The Liverpool Thread

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Another gutless performance from that team, the team who simply isnt good enough to challenge for a top 4 position consistently throughout the season, never mind talk about the league.

I'm a big fan of Jurgen Klopp, I think he understands us and he definitely is a brilliant manager, but its proving week in week out how naive he has been in January. His targets may not have been available in Jan, but I can imagine their were a good 4 or 5 players out there who would walk into this Liverpool team. Because in terms of quality this Liverpool team is shocking.

Our Starting XI Yesterday - And whether I think theyre good enough to play at this level as regular starters.

Mignolet - No, obvious reasons.

Clyne - No, I've never seen a player so over rated in my life, people claim he is the best in the league which is beyond me. TERRIBLE on the ball, awkward in possession all the time and slows down every move we have. Plenty of "Chances created" stats fly around with him but you rarely see him play a good ball in the box, I don't understand what he brings to the team.

Matip - Yes. I think given a good partner Matip would be a very good player long term for us, Good in the air, good on the ball and I think he's a brilliant defender. He's had his moments but I think anyone would playing in the defence we have.

Lucas - No. Not really his fault but he isnt a centre half, and his time at the club looks like it has to come to an end this year.

Milner - No. Had a brilliant run of form, and has been great when asked to play anywhere, but I feel teams have found him out now as a left back and i dont feel he is effective there anymore, again not entirely his fault as he's being played out of position.

Can - No. Hopefully picks up some form but just looks so slow on the ball and its confusing to see how lost he looks this year, hopefully I eat my own words on this.

Lallana - Yes. Think he's been brilliant this season and looks like one of the players I would say should definitely be in that starting XI next year.

Wijnaldum - Yes. Love him, absolutely love him, such a tidy player and I think he will be great for us, however there are much better options out there for central roles above Lallana and Wijnaldum.

Coutinho - Yes. But playing terrible at the moment, that's just form though.

Mane - Yes. This season speaks for itself, would love to see a few more players with pace around him to see the damage that could be caused.

Firmino - Unsure, I think yes if playing behind the striker but as an out and out striker every week he is too hit and miss. Love the work he does off the ball and really rate him, but upfront with Coutinho and Mane either side of him, when teams sit back he is pretty useless (as a striker)

Gutted to see us bottle this season (Well looks like we have) Because now is just a huge up hill climb with all 5 teams above us playing much better. I can see us missing top four again, and with us not being in any cups, feels like a huge step backwards.
 
The startling thing about the game was that Leicester were not even amazing. They were just OK
 
Scouseinthehouse said:
But for yet another set of absolutely imbosilic (new word?) 'fans' who rolled out the tawdry Manc Gerrard ***** again last night. (52 minutes in if anyone was in the sweep.). Singing about something that happened 3 seasons back, that has absolutely NO relevance to your club. You would say that's lower league behaviour but it's just pure wool behaviour. Why do lads got the football and make complete frigging knobheads of themselves?
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You've got to understand Scouse, that for fans of other clubs, it's still absolutely hilarious. A lot of people don't like your club, so you'd get stick for it regardless, but the fact that it was Gerrard, the fact that it was so comically done, and the fact that he literally said that they weren't going to slip before the game just makes it fantastic. It's one of those things (like City's empty seats, our plastic flag period, United's Moyes adventure, "lads, it's Tottenham" or Arsenal's, well, everything) that people are going to keep finding funny. It doesn't matter that it didn't happen directly in a game with them, **** Terry's slip happened in a game vs United but we kept getting stick from fans of every club for that one basically up until we won the **** thing.
 
There is nottin' to condone that Subtle.

I know a lot of Mancunian Utd lads that are now highly embarrassed when the 'day trippers' bring it out on their 'big day out' at Old Trafford.

Its Wool behaviour, and typical of the Sky generation age of 'fan', that's beyond cringeworthy. You aren't one of them mate. From what I can gather, you've been going the match long enough to know the score. Made even more ridiculous when it has nottin' to do with your club and the fella' isn't even playing now. Seriously, looking to your left last night to see some whopper looking like his Ma's dressed him with a half and half scarf round his neck , and a frigging Ranieri mask to complete his ******* look, giving it that .....

