Rubin Kazan (H) - Post Match

[Tee]

The one thing that just really does my ****ing head in with this team is the natural instinct to go backwards. **** off with that ****e

[redmike65]

I'm sure that's meant to be a warming stat but it doesn't half make the heart sink

I'm a half full kinda guy!

[captainfog]

Here's a fun fact - for the first time since 14/02/15 (Palace in the cup) Liverpool conceded the first goal but didn't lose. 32 games. Progress.

As I said in the Klopp Style Guide thread - they are not thinking and acting quickly enough, the ball is being won back quickly enough but in possession you can nearly sense various brains cranking through the gears trying to find top, when Firmino came on you could see that he was looking to move the ball on very quickly albeit with mixed results. They'll be a lot of hard training sessions to come on this aspect I'm sure.

That's why I can't see Lallana lasting in this team. He's one of our few technically gifted players, but he's thick as pig **** and once he's done a nice little trick or flick with ball he doesn't know what to do with it, invariably keeps it for too long or plays the wrong option. His brain slows the team down. And he's got no acceleration. But his brain is the bigger problem.

[Corndog]

It's (not passing quick enough) only half the problem when attacking though as I don't think there is enough good movement either.

It will come with time.

[redmike65]

There is an old song about this sort of thing!

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9Bl4gLsfMY"]Liverpool FC & The Boot Room Boys "Pass and Move (It's the Liverpool Groove)" - YouTube[/ame]

[calvoboy]

Klopp's trying to sort out a couple of things at once, it'll take time. He's made us a bit more compact in defence and got us pressing higher up the pitch, and individual ****-ups apart we're looking a little bit more solid IMO. But in his 5 training sessions or so he's not been able to work on that and also get us playing more sensibly in attack. Today was exactly like games earlier in the season with too many shots from outside the box and not enough patience and guile. We're attacking the same way and it's not working.

Sturridge coming back in will help, as it did for Brendan, but we need new patterns of play in defence and attack, and in the longer term new personnel too. I don't think it'll take Klopp long to get us playing a bit better, but it's not going to happen overnight either.

[cream]

Milner, Lallana, Allen, Skittles & Benteke are all to varying degrees not good enough. Maybe Klopp can work his magic with them, but lets be honest, he's got a big job on his hands and the squad probably needs a big overhaul. We're just not clever or technically good enough on the ball.

Most of them are pretty much Rodgers players. Klopp has been brought in to work his magic with the likes of Can, Firmino, Markovic and Origi.

[DannyMan2006]

Hmm, prior to the red card I noticed Kazan were doing really well at keeping their width. It allowed them to really have us chasing shadows when that initial press wasn't working. When we press we naturally tighten up and it allows any half decent team to find a pass out if they're quick enough.

Has to be taken into account of course that we are very rough around the edges atm. We will make mistakes when pressing early doors as there is a lot of learning on the job.

Attacking wise, think Origi has a lot to learn about playing that lone striker role. He isn't making the runs to be a worthwhile moving target. But we all knew & expected that it'd take him a good while to learn. I think if Danny Ings was playing our last two games we'd see some more goals.

Fully expect us to kick on with Danny Sturridge & Benteke.

[Glenn Hysen]

It's looking good from where we were a couple a weeks ago.

Sakho not on the bench. Can NOT in defense but in midfield and doing it well. More solid already as a team. It will be interesting to see how our attacking play will be when Benteke, Sturridge and Firminho all are back and 100% fit.

[kubrickscube]

Lacking clever movement up front. Missing Sterling. I'm sure Benteke and Firmino will help but they need time to gel. Larkana and Can much better. sakho was awesome

[Exiled_red]

I've said for a while that I think that the side lacks pace and goals and that was evident tonight. Pace makes a big difference in modern game and we are really lacking particularly in midfield which is very one paced. Similarly the midfield doesn't contribute enough goals, Coutinho and Lallana are the only ones likely to get a decent number per season. Coutinho doesn't get anywhere near the number than he should, and Lallana looks very much a form / confidence based player and doesn't look to be at the top of his game at the moment. At times like the moment with Sturridge, Ings and Benteke out, the lack of goals from midfield becomes a significant problem, in all honesty playing at home against a 10 man Rubin Kazan side we should be winning that game fairly comfortably.

[Darkon]

I don't think it was a bad performance last night, actually thought we were half decent except around the opposition area. We controlled the game, showed a lot of energy and pressed the opponent further back than I've seen us do for the past year'ish.

Great to see the movement allowed for many players now, and how we've already installed a winning mentality in that people take the necessary chances/risques and are encouraged to do so. An example is Lucas all of a sudden finding himself space around the area, and looking for passes in the deep - not something we've seen a lot of from him for a while. Another to me were Sakho going forward like Agger in his prime days. So encouraging to see how mentaly the team have changed already - already more confident and knowing it's okay to make mistakes.

What we need is the last movement around the area, and that will come during the training. Firmino looked promising in that area, Lallana again looked more lively than ever for us and Coutinho found some space. Origi did okay, but finishing is a problem. Benteke looked very good from his 20 min, but also looks a bit rusty.

I think it was a positive performance almost throughout, and outside a very good goal by Rubin, we looked solid in all phases. Still a few communication errors and players needing to learn their new roles - but looks good IMO.

[Phoenix07]

A lot of our attacking patters were from the Rodgers era, which is probably why it looked disjointed.

However, we've focused on trying to be solid defensively, and more aggressive in that aspect.

With the games coming thick and fast, it'll be a while before we start flushing some of the turgid patterns away, and start reinforcing some new attacking methods.

[The_weatherman]

With the games coming thick and fast, it'll be a while before we start flushing some of the turgid patterns away, and start reinforcing some new attacking methods.

[Bender]

Lacking clever movement up front. Missing Sterling. I'm sure Benteke and Firmino will help but they need time to gel. Larkana and Can much better. sakho was awesome

**** player