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

dogbert27

I think the midweek game will tell us whether we're ok or if were going down the 2010 road.

For Ludogogrets read Debrecen who we struggled to beat.

I'm hoping Basle don't equate to Lyon!

rob316

Sturridge and sterling on the pitch we will win games it's simple. We are missing an outlet at the moment, I like balotelli but I was a bit disgusted when we broke yesterday and lallana was urging balotelli forward, he shouldn't have to do that with any forward.

Fescue

daithijjj wrote: »

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.

As I said the game is all about opinions and while you have a strong one on Skrtel and I can see where you are coming from, the only objective analysis we can make is by using statistics, which I have done in a previous post.

The only other useful measure we have is what the manager and coaches decide, in this case Skrtel and Lovren seem to be the preferred pairing. The statistics seem to back that up.

MarkY91

i think mario will start showing his moneys worth when hes got sturridge to play up front with, hes so isolated at times and is expected to do it alone which is unfair

OwaynOTT

Not in the oppositions box enough. Last year we were the team with the most touches in the oppositions box and it contributed our high penalty count.
Mario likes to drift and when he does the box is underpopulated, the difference currently is he is on his own up front and I can't understand why Borini wasn't even on the bench yesterday. As Limted as he is, he will be in and around the box.
When Sturridge is back, I hope he is played in conjunction with Mario for the majority of games.

Right now the team is struggling but the greenshoots are there. Yesterday, I felt that the pressing in the oppositions half made a return. It wasn't to the same level as last year but it's returning and Mario did well in tracking back a few times.

When Henderson plays well, the team plays well. Need to get the most out of him and yesterday he played some lovely passes.

Markovic needs a boot up the hole.

Moreno needs to calm himself when tackling and Manquillo likewise. Thankfully we have good cover with Enrique but we are a bit light on the right. Miss Flanno.

The lack of quality on the bench yesterday was questioned in Regards to how much was spent in transfer fees. Mario, Lazar, Moreno, Manquillo, Lovern and Lallana were all starters yesterday and new signings. Last year the complaint was that signings were only squad players, now it's that there isn't enough quality in the squad. Can, Allen, Sturridge, Flannaghan are all injuried and would all be great options and be in the first eleven making the bench stronger.
The first eleven, That's where most of the budget went and it does take time for them to gel. Not just for the new signings to bed in but also for the established players to gain confidence in them. Sterling held onto the ball yesterday when passes were available and ultimately the attack broke down. Not his fault, he is playing well, but the more they play together the more they all will get comfortable with each other.

It is a worrying start but we are far from out of it at this stage. Anyone who had thought this team could win the league was deluding themselves. We are competing with Aresnal, Utd, Spurs and Everton.
With another few transfer windows with similar backing in terms of outlay, then we can compete and should be looking to win. Our signings from here on though should include some proven at the top level players.
Last year was a freak occurrence, sorta like how the Spanish monarchy came to gain a massive worldwide empire. The conditions were all perfect for them and they were in the right place at the right time. Ultimately we didn't achieve the goal (the league/the Americas) but we need to consolidate and push on not over extend too early and go into terminal decline.

Soft Falling Rain

MarkY91 wrote: »

i think mario will start showing his moneys worth when hes got sturridge to play up front with, hes so isolated at times and is expected to do it alone which is unfair

I'm sorry but that doesn't fly with me. Sturridge being fit shouldn't be the sole condition of Balo playing well. He needs to prove his worth to the team in his own right. If he can't lead the line in the absence of Sturridge then I would be very unhappy and would question the point of signing him.

Grayditch

kfallon

What's the story with Sakho, did he piss off in a huff yesterday after being dropped? I see him apologising on Twitter for not sticking around.

OwaynOTT

To be honest, the only thing that matters to be is getting the prediction of the match outcome correct and I achieved that. Hopefully I can keep it up for the Basel game.

woodyg

kfallon wrote: »

What's the story with Sakho, did he piss off in a huff yesterday after being dropped? I see him apologising on Twitter for not sticking around.

yep he wasn't in the match day squad and went off in a huff
Childish unprofessional behavior and a bad sign character wise
He is a highly paid professional and he needs to behave like a professional
If he was a SUnday league player he would be rightly slated for doing it and not picked again for a long time.

Harry Palmr

Harry Palmr wrote: »

The kids are still banging them in U18s 5 - 1 Newcastle away this morning. No idea who played

Liverpool Under-18s: Ryan Fulton; Corey Whelan, Tom Blewitt, Kristof Polgar, Sam Hart; Pedro Chirivella (Kane Lewis 79), Harry Wilson, Ovie Ejaria (Callum Nicholas 79), Will Marsh, Sergi Canos; Jerome Sinclair (Jack Watts 84)

Subs not used: Andrew Firth, Nathan Sheron

Goals from Wilson X2, Canos, Sinclair, Marsh

Match report from Newcastle official site.

http://www.nufc.co.uk/page/Match/Report/AcademyReport/0,,10278~4177999,00.html?