Leicester are the frigging Champions of England. How about singing about that lads whilst you can still can and milk it to the full the remaining 12 games instead of embarrassing the **** out of yourselves?

WELL past it's sell by date for any football fan with any self respect. The fact that it's normally tin pot clubs who now roll it out like Hull and Leicester tell's you everything you need to know.
 
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Spot on Subtle, the thing about mocking other clubs has existed for a long time, it's only when people are on the end of it that it suddenly becomes a terrible thing
 
Mike. said:
Spot on Subtle, the thing about mocking other clubs has existed for a long time, it's only when people are on the end of it that it suddenly becomes a terrible thing
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Behave. The only time this thread is active is when Liverpool lose and the United fans from Kazakhstan are posting.
 
United fans from Kazakhstan? Given there are none here, I'd be very careful of using nationalities as a jibe tezzz. Liverpool haven't played in 15 days, and it's a big defeat. Funnily enough it's a big talking point, from all fans.
 
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Of all things to gripe about, I don't think talking about other fans taunts is going to help. Liverpool are in a bad spell, that Spurs win overshadowed your horrific year thus far. Klopp is a great manager, but when things don't go his way, it seems like the start of steep slide as he just doesn't seem to change the obvious. Like Rhqq said, playing the way you did with a high line against Vardy, I don't know what you were even thinking.

You've got a huge match against Arsenal, in the context of top 4, it could be make or break for you as if you lose that and slip further it's hard to see you bounce back after the performances we've been accustomed to in 2017.
 
Playing Lucas against Vardy was ridiculous, and it was rightly punished
 
Mike. said:
Playing Lucas against Vardy was ridiculous, and it was rightly punished
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Poch and Klopp seem to get away with quite a lot of decisions like that when it comes to setting their teams up.
 
What we need is a striker that is going to bully defences if they sit back. Right now the tactic against us is to sit 10 men behind the ball and lump it forward to the fastest player to run on to, it happens every game. We get forced out wide and pass it around the area, we need a striker that will cause trouble if we put it into the box.

For now though we may as well change it up, go for two up top so that we have two strikers for teams to worry about instead of one floating about trying to create the space for others to run into, because there is no space in these games.

Seriously what does Clyne actually bring to this team at the moment? He's not defending as we only ever seem to have our two centre backs at the back and whenever he gets the ball upfront he takes a touch inside, realises there's nothing on and has to pass it to someone else. He needs to be getting the ball and beating his man on the wing, although his crossing is questionable too. Even Moreno looked more useful than him last night, would be happy to see Trent given a run out as his looked far more effective in attacking positions.
 
Tuitfio said:
What we need is a striker that is going to bully defences if they sit back. Right now the tactic against us is to sit 10 men behind the ball and lump it forward to the fastest player to run on to, it happens every game. We get forced out wide and pass it around the area, we need a striker that will cause trouble if we put it into the box.
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That Benteke lad is meant to be quite good ;)

You're right though, getting an actual striker with proper presence, if for nothing else than to throw on in these games, seems like a solid move. Your squadbuilding over the last 2 seasons has been seriously odd.
 
Subtle said:
That Benteke lad is meant to be quite good ;)

You're right though, getting an actual striker with proper presence, if for nothing else than to throw on in these games, seems like a solid move. Your squadbuilding over the last 2 seasons has been seriously odd.
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Aha, the problem with Benteke is he was never in the box when we did cross it and always in the box when we didn't. Plus for a striker he seemed to struggle with one on ones which is crazy. I'm hoping Origi can find the form he found last season and really kick on to be that complete forward, he's got all the tools but it's up to him to really kick on.

Our squad building has been odd for years, we don't get our targets and we end up panic buying. Sure we should have strengthened in January but I'd rather us come back and get our targets in the summer instead of ending up with players for the sake of signing someone.
 
