Thanks Andrew. This data & the results support the idea of fixing defensive stability first. They also show that things have been simultaneously improving & unlucky since the Villa match at the start of November (10 np goals conceded from 4.6 np xG in the league). Fixing the defense (even at the expense of attack) should enable us to deliver the 2.1 ppg needed to safely qualify for UCL. It also builds confidence when results improve & the time to improve the attack.
There's been a lot of surprising noise in the past few weeks from supporters who are normally level-headed about replacing the manager (especially now that Alonso is in hot water). I get the frustration but we aren't Chelsea or some Championship side that thinks switching the manager solves everything!
Surely, we see the progress with huge wins (vs Villa, Madrid, Inter) accompanied by smart performances. Surely, we see the wisdom of Arne's short-term tactical changes to stop the bleeding. Can we not empathize with all of the issues he's been handed? (Diogo RIP, not signing Guehi earlier in the window, Alex's fitness, defender injuries, dips in veterans' form, integration of many new players).
Forget the title defense and the team we aspire to be. Support the team where they are at right now and its manager!
I was listening to Distance Covered earlier (after publishing this) and Dan Kennett mentioned that Liverpool have conceded the fewest big chances in the PL from the Villa game onward, which I didn't realise.
If they could somehow fix the mental weakness - regular clean sheets would obviously help - then things should pick up relatively easily. But I can't really blame Slot if he can't in the short term given everything that has happened.
This is why I'm so annoyed with Salah for last weekend. It was the last thing the club needed and achieved nothing.
I’m with you mate re: Salah. Surprising that some have excused his behavior as “he’s emotional” … his selfie post while his team were playing a tough & critical away fixture spoke volumes
I always figured that Rafa had picked up Crouchie because he seemed like an ideal target man precisely because "He's big! He's Red!", etc. and that kind of offensive approach worked fairly seamlessly with Rafa's defense-first mentality. Memory is kinda fading, though. In terms of tactical differences, I remember complaining earlier in the season that offensive initiation by the back line- specifically Virg's long diagonals to the right -had basically disappeared, as we were content to build through the midfield. Then we see yesterday as Virg launched no less than four of those in just the first half. A return to what worked for us for the 7 years prior? Although, why we would start doing that again when the primary target for those VVD deliveries has been left behind in Kirkby just raises other questions. And, as you note, the defensive improvement has been marked, while the offensive game plan is still in absentia, not least because the Most Expensive Player in English Football History still hasn't done much to speak of. And our second-most expensive player still hasn't quite fit in. And the guy who was supposed to play on that right side as an approximation of a replacement for Mo has barely played. And... Yeah. Again, you would hope this would be the final nail in the coffin of that section of our supporters who have insisted since FSG arrived that their not spending money is what's holding us back, but that's probably being way too optimistic.
Yeah I was just being silly re Crouch after I thought of the blanket thing. Rafa's second summer saw him buy Crouch, Sissoko and Reina to try to bulk up the spine of the team a bit. And it worked.
Thanks Andrew. This data & the results support the idea of fixing defensive stability first. They also show that things have been simultaneously improving & unlucky since the Villa match at the start of November (10 np goals conceded from 4.6 np xG in the league). Fixing the defense (even at the expense of attack) should enable us to deliver the 2.1 ppg needed to safely qualify for UCL. It also builds confidence when results improve & the time to improve the attack.
There's been a lot of surprising noise in the past few weeks from supporters who are normally level-headed about replacing the manager (especially now that Alonso is in hot water). I get the frustration but we aren't Chelsea or some Championship side that thinks switching the manager solves everything!
Surely, we see the progress with huge wins (vs Villa, Madrid, Inter) accompanied by smart performances. Surely, we see the wisdom of Arne's short-term tactical changes to stop the bleeding. Can we not empathize with all of the issues he's been handed? (Diogo RIP, not signing Guehi earlier in the window, Alex's fitness, defender injuries, dips in veterans' form, integration of many new players).
Forget the title defense and the team we aspire to be. Support the team where they are at right now and its manager!
I was listening to Distance Covered earlier (after publishing this) and Dan Kennett mentioned that Liverpool have conceded the fewest big chances in the PL from the Villa game onward, which I didn't realise.
If they could somehow fix the mental weakness - regular clean sheets would obviously help - then things should pick up relatively easily. But I can't really blame Slot if he can't in the short term given everything that has happened.
This is why I'm so annoyed with Salah for last weekend. It was the last thing the club needed and achieved nothing.
I’m with you mate re: Salah. Surprising that some have excused his behavior as “he’s emotional” … his selfie post while his team were playing a tough & critical away fixture spoke volumes
I always figured that Rafa had picked up Crouchie because he seemed like an ideal target man precisely because "He's big! He's Red!", etc. and that kind of offensive approach worked fairly seamlessly with Rafa's defense-first mentality. Memory is kinda fading, though. In terms of tactical differences, I remember complaining earlier in the season that offensive initiation by the back line- specifically Virg's long diagonals to the right -had basically disappeared, as we were content to build through the midfield. Then we see yesterday as Virg launched no less than four of those in just the first half. A return to what worked for us for the 7 years prior? Although, why we would start doing that again when the primary target for those VVD deliveries has been left behind in Kirkby just raises other questions. And, as you note, the defensive improvement has been marked, while the offensive game plan is still in absentia, not least because the Most Expensive Player in English Football History still hasn't done much to speak of. And our second-most expensive player still hasn't quite fit in. And the guy who was supposed to play on that right side as an approximation of a replacement for Mo has barely played. And... Yeah. Again, you would hope this would be the final nail in the coffin of that section of our supporters who have insisted since FSG arrived that their not spending money is what's holding us back, but that's probably being way too optimistic.
Far too optimistic!
Yeah I was just being silly re Crouch after I thought of the blanket thing. Rafa's second summer saw him buy Crouch, Sissoko and Reina to try to bulk up the spine of the team a bit. And it worked.