So, if I were to tell you that we passed the ball backwards and sideways, taking too many touches and not being incisive enough, before eventually the opposition scored with a free header, you'd say: "You're going to have to narrow it down here; which week is this again?" Then I'd say: "Ah, but this week was special." Then you'd say: "Why?" And I'd explain: "This week the free header was a winger from open play, surrounded by centre backs." Other than that, same sh!t/different week.
Here are my ratings:
Schmeichel: 4 - Had one attempt to save. Didn't save it.
Amartey: 8 - I have an issue with his passing at times that he gives people passes that are difficult to control. Essentially, he doesn't look happy on the ball having to make the play. That said, he put in a good defensive performance and scored the goal. My choice for our MOTM.
Evans: 5 - I'd need to see the goal back, but if a wing back can get a free header from centre goal then I have to be asking questions. Very slow on the ball, which can be fine to make a point but it was very often.
Soyuncu: 7 - Looked happier in this style of game than he has done recently. Tried to push the play forward and drove with the ball.
Castagne: 7 - A well-used target and outlet down the right hand side; got involved in a lot of attacks and got a lot of crosses in. Not capable of taking a man on though.
Soumare: 7 - Almost scored a cracker. Had a good first half; faded a bit in the second.
Tielemans: 6 - Gave the ball away a lot today. Not his strongest performance.
Bertrand: 6 - Started and defended well; didn't look dangerous in attack and tired quite badly before his removal.
Perez: 6 - Got into some good positions to link the play, but ineffective in the final third. I wouldn't be surprised if he went back to Newcastle in January for a few million.
Iheanacho: 5 - Ball bounced off him a lot. Seems to have hit a dip in form. Will be gutted to have got in the way of Dewsbury-Hall's header.
Daka: 5 - If there's no space in behind, he looks easily nullified right now.
Lookman: 6 - Brought on to take on his wing back, which he did, but unsuccessfully. Did win the penalty, but doesn't generally look like he has what we're looking for. I'd be surprised if he was here beyond this season.
Ndidi: 6 - Finding his way back to form and fitness. A good run-out for him.
Vardy: 4 - The number of times I've seen it... Do. Not. Take a penalty when you've Just. Come. On. Should have been given to Iheanacho or Tielemans.
Dewsbury-Hall: 7 - Tried to influence the game; close to scoring the winner. Would it have gone in? We'll never know.
So, still no sign of improvement at home. I did see a greater keenness to get back and stop counterattacks today, but the defending for Moscow's goal remains awful. It was an atrocious goal to concede. I think we missed Maddison and Barnes today, one to do something creative, the other to properly run at the opposition in a way more dangerous than Lookman offers. But the fact is it doesn't matter who we put on the pitch right now, they're not playing to their maximum ability. I've occasionally heard pundits describe us as inconsistent this season. I disagree. We're simply mediocre in every match. If the opposition arrive with any sort of belief, they're pretty much guaranteed to get something from the match.
Player ratings vs. Spartak Moscow
posted on 5/11/21
Spot on in every respect.
posted on 5/11/21
It’s amazing what a few weeks with our coaches and produce, Lookman when he arrived looked sharp, decisive, prepared to take on his man, now he is like all the others and you now what that is from the opening lines of the o/p.
posted on 5/11/21
We play to Rodgers personality- Dour
No blame on the players, it’s the coaching style they’re following that’s the issue.
posted on 5/11/21
Good summary Dunge. Agree pretty much with those scores. Probably make Castagne MOM as I thought he was excellent.
We did more than enough to win that game and Vards had sunk the pen we would all have been congratulating the team on a good hard-fought performance in Europe.
Thought we did well to open up Moscow so many times as they just camped in their half for 89 minutes. Never easy when the oppo do that.
posted on 5/11/21
Loving your ratings posts Dunge.
All I’ll say is your analysis is spot on but your ratings generous.
We are so passive it hurts. What is going on?!
posted on 5/11/21
comment by Merseysidefox (U4842)
posted 7 minutes ago
Loving your ratings posts Dunge.
All I’ll say is your analysis is spot on but your ratings generous.
We are so passive it hurts. What is going on?!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Rodgers
posted on 5/11/21
I went home from the match quite angry- not with the general performance, which was reasonable against a decent side, but the penalty- Rodgers should have insisted that Tielemans take it. He would certainly have scored, and this could have turned a draw into a win.
posted on 5/11/21
Agree with most of what said, like kp i went home angry.
Spartak were just like Burnley, came with a negative game plan, and we allowed them to get away with it.
Equally annoyed about penalty,Tielemans clearly wanted and should have taken it,Vardy is good penalty taker, but seems to be have a problem with pressure
The more important it is the more likely he is to miss it.
Also , thought 2 players were very poor last night,
Perez and Bertrand, not impressed with Dewsbury Hall either.
We really needed a win last night, and feel players and manager got it wrong.
posted on 5/11/21
‘ Also , thought 2 players were very poor last night,
Perez and Bertrand,’
Interesting isn’t it, without either and we don’t score to equalise!
posted on 5/11/21
A few points.
Schmeichel 5, didn't have much chance with the header. Due instead to atrocious defending.
Evans 6. Was slightly away from centre for their goal to be able to support Castagne in case Dzyuba tried to get past him. For someone more to blame choose from either your MoM who should have seen the danger or Soumare, who commendably caught up with Moses by the 18 yard line but then inexplicably slowed down to let him continue free and unimpeded for his header - if he'd carried on at the same rate for a few yards more he might even have got to the ball before Moses who isn't exactly the biggest player around. You could also have mentioned Soyuncu who was out of position.
Bertrand. Not a wing back, spent a lot of time facing his own goal giving him the only out of passing backwards.
Castagne 8. My MoM.
Ian 6. Had a few decent attempts at creating something. Nearly scored from the header.
Dewsbury-Hall. I think Selikhov would have saved the header, although Ian would have been in a good position for any rebound.
Perez. Got a really good assist for the goal.
Vards. I was thinking that it wasn't the smartest thing to do when he stepped up for the peno after little time on the pitch. It's not as if Tilly doesn't take any penalties so it would probably have been more sensible for him to have a go.
N'didi. 7. Immediately showed what we have been missing, snuffing out danger and winning balls. Has the wonderful knack of generally either being in the right place to do this or being able to get there.
Pipes. I caught the back end of the RL coverage when I got back to my car. Clearly we would all have been cast into the Muppet category of callers last night, as he was adamant that we were not seeing Puelball, instead the team were being sharp and incisive, with numerous balls being played forward, although he did admit to them playing back/sideways at times. He must have been watching a different game, we are generally pedestrian moving the ball towards the opposition goal?
Brendan. Persisted with 3 at the back, completely unnecessarily for a team which was intent on defending from the start. Be prepared for more Arsenal type outcomes rather than us dominating if he persists with this as we struggle to overcome the high press template that any Premier League Manager worth their salt knows causes us problems.