We wont get enough goal chances unless

[Guest prophet]

We had a good amount of possesion, infact 50%. Away from home thats good stats.

 

But in terms of direct goal chances theres only the Stevies chance. The first half was forgetable. The attack was toothless without crouch. Pumping in the ball to the heart of the Crapski defence was just like picking sweets form the baby. When Crouch came on on the second half all changed. The Crapski defenace had more trouble with him. He was getting into them.

 

HOWEVER, the movement of the the midfielders into the area during attacks was few and far to note of. Crouchs knock downs werent met by Pool players. The Crapski defence still had it easy to clear. i counted only twice did pur midfrs get into attacking postitions both by stevie. One was burst thro to Crouchs one two. Another was getting to cross in the 6 yard box.

 

That is too rare for the midfild support for attacks. If we are to maximise the possesion and attcks in games, our midlflrs will have to contribute more. So far its only Stvie and Riise who contributes to goals. This has to change next year.

 

Are you listening Rafa?

[DazzlaJ]

You play Masch and Alonso centre mid you are not going to get forward runs through the centre. It means our wing play has to be very decent and last night it wasn't.

[Guest prophet]

You play Masch and Alonso centre mid you are not going to get forward runs through the centre. It means our wing play has to be very decent and last night it wasn't.

 

Thats true. However, dont understand how we could pump in crosses from the wing without Crouch there? Bellers was aboslutely invisible in the game due to the formation of Crapski. Since we played with two 'wingers', how is it we played also two CMs like Masch and Alonso and Without Crouch?

 

Zenden was workin his socks off(not v effective mind you) to get the crosses in, but to whom? The strikers were marked out of the game and the midflrs were inept until Stevie came to CM those few times.

[Michael]

One thing I would like to see is our wingers in the return game, be they Pennant or Gerrard on the right and one of Gonzales, Riise or possibly Kewell on the left hugging the edge of the area and trying to run into it. Chelsea won't mind conceding fouls out on the touchline, but they will be far less willing to dive in when we are in the box. Anything trown into the area from the wings they can deal with in the air, but let's try them one on one on the ground where a reckless tackle earns a penalty.

[Guest prophet]

One thing I would like to see is our wingers in the return game, be they Pennant or Gerrard on the right and one of Gonzales, Riise or possibly Kewell on the left hugging the edge of the area and trying to run into it. Chelsea won't mind conceding fouls out on the touchline, but they will be far less willing to dive in when we are in the box. Anything trown into the area from the wings they can deal with in the air, but let's try them one on one on the ground where a reckless tackle earns a penalty.

 

Stevie was playing on the rite wing. The main problem is "how do you get goals when the strikers are maked out of the game and your midfileders do NOT make the runs into the box to get to the crosses form the wing?"

 

Both times the midflr who got to the crosses was STEVIE! How s that supposed to be? This is a real delimma for us. The next best midfldr for goals is RIISE. Is that strange or what? The rest of the midlfrs are not exactly goal getters eg Alonso, MOMO, Macsh, Pennant, Gonso.....i wish Luis wasnt injured....

[Michael]

Stevie was playing on the rite wing. The main problem is "how do you get goals when the strikers are maked out of the game and your midfileders do NOT make the runs into the box to get to the crosses form the wing?"

 

I agree that our strikers are marked out of the game and that is why I think we need to get our wingers to cut into the box. As long as they beat the left or right back, then one of those central defenders, either Carvalho or Terry has to leave his man and come across, thus freeing up one of our strikers. Makelele won't be able to cover a beaten full back as he sits in front of the back four and doesn't drop back that far. If we let their central pair keep their position our strikers will only get the odd knock down to........no-one. Draw them out of position and we can open them up. Surely one of Pennant, Gerrad, Gonzales, Riise, Kewell is capable of beating the full back on the edge of the area where they can't risk a reckless tackle.

[Guest prophet]

I agree that our strikers are marked out of the game and that is why I think we need to get our wingers to cut into the box. As long as they beat the left or right back, then one of those central defenders, either Carvalho or Terry has to leave his man and come across, thus freeing up one of our strikers. Makelele won't be able to cover a beaten full back as he sits in front of the back four and doesn't drop back that far. If we let their central pair keep their position our strikers will only get the odd knock down to........no-one. Draw them out of position and we can open them up. Surely one of Pennant, Gerrad, Gonzales, Riise, Kewell is capable of beating the full back on the edge of the area where they can't risk a reckless tackle.

 

Interstingly someone proposed Bellers to be on left wing. i think about 20 odd passes went to Zenden whio managed to beat Ferrereia ONCE! maybe this may work?

 

Without this i dread to think where the goals form the secong leg s gonna come from. BTW i thought Mikel played quite deep as well....he covered Ferreia qt well.

[John am Rhein]

Kuyt will score at Anfield

[mally]

Kuyt will score at Anfield

 

a schmoke and a pancake?

[yellow jumper]

chelsea play narrow and pack the midfield, they also have two strong blocking centre halves, there's very little opportunity to run straight through them there even if you succeed in moving makele about, which is much harder said than done. and without garcia i'm not sure we have the player to do that.

 

personally thought the onus was on the wide players and strikers to provide the right movement to disrupt them. early on gerrard had some success pinging diagonal balls to kuyt who'd managed to drop off carvalho on the edge of the area, but those spaces are closed down so quickly that it needs a brilliantly timed run and pass to break them down from there.

 

think they are vunerable at full back and with alonso in the side we should be able to get quick ball to the flanks. we also need our own full backs to double up when they can.

 

i think gerrard on the left could be an option if you have a full back overlapping because it allows him to come in field (which is what he wants to do from wide positions) onto to his natural foot and threatens the spaces just in front of terry and carvalho without any one picking him up easily.

Edited April 27, 2007 by george lees

[Mikey]

Not enough goal threat from midfield, the wide areas especially; not enough attacking support from the fullbacks without Finnan and Aurelio playing - nothing new here and I'm sure Rafa will be looking to address this in the Summer.

 

We were away to Chelsea, who are 15 odd points in front of us in the league and NEVER lose at home, and played for 0-0 or 1-1, we almost got it albeit more by luck than judgement. The team will be different at home and we will press them more, but little can be done about the deficencies of our players until the window opens.

 

I'd like to see us shoot more from anywhere within 30 yards, we're due one to be deflected into the opposite corner, and get at their fullbacks more, but apart from that we need a little bit of luck and hopefully an early goal.

 

We were generally crap and got away with it.

 

Is this really worth a new thread?

[Bootle Buck]

We have had a chance to rest players where Chelsea haven't. Therefore we need a high tempo game that stretches them and puts them on the back foot. The first game was too nice and played at a rather slow pace, we suited the Chavs. Their were few crunching tackles or any animosity between the players. At Anfield we need to keep the fans in it for 90 minutes and keep them pinned in their own half. Chelsea don't like it when teams come at them and get stuck in.

[Paul B]

Have faith. We will win 3-0. It is written.

[Magic8Ball]

Have faith. We will win 3-0. It is written.

man I hope so, we're gonna have to score 3 goals to go through