[COC] Stoke (A): Post Match

[Buzzo]

Klopp seems to get it more than anyone else within the club. We are very lucky to have him.

[Fredo]

I thought our passing was **** and we didn't give offer any outlets. We seemed to panic and hoof more often then I'd like.

Hmmm...I thought we were excellent and trying to play with a high tempo when we won the ball high up the field. The stats I've seen in here that we had 36% possession are wrong IMO. Forza had us with 62% possession overall. At some point in the first half it was around 67%. We had less of it second half but that's because we conceded territorial advantage a wee bit, as our high press became slightly less effective and rightly so after the energy the players put in.

[Fosterbloke]

Hmmm...I thought we were excellent and trying to play with a high tempo when we won the ball high up the field. The stats I've seen in here that we had 36% possession are wrong IMO. Forza had us with 62% possession overall. At some point in the first half it was around 67%. We had less of it second half but that's because we conceded territorial advantage a wee bit, as our high press became slightly less effective and rightly so after the energy the players put in.

Really? I saw a lot of misplaced passes, under hit passes, passes outside of players runs, long balls to no-one. Perhaps I focused too much on them.

I wish Ibe had taken a shot right away instead of cutting inside then doing it. Might have came off a defender for an OG or Butland might have parried it.

[vonk]

Brilliant. Thought we could have killed the tie with a little more composure in the final third. Lucas and Toure were beasts but I though Allen was MOM. Kept the ball moving which has been a big issue for us. Lucas and Henderson are too ponderous on the ball, with Allen he gets on with it and it shows. Glaringly obvious now that Benteke is not working out. We simply play much better football when he is not on the pitch. I feel for him, it's not really his fault, but the team is clearly better with a false 9 or a striker with more movement.

[Fredo]

Really? I saw a lot of misplaced passes, under hit passes, passes outside of players runs, long balls to no-one. Perhaps I focused too much on them.

I think I saw a different game. We had a few misplaced passes but that was towards the latter part of the game. The high tempo game that we play when at our best (under Klopp) means that there will be a few errors here and there, but on the whole we were excellent tonight.

[danperkins]

Really? I saw a lot of misplaced passes, under hit passes, passes outside of players runs, long balls to no-one. Perhaps I focused too much on them.

I wish Ibe had taken a shot right away instead of cutting inside then doing it. Might have came off a defender for an OG or Butland might have parried it.

our work rate and pressing was fantastic, our approach play was decent but yeah the end product and passing was pretty poor. Thought we were good though just need to sort out that final ball.

[BigChief]

Lucas has always been a good headerer of the ball in midfield. What surprised me was his awareness in central defence. We might have found our Smalling and Blind combination.

[Fosterbloke]

I'm not too negative though as our pressing game was on and we did create chances.

Was it me or did we learn nothing about allowing time and space for the opposition to deliver crosses?

[Buzzo]

headerer.

[Fredo]

Brilliant. Thought we could have killed the tie with a little more composure in the final third. Lucas and Toure were beasts but I though Allen was MOM. Kept the ball moving which has been a big issue for us. Lucas and Henderson are too ponderous on the ball, with Allen he gets on with it and it shows. Glaringly obvious now that Benteke is not working out. We simply play much better football when he is not on the pitch. I feel for him, it's not really his fault, but the team is clearly better with a false 9 or a striker with more movement.

I think, and that's my opinion, that Klopp hasn't been able to have enough time on the training pitch with Benteke because he looks to not know what to do in certain situations. Does he hold the line or move into the channels? Does he come deep to link up play? He seems in two minds most of the time. At one point towards the end when Ibe was trying to run down the time, he should have offered an outlet down the channel but seemed to be caught in two minds to hold his position up top or not. It's something that can be taught with time on the training pitch, especially if he's never played in a team which thrives on perpetual movement like we do.

I'm holding judgement on him until next season, if he's still around. I think there's a player there with a full pre-season under his belt. Bear in mind that he hasn't had a full one with us as he signed towards the end of the last one.

[danperkins]

I'm not too negative though as our pressing game was on and we did create chances.

Was it me or did we learn nothing about allowing time and space for the opposition to deliver crosses?

yeah we allow way too many crosses in general. Moreno has been a massive culprit since joining us.

[Fredo]

Was it me or did we learn nothing about allowing time and space for the opposition to deliver crosses?

Again, I think you might have watched a different game.

Bar a couple of situations in the first half (two Glen Johnson crosses) and a few in the second, we were very good at preventing the opposition to cross the ball. When we allowed them in, we defended well in the box, bar one in the first half when Arnatauvic could have scored.

[danperkins]

I think, and that's my opinion, that Klopp hasn't been able to have enough time on the training pitch with Benteke because he looks to not know what to do in certain situations. Does he hold the line or move into the channels? Does he come deep to link up play? He seems in two minds most of the time. At one point towards the end when Ibe was trying to run down the time, he should have offered an outlet down the channel but seemed to be caught in two minds to hold his position up top or not. It's something that can be taught with time on the training pitch, especially if he's never played in a team which thrives on perpetual movement like we do.

I'm holding judgement on him until next season, if he's still around. I think there's a player there with a full pre-season under his belt. Bear in mind that he hasn't had a full one with us as he signed towards the end of the last one.

[BigChief]

headerer.

I was wondering why my laptop was underlining in red when I typed that.

[Fredo]

As well as those injured on Tuesday and with Skrtel also out, youngsters Divock Origi and Jordan Rossiter have hamstring injuries, while England striker Daniel Sturridge has had a catalogue of problems.

Asked whether the training methods he has brought in after succeeding sacked Brendan Rodgers in early October have had an effect, Klopp referred once more to the heavy demands made on Premier League players. He said: "Maybe I could look at our training methods but we don't train - we only recover. There is no training.
"I'm responsible for these things and if you want to make me responsible for our hamstring strains then OK."

BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Kevin Kilbane, who was at The Britannia Stadium, suggested Klopp's methods might be responsible.
He said: "I've seen it at some clubs before. Perhaps it's down to the change in training methods on the training ground. Under Jurgen Klopp they'll train much harder day in, day out.
"The amount of medical attention footballers get at football clubs now, and also the physical work which is put in, this shouldn't be happening to footballers. I put down the various hamstring injuries down to Klopp's change in style."