Lotus

Tbf, if we had 11 on the pitch I think Liverpool would’ve pushed for, and scored a 3rd.

Yeah, I’m not seeing them ‘not turning up’ at all. We just have very big holes in the squad.

Think our performance so far has been very much the same as against WHam and Bournemouth. It’s just that Liverpool have better players and have turned up.

Yeah, but it was Bournemouth.... And they had plenty of the ball in the right areas tbh. They just couldn't do much with it. That's why they are where they are.

Wonder if he'll look to bypass the midfield, as on the evidence so far, we lack everything without Bruno.

Anyone who could see and understand anything about football knew that 5th place was a one off. You can enjoy the results and there were some tidy players mixed with very very average ones. But the facts are he didn't know how he did it and so he didn't understand where it wrong after. He was as clueless the year we finished 5th as he was the year we finished 16th. The fact he's a cow son is bye the bye. He was/is incompetent at this level and didn't have a f**king clue what his shortcomings were. Shame he never asked.

I think dropping deep picking up the ball and driving in field is a good look on Miggy. Isak does have a tendency to drift wide so it would leave the space if Miggy/ASM/Gordon would do that. Bit of fluidity in our front 3 would be welcome. As long as they all press correctly from whatever position they find themselves in, could be very good.

Apart from Bruno, none of our other CMs have shown the tactical nous needed to protect the back 4. And the back are starting to look like a bit of shielding wouldn't be a bad idea.

He needs midfield runners. He’s quite cute at dropping off and helping the build up but we didn’t have anyone from midfield or from the wings running into the space he’d vacated (whilst dragging a CB with him). You’d think Willock/JL7, Miggy or ASM could do that as a natural part of their game….

Love the guy but didn’t think he offered anything the Bournemouth midfielders didn’t.

He was so bad (apart from the defensive headers) that I genuinely couldn’t imagine Lewis being worse.

To look at that game without the context of the season, we were lucky to get a draw. They found it pretty easy to get at our back 4. Our midfield was not a shield but it was not a creative force and couldn’t control the play either. We found it hard to get in dangerous positions except for maybe twice, once was for the goal. I think the ease of a team like Bournemouth (no disrespect intended but they are down the bottom) getting into channels, forcing one on one situations with out defenders, something we barely managed ourselves, the ease of which they did it was a real concern. We looked both toothless and vulnerable against Bournemouth. Can’t sugar coat it, that’s what it was. I think we’ve been steadily getting worse rather than better over the last few games and today was the worst so far. Hopefully we’ll reverse it. I can’t confidently predict we will, I can certainly wish for it but right now, the trend is going the wrong way. I’m at least hoping the emotion of playing Liverpool at home means we’ll raise the energy and intensity.

I think the tactics teams switched to in order to circumvent the high press, that’s very interesting. FWIW, we are also really struggling against the low block and I think teams are much less susceptible to our high press now. We were creating lots of chances from turning the ball over very high up the pitch. We’ve been managing to do that less since the WC break. Its gonna be really interesting to see how NUFC adapts with both new players and evolving strategy.

He could try a bit of give and go. But for that to happen, someone would have to get closer to him…

Haven’t watched the analysis but is that a little unfair? He didn’t lose him, as in he didn’t know where he was. Just when the ball fell to Paqueta (whose 1st touch was good) Trippier closed him down but unfortunately the ball went through him. Maybe I’m defending Trippier too much but I did think there was a strong element of luck about their goal.

Apart from that first fantastic shot I don’t think he did much to impose himself on the game. He looked rushed in the middle. Didn’t really seem to have a handle on what was around him.

You don’t really want your FB needing to helped out by your winger for one on one’s, like…

Would think a lot of adrenaline running through him today. Will get a better understanding of his game when he’s started 3 or 4 games.

I thought Longstaff was comfortably our best midfield passer of the ball today. He has quite crisp technique with his passing.

Can’t wait for Targett to be fit.

Don’t think that’s a good idea. ASM needs games to get his sharpness.

Rice was brilliant btw. Read the game like no one else on the pitch.

Teams have seen the ‘Almiron’ move. They anticipate it. He needs something new. I think ASM needs games. He’s out of rhythm. I’d still start him.

Our intensity has dropped off. Not a lot but by a significant enough amount so teams can play around our press. We had a very good first 10 minutes when WHam just seemed cold. We had a decent last 10-15 as WHam looked to consolidate a point. For the rest of the game I thought they were the better team (marginally) and we’re a bit fortunate to get a point. We’re quite laboured, predictable and move the ball slowly. Personally, I think the players are knackered. I think our mad press system, coupled with a weak squad and little rotation means the fizz has gone from the legs. Its been apparent for a few weeks now.

I think Isak floating and Wilson pinning the CBs will hugely help us mitigate the loss of Bruno. Changes our shape quite a bit but would offer something serious in attack. Its the he defending aspect that would need work. We have an excellent shape that we’ve been crafting all season. Have to deviate from that with Bruno’s absence.