25 Aug 2024 20:36:20
We are only 2 games in and don't have our final squad in place.
None of us can be critical for that without having full knowledge of the constraints and complexity of the finances and intricacies involved.
Some players have joined late and are not quite up to speed.
Really disappointed in how flat and pedestrian we look. We move the ball so slowly compared to the rest of the teams.
I'm not sure who said it the other day ( maybe Salford sorry I'm not sure) there is something missing. It's hard to put your finger on what it is but it's just grey. Lifeless compared to the top teams.
Eth needs to get our new players into the team immediately and sort out what way we want to play. Striker or no striker?
Liverpool next week time to make some big calls .

1.) 25 Aug 2024
25 Aug 2024 20:48:27
It's the hope that kills you but I must admit like last year I hold little.
We are an average team managed by an average manager. 3 years in and very little has changed on the pitch.
With onana casemiro and no striker our spine is just to weak. I'd play the youth, garnacho and mainoo the only positive players, all the rest play backwards and are robotic.

2.) 25 Aug 2024
25 Aug 2024 21:11:11
‘Twas me sir!

3.) 25 Aug 2024
25 Aug 2024 21:30:26
Sorry Keefy.

4.) 25 Aug 2024
25 Aug 2024 21:51:27
I think we are missing ball players who like to keep the ball. As it is it's long balls from deep trying to counter fast. That's not the type of football that will compete. We also have some players that shouldn't be anywhere near our starting team like Maguire and Rashford. Harry tries his best but he's just not good enough and Rashford well. the less said the better. A waste of space. Ugarte will be a good signing but I think we need another in midfield that can play.

5.) 26 Aug 2024
25 Aug 2024 22:35:30
What's missing is basic defending.

6.) 26 Aug 2024
25 Aug 2024 22:53:48
We miss a dominant midfield player. A Robson or Keane figure. Not easy to find but we won't fight for the biggest trophies until we get a midfielder who bosses games and inspires.

7.) 26 Aug 2024
25 Aug 2024 23:56:45
I partly agree ted I just don't get the Rashford hatered from the fan base ATM. he's literally playing the left side on his own because we have no full back. I would have taken amad off before Rashford at the weekend and believe that was the plan before he scored, not sure why that changed it.

We 100% need someone who can make passes and dictate the play we are far to reliant on Bruno to create.

8.) 26 Aug 2024
26 Aug 2024 06:22:57
We need to play faster and risk more in final 3rd. Too many times we win the ball, get quickly to the opposition half, just to slow down and pass backwards and let their defence settle.

9.) 26 Aug 2024
26 Aug 2024 08:13:07
All those excuses tumbleweed yet all other squads in the league share the difficulty of their important players not having a full pre season, Liverpool haven’t made a single signing with a brand new manager in place and have managed to get off to a good start.

ETH’s 3rd season now, more signings through the door and it’s the same old performances pretty much.

10.) 26 Aug 2024
26 Aug 2024 09:17:19
Sarcasm doesn't come true in print.
We just are unlucky.

11.) 26 Aug 2024
26 Aug 2024 09:57:19
First half I thought we held control and conceded a poor goal. Had chances but final ball let us down.

2nd half we just became chaotic after we levelled. Look at the winning goal, half the defenders were trying to bomb on for a counter when Antony (I think) challenged for a ball.

6 games lost to goals in the 90+ minute and I’m sure a few draws as well. It’s a trend that’s worrying which the manager must address. The subs were also shocking on Saturday.

12.) 26 Aug 2024
26 Aug 2024 10:03:26
True red man,

If our away game had been against Ipswich we would have got off to a good start as well.

13.) 26 Aug 2024
26 Aug 2024 10:12:04
Agree with a lot of the comments. Very slow build up and not sharp. I think we are a team that revolves around Bruno and he is not a physical midfielder and does not enjoy or is as effective when someone is nipping at his heels or putting a body on him.

I know rash is very disliked but said it last year and same holds true for this year, we need him to kick into gear. Dropping him will not help his confidence and can't see Amad or Garnacho doing enough in terms of goals.

i still believe this squad if we add 1 or 2 before the window will do very well. Wait till we have had 7/ 8 games and then its a better and fairer assessment of where things are.

Watched arsenal vs villa and the score is not reflective. villa have a really good team and good squad.

14.) 26 Aug 2024
26 Aug 2024 10:50:27
Dbrooks90

There's a particular point of attacking play that Bruno excels at while Rashford fails - attacking spaces near the goal while having the IQ to understand how and when to show for the ball in pressurised zones.

Bruno is world class at picking locks with clever balls - only De Bruyne is better at that in the PL. So when Bruno receives the ball in the 10 position, he needs movement that adds impetus to the developing attack. While he would prefer to thread a ball into the box for an attacker to take and drive towards goal, he sometimes has to spread it wide.
What Rashford doesn't generally do is drive into the box to collect a pass because he can't read the game well enough and ultimately has no interest in playing to the strengths of anyone else.
What Rashford does like to do, and sometimes Garnacho too, really does p*** me off. He'll do the basic standing still to show for the ball or run into a pocket down the wing to receive a lofty. The majority of times he gets the ball, he dithers or tries the now-predictable step-over routine and simply loses the ball. If he's fortunate enough to beat his man, he's slowed play enough to allow the opposition to regroup and reorganise, the momentum has gone. As a wide player, he, at 26, should by now have the ability to make the correct decision and lift his bloody head up to pick a pass inside when the opposition is still vulnerable, but that's another area where he's poor - vision.

There are two similar players to Rashford in the PL - Mudryk and Werner. Both are quick, direct players who like to run in behind, but both, like Rashford, provide appalling levels of end product for their respective teams.
Yeah, Rashford has had 3 purple patches in terms of goals, but what does he do when he's not racking them up?

It's not just Rashford though - it's also Garnacho, it's also Antony on the right.

Bruno is a frustrating character, of course he is. If I was playing alongside someone like him, I'd hate him - gobby, petulant, ranting and raving. Yeah, I'd hate him alright, but I'd also respect his game.
We are talking about the guy who is our most gifted passer, our most gifted runner, our most gifted crosser, our most gifted striker of the ball. He is at his best behind the striker and would be unlocked by a player like Ugarte, but Rashford cannot be unlocked by anyone.

So yeah, we might well be too reliant on our most gifted player, but that reliance is impressed more greatly because of one-dimensional players like Rashford and, as a fan, I can tolerate the histrionics of Bruno far more than those of Rashford.

15.) 26 Aug 2024
26 Aug 2024 11:53:31
Agreed Ahmad I think it’s going to be late September before things start to click. A strange pre season and signing players who did not kick a ball all summer are contributing factors. Recruitment has been ok but slow, I wish the window closed at the start of August and not the end.

16.) 26 Aug 2024
26 Aug 2024 13:31:22
I hope we don't have bad luck all the way up to end of September.
Last season it was injury bad luck this season it's offside bad luck. It's our luck that need to change obviously and not the process.