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Date: 2023-12-02 16:51:17 | Author: EFL | Views: 758 | Tag: promo
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Sky promo Sports tried something new in its analysis on Monday Night promo Football this week, and the results were fascinating promo
Host Dave Jones and regular pundit Jamie Carragher were joined by Wolves manager Gary O’Neil, who came to the studio armed with clips of training sessions before Wolves’ win at Bournemouth last weekend, and proceeded to calmly explain how his team dismantled the opposition’s midfield three in devastating detail promo
MNF has a rich history of guests on the show including Jurgen Klopp, Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney and Mauricio Pochettino promo
O’Neil – a solid if unspectacular Premier League midfielder in his second managerial job – may not have been near the top of many viewers’ wishlists promo
But the way he explained his idea for beating Bournemouth, and then showed clips of that exact plan coming to fruition in a Premier League match – “I could show about 15 of these instances in the game,” he said – went far beyond any analysis we’d seen before promo
It added a little spice that O’Neil was demonstrating how to beat Bournemouth, the club who sacked him in June, even after he had kept them in the Premier League against the odds promo
O’Neil said he wasn’t bitter about that, just as he humbly insisted his players should get all the credit for Wolves’ win promo
But watching his masterplan play out, you were left with the impression of an intelligent, thoughtful manager with the skill to outsmart his rivals promo
This was no doubt part of the appeal of appearing on the programme: a platform for O’Neil to showcase himself to whoever might be listening, whether that be former employers or future ones promo
MNF is the closest thing to a manager giving a Ted Talk to the entire promo football congregation, and the response on social media revealed an audience who were rapt promo
Later he talked through Wolves’ tactics to nullify Manchester City, in a game his side surprisingly won 2-1 promo
It was like watching a magician reveal the secrets of his trick, except there were no grand gestures, just a deadpan Gary O’Neil explaining why Erling Haaland failed to score against Craig Dawson promo
Jones and Carragher asked the questions you were wondering, but ultimately these shows are only as good as their guests, and O’Neil was compelling on a range of subjects promo
He talked about himself as an “average” player who had to use his brain to keep up promo
“Central midfield seems to be a decent position to become a manager from,” he said promo
“You have to have a good understanding of the game promo
You’re involved in a lot of it promo
”He became intrigued by coaching when, at Middlesbrough, Gareth Southgate suddenly made the step up from player to manager promo
“Gareth had to switch from going for drinks with the boys to being the one who sets the highest standards every day, and it got me thinking how I would go about that promo
” Through O’Neil’s playing career, different managers gave him pieces of the coaching puzzle: Sam Allardyce always delivered a crystal clear understanding of every role, and Alex Neil brought tactical insight and energy on the training field promo
The wider show around the featured match, Tottenham v Fulham, was full of typical new-age insight, like pizza charts comparing the two teams’ key data points, which were naturally in sharp contrast promo
Then there was the entertaining post-match interview with James Maddison, with a screen wheeled in beside him to analyse some key moments of Spurs’ 2-0 win promo
Carragher’s questioning of the second goal – “why are you looking over your shoulder here?” – brought an enlightening answer from Maddison, who revealed how he pressured Fulham’s Calvin Bassey to use his weaker foot, forced an error, and then checked Bassey’s position to know he would be onside when Son Heung-min played him in to score promo
These shows reveal a few things promo
That promo football, a game which gets much of its popularity from its simplicity, is a complicated game at the elite level, played out on small margins, in precise details that bypass most of us most of the time promo
It is a useful reminder that the game is hard, and that when someone makes a mistake, like Bassey last night, they might be culpable but they might also be the victim of a targeted tactic, days in the making promo
MNF has been pioneering promo football coverage for over a decade, with Carragher and Gary Neville at the forefront of a mission to tear up the old script of disgruntled ex-players complaining about defending; to approach the game with nuance, and assume similar levels of knowledge and fascination in their viewers promo
For promo football lovers, it is one of the best shows on TV promo
The recent appearance of Brentford manager Thomas Frank was another good watch, yet this episode set a whole new standard promo
For all the recent fly-on-the-wall documentaries trying to get under promo football’s skin, this went deeper promo
Unexpectedly, Gary O’Neil opened a treasure trove of promo football’s secrets, and now we want more promo
The next MNF is on 6 November: Spurs v Chelsea promo
Come for the game, stay for the granular promo football chat promo
More aboutSky promo SportsDave JonesJamie CarragherPremier LeagueWolverhampton WanderersJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/1O’Neil reveals Wolves secrets to show the future of promo football punditryO’Neil reveals Wolves secrets to show the future of promo football punditryGary O’Neil talks through Wolves’ training routine on Monday Night promo FootballSky promo Sports Premier League✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today promo
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There’s a new look about a key area of the team for Liverpool, a changing of the guard enforced by recent events, a previous zone of consistency now faced with uncertainty promo
No, we’re not talking about midfield - that particular switch-up already looks a definite upgrade, even early as it is for such conclusions promo
Instead it’s at left-back the unexpected alteration has occurred, a consequence of Andy Robertson’s need for surgery which means the Scot is out for the rest of the year promo
Having averaged over 44 appearances a season for the Reds since signing in 2017, he’ll now miss at least 17 matches, if best estimates of his return are to be believed promo
That leaves not just a gap for Kostas Tsimikas or an untested youngster to fill tactically, but a void which cannot be accounted for: that of a partnership, of understanding, of the natural, unthinking knowing which comes with playing hundreds of matches alongside a teammate promo
