Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2014 - Mod Note in OP, 1/09

Crash Bang Wall

viper006 wrote: »

Balotelli had 10 shots, 0 on target,. I thought he was extremely poor and such a huge downgrade from Suarez. The chances he had should had put us outta reach before the equalizer. Sturridge cant come back soon enough as we simply losing points hand over fist at the moment.

Well thats wrong, as Howard got a touch on one shot in the second haalf that the ref didnt spot

Im not a huge Mario fan, and everyone bar Messi and Ronaldo is a downgrade from Suarez, but the guy is trying hard, his hold up play i very good and hes changing the way he plays. Would agree that we need Studge back proto

hadepsx

Played a lot better today all round. Although it still feels like a loss,conceding in last minute:(

El Inho

Sakho isn't good enough to get away with these nonsense. It'll make or break him.

gafferino

rarnes1 wrote: »

Sakho won't last much longer at the club.

That sort of thing doesn't go down well with managers

At one stage suarez was training with the youths last season for his shenanigans. It can be turned into a positive.

gafferino

gafferino wrote: »

At one stage suarez was training with the youths last season for his shenanigans. It can be turned into a positive.

True, but different scenarios. Suarez was established.

I hope be turns it around as I think there's a good decent player in there. Storming out isn't professional though and I'd imagine it will go down like a lead balloon

MightyMandarin

gafferino wrote: »

At one stage suarez was training with the youths last season for his shenanigans. It can be turned into a positive.

Except that Suarez was world class. Sakho is very clumsy and when he has the ball, I always expect him to do something silly.

Mr Alan

Unsurprisingly, our defence was better today with Sakho not in it. Just like it was better last season when he wasn't in it.

Add in his petulance today & I hope he's not near the team for quite a while.

---

As for those taking exception to my calling our business horrendous. If we'd spent a negligible sum of money I'd agree that'd be harsh, but we've huge money. Absolutely huge. We should be expecting far far far more than what we're seeing.

Currently none of our signings have made any real contribution to the season & we're more than 15% through the season. Not a huge amount of the season but a significant amount. Can we really afford for them to be so ineffective & still reach our targets?

When is it reasonable to start expecting an actual real return from the likes of Lallana & Markovic? (£40m worth of players)

gafferino

rarnes1 wrote: »

True, but different scenarios. Suarez was established.

I hope be turns it around as I think there's a good decent player in there. Storming out isn't professional though and I'd imagine it will go down like a lead balloon

Agreed. I just hope this pushes him on and not out. Sometimes stuff like this happens and it can be a watershed moment.

gafferino

MightyMandarin wrote: »

Except that Suarez was world class. Sakho is very clumsy and when he has the ball, I always expect him to do something silly.

I'm not comparing their footballing ability.

Agent Coulson

One thing we all say about Rodgers is that he is such a good man manager.

He does seem to have a way of alienating players as well.

I know he is still very young and is still learning on the job.

But you have to look we paid £20m for Markovic to replace a player like Assaidi who cost £3m and never got a chance at Liverpool but proved last season that he can do something in the League. I am not writing off Markovic in anyway.

Suso, Assaidi, Aspas, Alberto, Sahin even Borini can say he isn't that good a man manager to name just a few players.

Now he has also shown with the likes of Skrtel, Flannagan, Enrique that even if it looks like he doesn't want you there is a way back.

gafferino

Mr Alan wrote: »

Unsurprisingly, our defence was better today with Sakho not in it. Just like it was better last season when he wasn't in it.

Add in his petulance today & I hope he's not near the team for quite a while.

---

As for those taking exception to my calling our business horrendous. If we'd spent a negligible sum of money I'd agree that'd be harsh, but we've huge money. Absolutely huge. We should be expecting far far far more than what we're seeing.

Currently none of our signings have made any real contribution to the season & we're more than 15% through the season. Not a huge amount of the season but a significant amount. Can we really afford for them to be so ineffective & still reach our targets?

When is it reasonable to start expecting an actual real return from the likes of Lallana & Markovic? (£40m worth of players)

I think Lallana has been very good for us so far. Motm during the week and good again today. No pre season and he is one our better players the last few weeks, not a glorious few weeks granted but I think he is playing well and will get better as full fitness returns.

