Liverpool Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2014 - Mod Note in OP 28/8

bluefinger

i remember getting excited at the prospect of signing wickham during uncle woy's reign. mercifully those days have passed.

K-9

bluefinger wrote: »

i remember getting excited at the prospect of signing wickham during uncle woy's reign. mercifully those days have passed.

That was Kenny IIRC.

8-10

Dickerty wrote: »

Would love a trip to any German, French or Dutch team.
Won't go to Turkey, Italy, or Israel!!!

Basel would be nice, lovely city!

Ajax are the only Dutch team in the draw and will nearly certainly be 3rd seeds along with Liverpool, unfortunately!

Sappy404

D'Agger wrote: »

It's absolutely plausible that somebody created the 'after the Super Cup' rumour to get LFC fans to shut the fúck up about Moreno for a few weeks at least....

Would be disappointed if we don't get him though

Sounds like something a journo made up to spare some blushes after months of people saying he was 'close'.

martyos121

djPSB wrote: »

Highjack West Ham's Wickham bid with a £50m offer.

That'd do it.

He's being flown into Melwood now in a helicopter to fast-track a deal. Subject to a medical and a lean, of course.

Dickerty

8-10 wrote: »

Ajax are the only Dutch team in the draw and will nearly certainly be 3rd seeds along with Liverpool, unfortunately!

Aw....

Ok, I'll do Benfica, Basel, and Copenhagen?
I'd like to see Munich abnd Barcelona, but I want to win more!

If Borini goes 2 forwards are needed.

Lambert for Aspas

Someone for Borini
Someone for Suarez

Francie Barrett

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Jack Robinson off to Brighton & Hove Albion possibly

http://www.theargus.co.uk/sport/11401076.Albion_linked_with_Liverpool_prospect/

Good move, he won't be getting games for us.

Dickerty

Francie Barrett wrote: »

Good move, he won't be getting games for us.

Especially with Moreno joining after the Super Cup....apparently....

Harry Palmr

Francie Barrett wrote: »

Good move, he won't be getting games for us.

Wolves (third of a season), Blackpool (full season), Brighton full season suggests he better look to impress someone else. With Moreno arriving (when he does!) as a 20 year old and Brad Smith the same age. Robinson already looks like old news.

ASOT

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Wolves (third of a season), Blackpool (full season), Brighton full season suggests he better look to impress someone else. With Moreno arriving (when he does!) as a 20 year old and Brad Smith the same age. Robinson already looks like old news.

Smith looks like the type of player to suit our system, pace to burn and can stick in a good cross!

Harry Palmr

ASOT wrote: »

Smith looks like the type of player to suit our system, pace to burn and can stick in a good cross!

His first game at Swindon saw him playing as a wing back, if thats their default formation you'd imagine it'll play to his strengths. Some grumbling from fans about his final ball being hit and miss but that's what loans are for.

Burnley are the LFC opponents this afternoon according to twitter, behind closed doors.

Jones, Enrique, Sakho, Toure, Coates , Kelly, Can, Allen, Suso, Ibe, Lambert.

whatawaster

rarnes1 wrote: »

If Borini goes 2 forwards are needed.

Lambert for Aspas

Someone for Borini
Someone for Suarez

I think one more is plenty. Sturridge, New Striker, Lambert, Sterling, Markovic, Coutinho, Lallana, Ibe. 8 players to fill 3 or 4 positions in the starting 11.

Underpaid Mike

They is a might impressive 5 mins. Lovern highlights vs Dortmund
His passing range and attacking instincts are very encouraging
Might mean Gerrard may not be so vital in some games as his distribution is so good.
Case in point is the pass to countinho for the Sturridge goal

slingerz

whatawaster wrote: »

I think one more is plenty. Sturridge, New Striker, Lambert, Sterling, Markovic, Coutinho, Lallana, Ibe. 8 players to fill 3 or 4 positions in the starting 11.

youve taken a striking option for an attacking midfielder tho and striker is a specialist position. I would like to have 4 strikers in any squad i was in charge of anyway to cover for injuries etc.

NoelJ

slingerz wrote: »

youve taken a striking option for an attacking midfielder tho and striker is a specialist position. I would like to have 4 strikers in any squad i was in charge of anyway to cover for injuries etc.

The way we play our attacking mids are strikers. Suarez wasn't a striker for Liverpool.

