Which brings me on to this mate:
For, as long as we play without a defensive midfielder, I'm not sure any partnership will be much better [goals conceded] than an other. However I would have no problem giving it a go. A settled back four/five would at least give us further insight to where exactly the defensive 'problem' lies.
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I think you are right to an extent dude BUT the errors on Monday had less to do with our midfield and more to do to do with the positioning of our back four in relation to each other. Neville and Carra did a pretty good job of covering all the goals and also the Clyne goal against Saints last season.
In a nutshell:
- The Clyne goal could have been prevented if the Skrtel and Lovren and shuffled themselves across a few yards to better cover the danger and cut off the space Clyne was able to attack
- The first goal at City was down to a poor clearance after Moreno got caught on his heels and then swung the wrong boot at the ball
- The Aguero goal could have been prevented of Lovren and Skrtel had simply dropped off a few yards and shuffled out to the left in response to the fact Moreno was pushed up marking a player on the left touch line.
So two of the four goals we have conceded could have probably been prevented by a few subtle adjustments by our back four. They 've got to get this part of the game right otherwise we could be in trouble this season. It seems unlikely we will score quite as many as last season so I'm use sing we need to tighten up to the tune of 15+ goals.
That's not to say we couldn't and shouldn't make some adjustments in midfield, we should. I actually would revamp the way we play away from home a touch because I feel we have it in us to be the best side in the league on the break with players like Sturridge, Sterling, Lallana and Coutinho along with Gerrard and Henderson's eye for a ball into space. It wouldn't be such a bad shout to give it up the ball and suck a few sides in, much like Houllier used to do.
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