Klopp partly to blame for Reds defence; Jose tactics ‘spot on’

Mark Scott
Jurgen Klopp: Reflects on Liverpool point

Jurgen Klopp: Reflects on Liverpool defeat

TEAMtalk readers discuss Manchester United’s latest setback, Walcott’s lack of quality at Arsenal, Liverpool’s wobbly defence and more.

If you’d like to add your weight to these debates, we’d love to hear from you. Get involved here.

 

Mourinho can have zero excuses

I’ve ignored speaking as much as possible this despicable character’s antics this season,even though they have provided me with quite some entertainment and I know that he’s just an attention seeker who couldn’t speak one bit of truth in his interviews, but now I feel I have to finally prove that he is nowhere near being a top manager.

Let’s get things into perspective here.

Jose has not only gone onto spend a figure around £150m in the summer to an already strong Man united squad who has only been spending significantly these past few years, but he’s gone onto break the world record fee for a player. Considering all these factors, and admittedly by him he should be challenging for the title.

But the reality is this,

1.This is Man united worst start to a season in 26 years,worse than even under van gaal and moyes.
2.First time a manager has recorded as many sending offs, as home wins.
3.Man united have drawn four consecutive league games in a row for the first time in 36 years.
4.First time Mourinho has lost 3 games in a row in 14 years.

I mean really, I’m so sick and tired of Mourinho blabbering how luck is not on their side. Well luck isn’t on your side when the ref is not on your side.But that hasn’t been the case has it.

He speaks about this player or that player playing poorly, but it’s his own subs and tactics that have cost him in games.

For the umpteenth time yesterday,instead of killing the game off by scoring a second he made a negative substitution and tried to defend and in the end his team paid the price.

For a manager who’s gone on and called the most respectable managers in the PL era as a “Specialist in Failure”(attention seeker),I really think he should take a long hard look at himself.

In reality he should be realistically putting in a title challenge, but if he cannot even qualify for the CL then it would be most hypocritical to continue beyond this season.

There is no transition period, you look at Conte a first timer in the league is doing fabulously well with Chelsea.

PS – Not to mention, the media are pathetic when it comes to mourinho.I’ve never seen a manager been given such soft treatment.If there was any other manager in mourinho’s place currently, he’d been sacked already and the media would have played a big part in it.

thespecialone

Not all Mou’s fault

Zlatan Ibrahimovic: Has missed some key chances

Is it his tactics or is it his players that are letting him down. In comparison to the last 3 years, United are actually playing well and out playing sides with the exception of a handful of games.

1- If Zlatan took his chances against Stoke, Burnley, Liverpool, City, West Ham, United would be 9 points better off.

2- If United did not concede late on against Arsenal and Everton, they would be 13 points better off

3- Mourinho’s tactics have been spot on 95% of the time, it is a combination of individual errors, having a player who has the most shots on goal, but having the worst conversion rate and his decision making at times.

I agree yesterday was partly due to Mourinho’s fault, but unfortunately United are still paying for Moyes’s biggest mistake. Bailly is not match fit after coming back from injury, the way Everton were attacking, it would have been a bigger risk than Fellaini IMO.

Mourinho brought on Fellaini in the 85th minute, he probably thought the side would not get a 2nd and we need someone with a bit of aerial threat to stop Everton’s crosses. unfortunately that went out of the window when the oaf made one of his usual clumsy tackles. How many times have we seen managers make a defensive substitution when they are winning 1 nil and there’s only a 5 minutes left, Wenger has done it, Klopp has done it. Yet Mourinho is ridiculed for it.

If people actually watch United games, it has nothing to do with Mourinho, his players are letting him down. Stats may not show it, but United are actually outplaying teams in comparison to last season, where we were witnessing borefests.

cm

Walcott needs to be sold

Theo Walcott: Has he turned a corner this season?

It really is time to get rid of Theo. On Saturday he faced an awful defence after having a week off and did less than nothing to effect the game. He’s got to be one of the most one dimensional players I’ve ever seen, no craft, no guile, little skill, just make runs and hope someone finds you, that’s it.

He had one chance, a half decent player would have seen the defender committing to block the shot last Christmas, all Theo has to do is cut back and take him out the game, but even after how many seasons in the Prem he still can’t outwit an average West Ham defender.

Wenger was right to take him off first, and by God if he’s not sold in the summer I’ll tear my hair out. It’s no surprise Alexis and Ozil are delaying on signing when they have to play with a player so substandard at this level.

I’m pretty sure we’ll fall short this year to win the title, and it seems obvious that if we’re to win it again, we can’t have players like Theo holding us back anymore.

New Era

Klopp responsible for shaky defence

Jurgen Klopp: Unhappy with fixture congestion

Liverpool have looked vulnerable defensively from the Brendan Rodgers era and Karius is just one of Klopp’s problems.

