when was the last time we played really well?

[uwe rosler 28]

Shakhtar home and away

 

[Kirkstall Blue]

Something that I started to notice even before the recent defeats is that the number of forward passes seems to have dropped off remarkably. I found myself being frustrated at lack off quick progress up the pitch something that I’d got used to and enjoyed when watching us last season. Players more often checking back and taking the easy option with a sidewards or easy back pass when we used to look to stretch teams quickly. Not sure if this is due to the opposition or our players loosing focus. Either way I’ve been left feeling the way I used to feel watching other teams last season as I’d got so used to our progressive football - disappointed at the slowness of the forward play.

:yes I’m the same I noticed that Pep stayed sat on his seat which he never used to do and'

 

[Boris Yeltsin]

:yes I’m the same I noticed that Pep stayed sat on his seat which he never used to do and'

Peps lost his fight?

 

[borassic]

Tactically, I think Lyon showed how to structure defence against us and counteract effectively. Since then opposition have defended wider and double teamed our wide men. Then losing the spine of our team - Ferny, kdb, merlin, sergio ( plus mendy ) has had a big effect on structure, tactics and ulimately lack of confidence. Other teams around us have had much fewer injuries - lets see how scousers & spurs cope without a few key players ?

Pretty much this. We’ve become far too reliant on our wingers without Kev, Dave and Fernandinho as the starting middle 3. Sterling and Sane are being doubled up on and we are missing the incisiveness of those 3 when they play together and have become predictable.

Pep has also rotated the back four more times than he did - I think - earlier on in the season. Stones and Laporte need to play together every single week.

 

[Rolee]

Something that I started to notice even before the recent defeats is that the number of forward passes seems to have dropped off remarkably. I found myself being frustrated at lack off quick progress up the pitch something that I’d got used to and enjoyed when watching us last season. Players more often checking back and taking the easy option with a sidewards or easy back pass when we used to look to stretch teams quickly. Not sure if this is due to the opposition or our players loosing focus. Either way I’ve been left feeling the way I used to feel watching other teams last season as I’d got so used to our progressive football - disappointed at the slowness of the forward play.

DeBruyne, he's the catalyst, sets the tempo of the side with first time passes in behind, we've missed that directness. Bernardo helped early in the season to make up the shortfall but he hasn't been right since the last international break.

 

[GaudinoMotors]

Semi final v Ipswich

 

[jayfx]

Probably the first half at Chelsea before Kante's goal. We have been piss poor ever since that goal.

It felt like we were just coasting in second gear during the first half of the season and we could step it up when we needed to but we haven't!
Whether it's complacency, arrogance, fatigue or because of the injuries to KDB & Fernandinho, we look nothing like the team were last season.

 

[Benarbia]

First half against Chelsea but no matter how
Much Pep instils in them I don’t see the hunger from last year. It’s clearly very very difficult to maintain that level for more than a season hence why no one has repeated a league double for so many years

 

[Roachy]

Some posters have mentioned the lack of forward passes recently. I think that whatever has caused us to lose our zip is conflicting with the mantra of not losing possesion. So we are moving forward but not as effectively as we can. Then several things happen. The opposition gets an extra couple of seconds to regroup, this then limits the options for the runners into space. So we then come inside instead of chancing the through ball and possibly conceding possession. We then come inside and the momentum is lost. It's then side to side with a little chipped ball into the area that is invariably dealt with.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

First half against Chelsea but no matter how
Much Pep instils in them I don’t see the hunger from last year. It’s clearly very very difficult to maintain that level for more than a season hence why no one has repeated a league double for so many years

And once it dips it’s very hard to get back up to that level again. Never happens immediately