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

OwaynOTT

It's one thing doing it to Nicky Butt, it's another thing doing it to your main striker and goal scorer. I doubt that many managers would play with that fire.

klose

I'd be amazed if the hodge doesn't call up sturridge and doesn't play sterling in both games

rob316

punk_one82 wrote: »

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.

Surely at this stage after the level of injuries he has suffered with the national team, even he would recognise he would be better sitting the next break out and staying in Liverpool.

He's the clubs asset, and he is been mismanaged by England, they and BR should do everything to protect him.

Nerdlingr

Sakho should be fined and sent to train with the reserves for what he did Saturday. I can't ever remember a time when a player walked out on his team-mates at our club before a game, and of all games... a merseyside derby!!!

He's made a t*t of himself on the pitch a few times and now he's done it off the pitch as well. Gonna be a long hard road back into the first eleven.

gafferino

klose wrote: »

I'd be amazed if the hodge doesn't call up sturridge and doesn't play sterling in both games

Well whatever about Sturridge (fitness wise) of course he will play Sterling in both games - he is their best player at the moment. Why wouldn't he if he is fit?

noodler

Considering this run of game was supposed to easier for us, it does have to be said that it is a disasterous start.

I don't think Ballo will ever contribute enough to be worth his place. Mingolet has regressed further as well.

Gerrard will get to dine out on his great free kick for a while too which worries me a little.

Three games without a win now and they were three really winnable games.

I keep telling my Utd mates how despite everything we are just a point behind them but at some stage I think we both realise we are being cut adrift.

Are the games qualifiers? If so not a whole pile BR can do and rightly so.

Friendlies are a different story and I'd certainly like Rodgers to adopt a Fergie style on those tbh.

rob316

rarnes1 wrote: »

Are the games qualifiers? If so not a whole pile BR can do and rightly so.

Friendlies are a different story and I'd certainly like Rodgers to adopt a Fergie style on those tbh.

He is just back from a month long injury and is no where near match fit. England taking him and Liverpool letting him go even for qualifiers is ridiculous.

killwill

Nerdlingr wrote: »

Sakho should be fined and sent to train with the reserves for what he did Saturday. I can't ever remember a time when a player walked out on his team-mates at our club before a game, and of all games... a merseyside derby!!!

He's made a t*t of himself on the pitch a few times and now he's done it off the pitch as well. Gonna be a long hard road back into the first eleven.

Mascherano refusing to play but I suppose that was different circumstances though.

gafferino

rarnes1 wrote: »

Are the games qualifiers? If so not a whole pile BR can do and rightly so.

Friendlies are a different story and I'd certainly like Rodgers to adopt a Fergie style on those tbh.

Qualifiers.

Vicxas

When's the next England game?

gafferino

Vicxas wrote: »

When's the next England game?

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/teams/england/fixtures

Agent Coulson

I can see us not playing Sturridge till after the next international break.

If he plays this week he will be picked for England.

gafferino

Agent Coulson wrote: »

I can see us not playing Sturridge till after the next international break.

If he plays this week he will be picked for England.

Well Rodgers came in to Melwood yesterday on his day off to personally assess his fitness so I doubt that. He know we need him more than ever.

K-9

noodler wrote: »

Considering this run of game was supposed to easier for us, it does have to be said that it is a disasterous start.

I don't think Ballo will ever contribute enough to be worth his place. Mingolet has regressed further as well.

Gerrard will get to dine out on his great free kick for a while too which worries me a little.

Three games without a win now and they were three really winnable games.

I keep telling my Utd mates how despite everything we are just a point behind them but at some stage I think we both realise we are being cut adrift.

Sturridge is a nightmare for defenders and will give Balotelli more help. Tbh without him and Suarez we are about the points tally I'd expect, and we've played City, Spurs and Everton.

I do think it's easy to forget how instrinsic Danny is to our whole way of playing with Suarez gone.

Vicxas

K-9 wrote: »

Sturridge is a nightmare for defenders and will give Balotelli more help. Tbh without him and Suarez we are about the points tally I'd expect, and we've played City, Spurs and Everton.

I do think it's easy to forget how instrinsic Danny is to our whole way of playing with Suarez gone.

He really is key, he makes the runs in behind defenders and splits them apart.

Ballotelli just does not do that.

LuckyLloyd

I'm not English and I know there is no love lost for International football in here but Daniel Sturridge IS English and has waited a long time to be first choice for his country.

