Udinese post match thread

[Exiled_red]

we scored twice and had plenty more chances. i think the three shipped goals is the issue here.

The defence really needs sorting out we've conceded alot of goals we shouldn't have, some due to individual errors others are either due to the system or players not adapting to the system.

We have conceded two or more goals in 5 of our 6 PL games this season, In all competions we have concede 20 goals in 13 games (11 goals in 6 PL games). These are worrying statistics.

[Fredo]

Think it's because we aren't compact enough.

[Jaymo]

He was still not that great though. He fails to see the important passes on the counter and hogs the ball a bit too much when he should be laying it off to others and running.

Except laying two on a plate..

Playing risky through balls comes with confidence, especially when the system is to keep the ball.

As you'd expect, i guess his confidence is rock bottom. You can't really criticise him tonight.

[Robbie-9-Fowler]

We've just won 3 games in a row and it should have been 4 tonight. We are on the right tracks. Stoke will be ours for the taking. They'll be difficult to break down but we'll find a way.

Problem is with defending like this we might need to find a way 3 or 4 times.

[malg]

It just much of the same every game we pass a lot and do nothing at the end of it. Our defence has deteriorated badly since last season. I know Rodgers is trying to change our style of football and yes he is only a few weeks into the job,but other than our passing being better everything else about our game has got worse. I am concerned as to where this club will end up as the results at the moment are worrying. Stoke is once again another massive game,if we lose **** load of pressure on the manager and I guess e doesn't need that at the moment.

[Shaggy]

Allen played well, but by his standards he's a bit below his best. He gave a couple of really bad balls away, which is most unlike him.

I do love him though. Those little passes he plays around the corner...and he loves a disguised forward pass. I can't wait for Lucas to come back and to push him up a bit.

[el matador]

For me the third goal illustrated why gerrard and shelvey cant play in the same team.

Gerrard loses the ball midway through their half and shelvey is stood more or less next to him. Neither then makes any effort to get back to help out and were punished.

Both players are too similar and leave our midfield just too exposed when the attack. Plus both dont have the discipline required.

Bloody good entertainment though The fact that we cant keep clean sheets is very worrything.

[Phoenix07]

Good performance bar 15 minutes of a complete meltdown. I am delighted Rodgers has recognised that we were 'lazy' and aware that our concentration in defence needs to improve. There were periods when we needed to be compact, and we just weren't. Pressing fell apart at times during the 15 minute meltdown.

It reminds me of the 2004-2005 season. A transition in our style of play, iffy results, yet the majority of the fans could see what we were building and stuck behind the manager.

[Shaggy]

Good performance bar 15 minutes of a complete meltdown. I am delighted Rodgers has recognised that we were 'lazy' and aware that our concentration in defence needs to improve.

It reminds me of the 2004-2005 season. A transition in our style of play, iffy results, yet the majority of the fans could see what we were building and stuck behind the manager.

[rudedog]

For me the third goal illustrated why gerrard and shelvey cant play in the same team.

Gerrard loses the ball midway through their half and shelvey is stood more or less next to him. Neither then makes any effort to get back to help out and were punished.

Both players are too similar and leave our midfield just too exposed when the attack. Plus both dont have the discipline required.

Bloody good entertainment though The fact that we cant keep clean sheets is very worrything.

I think Sahin would have made the difference last night - he showed against Norwich that he is prepared to track back as well as being a creative outlet.

[marksared]

Allen needs to be more attack minded, too quick to play the safe pass and shy away from the risky/through ball.

His passing is excellent but i would like to see him thread more through the middle.

[dww]

We are excellent going forward.

Do you reckon Clarke is fed up at West Brom, our defensive line misses him.

I don't think we were that great n that regard late last season either. It is a major worry and I'm not sure there is anything in Rodgers record that suggest he has a solution (apart, perhaps, from Lucas when he returns).

[Muddled]

Allen needs to be more attack minded, too quick to play the safe pass and shy away from the risky/through ball.

His passing is excellent but i would like to see him thread more through the middle.

I think you could argue that might be down to Rodgers rather than Allen; Perhaps Rodgers was utilising Allen's tenacity whilst asking him to refrain from going forward, leaving the creative element of the midfield to Henderson and freeing Shelvey to roam.

And to be fair, it worked until Gerrard came on.

[Rich]

Allen played well, but by his standards he's a bit below his best. He gave a couple of really bad balls away, which is most unlike him.

I do love him though. Those little passes he plays around the corner...and he loves a disguised forward pass. I can't wait for Lucas to come back and to push him up a bit.

I think that's the idea with having Borini in the squad.

Lucas sitting deep thus pushing Allen that little bit higher and looking for the openings made by Borini's runs.

BR has been interviewed where he said he's being forced to play Allen deeper because of the injury to Lucas, ideally he'd be higher up the pitch.

[dww]

We need to turn possession and dominant positions in games into goals. Time and again we have dominated games and had nothing to show for it, also we are prone to defensive errors which is a bad combination.

I actually think it is the opposite that is the problem - we need to use possession as a form of defence. I think the defensive errors come as part of the system. Just as last season our off the ball work and positioning is questionable. We make a lot of errors IMO because players are having to run back and/or cover large areas. Currently every time the opposition get the ball off us they think, and are usually right, that a counter is on.