coachpotato

I think they’ll play the same tactics as last night, expecting to outpress us and stop us building a head of steam up.

Or they’ll sit back, which could play into our hands.
One in the first half. One just after half time. See where it is after that.

Above all, we’ll need to be right at it, unlike last night.

The Premier League still puts it’s fingers in it’s ears, closes it’s eyes and says, “,La,La,La….”

But the blue orcs insist they’re being fucked over.

Italian teams, historically, defend very well, tonight Atalanta did that by going man for man when we were trying to pass out of our box, causing Kelleher to kick long even from early on in the game.

Generally they were very decent at snuffing us out.

Because Italian teams tend to defend very well, forwards in the Scuddetto have to take their chances as they arise, and probably do that at a 1 goal in every 2 or 3 chances rate or better.

That’s exactly what Atalanta did tonight.

By playing one of our worst games in ages in passing and lax defending, we made them look like world beaters and not the sixth place team in their league.

I hope this hurt our players and I expect to see a positive reaction from them going forwards. Klopp doesn’t deserve to go out with a whimper, and it’s up to them to make sure that doesn’t happen.

2 minutes ago, Scott_M said:

Clearing a natural running action…

 

Wish we had referees like that fella. We might be in with more than a shout if so.

The amount of diving and simulation that goes on, they must fucking practise it surely? 
It can’t be something that just “happens” without any intent?
I expect the ex-pro pundits would call it “professionalism”.

“Cheats never prosper” the saying goes, not fucking much they don’t.

Horrible cheating fuck.

Just now, KMD7 said:

Foden will be a big loss for them. 

Not watching it, was he carried off on a stretcher?

Both of them to go through after two tough qf ties then kick fuck out of each other in the two sf legs plus extra time of course and then penalties. Don’t care who goes through as long as they lose the final.

Right on cue, Havertz hits the deck without being touched.

You just know Arsenal are going to begin throwing themselves over in the area before long.

Kane’s distribution is very good to be fair.

13 minutes ago, Denny Crane said:

 

 

Says a lot about our referees methinks!

All of a sudden they’ve stopped smelling themselves, and supporting their team by the sound of it, half hearted chants already. Biffs.

Could do with both of these, and the returns, being ding dong battles which turn nasty.

Then both Arsenal and City going out after extra time.

Maximum psychological and physical damage please.

You’ve said what many think, Dave.
Being where we are and where we thought we might be is unexpected.

At the start of the season not many of us would have had us in this position, but now, actually being there and seeing how it was in our hands, then now not entirely in our hands, because of our profligacy in front of goal, after scoring so many goals as well, and with Klopp leaving too, we’ll there’s so many conflicting emotions.

We still have seven games in which to push Arsenal and City to the limit, it’s unlikely, but not impossible, that we could close the goal difference down, or at least make Arsenal worried about it, whereas now they’ll see it as worth a point to them, if we both finish level and above City.

They both have games they could drop points in, they both might end up playing each other in the CL semi-final, two games which could have a big and negative effect on them.

We have to win every game though, and while we might think we haven’t really got into our stride yet this season, now would be a great place to start.

It ain’t over until it is.

Allez.

The thing that surprises me is that any of us are surprised by a 2 point deduction.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, apparently, so here goes.

Given the history of encounters with United, maybe it would have been more pragmatic to have started a more experienced centre back than Quansah. If Konate wasn’t able to do that then Joe Gomez could (should?) have been in alongside Virgil.

United had their own kid starting at centre back, only his second game, and he was fine for them, but perhaps the belief in playing the kids has backfired on this occasion.

Mind you, had the forwards been at the party, it wouldn’t have mattered.

4 minutes ago, Dapower said:

The poor lad has turned off his socials apparently after abuse I don’t think we’ve picked any injuries today though 

That’s a disgrace. Abusing a kid for a mistake? Some of our so called “fans” want to fuck off and support England, that’s the level of “support” some of the knuckle draggers give out.

Twats.

Mo’s shots per goal ratio is 5.69, that means for 23 goals he’s had approximately 130 shots.

Isak and Hwang Hee are at 3.6 shots per goals.

So on that basis, Mo should have around 36 goals this season if he was nearly as efficient as either of the other two. 
In other words he’s around a third down on where he should be.

Now there are lies, damned lies and then statistics (as the quote goes) but by any reasonable measure, Mo should have scored more and even his most avid admirers would have to say he hasn’t been been at the level expected, certainly when it comes to finishing.

I think it’s always been the case with him, and with Mane and Firmino even when they were tearing it up a couple of seasons ago, that although they scored loads, they also missed loads. 
Generally, we scored enough to win most games, in spite of the misses.
I don’t know what Jota’s goals per shots ratio is, there’s no doubting we’ve missed him, but despite the figures, Mo remains our biggest fittest goal threat.

We make loads of chances, but we’re not ruthless enough.

We give too many chances away, by our own mistakes, to pretty much any team we play.

Amazing we are where we are, and we still might win it.

Very unlikely, not impossible, but very unlikely.

Macca has had such an effect on our games it’s a bit worrying in case some grock targets him and Sunday at the Toilet could be that game.

McTominay would be the most likely perhaps, but hopefully Macca can look after himself.

Taylor will be itching to fuck us over in some way, so we need cool heads and to be ruthless. We won’t get anything from him and he’ll do his best to break up play to stop us getting on top, so a top performance will be needed no doubt.
I too couldn’t understand how we had so much possession in the first half yet looked so ineffective, but we did have a few shots, they were just awful and sadly typical of so many of our attempts.

Whatever happened to that “box” that Shanks had of four goals where players would have the ball thrown in and they were told where to put the shots? Practise makes perfect doesn’t it?
Maybe get it out of mothballs for the future.
It’s also annoying that we concede in so many games, particularly to teams who are so poor, yet despite this we seem able to shrug it off. I’d rather we did that after were three up than give them any hope by equalising.

Anyways, 8 to go, 1-0 to us in each one would do.

Allez!

Agree about Gravenberch, bit too early to make judgement on him yet.

Mac Allister is looking like a steal at £35M, in his right position he’s got to be one of the best players in the league, but, personally, I’ve been most impressed with Endo and the way he’s quietly gone about his work and allowed others to flourish.

Reminds me a little of Gini and the effect he had.

All in all, much better than last season, as results have shown.

Mary Earps on the telly just now singing “God Save Our Queen”.

Shouldn’t somebody tell her?

We can only guess if Salah’s substitution was pre-planned or not.

Could be he’s not fully fit due to injuries or weakened due to Ramadan.

Certainly, he has looked off the boil for a while now, he doesn’t win many headers (looks sometimes like he goes too far under the ball to win them),  he also appears reluctant to go for some 50-50 balls, he gets pushed off the ball a lot by average full backs (often without getting the free kicks he deserves) yet he scores the highest number of goals for us season after season.

A riddle wrapped up in a mystery…………