Have no qualms with his performances so far.

Lallana is coming good. Kop like him too as he gives it everything. I don't have much worries for him tbh.

Markovic is a youngster. What is he 20? Big price tag on his head but he needs time. He looked lost at times today but tbh Sterling wasn't much better.

It's up top where we have issues. I'm still scratching my head why we went for Balotelli. He doesn't fit into the way we play whatsoever.

Sturridge coming back should certainly help him but I think signing him will be a massive regret for Rodgers. Hope I'm wrong.

djPSB

Fescue wrote: »

Of our transfers, I think Moreno, Lallana, Manquillo have been good so far.

Balotelli and Lovren have been a little underwhelming but I don't doubt their quality if they can find their form.

Really the question marks are over Can and Markovic but its very early days for two 20 year olds in a new league and new country.

I think all new signings are settling well and beginning to look good apart from Markovic.

And Markovic is young so have to give him the benefit of the doubt.

PhlegmyMoses

If you have a 75% hit rate on transfers you've done exceedingly well.

Some players won't do well. You just have to hope it's the cheaper players that are the failures.

mav79

I'd put Markovic in the same bracket as Babel. Pay the money now for potential or we might not get a chance to sign him in a couple of years. It's a risk that could pay off but we are not going to know for a year or so.

MD1990

Pyjamarama wrote: »

I don't understand how people keep talking about us not signing world class players. We tried to sign some of the guys listed (Sanchez) but they don't want to come to us for various reasons. Mainly financial i imagine. We don't have the income to pay out massive wages like united can. Maybe if we can make top 4 again this season we can but not right now. This isn't new info tho. Its been posted here a million times before...

I do think we made a mistake not signing Remy. If he can pass the Chelsea medical then i don't see how he can't pass ours. We could really use him too.

yeah & some will say we should just break the bank. But then we will face a fine from FFP.

MD1990

Origi is doing well palying in the most boring team in Europe.

daithijjj

Its curious how Sakho does well for France but average enough for us.

Just going back to something that was brought up a while back. Was reading someone on twitter who was at the game today saying Lovren was screaming at the defence to push up time and time again in the second half and Skrtel continued not to do it. He claimed thats why we stayed so deep late on.

Personally, i dont see much difference in how we defend during any game this season.

We have only had one clean sheet this year and Skrtel didnt play in the game. We've conceded 8 goals in the 4 games Skrtel played and only 1 goal in the 2 games he missed.

Sakho played in the 2 games Skrtel missed plus he came on after we conceded 2 v West Ham. We have only conceded 2 goals the entire league season with Sakho on the pitch.

So, in simple terms, we average shipping 2 goals per game with Skrtel and under 1 goal with Sakho.

I guess when folk dont take a liking to you they just dont like you. For me, Skrtel is a defensive calamity covered up by something i just dont get or see. He is a lazy brain dead defender imho.

None of which excuses Sakho's behaviour. I just find it curious how people seem not to take to him for his showings on the pitch. He looks awkward but the goals conceded when he is in the team is much better than Skrtel's, and at the end of the day that's the job they are doing.

Fescue

daithijjj wrote: »

Its curious how Sakho does well for France but average enough for us.

Just going back to something that was brought up a while back. Was reading someone on twitter who was at the game today saying Lovren was screaming at the defence to push up time and time again in the second half and Skrtel continued not to do it. He claimed thats why we stayed so deep late on.

Personally, i dont see much difference in how we defend during any game this season.

We have only had one clean sheet this year and Skrtel didnt play in the game. We've conceded 8 goals in the 4 games Skrtel played and only 1 goal in the 2 games he missed.

Sakho played in the 2 games Skrtel missed plus he came on after we conceded 2 v West Ham. We have only conceded 2 goals the entire league season with Sakho on the pitch.

So, in simple terms, we average shipping 2 goals per game with Skrtel and under 1 goal with Sakho.

I guess when folk dont take a liking to you they just dont like you. For me, Skrtel is a defensive calamity covered up by something i just dont get or see. He is a lazy brain dead defender imho.

