[Devil may care]

He was decent at WB, but if we play 3 at the back going forward though, I do think he should be playing at RCB

With the current bunch of players we have 3-4-3 is my preference, with Dalot as RWB when he returns

Agreed, he put one good cross in but overall he doesn't look comfortable in attack, he'd be great as the RCB role though.

 

[Stadjer]

I dont think he was bad in attack. During the first 45 minutes he was going forward very often and combining with Pereira and James and keeping the ball in the team near Liverpool their box.

There was even a funny moment when Young came over from the lb spot (?) to the right wing spot to cross it. It was a bad cross and we lost the ball but before that AWB, Pereira and James kept the ball in the team very well.

He really isnt as bad going forward as some claim he is.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

This is his weakness, why drift inside where there are three CBs and leave a dangerous FB unmarked? It's a coaching thing, if we do any bit of video analysis then it's got to be picked up and cut out of his game.

I agree with this. It’s also something easily coached and also easily done by other player to tell him what he’s done wrong as well. I think the changing formation really confused him, I was expecting player like Lindelof could tell him, “look you aren’t centre back, you are not marking anyone at the moment here”.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

So many times Robertson was getting a lot of space.

Becuase we were getting pinned back and dominated in midfield in the second half. Otherwise AWB had the better game of the two fullbacks.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

Becuase we were getting pinned back and dominated in midfield in the second half. Otherwise AWB had the better game of the two fullbacks.

Doesn’t mean he had to drift inside like a centre back and mark no one.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Doesn’t mean he had to drift inside like a centre back and mark no one.

Sure. These things happen when you're struggling to keep up as a team. Maybe our team mates need to trust each other more to to cover the space in behind.

At the end of the day that wasn't even a very hard to defend cross.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

Sure. These things happen when you're struggling to keep up as a team. Maybe our team mates need to trust each other more to to cover the space in behind.

At the end of the day that wasn't even a very hard to defend cross.

Can't say it wasn't very hard, it's a low ball cross which could give a lot of surprise to defenders. At the end of the day we should never let Robertson to be given so much space to deliver the ball easily.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

Can't say it wasn't very hard, it's a low ball cross which could give a lot of surprise to defenders. At the end of the day we should never let Robertson to be given so much space to deliver the ball easily.

Players out wide sometimes get space. AWB himself found himself in space a few times. Didn't think it was that hard a cross to defend. Rojo appeared to be doing very little while occupying a decent amount of space.

Anyhoo, Liverpool always have a goal in them. I'd rather we not have sat back and concede the second half completely. Individual mistakes here and there happen.

 

[roonster09]

His ability on the ball is underrated. He is good in right spaces. His crossing is also decent, problem is he picks his moments instead of crossing more often when the angle is very good.

Also he was positioned well for their goal. Solskjaer wanted his team to be compact and wanted everyone to move centrally. Robertson should have been picked out by supporting winger/Midfielder. Also it’s near impossible to block all the crosses but easy to clear them. The cross for their goal should have been cleared considering it was on the ground and cleared 3 of our CBS.

 

[PyroMan]

I must have been watching a different match because he squandered so many crossing opportunities in the first half despite having time and space. There was only one threatening cross from which was cleared away by Van Dijk.

Anonymous in the 2nd half and the goal came from his side. Not sure where he was.

For 50m, I'd hope and expect a much better player than he is.

 

[WR10]

His first touch with high balls has improved drastically. He has changed his first touch technique to resemble Valencia's first touch when bringing down a pinged pass. It has made him even quicker getting going with the ball which is great to see.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

Players out wide sometimes get space. AWB himself found himself in space a few times. Didn't think it was that hard a cross to defend. Rojo appeared to be doing very little while occupying a decent amount of space.

Anyhoo, Liverpool always have a goal in them. I'd rather we not have sat back and concede the second half completely. Individual mistakes here and there happen.

No!

The fact that we bring Williams in was to make sure Robertson doesn’t get that much of space again.

 

[roonster09]

No!

The fact that we bring Williams in was to make sure Robertson doesn’t get that much of space again.

It was to kill more time and hold the 1-1 scoreline.

 

[Son]

If we had a good attacking winger on the right I wonder if Wan Bissaka could play as part of a back 3?

He’d be brilliant at covering and just making tackles. Doing what he’s best at. He looks big and strong enough to do the job at right sided CB. Tuanzebe on the left possibly too... Maguire protected and getting more of the ball in the middle.

 

[amolbhatia50k]

No!

The fact that we bring Williams in was to make sure Robertson doesn’t get that much of space again.