Ovie Ejaria is an ex Gunner, spent 9 years with them before moving this summer.

Raif Severance

The Problem with Balo, is that he doesn't seem to have the Ability to Take on his Man. Nor does he make any Menacing Runs.

These are the Qualities that both Sturridge and Suarez, has in Abundance.

The Reason why we put many Teams to the Sword last season. They Fear us when our Attacks are Spearheaded by those 2.

Right now, we are currently Toothless. Balo seems to just Pussyfoot at the Edge of the Box, so Marking him as a Defender is very Easy.

Might be a Controversial Thought, but I think Remy or Welbeck would have been better for us.

Right now I think, that it's Imperative that Borini at least starts alongside Balo instead of Markovich. At least he gives us the Runs that pulls Defenders away and gives us some Space.

chicorytip

Soft Falling Rain wrote: »

I'm sorry but that doesn't fly with me. Sturridge being fit shouldn't be the sole condition of Balo playing well. He needs to prove his worth to the team in his own right. If he can't lead the line in the absence of Sturridge then I would be very unhappy and would question the point of signing him.

He is simply not a good enough finisher as exemplified by that glaring miss from six yards yesterday. Inexcusable.

Kerrigooney

chicorytip wrote: »

He is simply not a good enough finisher as exemplified by that glaring miss from six yards yesterday. Inexcusable.

Do you mean the one Howard touched onto the bar with his shoulder?

He didn't do much wrong there...fantastic save.

chicorytip

chicorytip wrote: »

He is simply not a good enough finisher as exemplified by that glaring miss from six yards yesterday. Inexcusable.

It was a brilliant save and a very difficult skill on top of that to volley a ball at that pace and angle on his bad side.

Balo had a very good game yesterday as highlighted on MOTD where they devoted sometime to praise him and go through his good work during the game, work people wouldn't have expected him to do in the past too.

breghall

Dangelo Stocky Rage wrote: »

Balo had a very good game yesterday as highlighted on MOTD where they devoted sometime to praise him and go through his good work during the game, work people wouldn't have expected him to do in the past too.

he certainly surprised me yesterday with his hassling and tackling, long may it continue.

chicorytip

K388550 wrote:

D.o you mean the one Howard touched onto the bar with his shoulder?

He didn't do much wrong there...fantastic save.

From that range the net ought to be bulging. The managers reaction on the touchline said it all.

jcsoulinger

chicorytip wrote: »

From that range the net ought to be bulging. The managers reaction on the touchline said it all.

No he did everything right just very unfortunate to hit Howard on the shoulder. BR may have thought it was a wide considering we didn't get the corner.

garra

8-10 wrote: »

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

Yep I'm worried also. The thing is, I wouldn't be so worried if we had lashed out only 10m on him. What bugs me is the fact that we spent the same money on him - in the knowledge that he will potentially be a good player - that other teams were spending on fully developed good players. We are on a hiding to nothing with him, in other words.

garra

chicorytip wrote: »

He is simply not a good enough finisher as exemplified by that glaring miss from six yards yesterday. Inexcusable.

The one thing you choose to criticize about Balotelli is undoubtedly his greatest asset. You could have chosen movement, link-up play, low number of assists (0 last year for Milan), but you have comically chosen his finishing. Fail

Iused2likebusts

Those Utd fans are going to be broke half expecting a plane over anfield next week to let us know they have gone ahead of us in the table ☺

Augmerson

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

Those Utd fans are going to be broke half expecting a plane over anfield next week to let us know they have gone ahead of us in the table ☺

Next week is a must win imo.

It's time to start our league season properly.

5starpool

rarnes1 wrote: »

Next week is a must win imo.

It's time to start our league season properly.

West Brom coming into good form now as well, 3 wins on the spin (including the cup) after a bad start and they are actually ahead of us, like most of the division actually.

Soft Falling Rain

The team needs to get its sh1t together pronto just to even lay down its credentials for top 4. A win next week is no use unless it's the beginning of a run.

5starpool

5starpool wrote: »

West Brom coming into good form now as well, 3 wins on the spin (including the cup) after a bad start and they are actually ahead of us, like most of the division actually.

It's a game that needs to be won by us and kick start the season. I'd be seriously worried if we fail to win again

gafferino

Any word at all on Sturridge and Allen? CL this week will prob mean Gerrard will be boll@xed on Saturday.

Harry Palmr

LOAN WATCH

Texieria - Unused sub for Brighton & HA in 0-0 away draw against Nottm Forest
Wisdom - played full game in 4-0 home win over Burnley
Alberto - Played 72 mins for Malaga in 1-0 defeat away (also played in 0-0 Barca game midweek)
Ibe - played 76 mins in 2-0 away win for Derby (plenty of good notices)
Origi - Played full game scoring only goal in 1-0 win for Lille (3rd in Ligue 1)
Smith - No game for Swindon Town (slight hammy twinge, should be back next game)
Ilori - Full game for Bordeaux in 2-1 win (top of Ligue 1 table)
Ossiadi - Stoke play tomorrow
Coates - no game for Sunderland

Okay get ready for some goals!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ru9YWDXab10

gafferino

gafferino wrote: »

Any word at all on Sturridge and Allen? CL this week will prob mean Gerrard will be boll@xed on Saturday.