None of which excuses Sakho's behaviour. I just find it curious how people seem not to take to him for his showings on the pitch. He looks awkward but the goals conceded when he is in the team is much better than Skrtel's, and at the end of the day that's the job they are doing.

Football is all about opinions and while some see Skrtel as our best defender, some people believe he is our worst.

The only opinion that matters is the managers at the end of the day.

Unfortunately for Sakho that probably means he will be looking for a new club again.

Sakho dropped for skrtel, I can understand why he went lala, he no doubt reckons skrtel is fairly sh1t.

mosstin

daithijjj wrote: »

Its curious how Sakho does well for France but average enough for us.

Just going back to something that was brought up a while back. Was reading someone on twitter who was at the game today saying Lovren was screaming at the defence to push up time and time again in the second half and Skrtel continued not to do it. He claimed thats why we stayed so deep late on.

Personally, i dont see much difference in how we defend during any game this season.

We have only had one clean sheet this year and Skrtel didnt play in the game. We've conceded 8 goals in the 4 games Skrtel played and only 1 goal in the 2 games he missed.

Sakho played in the 2 games Skrtel missed plus he came on after we conceded 2 v West Ham. We have only conceded 2 goals the entire league season with Sakho on the pitch.

So, in simple terms, we average shipping 2 goals per game with Skrtel and under 1 goal with Sakho.

I guess when folk dont take a liking to you they just dont like you. For me, Skrtel is a defensive calamity covered up by something i just dont get or see. He is a lazy brain dead defender imho.

None of which excuses Sakho's behaviour. I just find it curious how people seem not to take to him for his showings on the pitch. He looks awkward but the goals conceded when he is in the team is much better than Skrtel's, and at the end of the day that's the job they are doing.

Well I've never watched Sakho for France but I wonder if he looks as ungainly in general play as he does for us. It's a curious one for Rodgers - give more time to a defender who has looked clumsy but who needs game time balanced with the need to get points on the board.
Skrtel, in the medium to long term, is definitely not the answer.

mosstin

Augeo wrote: »

Sakho dropped for skrtel, I can understand why he went lala, he no doubt reckons skrtel is fairly sh1t.

I can't. He needs to be able to deal with decisions like that. His supposed reaction today was pathetic.

Fescue

I think we need to give our central defenders a bit of a break. For much of last season there was literally two defenders and 8 attackers on the field.

Even today with the extra defensive midfielder beside Gerrard, we looked better. We were actually comfortable for the most part.

daithijjj

Fescue wrote: »

Football is all about opinions and while some see Skrtel as our best defender, some people believe he is our worst.

The only opinion that matters is the managers at the end of the day.

Unfortunately for Sakho that probably means he will be looking for a new club again.

This is true. Unfortunately, whatever he is doing he isnt doing anything constructive to stop us shipping goals. Would anyone say anything different?

Fescue

daithijjj wrote: »

This is true. Unfortunately, whatever he is doing he isnt doing anything constructive to stop us shipping goals. Would anyone say anything different?

Rodgers you mean?

daithijjj

daithijjj wrote: »

This is true. Unfortunately, whatever he is doing he isnt doing anything constructive to stop us shipping goals. Would anyone say anything different?

To be fair today's was a good defensive display, the goal that's allegedly world class (swung his leg in hope imo) was effectively a freak.

daithijjj

Fescue wrote: »

Rodgers you mean?

Yes.

gafferino

Augeo wrote: »

To be fair today's was a good defensive display, the goal that's allegedly world class (swung his leg in hope imo) was effectively a freak.

Ah you could say that about a lot of goals in fairness. He could try that 100 times and not repeat it again. Great goal.

Fescue

daithijjj wrote: »

Yes.

Well I think today was better. I think its really obvious that so long as Gerrard operates on his own at the base of the diamond, we will concede goals. We have done since the first game he played there away to Stoke, which ended 5-3.

In Rodgers defence, he settled on that formation because it allowed him to get Sturridge and Suarez up front.

I would like to see us continue with todays formation. Sacrifice some of our attacking instincts for a little more defensive security.

daithijjj

Augeo wrote: »

To be fair today's was a good defensive display, the goal that's allegedly world class (swung his leg in hope imo) was effectively a freak.

