Positives & Negatives v Liverpool (one of each please)

[Richard]

Positive we turned up and played well

Negative The game was too fast for Pablo he needs replacing urgently

[gerryjo1984]

Positive

We took our chances. 3 on target, 3 goals. Imagine some of the scores we could have ran up last season with that efficiency.

Negative

Pablo. Game passed him by. We had enough possession for him to make an impact but he didn't. Probably shouldn't be a starter anymore.

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[weasel]

Negative

Can't really think of one to be honest, that's about as good a defence can play on 2 days training..

They won't have even had 2 days training if Cooper got injured on Friday as they would have been working on Koch and Cooper playing together or Cooper and Struyjk. I doubt Sruyjk and Koch would have had any time training together in terms of defensive positioning and shape.

It looked like we defended better in the second half as likely Koch and Struyjk would have been able to talk to each other at half time about what to do and how to play to each other's strengths more having had 45 minutes to see how each other plays.

[The Subhuman]

They won't have even had 2 days training if Cooper got injured on Friday as they would have been working on Koch and Cooper playing together or Cooper and Struyjk. I doubt Sruyjk and Koch would have had any time training together in terms of defensive positioning and shape.

It looked like we defended better in the second half as likely Koch and Struyjk would have been able to talk to each other at half time about what to do and how to play to each other's strengths more having had 45 minutes to see how each other plays.

Coop injured with Scotland apparently ....so we maybe had more time, but, for something that should take a couple of months, to produce a decent defensive display in 2 days is quite something.

[andrewjohnsmith]

Positive...
Never dropped their heads, came straight back no matter what

Negative...
IMO... (not a critisism) Hernandez has to come on in the second half... much more impact after watching where he can exploit through the first half.

I think that's a fair point. Hernandez started the game really well. But he's only effective for 50 to 60 minutes. He'd obviously be more destructive coming on as the opposition tires. We're obviosuy on the look out for a number 10, which would make this more workable

[Denman]

Positive - The confidence gained by holding our own against such a good side.

Negative - Coming away with nowt when we deserved a point.

[1964white]

Positive

We took our chances. 3 on target, 3 goals. Imagine some of the scores we could have ran up last season with that efficiency.

Negative

Pablo. Game passed him by. We had enough possession for him to make an impact but he didn't. Probably shouldn't be a starter anymore.

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Welcome to MOT Gerryjo

[1964white]

I think that's a fair point. Hernandez started the game really well. But he's only effective for 50 to 60 minutes. He'd obviously be more destructive coming on as the opposition tires. We're obviosuy on the look out for a number 10, which would make this more workable

I wouldn't write Pablo off after our first game of the season!

[Bally]

Positive looked dangerous going forward

Negative
Squad depth isn’t strong enough a couple of injuries to key players and We’d struggle

[Ratscoot]

Positive: Our players proved their quality

Negative: Set-piece vulnerability

Ditto

[lufc1304]

Positive: We more than held our own against the champions

Negative: Already been said, but the game passed Pablo by. We need a 10, with Pablo as an impact sub

[The Subhuman]

Pablo has had off days before, he usually responds with 2 or 3 stormers ...plus he was probably their guy to keep quiet.

[The Subhuman]

And regarding the set piece vulnerability, not sure you can call a pen a set piece and it's an awfully small sample size to imply we have an issue with them.

[lufc1304]

Pablo has had off days before, he usually responds with 2 or 3 stormers ...plus he was probably their guy to keep quiet.

That's true and I'm certainly not writing him off, but I think Bielsa will have to pick and choose which games to start him in. He looked lost yesterday, something that was hard to comprehend and watch. but there will be games which are tailormade for him and I don't think we've seen the last of him as a playmaker. But the reality is he'll be 36 before this season is finished and, with the best will in the world, it's unrealistic to expect him to be consistently influential in a 38 game Prem season. Hence my assertion that we need a new 10.

[whiteswan]

We matched the mega rich Champions making their defence look silly at times

Giving away 2 penalties which handed then the 3 points

[Broad Ford]

Positive: Couldn't have asked anymore from the attackers. Superb.

Negative: What should have been an unlikely point gained, thrown away by naive late defending.

[1964white]

Pablo has had off days before, he usually responds with 2 or 3 stormers ...plus he was probably their guy to keep quiet.

Indeed no way would I write off Pablo after one poor game by his standards

[The Subhuman]

We matched the mega rich Champions making their defence look silly at times

Giving away 2 penalties which handed then the 3 points

Actually they've spent around 33 Mill over the last 3 seasons. They're where they are because of management, bit like us

[hector]

+ve we played well
-ve we lost

[weasel]

And regarding the set piece vulnerability, not sure you can call a pen a set piece and it's an awfully small sample size to imply we have an issue with them.

Indeed. First goal is down to bad luck and the person running VAR not doing their job. 2nd whilst it was from a corner saw our player deliberately blocked. 3rd goal we won the header from the free kick and but for it falling straight to Salah it would probably have been cleared. 4th was simply a rash tackle rather than anything to do with set pieces.

People made it out as a huge issue last season and whilst we did look vulnerable at times we also had the best defence so it was hardly like we were conceding by the bucketload. Hopefully having Messlier and Koch who are both taller than the players they have replaced will help especially if Messlier can come out and claim/punch more corners.