Match Thread Leeds V Liverpool

[eggy81]

Yeah seeing what i've seen Kerkez looked good today- pretty hard for him with Gakpo in front of him going forward, hopefully we get a LW at some point or try Ekiteke there and hopefully works well.

Gakpo just pretty much ignores him

[Steveo]

I think thats to do with what midfield is out there. Macca and Dom pressed and were quick off the front man last season. (not meaning to have a go at Wirzt again) but to get him into the game. we over pass.. we do control games . without really creating anything..we had something like 80% of the ball at one point.. last season Dom pressed and Macca dropped back with Grav.. Then Macca pressed and Dom dropped back. it was very fluid. always moving the ball quicker.. but with Wirzt in there. if you dont get the play right you are open to plenty of counter attacks.. Wirzt is not A Macca or Dom player.

Most likely yes. But a genuine number 6 would give the back line far more cover and allow us to play some more risk reward passing into the final third. This rarely happens Cause we know we are so exposed if they get to break. In effect this compounds the issue - because we over commit number into advanced areas and ends up wide open.

it’s all a bit shyte tbh

[jozza800]

The midfield did look better last night until we gave away a daft peno and we then we completely lost our heads.

Not having Grav charging forward at every opportunity made a difference.

As did Jones being more available to receive a pass than Macca has been for the last 6 months.

I though Wirtz was poor with the ball tonight, but he works hard going both ways. He's certainly not a lazy player.

[Jenson78]

You can't just pick out the one player that's playing well and say the rest of the transfers were wrong.

That's not how it works.

It's easy to be 100 % correct with hindsight.

Kerkez, Frimpong & Witz were right calls, based on performances for they're old clubs. We should of just brought in Ekitike, and not bothered with injury prone diva striker as well. We sold our best winger with pace who had his best season, and left us with Mr Predictable no pace Gakpo. Every man and his dog know we need centre backs and number 6. We pissed about getting Guehi and bought in a youngster Leoni. So yes in my opinion the transfer department can be called out.

[fiordearg]

Last season at 2 nil up we would control the game by keeping possession and prevent the opposition from hurting us. That's what won us the league

[Red October]

We actually did look better last night despite the result. Jones was better than mac. Ekitike good threat. Great opportunism from him. Bradley good too.
Sadly the subs maybe destabilised things.

Once we lost the first goal we panicked. Confidence is fragile which is understandable.

It's hard to blame slot for last night. I think he did some right things like dropping mac and Salah.

Edit:
Also think the penalty was harsh. The Leeds player was never getting that ball. Contact was minimal. Modern game rubbish.

[jr81]

We actually did look better last night despite the result. Jones was better than mac. Ekitike good threat. Great opportunism from him. Bradley good too.
Sadly the subs maybe destabilised things.

Once we lost the first goal we panicked. Confidence is fragile which is understandable.

It's hard to blame slot for last night. I think he did some right things like dropping mac and Salah.

Edit:
Also think the penalty was harsh. The Leeds player was never getting that ball. Contact was minimal. Modern game rubbish.

Penalty was harsh but in today's game, a defender should never to go to ground unless absolutely necessary. That was a ridiculous decision by Konate and Leeds ayer was only delighted to pretend he was taken out. But Konate gave the officials an opportunity to make a decision.

After that, as you say, confidence is fragile and we looked every bit the scared team.

But then we composed ourselves and got back into it.

I acty thought slot would have brought salah on at 3-2. I was thinking he could stretch the attack, occupy there defenders more as he is often double teamed when played and we might have pinned them back more. The subs were where slot got it wrong for me. We invited them on. And you shouldn't so that with a team / defence that is a lacking confidence.

[miller0863]

Thing about the penalty is, if there’s a slight chance a penalty can be given against us, it WILL be given. Look at the Virgil one where the contact was outside the box and VAR went against the on field decision. Clear and obvious my backside.

[Steveo]

And it was out of nothing. I thought we were playing well actually. Apart form the opening 10 minutes we totally dominated Leeds. Not to put it all on Konate - and I don’t blame him for being picked - but he is the only way they are getting back into that game.

