Liverpool (H) Post-Match Thread

[Bluesince1979]

I thought the guard of 'honour' was admirably desultory from a few of our lads. I'd have treated them to the same treatment I usually reserve for the Uefa dirge!

I wouldnt imagine there is much respect from city to liverpool. I wont list them as we all know what they are.

 

[BluessinceHydeRoad]

Two points to make.

The first is that Liverpool suffered last night from one of our problems this season - that after two seasons keeping the intensity at the same level is very difficult indeed when you've won what City have. Liverpool have won the PL, only one trophy, but their obsession and they were one per cent short (that's all) but did it show! And City are just the team to show it up in all its glory.

The other point is about our defending. It was a bit hairy at times and we passed it around at the back a lot more than usual but I thought to good effect. Liverpool played a high defensive line and so did we and they were prepared to attack. What we did was lure them to press high, create space in midfield and when you've got players like de Bruyne and, last night especially, Foden to play the likes of Sterling and Jesus in the odds are very much in your favour. This was back to last season and especially two seasons ago - teams which take City on in an open, attacking game invariably get a very bloody nose. A far fairer reflection of the play would have been 7-2, rather than 4-0.

 

[feedmpenzaandhewillscore]

When you really analyse down to their base tactics — not that most in the media are willing to do that — it is merely law of large numbers football: four players try the same simple, dull sequence over and over again in hopes of bludgeoning the opponent in to submission. It is very, very different to (Pep’s) intricate, calculating, shifting, cutting, integrative approach. And if the opposition are fairly good at aerial defending and pacey counters, their tactics fall completely flat and they have really no alternative to which they can (effectively) shift, apart from having the officials or the opposition bail them out.

It really is no coincidence that they have won 13 league games by only 1 goal this season.

If I was better versed in boxing I would insert a “we’re Muhammad Ali and they’re [lad who just punches wildly hoping to land one and still often strangely gets the decision from the judges]”.

It is effective what they do Liverpool when either one of the full backs switches it deep in to a channel and you get a bit of movement from Mane and Salah. Walker dosed off an nearly got caught, it’s a nightmare for defender when you are looking at a ball coming over and then having to see what the attacker is going to do.

Not many teams can do what we did to Liverpool last night, they were dominated after the first 20 minutes. I hope the rest of the premier league wakes up and stops rolling over for them, cut off those long balls or leave the full backs deep then they run out of ideas. They hardly have Xavi and Iniesta creating things in midfield when they run out of ideas.

 

[SebastianBlue]

It is effective what they do Liverpool when either one of the full backs switches it deep in to a channel and you get a bit of movement from Mane and Salah. Walker dosed off an nearly got caught, it’s a nightmare for defender when you are looking at a ball coming over and then having to see what the attacker is going to do.

Not many teams can do what we did to Liverpool last night, they were dominated after the first 20 minutes. I hope the rest of the premier league wakes up and stops rolling over for them, cut off those long balls or leave the full backs deep then they run out of ideas. They hardly have Xavi and Iniesta creating things in midfield when they run out of ideas.

It’s old becoming new again, mate — there really is nothing innovative about their base tactics. Their attack is just the “English method” with more talent behind it and their defence is just Totaalvoetbal on steroids. The latter is the reason they are often dominant in the first 20 minutes or so of matches and why they are in trouble if the opposition are able to ride that period out without conceding.

I think we’ll see in August that most teams have sussed them out and they will struggle tremendously.

We were already seeing that before the league pause and we are now seeing more of it after the restart.

 

[BringBackSwales]

I covert no attention at all - again far from - I just love discussing football as I love the game and city in particular (as previously stated a fan since i was 4-5 yrs old). Im more than open to reasonable debate (its healthy) and I dont mind at all being wrong. But I will also stand up and and back myself when people have a go. You will also find others hold similar opinions and concerns about the same players as I do (and they also shared them pre match).

My initial points in the pre match thread were correct and it showed int he first 20-25 mins (Whenever the water break happened) - after that and just before the first goal we started to get a grip of the game and then quite quickly after that started to dominate them.
But anyone who cant conceed that the players I pointed out pre match are a liability and again very nearly cost us last night are not watching the same game - Gundogan gave the ball away 3 times at least in dangerous areas and each time it resulted in a very good chance for Liverpool (previously those chances have been taken and we end up chasing the game - something you dont want to do against them as it plays into their hands). He also did it in the second half when he failed to collect a pass from Ederson as he was on his heels and didnt react quick enough which resulted in another chance for Liverpool. Mendy was also terrible in the first 20 mins and made at least one error (plus giving the ball away numerous times) which presented Mane with a chance which he usually takes easily but he scuffed his shot and Ederson managed to recover and make a second save. After that he improved and his attacking passes were the best Ive seen from him since his return (again ive mentioned this previously about him) - but he remains a defensive issue and other players spend a lot of time covering for him (noteably Rodri and Laporte) as he is particularly slow to recover (though again on one occasion he did do a recovery run that actually stoped an attac and i thought to myself - there is the player that we need...but later on he again failed to do it. There is a huge need for more consistency in his game

None of that is negative - its just facts from the game and the only reason I repeat it is because people keep having a go about the pre match comments which I absolutely stand by and was proved correct about.

I loved the fact that we beat them. I just wish Sterling in particular could have celebrated in front of their fans as It would have matched the vitriol from their fans as the Adeybayour (Sp?) moment vs Arsenal (though he wouldnt have had to run the full length of the field to do it) and they would have just been incensed cause they think they have a god given right to be that way.

I loved Foden's performance - not one to use a cliche but he came of age last night and showed the world what most city fans knew already -he now just needs a run of games to get him used to the constant demands (physical and mental) of first team football - he needs to experience some bad moments and moments of frustration as well.

I loved watching the best midfielder in the premiership put that overrated carthorse Henderson on his arse in the second half.

I loved watching Klopp fume a the end and the presenters trying to make excuses for Liverpools performance while all but a few were ignoring how we played (which in fairness to Klopp he also acknowledged but through gritted teeth)

If this is available in précis somewhere I will read it, otherwise as you were

 

[hihosilva]

Shreeves or Klopp

Klopp

 

[BringBackSwales]

Dippers cnuts are the most despicable to me, perhaps I'm an Everton fan, and you already know Everton and Liverpool history, we HATE them. I chose United over Dippers any day.

And talk about fans, I don't think there any fans can be worser than Dippers fans, including United, I find United fans more tolerable than these entitlement Dippers cnuts.

to each of our own I guess.

Dippers relates to Everton and Liverpool, hence blue dippers and red dippers. Not being rude, just pointing it out

 

[hilts]

Klopp

He was a tad upset wasn’t he?

 

[mosssideblue]

City are a better team but Liverpool are deserved champions this season. I know it’s hard to say it but because that’s the facts . They have had a lot of help I agree but the fact is when your coming off 2 title wins against a team that hasn’t won it in 30 years the hunger of Liverpool and our burnout was too much . Now next season is a different matter .

If they have had a lot of help, they are not deserved champions

 

[vin]

What fucking game were you watching , Gundogan awful ? You didnt see the through ball to Jesus that started the 2nd goal and countless other interceptions , he was the calmist player on the pitch and gave hardly anything away,

Great ball but surely you're joking with that comment? I counted at least 5 or 6 times where he misplaced passes in that first half. Gundogan was poor lastnight IMO.