Workrate last night

TerrySilverLoyal

Well-Known Member
Have to put a thread up about this.

Absolutely outstanding. Made a point of concentrating on this in the game and when you do sit and take that in it's incredible.

What was most pleasing is the amount of interceptions we had. The willingness to go that extra yard to chase and stick the foot out and get the reward.

Not only that it's against a top team make no mistake about it. Getting off to 6/6 in our opening 2 softens the blow against dropping those points. Again as I have said it's not from a position of power against Aberdeen we lose the 2 which would anger me far more.

Team looks superfit and it's a credit to themselves and the background staff as it's not as easy as it looks. The fact they are all moving and shuffling as a unit is actually conserving energy to rather than all being dragged over the place.
 
Our workrate and commitment has been outstanding this season.

Our fitness levels have also been superb.

Without any subs though, we did seem to tire in parts in the last 20 last night. And unfortunately it cost us.

But generally, our fitness training methods seem to be spot on so far. Credit to players and management /coaching team.
 
Work rate & organisation was first class, Beale-ball at it’s finest.

It all starts with the front three though, their determination & organisation gives us the base. We’re so lucky to have forwards who are prepared to do the graft.

We’ve just became so accustomed to our team working so hard & being so organised it probably doesn’t get mentioned as much as it should.

Good season incoming.
 
The work rate, especially when looking to regain possession is relentless, Davis was outstanding in his work rate last night he seems to be getting younger as he get older if you know what I mean
I was going to single him out in my post, for a guy who’s not exactly box to box anymore he is fantastic at pressing. I’ve noticed he’s started winning second balls too, great player.
 
Even after they scored we showed an immediate response and came back at them, we soo nearly pulled off a massive win. In the end another draw against Benfica shows how good a team we have become.
 
workrate, movement off the ball, intelligence to keep shape when players make runs and others drop in the pocket its all outstanding. Like Gerrard says thats likely what done us in the end the exhaustion of trying to maintain that for 90mins. If we had Jack and Aribo last night it would have made a difference for me bringing them on at that 70-75 mark just to wrestle a bit more control in the midfield.

Edit, theres a lot of talk about the goals being sloppy. 1st one is pretty unlucky, if we are being critical maybe Tav does better with the header at the back post but from there we just didnt get any luck. 2nd goal is as good a goal youll see in terms of intricate play and I just think you need to hold your hand up and say thats a next level finish, the boy doesnt rush his shot either as most would. But thats the important thing, it took a goal of that level of skill to get anything from us in the end.
 
The EPL needle men are fair earning their coin, boys. We should be grateful that Gerrard knows all the right types and not that we have employed a fantastic sports science, medicine and S&C team that has helped our players achieve the fitness levels they are currently.
 
Kent for me typified our current willingness to cover every blade of grass. Lost count with the number of times he was back hassling their forward line.

Great to see and long may it continue.
 
Edit, theres a lot of talk about the goals being sloppy. 1st one is pretty unlucky, if we are being critical maybe Tav does better with the header at the back post but from there we just didnt get any luck. 2nd goal is as good a goal youll see in terms of intricate play and I just think you need to hold your hand up and say thats a next level finish, the boy doesnt rush his shot either as most would. But thats the important thing, it took a goal of that level of skill to get anything from us in the end.

Pretty well what I was going to post elsewhere.
The first one was just unlucky and the second was a very very good goal.
 
The workrate was exceptional. We basically had to run fast to stand still the whole game.

The manager was right 2-0 did flatter us. I get the game management comments from people but it's a difficult thing to do when you're blowing out your arse.
I think that’s why SG could have opted to sit in by bringing on Helander perhaps in place of Kent or Roofe and an out ball with Barker in place of one of them. We don’t know the real fitness levels of these players of course and had we sat in we might have lost more.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway is that whilst our bench looks strong at SPL level it didn’t look strong at Benfica level. But that’s the next stage as SG himself alluded to in his pm interview.
 
Kent for me typified our current willingness to cover every blade of grass. Lost count with the number of times he was back hassling their forward line.

Great to see and long may it continue.

It goes to show that people get caught up in assists and goals as well.

Offers far more than that
 
As said before we had to work at a higher level than we do domestically. The team did this admirably well while keeping their shape. Both teams played at top of their game.
Unfortunately we never had Jack or Aribo to start or bring on.
If we had then I am of no doubt we would have won. Such is the fine line.
It is a measure of how far we have came to be disappointed with a draw especially being 2 goals to the good.
 
Back
Top