And I'm not sure if it's just me but we seemed to go direct a bit more against Forest than we have done so far.

I’d happily take a point tonight.

Need to be winning. We're a much better team and need to make sure we're winning these very winnable games and not going into a playoff. Considering the draw that's a very real possibility if we don't go strong.

need to win yh hopefully convincingly after the weekends shambles of a performance.

Game day baby, game day

Think some may be under estimating Milan tbh. They’ve some players who can really hurt us and the San Siro under the lights really will not be easy at all.

comment by Robbing Hoody - keepy up arbiter. Don’t talk to me unless you can do ten (U6374)
posted 11 minutes ago
Think some may be under estimating Milan tbh. They’ve some players who can really hurt us and the San Siro under the lights really will not be easy at all.
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their team on paper looks quite strong tbf. lot of prem exp too lol pulisic loves playing us too.

I was looking at the lineup we had when we won there a few years ago. We did very well to win that game with the likes of Morton, Phillips and Neco Williams in the lineup.

comment by Peter O'Hanraha-hanrahan (U1217)
posted 13 minutes ago
I was looking at the lineup we had when we won there a few years ago. We did very well to win that game with the likes of Morton, Phillips and Neco Williams in the lineup.
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Those are one of those games where you sit in amazement at Klopp's genius

comment by Robbing Hoody - keepy up arbiter. Don’t talk to me unless you can do ten (U6374)
posted 32 minutes ago
Think some may be under estimating Milan tbh. They’ve some players who can really hurt us and the San Siro under the lights really will not be easy at all.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

It's one of those marker games for me.

On paper, Milan aren't a bad side at all - finished 2nd (albeit a long way off the title) last season but obviously going through a bit of a transition with a new manager, as we are.

However, they're a team that likely semi finalists of the CL would expect to beat and probably beat well. The likes of RM, City, Bayern would expect to win. We're not at that level, certainly not of the first two, right now but I think even Qtr finalists would look to beat Milan.

Which is why I say a marker game. If we're likely to get to the business end of the competition under Slot then we should be looking to control and beat decent but not outstanding teams, which is what I think Milan probably are.

comment by Szoboss (U6997)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Robbing Hoody - keepy up arbiter. Don’t talk to me unless you can do ten (U6374)
posted 32 minutes ago
Think some may be under estimating Milan tbh. They’ve some players who can really hurt us and the San Siro under the lights really will not be easy at all.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

It's one of those marker games for me.

On paper, Milan aren't a bad side at all - finished 2nd (albeit a long way off the title) last season but obviously going through a bit of a transition with a new manager, as we are.

However, they're a team that likely semi finalists of the CL would expect to beat and probably beat well. The likes of RM, City, Bayern would expect to win. We're not at that level, certainly not of the first two, right now but I think even Qtr finalists would look to beat Milan.

Which is why I say a marker game. If we're likely to get to the business end of the competition under Slot then we should be looking to control and beat decent but not outstanding teams, which is what I think Milan probably are.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

More than fair imo.

Be interesting to see how Forfana gets on tonight, whom they signed in the summer. I was watching Andre at the weekend and he had a good 70 mins.

We’re the only elite team in history that apparently doesn’t need a ball winner.

I like Milan’s signings this summer though, mixture of youth and experience.

Should be a pretty good game.

comment by Peter O'Hanraha-hanrahan (U1217)
posted 1 hour, 58 minutes ago
I feel like if we can work out low blocks then the sky is the limit. I think we'll work it out under Slot as well in the end. He favours the neater shorter passing which is what we'll need to unlock stubborn defences. Maybe it was more a case of just having a complete off day with our passing more than anything else. If we had put in a performance like our first three games I think we would have got at least a goal.
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comment by Peter O'Hanraha-hanrahan (U1217)
posted 1 hour, 58 minutes ago
I feel like if we can work out low blocks then the sky is the limit. I think we'll work it out under Slot as well in the end. He favours the neater shorter passing which is what we'll need to unlock stubborn defences. Maybe it was more a case of just having a complete off day with our passing more than anything else. If we had put in a performance like our first three games I think we would have got at least a goal.
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I think its a bit of a myth that we struggle against the "low block" to be honest. Most of the time we beat those kind of teams that sit deep, it's only brought up on the odd occasion we don't win.

In this case it was just a very crap second half performance against Forest.

Guardiola's Man City aside, who are probably one of the most intricate passing sides in football history, are we actually any worse than the other top teams at it?

Simple facts are that it is difficult to break down teams that get 11 men behind the ball, hence that's why teams do it.

It wasn’t just any low block though, it was a Nuno low block. Very Mourinho esque.

Nuno is a footballing terrorist and did a proper number on Slot.

Thought the holes in our squad were brutally exposed tbh.

comment by Robbing Hoody - keepy up arbiter. Don’t ... (U6374)
posted 20 minutes ago
comment by Szoboss (U6997)
posted 1 minute ago
comment by Robbing Hoody - keepy up arbiter. Don’t talk to me unless you can do ten (U6374)
posted 32 minutes ago
Think some may be under estimating Milan tbh. They’ve some players who can really hurt us and the San Siro under the lights really will not be easy at all.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

It's one of those marker games for me.

On paper, Milan aren't a bad side at all - finished 2nd (albeit a long way off the title) last season but obviously going through a bit of a transition with a new manager, as we are.

