Bodo/Glimt (A) | CL | Post Match Thread

Might be slightly heretical to some but Pep's record with us given the resources available to him has been piss pour
 
bluegaz13 said:
Been saying this for a long time…..football has changed and we look physically inferior to most of the opposition.

Previously we could overcome this with our superior ability, technique and possession.

We have made a good start in trying to rectify this with the last two signings but are still painfully too lightweight in midfield…..the most important area on the pitch.
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I think, sadly, the team
Is a mishmash of ideas and concepts and the players we have don’t complement each other to play one way or the other.

An obvious issue is the defensive high line but how do you change that when your midfielders consist of a slow, ageing Bernardo (still love the guy) and Rodri/Gonzalez who don’t have the greatest mobility?

A lower defensive lines means an immobile, slow midfield having to cover large spaces, between adopting a forward press on the edge of the opposition box, to try and maintain possession, but also, when the ball is lost, cover even greater distances to defend a bigger gap between the defence and midfield. The gaps in the half space would become even greater, even worse than the space Bruno Fernandes found in the Derby.

The press upfront has completely gone. We have gone from KDB, Alvarez, Aguero, Bernardo hunting in packs to a cumbersome Haaland and players like Savinho, Doku, Reijnders, and sadly Foden adopting a fake press where they half-heartedly close down but rarely win the ball back or physically challenge for the ball. That in turn allows the ball to pass through the lines enabling the opposition to get straight at our back line.

We’re still trying to control the ball, yet the side is packed now with less technically gifted players and so the build up is becoming ever more slow and ponderous, allowing the opposition to regroup and revert to a low block. Consequently we end up stuck on the edge of the box unable to break sides down as the vision/creativity is not the same. Again we’re in a halfway house situation, buying Doku/Semenyo and Haaland (all blessed with pace) which is negated by the slow build up as the midfield neither have the space to play the ball into for the players like Haaland or space for Doku/Semenyo to attack there fullback and run beyond them.

All of Dokus best games have been when he has picked up the ball around the halfway line and then attacked the fullback with grass behind to run into (TAA for example v Liverpool).

Additionally the slow build up, to the edge of the 18 yard box, even if the defender is skinned, the winger has a packed box of defenders/midfielder's to bypass to find the intended target. It’s an almost impossible task.

We saw tonight and against United how often the opposition players got in behind our defence and fired balls across the box and there was 2 on 2 or 3 on 3 situations in the box because the break was so quick and our midfield had not got back to help out. These opportunities never arise for us due to the slow build up. When our wingers do reach the byline they have to circum-navigate about 6/7/8 players as the slow build up has allowed the opposition to regroup.

To add to all this we’ve lost a lot of leaders or the leaders we have (Rodri/Bernardo) have lost the physicality they used to have. Sadly players like Reijnders/Cherki/Foden don’t have the same drive as the ones that have gone before. KDB is a prime example, for as brilliant he was as a technician he would also happily fly into a challenge, block someone in the corner. Our latest players are too passive so are easily bypassed, navigated around.

We still have some great players but the side doesn’t work for me either with the technique/press to control possession or the physicality/pace in defence/midfield to enable the side to go full throttle and turn it into a end to end game (Pep
Himself after the 4-4 with Chelsea said we cannot play this way).
 
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It was an abysmal performance, one of our worst under Pep and 3 1 was flattering in the end. However Bodo glimt are not the amateurs some sections of the media are trying to portray them as. They were Uefa cup semi finalists last year and capable of hurting teams who perhaps under estimate them, like we probably did tonight. They have made step up to CL football and drew with spurs and dortmund, and were unlucky not to get a point away to Juve. They probably won't qualify to knock outs but its still a possibility. A comparison could be made to Celtic teams from the noughties. No one would want them in their group in the old format.
 
brazilians hurt said:
I agree it was noticeable we actually played better after Rodri got himself sent off. I’m guessing that was down to more effort rather than anything else
Pep got the selection and set up horribly wrong tonight he tried to accommodate Rico in a midfield position rather than risk him at right back again
Clear to me Bodoe had worked long and hard on their low block with fast transitions game. We might as well as played second string and made them come on to us and confuse the fuck out of them. We don’t seem to have a plan B though
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Bodo just repeated what United did. We carried on with the same wide open system. KIled on the flanks by pace, overwhelmed in midfield. Rinse and repeat.
 
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TonyM said:
If so, that is not Haaland's fault.

It is Pep's fault imo.

He is a legend and rightfully talked about as such. But he is meant to be more than that now. He is meant to be our current manager - ensuring that we are continously improving as a team. And I've not seen genuinely good performances (except in patches) for a long time.
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Agree, this is all of Pep's making and I am noy sure this situation it can be rescued.

