closed Chelsea 0-2 Liverpool

[Pizy 18,907]

For me this match is a free hit. Super early in the season, 5 or so players that would be in our best XI will be missing, and basically a whole new attack who haven't worked together before. We get a point or an unlikely 3 points, great. If we lose it's not deflating at all or a preview of what's to come. We are nowhere near the side now that we will be down the line when the real hectic mayhem starts.

All I want to see this weekend is improvement. And not to get embarrassed by Liverpool.

[Ryan Fong 2,776]

It’s such a shame we can’t field our best 11 against the scums at home.

GK
James, Christensen, Zouma, Azpi
Kante, Havertz, Kovacic
Mount, Giroud, Werner

[Jase 43,479]

29 minutes ago, Azul said:

0% confidence in us winning the game now, let's just hope we get a draw

We might well lose to them again but I don't get the full on negativity here. We competed well against them last season in all 4 games and would have gotten results against them were it not for our stupid defending or defensive mistakes in the league games and that's without the likes of Werner, Havertz and even Pulisic to an extent. If (I guess it's a big if) we can make fewer mistakes this time around or better, next to zero, there's every chance for us to pick up a result. Moreover, they have hardly been dominant ever since February. They have lost quite a number of games and conceded way more goals than usual. And given it's still early in the season where no side have really settled or are full fit yet, there's all the more chance of us getting a result. 

[Laylabelle 9,535]

Hopefully we can give ourselves a chance and not be lol..heres a corner..heres a gap...heres a goal!! And repeat.

[milka 3,394]

Kepa , James , Zouma , Christensen , Azpilicueta , Kovacic , Kante , Havertz , Mount , Werner , Giroud (4-3-3)

 

Giroud vs Van Dijk

Werner vs Alexander Arnold

James vs Mane

Azpi vs Salah

 

or

3-4-2-1

Kepa

-Azpi - Zouma - Christensen

James-Kovacic - Kante- Alonso

Mount/ Havertz -   Giroud - Werner 

[MoroccanBlue 5,382]

Just don't give them a set piece. Be it corner or FK. 

[Supermonkey92 1,428]

Lampard said Pulisic and Chilwell are not fit for the game. He hopes they progress in training over the next week. Same story with Ziyech.
Werner is fit and available.
Silva has been training with the team in the last 3-4 days but still not ready for this game.

Good call. I'm with many on here that the injury record is suspicious to the point where I dont think it could be explained by chance. Frank's training methods may be the culprit here (though some players seem injury plagued regardless of the coach they play under *ahem* pulisic).

But for every reason to question frank he should be praised here for being cautious with pulisic and Chilwell. Especially pulisic, I wouldn't throw him in as soon as discomfort leaves. I'd even wait a week or two to see if he's consistently comfortable being putting him in a match day squad.

So kudos to frank for not risking them.

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[Supermonkey92 1,428]

Midfield three of Kante, Jorginho and Kovacic. 
They will try and press us from the getco, so crucial we have Giroud as an outlet and to hold the play up for Werner and Havertz to operate. 
Dave for Alonso

Id be happy with the old trio too. They were as good if not better than them in the two early games last season. Not creative but with giroud in the air and werner's pace i think we'll have enough to trouble them.

Id add havertz on the right again lol

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[prehuman 119]

1 hour ago, MoroccanBlue said:

Midfield three of Kante, Jorginho and Kovacic. 

They will try and press us from the getco, so crucial we have Giroud as an outlet and to hold the play up for Werner and Havertz to operate. 

Dave for Alonso

The same idea that I put here yesterday. It seems to me the best team we can line up

But we'll have to see Mount anyway, won't we?

And having to swallow Havertz again dead in a wing.

I hope not, because that would be starting the game already depressed, we already had enough with the painful performance in Brighton.

[Nero 1,871]

 

[Jase 43,479]

 

[Azul 1,615]

1 hour ago, Jason said:

We might well lose to them again but I don't get the full on negativity here. We competed well against them last season in all 4 games and would have gotten results against them were it not for our stupid defending or defensive mistakes in the league games and that's without the likes of Werner, Havertz and even Pulisic to an extent. If (I guess it's a big if) we can make fewer mistakes this time around or better, next to zero, there's every chance for us to pick up a result. Moreover, they have hardly been dominant ever since February. They have lost quite a number of games and conceded way more goals than usual. And given it's still early in the season where no side have really settled or are full fit yet, there's all the more chance of us getting a result. 

I don't think our attack is up for this game without Pulisic and Ziyech. Werner is the only person I'm confident in, Havertz still needs to settle in. CHO, and Mount both looked bad in their past few games and don't get me started on RLC. 

I will never trust Christensen and Zouma as a pair as well. It's a ticking timebomb.

[Atomiswave 6,117]

I hope we are competitive Dont go guns blazing at them all game, I would happily take a draw while making it super difficult for them....that should irk the shit out of kloppy.

[Hutcho 8,443]

I feel like Werner can really hurt them if they play as high a line as I hope they do. Now whether we can get him the ball is another thing. But Kova should be back and he could be the key link between midfield and werner

[Special Juan 28,141]

This injury thing is now becoming a serious problem.

[!Hazard! 3,394]

Frank had set up us suprisingly defensive against Brighton (more than most similar games last season) so I wouldn't expect any different here. Close up shop, hit them on the counter. Get 0-0 or 1-1 out of this game and we stay above them in the league table. Also, Willy and Giroud must start. 

[ZAPHOD2319 4,818]

I read Liverpool FC forum for this matchup this morning. Some LIVERPOOL IS THE GREATEST posting. Some members had some valid criticisms of our team and theirs. It was a decent read.

