaknesses.I think Gerard in particular is chief culprit,he tend to sit too deep early on which always impact on our offensive players droping deep to recieve the ball.He is our weakest link at the moment he needs to be rested or be substituted early on in the second half of our next few matches.
Sadly, our aging Gerrard is the untouchable in LFC. A better manager will not hesitate to sub or rest him.
Great game against Sunderland.
Gerrard: cannot play for full 90 minutes. BR should give him a rest.
Sterling: was as poor as usual. Something very wrong in this guy. Where was the sparkling debut performance ???
Henderson: positive play by constantly pressing forward. I hope he will learn something from Suarez. Speed and stamina alone are not enough.
Suarez: of course our ultimate saviour, the best player and goal scorer !!! LFC should do whatever possible to keep him.
Sturridge: appeared less greedy when playing along with world-class Suarez. Sturridge set to gain more experience from Suarez partnership
Mignolet: poor performance, a mistake by BR.
Toure: pleased with his improved stamina and leadership at the back.
Summary: If BR somehow can persuade Alonso to join us in January, then we will have a remote chance of finishing at top 4. We still need one more proven striker as backup. Forget about Aspas.
Maths lesson: No Aspas + No Allen + No Borini = Goals and Three points!!
Now someone tell Uncle Brenda.
CM is a major problem now in BR team. Despite snatching three point in our last game.I don’t see LFc escaping defeat in there next matches with porous midfield play.. Just imagine the pressure the bottom sunderland team gave us let alone meeting Everton, or Tothmah what will be our fate?
Asap hasnt played a full 90mins,plus the only time sturridge aint selfish is when suarez is on the pitch….give asapa a little more of the ball and a full 90mins then we can start commenting…
Aspas should be given more tym to prove himself,just dt sturidge dnt give him passes to score.
Agree. I too noticed that many a time our central midfield went to sleep. Putting our defenders more stress than necessary. I think SG and LL need to step up their game if not I fear that one fine day BR might someone to replace them. Currently the only other central midfielders at BR disposal are Henderson and Allen. Unless BR decides to use Sakho to replace Lucas. Lets not get too carried away by the win over Sunderland. Just take one game at a time. I think come January transfer windows BR could possible add at least a couple of new faces into the team.
Gerrard out, can’t believe sunland pressing and pressing us and Lucas is too immobile thats why he gives away too many fouls.If not Suarez sunland would have beaten us.Br u still have not convinced me.BR OUT
Gerrard is certainly sitting too deep, but his long passes have been magnificent.
Hendo is getting like Kuyt – big heart, runs himself into the ground, but has very little effect on the game.
I must agree that bringing on Sterling is a waste of time. He’s a flash in the pan type and we would be better off playing Ibe or one of the other youngsters.
Wish we would stop all this negative back passing – siiting on the edge of the opponent’s box and the ball ends back with Mignolet – utter madness. He is not as sure as he was, but I think he still is better in the air than Reina. Cut out the short back passes to him and he will start to regain his confidence.
Gerrard is a great and loyal servant and has super quality, but against the Young, Mobile, Ball playing midfielders who will get stuck in Gerrard and Lucas both get unstuck. Gerrrard is 33, not 23. He should be used wisely, Not week in week out.
As i said: The likes of Alonso, Carrick, Gerrard, Iniesta, Lampard, Parker,Pirlo are coming to an end.
Its now about the Cazorla, Coutinho, Eriksen,Fabregas,Gotze, Herrera, Isco, Mata, Munian, Modric, Oscar, Ozil, Paulinho,Ramsey,Sigurdsson, Thiago, Wiltshire type players who will start to dominate the centre of park.
Henderson and Allen are no where near as good as any of the names , mentioned as if they were S Gerrard would be getting sufficient rest time that he needs.
Lucas is struggling to find the form he had two seasons ago before he was injured in game at Chelsea in Carling Cup. But as he is only midfielder at club that protects back 4 well and gets stuck in the middle of park and gets foot in, he is vital. There is no one else in whole squad that does that role, so he plays week in week out even if has not played well game before.
Gerrard now at 33 and Lucas both lack mobility and pace, so when we play teams who have young, mobile, centre midfielders who press high up pitch or get stuck in, Gerrard and Lucas drop deeper and deeper. And we struggle to get out or hold onto the ball, that is how Southampton beat us at Anfield and How Swansea got back in the game at the Liberty Stadium.
In January the owners need to give B Rodgers : £50-£60M to bring in these 5 important players: We desperately need if we are to maintain Top 4 Pursuit all through the season: More Class, Depth, Quality and Quality competition for places.
1: GK: A Mccarthy(23) Of Reading for £4-£7M to compete and Cover Mignolet for next 5-10 years. ( For Now and Future)
2: DM: M’Vila (24) Of Rubin Kazan for £10-£15M to compete and Cover Lucas, A more mobile, powerful, Quicker, Tough Tackling player than Lucas Leiva who would do well against the players Lucas Struggles against Powerful, strong dominant midfielders( Capoue, Dembele, Mulumbu, Nzonzi, Schneiderlin, Sissoko, Tiote, Yaya and Wanyama)
3: RW / RWF: J Montero(23) Of Monarcas Morelia in Mexico for £4-£7M to compete and Cover Sterling.
4: LW /LWF: B Arfa(26) Of Newcastle for £10-£16M to compete and Cover with IBE
5: FD: A Hernandez (23) Of Palermo should definately be brought to club for £3-£8M to compete with Sturridge and Suarez.