I for one have been slating the players and the manager for the last few weeks but i've asked myself the following questions :-
1. Did we play with passion : Yes
2. Were there any urgency in our play? Definitely so, as if thier lives depended on it.
3. Were our passing fluid? Yes, can't see too many back passes, quick on the attack, good for a change.
4. Were they being creative in the penalty box? Yes.
5. Were we slow on the attack? No (Very fast, pass and move, resembles the great Liverpool sides of the yesteryears)
6. Were they competitive? Definitely so.
7. Did they show passion to chase for loose balls? Yes (Babel even scored with his buttock. I've said it many times before Babel needs to be in the penalty box more often to do the damage not at the wings)
8. Did we put enough players in the penalty box to create better scoring chances? Absolutely so, we were all over the place.
9. Were the positioning of our players in the penalty box good? Yes. we could see wherever the ball goes, most of the time our players got to it. Again, i've mentioned all along, we need to park Jossi at the goalmouth, he's got some good sense of positioning, and he scored a couple because of that.
10. Did we create enough scoring chances? Yes, 19 and scored 8. 1 goal in every 2.375 chances created, a very good return.
11. Did the forwards supported each other? We could clearly see that.
12. Did we start playing attacking football only when a goal down or towards the last 10 mins.? No, we attacked right from the start.
13. Did we show too much respect for the opposition? No. We played like men possessed, that's good, we need to be ruthless, a hallmark of a champion. That was the first time that i've seen Crouch being so ruthless, out of his harassment of the oppositon defenders that he created a scoring chance from nowhere and scored. We need to do that in every game.
I've been slating the team on the abovesaid weaknesses but i've seen a very very different Liverpool last night and full credit given to them, however, we do not want this to be a one game wonder and got carried away where our play falls apart again in the next game.
Again, we have to be cautious, we were playing an off form team and with due respect to Besiktas, their players were below par, similar to what happened to us in the first leg. But back to the EPL, teams won't give u so much room to play and roam and their marking will be tighter and more ruthless. So we need to up one more gear to get past teams from now. If we continue to play like the way we did, we're in for interesting times and the league champion is within sight. But 1st we have to remain focus to get past to the knock out stage and i have the feeling goal differences will decide the 2nd qualifying spot.
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