Dembele admits: It has taken a year to understand what the boss wants

[Mullers]

The head coach allowed a number of players to move on over the summer and, according to Dembele, the group that has remained is perfectly suited to the gruelling approach he demands in training.

Read the full article at Evening Standard

 

[Spurger King]

Pochettino's English is that bad?

 

[guiltyparty]

Blimey that headline is a bit OTT

'Manager's first season is a learning curve shocker!'

 

[miamispur]

Pochettino's English is that bad?

No, just a little different from "run abaht a bit, lads"

 

[CornerPinDreamer]

so glad we are pressing like nutters now.. oh wait, we aren;t...

ffs

 

[Japhet]

so glad we are pressing like nutters now.. oh wait, we aren;t...

ffs

Klopp seems to have got Liverpool 'pressing like nutters' in just over 1 week including an International break. Don't understand why we still can't do it effectively.

 

[Chris_D]

I like Dembele there's no question he's gifted but Poch wants players to run more and I'm not totally sure that suits him. If he can up his efforts then there's no reason he can't be part of the first team.

 

[Shadydan]

Klopp seems to have got Liverpool 'pressing like nutters' in just over 1 week including an International break. Don't understand why we still can't do it effectively.

You really think they're gonna be able to maintain that all season?

We don't press like nutters every game because its not smart, if you realise we press teams who are likely to hurt us If we sit back for example we pressed City and Utd this season.

 

[davidmatzdorf]

The article has little in the way of content, just the one quotable line that has been puffed up into the headline.

I'm a bit sceptical about our apparent defensive solidity and offensive impotence compared to last season. We are visibly defending in a more organised manner and we finally have a proper defensive midfielder, but it will only take one 5-0 whacking to erase the sense of reliability. The same applies to our wayward shooting and squandering of chances. I think a lot of it is just the swings and roundabouts of a game that is heavily affected by chance.

There is a parallel with our injury-free 2-3 months last season, compared to the rash of crocked midfielders this season. We're not doing anything differently. It's just random distribution.

 

[Chedozie]

The article has little in the way of content, just the one quotable line that has been puffed up into the headline.

I'm a bit sceptical about our apparent defensive solidity and offensive impotence compared to last season. We are visibly defensing in a more organised manner and we finally have a proper defensive midfielder, but it will only take one 5-0 whacking to erase the sense of reliability. The same applies to our wayward shooting and squandering of chances. I think a lot of it is just the swings and roundabouts of a game that is heavily affected by chance.

There is a parallel with our injuury-free 2-3 months last season, compared to the rash of crocked midfieldersm this season. We're not doing anything differently. It's just random distribution.

I think the defensive paring of Alderweireld and Vertongen has made us stronger, they have an understanding and with loris seem capable of organising the defence around them.

 

[Redfap]

I think the defensive paring of Alderweireld and Vertongen has made us stronger, they have an understanding and with loris seem capable of organising the defence around them.

Signing Alderweireld has made a big different to the back four, because of his history with Verts has settled in overnight and improved Jan. Walker has also returned to form and is looking more settled.

And....let's not forget an effective DM helping screen them.

 

[Dharmabum]

Klopp seems to have got Liverpool 'pressing like nutters' in just over 1 week including an International break. Don't understand why we still can't do it effectively.

For the first 20 minutes or so yes, but then they run out of steam...

 

[The Watcher]

You really think they're gonna be able to maintain that all season?

We don't press like nutters every game because its not smart, if you realise we press teams who are likely to hurt us If we sit back for example we pressed City and Utd this season.

Yep, wait 'til he sees what no winter break means with that approach. I think the Bundesliga teams had a month off last season. Sensible, for European Cup purposes and their international side, but none of that here.

 

[Japhet]

For the first 20 minutes or so yes, but then they run out of steam...

Yeah, it was an 'off the cuff' comment and they did run out of steam. However, when they did press us, Liverpool did it as well as the few glimpses we've seen from Spurs in a very long time IMO.