Ok, now I'm home and have time, let's look at last nights absolute shambles. The worst we've played under Jürgen for me on an absolutely horrible night the match. Made even worse by not getting back the house until after 1 this AM thanks to a frigging rolling roadblock the M6 North. 5-10 MPH on a motorway is NOT fun! Leicester's the worst place to get out of quick at the best of times without hitting that!

Not really interested in getting into the future as there's still 12 games left this season which we're more than capable of bouncing through with double figure wins as much as this dire run continuing so it's pointless getting too despondent with talk of 'the top 4's gone/ we'll do well to make the Europa' et all when there's 36 points left to play for and the perfect antidote to last night coming Sat'day in an Arsenal side more schizophrenic and fragile than ourselves. What will be will be come May so no point stressing over things to come.

So onto last night, starting with .....

Leicester and the difference to other recent loses/ games against similar opponents.

Congratulations to the them. They were superb. To a man the Leicester fans outside after were saying that's by far and away the most up for a game and the hardest working they've been all year. There was always the fear of a bounce from all the criticism the players have received after what happened last Thursday. And that happened and then some. Even the DM's webbing in a 20 yard screamer.

The big difference to the easy line of banding all other recent loses/ points dropped against back end of the table sides together with this was Leicester didn't sit back. We didn't come up against two deep lying blocks. Leicester had a real go from the off. The intensity was there for all to see with them blowing HARD by the hour mark from all the non-stop work they put in. They played off the front foot, were first into every challenge, and were on any red shirt like locusts. And then they hit Vardy, who chose yesterday to finally remember he's a striker, with quick balls over the top time and again.

Completely different from what Swansea offered at Anfield recently. Or Hull the other week et all.

I think we forget at times in the aftermath of a horrible loss when you've been utter ***** that the opposition is trying just as hard to beat you and deserve praise when they do.

Leicester had their game of the season last night and fully deserved the win so full credit to them.

Liverpool.

Oh dear. Just WHERE do you start here? As well as Leicester played, they had ZERO opposition to really counter. L'pool were beyond shambolic in every phase of the game.

Abysmal. Disgraceful. Abject. Passionless. Pathetic. Woeful. Effortless. Insert any derogatory adjective and it will fit for what we saw on the pitch last night. I won't single out any individuals as they were all as collectively ***** as each other. Matip was as bad as Lucas. Milner was as bad as Clyne. The two Brazilians as anonymous as each other etc etc. Not one of them you'd even rate a 6.

One thing you KNEW was going to happen was it was going to be a big first 20 minutes. I wrote on that yesterday when the news of Henderson missing was confirmed. EVERYONE knew Leicester would respond and come out all guns blazing at home and be straight into everything. Everyone seemingly bar L'pool who yet again this season started at a snails pace. Outside of maybe Chelsea away and Tottenham when we stunned them two weeks back has this team started fast all year? From the minute Vardy went through Mané the opening seconds you just knew. The tone was set. Even before Leicester took the lead, Mignolet had already made a good stop from a simple ball down the middle. The tone was set. And as soon as the first goal went in you just wanted to go home. The most predictable result of the season from that point on. All self inflicted from the way they'd started again. Lads were getting off after an hour last night. And it was hard to blame them.

Absolutely abject display. Both individually and collectively they showed absolutely nothing. No effort nor fight. 2nd best to every challenge. No creativity. They showed absolutely zilch in every aspect most all game. A complete and utter shambles that leaves you scratching your head as to why? You know just how unstoppable they can be when it all clicks. Even when we scored on 68 we barely threatened Schmeichel. 22 frigging minutes, against a team and crowd with the doubt of the season to that point, and L'pool badly struck a bat. Morgan and Huth are like 30 odd year olds who can barely run. Yet we never went directly at them or skinned them for pace. Absolutely inexcusable. Not one player ready to stand up and be counted to drag the others through.

Absolutely disgrace from every last one out there.

The manager.

