A theory

[Tyler]

I remember Macherano interview where he said that he didn't enjoy playing football because at the highest level there is so much to remember - tactical, positioning, what you have been told re opposite number

 

i think that we live in the era of the "Manager" - managers get fired when results don't go their way and claim the credit when the team wins

 

Is there a case for allowing good players to express themselves and not to worry about the opposition but let the opposition worry about us

 

Be organised at set pieces, have some of our own set pieces but above and beyond that when we have the ball attack and when we don't defend

 

some of our players do look like they are suffocating - obvious example is that we expect our forwards to work so much outside the box

 

views?

[Zoob]

Football is as complicated a game as the manager makes it. I'm glad we're not like Newcastle under Keegan - great attacking football, but tactically and defensively clueless. At the same time, we seem once again to be going too far in the other direction.

 

Instad of pass and move, free flowing football - as Arsenal and Man Utd play, our players seemed shackled by the tactics and defensive duties.

Edited October 28, 2007 by Zoob

[Owen1978]

Personally dont think there was anything wrong with KK newcastle style of play, just think they needed better defenders!

[bobbyboulders]

It's tempting to think that Rafa believes that tactics are the be all and end all so players must be carefully programmed to follow a souless regimented gameplan while someone like Wenger tells his free spirited players to go out and express themselves with sparkling football. But wasn't there an interview with Babel where he basically said that Rafa left them to their own devices when it came to attacking play? So who the f*** knows what's goin on.

 

But then maybe it's the opposite, perhaps they actually need more coaching in terms passing, moving, crossing, set pieces...

Edited October 28, 2007 by bobbyboulders

[Billy Dane]

They could try passing the ball to players in a red shirt in training.

[Zoob]

It's tempting to think that Rafa believes that tactics are the be all and end all so players must be carefully programmed to follow a souless regimented gameplan while someone like Wenger tells his free spirited players to go out and express themselves with sparkling football. But wasn't there an interview with Babel where he basically said that Rafa left them to their own devices when it came to attacking play? So who the f*** knows what's goin on.

 

But then maybe it's the opposite, perhaps they actually need more coaching in terms passing, moving, crossing, set pieces...

 

I think the issue is that coaching time is taken up by practicing tactical issues, and defensive work. Arsenal spend a huge amount of time playing 3 and 5 a side games. I imagine if our players spent more time doing this, we might become more comfortable on the ball and be able to string 5 passes together on more than 1 occasion in a match.

[RafaShanks]

Football is as complicated a game as the manager makes it.

 

Exactamundo.

 

Football should be a simple game, but when the manager keeps making it more complicated than it should be, then things invariably get fecked up.

Edited October 28, 2007 by RafaShanks

[Romario]

The only time you see what the current Liverpool team is capable of is with ten minutes to go when we're chasing a game. That's when the rule book goes out the window and the manager tells the team to go for it, we've nothing to lose.. All of a sudden we see the squad that costs over a 150 million play like we know they can... free, unleashed and exciting. It's a shame but there ya go.

[meepins]

The only time you see what the current Liverpool team is capable of is with ten minutes to go when we're chasing a game. That's when the rule book goes out the window and the manager tells the team to go for it, we've nothing to lose.. All of a sudden we see the squad that costs over a 150 million play like we know they can... free, unleashed and exciting. It's a shame but there ya go.

Honestly, at the end of a game when teams go into that kind of panic mode - it's not really a good time to judge what they can do because things get crazy and sloppy. I understand where you care coming from though, theres a sense that everyone is on the same wavelength.

[San Diego Red]

Is there a case for allowing good players to express themselves and not to worry about the opposition but let the opposition worry about us

Be organised at set pieces, have some of our own set pieces but above and beyond that when we have the ball attack and when we don't defend

Hate to say it, but that sounds like a*** tbh.

[Poolfrog]

Football is as complicated a game as the manager makes it. I'm glad we're not like Newcastle under Keegan - great attacking football, but tactically and defensively clueless. At the same time, we seem once again to be going too far in the other direction.

 

Instad of pass and move, free flowing football - as Arsenal and Man Utd play, our players seemed shackled by the tactics and defensive duties.

That flies in the face of the facts. When Man U play another decent team away from home - like Liverpool away in the past few matches - they deploy Rooney on the left in a withdrawn role to help cover the left-back, whilst they play one man up front on his own and hope to steal a win from a breakaway or a set-piece.

 

All the top teams do this, not just Rafa's Liverpool. Both Chelsea and Arsenal pack the midfield and play one up front away from home

[Rimbeux]

That flies in the face of the facts. When Man U play another decent team away from home - like Liverpool away in the past few matches - they deploy Rooney on the left in a withdrawn role to help cover the left-back, whilst they play one man up front on his own and hope to steal a win from a breakaway or a set-piece.

 

All the top teams do this, not just Rafa's Liverpool. Both Chelsea and Arsenal pack the midfield and play one up front away from home

 

Arsenal were 4-5-1 yesterday

[John am Rhein]

Is there a case for allowing good players to express themselves and not to worry about the opposition but let the opposition worry about us

 

Not really no. All players will perform better if they are made aware of the opposition's strengths and weaknesses and play within a team plan to take best advantage of that.

[fred milne]

All players will perform better if they are made aware of the opposition's strengths and weaknesses.

The players always used to say Paisley was extremely sharp when it came to identifying an opposition player's weakness.

[urban]

One can make the argument that for all the passing and fluid football Arsenal play, they just don't have the cutting edge in the six yeard box. How many chances did they waste? How can they so totally dominate a game and had to trail the game for so long?

[_00_deathscar]

One can make the argument that for all the passing and fluid football Arsenal play, they just don't have the cutting edge in the six yeard box. How many chances did they waste? How can they so totally dominate a game and had to trail the game for so long?

 

Aye, for all their "sexy football", if a couple of chances had gone our way we could've finished the c**** off with our brand of dull shyte.

[R A Softlad]

Two words. Kick. Run.