It was good in terms of what though?. The point i was making earlier about Lovren screaming at them to get out and Skrtel not doing it was a point to emphasise the 'chipping away' at said good def display.

The goal was a freak goal but Everton could have capitalised on other occasions due to the above. The nature of the defending invited them onto us. Skrtel and Johnson are lazy defenders as has been pointed out before this season. They simply dont listen and/or dont play as a unit. We cant afford any renegades and these individuals in particular do it time and time and time again.

Fescue

daithijjj wrote: »

It was good in terms of what though?. The point i was making earlier about Lovren screaming at them to get out and Skrtel not doing it was a point to emphasise the 'chipping away' at said good def display.

The goal was a freak goal but Everton could have capitalised on other occasions due to the above. The nature of the defending invited them onto us. Skrtel and Johnson are lazy defenders as has been pointed out before this season. They simply dont listen and/or dont play as a unit. We cant afford any renegades and these individuals in particular do it time and time and time again.

I can understand describing Johnson as lazy but how is Skrtel a lazy defender?

In terms of blocks, tackles, interceptions and clearances he has probably the best stats of any defender at the club. His positioning probably isn't brilliant.

I think the addition of a proper goalkeeper would help greatly also. Mignolet is horrendous.

Red Pepper

Season is already over. We will not win. Depressing. We bought too much too quick. What a waste.

daithijjj

Fescue wrote: »

I can understand describing Johnson as lazy but how is Skrtel a lazy defender?

In terms of blocks, tackles, interceptions and clearances he has probably the best stats of any defender at the club. His positioning probably isn't brilliant.

I think the addition of a proper goalkeeper would help greatly also. Mignolet is horrendous.

Lazy in terms of thought. Lazy in terms of taking instruction from others. Lazy in terms of playing offside to make it more difficult for the opposition. General brain laziness. Lazy in terms of pulling the jersey of an attacker rather than focusing on attacking the ball.

Maybe he makes more blocks etc because he finds himself not close enough to prevent shots at all. Maybe he has more tackles because he is the one left the deepest when everyone else is trying to push up. Maybe he is a loose cannon on deck that stats dont pick up?. Maybe he has the highest number of these stats because he is simply available to play more than others. Fk knows. All i know is i dont rate him in the slightest, never have. And the main stat of conceding goals does not favour him in any way over others.

I concede Mignolet is average........but he is the same keeper behind all the defenders.

Utopia Parkway

mosstin wrote: »

Well I've never watched Sakho for France but I wonder if he looks as ungainly in general play as he does for us. It's a curious one for Rodgers - give more time to a defender who has looked clumsy but who needs game time balanced with the need to get points on the board.
Skrtel, in the medium to long term, is definitely not the answer.

Don't think France are as cavalier in exposing their back 4 as we are.

Utopia Parkway

About the best we can say about our awful start to the season is that United and Arsenal have had their own problems so they are only 1 and 3 points ahead of us respectively. Feels like they should be 7 or 8 ahead of us.

mightyreds

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

About the best we can say about our awful start to the season is that United and Arsenal have had their own problems so they are only 1 and 3 points ahead of us respectively. Feels like they should be 7 or 8 ahead of us.

We are extremely lucky everyone except Chelsea are struggling, dunno what it is but any bit of consistency over the next month or 2 will see a team pull up and away in the top 4 I think.

Bowlardo

Red Pepper wrote: »

Season is already over. We will not win. Depressing. We bought too much too quick. What a waste.

it's not about winning it's about geting champions league

The Moldy Gowl

Red Pepper wrote: »

Season is already over. We will not win. Depressing. We bought too much too quick. What a waste.

Liverpool were never gonna win the leauge? Bit much to be getting depressed over something that was never going to happen

dogbert27

Bowlardo wrote: »

it's not about winning it's about geting champions league

It's not about winning the league but even for top 4 one point from nine against Villa, West Ham and Everton is not good enough.

We have had one good game this season against Spurs.

Every game since Villa we've been waiting for the mess to get sorted.

We thought the game at home to ludogogrets would be a walk in the park and help us forget Villa.

we're pining our hopes on turning the performances around with the return of Sturridge.