Karius was bought by Klopp to solve Liverpool’s problematical Goalkeeper position with Mignolet a fine shot stopper just too vulnerable in the air to crosses and Karius was bought in as a big strong keeper who would dominate the box the problem is that so far he hasn’t lived up to that billing and he currently looks an inferior shot stopper to Mignolet.

The big problem for Klopp now is where he goes from here at least for the rest of this season because if he drops Karius now in favour of Mignolet it will potentially destroy Karius’s already fragile confidence but on the other hand can Klopp continue to keep playing him.

But the defensive problems are not confined to Karius, Matip has looked an excellent signing but with injury ruling him out it exposes Lovrens’s defensive fragility at times and worryingly for Liverpool fans Klopp’s go to with Matip injured is Lucas Leiva who is a midfield player who wouldn’t be playing as a back up centre back had Sakho not fallen so out of favour with Klopp and had Klopp had more faith in Klavan.

James Milner made up the back four yesterday and he’s done well since he’s played in that position but again he’s another midfield player playing in the back four and his clumsy tackle that gave away the penalty looked like an attacking midfielders tackle rather than a defenders.

I don’t think yesterday’s defeat rules Liverpool out of the title race but it highlights once again that although offensively brilliant Liverpool remain defensively frail just as they did under Brendan Rodgers and it’s very difficult to win the PL with a frail defence.

Klopp has been like a breath of fresh air since he came to the PL and is clearly an outstanding manager but he can’t escape his share of the blame in respect of not signing a keeper of sufficient quality to replace Mignolet, of not signing a proper left back and in isolating Sakho not having anyone other than Lucas Leiva and Klavan who he seemingly thinks is not good enough to cover for an injury to either Centre back.

The shame of it all for Liverpool fans is that with this team’s offensive capabilities without their defensive frailties, Liverpool really would have an outstanding chance of winning the PL title this season.

The big test for Klopp now is in his ability to address these problems going forward to ensure that Liverpool don’t become an updated version of Keegan’s Newcastle United but the reality is that he may not be able to do that successfully until the summer window.

nine nine nine

Smells like team spirit

Antonio Conte: Chelsea boss impressing with Moses transformation

Conte has picked up a team that was in absolute tatters at the end of last season, and transformed them into title contenders (be honest, we are) in an incredibly short amount of time.

What I love the most though, is the team spirit he seems to have brought back to our players.

Costa seems happy, Hazard seems happy. Even Courtois, who its always seemed has one eye on the exit door seems happy. Have you noticed how much he celebrates every goal we score lately? Not the actions of someone who doesn’t want to be there.

BlueLion

Chelsea just more clinical

John Stones: Keeps Diego Costa at bay

For all the negativity, if KdB had taken his gilt edged chance then you go 2-0 and quite possibly game over…?

The game is about taking chances and in the first half we were not at the races. You had chances but I thought Courtois did well but you looked dangerous. I thought the second half showed how far our game has progressed in terms of belief and confidence and after the KdB miss we made the most of everything that came our way

We created the chances well and finished them even better – just much more clinical than your strike force on the day

Obviously a set back for you and a confidence booster for us but still a long way to go and anything can happen. At the end of the day a great advertisement for EPL football with both teams contributing to the spectacle. KTBFFH

CFC1905

Back to basics

Alan Pardew: Breathes sigh of relief

I cannot believe that Pardew wins one game then says investors don’t know much about football: 6 wins in 35 games tells me they probably know a bit more than Pardew.

That win was nice; Delaney and Ledley showed why they need to be in the team; it showed why Cabaye needs to sold in January. We also played a bit like how we used to play… deep with good cover, breaking down the flanks and feeding Benteke who is a beast of a man, if he stays fit he could top 20 goals which is what we need.

Pardew finally made changes that he should have seen a long time ago and I suspect if he wins a couple we will see his old formation put back out as he only want’s to play what he want’s not what’s best for the squad he has.

I hope the idiot finally sees that his “attack and possession” football really doesn’t work, sure if your managing a top six club you have the quality and luxury to play that way. We however do not have that quality, depth or ability to achieve what he thinks can be done.

I’d like to see Townsend moved on. There must be decent wingers available elsewhere that look like thy want to play… Cut in and shoot… that’s all this man seems to have… how on god’s earth he get’s into England team is beyond me. Yes he looks great in open space running with the ball but the problem starts as soon as he has to beat someone, most times he fails.

Jabbiter66

Butland frustration

Jack Butland: Was injured during friendly win in Germany

Off for yet another scan. Is he being seen by the right specialists as this is getting ridiculous?

Jack must be tearing his hair out – he is almost ready to comeback and his ankle breaks down again.

Who would have thought that a seemingly simple injury could be so problematic? It makes it all the more important to secure Grant in January, it is beginning to look as though we will be needing him as first choice a little while longer.

selbystokie