I have no problem with a defeat, my problem is the manner of the defeat. Apart from 2 or 3 players today nobody was showing any real intention of winning anything. Virgil was left all alone by his fellow defenders but also from his midfield cover almost all game (the only midfielder with an okay game in that midfield was Henderson). Alisson had an absolute stinker. Salah and Mane both walking around with no aim.
Absolutely no directness to our game. How many times in a game can you sprint down the flank and then stop and pass it back 20 yards. At least cross a couple of those for god's sake or take it further.
As soon as we conceded the early goal I knew the best we could hope was a draw. I'm not talking in terms of points or even the quality of the squad but one thing I noticed since the beginning of the season is that despite the fact this is the first loss we are not showing any type of spirit associated with winning a tittle. Every time we go down you automatically know its a draw at best. No spirit, no fight, no belief. Even when we are up and concede an equalizer you can feel that it might be too much. Apart from the Chelsea game, I can't remember a league game where we went down or conceded an equalizer and ended up winning. As long as the opposition is dogged and can put us on the ropes you can feel it while watching that we'll throw in the towel and settle for a draw at best.
I also have an issue with how we create our chances when teams are parking it in front of their box. We scored from a free-kick and an individual effort from Origi. We sit in front of the opposition's box and pass it around with no aim. You'd think we are waiting for some space to be opened, for one of the forwards to pull a defender or anything but no, nothing happens until the ball is predictably sent to Robertson who passes it back to Mane who gives it to Fabinho who sends it back to the centre halves. Rinse and repeat until you get caught and you're suddenly defending a 3 on 2 with Virgil or Alisson saving the day. What is the plan when teams predictably sit back after equalizing or going up against us? I don't see one. I don't even see us trying to pop one or two from outside the box at least in order to shake things up and force those midfielders to move a bit toward our ball carrier. If our full-backs are our main creative weapons and we know that most of the time we'll get to face teams content with sitting in 3 low and compact block then F**k it play Origi or go and buy somebody capable of giving actual sense to crosses in that context. You can see the full-backs are wanting to cross but all they see is a box full of tall defenders and little shapes in between in the form of Mane, Salah and Jota (and no the headers those 3 scores are not the same type of headers you need when the forwards and opposition's backline is static and waiting with the face towards the ball).
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Okay I understand he's coming back to play from another long period out and that we don't necessarily know what are the instructions he is receiving but what is this guy's bread and butter if it isn't running with the ball at feet through the centre and half spaces and shooting? The former he only does two or three times a game despite it being visibly better than whatever we are doing the rest of the game and the latter he attempts once or twice every two games or so.
Fabinho. One of the few players the team's form depends on. If he plays bad we play bad. The reality is that this season he has mostly played very average games and you can see that it's hurting us. Let down his backline many times today with and without the ball.
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