Real Madrid v Liverpool (CL Match Thread)

[Steveo]

A high point in critical analysis, well done Steveo, small steps and all

"critical analysis".

[justme]

then you have less attackers. means you will have to drop someone from the forward area to make up for extra defender.. besides its pretty much like that anyway. Fabinho does drop deep to collect the ball and we do use our fullbacks as wing backs..
To me its the centre of the pitch thats the issue.. we have no centre forward in the box..
All teams get caught on the counter attack its how you deal with it that matters.. TAA has to do better defensively.

[skyebo]

then you have less attackers. means you will have to drop someone from the forward area to make up for extra defender.. besides its pretty much like that anyway. Fabinho does drop deep to collect the ball and we do use our fullbacks as wing backs..
To me its the centre of the pitch thats the issue.. we have no centre forward in the box..
All teams get caught on the counter attack its how you deal with it that matters.. TAA has to do better defensively.

Both full backs form has dipped at the same time, but as there is no-one at the club that comes close to them on ability, you pick them and hope they turn their form around.

[Steveo]

Both full backs form has dipped at the same time, but as there is no-one at the club that comes close to them on ability, you pick them and hope they turn their form around.

Yes but - if you are a proper club with genuine ambition - you go and buy players to push them all the way and challenge for a berth.. The form has dipped across the entire team. It dipped before Virgils injury - it dipped late last last February, well over a year ago. They have played too much football at Klopp's required intensity.

The end

[redebreck]

I'm starting to worry about him hes looked gone for months. Arsenal he looked a bit sharper but from the second half I saw he looks back to where he was. The chance that Jota put on for him, he would have buried that last season. He gets in front of their man and puts it away. Not even sure if its form anymore either.
The front 3 needs changing up, we've all said this for long enough but right now he looks like the one who would have to make way out of the three that started tonight.
This whole season just needs a line drawing under it.

That's how I've felt since around December. Too many games in too short a season, with a small squad.

[redebreck]

Sometimes you have to hold your hands up and say you were beaten by the better side.

That happened last night clearly are Madrid great ? No they are not and they are beatable but as Souness says you have to be at it from kick off.

If we start to lose ground on 4th id be leaving out Mane Robbo Trent they are knackered / out of form.

We need to freshen the squad up with fresh players this summer.....yes we should have done this before but that horse has bolted.

Next season will seeing if we can challenge for a title but being honest I expect baldy will spend £150m again and run away with the title again.

+1

[CCTV]

Yes but - if you are a proper club with genuine ambition - you go and buy players to push them all the way and challenge for a berth.. The form has dipped across the entire team. It dipped before Virgils injury - it dipped late last last February, well over a year ago. They have played too much football at Klopp's required intensity.

The end

Great teams play with intensity and they really haven't played too many minutes when you consider they've avoided significant injury over these last few years.

Nowhere near the minutes of a peak messi for example, played 5800 minutes roughly the year he was at his absolute best.

Mane for example only played 4,000+ minutes in one of the last few seasons where we won the champions league.

That Barca side were intense and had players who played every game. Messi with 10 la ligas iirc and xavi and iniesta smashing it on the world stage for Spain.

None of our players are at the level of messi in his pomp, xavi or iniesta, virgil would have made their team better and probably seen them retain their CL title at some point.

[Steveo]

And you think Messi or anyone in that Barca side played with anything like the intensity that playing in the Premier league under Klopp commands. Have you been watching anything these last few years?

Seriously?

I understand you are desperate to prove that black is white - but it will never be so.

[CCTV]

Messi raked up around 15,000 minutes over 3 seasons in club football alone.
At his peak he played with an amazing intensity in one of the best pressing sides I've ever seen. Xavi and insists too unbelievable hard workers off the ball.
Not sure how you saw them as anything else tbh.

[justme]

pressing teams are fine if the opposition have no intension of counter attacking.. means you only have to cover the oppositions half. Messi could get away with not having to run backwards to defend.