The Liverpool Thread

  • Thread starter Thread starter Steve*
  • Start date Start date
  • Replies Replies 45K
  • Views Views 4M
https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/fi...verpool-s-2019-20-premier-league-fixture-list

Pretty sound with that. Great split. Extra 2 days on Chelsea before the SC. At home 5 out of 6 after the CL group games. The Ev and Wolves away the two midweeks which is great. The last three International breaks could be bookended better like but can't have everything.

Be a well weekend side against Schalke that home friendly now coming three days before the opener.

Be looking at 7 out of 7 before October. That's the ridiculous standard now between ourselves and City.

On City, I think you've got to go into the year thinking they're more than capable of getting 114 points. As they will ourselves. Neither side will of course, but you start out expecting that and having every game a 'must win.' Fully expecting 90 plus points again from both and I honestly wouldn't like to predict who'll come out on top.

Really looking forward to the Charity Shield now too. For once that will be proper competitive with no side wanting to lose face and put down a marker for the battle ahead.
 
Scouseinthehouse said:
..... Be a well weekend side against Schalke that home friendly now coming three days before the opener. .....
Click to expand...

After the club website laughably saying 'sale suspended due to maintenance issues' earlier, the Schalke friendly has now been cancelled thankfully.

Christ we made a proper pigs ear of that.

The club needs to offer to compensate the Germans that have already booked. I'd be fuming if situations were reversed.
 
Scouseinthehouse said:
https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/fi...verpool-s-2019-20-premier-league-fixture-list

Pretty sound with that. Great split. Extra 2 days on Chelsea before the SC. At home 5 out of 6 after the CL group games. The Ev and Wolves away the two midweeks which is great. The last three International breaks could be bookended better like but can't have everything.

Be a well weekend side against Schalke that home friendly now coming three days before the opener.

Be looking at 7 out of 7 before October. That's the ridiculous standard now between ourselves and City.

On City, I think you've got to go into the year thinking they're more than capable of getting 114 points. As they will ourselves. Neither side will of course, but you start out expecting that and having every game a 'must win.' Fully expecting 90 plus points again from both and I honestly wouldn't like to predict who'll come out on top.

Really looking forward to the Charity Shield now too. For once that will be proper competitive with no side wanting to lose face and put down a marker for the battle ahead.
Click to expand...
I don't want to make predictions but I honestly don't see anything but a two horse race for the title. Wouldn't be surprised to see if city or us end up with an unbeaten season considering how little separated us this season gone by.
 
dilakh2 said:
I don't want to make predictions but I honestly don't see anything but a two horse race for the title. Wouldn't be surprised to see if city or us end up with an unbeaten season considering how little separated us this season gone by.
Click to expand...

As we stand I don't think there'd be many that wouldn't say that'll be for the next few season's at least given how far everyone else is behind. And the big problem's they all face trying to close that gap through various means.

The top 6 is a clear 2 and then a four scrambling not just for the CL spots, but to stay in it. The likes of Leicester and Wolves have to be seriously fancying themselves at breaking in this coming season if they keep what they have together.

I did think Tottenham were the clear third best side the Country, if a long way shy of City and L'pool, but they lost 20 games last season which puts a big question mark over that.
 
Last edited:
Scouseinthehouse said:
As we stand I don't think there'd be many that wouldn't say that'll be for the next few season's at least given how far everyone else is behind. And the big problem's they all face trying to close that gap through various means.

The top 6 is a clear 2 and then a four scrambling not just for the CL spots, but to stay in it. The likes of Leicester and Wolves have to be seriously dancing themselves at breaking in this coming season if they keep what they have together.

