Hoffenheim (A): Post Match

[Fosterbloke]

Only the third time we've beaten a German team in this competition and both times we went on to win the cup...

[Buzzo]

Henderson took about 3-4 games to get going last season and then he was superb (until he got injured again )

Hoffenheim did not lose at home all last season so that is a very impressive result tonight.

[Shaggy]

Haha - check this out. Includes Trent's brother celebrating his goal

[ame="https://youtu.be/c9NRUnb7w7M"]1899 Hoffenheim v Liverpool 1-2 | Story of the Match - YouTube[/ame]

[Fosterbloke]

Haha - check this out. Includes Trent's brother celebrating his goal

1899 Hoffenheim v Liverpool 1-2 | Story of the Match - YouTube

His brother went absolutely mental and rightly so, how proud must he be as a sibling and Liverpool fan?

[RichC]

Midfield was poor last night both Gini and Henderson need to get going and quickly.

Not sure what more can be said about Lovren, he seems to instil panic at the back maybe to a worse level than Skrtel ever did too rash and seems to get drawn into places he shoidnt be too often, a new vocal CB would also help Mad Alby a bit more as well.

Good result mind, we could have had a fair few more but defensively we've got to be better.

[Exiled_red]

Lovren is ok when he is defending the centre of the goal, but when we play attacking fullbacks and they get caught up field and he has to go into wide areas he cannot cope.

[Fredo]

To be fair to the centre backs, they were left exposed too many times.

[Rich]

The biggest problem is the combination of Lovren and Moreno. Lovren looked better with a more disciplined LB last season, was less exposed, didn't need to get pulled out wide as much.

Both players struggle with positioning and have a tendency to follow the ball, it's amplified when they're paired together on the left.

It's bad enough playing one of them but both is defensive suicide.

[Buzzo]

It's always been this way with them. Think how bad Lovren was when he began under Brendan.

It's not viable long term to play both. The blend doesn't work.

[Cormack74]

Moreno seems to have escaped much criticism but I thought he was his usual kamikaze self and (as BT demonstrated) was effectively culpable for their pen' since he was massively out of position in the Hoff' penalty box.

Lovren wasn't great but as above, what chance has he got with Moreno next to him and no proper holding midfielders: Someone on the radio yesterday made the point about him being pretty tidy at Southamton but he was helped enormously having Wanyama in front. Then Wanyama moves to Spurs and they look mega solid at the back.

Surely it should be on JK's radar that a decent DM might be the way forward especially in CL games?

[RichC]

I think it's six of one half a dozen of the other with Lovren and Moreno I think with the right player next to them they can be effective however together they're a bit of a disaster. For me solely for his ability to get forward and that having a solid CB is more critical to the side I'd rather see Lovren replaced

[Lecter]

It was a good result but the performance was all over the place, the score could have been anything. Defensively we were a mess and could have conceded alot, attack-wise we missed some sitters.

The biggest problem is that the balance of the side isn't right, despite not really having an attacking midfielder in the midfield 3 we can't compensate for the attacking fullbacks, and constantly get caught out. The midfield 3 of Henderson, Wijnaldum and Can doesn't work, swapping Henderson out and Milner in left us in the same position. Firmino isn't a main striker. I know players are missing but the side just feels a mess now.

I thought Wiljnaldum was utter bilge last night

Grujic was far more effective in the short time he was on

[Phoenix07]

Lovren and Moreno, I mean, that just summed up our need for a CB and a possible Robertson scenario.

I can't say I'm a fan of Mane and Salah as inverted wingers. It does become very predictable, and for me, you have to be exceptional for it to work i.e. Robben and Ribery, Ronaldo, Messi when he broke through.

I think Mane and Salah would do so much damage if they were played on the right and left flanks respectively. They can penetrate between full back and centre back, and stretch the play even further. Having them strike the ball across goal with power would be good.

Terrence was sensational last night. If he carries on like this, Clyne may find himself in a bit of bother. I thought Matip was alright too, compared to his defensive partner.

Our central midfield was atrocious though. We do miss that creative spark in Coutinho/Lallana, and Wijnaldum just isn't up to scratch, as he was hardly mentioned until later in the second half. Hamez Milner did his best to drive play forward and provide a bit of dynamism.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Very good result but a very mixed performance. Somebody earlier in the threat made a comment about how we are going to get a hiding at some point this season and based on last night's play (and that on Saturday) I can see some mid table or lower team having one of those games where out fight us and put three or four past us.


The worst part is a lot of the weak links in the team are players that have been capable of real muck performnces for a few seasons now so it is old problems that are being allowed to continue.


Left back, centre back, at least one if not two midfield positions and probably a centre forward/striker (Firmino is not one but should be used in a support forward or AM/Wide AM role like he played in when he was at Hoffenheim) . Not to mention we could do with an upgrade in goals (although to be fair Mig was not a problem last night)


Moreno - not good enough at all.

Lovern - Squaddie not a mainstay

Henderson - Three seasons in a row of needing time coming back from injury.

Wijnaldum - I rate him as a player but when played alongside Can and Henderson the midfield just becomes one dimensional and very one paced.


Just feels like deja vu all the time as we seem to have been talking about the same positions needing upgrading since the end of Kenny's spell.

[Maxiedge]

If we refer back to the team that was tearing up the Prem last season (until xmas 2016), it was as follows:

Karius
Clyne
Matip
Lovren
Milner
Wini
Henderson
Lallana
Coutinho
Mane
Firmino

I'm a big fan of Can but since he's come into the team, our midfield has been ****e but strangely enough seems like our best midfield player. Maybe it's a lack of discipline?