Everybody talks about rebuilding, I don't see it, for some future Pep's tenure at least.
 
AndyP68 said:
Some of our fans should fuck off and get a grip.
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In what way? Are people not allowed to voice concerns? Yes we know we have been very very fortunate for what we have won and what we have achieved, but people are allowed to question the commitment of the players and the tactics of the manager, in the league last 4 3 draws 1 defeat, a spanking from a team that would struggle in league 1, but your right we should get a grip
 
jrb said:
Probably knee jerk by me, but I’m not going to apologise.

Pep has run out of ideas.
He so stubborn that he won’t change his tactics or the way the team is set up and plays.
Regardless of the obvious tactical and team failings, he will still plough on regardless.
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That's nothing new. Been like that since day one in management.
 
franksinatra said:
I think, sadly, the team
Is a mishmash of ideas and concepts and the players we have don’t complement each other to play one way or the other.

An obvious issue is the defensive high line but how do you change that when your midfielders consist of a slow, ageing Bernardo (still love the guy) and Rodri/Gonzalez who don’t have the greatest mobility?

A lower defensive lines means an immobile, slow midfield having to cover large spaces, between adopting a forward press on the edge of the opposition box, to try and maintain possession, but also, when the ball is lost, cover even greater distances to defend a bigger gap between the defence and midfield. The gaps in the half space would become even greater, even worse than the space Bruno Fernandes found in the Derby.

The press upfront has completely gone. We have gone from KDB, Alvarez, Aguero, Bernardo hunting in packs to a cumbersome Haaland and players like Savinho, Doku, Reijnders, and sadly Foden adopting a fake press where they half-heartedly close down but rarely win the ball back or physically challenge for the ball. That in turn allows the ball to pass through the lines enabling the opposition to get straight at our back line.

We’re still trying to control the ball, yet the side is packed now with less technically gifted players and so the build up is becoming ever more slow and ponderous, allowing the opposition to regroup and revert to a low block. Consequently we end up stuck on the edge of the box unable to break sides down as the vision/creativity is not the same. Again we’re in a halfway house situation, buying Doku/Semenyo and Haaland (all blessed with pace) which is negated by the slow build up as the midfield neither have the space to play the ball into for the players like Haaland or space for Doku/Semenyo to attack there fullback and run beyond them.

All of Dokus best games have been when he has picked up the ball around the halfway line and then attacked the fullback with grass behind to run into (TAA for example v Liverpool).

Additionally the slow build up, to the edge of the 18 yard box, even if the defender is skinned, the winger has a packed box of defenders/midfielder's to bypass to find the intended target. It’s an almost impossible task.

We saw tonight and against United how often the opposition players got in behind our defence and fired balls across the box and there was 2 on 2 or 3 on 3 situations in the box because the break was so quick and our midfield had not got back to help out. These opportunities never arise for us due to the slow build up. When our wingers hit the byline they have to circum-navigate about 6/7 to eight players as the slow build up has allowed the opposition to regroup.

To add to all this we’ve lost a squad of leaders or the leaders we have (Rodri/Bernardo) have lost the physicality they used to have. Sadly players like Reijnders/Cherki/Foden don’t have the same drive as the ones that have gone before. KDB as an example, for as brilliant he was as a technician would also happily fly into a challenge, block someone in the corner. Our latest players are too passive so are easily bypassed, navigated around.

We still have some great players but the side doesn’t work for me either with the technique/press to control possession or the physicality/pace in defence/midfield to enable the side to go full throttle and turn it into a end to end game (Pep
Himself after the 4-4 with Chelsea said we cannot play this way).
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Brilliant post and had the same exact thoughts for a long time. Team is too unbalanced and lack quality.
 
skillman said:
Look at the difference man. Pass and move, pass and move, pass and move - all with movement off the ball from players trying to create angles for those on the ball. Night and day to the shit served up now.

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It was a well oiled machine. Very few of the current team get in that starting 11 - even the players we have that were in it! There arent many players in any team on that level about at the momet
 
Fordyboy46 said:
Look at all the cash we've seemingly spunked up the wall these last few seasons

Grealish, Phillip's, Savinho for sure

Jury out on loads- Doku, Nunes, N.Gonzalez, Reijnders, Khusanov, Marmoush

Probably some more I've missed but it's not a particularly rosy look
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Can we add Alvarez to that list? And what about Echiverri, brought in and sent on loan. OK we didn't spend big on him but why the hell do we keep buying players we don't want to use.
 
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