Where to begin
I don’t know where to start on yesterday’s performance. 2-0 down in the first 20 minutes and if truth be told, if not for poor finishing and heroics from Alisson, we’d have been 4-0 down by the 20 minute mark and that would have been game over.
Defensively we’re absolutely diabolical at the moment. Teams just pass through us with ease, Brighton looked like they were going to score every time they attacked yesterday. Our midfield and counter press wasn’t effective in any way until the middle of the second half. The amount of times one straight pass took out our entire midfield shows that positionally we’re not in the right places and we’re being outworked by every team we play. Van Dijk is like some kind of imposter so far this season and I don’t want to kick him while he’s down but Trent is having an absolute nightmare. Klopp won’t want to make headlines by dropping him but sometimes for the player’s own good, they need taken out the firing line for a week or two. At 23, there’s no physical reason why Trent should be in SUCH poor form so the problem has to be psychological in my opinion. At the moment however, you have to say Southgate is justified in leaving him out the England squad.
We looked toothless in attack again as well until Diaz came on. I feel Carvalho lacks the required physicality to be starting PL games at the moment, he can’t hold the ball up or ride a challenge. He’s got the skills but he’s far too easy to knock off the ball and had no impact on the game whatsoever. Coming off the bench for the last 20 minutes when players are tiring fair enough but I don’t think he should be starting games until his upper body strength improves.
At this point I don’t know whether it’s the players, the management or the sports psychologist that needs to step up but we’re so far off the pace that our league campaign is at risk of being over before it’s really started. We just don’t look capable of going on an extended winning run at the moment and the way we’re conceding chances and goals just isn’t sustainable. That’s 9 out of our last 11 games we’ve conceded first and the amount of times we concede with our opponents first chance of the game is getting ridiculous and has become a real issue. We’re literally having to chase every game we play.
I’m struggling for positives really. It’s good to see Bobby having something of a goal scoring resurgence, Alisson has thankfully been excellent and Diaz was lively when he came on again and that’s about it.
Thankfully we don’t have to stew on this for weeks as we resume our CL campaign on Tuesday against Rangers and I have to say I’m glad the game is at Anfield. If we turn up at a bouncing Ibrox and put in a tepid display like that, we’ll get turned over. That’s unthinkable given how many Rangers fans I know that would make my life unbearable.
I really don’t know what the answers are. Jota being back is a boost moving forward, as is Konate’s imminent return. I’d also like to see Melo given a chance because our midfield have been shocking so far this season and at least he has a point to prove.
Tough times at the moment then and we need to bounce back against Rangers on Tuesday. We need to sort our league form out soon though, otherwise we’re going to have a job on our hands making the top 4 and no champions league will make next seasons midfield recruitment drive that much harder. We’re being linked with the likes of Bellingham and Valverde but we can forget such lofty ambitions if we can’t offer CL football. Jurgen has as tough a job on his hands right now as he’s had since his first season at the club and he and his staff need to find the answers sooner rather than later. Starting with Rangers on Tuesday. Walk on!
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