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John Giles' concerns about Liverpool's "disastrous" new defence policy

John Giles has aired his concerns about the way Liverpool are defending at the start of this seas...
Raf Diallo
Raf Diallo

17.47 15 Aug 2019


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John Giles' concerns about Liverpool's "disastrous" new defence policy


Raf Diallo
Raf Diallo

17.47 15 Aug 2019


Share this article


John Giles has aired his concerns about the way Liverpool are defending at the start of this season.

The Reds' rearguard was miserly last season, with the best defensive record in the Premier League.

But Ireland and Leeds legend feels they have made a negative change in 2019-20 so far.

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He joined us as always on Thursday and explained the problems he's spotted.

"It seems to be a policy now that if the opposition has the ball in the middle of the field that if there's a runner, instead of going with them, they're going to leave them and put them offside," he said.

"Definitely a new policy"

"Even Norwich in the first match and even for the first goal that they scored, it was not tracking [from Liverpool]. I didn't see them doing it all like that last year."

John feels Liverpool's high press has led to more chances for the opposition this season.

"It's definitely a new policy. How long it's going to last, I don't know," he said.

"But the sooner they get rid of it, the better for their sake in my opinion.

"I watched it against Manchester City first of all. Then I watched it against Norwich. And I thought, 'No, they can't be doing this! This is disastrous'.

"I think it's disastrous anyway. But they have done it in the three matches. They did it again last night. Even the goal that Giroud scored, there were four red shirts in the penalty box.

"Actually, Van Dijk was the nearest to him and he was on the right side of the box. Then he very cleverly, Giroud, kept onside and moved over to the left. But nobody followed him. And I saw Van Dijk looking around to see who'd played him onside.

"All they had to do was have the right-back in a covering position and Van Dijk tracking him."

You can watch this week's full chat with John Giles above via our YouTube channel.


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