Match Ratings Ratings vs APOEL

mpickard2087 said:

I don't like this 5-3-2. Depleted side or not, winning (again) or not, again tonight I saw mostly the same patterns as the previous games. We look far more open, we're not as compact, we aren't pressing as well and its easier for the opposition to bypass the 'press' that we are attempting.

Basically what we have is three defenders, two wingbacks (and ones often on their wrong side/out of position, so far this season), Dier dropping back, Sissoko running forward to join two strikers, and so just one man (Eriksen, Winks tonight) in the middle with the thankless task of trying to get a grip on the game. We barely played through midfield tonight for the first hour or so, it was just the long diagonal or hit the front man.

And then as I say we are less compact, and so when we do lose the ball this causes problems, we're not pressing that well anyway, and the 5-3-2 shape is leaving our wingbacks getting targeted by switches of play. People might say 'what's different?' to last year, but this system seems to be much more two strikers up top (and not really doing a huge amount off the ball) whilst last year you'd have Eriksen/Alli dropping in on the flanks to help out.

Selection then compounded this, Trippier offered nothing on the left but one cross and left us more predictable as to where we could look to break through them. it wasn't till Poch belatedly changed things, put players in reasonably logical and simplified positions and blocked off their switches of play going with two banks of four, that we finally looked comfortable, had our best spell, saw some ball and moved it around and killed the game off.

Look I know this was a tricky game, we had a lot of players missing and it was a big three points in terms of the group we should all be happy with. This system is proving to be effective and getting us results... But even so, I haven't really enjoyed what we have done in the last few games and if it continues then I probably wont enjoy it either - win, lose, or draw. For me it's been very messy football.

Lloris - Looked a bit rattled first half, sorted it out and was solid in the second.

Alderweireld - Smart ball for the opening goal, apart from that possibly the worst game I have seen him have for us.

Sanchez - Needs to calm down.

Davies - Unconvincing at LCB, much more comfortable when we went to a back four.

Aurier - Doesn't look settled yet at all. Not helped by the formation though in some ways.

Trippier - Offered nothing bar one cross at LWB (and admittedly should have been played in by Son). Looked far more comfortable on the right and put in a nice cross for the third goal.

Dier - Pretty anonymous. Improved in the latter stages.

Winks - For large spells of the game was the only one to show a semblance of quality, composure, and pass and move ability.

Sissoko - Wasn't really doing anything of note in the centre of the park. Looked better when we went to 4-4-2, and he picked out Kane nicely for the goal.

Son - Really poor game.

Kane - Particularly first half I wasn't impressed with much of what he did in all truth. Bit greedy, made some poor choices... Yet he's so good that he still manages to bag a hat-trick, and took all three goals very well - makes it look easy.

Subs:
Llorente - Some silky touches, not sure if he got out of first gear.
Nkoudou - Had one run, shanked it into Row Z.
Georgiou - Got on the pitch.

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matthew.absurdum said:

Oxlade-chamblein costs liverpool 40m in his final year of contract. 40M is buying average finished product or raw players with potential today. Aurier would cost us 40m+ if he were not an idiot in the past

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Bus-Conductor said:

Pick and Mix



Sissoko - I don't really give a shit if Sissoko played the pass to Kane for the second goal, he's a fucking awful footballer, and anyone trying to convince you otherwise is blowing smoke up your arse. The role he finished up in, as a wide right AM type role (or wide right in the 442 in this case) is really the only one he's ever been viable in, charging at LB's and LCB's, he shouldn't be trusted anywhere near the central midfield areas where technique and composure are essential, but even then I don't understand people saying he was good. he did one or two "good things" that isn't being good generally.

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TEESSIDE1 said:

A few things to bear in mind when rating players.

1) we were missing half a dozen 1st team regulars
2) we had Winks who’s short of match practice, Aurier has only been with us a few weeks and has had next to no integrated preseason, Sanchez is also new, young and learning
3) we had players not playing in their favoured positions
4) the pitch was described as very sandy and extremely bobbly... nowhere near the standard of a premier league pitch and thus very difficult to be consistent on

To come away with 3 points and another learning curve for our young team is a testament to them.

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Bus-Conductor said:

Pick and Mix

I don't think that was ever a terrible performance, but it was never very cohesive, until around the 75th minute.

Poch made really hard work of it with his selections and tactics. There were several options he could have chosen, which could have kept the WB balance on either side; he could have gone 433, he could have played Foyth, he could have played either Dier or Aurier as CB's, all of which could have kept Trippier/Aurier and Davies as WB's in the system we play, which would have stretched their bus park laterally. And it wasn't until Poch's first sub that this was really rectified, and even then I think he went a really strange way around it, deciding to go 442, which you would assume was not a particularly attacking move - Poch himself saying post match it was about getting us pressing better higher up, which I assume was to try and prevent that through ball that kept getting played inside our advanced FB's. But what the logic was behind bringing Llorente on but pushing fb's back from a more wing back orientated type system I don't really get. And having watched it unfold I still don't. In that respect I questioned why not leave the faster, stronger - defensively - Aurier on, but as it turned out leaving the offensively superior Trippier on, and switching him to RB obviously, was actually what sealed the game, with Trippier really providing the key passes for both goals two and three.

