Enjoyed the pod, somewhat cathartic…. A couple of points, not sure how you can say you were happy with the team ( and Andrew went on to counter that). This is the same team that played against St Mirren. You all seen how we played against the St Mirrens low block , lack of penetration, players off the boil and the horseshoe of death, what made the manager think it would be different against the Aberdeen low block?
On the goal, the keeper is shocking, however Taylor can invert and get us up the park but his prime job is to defend and he was nowhere near their speedy winger, he is nowhere near good enough or fast enough. KT will sort that. As I have said on here before, when do we start talking about BRs signings, a £6m CH that cant get in, in front of
Liam Scales, a £11m midfielder who is 6/10 guy every week and 3/10 on Saturday and gets hooked and a £9m striker with a first touch like a pub player.
For me I couldn't be overly critical on the starting 11 because of the players available it was 1 player off what I'd have picked. Which was McCowan over Bernardo because I felt beforehand that McCowan was more likely to create and I said in the preview I though Aberdeen would change things having had an awful run of form.
I agree the St.Mirren game was poor, the only player who played like it meant something was Forrest and that is because for him it was a chance to go 16 in 16. Bit like Mo Salah for Liverpool yesterday, he had something on the line and was determined to achieve it. I did not for one moment think that we would play the cup final in as passive a manner, certainly not for a large chunk of the 120 minutes. I don't know anyone personally who believed that. At half time I thought Rodgers would have sent a brutal message and that we'd push the speed up a notch, it didn't happen.
If Jota and Hatate had been available then for me they both start and Daizen goes central ahead of Idah. I understood Harrys point where he talked about Larsson, but Larsson wasn't a player who covered every blade of grass all season long and spent a chunk of games playing as a winger. He had the luxury of being able to conserve energy for the big moments and that's why I'd want to see Daizen as a 9 going forward, because he showed that when he does have a wee bit of gas left that his decision making infront of goal is better but when he's spent long spells grafting down the side and it's late on that physical and mental fatigue takes it's toll.
Taylor for me wasn't at fault for the goal. He had a man (Jensen I think) clear infront of him who presented danger and he has to deal with him first, we have 5 midfielders ahead of him (pics in links)
From left to right: Yang > Bernardo > Cal > Forrest > McCowan.
McCowan has Knoester outside of him on the left side but the rest are playing statues. Despite having the extra numbers back the rest are all totally disengaged. No real pressure on the ball and as we said it was like they were all looking at someone else to do a job.
Only when the line to the man directly ahead of Taylor closes can he go and engage Morris. That line only closes because Yang happens to be stood in it because of the pass they make.
Then it's to late, but look at everyone. The shape is awful. Taylor has to move off Jensen and go try and press, Jensen is now free because Yang hasn't recognised the danger behind him or outside of him. We are still numbers heavy with all 11 behind the ball now, yet still a man light at the back post in a 4 vs 3. Morris makes a good choice and puts the cross in quickly and it's a dangerous one that Scales cannot touch, and then Kasper has a mare.
Someone said to me it would have been better if Kasper missed it entirely.... I don't know. The guy at the backpost might have been offside (tough to call) but look at how free he is.
Rodgers signings are up for debate. That's what happens when you spend a lot of money and no one really wows the support. Kasper has been good, arguably the best and most important one he made at the time. The rest, time will tell.
Imo they aren't poor players and they've not been helped by our slow movement in the market. Having no pre-season and no winter break, but even I would have expected a bit more in terms of performance from them all. The problem with them not wowing is if the players who have been good leave then the support understandably gets nervous because the last few years worth of recruitment hasn't given us much to shout about.
Well, except about Taylor at the goal. That was pure and simply all about a goalkeeper making the mother and father of all arse-ups at smothering a nothing cross.
Enjoyed the pod, somewhat cathartic…. A couple of points, not sure how you can say you were happy with the team ( and Andrew went on to counter that). This is the same team that played against St Mirren. You all seen how we played against the St Mirrens low block , lack of penetration, players off the boil and the horseshoe of death, what made the manager think it would be different against the Aberdeen low block?
