2024/25 Season

[BigChief]

Our next 3 games are ****in huge

All games in February were going to be huge. Bournemouth and Everton away arguable our toughest. We've got 4 out 6 from those when it could easily have been 2 or even 1.

Onwards we go.

[BobTheCharmer]

All games in February were going to be huge. Bournemouth and Everton away arguable our toughest. We've got 4 out 6 from those when it could easily have been 2 or even 1.

Onwards we go.

You don't think city away is tougher? They have way better players than the two teams we've played.

[Charly]

Our performaces ave dipped a little, I feel.

I was expecting a bit of tiredness to creep in eventually. It could kill our season.
hopefully this isnt that though. Just a dip in form.

I do think Endo needs a few games. Elliott too needs to get the odd game, just to keep the midfield fresh. The strikers have seen plenty of rotation anyway, so I dont think they need it. The defenders dont push forward quite as far, so should keep their legs a bit (especially the fullbacks).

[BigChief]

You don't think city away is tougher? They have way better players than the two teams we've played.

Have you seen how many they have conceded in the last couple of games? Have you seen their midfield (Kovacic, Gundogan, KdB)? Have you seen Rico Lewis and Ederson?

Sure, they might turn up against us as their cup final but I sure as hell was more afraid of Bournemouth away.

[S-RED]

Our next 3 games are ****in huge

folowed by the 3 after being huge & so on till May.

[The_weatherman]

Our performaces ave dipped a little, I feel.

I was expecting a bit of tiredness to creep in eventually. It could kill our season.
hopefully this isnt that though. Just a dip in form.

I do think Endo needs a few games. Elliott too needs to get the odd game, just to keep the midfield fresh. The strikers have seen plenty of rotation anyway, so I dont think they need it. The defenders dont push forward quite as far, so should keep their legs a bit (especially the fullbacks).

Yes, I also feel that we have to remember that this is Slots first season in the PL, it's a different animal with the Carabao Cup and the FA cup and incredibly amateurish officials. We could definitely see twists yet.

[dom9]

Akanji has been ruled out of our game.

Which might be helpful.

[DerKrampus]

Akanji has been ruled out of our game.

Which might be helpful.

Definitely is - Stones is very delicate right now.

[Paul12]

1 Everton and a few other teams have managed to block Grav out of the game. We need to find a way of countering this tactic - or find an aggressive alternativetactic - because it is having a significant impact on our attacking threat.
2 Diaz in the number 9 position is not working anymore. Jota or Nunez to start there please.
3 Everton's first goal - the non-foul apart - was very cute and did not depend entirely on Bradley's poor positioning. We need to find a solution or risk seeing it again and again.

[Doc_Piptorious]

1 Everton and a few other teams have managed to block Grav out of the game. We need to find a way of countering this tactic - or find an aggressive alternativetactic - because it is having a significant impact on our attacking threat.
2 Diaz in the number 9 position is not working anymore. Jota or Nunez to start there please.
3 Everton's first goal - the non-foul apart - was very cute and did not depend entirely on Bradley's poor positioning. We need to find a solution or risk seeing it again and again.

Think that is where our spare player in that situation needs to be stepping up and becoming the outlet for our play and as such then force the other team to remove the second player that shadows the player that more or less man marks Grav.

Looking at heat maps it appears that Grav is getting doubled up on most often in the space between the half way line and the RB slot and also close to the right to centre space between the centre of the pitch and the right flank.


So our RB and one of our other CMs need to be stepping up in terms of their responsibilty when Grav is being double marked and creating new outlets to take advantage of us having a brief numerical advantage elsewhere on the pitch.


MacAllister is very good at receiving the ball under pressure or in a tight space so he to me would be the obvious choice as the CM to use (Jones is also really good at being oress resistant so he would be another option when available again)


Switching the play to our left flank when Grav is being double marked might be an option too but not sure if Robertson or Tsimi have the skill set for it.

However for me the more teams start to copy that tactic of double marking Grav the greater the opportunity for us to fine tune a way to use it to rip teams open on the counter.

When Mo was in his prime and we had Bobby and Mane in the team, teams started doubling up on Mo all the time so we would switch the play and break out down the left flank and the other team would be down a midfielder as usually they had a midfielder go with their left back to double up on Mo.


Same sort of thing (albeit deeper within our set up) is happening now with Grav so the same prospect is there for us to find a regular empty space in the other team's set ups.

If online muckers can spot it, you can bet Slot and his team spotted it a hundred times faster and will be working on drills in training to counter it.


Imo of course.

[rudedog]

Everton were blocking the passing lanes to Grav - I think he can be a bit static at times, a bit more off the ball movement from him might fix this.

[danperkins]

I would never describe Grav as static, imo he just looked bolloxed and not up for the physical battle... he wasn't alone. Everton did get tactics spot on to be fair and played as well as they could. Didn't help that the ref constantly killed any momentum we were trying to build but what can ye do.

[BigChief]

That bit about Robertson and Tsimikas is more true than you realise. The reason teams are confident about 'leaving a gaping hole' is because that can usually only be taken advantage of by the least effective players in our team, ie either of the two above.

Jones, Mac or Szob will usually be covered by another player, ironically leaving an even larger gap but one we haven't done anything with yet. It's not a long term solution because as you said Slot will be on it like a hawk.

[Doc_Piptorious]

That bit about Robertson and Tsimikas is more true than you realise. The reason teams are confident about 'leaving a gaping hole' is because that can usually only be taken advantage of by the least effective players in our team, ie either of the two above.

Jones, Mac or Szob will usually be covered by another player, ironically leaving an even larger gap but one we haven't done anything with yet. It's not a long term solution because as you said Slot will be on it like a hawk.

Think if Robertson was four years younger then he would have the physicality to be the outlet as opposed to having the right skill set for it.


But now in 2025 with him not having the explosiveness he once had, then he would need the ability to receive the ball in tight quarters and to be able to play fast accurate passes before the other team resets.


Maybe it could be argued that TAA should have the skill set, but we just do not see it from him much this season and his passing accuracy (for such a lauded passer of the ball) this season is very very average so him becoming at outlet when Grav is double marked/cut off is not really an option imo which is why I would currently be looking at the likes of MacAllister etc as the one to funnel play through when the channels around Grav are being doubled up upon.


Next summer might be very interesting though, as Slot will have spotted all the little flaws in the team and will know eactly the sort of players he wants to bring in that compliment the qualities of those he has now and wants to build around.

[baitman]

I see the Pope isn't too well... it's a sign from above