Game week 24 game thread

teddykgb

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What is Klopps excuse going to be this week? Maybe the sun is in their eyes 2nd half? Perhaps the ball color is blending in with some of the boots?
 

teddykgb

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I thought he’d had a solid game up until that point. The error was bad (or no) communication with Kabak
He just needs to pelt the thing into touch. Keeper has full visibility and I think he accurately sees that Kabak is in a bit of a tough spot. Just doesn’t connect with the ball right
 

PedroSpecialK

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The collective meltdown by Liverpool supporters is a sight to see. I'm seeing a bunch of FSG Out / Klopp Out-ers coming out of the woodwork... the only takeaway I had from today is continued frustration at Thiago - his performances and how he's being deployed. He feels like a square peg in a round hole trying to play in Klopp's system where so much is demanded of the midfield, and he doesn't have the pace, work rate, or stamina to do his job.

Other than the diamond midfield deployed a few matches ago against West Ham, I don't see any change in tactics coming that would be conducive to the way Thiago (or Shaqiri for that matter) play. Liverpool are going to miss Wijnaldum a whole lot
 

teddykgb

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I think we had this conversation when you were linked to him but Thiago never made sense because you don’t ask your midfielders to do what Thiago is best at. It was probably a worthwhile gamble to see if you could add a different option but to me the strange part is not necessarily Thiago but Robertson and TAA. Maybe what they were doing was unsustainable but you typically had the midfielders protecting the space behind the full backs who bombed forward and forced overloads where those two would have time and space to pick a cross and they just kept finding goals. Seems like that entire interchange has mostly broken down this year
 

Mighty Joe Young

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The collective meltdown by Liverpool supporters is a sight to see. I'm seeing a bunch of FSG Out / Klopp Out-ers coming out of the woodwork... the only takeaway I had from today is continued frustration at Thiago - his performances and how he's being deployed. He feels like a square peg in a round hole trying to play in Klopp's system where so much is demanded of the midfield, and he doesn't have the pace, work rate, or stamina to do his job.

Other than the diamond midfield deployed a few matches ago against West Ham, I don't see any change in tactics coming that would be conducive to the way Thiago (or Shaqiri for that matter) play. Liverpool are going to miss Wijnaldum a whole lot
Agreed about Thiago ..too many give aways , too many fouls (an almost penalty), no pace and not creating anything. Mind you, he wasn’t selected to start which seems to suggest Klopp sees that he , at least, needs a rest.

But .. who else when Milner came off? The plague continues. FFS, Ben Davies wasn’t on the bench because he was hurt in training.
 

Mighty Joe Young

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I think we had this conversation when you were linked to him but Thiago never made sense because you don’t ask your midfielders to do what Thiago is best at. It was probably a worthwhile gamble to see if you could add a different option but to me the strange part is not necessarily Thiago but Robertson and TAA. Maybe what they were doing was unsustainable but you typically had the midfielders protecting the space behind the full backs who bombed forward and forced overloads where those two would have time and space to pick a cross and they just kept finding goals. Seems like that entire interchange has mostly broken down this year
This is true .. but they expected to partner him with Fabinho/Henderson/Wijnaldum .. he was a luxury Cadillac signing which isn’t working out.
 

PedroSpecialK

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Oh yeah, I'm not saying that there was anyone else to bring on today, aside from maybe Leighton Clarkson - the injury list has gotten comical again, with 5 CBs out (including Fabinho). I read that Thiago was actually almost not even on the bench due to fitness today, so I don't think the decision to bench him to start was tactical.

It's puzzling to be more than anything - Klopp found a way to make Coutinho work in the side, either playing off the left in the 4-3-3 or in the 4-1-2-1-2 formation as the central attacking midfielder - but no such luck yet with Thiago. I also don't understand the rigidity in the tactics when they've won 2 of 10.
 

Pesky Pole

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Dortmund and Hoffenheim is a fun match so far. As long as you don’t like quality defending, that is. 1-1 in the 34th minute.
 

teddykgb

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Eh you guys are going to beat us 4-1.
I’d be shocked at that score line. City have scored more but it’s still not easy and Jose isn’t giving up 4. Son always scores against City so I’m fearful of yet another 1-0 Spurs lead with 9 6 footers behind the ball
 

coremiller

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Mourinho has picked a strange lineup: Lloris (C), Tanganga, Sanchez, Dier, Davies, Hojbjerg, Ndombele, Lamela, Lucas, Son, Kane.

Yes, that's Japhet Tanganga starting his first game of the season. It's also a surprisingly attacking lineup, with no Sissoko and Ndombele as an 8 rather than a 10. My guess is the back four will stay deep and narrow and the idea is have additional runners for Ndombele and Kane to hit on quick counters. Also surprised Sanchez was picked over Alderweireld, both played 120 minutes midweek. Sanchez is younger and can maybe recover faster but he's also been a lot shakier this year.

