What Pep's System Is Missing?

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

We know by now that he is all about ball control. Our central defender situation is pretty bad but what his system REALLY needs is Iniesta. That traditional number 8 (my favourite position in football) box-to-box midfielder. A real general. Silva and KDB are super talented but not really general types. Yaya used to be bit of that but he always had his off days. Gundogan could've been it but knowing his injury and having followed bit of NFL where these i juries are common, he will have long healing process in front of him and in all reality will probably never be the same player. Fernandinho is more of a traditional six ie holding midfielder.

We still need centerbacks and goalkeeper but we are also desperate for that midfield general who would probably be our captain as well.

[nottsblue]

For me, we need more goals. Silva had one PL goal. Sterling has one in 13/14 now. Navas never troubles the scorers. KDB for all his talent and I know he has plenty of assists doesn't score enough. We get next to nothing from the defence from set pieces, look at how many the Chelsea defence score.

Peps Bayern and Barca sides had a focal striker like we have, Aguero, Messi and Lewandowski. But his previous two sides had players who would also chip in with goals.

I will still maintain KDB is better suited to the role Silva occupies as he would score more. He always looks more dangerous through the middle. Having Sterling and KDB wide with Silva in the middle is stifling our play and slowing it down. I feel this season may well be the last we have Silva as automatic starter in the number ten role.

The defence is much talked about, the goalkeeper included, but we have a reasonable record in terms of goals conceded and for me, the problems lie at the other end of the field.

[South Stand Balti]

Pep's system lacks any enjoyment. We don't threaten the oppo often enough. The summer transfer window was a disaster. The problem with the system may be that our players are simply not suited to it.

[PrezIke]

High Priority:

1) 2-3 Intelligent defenders who are tough, good with the ball, work hard, and possess pace. This is why we wanted Laporte and Bonucci.

2) At least 1 more Pep-like (Fernandinho/Gundogan) centre/holding midfielder with a ? hanging over Gondugan now, Yaya's future, and Fernandinho's age (I expect him to re-sign). Fernando is also out of contract, but he's a backup anyway and Delph is our latest sicknote (sadly).

Medium Priority:

1) Jesus' arrival or another forward option who has a proven track record as a real scoring threat against top competition.

Low(er) Priority:

1) Bravo to blend in better/Find a viable long term keeper.

2) Silva replacement (at least)/another Quality/World Class central attacking midfielder to slot next to KDB as the false 8 (assuming Pep goes with that)

[Nigels Tackle]

players with brains who can think for themselves

[City64]

Missing factor ??? Pep is a phoney and totally out of his depth in the Premier League ?

Oh and he thinks really shit players are decent ?

Answer ......we have a big fucking problem !

[carl_feedthegoat]

Its been obvious since the last 10 games.

Kolorov
Clichy
Zabba
Bravo
Ottomendi

We will never win anything with those players in the starting 11 , they are just not good enough.

We cannot play the system PEP wants to play...we just cannot.

[PrezIke]

Missing factor ??? Pep is a phoney and totally out of his depth in the Premier League ?

Oh and he thinks really shit players are decent ?

Answer ......we have a big fucking problem !

Hyperbole much?

[City64]

Missing factor ??? Pep is a phoney and totally out of his depth in the Premier League ?

Oh and he thinks really shit players are decent ?

Answer ......we have a big fucking problem !

Hyperbole much?

We made Anfield silent , overplayed way too much and showed the world how average Liverpool are ........................ and lost !

We have really do have a huge problem pal its Pep !

[Mikhail Chigorin]

For me, we need more goals. Silva had one PL goal. Sterling has one in 13/14 now. Navas never troubles the scorers. KDB for all his talent and I know he has plenty of assists doesn't score enough. We get next to nothing from the defence from set pieces, look at how many the Chelsea defence score.

Peps Bayern and Barca sides had a focal striker like we have, Aguero, Messi and Lewandowski. But his previous two sides had players who would also chip in with goals.

I will still maintain KDB is better suited to the role Silva occupies as he would score more. He always looks more dangerous through the middle. Having Sterling and KDB wide with Silva in the middle is stifling our play and slowing it down. I feel this season may well be the last we have Silva as automatic starter in the number ten role.

The defence is much talked about, the goalkeeper included, but we have a reasonable record in terms of goals conceded and for me, the problems lie at the other end of the field.

I agree about our lack of goal power NB.

In previous seasons we've always had a healthy supply from all positions and if this were the case this season, I think we'd be in a far better position than we are at present. At the very least, however, I feel we definitely need another striker, possibly two.

You may well be right, sadly, about David Silva but I just wonder if he could be re-invented to play in a far deeper role in the style of Pirlo (although this might be an obstacle to Garcia getting a place in the team) and, also, for Fernandhino to move into the back line to become our ball playing centre half in the way that Pep requires. Stones might also benefit with Fernandhino alongside him and a 'backwards' change in position could extend the Brazilian's career with us.

