08 Aug 2017 21:55:46
Well, not much positives to take from that. I think that just highlighted the gulf between ourselves and the elite in Europe. That has just confirmed my opinion that we will struggle for top 4 this season. I have predicted 5th for us in AJH's competition and I'm happy to stick to that.
There were only a few positives, the main one being Matic. I thought he was excellent throughout. Miki was my other, I thought he had a few moments where he showed his class. That's it for the good points
The negatives, where shall I start? Our inability to finish chances is still evident. Rashford is a major culprit of this. He seems to lack compose and panics when through on goal. In big games you have to take your chances, him and Lukaku should both have buried them. Next is our inability to beat the first man, wether it's a free kick corner or even crossing in open play. The standard of our set pieces are terrible. Next up is the amount of aerial battles we lost. We've been saying how tall a side we are now, yet Ramos won everything in the air in both boxes. The defending was all over the place at times, Smalling and Lindelof got pulled all over the place. The defence is very poor. Pogba was shocking, probably his worst performance for us. When we break its so slow and languid, did you notice how quick Madrid break? When it's our turn to counter it's very laboured and slow. We sat off too much again, didn't press the ball and allowed Madrid onto us. We have players like Martial on the bench, exciting, quick players yet we resort to route one Fellaini again. I could go on. Battle for Top 4 this season. Mark my words.
08 Aug 2017 22:04:52
Fellaini made the difference coming on. I agree Pogba was quite poor and Modric and kroos ran rings around our midfield. Matic was very solid.
I think we will be up there challenging for the league with city. Valencia was very good imo.
08 Aug 2017 22:06:42
Talk about an overreaction.
08 Aug 2017 22:08:29
Stand. I've been saying this for two months. I put us at 4th but only out of hope of being above the Scousers. We have not moved one bit from three years ago. Still the same boring football. We don't attack with speed and intent.
Football have moved on from get a great big tall squad with no flair. All good teams have interchanging forwards and tricky players. Aside from mkhiktaryan and possibly Mata, we have non of these.
4th place at best and same old same old.
08 Aug 2017 22:09:15
I'd be very surprised if we finished 5th. We have huge depth.
I struggle to see how you can put Liverpool as finishing 2nd and us at 5th? We have a far better squad and first XI.
{Ed007's Note - Nice to see you back posting, Syd.}
08 Aug 2017 22:14:35
Loads of positives for me, game of opinions I suppose.
08 Aug 2017 22:20:06
Stand, I think a fair assessment, although you probably will make top 4. Bit early to be certain which teams will be challenging for the title, but I would be surprised if City weren't up there.
After the money splashed on lukaku, martial, miki, pogba, yet Fellani is still the go to guy to break teams down when you can't make a breakthrough or are chasing the game. Are you guys satisfied or concerned by that?
08 Aug 2017 22:22:52
Discount Dave, how is it an overreaction when I've predicted us to finish 5th before we played tonight? It's not based on this one game, this one game has just convinced me that my gut feeling is correct.
Syd, the way Liverpool play, press the ball and the pace they attack with Mane and co, a lot of teams will struggle to contain them.
Gds, of corse its opinions, and that's what this site is about. What positives did you take from that mate! Other than Matic, I really am struggling. Lindelof has a lot of improving to do to become a regular starter although obviously early days.
08 Aug 2017 22:32:51
I think Madrid are well drilled on how to counter. Even Ronaldo lays the ball off and runs forward. We were far too reliant on individual dribbling under pressure. Madrid touch the ball to Modric or Isco, who are brilliant with the ball at their feet. They go forward at pace but always are under control with their head up. We can improve a lot in this area.
08 Aug 2017 22:48:57
One thing we learned from last season was that we can go several games unbeaten. Although there were too many draws. We veered off towards the end of the season as we concentrated on the Europa, so last season's league finish is no reflection on what it will be this time round in my opinion. Add the fact we have a better squad. A better spine and if we can get a top right sided player we have a better first XI. I have a different feeling this time round, I don't think we will be great in every game, but I think we have the squad to get important wins. Lukaku will hit a purple patch and something about Mikhitaryan this season makes me think he'll score and assist a silly amount. Pogba has to stop hitting the woodwork eventually and I think our defence will be far more compact with Matic this season. Most important thing in my opinion is confidence, I think we need to win against WHU to give us that lift and hopefully we can go on a run.
08 Aug 2017 23:15:27
I thought we had enough chances to win the game, it is great to see lukaku in the position for a tap in, that's where great strikers are and I think he will score a lot of goals like that this season. Matic was brilliant, I though lindelof grew into the game, de gea played well, Rashford looked a threat when he came on, fellaini changed the game and showed what he can do when he plays well.
Madrid were the better team but at the moment Madrid are a better team so if anyone is surprised that we weren't the best team tonight then they were expecting too much. I thought at 2-0 that we could go on to lose by 3 or 4 so it was good to see us score and have the chance to equalise. We should have been 2-1 before we were and lukaku's goal could and should have been his 2nd.
You know me though I'm a positive person, I struggle to watch a match and only see negatives. I agree there were plenty but as far as I'm concerned it's about being ready for Sunday. We won't play a team as good as Madrid for a while, that midfield is the best we will face for a long time and we matched them in the 2nd half, that to me gives me plenty of optimism going forward.
08 Aug 2017 22:28:32
Thanks 007, I have looked on here from time to time and giggled at your responses. No one really changes which I'm glad to see. Kind of what makes this site so great.
I did think of you when Rodgers took over at Celtic. But he's actually doing a decent job up there, so cannot complain.
{Ed007's Note - I was a bit apprehensive about Rodgers after laughing at him and reading Liverpool fans trash him on their site for so long but he's really doing a great job for us and he's helping the Club modernise behind the scenes. We're finally starting to act like a big club seriously investing in youth, training facilities improvements etc Rodgers is demanding EPL standards at things like that are possible. We might not be able to afford EPL wages but why not have that standard of training and academy.
We've got some cracking young players just now and not just Tierney - did you see his goal tonight?
https://goo.gl/D2eAUL
That's 50 domestic games including cups since we lost and in any league that takes some doing, we must be closing in on Arsenal's record. We need to try and put up a better show in Europe, any European football after Christmas whether it's CL or EL would be brilliant and should be our aim.
I bet you're sorry you mentioned Rodgers now lol.}