December 1-2 Gamethread

67YAZ

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Dec 1, 2000
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Liverpool open the derby in 4-2-3-1 with Firmino at the 10 flanked by Mané & Shariqi. They’ve also already tried 2 long balls over the top...should be an interesting run out.

Edit: oh, that was close from Mina on the free kick. Everton not sitting back.
 

mikeford

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Do you think there's a place for either of them? I think Ozil fits better in the team, but either could play a high mid behind Abumeyang and Lacazette.

Emery has made a huge difference with Xaka and Torreira has been a great addition. Perhaps Ozil and Ramsey need to go so that this team continues to play this semi-relentless style.
Ramsey needs to stay if that 2nd half is any indication. He drove that engine. Was instrumental in both goals after it was level.
 

67YAZ

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Oh, Mane puts it high on the perfectly measured chip in from Salah. It’s all heavy metal at the moment.

Liverpool definitely targeting attack’s down the right, with Salah drifting to that wide to cut in. To his credit, Digne has already put in a full shift in less than 15 minutes.
 

coremiller

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I also wonder to what degree Spurs just ran out of gas. Three big games in eight days is a lot for any team to deal with and they have several players coming back from injuries who may not be fully match-fit.
 

67YAZ

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Not sure how much longer this match can stay so open, at some point tired legs will take over. But great fun so far.
 

lars10

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'Spins out to an offside Theo Walcott'..

Theo needs to change his first name to offside since apparently he's never met a trap that he couldn't be off against.
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
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Jan 10, 2004
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Reds have more of the ball and look the better side, I'd say, but Blues had the best chance of the game and are going toe to toe. What a difference from the Fat Sam era.
 

lars10

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1) They had no plan to press against the back 3. Arsenal always had an easy square pass to an unmarked defender to get away from the highest pressing forward.
2) Playing a narrow diamond in the first half against wingbacks was a huge mistake. Arsenal had numbers on the wings and an easy path to progress the ball forward because there were no natural markers for the wingbacks. In theory the flipside should have been that Spurs had control of the center with four CMs but with Sissoko and Dier as the two deepest midfielders they didn't have enough quality passing in tight spaces to take advantage of it.
3) Poch tried to compensate at halftime by switching to a back 3, with Dier dropping into defense and Eriksen dropping deeper. This allowed Spurs' fullbacks to more directly match up with Arsenal's wing backs. But it also conceded control of midfield (partly because Dele played curiously high for unclear reasons) to an Arsenal midfield 3 willing to take up aggressive positions, as Spurs now had Sissoko and Eriksen in a two against Ramsey/Torreira/Xhaka.

Now it didn't help Poch that there were a lot of poor performances today. Dele was almost completely invisible offensively and did nothing off the ball to slow down Arsenal's midfield. Dier, Vertonghen, and Foyth all made stupid individual errors that led directly to goals. Aurier and Davies were not good. Kane did very little. Arsenal scored two from outside the box, one deflected, which is sort of hard to guard against. But even apart from that, except for a 15-minute spell before half time, Spurs struggled to get a grip on the game and were always on the back foot.
Really nice analysis.

I wonder how much of this can also be attributed to potentially more tired legs because all of their champion's league games?

edit: Didn't see your second post till now.
 
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OCST

Sunny von Bulow
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'Spins out to an offside Theo Walcott'..

Theo needs to change his first name to offside since apparently he's never met a trap that he couldn't be off against.
I am down on Walcott. He is the weakest of Everton's usual XI this season by a good margin. Everton's best side would be (good striker) up top, Richarlison and Bernard or Lookman wide, and Walcott at Newcastle.

Of course you need the striker
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
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Jan 10, 2004
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Not sure how much longer this match can stay so open, at some point tired legs will take over. But great fun so far.
Hoping that tilts in Everton's favor as the game goes on. On quick count 6/10 of Liverpool's outfield players played against PSG on Wednesday.
 

67YAZ

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Oooooooo, Shaqiri! Great press by Fabinho, perfect ball from Salah...

And the Walcott muffs an equally good ball from Siggy. Nom-stop action.
 

lars10

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I am down on Walcott. He is the weakest of Everton's usual XI this season by a good margin. Everton's best side would be (good striker) up top, Richarlison and Bernard or Lookman wide, and Walcott at Newcastle.

Of course you need the striker
Second name could be 'bad first touch' or 'puts it wide'
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
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Jan 10, 2004
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Second name could be 'bad first touch' or 'puts it wide'
The biggest problem with Walcott - he doesn't track back. Everton lost at Arsenal and ManU despite having the better of the play in long stretches of both games. Lacazette and Martial scored goals from wide spaces left open by Walcott wandering around aimlessly some distance from the play. It's a problem because Coleman seems to have lost a step since having his leg snapped in half.
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
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Anyone who says that 0-0 soccer games are boring should be shown that first half.

I am beyond thrilled with the Marco Silva era.
 

SocrManiac

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Not calling a winner, but I do predict that Liverpool will concede as the result of a Richarlson dive.
 

SoxFanInCali

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California. Duh.
Apropos of nothing, that's the first female AR I've seen in the PL, ever possibly
She's been around for a few years, I've seen her as an AR in a few Liverpool games.

Andy Gray and Richard Keys both got canned from Sky Sports when they were overheard making sexist comments about her, basically repeating the old joke about how no woman could ever understand the offside rule.
 

67YAZ

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I am beyond thrilled with the Marco Silva era.
Don’t sell Brands short. It’s amazing what can be done when scouting, recruitment, and coaching all work together.

Keita about to come on.

Edit: it’s for Shariqi. Should provide more defensive cover and quicker transitions, though less final third threat. Expecting a Sturridge for Salah move soon.
 
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teddykgb

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Jul 16, 2005
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This has been a fantastic watch. I don’t know how Walcott infected Mane with some of the Walcottitis but the abysmal finishing on both sides makes this an improbable 0-0.

I just don’t know if Everton can keep their heads and intensity for 20 more minutes. Lookman looking really good and Everton dribble with the ball so much they’re tough for Liverpool to press once the ball gets forward to Evertons players who can dribble. Pressing the back line has been effective though
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
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Jan 10, 2004
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This has been a fantastic watch. I don’t know how Walcott infected Mane with some of the Walcottitis but the abysmal finishing on both sides makes this an improbable 0-0.

I just don’t know if Everton can keep their heads and intensity for 20 more minutes. Lookman looking really good and Everton dribble with the ball so much they’re tough for Liverpool to press once the ball gets forward to Evertons players who can dribble. Pressing the back line has been effective though
That's tough for Liverpool too with a tough game in Paris on Wednesday. They're either going to start wilting or have to sub off key guys.

As if on cue- Salah off.