Chelsea vs Liverpool - (FA Cup - 5th Round)

[Irishnev]

We do need another creative midfielder. We have Ox, Keita and Mini who are meant to do that to some extent. Ox and Keita can't keep fit and Keita hasn't looked the standard we need. Too early to say about Minamino but he seems to be struggling with the pace of the game and for some reason is being played out of this usual position. Jones is not at the level we need, decent and tidy but not ready to be a starter and Lallana is painful to watch. Origi is a bit of a one trick pony but is struggles to play on the left and imo is much better suited centrally.

Nobody can seem to get the ball to our front 3 quickly enough and the movement in the midfield the last few games to receive the ball from the defensive has been ****. Maybe some tiredness, injuries and a definitely drop in intensity isn't helping matters. It seems that without the fullbacks creating chances we are really struggling to do it centrally, that's when you need a player to run at teams, have a bit of guile and creativity to unlock sides. A fully fit Ox drives at teams, breaks the lines and pushes them back... nobody else is doing that. Gini is one that has it in his locker but has been off form. Where are the long diagonal balls we've been playing all season? Probably Hendo that has been orchestrating that.

The last 5 games, every team has pressed us high and we have struggled to cope. In comparison to the rest of the season we are moving the ball so slowly, no zip in passes and no movement to receive. Hendo is a huge miss but the drop in form of Virgil, Robbo, Gini, Fab, Mo and Bobby all at the same time is killing us. Need to put Bourn to the sword and shut everyone up. ****ers creeping out of the shadows now we lost a few games.

Just win and ideally with a clean sheet

[danperkins]

Just win and ideally with a clean sheet

would be perfect

[greenturnip]

I thought Jones looked good tonight - but he was playing in a side that's lost its way a bit.
The scary thing is that many of us knew there was considerable room for improvement even when we were winning game after game after game (by the odd goal). Imagine the other teams knowing that we are 22 points clear and still a work in progress. If we strengthen by getting another striker option and midfielders (to replace Adam and Shaq), matches likes this could be negotiated next season. But our squad isn't quite up to it this season.
Atleti is gonna be massive.

[Pablo]

I thought Jones looked good tonight - but he was playing in a side that's lost its way a bit.

Yes true. He did as well as could be expected in the circumstances. I want to see him as part of a full strength (and hopefully on form) team.

[Kenneth]

Jones didn't look great tonight. Hopefully just a once off

I thought he was good in what probably isn’t his natural position. Great to see a young player with no fear of receiving and control the ball despite being under pressure.

[Phoenix07]

The intensity in our play has gone. We're not quick enough to close down, and when we move the ball forward, it's not quick enough.

At least this talk of the treble can end. The focus should always have been to wrap up the league, given the 30 year wait.

[greenturnip]

Other teams have got better playing against our high defensive line too...just stop playing in midfield and drop the ball over the top and hope for a mistake.

[Lecter]

We didn’t seem to need Coutinho or a creative midfielder when we were sweeping everything aside for the past year. .

We dont need a Coutinho we just need to get back to doing what we did earlier in the season

What made us successful earlier in the season?

Intelligent pressing particularly positional pressing

Winning 2nd balls and transitioning quickly to attack

Cutting out counters through positional play because our defensive line had pushed up to condense the space between the lines

Quick and direct passing often playing diagonal balls switching the play to free space for a wide player to cross.

Relentless tempo and nature this is the mentality bit, belief in what you are doing and that it will get the results

We are not pressing with enough intent, and in terms of positional pressing its just not there at the minute. We arent winning anywhere near enough 2nd balls

In the past few weeks we have seen our players are taking far too many passes to switch the play now and in fact as a general rule they are all wanting too much time on the ball. Its become too intricate at times in and around the opposition box, earlier in the season we would move it out wide quick then back in and then back out, its hard to be a good defensive unit if your back four is constantly having to adjust and change direction

Not one of the goals we have conceded (except maybe Atletico as it was just a freak) has not been down to a mistake by us.

West Hams 1st poor marking off a corner, 2nd the midfield stood off and the back four backed off too much.

Watfords 1st mistake by Lovren compounded by Van Dijk not putting a challenge in, 2nd half-hearted challenge by Robertson left Van Dijk flat footed, 3rd Lovren got bullied and then Trent made a shocking pass

Chelsea yesterday their 1st was terrible by Fabinho initially but Adrian should be saving that all day long, their 2nd Barkley was allowed to run 50 yards without any player engaging him, Gomez should have gone to him earlier

3 losses in 4 games, 3 games in 4 that we have failed to score theres a good stat I saw where our possession has increased but our chances and xG has dropped quite alarmingly since the break

[Lecter]

Other teams have got better playing against our high defensive line too...just stop playing in midfield and drop the ball over the top and hope for a mistake.

In the last few games how many goals have we conceded from a ball like that??

[Lecter]

The intensity in our play has gone. We're not quick enough to close down, and when we move the ball forward, it's not quick enough.

This all day long, we dont press with as much intensity as we had been, we dont win enough 2nd balls and we are far too slow in possession

The last few games have become a bit like the back end of Brendan Rodgers era very lethargic possession based game that goes nowhere and little appetite to win the ball back until they get near our penalty box

[Havors]

I disagree - I thought for the most part he was very good on the ball but just wasn’t involved enough. I saw some stats after the game that he was comparable to Gilmour for touches, passing accuracy, dribbles etc but nobody mentioned it

I think he will be involved a lot more next season

He was completely anonymous for me. Especially the first half. I literally forgot he was playing in the first half.

He is a kid though so we can expect that I guess.

[Lecter]

He was completely anonymous for me. Especially the first half. I literally forgot he was playing in the first half.

He is a kid though so we can expect that I guess.

He had a period in one of the halves were he looked half decent

I thought Gilmour completely bossed him when he got it other than that

I think Jones has a lot of potential, I am just not sure hes going to realise it with us, not sure his game suits us

[greenturnip]

In the last few games how many goals have we conceded from a ball like that??

But this sort of thing can make a contribution to our downfall without directly leading to goals. It unsettles the whole team, seeing our defenders constantly running back to goal, scrambling, the keeper uncertain what to do, the crow gets up, more noise, nervousness, loss of confidence in us, more confidence in the opposition...

[Lecter]

But this sort of thing can make a contribution to our downfall without directly leading to goals. It unsettles the whole team, seeing our defenders constantly running back to goal, scrambling, the keeper uncertain what to do, the crow gets up, more noise, nervousness, loss of confidence in us, more confidence in the opposition...

Nah dont buy that

If its causing you to concede goals then fine but it isnt

In fact it could be argued that the 2nd goal for West Ham and the 2nd goal for Chelsea came from actively dropping off rather than moving up to engage higher up the field

[Phoenix07]

He had a period in one of the halves were he looked half decent

I thought Gilmour completely bossed him when he got it other than that

I think Jones has a lot of potential, I am just not sure hes going to realise it with us, not sure his game suits us

I think he needs more first team action now, as he's good enough for the youth levels, but there's the physicality and tempo of senior football he has to adjust too.

Whether that is a loan move, or more appearances in the first team with us, it remains to be seen. I'd favour keeping him here.