next : liverpool (h)

[Foreverinbluedreams]

Well their tactic shouldn't be hard to work out. Defence then lightning breaks. But then we don't worry about the oppo do we?

No we don't, St John. It staggers me how we set up to play without any consideration for the oppo. I'm increasingly dismayed at Pep but keep hoping some miraculous football will suddenly appear but that's a bit like hoping your ice cream won't melt in the sun.

You obviously didn't see our game at the swamp last season then or our home game against Barcelona??

[Hazy2]

4-0

[South Stand Balti]

Well their tactic shouldn't be hard to work out. Defence then lightning breaks. But then we don't worry about the oppo do we?

No we don't, St John. It staggers me how we set up to play without any consideration for the oppo. I'm increasingly dismayed at Pep but keep hoping some miraculous football will suddenly appear but that's a bit like hoping your ice cream won't melt in the sun.

You obviously didn't see our game at the swamp last season then or our home game against Barcelona??

I did actually, with my own eyes. I was there as I am every week in every competition. Nervous as fuck in the second half at OT by the way. It's not easy though is it, trying to pick out those performances. My main concern is they are looking less likely............tomorrow is just a day away.

[Foreverinbluedreams]

Well their tactic shouldn't be hard to work out. Defence then lightning breaks. But then we don't worry about the oppo do we?

No we don't, St John. It staggers me how we set up to play without any consideration for the oppo. I'm increasingly dismayed at Pep but keep hoping some miraculous football will suddenly appear but that's a bit like hoping your ice cream won't melt in the sun.

You obviously didn't see our game at the swamp last season then or our home game against Barcelona??

I did actually, with my own eyes. I was there as I am every week in every competition. Nervous as fuck in the second half at OT by the way. It's not easy though is it, trying to pick out those performances. My main concern is they are looking less likely............tomorrow is just a day away.

Thing is mate, we are in the top three for chances created in this league, we concede less chances than anyone. That is owing to the football we play, it may not be miraculous but it's pretty damn good, what let's us down for the most part is profligacy and individual errors in defence, as well as sub par goalkeeping last season.

[Sideshow Bob]

for once in my life, i want to see us show a bit of composure on the ball in the face of the dipper press. we have quality but it never seems to matter against this lot. we fall to pieces every f*cking time. sick to death of it tbh.

[South Stand Balti]

Well their tactic shouldn't be hard to work out. Defence then lightning breaks. But then we don't worry about the oppo do we?

No we don't, St John. It staggers me how we set up to play without any consideration for the oppo. I'm increasingly dismayed at Pep but keep hoping some miraculous football will suddenly appear but that's a bit like hoping your ice cream won't melt in the sun.

You obviously didn't see our game at the swamp last season then or our home game against Barcelona??

I did actually, with my own eyes. I was there as I am every week in every competition. Nervous as fuck in the second half at OT by the way. It's not easy though is it, trying to pick out those performances. My main concern is they are looking less likely............tomorrow is just a day away.

Thing is mate, we are in the top three for chances created in this league, we concede less chances than anyone. That is owing to the football we play, it may not be miraculous but it's pretty damn good, what let's us down for the most part is profligacy and individual errors in defence, as well as sub par goalkeeping last season.

The stats would seem to back that up but you get individual errors, for example, in defence when the individual defenders are not good enough. The keeper situation with Bravo is a perfect example as to why I'm dismayed at times.
As for tactics I will give an example. I sit behind the goal in the south stand. When we played Everton they attacked us down their right hand side every time they got the ball. They never went to their left I.e. they attacked Sane at left wing back. I was sat in a great position to see this and could not understand why this was not addressed. It was approx 25 mins in when Everton scored after a move down that same side. I was pretty frustrated that this had happened as it was so obvious. Sane is a fantastic left winger for me but he is not a defender. When you play left wing back you become s left back when the oppo have the ball down your flank. Sane is not a left back. Koeman knew, the crowd knew that but Pep didn't.

[Foreverinbluedreams]

They targeted Otamendi, not Sane. We did do something about it, Vinnie moved over to that side. Then Sane fucked up, another individual error, nothing to do with tactics.

[South Stand Balti]

They targeted Otamendi, not Sane. We did do something about it, Vinnie moved over to that side. Then Sane fucked up, another individual error, nothing to do with tactics.

Whenever Everton got the ball they put it out very wide down the touch line. Sane struggled, but switching the centre backs did not help Sane. The proof of that being x goal down that side from a Sane fuck up. That's exactly my point.

[Foreverinbluedreams]

They targeted Otamendi, not Sane. We did do something about it, Vinnie moved over to that side. Then Sane fucked up, another individual error, nothing to do with tactics.