I did think Tottenham were the clear third best side the Country, if a long way shy of City and L'pool, but they lost 20 games last season which puts a question mark over that.
Click to expand...
Wolves owners are ambitious and they will be chomping at the bits to break through into the top 6 and long term they have a good chance of doing so. Will be interesting to see if Rodgers has developed as a manager and can suit his tactic to the squad he has or will he revert back to his useless possession for possession sake football.
 
dilakh2 said:
Wolves owners are ambitious and they will be chomping at the bits to break through into the top 6 and long term they have a good chance of doing so. Will be interesting to see if Rodgers has developed as a manager and can suit his tactic to the squad he has or will he revert back to his useless possession for possession sake football.
Click to expand...

Defo to both. He's certainly picked a great situation at Leicester with arguably the best squad outside the top 6 to do that. And a really good added one.

All on his coaching now.
 
Theatre of Dreams83 said:
Can see why you let Solanke go!
Click to expand...
Seems like one of those were he was just bigger and faster then the rest at youth level but struggles to impose himself when playing against grown men. Hasn't adapted to the adult game yet but he is still young. Still can't believe Edwards fleeced Bournmouth for nearly 20mill for him.
 
A quality, must read on Norbert being Norbert to start your day.

BIG props to the German-American fella' who translated.

https://twitter.com/tomalexweber/status/1141433966584578050



Tom Weber‏ @tomalexweber
@tomalexweber​

German broadcaster ZDF released a documentary about Jürgen Klopp last month. There are no English subtitles for the video as far as I can tell, so here are some translated quotes for anyone interested. #LFC

12:53 pm - 19 Jun 2019

I sat here for literal hours translating this ***** so please give me a cheeky RT, a follow or, if ya fancy it, a million dollars thx x



Narrator: "He (Klopp) was never truly 'gone' even though he left the Bundesliga 4 years ago. The most popular face of German football - Jürgen Klopp, manager of LFC, is at the heart of a modern-day football fairytale."

N: "Under the floodlights on European nights at Anfield, with the dream of winning the European Cup, in the pubs on the Anfield Road, they (fans) celebrate their club's return to old glory, even though they failed to win the league by 1 point."

Jürgen Klopp: "We're completely at peace with ourselves."

JK then goes on to talk about how 97 points would've been enough to win the title in any other season.

JK: "It's not like LFC fans wake up in the morning and feel the weight of 29 years without a league title. LFC fans wake up in the morning and think '#phwoar what a season'."

N: "Liverpool is a proud city with half a million people, which has faced huge social struggles since the '60s."

JK: "This city lives and breathes football. It's incredible. They (the issues) aren't talked about *that* much, because Liverpool is a city of music and football. It's a great city and the two things that define it are music and football. It's actually quite calming."

When asked about being ambitious:

JK: "Early on in my life, I had to learn that giving it your all doesn't automatically lead to getting everything you want. But I also quickly realised that there's no alternative - you have to give it your all."

JK: "I am ambitious. But not in a bad way, not too ambitious. *laughs* I **** for success."

N: "Klopp got Mainz promoted and he would go on to win over the hearts of the people of Dortmund with his heavy metal football and two league titles. With his gigantic presence and real, unbridled passion, Klopp conquered Anfield and English fans."

JK: "At the very beginning of my career, I decided that I would be the coach that I always wanted to have. Someone who's understanding, but also not afraid to be imposing. Uplifting, but also critical."

JK: "I just want to be open with my players. If one of them has a question, they can just ask me. If they want to talk about private stuff, I'm also there."

JK: "After a bad game, they can come to my office and I'll explain what went wrong. That's the type of coach I am and...it's really exhausting *laughs*."

When asked about his touchline celebrations when Liverpool score compared to when he was a Dortmund:

JK: "I am older and more experienced. Because of that, I've realised that my antics don't actually impact the game that much."

JK: At home, I am actually a very calm person. That might sound silly judging by how I act on the touchline, but in those 90 minutes, something is different. In my private life, I am very relaxed."

N: "World Cup 2006. Klopp's tactical analysis and matter-of-fact punditry for ZDF endeared him to the German public, even to those who didn't care about football. The way he talked about and explained football was unheard of."