[Hutcho 8,443]

I'm not entirely sure the sample size is anywhere big enough to say its down to the fitness coaches we are having several issues. Ziyech was barely here 2 mins and was a non contact injury. Kante played injured during the Europa final and has had niggles ever since. Chillwell signed injured. Loftus cheek an old injury.

Pulisic is the one I'd say potentially may have been mishandled but he seems one of those players who are always injury prone.

So I don't think our injury record is anything crazy and is down to anything other than variance and being unlucky. Now if we get new issues keep popping up over the next couple of years then some people may have a point.

[Vesper 30,175]

Explaining Liverpool’s defensive failings: it’s a worrying pattern not a one-off

https://theathletic.com/2057485/2020/09/13/liverpool-defensive-problems-leeds/

Ultimately, Jurgen Klopp could afford to chuckle about a crazy, chaotic opening day thriller at Anfield. “Wow, a proper spectacle,” declared the grinning Liverpool boss. “We left space for improvement in our defending — let me say it like this!”

His demeanour would have been very different but for Mohamed Salah’s late winner from the penalty spot which got the Premier League champions up and running in unconvincing fashion. No wonder players and staff rushed to mob the Egyptian attacker, who sparkled throughout and left Anfield with the matchball safely tucked under his arm. Forget scrawled messages of congratulations, there should have been an array of thank yous. Salah spared their blushes.

Klopp was quick to praise Leeds United for the part they played in forcing the glaring defensive errors which blighted Liverpool’s performance. It’s rare to see any visiting team, let alone a newly promoted club, show such ambition at Anfield. At times the hosts looked genuinely rattled by the intensity of Marcelo Bielsa’s dynamic side, who enjoyed more possession (52% to 48%) and attempted more passes (460 to 423).

The Liverpool boss also pointed to the fact that his entire back four had played international football earlier in the week. Preparations were hardly ideal with the squad only reconvening at Melwood three days before the game.

“People say they’ve played 500 games together, but defending is not like riding a bike. You have to work on it constantly,” Klopp says. But it would be wrong to dismiss Saturday as a one-off, a rare aberration or simply opening day rust.

Liverpool’s historic title triumph in 2019-20 was built on rock-solid foundations. It was their ability to keep clean sheets and grind out narrow wins when not at their best which set them apart from Manchester City. When in front, they had both the tactical shape and the nous to control proceedings and see games out.

However, there has been a significant shift. Liverpool conceded just 15 goals in their opening 26 league matches last season (an average of 0.58 per game). From February’s visit of West Ham United onwards, Liverpool have leaked 21 goals in 13 league matches (an average of 1.62 per game). From seemingly impenetrable to porous.

That run has included conceding four at the Etihad, two at the Emirates and three in back-to-back home games (Chelsea and Leeds) for the first time since September 1982.

It was understandable that standards would slip towards the end of last season once the title had been secured, but Liverpool have continued to look vulnerable since.

Why? There have been glaring lapses in concentration coupled with some structural tactical issues. Saturday’s erratic victory contained both.

Klopp wasn’t happy with the positioning of full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson in the build-up to Leeds’ first goal (below). A high defensive line relies heavily on the organisation and timing being spot on.

“Both were deeper than the centre-halves and that should never happen in football,” he said. Alexander-Arnold was caught napping by Kalvin Phillips’ lofted pass and Jack Harrison was able to get away from him far too easily and skip past Joe Gomez too before finishing emphatically.

But it all started with Phillips being allowed too much time on the ball. Liverpool’s press let them down with Roberto Firmino easily bypassed and no one backing up the Brazilian, who struggled to impose himself on the game.

It was a similar tale for the second goal with Leeds allowed to build play unchallenged before Virgil van Dijk made a hash of a high ball in behind and Patrick Bamford accepted the gift (below). The Dutch centre-back was far too casual but Alisson could have been more decisive by dealing with the danger himself.

“Unfortunately, a goal came out of it but I don’t worry about that,” Van Dijk says. “We’ll take the good things with us, but more importantly the bad things as well. There was a lot of running, a lot of one-v-one and counter-attacks. It was something we expected and trained for. They will give a lot of trouble to many teams in the league with the way they play.”

Leeds’ third goal was another catalogue of errors. Alexander-Arnold’s misplaced throw handed possession to Stuart Dallas, the gap between Gomez and Van Dijk was far too big and the intelligent run of Mateusz Klich into the space wasn’t tracked by either Georginio Wijnaldum or Curtis Jones as the Pole hammered home Helder Costa’s delivery.

Three shots on target, three goals. It could have been worse. Alexander-Arnold puffed out his cheeks in relief as the offside flag went up after he had nodded into his own net. Liverpool were carved open too easily and too frequently. Collectively, from front to back, their work off the ball wasn’t good enough.

There is a personnel issue to address before October’s transfer deadline. Another senior centre-back is a must given that Dejan Lovren hasn’t been replaced since his summer move to Zenit Saint Petersburg. They need greater competition for places in that department. Fabinho, who won the decisive penalty after impressing off the bench, is too important as the midfield shield to be used as a makeshift centre-back.

“We can do better, we should have done better and we will do better,” vowed Klopp.

A full week on the training field at Melwood should certainly help. There is much to sort out with Chelsea away and Arsenal at home on the horizon. Fail to tighten up and Christian Pulisic, Kai Havertz and Timo Werner will have a field day at Stamford Bridge.

When Klopp declared that Liverpool would attack rather than defend the title, some may have taken his words too literally.

Thanks to Salah, they got away with it on Saturday but it’s not sustainable. Rediscovering that steely edge is vital for the battles ahead.

[Sir Mikel OBE 4,920]

No Alonso vs salah please.