A game of two halves

[Prestwich_Blue]

Just thinking about this while waiting fore my brew to be ready. We've often seen a pattern whereby we're a bit underwhelming in the first half and Pep sorts it out at half-time so we're much better second half. We say it at the game "Pep'll sort them out at half time". Yet certainly in the last two games, we've done well first half, dominated the game, yet come out looking completely lost for the second half.

What's going on? Are we getting too comfortable when we're a goal up, with Pep telling the players to try to see it out? Are we leaving everything on the pitch in the first 45 minutes, leaving us unable to respond in the second 45? Are we just vulnerable to teams upping the energy levels and pace? Is the opposition manager seeing things that Pep hasn't?

 

[cheekybids]

Just thinking about this while waiting fore my brew to be ready. We've often seen a pattern whereby we're a bit underwhelming in the first half and Pep sorts it out at half-time so we're much better second half. We say it at the game "Pep'll sort them out at half time". Yet certainly in the last two games, we've done well first half, dominated the game, yet come out looking completely lost for the second half.

What's going on? Are we getting too comfortable when we're a goal up, with Pep telling the players to try to see it out? Are we leaving everything on the pitch in the first 45 minutes, leaving us unable to respond in the second 45? Are we just vulnerable to teams upping the energy levels and pace? Is the opposition manager seeing things that Pep hasn't?

Fatigue mate, we’ll be fine.

 

[Kippax Street 1880]

I think we're just absolutely shagged

 

[Scaring Europe to Death]

I think it's more a case (certainly yesterday) that our opponents are making second half substitutions to bring drive, energy, and speed into their performance whilst ours are focused more on giving players a few minutes as they return from injury.

 

[Invisible Man's Bandage]

Physical and mental burnout after multiple intensely demanding seasons, injuries, players at the end of their top level careers, poor recruitment, stale tactics are a few things that spring to mind.

It's a perfect storm right now and we'll have to see if Pep and the players can get a siege mentality going to get closer to our previous levels. Obviously nothing posted on here will change it for better or worse so we shall see how it all pans out.

 

[feedmpenzaandhewillscore]

Just thinking about this while waiting fore my brew to be ready. We've often seen a pattern whereby we're a bit underwhelming in the first half and Pep sorts it out at half-time so we're much better second half. We say it at the game "Pep'll sort them out at half time". Yet certainly in the last two games, we've done well first half, dominated the game, yet come out looking completely lost for the second half.

What's going on? Are we getting too comfortable when we're a goal up, with Pep telling the players to try to see it out? Are we leaving everything on the pitch in the first 45 minutes, leaving us unable to respond in the second 45? Are we just vulnerable to teams upping the energy levels and pace? Is the opposition manager seeing things that Pep hasn't?

We don’t take our chances, all those created on Tuesday night in the first half. If Haaland and Savinho score their opportunities yesterday before the break the game has a different complexion on it. Creatively we aren’t at our best without a fit KDB on the pitch who can’t be relied upon now the injuries are catching up with him unfortunately.

Our wide players are at the weakest they’ve been for a long time. We used to have Sane, Sterling, Mahrez and Bernardo putting up the numbers on goals and assists. Who out of what we have now do we see returning those stats?

At the back we need to get back to the system of four defenders defending. We won a treble with four centre backs, Walker has been atrocious recently. Rico Lewis has been bad at right back then we go expect him to play on the other side of the pitch last night.

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

We don’t take our chances, all those created on Tuesday night in the first half. If Haaland and Savinho score their opportunities yesterday before the break the game has a different complexion on it. Creatively we aren’t at our best without a fit KDB on the pitch who can’t be relied upon now the injuries are catching up with him unfortunately.

Our wide players are at the weakest they’ve been for a long time. We used to have Sane, Sterling, Mahrez and Bernardo putting up the numbers on goals and assists. Who out of what we have now do we see returning those stats?

At the back we need to get back to the system of four defenders defending. We won a treble with four centre backs, Walker has been atrocious recently. Rico Lewis has been bad at right back then we go expect him to play on the other side of the pitch last night.

The only thing I'd argue against in your post is that missing chances isn't just something that we do. Brighton were pretty wasteful until they actually did score. What worries me more is that we don't even seem to be creating the chances in the second half.

 

[Eric Hitchmough]

Just thinking about this while waiting fore my brew to be ready. We've often seen a pattern whereby we're a bit underwhelming in the first half and Pep sorts it out at half-time so we're much better second half. We say it at the game "Pep'll sort them out at half time". Yet certainly in the last two games, we've done well first half, dominated the game, yet come out looking completely lost for the second half.

What's going on? Are we getting too comfortable when we're a goal up, with Pep telling the players to try to see it out? Are we leaving everything on the pitch in the first 45 minutes, leaving us unable to respond in the second 45? Are we just vulnerable to teams upping the energy levels and pace? Is the opposition manager seeing things that Pep hasn't?

We need multiple chances to score 1 goal, and we can’t run for more than 45 minutes.

 

[manimanc]

We look dead on our feet, can't get the same 11 to start in consecutive games and look like we're feeling a bit sorry for ourselves.
I'm sure once we get all our players back and get up to speed we'll start winning but at the minute we are getting what we deserve and that is a big fat nothing.

 

[the blue panther]

Good point. We've actually played some very decent 1st half stuff.

If we don't get some players back to fitness in the next 2/3 weeks, there'll have to be a big tactical change though.

I suggest that we start parking the bus - and at Anfield, park 2 of the fuckers.