PSV (A) 14 April | UECL quarter final 2nd leg

[Claridge]

30 minutes ago, majaco said:

So some advocate three at the back for this one.  Three at the back has been heavily criticised on this forum.

 

Some want Soumare back...

 

Jeez

 

 

only PSV fans surely

 

[Ric Flair]

The fact is, we wouldn't pick a midfield 3 of KDH, Tielemans and Maddison in a league game so although the DCM choices are Choudhury, Soumare or something creative like Fofana or Amartey it still is a concern that thetrio above as a combination sees us less in control defensively but also the balance not right to be dangerous going forward.

 

Hope whatever we do it works as I so badly want us to keep this trophy dream alive.

[filbertway]

On paper, a 2 of KDH + anyone should be decent enough. Especially with Fofana and Evans at the back.

 

Rodgers needs to find a way to get Youri impacting the match, whatever he's doing at the minute is awful and a waste of someone of his talent. He either needs benching and replacing with someone that can run, or we need to find a role for him that actually sees us benefit from his ridiculous ability on the ball.

[Ric Flair]

3 minutes ago, filbertway said:

On paper, a 2 of KDH + anyone should be decent enough. Especially with Fofana and Evans at the back.

 

Rodgers needs to find a way to get Youri impacting the match, whatever he's doing at the minute is awful and a waste of someone of his talent. He either needs benching and replacing with someone that can run, or we need to find a role for him that actually sees us benefit from his ridiculous ability on the ball.

KDH doesn't play in a double pivot though, he essentially plays as a striker when pressing in the opposition half and then if we're on the ball deep in our half or pegged back there then he screens the left central area but he's certainly not providing that regular presence in the DCM role that I think we'll need on Thursday.

 

I'm hoping Rodgers has a plan, if they take the lead then it's a massive mountain to climb.

[PSV fan 1913]

25 minutes ago, filbertway said:

A lot of overthinking going on.

 

I feel like PSV will have the edge in this one. Home crowd in full voice, you'd imagine they'll give it a right go. Based on the fact we've been dog muck away from home most of the season, I can't help but seeing PSV run a train over us. All depends on how much bottle they have. They showed us far too much respect at our gaff.

Could be dangerous as well. Yes, the Philips Stadium will be rocking and in full voice. But it can also work the other way around, the team goes forward to quickly because of the support and we’ll concede. We’ve had it happen in the past unfortunately. 

[coolhandfox]

2 hours ago, Lako42 said:

Not in this instance. 

 

Playing without a striker or your midfielders in their natural position is just idiocy. 

 

I don't think Pep is a genius when he does it and he has world class players all over the pitch. He's lost or drawn games where they have been toothless due to his 'genius' 

 

BR doing it with our midfield was frankly ridiculous 

 

Oh and you don't carry out your wacky experiments in that stage of European competition. 

I agree it wasn't a good idea. I disagree more with your assumption that it's down to ego or arrogance. 

[coolhandfox]

17 minutes ago, filbertway said:

On paper, a 2 of KDH + anyone should be decent enough. Especially with Fofana and Evans at the back.

 

Rodgers needs to find a way to get Youri impacting the match, whatever he's doing at the minute is awful and a waste of someone of his talent. He either needs benching and replacing with someone that can run, or we need to find a role for him that actually sees us benefit from his ridiculous ability on the ball.

As @Ric Flair says playing in a two takes away one of KDH biggest strengthen, which is pressing the opposition. In a two he would have to sit in. 

[filbertway]

3 minutes ago, coolhandfox said:

As @Ric Flair says playing in a two takes away one of KDH biggest strengthen, which is pressing the opposition. In a two he would have to sit in. 

You're both missing one important thing. Take the man's leash off and let him chase the ball for 90 mins! It can't fail.

[Ric Flair]

Just now, filbertway said:

You're both missing one important thing. Take the man's leash off and let him chase the ball for 90 mins! It can't fail.

To be fair I think we'll look to counter anyway so the pressing from the front will be done in phases and then drop off and try and set traps.

[filbertway]

9 minutes ago, PSV fan 1913 said:

Could be dangerous as well. Yes, the Philips Stadium will be rocking and in full voice. But it can also work the other way around, the team goes forward to quickly because of the support and we’ll concede. We’ve had it happen in the past unfortunately. 

I'll just take you guys attacking to be honest. I nearly fell asleep watching the first leg. You guys were too scared to leave your half and we were too scared to commit too many bodies forwards. I just want two teams going at it for 90 minutes, winner takes all!

 

 

[walkerleeds]

1 hour ago, PSV fan 1913 said:

How is your support in away games? 90 minutes full on with the entire away end or more in phases?

 

Our away support is like a hybrid of Galatasaray combined with Hajduk Split ultras. 

 

Prepare to be intimidated. 

[KFS]

If Soumare wasn’t shit this year it’d be an easy pick 

 

                    Kasper 

 

Ricardo Fofana Evans Castagne

                   Soumare

         Tielemans        KDH

    Maddison                        Barnes

                   Iheanacho

[Shane]

1 hour ago, sacreblueits442 said:

...apart from. KDH that is a midfield prone to have regular off days!!!

It's not ideal of course. But neither is the Tielemans-KDH double pivot away from home.

