English Football Thread 2014/15

[Champagnepapi]

Even if Suarez was still at Liverpool, what could've happened today? Would he change anything? No because he is banned for the next 4 months. And whether this long term ban will affect his performance, no one knows. I just hope he returns to his normal self.

 

[Champagnepapi]

So what has United done? A Leicester.
Simply can't say that with 2 games gone, and playing Man City is always a tough ask for any team now a days.

 

[Epic]

I'm back it seems, I was so hyped couple of hours prior to the game, just awaiting to see the team sheet, that feeling of excitement and it's sustained well in considering the game's done, shame the international (leg) break is coming up though.

On the game itself, I wouldn't look too much into it from a Pool perspective, it's only 2 games and it's going to take a while for all these new signings to settle, Moreno had a good game up until the mistake on the 1st goal and it all seemed to go downhill from there, 51% of our attacks came off his side I believe, most of that was from us exploiting the gap between Lovren and Moreno, so part of the blame falls on Lovren as well, but it's purely an understanding and lack of cohesion issue that will get sorted with time and work in the training ground. I was looking at Pool's options at FB and I see that they have 5 FBs and 3 RBs right now, is there any chance Flanno or Johnson might be getting sold or loaned out before the window closes? Considering Manquillo was just signed on loan, he's here to stay... and Agger, again didn't even make the bench with Kolo ahead of him, no idea where he's going to end up, Barca would've been a good call had they not signed Mathieu.

Gerrard though, I think he is incapable of playing the role Rodgers has him playing right now, especially against the big teams, the things Fernando was doing on the pitch for us defensively today (I really lost count of how many times the commentators thought he was Kompany), compare that to the cover and protection Gerrard provided Skrtel and Lovren, that's where the problem lies and it's the mystery to having a good defense while not compromising the free flowing football.
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If you seen the the game today, we had the ball, but not as much as City, and when we did have the ball we made things happen and it just wasn't good enough. Coutinho has been a let down for the last 2 games as he was the men who was the best one in pre-season. Got tight fixtures to start with, and I'm happy about that.
We should just go back to our 4-4-2 diamond.
Flano-Sakho-Lovren-Moreno
Gerrard(DM)
Hendo-Can
Sterling(AM)
Balo-Sturridge
I think Rodgers should look for a goal keeper(Backup) as at times Mignolet just doesn't seem to be positioned well like for the third goal today.

Balotelli and Sturridge playing together and playing well, I'll have to see to believe.

 

[Champagnepapi]

Balotelli and Sturridge playing together and playing well, I'll have to see to believe.

It'll be good in a way that both will go greedy which means more goals, but bad because the amount of good passes they will miss out on in the box will cost a lot more goals.
If Ballo is to start I think Rodgers will definitely go back to 4-4-2 diamond.

 

[Epic]

It just means a lot of the creative burden will fall on both the 1s who play behind the 2, and the glaring difference between Balotelli and Sturridge is, especially with it being a 4-4-2 diamond, the 2 strikers have to be capable of going out wide to both find space and track the fullbacks occasionally which Suarez could do so well being a proper forward and so to Sturridge to a certain extent from his time playing out wide, Balotelli though, is completely incapable of that.

 

[Umair7]

So what has United done? A Leicester.
Simply can't say that with 2 games gone, and playing Man City is always a tough ask for any team now a days.

Nope you will do that !

 

[Champagnepapi]

Tell me how?
The difference is that we brought players that were key to their teams and have natural talent, Emre Can played a crucial part in for Leverkusen whilst Markovic played really well with Benfica and thus got the name as the "new Messi" Spurs on the other hand brought only Erkisen, that's the way you sum it up really, all the players they brought in had no Premier league experience, but half the signings we made do and some all I think have champions league experience apart from the Southampton boys, so that just means our players can settle in on PL, when Markovic came on yesterday he have us chances to put us back into the game, but we were missing that second striker.
Nope, United will do a Fulham !

 

[Champagnepapi]

@Umair2000, How are you feeling down there at Manchester?

 

[shravi]

Gerrard though, I think he is incapable of playing the role Rodgers has him playing right now, especially against the big teams, the things Fernando was doing on the pitch for us defensively today (I really lost count of how many times the commentators thought he was Kompany), compare that to the cover and protection Gerrard provided Skrtel and Lovren, that's where the problem lies and it's the mystery to having a good defense while not compromising the free flowing football.

That's probably why we've got to switch to a 4-4-2 diamond with Henderson and Can protecting Gerrard, and either Sterling or Coutinho playing at the tip. Allen is a little too lightweight to have both him and Gerrard in the line-up. Allen can play in games when Gerrard is rested, however.

 

[SpitfiresKent]

''Yeah, lets rest a load of my best players because y'know...what with all that European football we have this season'' [HASHTAG]#VanGaalLogic[/HASHTAG]

United should have been aiming to win this competition seeing as they're not in Europe this season, I really don't understand the logic behind the team he put out tonight.

Oh well...lets all laugh at United

 

[Epic]

That's probably why we've got to switch to a 4-4-2 diamond with Henderson and Can protecting Gerrard, and either Sterling or Coutinho playing at the tip. Allen is a little too lightweight to have both him and Gerrard in the line-up. Allen can play in games when Gerrard is rested, however.

That would do even in a 4-3-3, Allen and Gerrard should never play together unless a proper DM like Can or Lucas is in the side.

 

[shravi]

That would do even in a 4-3-3, Allen and Gerrard should never play together unless a proper DM like Can or Lucas is in the side.

Yea, but in a 4-3-3 with Henderson, Can, and Gerrard, there is nobody adequately connecting midfield and attack. They don't offer enough going forward in terms of assists and shots (although Henderson is starting to get into goalscoring positions more often now).

 

[Epic]

A lot of the creative burden would fall on Gerrard then, I see your point, and the whole reason why Gerrard moved deeper was because he just doesn't have it in him to play the B2B role that's needed from someone in a 4-3-3, so it is a bit of a rock and a hard place. Another thing with the diamond, I can't see it getting played when one of Sturridge or Balotelli are injured, just don't think Rodgers would start Lambert over Coutinho or Markovic (I'm of the notion that Sterling will play as the 1 behind the 2 strikers).

 

[shravi]

A lot of the creative burden would fall on Gerrard then, I see your point, and the whole reason why Gerrard moved deeper was because he just doesn't have it in him to play the B2B role that's needed from someone in a 4-3-3, so it is a bit of a rock and a hard place. Another thing with the diamond, I can't see it getting played when one of Sturridge or Balotelli are injured, just don't think Rodgers would start Lambert over Coutinho or Markovic (I'm of the notion that Sterling will play as the 1 behind the 2 strikers).

If one of them is injured, Sterling can play as one of the two strikers with Coutinho as the #10, but it is more likely that Lambert would start as one of the two strikers in that scenario or Rodgers will switch back to a 4-3-3.

 

[Epic]

Sterling as 1 of the 2 strikers is an option I suppose, but really I don't think going back to the diamond would even be on the table (other than the odd game) if Sanchez was signed instead of Balotelli, just like it was with Sturridge and Suarez, it comes more from a need to play both centrally while retaining the 3 in midfield than to actually get a tactical advantage.