The Defence

[Frogfish]

Just a quick word on how much more solid we are looking at the back - backed up by the stats. Opposing teams seem to have far fewer high quality chances and consequently my heart is doing far better.
Once we start converting more of the dangerous breaks and moves we have been producing, but failing to finish off, we'll start winning games by more and I think that will come as the season progresses and the team gels more and more into Slot's methodology.

 

[bluebell]

View: https://x.com/LFCTransferRoom/status/1848348733206843839/photo/1

I like this graph - If I had to choose between a solid defence and a free flowing attack give me the former

 

[Frogfish]

I was again just looking at the table and what to emphasise again just how superbly our defence (as a team) is doing :

We have a 15-3 goals record to date. Arsenal 15-8 and Villa 15-10. City are the highest scorers (19) but have conceded 9 goals (remember I said this pre-season that they are weaker all over bar CF).

Those 9 goals City have conceded is the same as United and Spurs and one more than Newcastle! There are 5 teams that have conceded less than City and another 2 are also on 9. They've been lucky to escape with the points a few times already this season.

We have a +12 GD and City +10, these are by far the best with Arsenal on +7, Villa on +5 and Chelsea +7.

Hopefully that can continue over the season (because it would make us Champions) but at the very least for the next 6 weeks.

 

[binomial]

In short, we’re winning the league.

 

[MomoWASright]

Attacks win matches and defences win big shiny things in the spring.

Or something.

 

[binomial]

And the best team do both.

 

[binomial]

Who would’ve thought after 8 games Forest would have the 2nd best defensive record in the league. Murillo and Milenkovic were wonderful pieces of business on their part.

 

[Squiggles]

Two of the goals conceded were dumb, too, and easily avoidable. The Konate/Alisson blunder - really that's just an individual fuck up and not system related. The goal against Chelsea was more system related, but it should have been an easy offside to play and cancel out. The build up was nothing special, just a through pass from the middle of the pitch that caught the defence off-guard. Both count of course, but the point is they very easily could have been avoided and the stats look even better. When the team is back and organised then we haven't been broken through once.

All of this will come into it's own in this tough round of fixtures without Alisson. Worth noting too that Arsenal are lacking creativity without Odegaard, meaning they should find scoring against us from open play a formidable task.

 

[bluebell]

Conceded three against Newcastle and now two against Fulham. If Konate was fit, we'd win both easily.

Robbo has been making stupid challenges a few times this season and needs chucking; he's not the same player.

Quansah shows signs of Karius disease. He makes way too many unforced errors as though his mind is elsewhere.

Finally, Trent seems to be allergic to running at times, Mr. Hollywood who insists on taking corners and free kicks, but what's the conversion? I hate to say it, but he's overrated. The RB we had a few years ago isn't there.

I might be a tad reactionary in my commentary, and I hope I can walk it back, but if Trent does go, I don't think we'll miss much.

 

[localny]

There's questions to be asked when you concede 5 goals in 2 games. Konate is clearly missed. I do think Slot has created a crisis of confidence for Quansah by hauling him, and not playing him sooner. Robbo not himself, Trent inconsistent as usual. That second goal for Fulham yesterday was him not wanting to run and cover Robinson like he should.

 

[Red Bird]

The forwards are getting a free pass in this. They’re not converting enough of the chances they’re getting. And each time an attack breaks down, we’re immediately under pressure.

 

[Donavan Ried]

Conceded three against Newcastle and now two against Fulham. If Konate was fit, we'd win both easily.

Robbo has been making stupid challenges a few times this season and needs chucking; he's not the same player.

Quansah shows signs of Karius disease. He makes way too many unforced errors as though his mind is elsewhere.

Finally, Trent seems to be allergic to running at times, Mr. Hollywood who insists on taking corners and free kicks, but what's the conversion? I hate to say it, but he's overrated. The RB we had a few years ago isn't there.

