BPL 16/17 - The Exciting Season Begins Part 1

[Beregond]

http://www.skysports.com/football/news/15126/10730423/claudio-bravos-goalkeeping-is-proving-to-be-a-problem-for-manchester-city

 

1 of the worst shot stopper in EPL

[Osprey23]

Since the discussion is on Bravo, maybe good to share something on sweeper keeper.

 

 

Pep is a staunch believer of having such a keeper, so there is really no justification needed on his part. Right or wrong, he has to live with that decision.

 

Klopp I feel is much more flexible. While Migs does not really start attacks as fast or decisive as Karius, when there are signs that Karius is not at his best, Klopp recalled Migs. Pep on the other hand, insisted to stick with Bravo when Cabellero is not a bad sweeper keeper himself in terms of his distribution.

[Osprey23]

Pep doesnt seems to have much of a choice but to use Yaya. even Zabeltta is playing DM.

 

Everton used high press all day long. City insisted to play possession football out of their half. It is comical to say the least. Everton just need to nick the ball off city once to make them pay. Yet, city still happily zipped the ball happily in their own half... Pep still trying to justify the replacement of Bravo over Hart?

 

common sense will be to reduce the risks and start playing long ball.. but City's setup is so once dimensional that its small forward line has no chance to get to the long balls either.. Pep's current tactical set up is getting the team into trouble.

Good point bro. Long and direct balls out is most effective to relief the pressure but City has no size upfront to hold and retain possession. Passing out from the back against a pressing opponent is doable but the players must be constantly moving, taking up spaces vacated by the players getting into the press. City tried to play out but players are simply not dynamic enough.

 

Pool mixed it up well yesterday. Some times direct, some times play out, depending on the situations. Klopp took a season to tune the team. City will need at least the same to get it right.

[Fooblack]

Since the discussion is on Bravo, maybe good to share something on sweeper keeper.

 

 

Pep is a staunch believer of having such a keeper, so there is really no justification needed on his part. Right or wrong, he has to live with that decision.

 

Klopp I feel is much more flexible. While Migs does not really start attacks as fast or decisive as Karius, when there are signs that Karius is not at his best, Klopp recalled Migs. Pep on the other hand, insisted to stick with Bravo when Cabellero is not a bad sweeper keeper himself in terms of his distribution.

 

Klopp is more rationale and pragmatic I feel.  He doesnt play possession football to its death. Case in point, the win over City at anfield where he surprised the opposition by playing counter-attacking football and setting stall to stifle City.   

 

For the issue with Mingolet, I think Klopp finally realised that it is good to get Karius off the firing line for the time being. He has the luxury of recalling Mingolet to the 1st team and mingolet has justified his place in the squad with a string of very impressive performances. Karius now also has the space to grow into the role by playing in cup matches. His last match at the saints was his best in a Pool shirt thus far. Hence, win win situation for Klopp.

 

For Pep, it is still incredulous that Pep has put all his eggs into 1 basket by swapping Bravo with Hart.  Hart was then loaned out. Bridges burnt, options cut.  Bravo is not looking anything like a GK needed at a club of City's title challenging needs.  He may still come good at a later stage.. but at the moment, he is definitely not helping Pep at all.  

[Hamburger]

Pep can think what he likes.

 

Bravo is in no doubt the keeper with the slowest reaction.

Me no let lives up to his name. He salvaged a point for pool.

 

Lovren was shaky the whole night and it's time for matip to come back, and come back asap.

[Osprey23]

The best illustration of Conte's 3-4-3 tactical analysis. Recommend for all who are into tactics.

 

 

After that, you can imagine yourself as a manager and try to counter

[mersaylee]

Pep has conceded that MC domestic title chase is over.

 

He banked too much on playing from the back to create space in the middle to pass the ball to his speedy sterling. Kun and KdB...less Stone, the aging back line struggled having to play and defend none stop.

 

Yaya is no longer young, can only play against team that park bus.

[Fooblack]

Good point bro. Long and direct balls out is most effective to relief the pressure but City has no size upfront to hold and retain possession. Passing out from the back against a pressing opponent is doable but the players must be constantly moving, taking up spaces vacated by the players getting into the press. City tried to play out but players are simply not dynamic enough.

 

Pool mixed it up well yesterday. Some times direct, some times play out, depending on the situations. Klopp took a season to tune the team. City will need at least the same to get it right.

 

Pool game vs Utd - what forced Mourinho to resort to long balls in the final 20 min was because Klopp set up the team with a high press and Lallana was used to hassle Michael Carrick in the first half.  

 

Carrick is the critical player in Utd's set up. He's the quiet but efficient player used to link the defence and midfield /forward area. Carrick was so ineffective that Mourinho replaced him with Rooney at half time.  For the 1st half. i think Klopp scored 1-up over Mourninho in terms of tactical setup. 

