I think the main point to come out of today was the vulnerability of the top sides, especially when facing up to the "park the bus" tactics now being employed by so many teams who approach matches against top 4 teams with no ambition whatsoever.
In the first half it seemed Liverpool lacked that cutting edge in the final third, despite dominating possession. In fact, up until the 69th minute goal, the best chance of the match had been miraculously deflected off target and onto the crossbar by the Liverpool keeper, who was BBC's man of the match.
Although that was very much against the run of play, it makes you realise just how vulnerable the top sides are. In truth, before Liverpool scored, the match looked for all money a 0-0 draw, and after the goal, Blackburn started to play, creating opportunities galore for Liverpool to rack up the goals.
At Old Trafford an even bigger bus was parked in front of the goal with Sunderland rarely getting the ball past the half way line. It took 27 attempts on goal and the 91st minute of the game to penetrate that bus. United had Rooney, Berbatov, Tevez, and Ronaldo all on the park together, and yet it took a centre half to break the deadlock. 120 million pounds worth of strikers couldn't penetrate a bus Roy Keane walked away from because it was in such a state of disrepair. At least Liverpool can say their 30 million pound striker was missing,the other one sitting in the stands sadly out of form, and take some consolation from that.
Back to Liverpool, and although I hear many fans basking in the glory of being top, and making those predictable comments about how winning ugly is ok, I suspect underneath that positive exterior is a compelling desire to see their team finish games off much quicker, and be much more clinical in their approach in the final third. You have to wonder how much of Liverpools pattern of winning games late on is due to attitude, and how much is due to the opponents ability to resist.
The passing in the midfield looks slick, and then the moves break down time and time again in the final third. Not enough balls are coming from deep on the wings, meaning the fullbacks are not pushing forward and taking on defenders down the outside, crossing it in away from the keeper, back across the goal face. On the few occasions that did happen last night, Babel was not in a forward position to take advantage, but also there was a distinct lacking of any midfielders in the box. Are Liverpool paying too much respect to teams like Blackburn, by not getting players forward until the latter stages where sheer desperation drives them forward. It wont always pan out like last night, and before I am convinced that this title can be won by Liverpool, I would like to see these issues addressed.
Liverpool need to start games with more ambition, and push players forward, make more wide runs, and get players into the box. That style of play last night will result in more draws being racked up as the season goes by, potentially killing off yet another dream.
At this stage some heart can be taken from the fact that rival teams are having just as much trouble killing off games, however, you have to think at some stage either Chelsea or Man Utd will string together a winning run and stamp their authority on the season, so it is imperative that Liverpool sort these problems out sooner rather than later.
My advice is to tell the players when they go out there to imagine they are 1-0 behind when the game starts. With that mindset you will no doubt see a more determined approach from the start. You will see a different "first half" Liverpool.
« Last Edit: Dec 07, 2008 11:09:02 am by smigger15 »
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