I might be a tad reactionary in my commentary, and I hope I can walk it back, but if Trent does go, I don't think we'll miss much.

Very true this

 

[Squiggles]

Bradley, Konaté, and Tsimikas aren’t too far from returning. As for Trent, he couldn’t have picked a worse time to slip back into his lazy "Mr Hollywood" habits. I really don’t want to turn on him, but it speaks volumes that Szoboszlai, who’s only been here five minutes, is willing to run through walls for the shirt, while Trent treats tracking back like a mild inconvenience—especially as vice-captain. Imagine being in this squad, previously led by Henderson and Milner, and now looking to Trent for leadership.

Robertson will bounce back to a reasonable level. He’s going through a rough patch, but he still has an important role to play in the second half of the season. He's going to need to reflect on his game and adjust his style because he's just getting caught out when isolated all too often.

I'm confident the returning players will enable Slot to tighten things back up again.

 

[bluebell]

There's questions to be asked when you concede 5 goals in 2 games. Konate is clearly missed. I do think Slot has created a crisis of confidence for Quansah by hauling him, and not playing him sooner. Robbo not himself, Trent inconsistent as usual. That second goal for Fulham yesterday was him not wanting to run and cover Robinson like he should.

Quansah has got his mind messed up, the twitter rumour its something to do with some pornstar. Regardless, if his head is F'ed see a councillor. He is on £15k a week.

 

[bluebell]

@binomial asking you because you have the biggest library of players on SCM. I know many will say thats not true and point to King Binny but he is an AI
CB cover for Konate and maybe VVD heir who would you choose as a Jan signing? feel free to recommend your own
Bafodé Diakité, 23 year old French Starlet. Has played across the back line

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONnO3W-VBbw


Olivier Boscagli, 27 year old French player, most valuable CB in Eredivisie. Contract ending summer 2025.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgXPTKnJLNw

 

[Brizzle]

Part of the reason the we leaked goals against Newcastle is that our midfield was knackered, along with wasting chances, along with having no Konate.

Sort out the fatigue in midfield, get the right players playing at full back and things will slot back together.

But it won't be long until our next injury to someone like Jones, Konate, Jota which then places even more pressure on those covering them or around them

 

[binomial]

@binomial asking you because you have the biggest library of players on SCM. I know many will say thats not true and point to King Binny but he is an AI
CB cover for Konate and maybe VVD heir who would you choose as a Jan signing? feel free to recommend your own
Bafodé Diakité, 23 year old French Starlet. Has played across the back line

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONnO3W-VBbw


Olivier Boscagli, 27 year old French player, most valuable CB in Eredivisie. Contract ending summer 2025.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgXPTKnJLNw

Everybody can fuck off until that stupid gormless cunt sorts out Virg and Mo's contracts.

 

[bluebell]

Everybody can fuck off until that stupid gormless cunt sorts out Virg and Mo's contracts.

By that time unless we get reinforcements we may fall to 3rd.

 

[Red Bird]

Part of the reason the we leaked goals against Newcastle is that our midfield was knackered, along with wasting chances, along with having no Konate.

Sort out the fatigue in midfield, get the right players playing at full back and things will slot back together.

But it won't be long until our next injury to someone like Jones, Konate, Jota which then places even more pressure on those covering them or around them

This has been my bugbear all season long.

 

[MomoWASright]

This has been my bugbear all season long.

It was one of mine for last season. Had half the times we hit the woodwork actually been a goal we would have won the league.

This may not be factually true but I want to believe it.

 

[bluebell]

according to Sergio Aguero, yes, the former Man City striker. Salah agrees to two year extension

“As I understand…” – Surprise source makes HUGE Liverpool transfer claim

Mohamed Salah has agreed to sign a new two-year contract with Liverpool, according to a surprise source in the form of ex-Manchester City star Sergio Aguero.The Argentine, who recently retired from pl...

sports.yahoo.com

 

[My_Blood_Bleeds_Red]

I read somewhere last week about how Slot sets his teams up to play through the opposition’s press.

