Articles by Matty Hewitt

Technology

Chelsea duo criticised following Sunderland's late win as Enzo Maresca problem underlined

Chelsea pair Moises Caicedo and Andrey Santos have come under fire for their role in Sunderland's dramatic late victory against the Blues at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon. Regis Le Bris' men secured all three points thanks to a stoppage-time strike from Chemsdine Talbi after Wilson Isidor had equalised following Alejandro Garnacho's early breakthrough. Ex-Swansea City defender Ashley Williams praised the Black Cats but criticised Chelsea's midfield pairing for lacking the hunger to track back and follow Sunderland's attacking players in the dying moments. "They [ Sunderland ] were very good today," Williams said on Match of The Day. "I think they had the right attitude, they weren't overawed. We can see from the stats here, forget that possession stat [68-32] they dominated without the ball. "You can see at the bottom, duels won and aerial duels won, they went to Stamford Bridge and physically they were stronger and full of confidence. I think they dominated the game without the ball. "This is in the first two minutes of the game, they're getting in the little gaps between Chelsea 's defence and midfield. Isidor is a problem for Chelsea. This is what I like, the reaction, the press straight away, they're not sitting back and want to put pressure on Chelsea. They force an early mistake. "Dan Ballard who was excellent all afternoon, stepping into midfield, calm and wants the ball again. Cucurella, who was high and inside often, left Traore. Dan Ballard picks him out, this time it comes to nothing. You can see Sunderland have gone there with the right attitude. "When Chelsea do get possession, [Sunderland] fall back into this 5-4-1 shape but it's not passive. They're there, but as soon as the ball gets played back, they put pressure onto the ball. They win the ball back, and they don't hesitate. "They've got runners going forward. Again, you can see where Cucurella is, he's nowhere near Traore. He wants to get involved in the attack and Sunderland are full of confidence at this point, they're full of running, energy and getting shots off. "Here, Chelsea want to play through the centre of the pitch because they've got quality players in their midfield. Sunderland have got bodies around the ball and they're blocking their passing lanes. Again, aggressive in the tackle, they retain possession really well. "Granit Xhaka was brilliant today, keep an eye on him, full of running, 33-years-old, he gets in behind, little bit of skill and he's unlucky not to get the finish. Reinildo [was] excellent again in dealing with the wingers. "They win the ball back right at the end. Geertruida steps in and plays a hopeful ball to Brobbey. Clears his lines, but if we keep an eye on Caicedo and Santos, the desire just isn't there. They expect their defenders to deal with it. "As Brobbey holds it up, he's so strong, he gets his head up, rolls it to Talbi, great finish in the bottom corner. What a day for Sunderland. I think Regis Le Bris has done a brilliant job with his game plan today and all his players executed it well." Former Manchester United star Michael Carrick offered a measured perspective on Chelsea's youthful squad and concerns over their reliability. "I think it gets flagged up if they don't win games," the ex-Red Devils midfielder explained. "I think it goes both ways, it can be a positive and a negative. I think they've got a fair amount of experience in the squad and in the team. "They've got a World Cup winner in there. They've got players that have played an awful lot of Premier League games and big Champions League games as well. The challenge always is with young players - consistency. "There's the freshness, enthusiasm and no doubt talent within the squad. But consistency is something that you get with experience and you have to go through the process. That's what they're going to suffer at times and have to take that on board. "In context, if they had won today they'd be sitting right near the top of the table. We take that with a balanced view. I'm still excited by the squad that they've got. But consistency is the biggest challenge." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

Technology

Arne Slot told he's made big Liverpool mistake after Man Utd and Eintracht Frankfurt comments

Former Liverpool defender Glen Johnson reckons Arne Slot has dropped a clanger by moaning about how rival teams approach matches against the Reds, essentially exposing their own vulnerabilities. Following the win over Man United, the Dutch boss took a swipe at Ruben Amorim's tactics in the 2-1 reverse against United, criticising their defensive setup and reliance on long balls in the air. Slot clarified his comments this week, insisting his remarks were intended as praise for the opposition's clever approach against the defending champions. He would revisit that tactical element following the Champions League victory over Eintracht Frankfurt. Slot acknowledged his squad had improved when handling crosses into the penalty area. He said: "That is a big, big, big difference and you go in at half-time at 1-1 with still the same amount of chances, but people will judge us differently if you don't score them." "The biggest exception for me compared to the other games we've played was the playing style of our opponent. We got some energy out of the moments we could press them, which in the last four or five games we played we were not able to press the opponent because the ball wasn't on the ground, it was in the air." Nevertheless, Johnson reckons Slot's observations about tactical approaches should have remained behind closed doors. Speaking to aceodds.com, Johnson said: "Every team has their own style and you play with what you've got. Everyone wants to play football, in terms of what we call tiki-taka, which is great. "But if you're susceptible against long balls, people are going to see that and try to exploit it. These days, everyone's got their own styles, the game's changing really quick. "People need to do whatever they can to get an advantage on their opponents and if they think going long and attacking certain players and certain areas helps, teams are going to do that. "Usually the managers take the bullet and protect their players, but at the same time, managers will also do what they think will get the best reaction out of their players. So if that means pointing the finger at them every now and then, if he's right, then it's okay. "Of course you still need to make sure it's a happy camp and make sure it's constructive what you're actually trying to do rather than dissecting yourself from the team. "I'm sure he's doing what he thinks is right, but in my experience it's always better to have those battles inside the camp and keep it in the dressing room." Liverpool are off to Brentford later today, hoping to halt their streak of three consecutive Premier League losses and close the gap on top-placed Arsenal . The Gunners face Crystal Palace at home tomorrow afternoon. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.