FC Basel vs Liverpool post match thread

[Lecter]

Optimally yes, but we have to accept the fact that we don't have as quick and naturally agressive player as we did last season. We simply can't apply the pressure at the same level and the same height of the pitch as last season. We need to adjust rather than hope to magically reproduce what Suarez as one of the very few strikers in the world were capable of in terms of pressuring the opponents.

So just because we dont have Suarez that excuses Sterling, Henderson & Coutinho from pressing

Oh thats alright then

[Chris]

Hes still been dreadful other than the Spurs game

Well apart from the fact he hasn't anyway. He scored the first and assisted the winner on the opening day for a start.

Welcome back by the way!

[Lecter]

Well apart from the fact he hasn't anyway. He scored the first and assisted the winner on the opening day for a start.

Welcome back by the way!

Still think he was poor in that game also

I wasnt impressed with us against Southampton, think we got lucky that day. That was another game were we lacked energy, didnt press as much

Spurs is the only game were we pressed quickly and set a high tempo and we got our just rewards in that game

Rest of them we have been mostly individually and collectively lacklustre

[Bender]

So just because we dont have Suarez that excuses Sterling, Henderson & Coutinho from pressing

Oh thats alright then

The same notion is being used for Sturridge ......these players should still be pressing and playing offensively ....this whole style of play has all of a sudden,apart from the spurs game been dropped,almost Hodsgon/first season under Rodgers style of approach and play.....players seem cautious and afraid.Sterling looks bemused

[Maxiedge]

The good:

- Balotelli has a lovely first touch. He was slightly frustrating last night but it was always going to take time to mould him into a Liverpool player. I'm seeing something more than I thought I would have with him. His hold up play is much better than I thought. To be honest, I never rated him and thought he gives the ball away much too easily but I'm seeing things now that give me hope that he could realise his potential here.

- Markovic is slowly settling. Has a lovely touch and feel for the ball.

- Sterling can be brilliant at times

- Manquillo makes some great forward runs

The bad:

- Sterling can be poor at times

- Coutinho's slackness. Unforced errors of the worst kind that just give all the momentum back to the opponents. Never seems to win 50/50s at the moment. I agree we should persist but it's just frustrating how we really need him at this best, now.

- Gerrard is not a defensive midfielder. He's an all round midfielder that could be playing Henderson's role imo. He's still got the legs to run up and down but doesn't have the mobility to be chasing players as a DM (if that makes sense)

The Ugly:

-Our defending at set pieces. If we weren't so poor at conceding in these little flashes we'd be doing much better right now. I'm not saying we'd be trouncing teams 4 or 5 nil, but we'd be scraping wins while the team goes through it's transition.

[Lecter]

The same notion is being used for Sturridge ......these players should still be pressing and playing offensively ....this whole style of play has all of a sudden,apart from the spurs game been dropped,almost Hodsgon/first season under Rodgers style of approach and play.....players seem cautious and afraid.Sterling looks bemused

This is the biggest worry

You lose Suarez and its almost as though certain players have given up

When you lose a player who worked his socks off like Suarez you expect to lose some pressing input but I dont get how it can completely and utterly vanish from players like Henderson, Sterling etc....

The only player I have consistently seen press a ball for us is Lallana, hes putting Henderson to shame

It makes you sit here and scratch your head. Whats happened has Suarez going made them give up?? Do they have a World Cup hangover? Are they not fully fit / covering up for injuries?

Henderson came on massively last two seasons but this season hes a shadow of his former self

[Alex]

Quite like that summery.

Thought Manquillo did really well in the first half, trying to make things work. Same with Markovic, first time ive seen him open up his legs and run at players.

[Slinky Skills]

I dot ****ing know, I'm only regurgitating **** I heard on the radio. I don't really follow football.

[Darkon]

So just because we dont have Suarez that excuses Sterling, Henderson & Coutinho from pressing

Oh thats alright then

Hopefully you will actually read the post, and realize it's not what I'm saying... You are the one stating "like we did", and I just explained why that is not quite possible anymore as we are lacking the key person for a last third pressing system right now.

We need to adjust our pressing system rather than continue doing something we can't anymore..., and btw. nice of you to return again now :P

[Lecter]

and btw. nice of you to return again now :P

and you can **** right off with this ****e

I have been posting regularly all through September and August after EVERY match and essentially I have been saying the same thing every week (barring Spurs)

No pressure on the ball and not competing for second balls

[Darkon]

Sure, I can And you can hopefully read a post before laughing as well

[Fredo]

This is the biggest worry

You lose Suarez and its almost as though certain players have given up

When you lose a player who worked his socks off like Suarez you expect to lose some pressing input but I dont get how it can completely and utterly vanish from players like Henderson, Sterling etc....

The only player I have consistently seen press a ball for us is Lallana, hes putting Henderson to shame

It makes you sit here and scratch your head. Whats happened has Suarez going made them give up?? Do they have a World Cup hangover? Are they not fully fit / covering up for injuries?

Henderson came on massively last two seasons but this season hes a shadow of his former self

I think Henderson is carrying an injury and is having to go through games under pain killers. Nothing concrete, just a hunch, but that might explain why he has been below par.

[Kenneth]

I always take painkillers for a hunch.

[Fredo]

Yeah, you'll go flabby.

[Lecter]

I think Henderson is carrying an injury and is having to go through games under pain killers. Nothing concrete, just a hunch, but that might explain why he has been below par.

Quite possible

Probably picked it up on England duty which means we can blame Roy again