 

2nd half - cue in Rooney who is basically a like for like replacement for Carrick. He is deployed to launch high balls into Pool's defensive third. This was Mourinho's desperate attempt to bypass Pool's high press. It worked.. especially when Falliani came on. To his credit, Mourinho tactics worked in the 2nd half and Pool conceded the equalizer. 

 

the more worrying part in the midst of the game was the progba question. -  he went missing again in the game except to gift a penalty to Pool.  You would expect your most expensive player to rise up in crunch games like this.. he went MIA instead. 

[Fooblack]

Pep has conceded that MC domestic title chase is over.

 

He banked too much on playing from the back to create space in the middle to pass the ball to his speedy sterling. Kun and KdB...less Stone, the aging back line struggled having to play and defend none stop.

 

Yaya is no longer young, can only play against team that park bus.

 

This concession is not gong to go down well with the city fans and management.  I believe the main problem that Pep had was to underestimate the competitiveness of this league. The other clubs he managed - Barca and Bayern were already at their peaks and dominating their respective leagues. He did managed to make these great teams even better and extended their domination.

 

It is a alot different in the case of City. A bunch of very good players at his disposal but that can be said of the same for another 3-4 teams in this league.  Furthermore, it is truly a case of no easy games in the EPL. Any team, even at the bottom, can beat a table-topper any weekend of the season.

 

many EPL teams are also adapting to the high press well. That's where Pep's insistence of playing the possession football is being heavily scruintised.  The squad still need time to adapt to his methods but his fullbacks are not quite able to play his style yet.  

[Spring]

Since the discussion is on Bravo, maybe good to share something on sweeper keeper.

 

 

Pep is a staunch believer of having such a keeper, so there is really no justification needed on his part. Right or wrong, he has to live with that decision.

 

Klopp I feel is much more flexible. While Migs does not really start attacks as fast or decisive as Karius, when there are signs that Karius is not at his best, Klopp recalled Migs. Pep on the other hand, insisted to stick with Bravo when Cabellero is not a bad sweeper keeper himself in terms of his distribution.

 

There's nothing wrong to have a philosophy/belief of a playing style and sticking to it or getting in players to play to that belief and you have hit the nail on the head.

 

A coach has to be flexible to change depending on the circumstances of the game if necessary and it's this stance which I find Pep abit wanting. U can admire him for standing by his beliefs but equally you can also say he's stubborn to steadfastly follow it even if it's not working.

 

Example is Klopp, firm believer of pressing game but changed it in one of the fixtures where recovery time was too short. If he insisted on doing that, he would have shot himself in the foot. 

 

Another example is Conte, firm believer of 3 man backline but didn't use it in the first few games. He wanted to see if his players could adapt to the 3 man defence and also he wanted to get a feel of the EPL and hence he didn't implement straight away from what I read. Admittedly he got lucky cos a bad defeat sort of forced him into it but point here on these 2 coaches is I find them being more flexible and adaptable to the team's and opposition's strengths and kudos to them.

 

I believe Pep will sort it out eventually but EPL has been a real eye opener for him and I do salute him for having the ambition to try out a different league instead of resting on his laurels which he could easily have done so at either Barca or BM

Edited January 16, 2017 by Spring

[Osprey23]

Pool game vs Utd - what forced Mourinho to resort to long balls in the final 20 min was because Klopp set up the team with a high press and Lallana was used to hassle Michael Carrick in the first half.

 

Carrick is the critical player in Utd's set up. He's the quiet but efficient player used to link the defence and midfield /forward area. Carrick was so ineffective that Mourinho replaced him with Rooney at half time. For the 1st half. i think Klopp scored 1-up over Mourninho in terms of tactical setup.

 

2nd half - cue in Rooney who is basically a like for like replacement for Carrick. He is deployed to launch high balls into Pool's defensive third. This was Mourinho's desperate attempt to bypass Pool's high press. It worked.. especially when Falliani came on. To his credit, Mourinho tactics worked in the 2nd half and Pool conceded the equalizer.

 

the more worrying part in the midst of the game was the progba question. - he went missing again in the game except to gift a penalty to Pool. You would expect your most expensive player to rise up in crunch games like this.. he went MIA instead.

I saw it slightly differently.

 

Before the handball, I feel that both teams are actually quite well matched and cancelling each other. Both pressed high but Pool took it more aggressively in the first half. You will see Firmino / Lallana / Origi pressing up to DDG but Man Utd will only press the back lines. While we nullify Carrick, they nullify Hendo. Pogba was harassing or marking Hendo when we have possession at the back. Klopp countered with Can and Wijnaldum taking turn to drop in to receive the ball.

