Big Willie wrote:
flobaba wrote:
And I'll say it again, it happens, the game is fluid. CM in that position had the job to cover. Ideally, if you know, like Xhaka, that you have zero pace, then you're aware of his position, and close in on him and foul him before he even gets the chance to burn you. That's how footballers with brains act.
Not our cunt.
Watch the play again. Xhaka made a stupid challenge but Tierney and Gabriel should not have been pressing that far up while White was chilling at CB all alone. Xhaka was ahead of Gabriel when Tierney pushed up and instead of dripping back he ran past Xhaka to press the player on the ball leaving the whole left side free. It was a shambles.
So I've revisited the play.
22:50ish. We were on the attack. Cross from Saka to Loko/Laca had been cut out by Henderson back to Alison, who passes it out towards the right back area, where Jota had dropped back under pressure from Tierney. It's touched back to Henderson.
22:57. Critical moment. Tierney decides to initiate the high press on Henderson, who sees that Xhaka isn't tight on his man, and passes forward to Jota. Xhaka does his flat footed thing. Jota passes easily around him to Firmino, and begins to take off behind him to provide the return option.
At that point, as a CM or DM your Spidey senses should be blaring. That's your man. You see your wingback is out of position, ahead of you. You look around and see Gabriel isn't close enough to Firmino. You know there is trouble brewing. You know you don't have the recovery pace or athleticism to catch up if Jota goes past you. The ball doesn't even need to return. Your one job is clear. You're already the last man. Drop your shoulder into his chest and block him off, hang on to his jersey for dear life. So deep in the opposition half, you may even get away with no card and just a free kick.
Things could have been done better all around. Tierney could have dropped back, Gabriel could've been closer to Firmino etc perhaps, but the one person that had a chance of stopping the attack dead in its tracks, once it began to unfold was Xhaka.
