by LFC2007 » Sun Aug 24, 2008 10:58 pm
Ok, 6 points built on two moments of brilliance from our two best players, who carried us for much of last season.
Now, I haven't felt as good as I did when Gerrard got the winner in a while, but the actual performance was still very concerning.
This was a game where, after Mido had scored, radical anti-Rafa/doom and gloom thoughts were beginning to enter the equation, then 25 min's later we were top of the league and on our way to building something towards a title challenge. That's how 'on the edge' we were. I don't think anyone could deny that with 10 min's to go, 'Rafa out' thoughts were well and truly on the agenda. Boro were deserving of a point no question.
In analysing the performance I can't see too far past the problems we had against Sunderland.
We still failed to get width - from our full backs - at key moments. It's not necessarily incumbent upon them to get crosses in all the time, or to provide assists, it really is just to provide that option more often than not - an outlet which can help stretch midfield or defence - depending on how advanced up the pitch we are.
To try and play through a team whilst having Kuyt and Benayoun as our intermediate link men - as they simply don't play as wide men - is crazy. To try and penetrate a defence in limited space, against sides whose main priority is to defend, is very difficult without exceptionally talented players - ones who are technically superb and who have very good movement. As we clearly don't have these types of players in these positions, we either i) get the full backs to push up at the right times in support, or we may as well buy wingers. As it was (for a long time), we were relying on i) Boro making a noteworthy defensive error, ii) A moment of brilliance from Torres, Keane, or Gerrard, iii) A moment of rogue flukiness. We got our moment of rogue flukiness, before we got our moment of brilliance, but that simply won't happen all the time and we will have to create more opportunities and better opportunities of our own doing.
So, whilst Keane, Gerrard and Torres will inevitably create opportunities as they are very good players - there isn't that third link man in one of the left-right sided positions to give us another dimension. I say third as more often than not our play is two-dimensional - through midfield to attack straight down the middle. That third dimension is exactly what we need. Kuyt was OK in doing so for a little while, but we need much more than what he offers, generally speaking.
I thought the link up play between Torres and Keane was the most encouraging point to take from the game - performance wise. Arbeloa was very poor, Dossena improved but remained shabby defensively and wasn't in the right positions in the second half to help support the attack. Benayoun was non-existent, Kuyt was decent, Alonso hit and miss, Gerrard patchy too. Carragher ok, Skrtel shakey at times but ok nonetheless. Reina had his dodgy moment also.