 

Second half, Jose just have to change the game. If he is to remain status quo, Pool likely to see it out 1-0, very similar to the City game. First change, Rooney for Carrick but he took over Pogba as the 10 and Pogba dropped deeper. Partly also because Pogba is not creating enough.

 

Second switch of Mata i feel is just the injection of fresh legs, especially with the introduction of Coutinho by Pool. The key and most important sub is Fellaini. From there on, is long ball all the way.

 

The long ball tactics is not entirely to counter Pool's pressing. Jose will do it whether Pool press high, mid block or park bus. Fellaini is his Plan B.

 

As for Pogba, apart from his fancy haircut, I don't think he contributed much to this Man Utd team. Ibra is their talisman.

[Beregond]

after ending their 13 game winning streak, and losing main striker.

 

chelsea turn out to be the biggest winner this week

 

7 points lead now lol

[Osprey23]

after ending their 13 game winning streak, and losing main striker.

 

chelsea turn out to be the biggest winner this week

 

7 points lead now lol

They went on a run after crushing to a 3-0 defeat against Arsenal. They will be very difficult to stop.

[Fooblack]

They went on a run after crushing to a 3-0 defeat against Arsenal. They will be very difficult to stop.

 

our only hope at this point is a major distraction which may come in the form of Diego Costa.  If he does move on, i will slash my odds significantly on Chelsea winning the title.  

 

it is true that Chelsea won big last weekend without him in the squad. But I cant see that happening week in week out if Costa is absent. He has been a major difference especially in very tight games whereby Chelsea isn't playing well or faced with double-decker buses.. 

[Osprey23]

There's nothing wrong to have a philosophy/belief of a playing style and sticking to it or getting in players to play to that belief and you have hit the nail on the head.

 

A coach has to be flexible to change depending on the circumstances of the game if necessary and it's this stance which I find Pep abit wanting. U can admire him for standing by his beliefs but equally you can also say he's stubborn to steadfastly follow it even if it's not working.

 

Example is Klopp, firm believer of pressing game but changed it in one of the fixtures where recovery time was too short. If he insisted on doing that, he would have shot himself in the foot.

 

Another example is Conte, firm believer of 3 man backline but didn't use it in the first few games. He wanted to see if his players could adapt to the 3 man defence and also he wanted to get a feel of the EPL and hence he didn't implement straight away from what I read. Admittedly he got lucky cos a bad defeat sort of forced him into it but point here on these 2 coaches is I find them being more flexible and adaptable to the team's and opposition's strengths and kudos to them.

 

I believe Pep will sort it out eventually but EPL has been a real eye opener for him and I do salute him for having the ambition to try out a different league instead of resting on his laurels which he could easily have done so at either Barca or BM

Pep just have to realise one thing. Previously, in those leagues when he is managing the one of the two that can win the title, the league adjust to him. In the EPL, he has no choice but to adjust to the league.

 

The free flowing football is possible in Spain and Germany because the quality of players he had in his previous teams are far superior than the rest. In the EPL, the gap isn't that huge. So really he might have to prepare his team to fight. Sad to say, I see very little fight in this Man City team. When the going is tough, most of the players went to hide rather than stepping up to fight.

[Osprey23]

our only hope at this point is a major distraction which may come in the form of Diego Costa. If he does move on, i will slash my odds significantly on Chelsea winning the title.

 

it is true that Chelsea won big last weekend without him in the squad. But I cant see that happening week in week out if Costa is absent. He has been a major difference especially in very tight games whereby Chelsea isn't playing well or faced with double-decker buses..

If they do crumble, I will bet on Spurs.

[Beregond]

our only hope at this point is a major distraction which may come in the form of Diego Costa.  If he does move on, i will slash my odds significantly on Chelsea winning the title.  

 

it is true that Chelsea won big last weekend without him in the squad. But I cant see that happening week in week out if Costa is absent. He has been a major difference especially in very tight games whereby Chelsea isn't playing well or faced with double-decker buses.. 

i will bet on conte getting him back at least until end of season.

 

both of them got temper like firecracker, short burst fuk here and there abit only.

 

if u watch conte during his juv days u will know.

[Spring]

If they do crumble, I will bet on Spurs.

 

I agree, Spurs look the real deal, very fluent in their play and the 2 WBs esp Rose with their work rate and quality crosses are a joy to watch and with Alli and Eriksen bossing MF and creating, Wanyama and the underrated Dembele as strong men. Almost the perfect team. 

 

Vertongen it seems had a bad injury so this could be a worry and also the Thu-Sun games come Feb could be a distraction and could wear them down though.

 

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/tottenham-chelseas-biggest-threat-premier-9627907