Chelsea (A) 13/08/23 - 16:30 BST

[Exiled_red]

The result was better than I expected, the performance early on was better than I expected, the last 2/3s of the game was more what I was expecting. I was disappointed in how much we really created, I think we only had one shot on target, Salah hit the bar and Nunez went close but that's probably about it for big chances. I thought Jota was anonymous and the front 3 rarely worked as a unit. IMO it needs Gakpo in there in the Firmino role for it to work. The midfield had the obvious issue that it was missing a DM, I thought the new guys did ok but you could see that the side hadn't played together alot and players weren't always sure what they should be doing. Defensively we had issues and I had really been hoping that we would have sorted them over the summer, but where we are at the moment nothing has changed. While the double pivot role might suit TAA it really doesn't work for Robertson and Konate has alot of work to do putting out fires and I feel the ground he is having to cover means he's not playing at his best.

I still think we are at least 2 if not 3 first team players short of where we need to be, which is a massive concern, today feels like we are where we left off at the end of last season, I feel unless we improve significantly and address the clear issues we have we are in for a long season. Today we were fortunate that we came up against a side that have similar issues to us so we got away with that somewhat today, I don't know that in future weeks we will be so lucky.

Result today was a big positive but it's clear there is still alot of work to do.

[Slinky Skills]

Not sure what you mean by “claims like this”.



But as far as developing is concerned, there’s a lot of areas in football where the team needs to develop. Workrate isn’t one of them.

Claims that the team isn't pressing, it's the first game of the season Craig.

[Norbs]

100% handball. the only person thats a natural position for is Raheem Sterling

[danperkins]

The result was better than I expected, the performance early on was better than I expected, the last 2/3s of the game was more what I was expecting. I was disappointed in how much we really created, I think we only had one shot on target, Salah hit the bar and Nunez went close but that's probably about it for big chances. I thought Jota was anonymous and the front 3 rarely worked as a unit. IMO it needs Gakpo in there in the Firmino role for it to work. The midfield had the obvious issue that it was missing a DM, I thought the new guys did ok but you could see that the side hadn't played together alot and players weren't always sure what they should be doing. Defensively we had issues and I had really been hoping that we would have sorted them over the summer, but where we are at the moment nothing has changed. While the double pivot role might suit TAA it really doesn't work for Robertson and Konate has alot of work to do putting out fires and I feel the ground he is having to cover means he's not playing at his best.

I still think we are at least 2 if not 3 first team players short of where we need to be, which is a massive concern, today feels like we are where we left off at the end of last season, I feel unless we improve significantly and address the clear issues we have we are in for a long season. Today we were fortunate that we came up against a side that have similar issues to us so we got away with that somewhat today, I don't know that in future weeks we will be so lucky.

Result today was a big positive but it's clear there is still alot of work to do.

[Craig_H]

Claims that the team isn't pressing, it's the first game of the season Craig.

It’s not a claim, it’s a factual statement.

I’m also not sure why the fact that it’s the first game means there shouldn’t be energy, intensity and workrate.

The first game isn’t a rehearsal, it’s the real thing and there are points at stake. If you accept a lack of workrate due to it being the first game, that’s your call. I don’t.

[vlahka]

Today we learn this is NOT a handball...

[Fierce]

Yeah, I wholeheartedly disagree with a lot of what’s written here with regards to our performance as a whole, I thought we were much better than what appears to be the general consensus; but the pressing that has defined us since Klopp came on board has been missing for at least a season now

It has to be instructional tho, players don’t just stop doing what they’re told

[Fierce]

Today we learn this is NOT a handball...

I haven’t seen any post match chat, was it discussed at all? Bizarre decision in my admittedly biased opinion

[Craig_H]

Yeah, I wholeheartedly disagree with a lot of what’s written here with regards to our performance as a whole, I thought we were much better than what appears to be the general consensus; but the pressing that has defined us since Klopp came on board has been missing for at least a season now

It has to be instructional tho, players don’t just stop doing what they’re told

It could be a case of them physically not being able to do it.

I’d find it hard to believe that Klopp would u-turn on one of his fundament footballing philosophies and suddenly tell his players to stand off opponents with the ball, after being a manager whose footballing identity has been intense pressing for so long.

[Buzzo]

This was class and a sign of what happens when we click. We just need a few bodies in.

https://x.com/lfc/status/1690830591241891842

[frank the tank]

Yip we were electric at times at the start. Our disallowed goal was like a light switch for some reason.

Big pity we weren't a bit more clinical at the start of the game because we could have had 2 or 3 and been out of sight. Cody should have booted that ball instead of his cut back, Jota should have got out of the way of Dom, and there were one or two times where the final ball was just a little bit off. Jotas heavy one to Diaz being frustrating.

[vlahka]

I haven’t seen any post match chat, was it discussed at all? Bizarre decision in my admittedly biased opinion

I saw a VERY short bit considering how long they spent talking about everything else to the point of repetition. They agreed because it deflected off Diaz first and then hit him, its not a handball. Figure that one out.

[ric.williams]

I saw a VERY short bit considering how long they spent talking about everything else to the point of repetition. They agreed because it deflected off Diaz first and then hit him, its not a handball. Figure that one out.

is a header at goal now a deflection? clear handball. no second look. one game in and a great start for ref and var standards

[Venton]

This was class and a sign of what happens when we click. We just need a few bodies in.

https://x.com/lfc/status/1690830591241891842

Gorgeous that.

[dizzycat]

There were a lot of positives. Better decision making and a better final ball and the game could have been over after 20 minutes. Harvey was excellent when he came on and the new guys looked good and can only improve. I think it will be a few weeks before we look like a "team", but at least we look like we have something to build on.