 

[slartibartfast]

Agree we are better now defence wise but we're still far from solid and were it not for the fact we have a world class keeper then that defensive record would not be looking quite as clever right now.
We shouldn't be relying on our keeper having to make world saves so often, not refering to Liverpool game specifically.
As for the 'Liverpool press' its easy to press a team in when they absolutely point blank refuse to clear the ball and instead try to pass their way up the entire length of the pitch.
Here's what happens-
Lloris has ball.
Opposition drop 5 or 6 yds off defence.
Lloris WILL throw it out to someone in back 4.
Opp push up and pen us in until we inevitably fk it up while we pass it around the edge of our own goal area.
Its so easy to play against and so obvious what the outcome will be.
IF the opp are playing a high line then launching the ball over them every now and then, not all the time, will make them drop back. They'll have to. I'm not saying play long ball football, you have to be a bit smarter than that. Then you can start throwing out to your defence.
You cant do it when they have 2 players up their arse and are facing the wrong way.
We began to kick it a few times 2nd half and it made them drop off. They had to.
Does my head in as you can see the fk up coming.
Its handing the game to the opp on a plate playing suicidal tippy tappy around your goal area when you're penned in.
Its not pressing as such by the opp.
More fkin stupidity by us.

 

[Shadydan]

Agree we are better now defence wise but we're still far from solid and were it not for the fact we have a world class keeper then that defensive record would not be looking quite as clever right now.
We shouldn't be relying on our keeper having to make world saves so often, not refering to Liverpool game specifically.
As for the 'Liverpool press' its easy to press a team in when they absolutely point blank refuse to clear the ball and instead try to pass their way up the entire length of the pitch.
Here's what happens-
Lloris has ball.
Opposition drop 5 or 6 yds off defence.
Lloris WILL throw it out to someone in back 4.
Opp push up and pen us in until we inevitably fk it up while we pass it around the edge of our own goal area.
Its so easy to play against and so obvious what the outcome will be.
IF the opp are playing a high line then launching the ball over them every now and then, not all the time, will make them drop back. They'll have to. I'm not saying play long ball football, you have to be a bit smarter than that. Then you can start throwing out to your defence.
You cant do it when they have 2 players up their arse and are facing the wrong way.
We began to kick it a few times 2nd half and it made them drop off. They had to.
Does my head in as you can see the fk up coming.
Its handing the game to the opp on a plate playing suicidal tippy tappy around your goal area when you're penned in.
Its not pressing as such by the opp.
More fkin stupidity by us.

Really hate comments like these, we rely on Lloris' saves as much as City rely on Aguero's goals and you can replace the player and team with any best player and team combination in the world.

 

[robbiedee]

Yeah, it was an 'off the cuff' comment and they did run out of steam. However, when they did press us, Liverpool did it as well as the few glimpses we've seen from Spurs in a very long time IMO.

Thing is...there were 11 Liverpool players all out to impress their new coach. They did that for the early part of the game but they couldn't sustain it. They will eventually get fitter but I reckon players like Sturridge and Benteke who are injury prone will see a negative impact as their bodies struggle to cope with the demands. (ha ha ha)

I'm just hoping our injured player return soon and am thinking the reason their recoveries are taking so long is because we're making sure they are 100% ready to go before throwing them on the pitch.

The comment about 'being more like men' is important, not just being tough but playing with a maturity.

 

[Sweetsman]

Klopp seems to have got Liverpool 'pressing like nutters' in just over 1 week including an International break. Don't understand why we still can't do it effectively.

Are you an expert on pressing that you can tell we don't do it effectively? We are playing very solidly and creating a lot of chances, but have not been able to put them away. We've also had crucial absences from the team.

 

[diamondlight]

I'm a bit sceptical about our apparent defensive solidity and offensive impotence compared to last season. We are visibly defending in a more organised manner and we finally have a proper defensive midfielder, but it will only take one 5-0 whacking to erase the sense of reliability.

As you say, we are defending better; I don't think a freak 5-0 whacking will change that. The 'sense of reliability' might diminish in the short term, but in the long run we'll still have better defenders playing in a system they understand better, and therefore conceding fewer goals. There's a lot more to it than chance.

As for the suggestion that we're scoring fewer goals due to chance, I'm not convinced that's correct either. The good defending might have something to do with the reduced attacking threat. And - more importantly - Harry Kane no longer has any competition for his place (Soldado/Ade). Human nature dictates that this must be making him slightly more complacent. Just look at his form for England where he does have competition and he's still playing like last season's Kane.

 

[Dharmabum]

We shouldn't be relying on our keeper having to make world saves so often, not refering to Liverpool game specifically.

Which is why the best teams in the world does not have top class keepers I guess...
Ops, not true, most all top teams do have top class/world class goal keepers and do in fact rely on their goal keepers making those top, game winning saves.
Thus said, I did understand your point somehow