It's a little bit funny that football supporters -- and if today's press conference at Anfield is anything to go on, football managers -- don't really understand how the sport works. Attacking teams are only ever as good as they're allowed to be by the opposition, and constantly demolishing weak sides is no indication that your attack is good enough to beat a stout, determined defence.
Liverpool are the top scorers in the Premier League and deservedly so, but in two matches against Chelsea they've created virtually nothing except from scrambling in a rather confused goal from a set piece. Meanwhile, we've scored four times against them, taking six points in the process. What's the secret to defending against Liverpool? Apparently Brendan Rodgers thinks it's easy:
Rodgers is asked whether he would ever play that way. "What do you think? Jose will show me his CV and say it works but it's not my way."
— Daniel Taylor (@DTguardian) April 27, 2014
Rodgers: Jose has got his result today, credit to them. It's the opposite of how we want to play. It's not difficult to coach.
— Neil Jones (@neiljonesecho) April 27, 2014
One might expect, with it being so easy for a man of Brendan Rodger's calibre to coach, that Liverpool have not conceded 46 goals in 36 games. And yet they have the defensive solidarity of an undercooked pudding.
They were very deep. There were two buses parked today, never mind one. [Chelsea's tactics] have prepared us for Crystal Palace. Long balls, long throw-ins, players behind the ball.
Source: ESPN.
Dude, you needed a draw today and you managed to lose 2-0. Maybe you should have not done things like using Steven Gerrard to drop in at centreback in the name of all out, insane attacking against a side clearly happy with sitting back and playing on the counterattack. Seems pretty obvious to me that refusing to compromise on your principles even when you need to makes you a poor tactician.
Meanwhile, in Jose Mourinho land:
Hehe.