Navas could also re-invent himself, in the style of Milner at the Dippers, into becoming our right back and, even at this stage of the season i.e. with a lot of games still to play and a lot to play for, I'd take a chance and start the process of bringing in Gunn now as our long term 'keeper. If this doesn't work out, for whatever reason, we'll need to buy one in the summer.

For the left back slot, I might even take a chance upon the recall of Mangala and see if he can slot into that position and make it his own.

[PrezIke]

Missing factor ??? Pep is a phoney and totally out of his depth in the Premier League ?

Oh and he thinks really shit players are decent ?

Answer ......we have a big fucking problem !

Hyperbole much?

We made Anfield silent , overplayed way too much and showed the world how average Liverpool are ........................ and lost !

We have really do have a huge problem pal its Pep !

It's true, Liverpool weren't great, but I believe we lack the players to cause them enough harm. Pep's system will work with the correct players. Pellegrini faced the same problems with the same teams that press high (Spurs, Liverpool). You can't say this team doesn't work harder. That was the excuse last season.

I see it as we have many of the same players in areas that leave us exposed in defence. Change that and results will change against teams like this.

Why is he not allowed to get them before we go calling him the problem? Klopp was given far more time than Pep has been, and we are relying on a lot of older players that were very close to being sold this past summer compared to Liverpool had when he arrived.

[City64]

Missing factor ??? Pep is a phoney and totally out of his depth in the Premier League ?

Oh and he thinks really shit players are decent ?

Answer ......we have a big fucking problem !

Hyperbole much?

We made Anfield silent , overplayed way too much and showed the world how average Liverpool are ........................ and lost !

We have really do have a huge problem pal its Pep !

It's true, Liverpool weren't great, but I believe we lack the players to cause them enough harm. Pep's system will work with the correct players. Pellegrini faced the same problems with the same teams that press high (Spurs, Liverpool). You can't say this team doesn't work harder. That was the excuse last season.

I see it as we have many of the same players in areas that leave us exposed in defence. Change that and results will change against teams like this.

Why is he not allowed to get them before we go calling him the problem? Klopp was given far more time than Pep has been, and we are relying on a lot of older players that were very close to being sold this past summer compared to Liverpool had when he arrived.

Erm , Klopp has adapted to the Premier League much quicker and cleverer than Pep has and with a much inferior squad and scores goals for fun ! Klopp also just did the basics today after scoring first and shut up shop = not being too fucking technical !

[patrickblue]

For me, we need more goals. Silva had one PL goal. Sterling has one in 13/14 now. Navas never troubles the scorers. KDB for all his talent and I know he has plenty of assists doesn't score enough. We get next to nothing from the defence from set pieces, look at how many the Chelsea defence score.

Peps Bayern and Barca sides had a focal striker like we have, Aguero, Messi and Lewandowski. But his previous two sides had players who would also chip in with goals.

I will still maintain KDB is better suited to the role Silva occupies as he would score more. He always looks more dangerous through the middle. Having Sterling and KDB wide with Silva in the middle is stifling our play and slowing it down. I feel this season may well be the last we have Silva as automatic starter in the number ten role.

The defence is much talked about, the goalkeeper included, but we have a reasonable record in terms of goals conceded and for me, the problems lie at the other end of the field.

This, 100%.

[zuricity]

A manager .

[PrezIke]

Missing factor ??? Pep is a phoney and totally out of his depth in the Premier League ?

Oh and he thinks really shit players are decent ?

Answer ......we have a big fucking problem !

Hyperbole much?

We made Anfield silent , overplayed way too much and showed the world how average Liverpool are ........................ and lost !

We have really do have a huge problem pal its Pep !

It's true, Liverpool weren't great, but I believe we lack the players to cause them enough harm. Pep's system will work with the correct players. Pellegrini faced the same problems with the same teams that press high (Spurs, Liverpool). You can't say this team doesn't work harder. That was the excuse last season.

I see it as we have many of the same players in areas that leave us exposed in defence. Change that and results will change against teams like this.

Why is he not allowed to get them before we go calling him the problem? Klopp was given far more time than Pep has been, and we are relying on a lot of older players that were very close to being sold this past summer compared to Liverpool had when he arrived.

Erm , Klopp has adapted to the Premier League much quicker and cleverer than Pep has and with a much inferior squad and scores goals for fun ! Klopp also just did the basics today after scoring first and shut up shop = not being too fucking technical !

Really? His record for the first few month's was not exactly spectacular. And again, there are differences with the squad situations.

You seem to care more about short term results than building over time. One loss to Liverpool away (where we never win) is not going to determine the season.