Whenever Everton got the ball they put it out very wide down the touch line. Sane struggled, but switching the centre backs did not help Sane. The proof of that being x goal down that side from a Sane fuck up. That's exactly my point.

They played it long to Calvert-Lewin to challenge Otamendi as Sane was pushed up like Walker was on the opposite side.

Sane's fuck up had nothing to with the centre backs it was just a fuck up.

[Burt]

They targeted Otamendi, not Sane. We did do something about it, Vinnie moved over to that side. Then Sane fucked up, another individual error, nothing to do with tactics.

Whenever Everton got the ball they put it out very wide down the touch line. Sane struggled, but switching the centre backs did not help Sane. The proof of that being x goal down that side from a Sane fuck up. That's exactly my point.

They played it long to Calvert-Lewin to challenge Otamendi as Sane was pushed up like Walker was on the opposite side.

Sane's fuck up had nothing to with the centre backs it was just a fuck up.

Absolutely 100% spot on

[South Stand Balti]

They targeted Otamendi, not Sane. We did do something about it, Vinnie moved over to that side. Then Sane fucked up, another individual error, nothing to do with tactics.

Whenever Everton got the ball they put it out very wide down the touch line. Sane struggled, but switching the centre backs did not help Sane. The proof of that being x goal down that side from a Sane fuck up. That's exactly my point.

They played it long to Calvert-Lewin to challenge Otamendi as Sane was pushed up like Walker was on the opposite side.

Sane's fuck up had nothing to with the centre backs it was just a fuck up.

Absolutely 100% spot on

I'm not sure how to copy etc on my phone but this is a word by word quote from Richard Tsnner of the Daily Express as it happened report on 32 minutes (if you want to Google it)..."Everton are playing everything down the right-hand side to expose Leroy Sane and avoid Kyle Walker'. The reason Tanner wrote that is because it was so obvious, he was spot on. Koeman was spot on in his tactics to do that. I didn't raise the centre backs as an issue. My point is it was an obvious tactical fault which cost us.

[PrezIke]

Well, no Vinny, so not sure what to make of this one other than I am more concerned than I was about winning already.

I saw WW's lineup prediction which is a good shout given our defensive frailties without Vinny, and being so possession oriented compare to their counter attacking approach which has hurt us regularly of late. However, Danilo has yet to play a game at DM so would be a fairly big risk, although we know Pep likes to take them. We also have Mendy and Walker's pace and technical ability which will be a big difference compared to past seasons against pressing and counter attacks.

I was still thinking more of Pep's 433/4411 even given Liverpool's pace and attacking ability.

We are at home and do we want to play so conservatively there? I think he will want to let Sane get back into the team in his ideal position with Bernardo on the other flank. Assuming Ilkay is fit, he would then slot in the the holding role and Silva and KDB back into their roaming 8 roles and given that his passing ability is better than Fernandinho should help prevent giveaways that could hurt us. Seems possible Pep puts Ilkay at roaming 8 and KDB in the deeper role, which he has sown some significant ability of late, but he's not as strong defensively, despite putting in a shift every time.

That all being said I'm not terribly confident even as the break may affect team cohesiveness for Liverpool. I see a draw.

This would be okay enough, but I know some of our fans are acting like this is a must win.

Last season we started off extremely well and look what happened? The season is a marathon. I'm far from panicking just yet.

EDIT: Realise I have no explanation about Jesus v. Kun...

Hmm...I think Pep let's Kun get the start. He barely played over the break so is more rested than Jesus.

[blues2win]

I'm afraid I'd be a bit more defensive. Back four picks itself. I'd play Delph and Fernandinho as defensive mids. Sane Silva D Silva B and Aguero up top. 4-2-3-1.

[Mase]

I'd go all Keegan and think fuck it let's just smash these and attack like fuck!

[sheblue]

Keep the ball and we will be ok. Let them run their gonads off and we will take them in the last 20 minutes.
Tomorrow will be Edersons first real test. Big game for him.

[Bear60]

smash the fucking scouse gobshites

[mr_nool]

Back three with Danilo, Otter and Stones.
You read it here first!

It's not what I want – I prefer a back 4 – but Pep likes his curve balls, and this might just be it after him mentioning Mangala and Tosin in today's press conference.

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

They'll have 3 or 4 chances, we'll have 14 or 15. If we have our shooting boots on we'llhammer them 4-1.

[Mikhail Chigorin]

Crikey, I thought today we'd lose by three or four goals today; how totally wrong can anyone be ??

Just shows what little I know about football.......

[john@staustell]

Crikey, I thought today we'd lose by three or four goals today; how totally wrong can anyone be ??

Just shows what little I know about football.......

Being charitable I'd say a lot has changed