So I've been holding off in posting this, as I wanted to see how we progressed and developed as the season went on.
So nearly two months and 7 games in to the season, we all know that bar one performance (Tottenham) we've not played anywhere near to the level we were playing at last season.
Our defence is still shite, but that's by the by, the personnel that we have are good players, it's just individual errors that are causing the problems.
On to my main point, every time I've watched us this season we seem to have been lacking something, we have no cutting edge, or creativity in the final third, and I've put it down to one thing, we really miss Luis Suarez.
Now everyone knew we would miss his goals, but what we miss most imo, is his closing down from the front, his constant buzz and pressing, him screaming at players to push on and press the opposition defence, his influence on his team mates, he used to scream if they fucked up a pass or missed a chance, so they always knew the pressure was on. His pure intensity in the game we sorely miss. Not only that but his ability to create goals from nothing is evident.
The problem we have is the precedent that's been set, teams are setting up defend in numbers against us, knowing they'll be hard to break down, and ruining us on the counter. Now we've had a defeat to villa and west ham, other teams know we can be beaten, we've lost the aura of, when you play Liverpool you're lucky to walk away with a 1-0 defeat, teams know we can be beaten.
I know we have Balotelli who I reckon will score goals but he's just not the same player as Suarez, and Coutinho's massive loss of form has resulted in a loss of creative spark. Lallana looks closest to providing it but he's still settling in. Sterling can't do it on his own, and Sturridge being out hasn't helped matters at all, even when sturridge and Balotelli play, we still can't get the ball to them in creative areas, we lack an incisive final ball.
All in all, we have SO much work to do, whether that's buying players who fit the mould better, or educating our players who we have to be more patient, and stop wasting the final ball, I really don't know, but cause of the high expectations set last season, which I do believe was an anomaly, and didn't truly reflect the level we are at, it means that we're set for disappointment this season.
That's my 2p worth on our season so far.
I can't be arsed proof reading it so there will be errors.
So nearly two months and 7 games in to the season, we all know that bar one performance (Tottenham) we've not played anywhere near to the level we were playing at last season.
Our defence is still shite, but that's by the by, the personnel that we have are good players, it's just individual errors that are causing the problems.
On to my main point, every time I've watched us this season we seem to have been lacking something, we have no cutting edge, or creativity in the final third, and I've put it down to one thing, we really miss Luis Suarez.
Now everyone knew we would miss his goals, but what we miss most imo, is his closing down from the front, his constant buzz and pressing, him screaming at players to push on and press the opposition defence, his influence on his team mates, he used to scream if they fucked up a pass or missed a chance, so they always knew the pressure was on. His pure intensity in the game we sorely miss. Not only that but his ability to create goals from nothing is evident.
The problem we have is the precedent that's been set, teams are setting up defend in numbers against us, knowing they'll be hard to break down, and ruining us on the counter. Now we've had a defeat to villa and west ham, other teams know we can be beaten, we've lost the aura of, when you play Liverpool you're lucky to walk away with a 1-0 defeat, teams know we can be beaten.
I know we have Balotelli who I reckon will score goals but he's just not the same player as Suarez, and Coutinho's massive loss of form has resulted in a loss of creative spark. Lallana looks closest to providing it but he's still settling in. Sterling can't do it on his own, and Sturridge being out hasn't helped matters at all, even when sturridge and Balotelli play, we still can't get the ball to them in creative areas, we lack an incisive final ball.
All in all, we have SO much work to do, whether that's buying players who fit the mould better, or educating our players who we have to be more patient, and stop wasting the final ball, I really don't know, but cause of the high expectations set last season, which I do believe was an anomaly, and didn't truly reflect the level we are at, it means that we're set for disappointment this season.
That's my 2p worth on our season so far.
I can't be arsed proof reading it so there will be errors.
