PoTMS
Full Member
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2016
- Messages
- 16,477
Must be getting close to Maguire levels of defending. It seems most goals Liverpool concede this season are either his fault or come from his side.
He doesn’t help out enough at the back to play midfield. He should play RW at this pointNeeds moving into midfield, shocking awareness at the back
His reading of the game is terribleSecond goal was bizarre. He just torpedoes himself into nowhere.
Cafu wasn’t great defensively but he had serious determination and a genuine football brain. Dani Alves was the same.I think he’s been massively overrated. The comparisons with Cafu etc.
I still think it’s a bit far to say he’s that bad. It’s the defensive side of his game where he really is terrible at the moment. It’s more noticeable now because the whole team is struggling. If he was moved higher up the pitch then I think it’s help.You’re clearly a good guy so I don’t point out t this post in malice, but surely you can accept he is now utterly shit?
He has hit Dele Ali levels of regression. He either needs moved to anotger position or dropped.
To keep him in the team Klopp would have to adapt his formation for one player. TAA would be superb in an old school 442 formation as a RM.
It seems almost every goal you lot concede, he plays a significant role.
For me, it’s teams preparing for it now. Brighton put Trossard up against him and he scored a hat trick.His defending was never so problematic though. What has changed?
Yeah, that was some really puzzling defending. Seems like Klopp's hand is being forced, has to bench him or try him out further up the pitch.Second goal was bizarre. He just torpedoes himself into nowhere.
He used to have the help of Van Dijk being competent to cover, now his legs have gone it makes it a lot more difficultHis defending was never so problematic though. What has changed?
I think he’s shit defensively. His end product hasn’t been enough to compensate this season.I still think it’s a bit far to say he’s that bad. It’s the defensive side of his game where he really is terrible at the moment. It’s more noticeable now because the whole team is struggling. If he was moved higher up the pitch then I think it’s help.
His defending reminds me of Evra in his latter years, constantly caught out of position and when he is the one tracking back always seemed to switch off to allow a cross inHe doesn’t help out enough at the back to play midfield. He should play RW at this point
You must admin though, it was absolutely hilarious. It was like watching a comedy sketch of a football game.That second goal - you’d be disappointed if your 8 year old did that. He literally charges at the ball for no reason. It’s proper crazy.
I just don't see it to be honest. He's a severely one dimensional player who's being compared to the absolute elites because he and Liverpool had a collective brilliant 18 months. Imagine how many assists Rory Delap would have got if he played in the current City team?Best passer in the league according to Merson!
Classic dreadful defending for both goals.
The second one has no thought power. Is covering in the centre, sees his mate jockying Martinelli, yet sprints over, past the ball, and leaves a massive hole. Terrible.
And even a 30yo McGregor was always a bit dodgy at free kicks.Guessing most of you missed his goal against a 52 year old McGregor midweek? Have some respect.
This was fairly informative:His defending was never so problematic though. What has changed?
The biggest thing for me is their pressing from the front was the best in the league last year, now it’s mid-table. And Salah is pressing literally half as often as he did at his peak. TAA always defended these situations poorly but Liverpool were really good at preventing these situations from arising; they suffocated the opposition and gave them no option to play through the press and get their players in space in the middle third. Henderson was really good at covering for him on the few occasions it did happen, but he’s fading away now too. That said, TAA has responded to it in the completely the wrong way; rather than sharpening up because he’s more exposed and more is required of him defensively, he’s just decided to reject that extra responsibility and say “if you’re gonna keep letting them run at me this is just what’s going to happen, sort it out lads, I’m busy thinking about my next free kick”.Explained
It's like he watched Neville hammer him on MNF and completely misunderstood what he meant when he said he should be closing down with more intensity.That second goal - you’d be disappointed if your 8 year old did that. He literally charges at the ball for no reason. It’s proper crazy.
The spin is that he's got Beckham esque delivery.I just don't see it to be honest. He's a severely one dimensional player who's being compared to the absolute elites because he and Liverpool had a collective brilliant 18 months. Imagine how many assists Rory Delap would have got if he played in the current City team?
I remember when he was getting shit for just lumping the ball forward and Liverpool insisted he was integral to the way they wanted to play and it wasn't about him finding a man, it was about the defence panicking and Liverpool winning the second ball high up instead. Their PR machine makes North Korea blush.
Thing is, his revered delivery isn’t much better or worse than James. Sure he can take a free kick, but since it’s like a 6% chance to score from a free kick on average it seems pretty pointless to bring someone just for that. Especially if they score 2 goals down your side, you’ll need to score 3 to show any real value.The spin is that he's got Beckham esque delivery.
I think the truth is more that he's got acres of space all game and just pumps a hell of a lot of stock balls in so some are going to be on the money.
I see this said often but I don't think it's a simple matter of "he can't defend so he needs to play higher up." At any level in football, space is harder to find the further up the field you play. People might say oh but he plays high up the pitch as a right back anyway but he's coming into those spaces from deep and also the opposition defenders are busy marking the likes of Salah and Jota when he does that so it might take some doing, him playing further up the field.Needs moving into midfield, shocking awareness at the back
Yep, he can't play in the centre mid 2 or 3, and you just can't see him as the attacking right sided option, he's simply not that sort of threat, bar the crosses.I see this said often but I don't think it's a simple matter of "he can't defend so he needs to play higher up." At any level in football, space is harder to find the further up the field you play. People might say oh but he plays high up the pitch as a right back anyway but he's coming into those spaces from deep and also the opposition defenders are busy marking the likes of Salah and Jota when he does that so it might take some doing, him playing further up the field.
The second goal?I don't think that goal was his fault. He was marking two players.