N: "The people of Dortmund worship him and not because of the DFB Pokal, league titles and Champions League final. They worship him because Jürgen Klopp is a man of the people."

The narrator then talks about how Klopp's impact has helped Liverpool financially.

JK: "The club is massive, a worldwide brand. But within the club, it's all cosy and warm, it's like a family and that is what I love the most."

JK: "Everybody in England has a favourite club. I don't think I've ever met someone who didn't like football. Doesn't matter if you're in Burnley or anywhere else, you have a club you grew up supporting. It's a bit different, I know a lot of Germans who don't care about footy."

Klopp on his 2016 money quote:

JK: "Back when I was in
1f1e9-1f1ea.png
, Bayern had a 'bottomless pit of money', like £100m. In today's market, that gets you one centre back. So this bottomless pit of money is enough to buy one player in today's world and that doesn't even cover their wages!"

JK: "The market has changed more than I expected, but I stand by what I said. Maybe things were lost in translation but my point was: if we reach a point where football is solely about money and not football, then I'm leaving. And I still feel the same way about it."

JK: "Liverpool is an ambitious club and if we didn't spend the same amount of money as others, we wouldn't be able to compete. Everybody's splashing the cash, so we have to do the same."

When asked why he rarely leaves his house:

JK: "I'm approachable, but I can't always be there for people, I have to draw a line somewhere. A lot of people think that they can just knock on my front door and ask for an autograph, that drives me absolutely crazy."

JK: "When I was still a player, we played Bayern in a friendly. I was walking next to Oliver Kahn and someone goes up to him and asks for an autograph. Kahn said 'not now' and I thought to myself: what an arrogant *****. But now, I understand him, you can't always help people."

JK: You can't be a public figure all day, every day. Nobody can do that. Sometimes you have to erect a wall just to have some privacy, just to be normal."

JK: "When I go outside, people treat me like a king - doctors stop talking, scholars stutter when they see me and I'm just like: what's going on? I'm literally just a random guy you see on your TV screens."

JK: "I mean, of course it's better that people love seeing and meeting me, that means I'm doing my job, but you have to draw a line somewhere."

Sandro Schwarz, current Mainz coach: "When the news of Klopp going to Liverpool broke, I thought: Great, awesome club, Kloppo will fit right in. The way he is, his mannerisms, his style of coaching, the football his team plays and the way he gets people off their seat, it fits."

SS: "But then I remembered the language barrier and I thought: #phwoar I can't wait to hear that. But he's done sensationally well, I've even visited him and he's done brilliantly. He's doing things his way and he is 'the normal one'."

Jimbo Pearce: "I think it's his personality which makes him the perfect fit for LFC. The fans put their managers on such a high pedestal. You go back to the days of Shankly and Paisley, they were a lot more than just tacticians, or people who just pick the team or a figurehead."

JP: "They were people who the fans admire and Jürgen Klopp certainly ticks all those boxes, they love his passion on the touchline. He's there fighting for them on a weekly basis when rival players or managers look to have a go at LFC. I think he's the perfect fit for this club."

JP: "I think the best thing about him is his brutal honesty. I think there are some managers who wear two faces - one when the cameras are on and one when they are off. But I think with Jürgen Klopp what you see is what you get."

JP: "He's authentic, down to earth. If you ask him a question, he'll give you the answer. It might not be the politically correct answer or the cliche that another manager would give you. But he tends to speak from the heart."

N: "Unbeaten at home in over 2 years in the Premier League and Champions League. 97 points for Klopp's team - the highest points tally in 104 years of first division footy."

JP: "I think there's been a complete transformation of LFC since Klopp arrived. He said it perfectly on his first day as manager. His mission was to turn doubters into believers."

JP: "LFC fans are weary and desperate for success. Slowly but surely, Jürgen Klopp has given them hope and allowed them to dream of big, big prizes."

