[Albion] Tonight's Champions League Fixtures

[Questions]

Moura was the only Spurs player I'd be afraid of on tonight's evidence, tore Inter apart at times but Kane still looks knackered

He’s having a dodgy period Ernest not tired. How can he be tired ffs he’s only a young man. Jesus what the feck is going on.

 

[Weststander]

This may be a controversial opinion but for me Firmino is the best of their front three. Mane is explosive and the most exciting but ultimately relies on pace rather than technique and I’m fairly certain Salah will prove to be a one season wonder. Firmino though has got the lot.

I agree about Firmino. Brazil always improved upfront dramatically when he came on as a sub at the WC, with Jesus/Neymar misfiring.

Mane goes through (short) ineffective spells and Salah this season is being greedy ... never passing. No doubt the club will analyse and work on that with him.

 

[dazzer6666]

This may be a controversial opinion but for me Firmino is the best of their front three. Mane is explosive and the most exciting but ultimately relies on pace rather than technique and I’m fairly certain Salah will prove to be a one season wonder. Firmino though has got the lot.

Agree.....fantastic player and a great team player too - his tackling stats are amazing for a forward.

 

[the right footed denilson]

I do wonder about Salah.
For the first few months last year i was telling everyone it was a purple patch, that he was inherently greedy and clumsy, but he made me look a total mug.
This season though he's started like the player I'd seen before last season. Surely he couldn't have fluked a whole season?!
Mind you, Keane hasn't started much better either.

 

[Weststander]

I just think Salah has only two moves - either to run in behind or pick up the ball on the edge of the box and jink his way through. I reckon teams have worked him out to an extent. He’s still a good player and in this Liverpool team he’ll score 20 goals this season, but in terms of being among the elite CR7/Messi level with 45 goals I think last season was his one and only venture to the top table.

As much as Salah impressed, I always find it cringeworthy when pundits and writers (Klopp and Salah didn't) big someone up to Messi/Iniesta levels. With fictitious bollocks about "worth £200m". He might end up just being a £37m player!

 

[Stat Brother]

He’s having a dodgy period Ernest not tired. How can he be tired ffs he’s only a young man. Jesus what the feck is going on.

Football Weekly said he's half the player he was since Spurs rushed him back from an ankle injury in April, based on his distance run and shots taken.

 

[Questions]

Football Weekly said he's half the player he was since Spurs rushed him back from an ankle injury in April, based on his distance run and shots taken.

Who is football weekly and why do you need them to tell you ?

 

[Stat Brother]

Who is football weekly and why do you need them to tell you ?

It's the Guardian football podcast, the contributor in question is the football analyst from The Racing Post (I think).

 

[Easy 10]

Who is football weekly and why do you need them to tell you ?

Guardian Football Weekly I think he means. They were trotting out the stats on yesterdays pod.

In last seasons Spurs v Liverpool fixture (when Liverpool got humped 4-1), Kane made a total of 43 sprints against them. On Saturday, he made 7. Sure some of that will be down to the fact that Liverpool are looking a stronger all-round unit, and controlled the game this tim, whereas Spurs have stood still and probably regressed. But him and Poch can protest all they want about him being fine and not tired, he's quite clearly not right. The sharpness has gone, he's not getting into the positions, and he's not finishing like he was. That chance tonight against Inter that he fluffed, he'd have buried a year ago. He looks burnt out.

 

[Weststander]

Guardian Football Weekly I think he means. They were trotting out the stats on yesterdays pod.

In last seasons Spurs v Liverpool fixture (when Liverpool got humped 4-1), Kane made a total of 43 sprints against them. On Saturday, he made 7. Sure some of that will be down to the fact that Liverpool are looking a stronger all-round unit, and controlled the game this tim, whereas Spurs have stood still and probably regressed. But him and Poch can protest all they want about him being fine and not tired, he's quite clearly not right. The sharpness has gone, he's not getting into the positions, and he's not finishing like he was. That chance tonight against Inter that he fluffed, he'd have buried a year ago. He looks burnt out.