I still think Poch made hard work of it, tactically, and the reason we looked so incoherent for 60 minutes was Poch's tactical application. No proper LWB, Sissoko in CM along with Dier, and like when we play the system with Eriksen, left only one player in CM who's comfortable playing out of pressure, Winks, so when they applied it, even moderately, it all got a bit desperate. Dier and Sissoko can't take the ball under any kind of pressure, and if they do have it under pressure it's hot potato passes that get made, the ball gets whacked to the nearest white shirt they see, whether that shirt is under pressure themselves or in a good position to build out or not. It was partly out of this desperation and lack of midfield options that ironically saw us go in front as Alderweireld got so fed up with having no out ball from Dier or Sissoko he just went route one, hit Kane, who finished off superbly.

We were aided by the fact that Apoel aren't very good, and if they'd made better use of situations a couple of times, we may have come unstuck, but by and large this was a lot like a few of these European away games we've played under Poch, and they didn't actually create too much of real quality. But then again neither do we. Poch seems to apply the Pick and Mix formula to these games (although that's been true of most lately) and what gets pulled out of the bag is all a bit hit and miss.


Individual:

Lloris - the usual Lloris blunder first half. better second half

Aurier - Some good, some less so.

Trippier - Pointless playing him as a LB, he's just not effective there. Once switched played a vital part in us sewing up that game. As I've said all along, offensively he's better than both Walker and Aurier. Kane will get the lion's share of the credit for us winning that game, but a close second has got to be Trippier, who's clever, composed passes put Sissoko in behind the defence for the second and set up Kane with an unmissable header with a delicious ball for the third.

TA - Lovely ball for the first. Couple of shaky moments at the back though.

Sanchez - I know he's young, and he's doing OK, but am I the only one thinking, 40m really ? I mean, I'm not as angry as the 30m we spent on Sissoko or anything, but he just looks a bit raw to be costing 40m, no ? I'd be a little bit worried if we had to play him in a 2CB system right now. I can see he's got pace and aggression and technique, but his decision making can be a bit woo sometimes, just in our 3cb system it's not always getting exposed or punished right now. Early days and all that, hopefully it's just a young fella learning and he'll improve. Just I seem to be the only one watching some of the things he does and thinking "hang on, not sure that was very clever".

Davies - Never convinces me as a LCB. We started to look better when he got switched to LB.

Dier - Meh. Couple of times he flapped under the press and gave some really poor hurried passes, his inability to play out of the press does inhibit our play sometimes and means we have to turn backwards and start again etc.

Sissoko - I don't really give a shit if Sissoko played the pass to Kane for the second goal, he's a fucking awful footballer, and anyone trying to convince you otherwise is blowing smoke up your arse. The role he finished up in, as a wide right AM type role (or wide right in the 442 in this case) is really the only one he's ever been viable in, charging at LB's and LCB's, he shouldn't be trusted anywhere near the central midfield areas where technique and composure are essential, but even then I don't understand people saying he was good. he did one or two "good things" that isn't being good generally.

Winks - Saw plenty of ball (more than anyone else ahead of the defenders), moved past opponents with it occasionally, breaking lines and played a couple of nice passes too. Nothing stupendous but is a shitload more comfortable in that 8 1/2 type role in our 3331 system than Sissoko.

Son - Pretty meh game really. Not involved or influential enough. Wasted a great chance to play someone in (I forget how now) latter stages.

Kane - A brilliant perfect hat trick aside, there were some annoying moments when he really should have just passed the fucking thing. But he really is a fucking monster.

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glospur said:

The change to 4-4-2 and the introduction of Llorente, while pushing Sissoko out of central midfielder to a wide midfielder where he is far more effective finished game. Llorente's introduction in particular created all kinds of space for Kane as the APOEL CB's were occupied by his height and presence and Kane took full advantage. I really wouldn't mind seeing that partnership more often, whether in a 4-4-2 or a 3-5-2, as it takes a lot of pressure of Kane and gives him more space to make use of his excellent finishing skills. Credit to Pochettino for that; excellent 'in-game management.'

If Dele had have put in the performance today no doubt there would be a bunch of foamers waffling on about his attitude, lack of quality and pretty much just how he is shit outside of 1 or 2 moments. That was as bad from Sonny as anything that Dele as produced this season.

I fucking love Harry Winks. Regardless of who is available he should be our 1st choice CM imo. His ability to actually take the ball under pressure and move it efficiently and effectively to our forward players gives them a lot more space and time to operate before the opposition can get set behind the ball. He's the only CM in our squad who as this skill.

Aside from both Harrys there wasn't really anyone else who was particularly good, but no one particularly poor either. Didn't mind Sissoko when he was pushed wider, but Winks showed everything we lack when Sissoko plays CM. And Hugo would have had a very solid game if it wasn't for that kick.

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fatpiranha said:

Rescued by Kane quite frankly. Not a good performance at all.

A special mention for Dier. He's been one of my favourite players for the last 2 seasons but this season he seems to be putting in minimal effort in games like this. He walked around the pitch today and seemed to be hiding from the ball. Winks and even Sissoko put in the effort but Dier just stood around the centre circle pointing a lot for the ball to be passed to someone else. I wonder if the Utd bid has gone to his head because at times it looks like he just can't be arsed.

We all know what a great player he can be but his performances this season have been way below par.

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Flashspur said:

Kane all day long followed by Sissoko and Harry Junior. Really was a poor game for Aurier and Tripps looked so much better when he switched to the right. Average from the rest.

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