Champions League Semi Finals (26th Apr - 4th May)

[nomdeplume1325]

Agreed. Never seen anything like it. Wanna know how they do it.

You do the work on the training ground. It is the small things, shuffling left and right to make sure you are in a position to support the press and / or block the passing lanes. Those numbers are not all sprints. They are just discipline of doing the right thing. Keep doing it all game. Don't let up. Then be in a position that a small sprint gives you a chance to dispossess the opponent. If a few players get lazy, it doesn't work and you get by passed, and you get spooked, you drop back and allow the other team back into the game.

One of the things about football is that whoever you are, you only have the ball a small proportion of the time. Even if you are a peak Xavi, Iniesta, Silva, Thiago etc. So what you do when you don't have the ball is key, and you can't stand still waiting to react to something in your vicinity. What you do without the ball is as important if not more.

What Liverpool (and Man City) do, is what I like to call "attacking without the ball". That pressing is not defensive - it is attacking. It is forcing teams to adopt a defensive posture even when they nominally have control of the ball. It must be confusing as a team if you are having to defend when you have the ball.

 

[Mooza]

I think they just time their runs and rest a bit in possession. It's integral to a pressing game. It's intelligent use of their energy. They looked more intense on the night but actually ran less.

Also they're cnuts.

They never ‘rest’ in possession. They are constantly alert and constantly moving..

 

[moses]

So LFC ran nearly as much as Villareal despite having 73% possession to 27%. That is a bit impressive to be honest.

Yeah it's extreme application and focus.

 

[moses]

They never ‘rest’ in possession. They are constantly alert and constantly moving..

No not rest but ease off, they keep their shape brilliantly.

 

[padr81]

They’re conditioning regime or whatever you’d call it must be insane, they‘ll play like that on Saturday morning as well, I get bored of the usual post match pundit crap. Give me and hour dissecting how they continue to do it game after game compared to other teams any day.

They have the best dietician in the world (no joke) and they have a guy with tested and purely legal magic tonics for rest and recovery (again no jokes). They are strict task masters with regards to everything and it shows in their football.

 

[utdalltheway]

I watched the key plays on the dvr. Of the 15 key plays the 1st 14 were all liverpool and the 15th was some tame shot by villaunreal.
This was without knowing the score or the way the game went. Frustrating!

 

[Ollie Derbyshire]

They have the best dietician in the world (no joke) and they have a guy with tested and purely legal magic tonics for rest and recovery (again no jokes). They are strict task masters with regards to everything and it shows in their football.

More like they have Gandalf tucked away somewhere!

 

[Rajma]

It’s not about headless running, first of all their shape and positioning is great, they set up many traps for the opponents trying to play from the back but most importantly they do a lot of high intensity stuff like sprints and pressures.

 

[allen7]

Totally unrelated but randomly saw this football robbery On twitter, they’ve some incredible luck especially the referee decisions

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[AndyMUFC]

That one always had the potential to be a damp squib. Villarreal defended well first half but they did absolutely nothing on the ball. It's so annoying to watch the atleticism and pressing in this Liverpool side compared to us.

 

[V.O.]

Yep.

Can't find an up to date version but this is from earlier in the season:

People massively overestimate how much City & Liverpool run and press because they control the game in such a way as to maximise their efficiency in that regard.

I think they used to run a lot more because they basically played Bielsa/Leeds headless chicken football in Klopp's first few years. Getting the ball forward as quick as possible every single time.

Now they pick their spots a bit more and take a breather it's a lot more effective. cnuts.

 

[Klopper76]

I think they just time their runs and rest a bit in possession. It's integral to a pressing game. It's intelligent use of their energy. They looked more intense on the night but actually ran less.

Also they're cnuts.

yeah we're cnu...wait a minute.

 

[padr81]

More like they have Gandalf tucked away somewhere!

He kind of is the Gandalf of sports recovery
https://en.as.com/en/2018/09/26/soccer/1537976814_334015.html

 

[Conor]

Maybe it’s only baffling cause we’ve been so used to watching our players faff about for three years? City are the same. It’s mad.

I don't see it in City the same way I do when I watch Liverpool, the intensity of their press is just crazy. Henderson sprinting at their keeper in the 65th minute like it's the first minute of the game, it's mad.

 

[Ole'sgunnarwin]

I live in Villareal and have a ticket for the 2nd leg. I'm praying for a miracle. An early goal and who knows?