[PrezIke]

For me, we need more goals. Silva had one PL goal. Sterling has one in 13/14 now. Navas never troubles the scorers. KDB for all his talent and I know he has plenty of assists doesn't score enough. We get next to nothing from the defence from set pieces, look at how many the Chelsea defence score.

Peps Bayern and Barca sides had a focal striker like we have, Aguero, Messi and Lewandowski. But his previous two sides had players who would also chip in with goals.

I will still maintain KDB is better suited to the role Silva occupies as he would score more. He always looks more dangerous through the middle. Having Sterling and KDB wide with Silva in the middle is stifling our play and slowing it down. I feel this season may well be the last we have Silva as automatic starter in the number ten role.

The defence is much talked about, the goalkeeper included, but we have a reasonable record in terms of goals conceded and for me, the problems lie at the other end of the field.

This, 100%.

To me, again, the defence is partly why our attack is so poor. We can't utilise the fullbacks like Pep may want to help in midfield.

We have not been clinical with our finishing in other games.

Today, we could barely do anything with the ball because their players closed us down in packs immediately.

KDB and Silva hardly had the ball in the first half it seemed, so no real chances for Aguero. Sterling was the only one causing damage in the first half. We could have really used Sane, and Jesus will be a welcome addition as he is able to do well out wide, and is probably our best scoring threat after Kun who can fit in with the style of play.

[City64]

It's true, Liverpool weren't great, but I believe we lack the players to cause them enough harm. Pep's system will work with the correct players. Pellegrini faced the same problems with the same teams that press high (Spurs, Liverpool). You can't say this team doesn't work harder. That was the excuse last season.

I see it as we have many of the same players in areas that leave us exposed in defence. Change that and results will change against teams like this.

Why is he not allowed to get them before we go calling him the problem? Klopp was given far more time than Pep has been, and we are relying on a lot of older players that were very close to being sold this past summer compared to Liverpool had when he arrived.

Erm , Klopp has adapted to the Premier League much quicker and cleverer than Pep has and with a much inferior squad and scores goals for fun ! Klopp also just did the basics today after scoring first and shut up shop = not being too fucking technical !

Really? His record for the first few month's was not exactly spectacular. And again, there are differences with the squad situations.

You seem to care more about short term results than building over time. One loss to Liverpool away (where we never win) is not going to determine the season.

I care about where my club is going right now , if you think it is about one loss to a very average Liverpool at Anfield you are totally deluded pal . Building over time ??? Everything is in place for Pep right now apart from a couple of defenders and a decent keeper . oh wait Pep spent 15 million on a really shit one ? Conte at Chelsea is walking away with the title with a far inferior squad than Pep , he has been here just 6 months the same as Pep . Pep is under performing right now and some of his decisions are bizarre to say the least . Yes he needs more time but Conte and Klopp are doing are far better job than Pep right now with inferior squads so Pep deserves all the flak he is getting right now .

[petrov]

We really need a top top midfielder and strangely the one we were after last season is starting to show his worth across at the swamp.
We need width like the first 10 games, that means 2 wingers Nolito, Sane or Sterling with KDB in the centre. Wingers who'll put a shift in when we lose the ball so even Navas. Since Gundo became available we've been pushing one of KDB or Silva wide and they can't be arsed running back, plus keep drifting in.

Also Richard Dunne called it right today. All our front 5 wait for when they get the ball, are always thinking about where to be in case we win the ball and waiting for everyone else to actually win it. Go and win the f**king ball and than worry about what to do with it. Just look at the way Lallana (an average player if ever there was one) tracked back into midfield and even his own box to press both Raheem and Toure, same with Firmino and Mane, while KDB especially when on the left just let Clyne run forward at will hoping Kola would mark 2 players, win the ball and set him away to work his magic.

Right now to steady the ship we need that CM cause Yaya hasn't the legs, Silva is too lazy and Fernando can't do it with the ball.
Along with that we need pace at fullback, we're so slow to get in and cover. There are times when I think a Sanchez or Firminho or even the aforementioned Lallana could get the ball and run right through us with the cb's getting no cover if Fernandinho is caught out.

[Fidel Castro]

Pep has the defensive acumen of KK, without the entertainment when we attack. Pissy passy, tiki taka is bollocks

[Pretty Boy Lee]

It's missing two things, young enough players to do it against like minded sides ala Spurs and Liverpool. We can press teams that shit themselves no problem, but we don't scare the top and 2nd tier teams and they make a fight of it. Unlike Barca we don't kill teams on the counter either so it's just not where it needs to be with the players to cover for the age issue.

2nd we need to have players that can use a long ball if we're going to compromise and play that way sometimes. In Europe teams might not see it often and are succeptible. Here you play a west brom or a stoke every other week and we aren't a patch on them going long.

He needs to address one or both before we'll beat top teams regularly.