N: "The rave reviews Klopp's football has earned - attacking, powerful, reminiscent of Dortmund's glory days. Where, 10 years ago, his heavy metal football started to change the Bundesliga forever."

Former BVB captain Sebastian Kehl: "The way Klopp likes to play his football, how his enthusiasm transforms a team, well simply put, Liverpool and Klopp is a match made in heaven."

SK: "With Jürgen, it's all about communication, of course he's a tactical genius, but language is a very big part of his work as a coach."

SK: "And the fact that he has managed to project his personality and style of play onto the team even though English isn't his first language is quite incredible and impressive. But that is Jürgen, that's what he does."

JK: "I don't think I had to fight my way to the top, you don't need to tear other people down to get what you want. It's extremely important to me that the people around me are happy."

JK: "A lot of risks come with being a manager. I could've lost my job multiple times if someone had just said 'you've no clue what you're doing, you're fired'."

JK: "Nowadays, when a coach gets fired they get called a fraud. One moment their an amazing coach, then they lose 4 games on the bounce, get fired and everyone asks whether he was actually any good in the first place."

JK: "It's as if they think someone sucked the coach's footballing brain out of their head overnight."

JK: "The thing I enjoy most about football is that we can all experience it together. That it's so important to all of us. The thing about football is that you reach a point where everyone is interested. For 90 minutes, everyone is paying attention."

On Brexit:

JK: "I'm glad that I'm here while Brexit is going on and obviously let's hope it doesn't actually happen. Liverpool is a prime example of what bad politics can do."

JK: "When the right people don't care about politics and the wrong people actually do the politics, a lot of bad things can happen."

N: "Liverpool is a part of Europe because of its history. Be it European Cup triumphs, tragedies like Heysel or the Champions League final, Liverpool, more than any other English club, is a part of Europe."

On beating Barca and this current group of players:

JK: "This state of mind, the character that these boys have is incredible. We've always been good, but we've never had the patience to be good throughout a full match."

JK: "We've always started well, but that doesn't work every time. You can't create chance after chance against a team that parks the bus. Now we know that if we keep trying, the opposition will show signs of weakness and that's when we strike."

On finishing 2nd in the league:

JK: "Runners up medals are important to me. People looking in from the outside may think otherwise, but I couldn't care less."

JK: "I understand the 'silverware is the most important thing in sports' mindset, but winning a trophy doesn't make me a happier person."

JK: "I will always give it my all, but that doesn't mean that you always get what you want. Trying your best is the only way to even have a chance of getting what you desire in the first place."

JK: "Throughout my life, I've been extremely fortunate to have been in the right place at the right time and to have met the right people who, for one reason or another, have put their trust in me."
 
Last edited:
Tyton said:
.....
Click to expand...

Good luck this evening against Spain the U21's r big Polish mate. Be a travesty if they don't make the semi's now.

I've been rooting for yer (well, Grabara but Poland to go all the way by extension), and you've done superbly thus far. The win over an Italian side containing a fair few full Internationals Wednesday was superb. Deserved for the tactical organisation and all out heart shown.

Telling yer, the MOTM from that one is going to be a real good one mate. Real mature for his age-

https://www.uefa.com/under21/video/newsinterviews/videoid=2612726.html
 
Tyton said:
Well that could have gone slightly better.
Click to expand...

Nicely understated haha.

Tough to crash out after the first two excellent wins but that's tournament football. Spain where just bang on it tonight.

Little consolation but a good tournament from the Poles.
 
Pretty good, yeah. It's a big success for us to even make it to the finals, I never even hoped to go out with 6 points.
 
After last nights shut out against Peru and Brazil’s progression the Copa, 7 successive games and counting for club and Country Alisson hasn’t conceded a goal.

But they’ll be those that tell you L’pool’s Europe wide top defence is all down to big Virg.
 
And Firmino is playing really good. Any signs of new signings for L'pool?
 
Vanjagl said:
And Firmino is playing really good. Any signs of new signings for L'pool?
Click to expand...