 

We need someone to play as a DM in Mendy's absence. Soumare or Choudhury. 

[turlo]

3 minutes ago, KFS said:

If Soumare wasn’t shit this year it’d be an easy pick 

 

                    Kasper 

 

Ricardo Fofana Evans Castagne

                   Soumare

         Tielemans        KDH

    Maddison                        Barnes

                   Iheanacho

Soumare has had a few injuries lately and hardly any game time. Would be a risk both to our performance and his confidence to throw him in at the deep end not fit. Saying that we don't have many other options other than Hamza or a KDH/Youri double pivot, which is a risk as well. 

[Ric Flair]

Soumare was class in a couple of early games, then he's just nose dived. There's evidently a player in there it's just whether we can get him to adapt to PL football, his lack of ability to track players though surely isn't because of this? That's just basic football requirements for a central midfielder.

[coolhandfox]

36 minutes ago, filbertway said:

You're both missing one important thing. Take the man's leash off and let him chase the ball for 90 mins! It can't fail.

Not sure how he let off the leash playing as a two.

[Jabfox]

14 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Soumare was class in a couple of early games, then he's just nose dived. There's evidently a player in there it's just whether we can get him to adapt to PL football, his lack of ability to track players though surely isn't because of this? That's just basic football requirements for a central midfielder.

Was at Wembley for the community shield and he looked a real player when he came on, carrying the ball well and shrugging of Man City players with ease, then like you say just nose dived. 

 

I get he isn't the most mobile and it is kind of his style similar to Pogba in the way they look really sluggish and slow off the ball and have this lazy jogging technique, but there is no excuse for not working hard and showing effort. 

 

I hope he comes good. 

[sacreblueits442]

33 minutes ago, filbertway said:

I'll just take you guys attacking to be honest. I nearly fell asleep watching the first leg. You guys were too scared to leave your half and we were too scared to commit too many bodies forwards. I just want two teams going at it for 90 minutes, winner takes all!

 

 

....that maybe great to watch but naïve!!!

There are times where pragmatism comes into it and for PSV, so long as it wasn't more than a goal behind, they would have considered it job done. I suspect we (LCFC) will be looking not to lose the game in the first 20 minutes and play ourselves into the game. PSV has a lot of quality, but wasn't much on show in the first leg, but it will be different this time round.

[Ted Maul]

Reckon we'll see a completely different player in Soumare next season.

[Ric Flair]

2 minutes ago, Ted Maul said:

Reckon we'll see a completely different player in Soumare next season.

As in we'll sneak someone in the back door and put him in a Soumare 42 shirt and claim its Soumare who will be held hostage by Steve Beaglehole and Guy Branston?

[sacreblueits442]

40 minutes ago, Shane said:

It's not ideal of course. But neither is the Tielemans-KDH double pivot away from home.

 

We need someone to play as a DM in Mendy's absence. Soumare or Choudhury. 

.....I saw Wanya Marcal playing as a DM in the U23s and he looked solid and organised in the position!!!

Not sure why he was playing there, but he was effective and looked born for the role. Big jump to bring him in for a European Quarter Final though, but we might need to take another look at him there.

[Ted Maul]

9 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

As in we'll sneak someone in the back door and put him in a Soumare 42 shirt and claim its Soumare who will be held hostage by Steve Beaglehole and Guy Branston?

There's a player in there but he's obviously struggled- he's probably been taken out of the firing line intentionally to get his head and fitness straight for next season, work on adapting his game in training, maybe improve his English. Hopefully he feels more settled and can hit the ground running. 

[Stevosevic]

52 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

Soumare was class in a couple of early games, then he's just nose dived. There's evidently a player in there it's just whether we can get him to adapt to PL football, his lack of ability to track players though surely isn't because of this? That's just basic football requirements for a central midfielder.

It is pretty bizarre how players just seem to jog by him without him being aware. 

[sacreblueits442]

13 minutes ago, Ted Maul said:

Reckon we'll see a completely different player in Soumare next season.

.....we all hope so, otherwise there will be a lot of very unhappy people, cursing our recruitment!!!

So many aspects of his game not being shown out on the pitch, and hard to just be put down to the pace of the game. Not tracking players is about football intelligence and awareness on the pitch, which constantly manifest itself in his games at the moment. Ambling about the pitch, while others put in the hard yards, cannot endear you to give him any kind of  support.

  If the whole of his game was based on instincts, and he played the game in this way, that would mean anticipation, knowledge of the people around you and an understanding of what is required and when, becomes automatic. If those parts of his game are blocked psychologically (new environment, new country) then you could understand why all parts of his game has fallen down.

 Lack of physicality (not up to speed with the league) does not explain the absence of the aforementioned attributes.

[sacreblueits442]

32 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

As in we'll sneak someone in the back door and put him in a Soumare 42 shirt and claim its Soumare who will be held hostage by Steve Beaglehole and Guy Branston?

...it feels like someone has already done that, when he came to us!!!

Pretty much Soumare is on a desert Island with sky TV watching the games and keeping an eye on his doppelganger. He won't be so pleased though as his "ringer" was said to be better than this, but at least he (Soumare) gets a year off to recharge his batteries.