My Kingdom for a Striker

[RPAS]

Unless we get in another striker of serious quality we are going to fall short this year. Babel shouldn't even be in the squad - Yossi has to start but even allowing for that change we had zero on the bench strikers wise to make the difference yesterday when we were obviously struggling. Aquilani can't get fit quick enough either.

[poorscousertommy]

I have to say I agree on the back up striker required. We have nothing in our squad that can help if Torres is injured or out of form.

I squad depth is frighteningly bad.

[Imy]

Strikers weren't the problem yesterday, it was the centre backs (Carra hoofing aimless long balls and bypassing the midfield) the midfield not bossing the game and linking defence and attack, all out attacking players not providing any creativity and all 10 outfield players playing like complete strangers with no thought or process in how to break down a solid Spurs team.

[Baracus]

I agree Imy my man. The midfield as an attacking unit was non-existant. Carra to blame for alot of that. I'm sure Agger would have been more xabi-esque. Plus we also lack the Alonso quick one touch passes

[zimbo]

I agree Imy my man. The midfield as an attacking unit was non-existant. Carra to blame for alot of that. I'm sure Agger would have been more xabi-esque. Plus we also lack the Alonso quick one touch passes

How do you come to that conclusion?

[Tee]

How do you come to that conclusion?

I think (hope) he means that Carra bypassed the midfield with too many long balls.

[Imy]

How do you come to that conclusion?

The hoofing was bypassing the two central midfielders and thus they never really got hold of the game, the long ball was also difficult for Babel, Torres, Kuyt and Gerrard to control and then create under pressure of the Spurs players.

I got the feeling yesterday that carra had little to no confidence in the abilities of Skrtel as well as Lucas/Mascha.

[Baracus]

How do you come to that conclusion?

They did not create anything nor were they given the opportunity to as Carra lumped the ball over the midfield especially in the 1st half. It wasn't until Benayoun a ball player and carrier to complement Gerrard changed this.

[Tee]

The hoofing was bypassing the two central midfielders and thus they never really got hold of the game, the long ball was also difficult for Babel, Torres, Kuyt and Gerrard to control and then create under pressure of the Spurs players.

I got the feeling yesterday that carra had little to no confidence in the abilities of Skrtel as well as Lucas/Mascha.

I am worried about as well Carra tbh.

[zimbo]

They did not create anything nor were they given the opportunity to as Carra lumped the ball over the midfield especially in the 1st half. It wasn't until Benayoun a ball player and carrier to complement Gerrard changed this.

I think it's incredibly harsh to blame Carragher for our failure to provide any kind of attacking threat for much of the game. It shouldn't really need saying but it's fairly obvious that Carragher isn't in the team for his creative ability or for his pin-point passing. He's there to defend. Whether he did that effectively enough yesterday is another issue entirely, but you can't blame him for our build-up play being so uninventive.

Yes, he did play the long ball more than I'd have liked, particularly in the first half (though he was by no means the only one - Reina was kicking downfield every time he got it). But that had a lot to do with the closing down by Keane and Defoe, and the fact that Tottenham's midfield were playing high up the pitch. Neither Mascherano nor Lucas were comfortable taking the ball off the centre-halves and playing incisive forward passes (or simply maintaining possession until the right option became available) the way Alonso used to. As a result Carragher, in a number of cases, had little choice other than to launch it.

Unfortunately, this highlights the deficiences of a midfield lacking someone with the confidence to demand the ball and to see passes early. Though our problems yesterday were not confined to the midfield alone.

[Kenneth]

The hoofing was bypassing the two central midfielders and thus they never really got hold of the game, the long ball was also difficult for Babel, Torres, Kuyt and Gerrard to control and then create under pressure of the Spurs players.

I got the feeling yesterday that carra had little to no confidence in the abilities of Skrtel as well as Lucas/Mascha.

Which is a little ironic, as it was Carra who was the biggest liability.

[Icon]

Well with his head cut in half he may be rested for a game or two - he needs it!

