18 Dec 2023 19:51:27
Question for Ed001 - do you think we're missing a bit of on pitch leadership?

I think some of the players are showing some good fight based on performances but it feels like we're missing that player to be vocal and get as going, similar to what Hendo brought to the team.

{Ed001's Note - no, not in the slightest. That is not an issue imo.}

1.) 18 Dec 2023
18 Dec 2023 21:56:57
OP, what would more leadership have changed yesterday in your view? It would not have made us play better, faster and more effectively in the final third, I reckon.

To me, our leadership is one of the reasons we are where wwe are cos the senior players have clearly instilled the never sa die attitude on the younger/ newer players which has allowed us to play out of our skin at crunch time to get results near the end that our performances may not have deserved. Our issues lies elsewhere, IMO.

2.) 18 Dec 2023
18 Dec 2023 22:27:06
I just feel we're not quite gelling together at the moment and I feel this is leading to some of the poor decision making like what was on display yesterday. Don't get me wrong, we have to expect this a bit with having a completely new midfield and I don't think the tactics help.

I think maybe having a leader to bring us together a bit, encourage the team and also provide a bit of direction is missing. Someone to get in the players ear (in the right way) when there was an easy pass on yesterday may have helped as we made the same mistakes on a few occasions.

Don't get me wrong there is clearly fight in the players as we keep coming back but it just feels a bit individual rather than collective. I could be way wide of the mark though.

3.) 18 Dec 2023
18 Dec 2023 23:23:07
Your review will be interesting Ed001. I thought a fair few players had a stinker. I also can’t understand how Diaz didn’t get penalty when he was completely cleaned out by the defender.

{Ed001's Note - I hope you are right about it being interesting because the match wasn't!}

4.) 19 Dec 2023
19 Dec 2023 01:33:20
I rekon leadership and its influence on a match is almost impossible for us to measure as fans. How do we quantify whether having a leader on the pitch would have changed the execution and technique in the match? Does the absence of a leader only factor in games we don't win? Who was the leadership presence for manU that helped them win. Oh I mean not lose?

Would having a leader on the pitch have helped VVD plant his header a meter either side of the Onana instead of directly at him?

would it have helped Konate bury his header instead of over the bar?

Would it have helped Trent's accuracy to pass the ball into the goal with Onana rooted on the spot instead of hitting it wide?

Would it have helped Gomez hit his shot/ cross more accurately rather than into the side netting?

The one area is where we might think an on-field leader has an influence on our tactics but I don't think our on-field players have ever done that under Klopp. I think our tactics to not use the flanks effectively was a big mistake and we also moved the ball far too slowly.

5.) 19 Dec 2023
19 Dec 2023 09:57:43
Mrboot83, I get what you are saying BUT this is not something you can tell except you got inside access to the team and what they are doing to bring themselves together. I cannot see it from watching TV so except you have special access, not sure you can see it either.

I maintain that it is due to the great veterans and leaders on the team who take responsibility and hold themselves accountable in their conduct and performances on the pitch, that has inspired us to win games in the final minutes of where we were staring down the barrel of defeat or a draw whereas we needed to win.

That mentality is instilled into the veterans by Klopp, which is now instilled in the new/ young players to give their all and not flinch. Leadership is not the issue here, IMO.

6.) 19 Dec 2023
19 Dec 2023 12:05:12
How could people tell last season that Vvd wasn’t a very good leader whenever he was captain?

7.) 19 Dec 2023
19 Dec 2023 13:17:11
JK23, that's because some of us actually use our eyes to see how he was reacting to adversity. VVD had shown in many examples that being captain affected his game/ performances massively and that is through out the years not just last season. He wasn't capt. material, based on his actual conduct like always looking for who to blame and yell at when at times, it was his fault when we conceded, IMO.

Now notice, he no longer does this and is actually helping out his team mates and getting the guys going when we concede. He also talks Tsimikas thru games telling him when to drop and when to go on the front foot on the attack. That's stuff you can actually see if you are interested BUT since you go to games, not sure you will see these things.

Hence, those of us like me, have come out multiple times this season hailing and congratulating him for how well he has responded to being captain and how well he has responded to those who were critical of his play and is now back to being the best CB in the league, a title he had to vacate to figure himself out. Now, he is back to being untouchable as the best CB in the PL if not in the world) and has shown to be a great captain. Hats off to him, one more time.

8.) 19 Dec 2023
19 Dec 2023 13:29:53
Oh ok. So

I get what you are saying BUT this is not something you can tell except you got inside access to the team

I cannot see it from watching TV so except you have special access, not sure you can see it either.

That doesn’t apply to you despite you stating it applies to others.

9.) 19 Dec 2023
19 Dec 2023 13:43:49
Oli I agree with your last statement.

However the opening under hand dig ‘some of us use our eyes‘ comment probably needs addressing.

You are correct Some of us are at games using our eyes and not using our eyes on a buffering stream that’s 10 minutes behind and looks like it’s being streamed with Commodore 64 graphics.