City: Ederson, Cancelo, Stones, Laporte, Zinchenko, Rodrigo, Gundogan, Bernardo, Sterling (C), Foden, Jesus

Surprised to see Dias dropped for Laporte. The only other change from the Liverpool game is that Jesus comes in for Mahrez.

City are 3v2 in midfield and so are going to have a lot of the ball. The big question is whether Spurs can win the ball enough to have changes to get Lucas and Son running into the channels.

Based on his form this season, Jesus is almost guaranteed to fluff at least one big chance today (now watch him score a hat trick).
 

Kliq

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That was, by far, the best free kick I have ever seen Kane take.
 

coremiller

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There is a surprisingly big gap between the City backline and the midfield. When Spurs can break the first line of the press, City are giving them a lot of space to run into.
 

Kliq

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There is a surprisingly big gap between the City backline and the midfield. When Spurs can break the first line of the press, City are giving them a lot of space to run into.
Feels like Lamela needs to be more decisive when he gets the ball to try and play in one of the forwards behind the City backline. I think he's been too conservative, holding on to the ball for too long and allowing City to get defenders back.
 

Kliq

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That looked more like Gundogan tripping Hojbjerg than the other way around.
Gundogan did not cover himself in glory, but it was a clumsy challenge by Hojbjerg and you can't afford to be that awkward when defending in the box.
 

teddykgb

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There is a surprisingly big gap between the City backline and the midfield. When Spurs can break the first line of the press, City are giving them a lot of space to run into.
i think Dias has been such a revelation for City because he’s more of a front foot defender who closes this space. It definitely looks different today with Laporte and Stones who seem to be retreating more
 

coremiller

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Feels like Lamela needs to be more decisive when he gets the ball to try and play in one of the forwards behind the City backline. I think he's been too conservative, holding on to the ball for too long and allowing City to get defenders back.
Also Lamela is just embarrassingly one-footed for a player of his level. It really limits his ability to be effective playing centrally.
 

Kliq

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Lamela killed Spurs that half. Sanchez saved their bacon a few times with some superhuman defense.
 

teddykgb

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Lamela killed Spurs that half. Sanchez saved their bacon a few times with some superhuman defense.
He was lucky not to see red or at least yellow for a two footed tackle. Very surprised the only player in the book is Bernardo but the standard of officiating is so so so bad and City cannot complain with a really weak penalty
 

coremiller

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Surprised to see Sissoko come on at halftime. Lucas has been poor but I would rather have seen Dele. Spurs need more quality in attack not less. I guess the idea is that a more defensive midfield will allow the fullbacks to get forward more? I'm skeptical that will work. Sissoko will make the City press more effective.
 

coremiller

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And Sissoko makes a coverage mistake to let Gundogan run free. So much for some added defensive steel.
 

PedroSpecialK

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This City formation with pods of 3 players on each side of the Spurs area is pretty wild to watch... triangles everywhere and Spurs can't really cope. Gundogan is playing out of his mind
 

coremiller

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Now as expected with Sissoko in Spurs have no ability at all to build up through midfield. He's a total black hole in possession. Thanks a lot Jose.
 

Kliq

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Ugh, I get pretty much no joy from watching this team right now.
 

coremiller

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Lamela has now been booked 37 times in his career without ever being sent off. If Mou lets him go 90 that could be at risk today.
 

PedroSpecialK

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I’d be shocked at that score line. City have scored more but it’s still not easy and Jose isn’t giving up 4. Son always scores against City so I’m fearful of yet another 1-0 Spurs lead with 9 6 footers behind the ball
C’mon now, best team in the league in their best ever form arguably, while missing their two most clinical players. At least get a little arrogant
 

OCST

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The collective meltdown by Liverpool supporters is a sight to see. I'm seeing a bunch of FSG Out / Klopp Out-ers coming out of the woodwork... the only takeaway I had from today is continued frustration at Thiago - his performances and how he's being deployed. He feels like a square peg in a round hole trying to play in Klopp's system where so much is demanded of the midfield, and he doesn't have the pace, work rate, or stamina to do his job.

Other than the diamond midfield deployed a few matches ago against West Ham, I don't see any change in tactics coming that would be conducive to the way Thiago (or Shaqiri for that matter) play. Liverpool are going to miss Wijnaldum a whole lot
They’re on a terrible run and did not buy wisely this season and Klopp stuck in a terrible rut tactically - but any LFC fan on a Klopp Out kick is a fool. Who are you going to get in? Look across the park if you want to see what instability gets you.

As to FSG out, I want them em out of Fenway too. Maybe they can go arbitrage GameStop etc
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
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If you weren’t lucky enough (as an Everton or neutral fan) to see the midweek 5-4 (aet) FA Cup tie, it was off the hook insane and any Spurs players who went 120 minutes in that are going to be hurting today.