Augmerson

I think our performances since WHU have improved but that's not saying much. Two games, one against Championship opposition and one at home. There are still worries but overall it's more encouraging. We need Sturridge back badly. Hopefully Mario starts scoring the goals.

What did ye think of Skrtel yesterday?

klose

Extremely dissapointing to see what sakho done yesterday, i dont see why the manager dropped him out of the squad but take it on the chin man. I do worry that we will sell him and he will go onto have a very good career meanwhile we stick and persist with skrtel.

Its pretty paramount we get sturridge and balo on the same pitch, i think sturridge will thrive off balos hold up play.

Soft Falling Rain

Sometimes stats don't tell the true story and you have to trust what you see with your own eyes.

And for me, frankly speaking, Sakho just scares the **** out of me every time he's on the ball. He looks uncertain, rash and even scared. I don't doubt his talent but right now Skrtel should absolutely be ahead of him.

If Sakho can't handle that he can do one of two things; respond in the right way or gtfo.

mav79

Childish by Sakho to leave the stadium, always think it shows good team spirit to see players at games even when not involved. I do wonder who bought Sakho, is there a power struggle between Rodgers and the transfer committee?

8-10

BenEadir wrote: »

"Horrendous" is completely OTT. Carroll for £50m or whatever it was was horrendous.

Ah here you're a Liverpool fan, we ALL know it was £35m, only a couple of years ago and discussed to death since. Pretending to not remember so you can inflate the figure to £50m to suit your argument is a bit ridiculous! I'd be genuinely surprised if a Liverpool fan thought we'd ever spent 50m on a player, we've never spent more than 40m on one!

£35m for Carroll is firmly etched in my brain

garra

8-10 wrote: »

Ah here you're a Liverpool fan, we ALL know it was £35m, only a couple of years ago and discussed to death since. Pretending to not remember so you can inflate the figure to £50m to suit your argument is a bit ridiculous! I'd be genuinely surprised if a Liverpool fan thought we'd ever spent 50m on a player, we've never spent more than 40m on one!

£35m for Carroll is firmly etched in my brain

Carroll for 35 grand would have been horrendous, you know what he meant anyway

rob316

Eh some fans (not on here) already calling for rodgers to be sacked. 6 games ago we could of won the league now he should be sacked? Mad. I really do wonder about some fans.

Yesterday was a massive improvement defensively and offensively. Another midweek game next week for the team to gel more. Sturridge will transform the team same as when he transformed it when we first bought him.

Lovren and skrtel are first choice, Sakho will have to leave with that and try and force his way in.

Of the teams realistically we will challenge arsenal are the furthest away with just 4 points more. It's a good result for us and a bad result for them away.

If we don't beat West brom next weekend then I might be worried but I think we will finally start our season next week.

8-10

garra wrote: »

Carroll for 35 grand would have been horrendous, you know what he meant anyway

I know what he meant I just wasn't going to let him get away with flippantly inflating the figure for his argument. As you say, 35 is bad enough, no need to say 50, especially in a thread where everybody knows it was nowhere near that figure.

I actually think that it's unfair to compare any signing to the Carroll one because of the time that was in it - last transfer window before FFP came in. By using his signing you're basically saying that any signing less than that (Lallana, Markovic, Sakho etc) cannot be criticised as 'at least it's not as much as Carroll'

Time will tell but I'm already worried about Markovic

Fescue

bluefinger

Bowlardo wrote: »

it's not about winning it's about winning the champions league

Fyp

mosstin

rob316 wrote: »

Eh some fans (not on here) already calling for rodgers to be sacked. 6 games ago we could of won the league now he should be sacked? Mad. I really do wonder about some fans.

Yesterday was a massive improvement defensively and offensively. Another midweek game next week for the team to gel more. Sturridge will transform the team same as when he transformed it when we first bought him.

Lovren and skrtel are first choice, Sakho will have to leave with that and try and force his way in.

Of the teams realistically we will challenge arsenal are the furthest away with just 4 points more. It's a good result for us and a bad result for them away.

If we don't beat West brom next weekend then I might be worried but I think we will finally start our season next week.

Quoting the flat earthers who populate Twitter or ring in to 606 is pointless and in no way representative of popular feeling.