Sappy404

I think people are forgetting that we played a 4-4-2 last season to accommodate two brilliant strikers. We didn't sign two brilliant strikers so we could play a 4-4-2. We struck gold, yes, but there's no reason we can't operate successfully in a 4-5-1 if our attacking midfield options lend themselves to a formation with a single striker. I'm sure Sturridge wouldn't mind!

x43r0

For all the jokes about people being good at Football Manager and translating the skills to real life, there might actually be something to it :pac:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28738388

Dickerty

NoelJ wrote: »

The way we play our attacking mids are strikers. Suarez wasn't a striker for Liverpool.

But you have to translate that into what you want from your players. We won't ask Sterling to score 20 goals, like we will of Sturridge...

rossie1977

K-9 wrote: »

That was Kenny IIRC.

you remember incorrectly http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1335945/Liverpool-line-10m-deal-Ipswich-teenager-Connor-Wickham--EXCLUSIVE.html

ASOT

x43r0 wrote: »

For all the jokes about people being good at Football Manager and translating the skills to real life, there might actually be something to it :pac:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28738388

Clubs have been using it for a while, Everton had the rights to the database for a few years if i remember correctly!

Boom_Bap

I managed to only catch the second half yesterday, I can only say that I was seriously impressed by us up to the 70th minute when all the changes were being made.
We had the Dortmund defence chasing shadows at times due to our movement. And in defense, we were moving the ball around alot quicker and more accurately. Lovern likes like an excellent addition, and Manquillo looks like he's decent too.
Henderson was also truely boss.

The beauty of it, and I think that Rodgers echoed this post match, we were able to bring in quality players off the bench, so our acquisitions this summer are paying off already.

And I had to laugh after watching the Lovern highlights how Sturridge tries to take his goal away from him.

That match has got me all optimistic about the season ahead.

whatawaster

4 strikers would be overkill. We'll probably usually only play one, or sometimes two. In a bind, Sterling could play up front.

K-9

rossie1977 wrote: »

you remember incorrectly http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1335945/Liverpool-line-10m-deal-Ipswich-teenager-Connor-Wickham--EXCLUSIVE.html

Nope: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2007202/Liverpool-match-Sunderland-bid-Connor-Wickham.html

Don't think too many were impressed.

Dickerty

whatawaster wrote: »

4 strikers would be overkill. We'll probably usually only play one, or sometimes two. In a bind, Sterling could play up front.

I happen to think he could do that almost now. He holds the ball up well, times runs better than most and has a good finish in him. Michael Owen, anyone?

Dickerty

Boom_Bap wrote: »

We had the Dortmund defence chasing shadows at times due to our movement.

The build up to Hendo's goal was pure brilliance.
Coutinho spins away at half way, passes to Sterling, quick pass to Hendo who pushes it out to Coutinho again further wide. He does a 1-2 with Sterling and breaks into the box. Ball slightly ahead of Sturridge, but he keeps it in and lays it past a tired looking defence.

Very tasty.

Harry Palmr

False No 9s are all the rage - Sterling, Markovic and Reus can all play as one.

whatawaster

whatawaster wrote: »

I think one more is plenty. Sturridge, New Striker, Lambert, Sterling, Markovic, Coutinho, Lallana, Ibe. 8 players to fill 3 or 4 positions in the starting 11.

Cutting it fine if you run into an injury crisis.

Only Lambert is a proper goal scorer there and I wouldnt be too happy if he was our only choice when Sturridge picks up his inevitable injury

K-9

rarnes1 wrote: »

Cutting it fine if you run into an injury crisis.

Only Lambert is a proper goal scorer there and I wouldnt be too happy if he was our only choice when Sturridge picks up his inevitable injury

I suppose if we got the right type of player 1 would do. Chelsea are hardly blessed with options, though that is more down to the lack of quality. Money also rules these things unfortunately.

whatawaster

whatawaster wrote: »

4 strikers would be overkill. We'll probably usually only play one, or sometimes two. In a bind, Sterling could play up front.

We played with 2 up front all last season, why change it?

K-9

rarnes1 wrote: »

We played with 2 up front all last season, why change it?

Maybe to get more balance in the team, we basically played with 3 up front as we'd Suarez! Hopefully we see plenty of bodies in or around the box so the attacking looks like 2 or 3 up front at times!

Harry Palmr

rarnes1 wrote: »

We played with 2 up front all last season, why change it?

Because 4-4-2 diamond is BANZAI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! that was adopted to play to the strengths of the best 11, this year the squad is much better balanced with the greatest cohort of talent clearly in the attacking midfield. 4-3-3 and variations esp 4-1-2-3 will, I think be the order of the day.

MR NINE

I always thought lovren was right footed. After watching that clip i was convinced he must be left footed, so i had a quick google and every source claims he is right footed. So I watched the clip again and Im still convinced he is left footed, everything he did was with his left and he looks extremely comfortable with it. If he is right footed its very impressive how good he is with his weaker foot.

whatawaster

rarnes1 wrote: »

Cutting it fine if you run into an injury crisis.

