by mattylfc » Mon Nov 13, 2006 3:47 pm
Such a strange game in my opinion. Right up until their first goal we were in control of the game and they had created nothing. We were keeping the ball well and creating the odd chance. If anyone looked like scoring it was us.
The second goal was the killer, Van persie got a bit of luck when trying the back-heel and then Toure had the simple job of tucking the ball away. What was most frustrating as many have mentioned, was the lack of belief that we could actually come back and win the game. No-one was willing to roll their sleeves up and have a real go. Allthough we were very poor in the second half, the third goal really flattered them.
Tactically, for me the main problem came from CM once more. I do think that Benitez maybe doesnt have complete confidence in the likes of pennant and garcia away from home so he had no alternative than to play Gerrard on the right. Aswell as Gerrard being our best option on the right, i also feel that Bentitez wanted a wise head in the middle (zenden) to try and keep some shape and keep the ball. Unfortunately though, in playing Alonso and Zenden in the middle together it gave us a problem that we have suffered with all season away from home. We had no-one to break forward from midfield and link up with the attackers giving them support required, an asset that Gerrard posesses. We had no-one to get in the box and stretch Arsenal (like fabregas did for the first goal).
I do personally like Gerrard on the right and he has proven over the last couple of seasons that he is superb out there. Yesterday however, i do feel that Gerrard should have been in the centre and i think that he needs to be playing in the middle with Alonso for future games whilst Sissoko is out.
What also annoys me is the fact that we have a completely different mentality when playing away from home in the CL. When i watch us in the CL i think that the system works great. We play compact , defend well and have belief that we will punish them on the counter. In the prem we seem to try and dominate the play but are far too cautious, we never seem to think that we are actually better than the opponents and that we can walk away with three points by out-playing them and not just by nicking a goal on the counter attack.
I didnt think for one minute that we were going to win the league this season and unfortunately it has now probably
been confirmed. That doesnt worry me too much though as i think that next year will be the real test, the season that we can really judge Benitez on a squad that he has helped build.
What does worry me is whether our squad will be good enough. I think its safe to say that Benitez has made some superb signings in the form of Alonso, Sissoko,Agger and Kuyt to name a few, money well spent. Unfortunately however, there are too many players that keep posing the question of whether or not they are good enough to play for a team challenging for the prem title.
Would the likes of Pennant, Gonzalez, Bellamy and Aurelio get in the starting eleven of the 'big three'? Unfortunately i think not. The reason that i am saying this is not to point the finger but merely to say that when it comes down to it our team just maybe isnt as strong as the top three. We have a squad that can compete with them and get them worried but to we have a team that can actually beat the big three.
Personally i think we are not too far away and under Rafa we have made a great improvement. We are just three or four top top players short of being a real force. The only question remains as to whether or not we can actually go and get those players to take us to the next level, i do hope so.
(I still respect him enough to consider this a posiibility , but I'm not putting my mortgage on it. )
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