Third Liverpool goal a counterattack diamond!

[Karl]

It is worth it...

...but also I strongly recommend the Swansea v GUNNERS game.

[Paul Marin]

The speed of that strike out of the backfield into midfield and then the passes and movement into the final third left Sunderland gasping for air, they had no chance.

This is what the ReggaeBoyz cannot do use their passing on the counter to initiate an attack from the wing backs or out of central defense and then use effective forward attacking play to exploit the slow return of players from the opposing team from shutting down the newly created space with the lightning attack from the back on the counter. If attacks can be initiated and executed out of the back to the final third in less than five seconds chances are the potential for goal scoring will increase tremendously. We play slow and lazy which basically allows our opponents to jam the open spaces when we attack, which is the reason we look so impotent in attack.

A big problem we have at all levels of the game is a sense of urgency. Watch our body language and attitude - we are slow to restart when the ball goes out of bounds and always KILL momentum (i.e rarely look to break on a flat counter attacking run, instead we often stop, have our feet planted and our back to the opponents goal in the middle third when we should be turned and running flat out to receive the ball on the run.

Watch us restart a game - we knock endless seconds off the clock and allow opposition to get organized because we take FOREVER to get the ball into play. It is not just us though - the Americans do it all the time; but watch how Real Madrid or Barca play - no idleness. Not sure if that is cultural (we love tek it slow) or what...but it needs to change.

[Mosiah]

Two words for you - Jermaine Hue.

[Peter R]

Not that specific play but the post game analysts I was watching said that Henderson was doing a tremendous amount of work off the ball, without getting any touches, but it helped create the diversion that Suarez needed... TEAM play. I will have to watch tonight as I missed the game today.

[Karl]

The speed of that strike out of the backfield into midfield and then the passes and movement into the final third left Sunderland gasping for air, they had no chance.

This is what the ReggaeBoyz cannot do use their passing on the counter to initiate an attack from the wing backs or out of central defense and then use effective forward attacking play to exploit the slow return of players from the opposing team from shutting down the newly created space with the lightning attack from the back on the counter. If attacks can be initiated and executed out of the back to the final third in less than five seconds chances are the potential for goal scoring will increase tremendously. We play slow and lazy which basically allows our opponents to jam the open spaces when we attack, which is the reason we look so impotent in attack.

Three things give you the great counter-attack:
Excellent technical ability of those on the charge -
a) pace across ground,

b) excellent passing ability and movement (recognition and use of spacing)

and finally,

c) that innate ability to play for TEAM...attitude that allows for focus on
working for good of the whole (for all...for TEAM).

That playing of TEAM has the individual player...each involved in execution of the 'counter' both those sharing the ball and those who never touch the ball acting with focus on one thing only - creating good goal-scoring opportunity for TEAM.

A revisit of that Liverpool counter-attack is good teaching tool. I have erased my video of same but if my memory serves me right - 4 Liverpool players touched the ball once Liverpool won same...but the counter-attack involved 6 or 7 players. There were 2 or 3 'runners' who assisted in creation of alternate passing lanes and stretching the opponent's defenders.

Particular notice should be taken of space created for the eventual goal-scorer, Luis Suarez's, that space created previous to where he took his final touch and in which he found himself when he eventually took the ball and executed his final pass into goal.

[Stonigut]

The speed of that strike out of the backfield into midfield and then the passes and movement into the final third left Sunderland gasping for air, they had no chance.

This is what the ReggaeBoyz cannot do use their passing on the counter to initiate an attack from the wing backs or out of central defense and then use effective forward attacking play to exploit the slow return of players from the opposing team from shutting down the newly created space with the lightning attack from the back on the counter. If attacks can be initiated and executed out of the back to the final third in less than five seconds chances are the potential for goal scoring will increase tremendously. We play slow and lazy which basically allows our opponents to jam the open spaces when we attack, which is the reason we look so impotent in attack.