But again - yes - the penalty… Soft as fook. Clumsy Konate yes - ridiculous and rash Konate - yes… But with Neville all but choreographing Stockley park and influencing the referee’s decision - you know against us that’s being given.

Real shame. We would have been level with Chelsea on points… Ekitike‘s confidence back in play… But then - the penalty goes in.. and we go to absolute shyte.

A kick in the balls…

[jr81]

And it was out of nothing. I thought we were playing well actually. Apart form the opening 10 minutes we totally dominated Leeds. Not to put it all on Konate - and I don’t blame him for being picked - but he is the only way they are getting back into that game.

But again - yes - the penalty… Soft as fook. Clumsy Konate yes - ridiculous and rash Konate - yes… But with Neville all but choreographing Stockley park and influencing the referee’s decision - you know against us that’s being given.

Real shame. We would have been level with Chelsea on points… Ekitike‘s confidence back in play… But then - the penalty goes in.. and we go to absolute shyte.

A kick in the balls…

And then followed up with the bombs from Mo to exasberate the situation.

The next 6 weeks at the club will be interesting to say the least.

[Insidious]

I acty thought slot would have brought salah on at 3-2. I was thinking he could stretch the attack, occupy there defenders more as he is often double teamed when played and we might have pinned them back more. The subs were where slot got it wrong for me. We invited them on. And you shouldn't so that with a team / defence that is a lacking confidence.

I must admit I was happy enough with the subs at the time. I didn't want us to do the 4-2-4 Kitchen Sink routine and get caught on the counter.

Didn't get the win in the end and maybe we could have gone 4-2 and won, but losing 3-2 if we over-committed early wouldn't have remotely surprised me.

Bradley coming off for example (yellow card, just back from injury) I was happy with, even if people didn't love Gomez's performance - that looked a good call on paper.

Wirtz coming off to save him for Inter made sense - and so on.

[Steveo]

From 2mins

Sums it up well.. and like me - this fella has love for Gakpo the human but sees the glaring deficiency. You cannot rely on a player this limited. YEs he can post decent numbers in a team with 3 or more wold class players all bang in form. But the instant it's on him.. there's just not enough there.


CRIMINAL that we sold Diaz then made no attempt to replace him - choosing to rely on Cody - with Rio as rotation!!! MADNESS!! Bin Austen Powers & Sidekick Hughes. Slots been no manager at all but NO WAY he sanctioned the above. I don't believe it.

[jr81]

I must admit I was happy enough with the subs at the time. I didn't want us to do the 4-2-4 Kitchen Sink routine and get caught on the counter.

Didn't get the win in the end and maybe we could have gone 4-2 and won, but losing 3-2 if we over-committed early wouldn't have remotely surprised me.

Bradley coming off for example (yellow card, just back from injury) I was happy with, even if people didn't love Gomez's performance - that looked a good call on paper.

Wirtz coming off to save him for Inter made sense - and so on.

Endo for Gakpo, that could have been salah for gakpo. I think it would have forced Leeds back a bit. Bringing on endo you are inviting teams into you.

Its all mute now anyway. But he ho. Been a shit week again.

[jr81]

From 2mins

Sums it up well.. and like me - this fella has love for Gakpo the human but sees the glaring deficiency. You cannot rely on a player this limited. YEs he can post decent numbers in a team with 3 or more wold class players all bang in form. But the instant it's on him.. there's just not enough there.


CRIMINAL that we sold Diaz then made no attempt to replace him - choosing to rely on Cody - with Rio as rotation!!! MADNESS!! Bin Austen Powers & Sidekick Hughes. Slots been no manager at all but NO WAY he sanctioned the above. I don't believe it.

Agreed Steveo. Especially that last part. I don't believe any manager would sanction that. Or be happy with the cb options after selling quansah going into the season.

This was my theory of the upper boys are happy for down season as they know we aren't equipped. But it's gone horribly wrong so far.

[Martyboy]

Thing about the penalty is, if there’s a slight chance a penalty can be given against us, it WILL be given. Look at the Virgil one where the contact was outside the box and VAR went against the on field decision. Clear and obvious my backside.

Been feeling this myself....ANY chance the fuckers get to scrutinize something via VAR with us they take it....That being said it was sheer lunacy for Konate to go to ground.....