On the goal, the keeper is shocking, however Taylor can invert and get us up the park but his prime job is to defend and he was nowhere near their speedy winger, he is nowhere near good enough or fast enough. KT will sort that. As I have said on here before, when do we start talking about BRs signings, a £6m CH that cant get in, in front of
Liam Scales, a £11m midfielder who is 6/10 guy every week and 3/10 on Saturday and gets hooked and a £9m striker with a first touch like a pub player.
Brutally delivered, but can't really disagree with anything.
Unlike Andrew I will disagree with parts of it.
For me I couldn't be overly critical on the starting 11 because of the players available it was 1 player off what I'd have picked. Which was McCowan over Bernardo because I felt beforehand that McCowan was more likely to create and I said in the preview I though Aberdeen would change things having had an awful run of form.
I agree the St.Mirren game was poor, the only player who played like it meant something was Forrest and that is because for him it was a chance to go 16 in 16. Bit like Mo Salah for Liverpool yesterday, he had something on the line and was determined to achieve it. I did not for one moment think that we would play the cup final in as passive a manner, certainly not for a large chunk of the 120 minutes. I don't know anyone personally who believed that. At half time I thought Rodgers would have sent a brutal message and that we'd push the speed up a notch, it didn't happen.
If Jota and Hatate had been available then for me they both start and Daizen goes central ahead of Idah. I understood Harrys point where he talked about Larsson, but Larsson wasn't a player who covered every blade of grass all season long and spent a chunk of games playing as a winger. He had the luxury of being able to conserve energy for the big moments and that's why I'd want to see Daizen as a 9 going forward, because he showed that when he does have a wee bit of gas left that his decision making infront of goal is better but when he's spent long spells grafting down the side and it's late on that physical and mental fatigue takes it's toll.
Taylor for me wasn't at fault for the goal. He had a man (Jensen I think) clear infront of him who presented danger and he has to deal with him first, we have 5 midfielders ahead of him (pics in links)
From left to right: Yang > Bernardo > Cal > Forrest > McCowan.
McCowan has Knoester outside of him on the left side but the rest are playing statues. Despite having the extra numbers back the rest are all totally disengaged. No real pressure on the ball and as we said it was like they were all looking at someone else to do a job.
https://gyazo.com/e39350214188ae5a7c0cd3981ec58a3b
Only when the line to the man directly ahead of Taylor closes can he go and engage Morris. That line only closes because Yang happens to be stood in it because of the pass they make.
https://gyazo.com/f86188d6a467e5a6c65cd11554fdc8c3
Then it's to late, but look at everyone. The shape is awful. Taylor has to move off Jensen and go try and press, Jensen is now free because Yang hasn't recognised the danger behind him or outside of him. We are still numbers heavy with all 11 behind the ball now, yet still a man light at the back post in a 4 vs 3. Morris makes a good choice and puts the cross in quickly and it's a dangerous one that Scales cannot touch, and then Kasper has a mare.
https://gyazo.com/875311dfa0bdc50c6ecc224c43c44050
Someone said to me it would have been better if Kasper missed it entirely.... I don't know. The guy at the backpost might have been offside (tough to call) but look at how free he is.
https://gyazo.com/33b8e7b54d2c600d076b9f6260255f8c
Rodgers signings are up for debate. That's what happens when you spend a lot of money and no one really wows the support. Kasper has been good, arguably the best and most important one he made at the time. The rest, time will tell.
Imo they aren't poor players and they've not been helped by our slow movement in the market. Having no pre-season and no winter break, but even I would have expected a bit more in terms of performance from them all. The problem with them not wowing is if the players who have been good leave then the support understandably gets nervous because the last few years worth of recruitment hasn't given us much to shout about.
Well, except about Taylor at the goal. That was pure and simply all about a goalkeeper making the mother and father of all arse-ups at smothering a nothing cross.