Football’s First Defender

At the beginning of the new season, two consecutive losses to Manchester City have revealed the major problems of Liverpool on the offensive end this season.

Liverpool's terrifying offensive suppression during the championship last season disappeared in this season's match against Manchester City.

On the contrary, it was Manchester City's offensive impact that caused Liverpool a lot of trouble.

Defensively, Liverpool haven't changed much this season.

Moreno replaced the injured Flanagan in the starting lineup. In terms of performance on the court, he is still remarkable and there is no problem.

In the strong duel with Manchester City, the most prominent problem is the weak defense in the midfield, and Liverpool's own offense, which can't feel the smooth flow of last season at all.

And last season, sometimes Liverpool often used the midfield pressing tactics in strong duels, and because of the further decline in Gerrard's physical fitness and athletic ability, he was unable to play the pressing tactics of last season. Effect.

If you can't attack, you can't defend.

In the face of Manchester City, which has a stable lineup this season and the team has run in very well, it is not surprising that Liverpool lost.

Is Manchester City in the new season continuing the excellent state of the latter part of last season, and the strength is too strong, or is the strength of Liverpool, which has lost Suarez, too weak?

In the third round of the league, many people have another good benchmark for Liverpool's strength.

In the morning game of the third round of the Premier League, Liverpool went to London to play away at White Hart Lane to challenge Tottenham.

Although Tottenham did not invest much in the summer transfer window, they performed very well in the new season.

The Premier League has won two consecutive victories, scoring 5 goals and still keeping all zero seals.

Last season, a bunch of players were exchanged for a "big king" Bell. Except for those who were not acclimatized, the other players were well integrated into the team.

And coupled with the tactical reforms brought by the new coach Pochettino, Tottenham's fast-paced offensive play, the first two victories are very good-looking.

This Saturday morning matchup in the Premier League has attracted enough attention.

For Liverpool, the team lineup has changed.

Sturridge's discomfort at the center position made Rodgers choose to directly support Balotelli, who was transferred from AC Milan.

Sturridge returned to his most suitable shadow forward position, "hiding" behind Balotelli, waiting for an opportunity.

Balotelli's playing will naturally replace the positions of other midfielders, and it is Coutinho who makes the sacrifice.

Rogers knows that Gerrard's defensive state is declining. When Lucas is still injured and unable to play, it is natural to leave enough defensive players in the midfield.

Gerrard, Henderson, and Joe Allen form a three midfielder, mainly to play the role of defense and dispatching the ball.

The attack on the wing is carried out by Moreno on the left and Glenn Johnson on the right.

As for the starting choices of the two young talents, Sterling and Coutinho, Rogers chose Sterling.

For Sterling, Rogers has high hopes.

Just like Bell back then, Sterling's outstanding speed has made Rogers dissatisfied with using Sterling just as a sidewalk fast horse.

Rogers hopes to turn Sterling into the second Bell, let Sterling play in the position of the free man in the frontcourt, and can appear in a dangerous position at any time, using his speed and flexibility to create a murderous opportunity .

During the counterattack, Sterling can also use his own speed to create enough counterattack threats at any position.

At this time, Coutinho's breakthrough ability seems to be of little value to the team's overall offense. Letting Coutinho play on the bench may be better for Liverpool's continued offense.

Unlike Liverpool, which is similar to the position between 442 and 433, Tottenham is still in a 451 formation at home. Pochettino still insists on his own ball possession at home.

In this strong duel, both sides invested enough troops on the offensive end from the beginning.

At the beginning of the game, Bashen made his Liverpool debut and almost scored for his new club.

In the 3rd minute of the game, Sturridge pulled to the left.

After Moreno quickly inserted the upper and lower bottoms and attracted Tottenham's wing defenders, Sturridge, with a relatively easy passing space, directly swayed his legs on the spot, sent a cross ball, and fell directly into the small penalty area point later.

Balotelli followed up in the middle, overwhelmed Vertonghen, and headed directly to the goal. The ball was blocked by Lori's reaction and a side attack.

But Bashen's second reaction was very quick, and he made a close-range shot, but Vertonghen, who fell to the ground first, rolled and crawled, and barely blocked it with his body on the goal line before the ball rolled into the goal. shot route.

Bashen is only a little short of his first goal for Liverpool, just one goal away.

Perhaps because of the Europa League play-offs, although Tottenham have possession of the ball on the field, the team has achieved excellent passing and cutting in the past two Premier League games, but this game did not do well.

Liverpool's defensive pressure is not great today, and they can even leave enough players in the midfield to try to create a greater counterattack threat after completing the defense.

The Tottenham striker, Adebayor, has not taken advantage of Yang Feng's defense in the Premier League in recent years.

Yang Feng already has his own experience in defending this kind of black striker who relies mainly on physical fitness.

Without the exquisite personal skills of South American players, for this kind of African attacking players, just stick to them and make them feel uncomfortable.

If the mentality is impatient, the performance of these players will be compromised.

Adebayor played extremely uncomfortable under Yang Feng's defense.

Yang Feng stuck to Adebayor's body firmly like opening a brown candy.

From the start of the game, Adebayor never touched the ball within Liverpool's 30-meter zone.

It was another pass from Lamela after breaking through from the wing.

Adebayor wanted to take off to fight for the point, but after Yang Feng judged the landing point of the high ball, he easily got stuck in the position, took off to make a clearance, and directly headed the ball to Henderson not far away.

Henderson immediately accelerated forward, and Liverpool's counterattack began.

After observing the situation on the field, Henderson made a long pass directly and threw the ball to the right side of the front court.

Balotelli ran wildly on the right, relying on his speed to gain a physical advantage.

Tottenham left back, Danny Rose is not slow, but when Balotelli has already taken advantage of the position, Danny Rose can only drive Balotelli outward.

Too far to the right, there is no space to cut inside, even if Bashen is half a body ahead of Danny Rose, he can only choose to pass the ball.

During the fast march, Balotelli directly sent a horizontal ball pass when he just entered the 30-meter danger zone of Tottenham.

The low-altitude ball still went out of the arc slightly.

This pass just bypassed Tottenham's double central defenders who quickly returned to defense, and circled back from goalkeeper Lloris, and circled to the back point.

Sterling showed his absolute speed, caught up with the passing point, and shot directly with his left foot!

The distance to the goal is really too close, the strength of the shot is not strong, and the speed of the ball is not fast, but Lori's save still did not lower the center of gravity.

1 to 0!

Sterling helped Liverpool open the scoring with less than 10 minutes into the game.

Even without Suarez, Liverpool's terrorist forces in the counterattack are still so good.

And in the position of free agent in the frontcourt, Sterling, who was fully trusted by Rogers, also used this goal to repay Rogers' trust in himself...