Well they do. Arnold was also getting crossed in consistently from the other side. It's easy for us to pin point the blame on individuals. We played out lungs out as lesser teams often do against better ones, and it's impossible to keep it up for the entire 90 mins. The players aren't machine. Most important thing is to not have to play like underdogs 2 years from now.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

Well they do. Arnold was also getting crossed in consistently from the other side. It's easy for us to pin point the blame on individuals. We played out lungs out as lesser teams often do against better ones, and it's impossible to keep it up for the entire 90 mins. The players aren't machine. Most important thing is to not have to play like underdogs 2 years from now.

No that’s not how it works.

Being closed down doesn’t mean you can’t cross. It’s just making the player in difficult situation to deliver good ball. TAA got closed down and that’s why his deliver wasn’t good, on the other side Robertson was able to send a low ball cross and they scored due to not being closed down.

Making an excuse of player is impossible to keep it up for 90 min is totally nonsense because the goal wasn’t the only time when Robertson wasn’t being closed down. Full 45 min in 2nd half he was getting a lot space and finally we were punished for it. I’m sorry to say this but the fact that you said players out wide sometimes get spaced is pretty much show that you never play an actual football in a competition.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

It was to kill more time and hold the 1-1 scoreline.

At the same also to make sure Robertson doesn’t get much space anymore. Kills 2 birds in one stone.

 

[Nou_Camp99]

Stand by my opinion. Very good defender. Incredibly average footballer. Without a proper right winger we are screwed as AWB won't be making goals for us. He looks so uncomfortable on the ball.

 

[roonster09]

At the same also to make sure Robertson doesn’t get much space anymore. Kills 2 birds in one stone.

If that’s the case he would have made sub long before, not in extra time.

 

[Kostov]

The kid is quality. Constantly one of our better players and will only improve. Regarding his general ability on the ball, he is no worse than Kyle Walker imo, Walker has been a mainstay for City.

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

If that’s the case he would have made sub long before, not in extra time.

You don’t think the manager had faith in Pereira & Bissaka the whole time to expect them do one job which is not giving Robertson a lot of space?

The sub was prepared before even extra time. It was prepared right after the goal happened and Williams was ready to come on when we had our last corner.

 

[AneRu]

I agree with this. It’s also something easily coached and also easily done by other player to tell him what he’s done wrong as well. I think the changing formation really confused him, I was expecting player like Lindelof could tell him, “look you aren’t centre back, you are not marking anyone at the moment here”.

Truth, Maguire and Lindelof should be taking charge and communicating with their wingbacks. But these are the things that the coaches should be picking up on and cutting it out. These are the fine margins between an average team and a good team.

 

[roonster09]

You don’t think the manager had faith in Pereira & Bissaka the whole time to expect them do one job which is not giving Robertson a lot of space?

The sub was prepared before even extra time. It was prepared right after the goal happened and Williams was ready to come on when we had our last corner.

Robertson and TAA were getting space lot before they scored the goal. They pinged crosses but was cleared away easily. Williams was ready to come on after they scored and that was to kill the time. If Ole was concerned about Robertson getting time then he would have brought him on lot before when we dropped deep and Ole asked team to play narrow defensively. Which means FBs will be tucked in and midfielders will be tracking the wide positions.

 

[Fracture90]

Very good for the majority of game, but then he failed to close down Robertson in time. Half spider half tackle.

 

[A-man]

I agree with this. It’s also something easily coached and also easily done by other player to tell him what he’s done wrong as well. I think the changing formation really confused him, I was expecting player like Lindelof could tell him, “look you aren’t centre back, you are not marking anyone at the moment here”.

I also believe it was the formation and tactics that confused him. He is young player and will learn. Not making an excuse for him, just think this is the explanation. We saw the same thing when Tuanzebe played FB, left his wing unprotected.
I would expect Ole to have emphasised this as Liverpool fullbacks are doing this all the time every match.

 

[roonster09]

I also believe it was the formation and tactics that confused him. He is young player and will learn. Not making an excuse for him, just think this is the explanation. We saw the same thing when Tuanzebe played FB, left his wing unprotected.
I would expect Ole to have emphasised this as Liverpool fullbacks are doing this all the time every match.

There is no confusion, team played narrow defense and FBs just tucked in to cover any space in the middle. Wingers/Midfielders should be the one to block the cross.

 

[12OunceEpilogue]

There is no confusion, team played narrow defense and FBs just tucked in to cover any space in the middle. Wingers/Midfielders should be the one to block the cross.

