Kalidou Koulibaly

[blueparrot]

Completely agree. I feel like until the Pep alters the suicidal high line that we've been deploying, continuously buying some of the world's most expensive defenders isn't going to fix the root of the issue.

Teams will sit back and continue to ping the ball over the top with joy and having an £80m Koulibaly may snuff out some of the danger with his pace, but he'll still be made to look like a donkey on many an occasion and we'll be having this exact some conversation about how our defensive reinforcements haven't worked, because the issues we have aren't just due to personnel, but also system based.

If we are talking about c/ l though it’s very likely Bayern are about to win it with a higher line than ours and defenders not much better than ours.

 

[WRicko]

Even working in the game, I couldn't tell you, not in light of the demands Pep asks of his defenders?

We're not paid £15m per year to know, either!

I'd just like us to try defending a bit deeper.

Klopp realised something had to change and couldn't just rely on his forwards to deliver the goods.

what do you do ?

 

[domalino]

If we are talking about c/ l though it’s very likely Bayern are about to win it with a higher line than ours and defenders not much better than ours.

And the only side in the league which plays a line as high as ours is Liverpool.

 

[decmancity]

I just hope if Kouli is the man, get him in ASAP. 4 weeks till the season starts and I want Laporte and KK on the pitch together as soon as we can.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Who would you suggest in midfield? We’ve been linked with Aouar, Bennacer and Zakaria but haven’t seen enough of the latter 2 to make any judgement. For me Pep is blinded by Gundogan’s passing and misses his lack of pace and aggression.

Foden is someone I think should be given the chance. He's aggressive, quick and can already do the passing.

Chelsea have stumbled on Billy Gilmour in that role, very similar to Foden.

 

[blueparrot]

And the only side in the league which plays a line as high as ours is Liverpool.

The problem yesterday and in the Arsenal semi wasn’t how high the line was it was how straight the line was.

 

[pudge]

Nothing wrong with the high line.

It was never on display more than it was last night and that's the 12-18 yard gap between the forwards and the "midfield" yet the 5 yard gap between the back line and said midfield too.

Gundogan and Rodri right up each other's holes, stood like statues. Playing both is redundant.

Playing Kev out wide was even worse, absolutely no sinner to show for the ball. Jesus and Sterling were the worst I've even seen them in that regard. Say what you like about Henderson and co but he, Fabinho etc are able to pick the ball up deep and drive up the pitch, interchange their positions. We've two holding players that act as if they never want the ball.

Forces Laporte and any other centre half to force passes they shouldn't have to. Not between the lines but right on the cusp of them, led to their second last night. Led to Madrid's goal away and countless chances outside of those this season.

I'm one that believes we certainly need a centre half but that we don't need to change the high line. A bit of get up and go in the deeper positions will help the defence, sadly at the moment it's all gotten up and fucked off with who we have.

 

[Keeper!]

Chris Smalling was fast in Serie A and also proved a standout for Roma.

There's a reason Dave feels he can prolong his career by moving to Italy.

Koulibaly isn't the answer. We need a right footed centre back who plays on the right side of a two every single game.

Especially so, when we now got left sided cover for Laporte in the shape of Ake.

Chris Smalling, Alex Sanchez, Lukaku, and Ashley Young all the same, different football.

Koubaily will be destroyed week in week out in this league, the number of games alone will hurt him.

 

[Gumzy97]

Foden is someone I think should be given the chance. He's aggressive, quick and can already do the passing.

Chelsea have stumbled on Billy Gilmour in that role, very similar to Foden.

Does pep see foden as a midfielder? he plays foden LW and False 9 last couple of games

 

[CWMCFC]

If you drop the high line you lose the pressing, you lose the pinning the teams in their own half, you lose the intricate football in tight spaces and the rapid attacks, you lose the 100+ goals a season, you lose the 70% possession, you lose control over every game, you lose the 198 points in 2 years.

That's what happens if you drop the high line. Do you still want to drop it?

On the showing of this season? Yes, I probably would.

There's no guarentee that what we've done in the past is going to be replicated again. Performances of the ilk which you set out above were few and far between this season.

Football is about adapting. We don't need to be making significant changes, but in my view Pep does need to be tinkering the way we setup in order to make us a more solid unit.

We may lose control over every game, but what good is that control if significantly worse teams can just pump balls into the channels on the break and make our £200m back line look clueless?

There's no guarentee that going out and spending another £120m on a couple of pacey CB's, another £40m on a LB and hope that these guys will fix the problems.