Well D.Silva was recovering from injury, KDB was managing his return and Fern was injured but as you say we had other options.100%.
Totally baffling how Pep would want 3 CD's on against Palace. If anything we needed more ball players to make sure we could pass through them at pace.
Yeah sure and Dave Ewing would have headed that clearance into the South Stand before their 2nd.
Sorry to point the obvious out but is Walker not a defender and is therefore his primary role not to defend?Yep, some just don’t realise Walkers role has been changed this season and he is not as comfortable with it. Presumably because if injuries. Last season the bombing on of the full backs were creating chances not so this season.
Good post. I think many agree with you.The more I think about yesterday's team selection, the more baffled I am! I understand Kev and Sergio not playing from the start yet, but why oh why was John Stones playing in Fern's position again? The obvious selection would be Delph in there and Zinch or Laporte at Left back. But last year against no less than Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs, Gudog has some of his best games playing there whilst Fern was suspended. I really don't understand why neither of these options was used yesterday and it could have - in the long run - cost us the title. All of us - and I have been one of them - who say Liverpool will bottle it, are beginning to look a bit stupid and 'Unitedesque' arrogant now. They aren't going away and look very strong, despite 2 of their best defenders out injured. I think Pep has now got to start trusting Foden a bit now. He's proved he can step in and keep the balance of the team. I was a bit surprised that Pep went for the old managers desperation trick of taking off defenders and midfielders and bring on all the attackers. This never works as there is no one to get the bloody ball to them. A team of Eddy, Walker, Delph, Stones, Laporte, Gungog, Bernard, Foden, Raz, Jesus and Leroy would never have ended in that outcome. Serg, Kev and Danilo could have come on and every resting and match fitness box could have been ticked. I love our Pep and he is evidently a genius, but like most geniuses he has flaws and overthinking it his weakness in my opinion. He proper messed up yesterday.
There has been so much hindsight analysis on team selection suggesting Pep got it all wrong, Adrian Durham on Talksport calling it’arrogance’ Is just ridiculous! This is such a busy period and unfortunately Fernandinho can’t play every minute of every game over this period. KDB and Aguero are still not 100% fit so need to be managed, and the XI players put out yesterday should have had enough to get the three pts but it wasn’t to be.
There has been one or two indications in recent games that this kind of result may be on the cards and Palace are the kind of side where it wouldn’t surprise you if they were the ones to inflict it.
Every game over Christmas now takes on additional pressure, the Liverpool game at home is now massive.
If re regain the levels we’re capable of we should still finish top, but how we bounce back now is crucial.
I try not to be a superstitious guy, but the gods seemed against us yesterday - some totally bemusing occurrences during that game. I stand firmly behind Pep and the lads, when Stonsey gets his head around that role he'll benefit greatly, so will we and England. The knockers are screaming, "STOP, it will never work." just like they did in his first season, then end up looking like mugs when it pays off. IT'S NOT OVER YET.
Maybe, but in the aftermath of a home defeat there must be things we did badly.I try not to be a superstitious guy, but the gods seemed against us yesterday - some totally bemusing occurrences during that game. I stand firmly behind Pep and the lads, when Stonsey gets his head around that role he'll benefit greatly, so will we and England. The knockers are screaming, "STOP, it will never work." just like they did in his first season, then end up looking like mugs when it pays off. IT'S NOT OVER YET.
Fernandinho is injured and with Mendy out and Delph covering that position, there aren't many options but at KO how many blues thought that would work. I didn't, however I thought we'd get away with it.Stones is a great CB. Why try to convert him into an average DM?