It is a very cool place. Been there a bunch as it’s an easy drive from DC to visit a professor friend. Close to a bunch of Frank Lloyd Wright homes too, if that’s your thing (it is mine)
Still trying to work out the shape. Endo and Jones are playing as a double pivot. Salah is wide right and Carvalho is wide left. Elliott and Szobo are playing through the center as forwards. And Tsmikas has taken up some mad positions in attack.
Hmmm, Betis putting a bit of pressure on us as we are trying to bring it out from the back. Midfield shape looks very different than under Klopp with both Endo and Jones dropping deep to show for the ball. Some confusion from Kelleher, Quansah, and VDB about how to break the Betis press…
The formation is strange. 4-2-4 Kelleher Bradley Quansah VDB Tsmikas Endo Jones Salah Szobo Elliott Carvalho Elliott and Szobo as a double false 9?
Looks like Slot wants the CBs to hold the ball until they entice the opposition to commit to an attack on that player and then try to exploit the open space behind that player. Works when Betis only commit one foward to attack the CB in possession, but not so well when they bring the second forward to press the second CB who’s not in possession as well. This isn’t going to work well with faster forwards in the EPL.
Both Bradley and Tsmikas have made multiple sneaky runs into the centerforward position. Which is nice since we don't have a centerforward.
Bradley picks out Elliott. Harvey instead of shooting makes a poor attempt at a pass to Carvalho. Bradley has been the best player.
We are having trouble efficiently moving the ball through the midfield and getting into attacking positions…. Lots of indecision about passes, and players are dribbling too much.
Thats super frustrating. Curtis came back to preseason 2 weeks early so that he can get to work with Slot. Talked about how much he has enjoyed working with Slot already. The only thing stopping Jones from becoming a regular in our starting eleven is that he can't stay fit. And this is the worst possible start in that regard.
Well, we’ll see how good Nyoni really is… Jones was having trouble in the deep position he was being asked to play. Let’s see how Nyoni does.