Your guess is as good as ours mate? Since the initial van Dijk fiasco, there’s been next to nothing coming out of the club. Even the reliable local corp are really struggling off the scraps they’re being fed. So any news needs to be taken with a pinch of salt. Honestly, I’ve not really thought about transfers and I’m certainly not stressing over rumours and ‘will they/ won’t they’ buy? What will be will be and they’ve more than earned our trust with who ever they bring in.

Talking transfers, the major problem we currently have is the football club is now at such a level that there's an ever diminishing pool of players to pick from who will improve, or at the very least, are as good as, what we currently have. And the better you get as a club, the smaller and smaller that pool becomes.

Real hard to improve on what you'd consider our best XI. So you're looking at improving the squad to the point you have 15-17 players all on the same level. So you don't have any drop off whoever comes in. No longer do we need to fill out the squad. We're deep enough in quality as it is. (Save for the odd position but that's being picky.). Improving on the quality of that depth is where we're now at. And even at that you're looking at the very top echelon of player now. And those that fit everything we require to a better standard than we have isn't an easy job to find at all. A few years back I’d have been gutted for instance at Pulisic going to Chelsea. Now, you just shrug your shoulders as he’d struggle to consistently make our match-day 18.

Our wage structure will have to continue to alter and increase to accommodate that as we go too. But that's success , not player driven. The finances with the on-field success are there to accommodate that. What we had in place to get us to be challenging for the league and European Cup was sound. But now we’re at the stage where we're not just challenging, but winning those trophies so you adjust to accommodate the next stage. I’m sure there’s been a lot of folk laughing at the Mbappe links for example. But that’s the level we’re now at and the finances are there to accommodate that calibre of player if they’re the right fit.

We no longer have to court players through the media today either which is a big change. Players and their agents are the ones now courting us to be a part of what Jurgens built. We have our targets. You either want to play for the European champions or you don’t and we’ll happily move on.
 
Last edited:
Yep like Scouse said not really bothered about who we sign as its more improving on the quality of depth now. If I was gonna be nitpicking we do need a versatile fullback that can cover both sides as trent and robbo can't play every game. Probably a versatile forward some one like Pepe of Lille to rotate and keep the front three on their toes would be great. All in all not really bothered about who we sign as long as Klopp wants him I wont question the signing. He has proved me wrong before as I was one of the first to rip into the likes of Wiji and Chambo.
 
dilakh2 said:
Yep like Scouse said not really bothered about who we sign as its more improving on the quality of depth now. If I was gonna be nitpicking we do need a versatile fullback that can cover both sides as trent and robbo can't play every game. Probably a versatile forward some one like Pepe of Lille to rotate and keep the front three on their toes would be great. All in all not really bothered about who we sign as long as Klopp wants him I wont question the signing. He has proved me wrong before as I was one of the first to rip into the likes of Wiji and Chambo.
Click to expand...

I wonder if we might see Oxo-Chambo in pre-season as a wing-back at times to ‘cheat’ a little and give Trent some rest there? Drop Fabinho in between the CH’s and split them wide like we did when Klaven was here. (When he literally was a LB playing CH.). Just to give less running up and down on the FB’s with them pushed up high and someone like Alex being able to slot in there when needed?

Definitely need to come up with something or add someone to save Trent and Robbo’s legs though as you noted mate.

I don’t think there’s a harder working position n football than a Klopp FB or midfielder with all the relentless running they go through every game.

I can certainly see a lot of different formations and personnel again with all the extra games and the disrupted pre-season. Particularly the first half of the year. Wouldn’t be at all surprised for example to see Brewster and Origi heavily involved the first 4 league games being as they’ll have had all the team work pre-season with the main three gradually introduced that first month. All things being equal we only really need to be at full strength the Super Cup. That first run of league fixtures are all very favourable.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

FMBase

Beta

Resources

Back
Top