Only Lambert is a proper goal scorer there and I wouldnt be too happy if he was our only choice when Sturridge picks up his inevitable injury

I'm assuming we will have signed one more striker, who will take Sturridge's place when he is out.

We can't have a squad that is too thin like last season, but it's also not wise to have a bloated squad. Players will not play enough games, they will stagnate and there is a danger the squad will not be as harmonious as it appeared to be last season.

whatawaster

rarnes1 wrote: »

We played with 2 up front all last season, why change it?

To get the best out of our two best player - Suarez and Sturridge.

This year I'd expect we want to get the best out of the likes of Coutinho and Sterling who are two of our top players, and Markovic and Lallana also.

If we play two strikers, there is only room for either 1 or 2 (depending on if we play 2 or 3 in midfield) of Coutinho, Sterling, Lallana and Markovic.

NEDDURC

Haven't gotten to see any of the Dortmund match yet. From what I read Manquillo was very good and looked assured?

Would you think he could start next week against Southampton? Could he become are number 1 right back this season?

whatawaster

NEDDURC wrote: »

Haven't gotten to see any of the Dortmund match yet. From what I read Manquillo was very good and looked assured?

Would you think he could start next week against Southampton? Could he become are number 1 right back this season?

Would think the same 11 from Sunday will start against Southampton, so he could well start.

mormank

x43r0 wrote: »

For all the jokes about people being good at Football Manager and translating the skills to real life, there might actually be something to it :pac:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28738388

There always was something to it tho. The people who made jokes about it never played the game I'll bet. Almost every player that emerged whilst I played Champ manager I was aware of years before most people through that game. Where it goes a bit off track is when people assume that just because he becomes a superstar in the game he will automatically become a usperstar in real life. But the players are all there pretty much.

Montroseee

Good chance Lovren could be signing of the season, should definitely be in contention for it anyway.

LuckyLloyd

Caught the goals on my way to work this morning. Looked like we played some good stuff. Lots of good vibes in the various reports on the game anyway. Even if it's a friendly, it's still good to get a confidence booster in advance of the real games.

mormank

rarnes1 wrote: »

We played with 2 up front all last season, why change it?

This is a common opinion amongst fans but we actualy did not play with two up front for all of last season! It is a fallacy. We played with two strikers for most of it but not with two playing up top. We only truly played with two up top when we used the diamond formation. But don't forget for alot of the time both strikers werent available at the same time (Suarez missed the first 5 games for example) and for the first half of the season we actualy played with one up top and Suarez and Sturridge switching between the striker position and the wing forward position.

Dickerty

whatawaster wrote: »

Would think the same 11 from Sunday will start against Southampton, so he could well start.

Unless Sakho was injured, I think he played that back 4 for a reason, and stuck with them for long enough. The front 6 picks itself IMO.

Where is Flanno?

Dickerty

Montroseee wrote: »

Good chance Lovren could be signing of the season, should definitely be in contention for it anyway.

WAAAAAY too soon!!!

Charlie19

I know some of ye will love this one..

Harry Palmr

http://www.turkish-football.com/news_read.php?id=6312

greendom

For those defensive stats, seems a bit odd that no other defender in that listing came from a top 4 club

K-9

greendom wrote: »

For those defensive stats, seems a bit odd that no other defender in that listing came from a top 4 club

He did have a decent season, don't know much about those things but goals scored might skew the rating. Then again so should ogs!

Harry Palmr

greendom wrote: »

For those defensive stats, seems a bit odd that no other defender in that listing came from a top 4 club

Liverpool played high up the pitch and Gerrard was the only thing between the CBs and the onrushing attackers. Hence high clearance and interception stats for the defenders.

8-10

Harry Palmr wrote: »

His first game at Swindon saw him playing as a wing back, if thats their default formation you'd imagine it'll play to his strengths. Some grumbling from fans about his final ball being hit and miss but that's what loans are for.

Burnley are the LFC opponents this afternoon according to twitter, behind closed doors.

Jones, Enrique, Sakho, Toure, Coates , Kelly, Can, Allen, Suso, Ibe, Lambert.

2-1 win allegedly

Fitz*

Just thinking there, if the Toure/Borini/Assaidi & Moreno deals all go through at reported prices, we will have spent around £10m NET this summer. That is not including Agger either, so if he goes, we could actually end up being up money.

IMO, we have got a better squad but our first 11 is not stronger. No reason why we couldn't spend money a good, ready striker.