However, they're a team that likely semi finalists of the CL would expect to beat and probably beat well. The likes of RM, City, Bayern would expect to win. We're not at that level, certainly not of the first two, right now but I think even Qtr finalists would look to beat Milan.

Which is why I say a marker game. If we're likely to get to the business end of the competition under Slot then we should be looking to control and beat decent but not outstanding teams, which is what I think Milan probably are.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

More than fair imo.

Be interesting to see how Forfana gets on tonight, whom they signed in the summer. I was watching Andre at the weekend and he had a good 70 mins.

We’re the only elite team in history that apparently doesn’t need a ball winner.

I like Milan’s signings this summer though, mixture of youth and experience.

Should be a pretty good game.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
So that's it then? You're just going to keep repeating this nonsense about a ball winner, no matter the topic, until the end of time?

We have ball winners in the team. It doesn't need to be an out and out defensive midfielder. We're fourth in the league in terms of tackle percentage thus far. We're fourth from bottom in terms of tackles in the middle third of the pitch, guess who's last? City. Why is that? It's because we don't need to tackle in there often as we have a lot of possession and tackles are normally high up when pressing or in defence as teams bypass our midfield on the counter.

Slot clearly doesn't want a dedicated defensive midfielder but somebody good on the ball in the deepest midfield position. There's absolutely no reason why this can't work when you hold possession and have a top defence and keeper.

So that it then. You’re going to have a pop at people who are even mildly critical until the end of time as if you have a furrrrking clue what you’re talking about anyway?

Just for bantz TOOR, could you list the teams throughout history that have won the league in England or the CL ever, that don’t have an out and out DM please.

Any team will do and I’m happy to wait.

Yep list them TOOR.

I am optimistic of a win tonight but I don't know why, could easily be wrong. Can't wait to see the San Siro either way.

It’s very naive to not think we will need a proper ball winning defensive midfielder during the season.

There will come points in tough away grounds, where we are under the kosh and not have control of the ball, where someone like that will be needed.

Of course we will dominate most games, but in those tougher, more difficult opponents, you need someone in there like a Rice or Rodri to read the game and smell the danger. We still haven’t replaced Fabinho in that regard, as good as Endo has been.

I just knew you were going to ask that question.

I mean a dedicated DM only became a thing relatively recently for a start. There are many ways to win football matches. Systems are changing and have changed all the time throughout the history of football.

If it's a list you need you can run a list of all teams before 2000 to have won a trophy, to start you off.

Or you can stick your fingers in your ears and keep repeating 'no defensive midfielder, no trophy' on every single topic, until you're taken away in a straight jacket and medicated.

Hope you have an amazing time Neo. It’s a classic stadium by all accounts, could be special.

comment by Neo (U9135)
posted 19 minutes ago
comment by Peter O'Hanraha-hanrahan (U1217)
posted 1 hour, 58 minutes ago
I feel like if we can work out low blocks then the sky is the limit. I think we'll work it out under Slot as well in the end. He favours the neater shorter passing which is what we'll need to unlock stubborn defences. Maybe it was more a case of just having a complete off day with our passing more than anything else. If we had put in a performance like our first three games I think we would have got at least a goal.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
comment by Peter O'Hanraha-hanrahan (U1217)
posted 1 hour, 58 minutes ago
I feel like if we can work out low blocks then the sky is the limit. I think we'll work it out under Slot as well in the end. He favours the neater shorter passing which is what we'll need to unlock stubborn defences. Maybe it was more a case of just having a complete off day with our passing more than anything else. If we had put in a performance like our first three games I think we would have got at least a goal.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I think its a bit of a myth that we struggle against the "low block" to be honest. Most of the time we beat those kind of teams that sit deep, it's only brought up on the odd occasion we don't win.

In this case it was just a very crap second half performance against Forest.

Guardiola's Man City aside, who are probably one of the most intricate passing sides in football history, are we actually any worse than the other top teams at it?

Simple facts are that it is difficult to break down teams that get 11 men behind the ball, hence that's why teams do it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

I've long thought that City win a lot of games before they step foot on the pitch. By that I mean they're reputation is such that teams seem to believe that a low block is just sitting there waiting to get beaten. The general consensus is that the way you get something out of City is to take the game to them.

Our reputation seems to be that you get points off us with a low-block and counter attacks. So we face that more often.

I guess the only way to change the approach of opposition teams is to regularly and easily beat the more negative tactics - in the same way City do.

comment by TheresOnlyOne7-0Reds (U1721)
posted 15 seconds ago


I just knew you were going to ask that question.

I mean a dedicated DM only became a thing relatively recently for a start. There are many ways to win football matches. Systems are changing and have changed all the time throughout the history of football.

If it's a list you need you can run a list of all teams before 2000 to have won a trophy, to start you off.

Or you can stick your fingers in your ears and keep repeating 'no defensive midfielder, no trophy' on every single topic, until you're taken away in a straight jacket and medicated.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

It’s fine if you can’t, but maybe wind your neck in if so.

It’s very naive to not think we will need a proper ball winning defensive midfielder during the season.
—————

Yep. It flies in the face of every bit of evidence ever in elite football.

We didnt even attempt to purchase one (zubi is not that profile)