[DannyMan2006]

I think it's incredibly harsh to blame Carragher for our failure to provide any kind of attacking threat for much of the game. It shouldn't really need saying but it's fairly obvious that Carragher isn't in the team for his creative ability or for his pin-point passing. He's there to defend. Whether he did that effectively enough yesterday is another issue entirely, but you can't blame him for our build-up play being so uninventive.

Yes, he did play the long ball more than I'd have liked, particularly in the first half (though he was by no means the only one - Reina was kicking downfield every time he got it). But that had a lot to do with the closing down by Keane and Defoe, and the fact that Tottenham's midfield were playing high up the pitch. Neither Mascherano nor Lucas were comfortable taking the ball off the centre-halves and playing incisive forward passes (or simply maintaining possession until the right option became available) the way Alonso used to. As a result Carragher, in a number of cases, had little choice other than to launch it.

Unfortunately, this highlights the deficiences of a midfield lacking someone with the confidence to demand the ball and to see passes early. Though our problems yesterday were not confined to the midfield alone.

Another great post Zimbo.

[Baracus]

I think it's incredibly harsh to blame Carragher for our failure to provide any kind of attacking threat for much of the game. It shouldn't really need saying but it's fairly obvious that Carragher isn't in the team for his creative ability or for his pin-point passing. He's there to defend. Whether he did that effectively enough yesterday is another issue entirely, but you can't blame him for our build-up play being so uninventive.

Yes, he did play the long ball more than I'd have liked, particularly in the first half (though he was by no means the only one - Reina was kicking downfield every time he got it). But that had a lot to do with the closing down by Keane and Defoe, and the fact that Tottenham's midfield were playing high up the pitch. Neither Mascherano nor Lucas were comfortable taking the ball off the centre-halves and playing incisive forward passes (or simply maintaining possession until the right option became available) the way Alonso used to. As a result Carragher, in a number of cases, had little choice other than to launch it.

Unfortunately, this highlights the deficiences of a midfield lacking someone with the confidence to demand the ball and to see passes early. Though our problems yesterday were not confined to the midfield alone.

Without Alonso, I also fear that the sharpness and speed of our attacking plays will be greatly effected. Alonso was great at playing quick one-two's and played great one touch passes and through balls, sharp and decisive.

[shelly]

I think it's incredibly harsh to blame Carragher for our failure to provide any kind of attacking threat for much of the game. It shouldn't really need saying but it's fairly obvious that Carragher isn't in the team for his creative ability or for his pin-point passing. He's there to defend. Whether he did that effectively enough yesterday is another issue entirely, but you can't blame him for our build-up play being so uninventive.

Yes, he did play the long ball more than I'd have liked, particularly in the first half (though he was by no means the only one - Reina was kicking downfield every time he got it). But that had a lot to do with the closing down by Keane and Defoe, and the fact that Tottenham's midfield were playing high up the pitch. Neither Mascherano nor Lucas were comfortable taking the ball off the centre-halves and playing incisive forward passes (or simply maintaining possession until the right option became available) the way Alonso used to. As a result Carragher, in a number of cases, had little choice other than to launch it.

Unfortunately, this highlights the deficiences of a midfield lacking someone with the confidence to demand the ball and to see passes early. Though our problems yesterday were not confined to the midfield alone.

Agree with your post to a large extent. Also would like to add though:

I think it might have been to do with the self induced injuries to both our CBs yesterday that Carra and Pepe were trying to protect the back 5. It did not help that the minute we hoofed the ball up the pitch it came straight back at us!

Plus I think the whole team, especially the CBs, is still adjusting to the absence of Alonso. In the past, other teams have pressed as hard as Spurs did yesterday, but the CBs always had the "easier" option of passing it to Xabi who always made himself available as an outlet as you mentioned. Hopefully, either Masher or Lucas would grow into this role, since they never had to do it when Xabi was there. It might also help if Agger who is more of a ball-playing CB plays when he is fit. He looks up and distributes the ball more than hoofs it.

Although as I said earlier, the injuries to both Carra and Skrtel and their playing through the pain probably just meant that if the ball came at them they just wanted it out of the danger area. Hopefully the hoofing is a one-off! and the team as a whole can make the improvements and not bypass the midfield and the fullbacks!