The burn out was there for all to see half way through the WC. He hit the wall. Spurs flogging him to death (for obvious goal scoring reasons) as the 1 in a 4-5-1, for several seasons, took its toll.

 

[Simster]

I just think Salah has only two moves - either to run in behind or pick up the ball on the edge of the box and jink his way through. I reckon teams have worked him out to an extent. He’s still a good player and in this Liverpool team he’ll score 20 goals this season, but in terms of being among the elite CR7/Messi level with 45 goals I think last season was his one and only venture to the top table.

I agree with the thrust of what you're saying. The only thing I will say is that you probably haven't emphasised enough as to how good a player he really is despite not being at the top table. In many ways he's like Ian Rush - not in playing style, but the fact that's he a one (well, 2) trick pony. The thing is, if you're that good at your two tricks, you're still unplayable on your day.

Lots of players have just one or two tricks, but the best ones are outstanding at what they do. For example, our own Glen Murray draws fouls by being exceptional with his back to goal, and he has a knack of being in the right place to score. He does those basics incredibly well. Salah has his own tricks and he excels at them.

 

[Questions]

Guardian Football Weekly I think he means. They were trotting out the stats on yesterdays pod.

In last seasons Spurs v Liverpool fixture (when Liverpool got humped 4-1), Kane made a total of 43 sprints against them. On Saturday, he made 7. Sure some of that will be down to the fact that Liverpool are looking a stronger all-round unit, and controlled the game this tim, whereas Spurs have stood still and probably regressed. But him and Poch can protest all they want about him being fine and not tired, he's quite clearly not right. The sharpness has gone, he's not getting into the positions, and he's not finishing like he was. That chance tonight against Inter that he fluffed, he'd have buried a year ago. He looks burnt out.

He needs to toughen up. I’m not having this nonesence Easy.

 

[Simster]

Agree with you again.

What has surprised me about Liverpool is how little they are missing Coutinho. Somehow they seem a better side without him. Plus of course, James Milner - a consistently underrated player who has gone from Villa to City to Liverpool and has got better and better. He absolutely ran the game at times tonight. His grit was everything PSG were missing. Neymar, incidentally, is the most overrated player in the world and one of a number of players who will gladly knock tin pot French teams over but goes missing against the big clubs. See also Angel Di Maria. Absolute shite IMO. Wouldn't want him in a BHA shirt!

 

[Bozza]

Neymar, incidentally, is, after Zaha, the most overrated player in the world

Fixed.

 

[smillie's garden]

This may be a controversial opinion but for me Firmino is the best of their front three. Mane is explosive and the most exciting but ultimately relies on pace rather than technique and I’m fairly certain Salah will prove to be a one season wonder. Firmino though has got the lot.

Interesting shot of Salah throwing down his water bottle in apparent disgust as Firmino celebrates his winning goal. Now I like Mo, and I can understand him being frustrated at his performance, but this was strange to see.

 

[Simster]

Fixed.

Zahara isn't overrated though. Palace are a shithouse Championship outfit without him. That said, he's not a top 4 player as he has already failed at Man Utd hasn't he?

Oh wait, you mean overrated by the Nigels rather than by the rest of the football world. Gotcha. [emoji106]

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Interesting shot of Salah throwing down his water bottle in apparent disgust as Firmino celebrates his winning goal. Now I like Mo, and I can understand him being frustrated at his performance, but this was strange to see.

Yes he looked like his team had just conceded not scored

 

[Easy 10]

He needs to toughen up. I’m not having this nonesence Easy.

As has been observed, he's just not been the same since he rushed back from that ankle injury in April, as he was busting a gut to get the Golden Boot for the season. If that was never given a chance to properly heal before going into the World Cup, then its not a case of "toughening up", its just flat-out fatigue, wear and tear.