The BigFooty Liverpool Army - Part 10

[Lowie01]

Playing OK so far today. Seem to have a better passing rhythm with Gerrard playing deeper alongside Mascherano tonight, the captain has been much more involved. Still think we could be susceptible to a quick counter.

For what it's worth I think playing Johnson on the right wing wouldn't work at all, you would negate his attacking talents by actually thrusting him into the main attacking slot, a bit similar to why playing Tim Cahill up front for Australia doesn't work - put him in the spotlight and everybody has the opportunity to clamp down on him. Playing Johnson at full-back means the opposition full-back can't concentrate his attention on him, and forces their left midfielder to be accountable and track back.

 

[gytre]

Playing OK so far today. Seem to have a better passing rhythm with Gerrard playing deeper alongside Mascherano tonight, the captain has been much more involved. Still think we could be susceptible to a quick counter.

Our passing's been sharp and our workrate really good. Benayoun's been terrific. Nice goal by N'gog. 1-0 up at half time. So far, so good.

 

[Lowie01]

Geez we're unconvincing in the last few minutes. Wigan certainly should have scored once and probably should have done better there too.

But Nando pops in a very messy second and we're home. Phew.

 

[Kaan]

Of course we have to conceed one. Keeping a clean sheet is impossible.

2-1

 

[TorresIsGod]

Well, we started off on fire, our passing was crisp, fast movement, attacking football, we then scored and went back into our shells a bit.

We came out after half time similar to the Arsenal game, Wigan had lots of possession but didn't do anything with it, Nando gets 1 chance to score and does, which is just what we needed, gives us some breathing space and luckily he did, because that goal we conceded at the end...

What was everyone doing?

N'Zogbia went by four defenders who all made half-arsed challenges...

A lovely finish which could do nothing about, but the defending..

Also the substitution of Lucas on for Aurelio was baffling at the time, but then minutes later when Nando replaced Ngog it became clear it was to go to the 4-2-3-1 formation.

 

[Kevin McAllister]

Of course we have to conceed one. Keeping a clean sheet is impossible.

2-1

I'm just happy with a win.

 

[TorresIsGod]

I'm just happy with a win.

I can see where you're coming from, but the defending was laughable.

If we keep that up, we wont be winning too many more games.

 

[Pie Legend]

I agree with TiG, started off just as well as the Arsenal game, crisp passes and a lot of one touch sort of stuff.

But then we scored, and we went of the boil. A lot of indecision crept into the game, and they got well in control of possession, although to be fair they created very little in the first half despite the ball they had and we had a couple of very clear chances to break the game open.

Second half started off the where the first ended, Wigan had the ball, we created the chances. The Torres and Lucas came on, and we had our equal share of the ball, but Wigan should really have leveled through Scotland. Then Torres gets a chanced, buries it and it's as good as over, although N'Zogbia's goal was very nice.

All in all, a pleasing performance with Gerrard, Agger, Benayoun and Torres being very good, as well as Ngog and Masch, who did everything they were asked to do.

 

[peternorth]

scrappy game (after the first goal) but well take the win.

missed maybe 15-20 mins of the start of the second half. wondering who the hell went off for lucas (answered here). so who was playing left mid when aurellio went off?

you could see the wigan goal coming. teams who fall behind against us shouldnt fear.
half hearted defense against nzogbia is a nice way of putting it, including lucas weak side foot challenge

PS: still not a fan of lucas

 

[Dagger5]

At least we won this game and kept in touch with Spurs.

Now we must get a run of wins going.

 

[gytre]

Delighted to get a win, and I thought we deserved it. As others have suggested, our first half was really good. Some of our defending still leaves much to be desired. We were very lucky Wigan didn't score more goals. But then we created chances as well that weren't taken. I'm just relieved we won. I thought Benayoun was our best player again. N'gog is starting to show some real promise also.

 

[bus24]

Pretty good performance, probably should have been 4 or 5 up, when it was only 1-0.

Have to love "after-injury Torres". He's always diabolical in his first few games back, but he still manages to score! Absolute LEGEND!!

His goalscoring record at Anfield is absolutely ridiculous.