Don't think Villareal were that awful tonight, it's just that Liverpool are so impressive. The pressing, the tactics, the individual quality. God I hate them.

 

[frostbite]

You do the work on the training ground. It is the small things, shuffling left and right to make sure you are in a position to support the press and / or block the passing lanes. Those numbers are not all sprints. They are just discipline of doing the right thing. Keep doing it all game. Don't let up. Then be in a position that a small sprint gives you a chance to dispossess the opponent. If a few players get lazy, it doesn't work and you get by passed, and you get spooked, you drop back and allow the other team back into the game.

One of the things about football is that whoever you are, you only have the ball a small proportion of the time. Even if you are a peak Xavi, Iniesta, Silva, Thiago etc. So what you do when you don't have the ball is key, and you can't stand still waiting to react to something in your vicinity. What you do without the ball is as important if not more.

What Liverpool (and Man City) do, is what I like to call "attacking without the ball". That pressing is not defensive - it is attacking. It is forcing teams to adopt a defensive posture even when they nominally have control of the ball. It must be confusing as a team if you are having to defend when you have the ball.

I agree. And I am afraid we have only one player who could play in such a system: Fred.

 

[Hoof the ball]

Totally unrelated but randomly saw this football robbery On twitter, they’ve some incredible luck especially the referee decisions

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Holy feck! I barely remember the game. Dude, that's daylight robbery.

 

[groovyalbert]

Funny how no pundit queries their energy levels ever, just always say how amazing it is.

Because that would be libel case waiting to happen?

 

[Bastionen]

People keep mentioning Liverpools fitness levels as some kind of freak anomaly, but I really don't think that is the case. I have a background from running, and while that may make me biased in some regards, I also think it gives me some insight into what an athlete should be able to endure and recover from on a weekly basis. One thing is that the stats clearly show that there are a lot of teams that run more than them. Also, if you look at the distance ran, it's really not a lot. 10.5 km in 90 minutes is slow. Even people who are racewalking 50 km have about twice the average pace.

But hey, it is not about the average pace, it's about the sprints some will say. Again Liverpool is not on top there either, even if they are closer. The stats I found say they make about 140 sprints per game. That is a sprint every 7 minutes per player. Of course some will sprint more, and some will sprint less, but even if you shortened it to a sprint every 3 minutes it really isn't something unheard of. Especially when you take into consideration how short most of the sprints are.

When I watched the game today it does undeniably look extreme when they were pressing Villareal their hardest, but I do suspect that some of that impression has to do with paying attention to the players closest to the ball, which will be the players pressing hardest most of the time. If you were to follow a single player during a passage of play where Liverpool were pressing, I don't think you would get the same impression.

 

[Klopper76]

Who was it?

in your defense we did play Porto in this season's Champions League as well. Benfica was the one.

 

[Dumbstar]

England don't play like the Dippers which exposes his defensive skills.

England don't play like Liverpool which exposes why they won't win a trophy in your lifetime (and I'm assuming you're in your twenties with a very, very long healthy life ahead of you).

 

[TsuWave]

Heard Fabinho put up another clinic and was imperial

Watched the highlights and Mane looked offside for his goal

 

[IceManFtw]

Liverpool dominated Villarreal, they’ll steamroll them again in the 2nd leg

city on the other hand I see getting beat by Madrid, which is unfortunate as Liverpool beat Madrid easily in the final imo, they’re just too open at the back for the Liverpool forwards

 

[TheLiverBird]

Just goes to show though that the luck is still on liverpools side. They got the easiest route to the final ever.

I’ll give you Benfica and Villarreal

but let’s just conveniently forget we got the toughest group to get out of this year and we did it with 6 wins out of 6

First Knock out match against a team fighting too be Italian champions in Inter too

Benfica and Villarreal I agree though are relatively on paper “straight forward”, I say relatively because we aren’t across the line yet against Villarreal……but we should get past then now with a team of our quality granted

 

[2 man midfield]

in your defense we did play Porto in this season's Champions League as well. Benfica was the one.

That’s the one, thanks.

 

[DJ_21]

I’ll give you Benfica and Villarreal

but let’s just conveniently forget we got the toughest group to get out of this year and we did it with 6 wins out of 6

First Knock out match against a team fighting too be Italian champions in Inter too

Benfica and Villarreal I agree though are relatively on paper “straight forward”, I say relatively because we aren’t across the line yet against Villarreal……but we should get past then now with a team of our quality granted

I think you’ll go all the way and win it to be honest. If city get to the final then I’ve always said I’d prefer yous to win it over city.

