Ratings & Reactions: Liverpool v Villa

[romavillan]

Smith should get some credit for playing Grealish as a 10. For me that shape with 2 prem level full backs, 2 prem level wingers and a prem level striker coached by Smith would be nowhere near the bottom end of the table. We've got half the team we need in that case but regardless I hope we play this shape for the rest of the games we've got as it will mean we are giving our best player the best possible chance to win us a game or three.

[AvfcRigo82]

14 hours ago, romavillan said:

Smith should get some credit for playing Grealish as a 10. For me that shape with 2 prem level full backs, 2 prem level wingers and a prem level striker coached by Smith would be nowhere near the bottom end of the table. We've got half the team we need in that case but regardless I hope we play this shape for the rest of the games we've got as it will mean we are giving our best player the best possible chance to win us a game or three.

Hey Roma. Hope you're all good.

I agree we have looked a bit better since the return in small doses.

The game against Sheff Utd, Newcastle etc. Shows that we do have some good players here and it's just a shame we have not got a point or 2 more than what we have.

I think we still need to give our all in the remaining games and have good go at those teams like we have against our last 5 opponents.

We just have to try and pick ourselves up and we go again. No game is going to be easy.

[Blasterpocket68]

19 hours ago, romavillan said:

Smith should get some credit for playing Grealish as a 10. For me that shape with 2 prem level full backs, 2 prem level wingers and a prem level striker coached by Smith would be nowhere near the bottom end of the table. We've got half the team we need in that case but regardless I hope we play this shape for the rest of the games we've got as it will mean we are giving our best player the best possible chance to win us a game or three.

I agree but why has it taken most of the season to tighten things up  defensively  as a team and find the postilion  that best suits our best asset (Jack ) Had we started the season like this (OK in hindsight i know) instead of the open football with a new team of players, i believe we would be in a much better position than we currently find ourselves. Its taken far too long for Smith to realise you cant keep the footballing strategy  he employed and stuck with . Its the equivalent of racing in formula one with a Ford Fiesta . 

Still a chance if the shape and recent effort  of the team continues - but a very slim one!!

 

[flashingqwerty]

On 05/07/2020 at 20:26, Stratvillan said:

They're not left backs.

They've both played LB before, as has Hause.  All relatively successfully.

[flashingqwerty]

On 06/07/2020 at 06:50, Mjvilla said:

But, you look around at your bench, and see the crap that is sitting there... It will make you hesitate in bringing them on.

They are crap. All I saw in the match thread was about making a change and then moaning about what the subs did. This is because they are crap. He doesn't make a change, we tire and lose. He makes a change and we are alot weaker on the pitch and we lose. It's no win. 

Disagree completely.

At 60 minutes McGinn was dead on his feet.  Grealish was barely running all game, and Luiz had last a yard.

Liverpool bring on 2 sets of fresh legs in their midfield 3 and instantly they are on top, not only because their players are better, but ours were no longer able to press and chase.

Bringing on players with fresh legs may well have weakened us in terms of ability, but for liverpools first goal, all 3 of our midfield sat on their heels because they didnt have the legs to close down, where a fresh player would have done.

Again, i am not saying they wouldnt have scored, but wed have at least made it harder for them.

If as you say DS hesitated because he has no faith in his bench - well, he signed most of them if not all, so ive no sympathy.

Fresh legs over ability every time for me.  Makes a huge difference.

[flashingqwerty]

On 06/07/2020 at 12:28, villaluke said:

what would you of done differently? 

 

5th is not midtable.

Does that make Di Matteo a world class manager then, because he won the champions league once?

No, on the whole DS has finished  mid champ at best.  Its clearly his level.  Only has a plan a and does not know how to influence games.  Out thought by nearly every manager in this division.

[flashingqwerty]

On 06/07/2020 at 17:24, limpid said:

No, that's the very definition of reactive.

My biggest issue is that Smith did neither.

Our midfield tired, he didn't make a change, the opposition freshened their midfield, he did nothing, our midfield sat on their heels whislt liverpool walked on and scored, still nothing.

Then he changes our striker and winger and doesn't address the areas most in need.

Same issue as matchday one, DS just does not recognise when a games changes or refuses to change and it results in conceding 

[Stratvillan]

31 minutes ago, flashingqwerty said:

 

If as you say DS hesitated because he has no faith in his bench - well, he signed most of them if not all, so ive no sympathy.

Fresh legs over ability every time for me.  Makes a huge difference.

He signed 4/9 not most, not all. 

Perhaps we should have Coe and Ovett as a midfield2. Cant play football, but can run a lot.

You dont like Smith, fair enough, at least pick some real reasons to criticise him. There are some out there. 

[flashingqwerty]

20 hours ago, Stratvillan said:

He signed 4/9 not most, not all. 

Perhaps we should have Coe and Ovett as a midfield2. Cant play football, but can run a lot.

You dont like Smith, fair enough, at least pick some real reasons to criticise him. There are some out there. 

So putting recently injured plauers (mcGinn) at risk of reinjury by overplaying them isn't enough of a reason to criticise?

I like the bloke, and were we still in the championship, i would be delighted to have him here.  But he has consistently shown that he is tactically naieve, is unable or unwilling to change a game, and has poor game management.  I'd add that i think he has issues motivating his players, as its very rare we come out better after a half time team talk.

I'm afraid the DS experiment hasn't worked, and its time to move on.

I say again, i don't dislike him, he just isn't good enough.

[Sulberto21]

So a half arsed Liverpool totally dominated Brighton last night. Maybe just maybe we actually did perform well against them just didn't have the correct decision making in the final third to score. And when we did Alisson proved why he is the best.