That's what I thought. Bagging AWB for that goal when the entire team had become deeper and narrower as the game progressed is odd. Speaking as someone who hugely admired AWB's work on Robertson in the first half, when he was all over him like a cheap suit, I don't blame him for not unilaterally bursting out of our shape to close Robertson down towards the end. That goal is on the entire defence.

 

[roonster09]

That's what I thought. Bagging AWB for that goal when the entire team had become deeper and narrower as the game progressed is odd. Speaking as someone who hugely admired AWB's work on Robertson in the first half, when he was all over him like a cheap suit, I don't blame him for not unilaterally bursting out of our shape to close Robertson down towards the end. That goal is on the entire defence.

Yeah, commentator (at least on the channel I was watching) even said Solskjaer was asking his team to go narrow. It was visible in the shape too.

Loved how he dominated that flank when we didn't park the bus. He was lively in the attack too with his link up play and as usual superb tackler.

 

[A-man]

There is no confusion, team played narrow defense and FBs just tucked in to cover any space in the middle. Wingers/Midfielders should be the one to block the cross.

Could be, but think he looked a bit confused, like he didn’t know what to do, didn’t mark anyone, and then made the panic rush and jumped to block.

 

[pascell]

Switched off again at the wrong moment and failed to press the man with the ball, allowing them a free cross like vs Palace.

 

[diarm]

I think he just tired towards the end. He'd got through a mountain of work and is only coming back from an injury - there's no surprise that he didn't have a full 90 minutes in him yet.

 

[Adam-Utd]

Switched off again at the wrong moment and failed to press the man with the ball, allowing them a free cross like vs Palace.

It wasn't really a switch off, it was confusion between him and Pereira. They both looked at eachother like "shall I go, is it your job?"

Where as before AWB was doing it, the switch in formation caused the confusion. Unfortunately swapping around defensive shape is what caused the issue again.

Ideally Pereira should have done it so AWB could defend the front post, but then we were playing 5 at the back so we had 3 covering CB's.

 

[Bestietom]

Just wondering how long it would take for some fans to run him down.

 

[pascell]

It wasn't really a switch off, it was confusion between him and Pereira. They both looked at eachother like "shall I go, is it your job?"

Where as before AWB was doing it, the switch in formation caused the confusion. Unfortunately swapping around defensive shape is what caused the issue again.

Ideally Pereira should have done it so AWB could defend the front post, but then we were playing 5 at the back so we had 3 covering CB's.

Yeah bit of a poor situation again, like you say the change in shape didn't help.

I actually don't think he was that bad going forward, he actually links the play well down in those tight spaces on the RW.

 

[CallyRed]

I think he just tired towards the end. He'd got through a mountain of work and is only coming back from an injury - there's no surprise that he didn't have a full 90 minutes in him yet.

Exactly this. Thought he did well

 

[Adam-Utd]

Yeah bit of a poor situation again, like you say the change in shape didn't help.

I actually don't think he was that bad going forward, he actually links the play well down in those tight spaces on the RW.

Yep, people were saying he's awful going forward but his link up play is fine in close spaces. He's got a good engine on him too, runs up and down all day long.

He put in a lovely cross that Van Dijk did well to clear at the front post. Obviously at Palace this wasn't his main job, but he's getting better every match in that regard IMO.

There really isn't much to criticise from that performance apart from being picky.

 

[roonster09]

Yep, people were saying he's awful going forward but his link up play is fine in close spaces. He's got a good engine on him too, runs up and down all day long.

He put in a lovely cross that Van Dijk did well to clear at the front post. Obviously at Palace this wasn't his main job, but he's getting better every match in that regard IMO.

There really isn't much to criticise from that performance apart from being picky.

Yeah, his link up play is good and his crossing is good too. His ability on the ball is underrated.

 

[3KDré]

I know it's not his game but we saw glimpses of some good crossing in that game, however sometimes he doesn't help himself. When he does go up to join the attack he needs to be a lot wider. Stretch the pitch and give himself the space to deliver some good crosses in, if not leave space for an attacker.

 

[11101]

I know it's not his game but we saw glimpses of some good crossing in that game, however sometimes he doesn't help himself. When he does go up to join the attack he needs to be a lot wider. Stretch the pitch and give himself the space to deliver some good crosses in, if not leave space for an attacker.

Like most of our players he needs to hit first time crosses instead of taking a touch and allowing the opponent to close him down. That's entirely a confidence thing which is understandable after the season we've had.

 

[Chicharito_]

The frustrating thing with AWB is he only shows his pace running towards our goal, I want him to run at pace with and without the ball when attacking also but he does everything so slowly when going forward.