The Champions League Final: Liverbird vs. Cockerel

SocrManiac

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Apr 15, 2006
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Trent’s tackle on Son was a beautiful thing.

If Son had an iota of footy intelligence he’d be one of the best in the game. He’s extremely limited by everybody in the park knowing he’s putting his head down and dribbling.
 

SocrManiac

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Poch should have put Sissoko in handcuffs after the restart from the penalty. He’s still waving around defensively.
 

coremiller

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Jul 14, 2005
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Spurs seem very hesitant to cross the ball from wide positions. They've passed up a few opportunities to do so in favor of recycling possession.
 

SocrManiac

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Apr 15, 2006
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Spurs seem very hesitant to cross the ball from wide positions. They've passed up a few opportunities to do so in favor of recycling possession.
This looks intentional. Poch decided he doesn’t have anything to beat Van Dijk in the air. Spurs look uncomfortable as a result. Their familiar, near muscle-memory patterns aren’t getting them where they want to be.
 

JCizzle

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Dec 11, 2006
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As a non soccer fan I've been watching this before the bruins and was wondering if there's a two way soccer player like Bergeron out there? I know guys like Ronaldo and Messi, but they're mostly offensive talents?
 

SocrManiac

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Apr 15, 2006
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As a non soccer fan I've been watching this before the bruins and was wondering if there's a two way soccer player like Bergeron out there? I know guys like Ronaldo and Messi, but they're mostly offensive talents?
You’re looking for what’s known as “box to box midfielders.” On the pitch right now, Henderson is probably the closest.
 

coremiller

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As a non soccer fan I've been watching this before the bruins and was wondering if there's a two way soccer player like Bergeron out there? I know guys like Ronaldo and Messi, but they're mostly offensive talents?
Paul Pogba when he bothers to play well is probably the closest, in terms of a player who can do everything. But roles are more rigidly defined in soccer than in hockey so there's no true comparison.
 

koufax32

He'll cry if he wants to...
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Dec 8, 2006
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Corners have been terrible so far by TAA.

Cizzle, like American football (at least from a NEP view), soccer managers build lineups with pretty specific roles. A distributing midfielder will often be paired next to a defensive minded midfielder for instance.
The more complex answer is that good defending looks different for different positions.
 

coremiller

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Good deal, thanks all! Interesting to see the differences
It's mostly because a) the playing area in is much larger in soccer, and b) players on foot move a lot slower than players skating on ice. You can't really be the equivalent of a 200-foot player in soccer -- there's just too much ground to cover too quickly. To keep any kind of team positional structure players have to stay in relatively defined areas of the field.
 

SocrManiac

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Apr 15, 2006
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Since it’s the half and @JCizzle asked, can any Barca fans comment on what happened to Vidal? During his time with Juventus, he would have been a good Bergeron comp.

I agree with @koufax32. The game has evolved to pair an enforcing-type defensive midfielder with a guy that’s attack/control minded (though he might play deeper than you’d expect). Andrea Pirlo had to be paired with a guy like that, but he could utterly boss a match.
 

Kliq

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Mar 31, 2013
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Liverpool’s fullbacks have been great so far; thought the penalty was a little disappointing but Sissoko can’t have his arm extended there under any circumstances.

Love Son but his runs were really poor this half and snuffed our most of Tottenham’s chances.
 

coremiller

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Since it’s the half and @JCizzle asked, can any Barca fans comment on what happened to Vidal? During his time with Juventus, he would have been a good Bergeron comp.

I agree with @koufax32. The game has evolved to pair an enforcing-type defensive midfielder with a guy that’s attack/control minded (though he might play deeper than you’d expect). Andrea Pirlo had to be paired with a guy like that, but he could utterly boss a match.
I think Vidal just got old. He's 32 now and it's really hard to maintain his crazy manic style as age sets in.
 

Plantiers Wart

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Is Loris susceptible to long shots? I don’t recall LFC putting so many shots on goal from distance by the backs. TAA and Henderson have both ripped them off
 

SocrManiac

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Apr 15, 2006
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Is Loris susceptible to long shots? I don’t recall LFC putting so many shots on goal from distance by the backs. TAA and Henderson have both ripped them off
Lloris is streaky. He’s made some mistakes on shots from distance in the past. I think you make him prove he isn’t on one of those slides where he lapses in concentration with a few long hits.