Besides the Adli bait, I think it also comes down to drilling a bit
So many times I watch this team and the players have no idea where they're supposed to be. They often pass expecting a teammate to be in a certain position to start a movement and there's no one there. Like you could tell me the only possession/passing drill done in training is the rondo and I'd believe you
That + the great emphasis on trying to beat everyone in 1v1 situations when you only have two players capable of that is a recipe for constant turnovers
Like I've said before this style simply doesn't and won't work at the highest levels
I bring up Adli to remind you not to completely hate me.
But not utilizing someone like Adli, or even the utility of a midfielder in the CAM spot, points to something worse than an absence of attacking patterns (which as you point out [and I agree with] is horrific)... to me the larger issue is that he doesn't seem to understand what makes his favored system work, he genuinely doesn't seem to even understand what works in
his own system.
Liverpool's peak is seen as this swashbuckling, pressing machine--and to be honest, they were. Klopp understood he needed to bring some more possession in the side, which is why he brought in Thiago--but it's also why he kept Firmino in the side for so long, because while Mane and Salah were marauding up-and-down, while their midfield ran their asses off... Firmino was the major link in building-up play, because he could facilitate play. To conduct things and guide that onslaught of players rushing forward.
Let's say Pioli wants to do that, but he doesn't seem to get how it even works. Mane and Salah (in particular) are underrated passers, but I think the problem is that all these runs, these missed passes, they're down to Pioli not getting "hey, if my two passers are also my two workhorses, and if all my attackers are unable to pass it 5 feet, I might have a problem."
It's why Brahim looks so much better on the wing, because his job is so much simpler. Even Brahim being a little more of a playmaker rather than an out-and-out winger/forward on the right works because he's not tasked with as much orchestration.
Yes, there seems to be a distinct lack in the patterns of play. But Giroud is not doing his France link-up play here, let alone emulating Firmino's role, and the fact that Pioli isn't seeing the issues worries me.
If Pioli stays, I hope he irons these things out--because the only excuse I can give him is that the pressure had gotten to him, and this will be a learning experience, just like Carlo's time at Juventus altered his methods, I hope this is a learning year for Pioli, because I genuinely believe this squad can do much better than it has, and I think with a few more additions, they can be a very strong team. And I don't want Pioli to hold the team back, even if I appreciate what he's done to get it to this point.