They sure do miss a lot of games for us between them.

klose

Not going too well for coates, seems to sitting in the stands most of the time, his only start and game was in the league cup

Mr Alan

rarnes1 wrote: »

It's a game that needs to be won by us and kick start the season. I'd be seriously worried if we fail to win again

I'd agree entirely. I suspect if we fail to win again opinions of the fans on Rodgers will start to turn.

Colin Pascoe song yesterday

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/watch-liverpool-fc-fans-honour-7847887

ricero

Mr Alan wrote: »

I'd agree entirely. I suspect if we fail to win again opinions of the fans on Rodgers will start to turn.

Ah jaysus.

mosstin

Mr Alan wrote: »

I'd agree entirely. I suspect if we fail to win again opinions of the fans on Rodgers will start to turn.

Indeed but then every club has its quota of idiots.

Mr Alan

mosstin wrote: »

Indeed but then every club has its quota of idiots.

Agreed. However, starting to lose fans, rightly or wrongly (definitely be wrongly in this instance), can be difficult to recover from. Bottom line, we need a win to keep the wolves away from the door.

I don't think anyone will be turning on Rodgers. Maybe a few on soccer forums across the world, but do they really count in the grand scheme of things?

A win is needed on Saturday tbh, as on current form top 4 will be a serious struggle.

Agent Coulson

If we lose there will be growing pressure to bring in a defensive coach more than anything else would be my guess.

Demosthenese

Anyone else really happy with out shape in the last 15mins trying to see out the game v Everton? I mean ... until they scored of course! . But seriously, you could see Gerard bringing in the players around him and sitting deep, making them go wide and restricting the space - something we've been guilty of not doing in recent times when we need to close the game out, still attacking and overlapping. It is something i've criticized Rodgers many times over it defencively but at least it show he is learning from it ... can't stop the wonder goals no matter what you do but that's football.

OwaynOTT

rarnes1 wrote: »

I don't think anyone will be turning on Rodgers. Maybe a few on soccer forums across the world, but do they really count in the grand scheme of things?

A win is needed on Saturday tbh, as on current form top 4 will be a serious struggle.

Yes they do, well this one any way, sure isn't where all the papers get their article ideas?

gafferino

OwaynOTT wrote: »

Yes they do, well this one any way, sure isn't where all the papers get their article ideas?

And identify their transfer targets.

Agent Coulson

gafferino wrote: »

And identify their transfer targets.

Higuain, Varane, Reus, Schneiderlin & Neuer for those reading :P

gafferino

The sooner he can come back, the better for Rodgers and Liverpool. Sturridge was in training on Sunday and joined by the Liverpool manager, who also took part in a series of sprints, slaloms, jogs and agility drills using rope ladders under the eye of two of the club’s coaching staff.

The forward looked pain-free as he completed the workout but the midweek Champions League trip to Basle may be too soon.
‘We needed to see if he was going to train on the Friday to get him through to the Saturday but the message on Thursday was that he would struggle,’ said Rodgers. ‘He wasn’t close to playing. I will see how he is (for Basle).

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2772806/Liverpool-need-Daniel-Sturridge-kit-not-suit-bury-chances-wasteful-Mario-Balotelli-missing.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490

Agent Coulson

If he wasn't close to playing on Saturday I can't see how he will be ready for Wednesday night.

Harry Palmr

Best not to play him in Basle, and give him 45 against West Brom, that way he can be plausibly kept back from the England squad.

Either that or Rodgers could tell Hodgson to "feck off, its only San Marino & Estonia"

dogbert27

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Best not to play him in Basle, and give him 45 against West Brom, that way he can be plausibly kept back from the England squad.

Either that or Rodgers could tell Hodgson to "feck off, its only San Marino & Estonia"

If what Nicky Butt said is true Rodgers should just do a Ferguson and tell him he's not going to the England squad!

xabi

dogbert27 wrote: »

If what Nicky Butt said is true Rodgers should just do a Ferguson and tell him he's not going to the England squad!

What did Butt say?

punk_one82

xabi wrote: »

What did Butt say?

I thought it was Scholes, but whoever it was said Ferguson never made excuses like fake injuries etc for United players not joining up with the England squad, but outright said you're not going.

Liam McPoyle

dogbert27 wrote: »

If what Nicky Butt said is true Rodgers should just do a Ferguson and tell him he's not going to the England squad!

I doubt BR has the cojones for that tbh.

punk_one82

Business Cat wrote: »

I doubt BR has the cojones for that tbh.

It also has the potential to get Sturridge pissed off, and the last thing we need is our best players to be unhappy with management.

punk_one82

Business Cat wrote: »

I doubt BR has the cojones for that tbh.

It also has the potential to get Sturridge pissed off, and the last thing we need is our best players to be unhappy with management.