Klopp and his staff take their share of the blame too alongside the players. We're a collective when we win. We're a collective when we lose.

My two gripes with him last night:

The slow start. YET AGAIN! He's talking after how frustrating it was to see them start slow and he doesn't want that. Well neither do we mate but that's what we've had since frigging August! I get pacing yourselves into a game and being the far fitter side in rhythm late on. But games get won in this league early and we're conceding the initiative FAR too often.

Pre game/ in-game management. Change things. I'm 100% down with sticking to our philosophy. All the talk of 'Plan A' and not having a 'Plan B' is fluff. If you truly believe in what you do, what's tried and tested and proven to work, and the players are fully confident to stick to it then you're gonna' win more often that you lose. Ask Pep his career. But when you're lacking a key player in the captain and you know Can brings nothing like Henderson does to the table, tweak things. Tweak the formation slightly to compensate his lack of a quick mind. Lucas is having a nightmare, make the change at half time. Which in fairness he'd say he did with the switch to 3 and wing backs but take a lad who's suffering off and bring your recognised centre half on. As ***** as Klaven's been recently he couldn't of been any worse.

I don't really blame him for starting Lucas BTW. The options just aren't there. Klaven's been garbage as mentioned. And with Lovren out who do you play? No doubt Joe Gomez would of come in if he hadn't been out so long but he's still regaining match fitness and form which have both been up and down the 23's since the initial adrenalin boost of his comeback after so long out. And I get playing the higher line. Vardy's been absolutely abysmal this season. Lucas was outstanding against Tottenham. Matip dropping off is no slouch. You want to press the issue. It's how we play. (Or at least normally do. None of that was in evidence last night.). Plus with no Henderson, he's a lad (Lucas) who is sound on the ball and can step up into midfield with it like Matip. But when you see Vardy's suddenly playing like he's high on every drug known to man, ******* ADJUST and compensate!

Where I do feel for him is how his preparation all turned late in the break. You prepare hard for facing the **** poor Leicester of this year under Ranieri. Only to have him sacked the Thursday before and no idea they were going to complete change everything they've done of late to go back to last years formation/ version. Then he loses a key player in Henderson who is absolutely vital to this side. (61.5 % win percentage with him in the side verses him out.). With nobody to bring in of the same standard.

And you can't legislate for every single player having a collective stinker. I don't think I've seen our front 5/6 as bad as that collectively since well back into last season. Bad decisions. Confidence seeping out of them leading to too many touches and nobody even daring to get forward in numbers. Nobody willing to take a man on. Take a shot. Nothing. ALL of them frustratingly having an off day. As much as you prepare your team, when that happens you're at a loss as a coach and Jürgen was as frustrated as anyone the touchline that everything he wants from this team just wasn't happening.


All in all just a horribly ***** day at the office that, to take nothing away from a really good Leicester display, L'pool brought upon themselves yet again with things that are easily avoidable.

But it's past. Arsenal Saturday with the bonus of a Sat'day tea-time KO. Everyone nicely bevvied and up for a great atmosphere to get this back on track.

LONG way to go yet this season.

Up the Reds!
 
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Mike. said:
United fans from Kazakhstan? Given there are none here, I'd be very careful of using nationalities as a jibe tezzz. Liverpool haven't played in 15 days, and it's a big defeat. Funnily enough it's a big talking point, from all fans.
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Yes I will be very careful. I could have inserted anywhere outside of Manchester tbh and that was the first thing that came into my head.
 
Like the majority of Liverpool fans on the forum. Your point? Hate the "if you're not born and rared in the area of your club then... (insert nonsensical negative dig here)" ignorance that stinks in the game. Some lad in India could love Liverpool every bit as much and more than a fella 10 mins from Anfield who couldn't name 5 starters, but supports them because he's a local.
 
The point I would imagine was more ironic on the complete contradictory nature of recent things said than a literal one. Shrugs.
 
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That's our (God willing) future manager:

C51KbzaXEAAHWrX.jpg:large
 
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