These games do seem to crop up with alarming regularity. Alarming for a team like Liverpool FC at least.
I think it's a combination of no fire in the belly, and more importantly, naive tactics on the gaffer's part. It only takes a team to press us and we go to pieces. Even Suarez got closed down for 90 minutes.
We say the way to beat the mancs is to play on their toes, and in their faces, to hound them from start to finish. If you let us play, we'll give you a hard time, but if you don't let us play, we'll give you the ball and the points.
I am fully behind what the gaffer is trying to do. That's have a young, very technical side that can pass you to death. The troubling part for me, is can that technically gifted side, also stand up to the more rigorous aspect of an opponents' playing style?
The gaffer knows what kind of players he wants to play a certain system, but I'm beginning to think that's the one problem for him. Namely, those who tend to be technically gifted, seldom seem to cope well with the more physical aspects of the game. And not just the physical sides, but sides that simply hound and press you all over the park.
But isn't it a fact that the team that hounds and presses, is the team that's expending the most energy? In that case, surely we need to be more patient with our passing style, and keep the ball, because in doing so, we tire the other team out. Eventually. Isn't that what the gaffer means when he says 'death by football'?
For that you need players who can pass and keep possession under pressure, and I think that is what the gaffer needs to work on. Our players need to keep a cool head when the opposition are trying to force you into mistakes.
Personally, I think the gaffer is going in the right direction. But for every Coutinho in your side, you need a Souness, for every Hansen, there was a Lawrenson, and for every Suarez (to be fair, Suarez is not shrinking violet), you needed a Rush. Better still, you want players that can do it all - pass, and show guts when needed. Our teams of yesteryear could play some great football, but they also knew how to keep the ball under pressure. I think the game has changed though, what with the back pass rule, that it isn't as easy to keep the ball anymore - but it can still be done, using the defence and goalkeeper as an extra defender (boy did we miss Reina yesterday).
Our current side can pass the ball, but can't keep it whilst under pressure
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