Apparently that’s how you nullify the press, by patiently building from the back and forcing opposition to press forward before finding and releasing the right pass.

30 years of watching football and playing CM and fantasy football, and I’m only realising it now ! Like I always wondered why teams mess around at the back giving me close to a heart attack each time.

Now I know ! Durrrr ! What a noob.

 

[tombrown]

I read somewhere last week about how Slot sets his teams up to play through the opposition’s press.

Apparently that’s how you nullify the press, by patiently building from the back and forcing opposition to press forward before finding and releasing the right pass.

30 years of watching football and playing CM and fantasy football, and I’m only realising it now ! Like I always wondered why teams mess around at the back giving me close to a heart attack each time.

Now I know ! Durrrr ! What a noob.

That's why Slot gets paid mega bucks, while the likes of us log into an internet forum from our mum's basement and pretend we know what we're talking about

 

[King Binny]

View: https://x.com/SimonBrundish/status/1871148119766765992

 

[Red Bird]

I put it down to the attackers constant frittering of possession when we attack causing the defence to be flatfooted by the transition.

 

[binomial]

I put it down to the attackers constant frittering of possession when we attack causing the defence to be flatfooted by the transition.

Not sure how you can blame the attackers for Mac losing the ball in his defensive third after receiving the ball from Trent, or Kelleher letting the ball float over him from a set piece? The 2 we conceded against Fulham the defence need to take full responsibility. The attackers aren't responsible for Robbo's poor touch and subsequent sending off. Robinson cannot be running past Trent and Quansah on Muniz's goal like that, Trent has a few yards on him, tries to tug at his shirt and ends up 15 yards in front, how?

All these are very different to the goal we conceded against Forest for example where we were exposed in transition after the forwards lost possession.

 

[Red Bird]

Not sure how you can blame the attackers for Mac losing the ball in his defensive third after receiving the ball from Trent, or Kelleher letting the ball float over him from a set piece? The 2 we conceded against Fulham the defence need to take full responsibility. The attackers aren't responsible for Robbo's poor touch and subsequent sending off. Robinson cannot be running past Trent and Quansah on Muniz's goal like that, Trent has a few yards on him, tries to tug at his shirt and ends up 15 yards in front, how?

All these are very different to the goal we conceded against Forest for example where we were exposed in transition after the forwards lost possession.

It’s never one point of failure so not sure responsible is the right word. Culpable?

 

[bluebell]

Not sure how you can blame the attackers for Mac losing the ball in his defensive third after receiving the ball from Trent, or Kelleher letting the ball float over him from a set piece? The 2 we conceded against Fulham the defence need to take full responsibility. The attackers aren't responsible for Robbo's poor touch and subsequent sending off. Robinson cannot be running past Trent and Quansah on Muniz's goal like that, Trent has a few yards on him, tries to tug at his shirt and ends up 15 yards in front, how?

All these are very different to the goal we conceded against Forest for example where we were exposed in transition after the forwards lost possession.

So whereis the fuck is the list of recommendations of CBs? I have asked you few times. I know you're list has 0 value but a you very interesting players that are always outside my radar.

 

[binomial]

So whereis the fuck is the list of recommendations of CBs? I have asked you few times. I know you're list has 0 value but a you very interesting players that are always outside my radar.

I don’t have a list of anything - it’s not like we’re signing anyone anyway, all I wanted for christmas was Virg and Mo to have their contracts sorted by now, thinking of placing a bounty on Hughes’s fat head. He should be the Jackal’s next target, not some 80 year old man that can barely get out of his chair!!

 

[Stevesquash]

So whereis the fuck is the list of recommendations of CBs? I have asked you few times. I know you're list has 0 value but a you very interesting players that are always outside my radar.

Nice to the see SCM Christmas spirit being fully invoked here.