by PrezIke » Sat Aug 15, 2020 9:08 pm
Disgraceful but unsurprising to me.
I feel sick, but I also know going into this game the result we saw was what I was worried most about.
Why do we keep conceding comic level goals off the counter?
Why do class attacking players suddenly make, strange, poor decisions or miss the most clear cut chances?
It stems from the lack of trust, IMHO, players have in the defence that Pep models with his constant tinkering to prevent this exact problem.
Pep is trying to deal with the fact that our defenders are absolutely awful and it affects the entire team on the pitch.
Liverpool can play how they want because they have faith in their defence.
You remember before Van Dijk and Allison how poor they were in that regard?
Laporte has now had his 2 worst games in big CL games, however, his partner is never the same or his been injured. Ederson was terrible as well today.
Pep plays different lineups and formations that must confuse and make it challenging for players, especially defenders.
HOWEVER, again, that is because he has good reason to not trust most defenders to come out consistently at all.
Some players we have bought have failed us, and we failed finding a CB last summer after Kompany left.
Garcia COULD have had more time earlier, but no way Pep would drop Stones and Nico that fast after what they had done.
Problem was NEITHER of them got back to form and we then switched Fernandinho to CB after Laporte went out.
That's the story.
Is Kouliabaly the answer? Our Van Dyke?
Laporte was to be that, but we need another, clearly, as since Dinho nor Gundo is Dinho at the no. 6 that also increased the deficiencies.
Ake will help as well.
I never felt we'd win it this season because of this weakness that infected the rest of our play against good counter attacking sides.
Next year will be a better chance.
Last edited by
PrezIke on Sat Aug 15, 2020 9:15 pm, edited 4 times in total.