 

[Dave Smith]

England don't play like Liverpool which exposes why they won't win a trophy in your lifetime (and I'm assuming you're in your twenties with a very, very long healthy life ahead of you).

Mid-30's unfortunately. Tbh, England can't play like your lot for a few reasons:

1) The defensive line, bar the crop of RB's and Chilwell, who is ok (but not as good as Robinson) isn't anywhere near the level of your lot. Them trying to play that high line you do would be suicide. GK is also nowhere near.

2) Front line isn't dynamic enough or ruthless enough. Kane is a good CF but he cannot run around like a maniac like your boys do, this kills the pressing game. There could be arguments to go to a False 9 system, but the players again aren't there, I mean from where I sit I see the following:

Sancho: maybe could, but I am not sure he is would actually do it.

Mount: can do the yards but doesn't have the finishing skills; although he is improving in this regard. Additionally, there are still questions as to where exactly is his best position No.8/No.11.

Grealish: overhyped and is never going to run his arse off like that. He has the skills but you need the work ethic and legs to carry out the Dipper system.

Sterling: someone who can do the running but has a habit of drifting out of games and making silly mistakes.

Foden: yes, he can but not by himself.

Midfield, ok could probably do a similar job, but they can't if neither of the lines in front and behind them can do the same.

As for the managers, Southgate is a average Championship manager at best, Klopp is certainly in the top five in the world and has a argument for No.1 (although I personally find he can be too inflexible; although I appreciate his Plan A is brilliant and his man management skills are No.1.) So, essentially you need him to come in an execute the system properly.

So, I will stand by what I said. TAA is great, but he needs to be in a system/team where they overwhelm people with their pressing and can play on the front foot for the majority of every game, as otherwise he can get exposed when having to defend.

James in your system, wouldn't be as good as TAA but equally, TAA isn't as good as James in a system where the RWB/RB is required to defend more.

 

[Dumbstar]

Bottom line is England is an Old Boys Club and always has been. Look after your own type of thing. Much like the the lower clubs in the PL and below too. Same old ideas, stuck in the 1950s/1960s with no room for evolution or revolution.

Players don't even come into it.

TAA would never thrive in that prehistoric brand of football. Thankfully, he doesn't have to nor give a shit about it.

 

[The Corinthian]

Totally unrelated but randomly saw this football robbery On twitter, they’ve some incredible luck especially the referee decisions

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Wow that’s pretty shocking. That’s as bad as Chelsea vs Barca 2009.

 

[P-Ro]

I was in a London Hotel today and there were 2 foreign men talking to a women about a certain Liverpool Player and having two prices for him.

Did they introduce themselves as members of the Jamaican delegation?

 

[choccy77]

Did they introduce themselves as members of the Jamaican delegation?

Thankfully they were not Russian.

 

[P-Ro]

Thankfully they were not Russian.

Considering they are from your imagination I'm actually quite shocked they aren't.

 

[choccy77]

Considering they are from your imagination I'm actually quite shocked they aren't.

At least they are not war deniers like Chelsea and their fans

 

[Ollie Derbyshire]

Because that would be libel case waiting to happen?

No way, your allowed to discuss it and dissect it without saying you think it’s illegal (which most probably don’t)

 

[Ole'sgunnarwin]

I'm in Villareal and the weather is insane. Non-stop thunder and constant heavy rain. It's supposed to stay like this for the day. It might cause a few issues in tonight's match, might be an injury or 2.

 

[JuriM]

John Stones and David Alaba should both be out of tomorrow's game.

 

[Adisa]

Pep is a better man than I am. Would have told him to feck off.

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

 

[Buchan]

Klopp + hazardous weather conditions =

 

[Sweet Square]

Pep is a better man than I am. Would have told him to feck off.

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Very poor sportsmanship tbh. I would like to see Man City give Real Madrid a guard of honor.

 

[Klopper76]

If we get the first goal then I think the game's done. If we concede an early goal it'll go crazy and we'll have to have our heads switched on.

My ideal scenario is we get a 2 goal lead at HT and can make some subs around 60 minutes to prepare for Spurs on Saturday. No taking tonight lightly though. We know all too well how a CL tie can be overturned.