... who is at fault. There was I, in the Kop on Sunday, when Palace got the corner. Long before the ball came in, I envisaged it already in the back of the net. And so it proved.
I know he couldn't reveal it and for obvious reasons, but, is it Klopp or the team (or both?) that consistently fails at set pieces, 30-40goals per season? Zonal, man-for-man, something else, what is the system, if any, they are supposed to do?
When you reflect on the performances, especially at the start, the very start of the season when they spanked Arsenal at the Etihad, their defence at set pieces are abysmal.
Is it me, or do the players appear to freeze, consistently, when the ball comes in? Stuck in their zones, not-my-fault attitudes? Just looking at Benteke's second goal, every defender was statuesque,totally immobile, both before, during, and after Christian ran around them, unchallenged, untouched, and headed the ball into the back of the net. Frozen rigid would be an apt description of the Reds players in these circumstances. Rabbits caught in the headlights.
By my main point is this. It wasnt just Sunday,or this month or this year you can go back to beyond Brendan to see the same.
Can't anyone change it?
JimmyTheRed
I wonder out loud ...
posted on 26/4/17
Just a question of quality. You have no defensive quality in the team. Players, even the defenders don't track their runners, attacks at pace draw players out of position too easily leaving spaces. The answer is simply and clearly buy four decent defenders and a decent holding player and make the rest more tactically astute.
posted on 26/4/17
We need a leader who can command and organise the back 4.
Matip is a great defender but not a leader. We need one alongside him.
When Carra played all you heard was his high pitch voice screaming "Ger out" or "Get back". He was always putting players in the correct position. Our current team are silent at corners and set pieces. Our keeper is too quiet as well.
We need a leader in defence and one in midfield.
We lack leaders
Leaders are the answer Jimmy
posted on 26/4/17
Many thanks Bobby D,I knew I'd made a mistake but brain stopped working.
JTR
posted on 26/4/17
T Bone, I agree. Now that you've said it, the answer is relatively simple. No leaders.
I've watched Joel M and thought he was a really good defender, but you are right. You never see or hear him shouting, throwing feks in, left right and centre. The only Red I've seen this season doing that job, and doing it very well indeed is on loan to Palace.
JimmyTheRed
posted on 26/4/17
comment by Greatteamswinit4times- a terrible enemy (U6008)
posted 29 minutes ago
I don't think the goal on Sunday is a great example against zonal marking. Firmino, who's job it is to cut out the low/ miss hit corner completely misses the ball. When you do that, then it gives anyone else behind no time to react, especially 6 yards from goal.
My issue with zonal systems comes from allowing the attacking team to gain a run on you. Ultimately, we haven't had leaders and organisers at the back for years. We also have a relatively small team. Once you take out our CB's, we have very little. If you look at a lot of teams, then they may have 3 CB's, at least one full back and maybe a DM who are six foot plus and good in the air.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I agree
We have a small team. The smallest in the league.
This is why we can be bullied by teams and are suspect at set pieces when launched into the box.
We do lack natural leadership too. The players panic, but our lack of physicality is an issue that needs addressed. We want good footballers, but we also need a bit of steel in key positions.
posted on 26/4/17
It's not just the defenders though, it's team concentration as a whole that is consistently lacking and people not doing their jobs.
At the weekend it was a truly terrible miskick from Firmino from which was an easy clearance.
If it's not him then it's Wijnaldum bizarrely heading it back into our penalty area.
If it's not him then it's Can ball watching giving his man a free run at the ball.
And so on, there's always at least one player who's not doing their role properly. Until players learn to concentrate we won't improve.
posted on 26/4/17
comment by Neo (U9135)
posted 20 minutes ago
It's not just the defenders though, it's team concentration as a whole that is consistently lacking and people not doing their jobs.
At the weekend it was a truly terrible miskick from Firmino from which was an easy clearance.
If it's not him then it's Wijnaldum bizarrely heading it back into our penalty area.
If it's not him then it's Can ball watching giving his man a free run at the ball.
And so on, there's always at least one player who's not doing their role properly. Until players learn to concentrate we won't improve.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
This. What you call concentration, I call tactical awareness. Players diving in, losing players they are marking, ball watching, stepping out and destroying team shape. They lack intelligence in that area.
posted on 26/4/17
Lack of leadership and incisive decision making when the pressure is on.
I was in CU stand on Sunday, after the little Brazilian's special moment the game changed, we sat back, invited them to break leaving our weak defence wide open. The goals from CP were an inevitability.. and as for Klopp's substitutions, we might as well have waved the white flag.. but in his (time limited) defence his options on the bench were shockingly poor.
I left immediately after the second CP goal went it, haven't done that for a long time but saw there was no way we were coming back in the time left and with the performance of the players out there. Only silver lining was that I made it out of the city in super quick time and there was no delays through the M6 roadworks.
Back up for the game against the Saints... fingers crossed.
posted on 27/4/17
I've never understood zonal marking and hated it when I played at semi pro level too. Everyone shirked any responsibility, no one was responsible for any of the opposing players as they can move from one "zone" in to another team mates.
Players will always attack the ball. If you're asking the defending team to attack the space, the attackers will always have the advantage. We were weak from defending set pieces under Rafa, and we still are now.
posted on 27/4/17
Liverpool haven't been able to defend since Rafa left your club. But Klopp has to change this and really you need to invest in the defence and GK if you want to challenge at the top. The attack is up there the best Mane Firmino and Coutinho are three world class forward players.