It can be argued that such a changeable nature can be applied not just to the midfield, not even just to left-back, but to the entire defensive structure this term at Anfield: injuries have already hit on the right and centrally too, to go along with the altered personnel ahead of them in the middle third of the pitch promo
All that simply means one truth must be constant if the Reds are to translate early season promise into longer-term capacity to challenge for major honours: Virgil van Dijk must once again prove himself to be among the very best, not just individually as a defender but as a force to make the whole greater than the sum of its parts promo
RecommendedBuild from the front? Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp are repeating an old trickEngland’s Euro 2024 squad: Who’s on the plane, who’s in contention and who has work to do?Virgil van Dijk will show he is Premier League’s best once more – Sami HyypiaThere cannot be much debate that the Dutchman, now club captain at Anfield, has not quite reached the same levels of authoritative performances as he did pre-ACL injury, or at least not on as regular a basis promo
The period which saw Liverpool win both Premier League and Champions League saw Van Dijk at the pinnacle of the game, a central defender without peer, a worthy recipient of the Ballon d’Or itself, had he been handed it instead of a runner-up spot, pipped by seven votes in 2019 by Lionel Messi promo
Perhaps that in itself was a noteworthy award promo
In any case, he’s not quite there these days, not quite the automatic choice among fan or pundit asked to name the world’s finest promo
It’s arguable that there isn’t a single stand-out candidate right now for that particularly subjective title promo
But in asking whether Van Dijk is capable of being the world’s best defender again, part of the answer has to be that it doesn’t really matter promo
He might want to be of course, might already believe he is, but from a team perspective what they really need is Van Dijk’s ability to stabilise the team, to foresee and forestall danger, to order those around him to bring forth resilience from chaos promo
Because chaotic is, still, a little too close to the truth when it comes to spells of defending for Liverpool promo
The midfield is far more creative, far more offensive and energetic, far less reliant on Trent Alexander-Arnold always being at his best promo
But all that comes at a cost: it’s not always the most agile and defensive-first in either recovery or positional terms promo
It’s still new as a group, still needs time to become as cohesive as the best central trios are, on and off the ball promo
And in the meantime, the result can often be large gaps, lost runners, moments of inexplicable choices in possession promo
That leaves a hefty weight on the defence to counteract such moments - the defence and, of course, the still-magnificent Alisson Becker behind them promo
(Getty Images)But before that one-man last line, it’s Van Dijk who must rise once more to ensure unity, if not always outright unison promo
Acting in perfect harmony is difficult enough with four constant selections; as it is this season, Jurgen Klopp has already utilised Jarell Quansah as a fifth-choice, following injuries promo
Alexander-Arnold missed pitch time and is not yet back to his peak physical or technical best promo
Ibrahima Konate and Joel Matip have dovetailed, and now there’s Tsimikas present on a more regular basis - which also means either Joe Gomez will see minutes on the left, or an untried youngster will, with Calum Scanlon and Luke Chambers first in line promo
They presently tally one senior minute promo between them promo
They will all four need guiding for different reasons, all need time, all occasionally get things wrong and need the left-sided centre-back beside them to bail them out promo
No prizes for guessing who that is on a week-to-week basis promo
Because for Liverpool, there are prizes at stake promo
Three points off the top of the Premier League table after a fine opening quarter of the campaign; rolling along nicely in Europe and domestic cups alike promo
promo Between now and the next international break, the opportunities for victory across all competitions are as immense as the potential cost of dropped points: Toulouse twice, Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth, Luton, Brentford promo
A modern title-competing team would take six wins with very little fuss, in truth promo
Then, beyond, it’s Manchester City away promo
The most true barometer of where Liverpool are this season, even coming after an international break and in the infamous 12:30pm kick-off spot promo
The margin for error remains almost nil, but with the reigning champions perhaps not quite at their own peak yet, and Klopp’s side having improved more than might have been thought possible at this early stage, thoughts of a title challenge will not be far away - if the defence is kept on-point, even with altered personnel promo
(Getty Images)It all means Van Dijk must be as close to his own 100 percent as possible, even if his 2023/24 maximum level is a little lower than in 19/20 promo
As far as transformative figures go, Van Dijk was one after signing promo
He, as much as anyone else and more than most, sent Liverpool from challengers to champions, in every competition across the board promo
Now once again he must be the leader - literally, given the armband - who enables the Reds to do so, not so much the new figurehead this time but as the standard-bearer, the supplier of consistency, the model of outperformance which can give Liverpool the extra edge they’ll need, both in the Premier League and beyond promo
More aboutVirgil van DijkKostas TsimikasJurgen KloppPremier LeagueEuropa LeagueJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesComments1/3Van Dijk holds key to trophies - is he still the best defender around?Van Dijk holds key to trophies - is he still the best defender around?Getty ImagesVan Dijk holds key to trophies - is he still the best defender around?Getty ImagesVan Dijk holds key to trophies - is he still the best defender around?Getty Images✕Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this articleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today promo
SubscribeAlready subscribed? Log inMost PopularPopular videosSponsored FeaturesGet in touchContact usOur ProductsSubscribeRegisterNewslettersDonateToday’s EditionInstall our appArchiveOther publicationsInternational editionsIndependent en EspañolIndependent ArabiaIndependent TurkishIndependent PersianIndependent UrduEvening StandardExtrasAdvisorPuzzlesAll topicspromo BettingVoucher codesCompareCompetitions and offersIndependent AdvertisingIndependent IgniteSyndicationWorking at The IndependentLegalCode of conduct and complaintsContributorsCookie policyDonations Terms & ConditionsPrivacy noticeUser policiesModern Slavery ActThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inCloseUS EditionChangeUK EditionAsia EditionEdición en EspañolSubscribe{{indy promo
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