In defence, I'll admit it's ever since Carra and Neville highlighted it on a Monday Night Football, that I have seen his propensity to just back off endlessly. He's a nervous type, because the few times where he doesn't back off he makes rash tackles and rash decisions to rush out, twice already we've seen him rush out and get passed either between the legs or by whatever means to people running in behind him, those have resulted in goals. Lovren has shouldered some of the blame for those goals and while he is meant to cover for his CB partner, he also shouldn't be expect to carry the entire burden of defending.
Just goes to show how we all view football from different angles and viewpoints.
I don't see any of this backing off from Sakho that you mention he is usually a front foot defender who tries to anticipate the danger and admittedly in his aggression to cut out the danger has made errors. I think you have confused Sakho with Skrtel who is the back off master and quite often looks like he will end up in the back of the net backing off.
We do indeed see the game from different angles and your's as you've admitted is skewed by your belief that Sakho, a left-sided centre half, is better than Skrtel who plays on the right. Sakho played a lot last season [on merit?] but to get into the team [on merit], this season, he needs to be better than Lovren,
not Skrtel,
...
Anyhow, on the subject of "backing off" - my take on it [yet another 'different angle'
] -
What I saw was a defence who just weren't comfortable together at times and seemed not to trust each other as a unit [keeper, back four and holding/defensive mid'].
For me the problem starts with Simon - when we play a high line, leaving a lot of space behind and little cover in front of the centre halves - he just doesn't sweep or command that space [even vocally] in a manner which breeds confidence. And, if I'm being honest, Stevie too offers less cover than a dedicated defensive midfielder.
Lack of cover, on the flanks, in front and behind the centre-halves, has (in my opinion) often left our two centre halves with little option other than to drop off the ball/attacker or, when it's played over the top, to defend facing their own goal. Neither of which are conducive to good defending practice.
I don't 'do' Sky TV, so I'm not sure what they said but I'm glad to see that the pundits have,
finally, twigged on to the glaringly obvious.
Oh... and... as for own goals - well the chances of that happening are always enhanced when you're having to defend facing your own net or covering the 'space' behind and carrying the burden for your defensive 'partner'.
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