Unfortunately there's never a game without a few pieces of diabolical defending. To concede that late goal the way we did was ****ing criminal. He sold the same ****ing dummy to 4 players and everyone of the useless ***** fell for it. What I wouldn't do for some decent defenders.

 

[Kompany]

You guys must be ****ing laughing to only be 5 ****ing points off 4th ****ing spot

 

[bus24]

You guys must be ****ing laughing to only be 5 ****ing points off 4th ****ing spot

It's pretty ****ing incredible!

 

[Kompany]

Imagine you hit form after christmas, you'll be in 3rd in no time - everybody's dropping points like it's a hobby this season. Very entertaining.

 

[archiemoses]

Delighted to get a win, and I thought we deserved it. As others have suggested, our first half was really good. Some of our defending still leaves much to be desired. We were very lucky Wigan didn't score more goals. But then we created chances as well that weren't taken. I'm just relieved we won. I thought Benayoun was our best player again. N'gog is starting to show some real promise also.

First half was excellent we score and hold out the first half, then second half get sloppy. Why is that. Glad to see Rafa use a 4-4-2. I think it helped immensely with Gerrard in the middle of the park.

Ngog has been good and scoring goals. I was curious to see how much time he has actually spent on the ground. So I looked up some stats.

He has scored 4 goals this campaign and made 2 assists.

He has had a total of 412 mins on the pitch. Starting 4 games (90m, 90m, 74m, 63m)

Coming off the bench in 6 games (7m, 16m, 10m, 11m, 39m, 12m)

In the 4 games he has started he has scored 2 goals and set up 2.
In the 6 games he has come off the bench he has scored 2 goals.

Goals per minute ratio = 103 (almost a goal a game)

It is a great record thus far for a youngster and proves to me he should be given more time on the pitch. We need to develop him in the big league. He has a lot of improvement in him.

Question remaining is would he be as effective alongside Torres?

 

[Pie Legend]

Imagine you hit form after christmas, you'll be in 3rd in no time - everybody's dropping points like it's a hobby this season. Very entertaining.

Woah there compadre, we certaintly are not going to get ahead of ourselves.

It was only a win over Wigan at home remember.

 

[gytre]

Question remaining is would he be as effective alongside Torres?

Yes, that is the question. Torres definitely seems to do better in the 4-2-3-1 formation and I don't really think N'gog is suited to playing the lone striker role because he just isn't quick enough.

 

[TorresIsGod]

Ngog would not be effective up front with Torres.

 

[Kaan]

Ngog would not be effective up front with Torres.

We wont know if we don't try.

 

[cooney]

It was a pleasing game to watch, good to see N'gog on the score sheet again and we should be looking at another 3 points at pompey

 

[TorresIsGod]

We wont know if we don't try.

They're very similar players, they both can play with the ball at their feet or they both can play with the ball in the air.

I really don't believe they'd work well together.

 

[archiemoses]

They're very similar players, they both can play with the ball at their feet or they both can play with the ball in the air.

I really don't believe they'd work well together.

I disagree, there is a physical strength difference as Ngog is not able to hold off defenders like Torres. Obviously it will improve as he gets older.

I think they can work together as we have seen with Drogba and Anelka. Torres and Drogba are similar players, strong in the air, quick, can hold the ball up, skillful with the ball on the deck.

And Ngog has similar qualities to Anelka (ableit a long way off Anelka's quality) probably not as quick but moves like Anelka and scores similar goals. I'm not saying Anelka is not strong, but he is not physically imposing and strong defenders would have the measure of him.

 

[bus24]

Why not give it a go? There's no reason it couldn't work.

The evidence we've had suggests Torres plays better as a lone striker - but look at who his support strikers have been when we've played two up top.

Kuyt, Voronin and Babel. Any striker is going to struggle to gel with rubbish like that. N'gog is better in nearly every aspect than those three wasters.

Why not give it a go? I'd rather do that, than have Kuyt disgracing himself.

 

[Kaan]

The only negative of playing a diamond 4-4-2 is that Lucas will be dropped to the bench and Aqulaini can forget starting, he wont even be used as a sub anymore.