It wouldn't be right for us to deny him permission to play so long as he values competing for his country. Ultimately, there is nothing in the game as good as leading your nation in the big international tournaments.

gafferino

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

I'm not English and I know there is no love lost for International football in here but Daniel Sturridge IS English and has waited a long time to be first choice for his country.

It wouldn't be right for us to deny him permission to play so long as he values competing for his country. Ultimately, there is nothing in the game as good as leading your nation in the big international tournaments.

Agreed and I dont think we will stop him. If he is fit he will be selected I'm sure.
It appears to be that he is close to fitness and I would be surprised if he didnt make the bench Vs West Brom. Ideally if he is fit and selected they only use him as a sub or at least take him off after 60mins, but this will of course depend on how the scoreline is in the game. San Marino and Estonia....England should be beating them comfortably with or without Sturridge.

Francie Barrett

Looking at the fixture lists for October and November, it's absolutely vital that our season gets going. I know we're only 6 games into the season, but I have a real concern that we've already been left behind. Over the next two months, we've got West Brom, QPR, Hull, Newcastle, Chelsea, Palace and Stoke. Other than Chelsea who we can probably write off getting anything from, we really need to be winning the majority of those games. If we get 15/16 points from that 21, then we're right back in the hunt for 4th. The only thing that's giving me hope right now is that United and Arsenal have been stuttering as well.

Francie Barrett

gafferino wrote: »

Agreed and I dont think we will stop him. If he is fit he will be selected I'm sure.
It appears to be that he is close to fitness and I would be surprised if he didnt make the bench Vs West Brom. Ideally if he is fit and selected they only use him as a sub or at least take him off after 60mins, but this will of course depend on how the scoreline is in the game. San Marino and Estonia....England should be beating them comfortably with or without Sturridge.

I noticed that Woy was sat in a privileged box with the likes of Dalglish and Ayre. I'd say Ayre is desperately working in the background to try and pal up with Woy to try and get Sturridge and our key players rested. I bet Woy will still run them into the ground out of spite.

Harry Palmr

Francie Barrett wrote: »

Looking at the fixture lists for October and November, it's absolutely vital that our season gets going. I know we're only 6 games into the season, but I have a real concern that we've already been left behind. Over the next two months, we've got West Brom, QPR, Hull, Newcastle, Chelsea, Palace and Stoke. Other than Chelsea who we can probably write off getting anything from, we really need to be winning the majority of those games. If we get 15/16 points from that 21, then we're right back in the hunt for 4th. The only thing that's giving me hope right now is that United and Arsenal have been stuttering as well.

Liverpool are three points (and some goal difference) off 4th place.

Calm down everyone.

dogbert27

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2750922/Sir-Alex-Ferguson-pulled-England-squads-admits-Nicky-Butt.html

Link for the Butt article.

5live

Interesting article about the Everton game..

http://outsideoftheboot.com/2014/09/28/tactical-analysis-liverpool-1-1-everton-balotelli-sub-par-lukaku-misused/

D'Agger

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

I'm not English and I know there is no love lost for International football in here but Daniel Sturridge IS English and has waited a long time to be first choice for his country.

It wouldn't be right for us to deny him permission to play so long as he values competing for his country. Ultimately, there is nothing in the game as good as leading your nation in the big international tournaments.

Jesus Lloyd what'd you eat for breakfast Emotional Intelligenty-ohs?? :pac:

It's a very fair point, I just wish England had a better manager available to help develop the young players in the squad at the moment.

dogbert27

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

I'm not English and I know there is no love lost for International football in here but Daniel Sturridge IS English and has waited a long time to be first choice for his country.

It wouldn't be right for us to deny him permission to play so long as he values competing for his country. Ultimately, there is nothing in the game as good as leading your nation in the big international tournaments.

Big international tournaments yes. San Marino and Estonia in a qualifier?

This is where Hodgson should show leadership and say:

"Look, you've just come back from an injury, minimum game time with Liverpool, take the international break to regain your fitness. It's only San Marino and Estonia. Even Danny Welbeck should score against them!!"

Harry Palmr

5live wrote: »

Interesting article about the Everton game..

http://outsideoftheboot.com/2014/09/28/tactical-analysis-liverpool-1-1-everton-balotelli-sub-par-lukaku-misused/

From that





It just screams Sturridge!

Demosthenese

Other than Chelsea - there is no top 4 chasing team playing with ANY sort of consistency this season. Call it the world cup hangover, second season syndrome or whatever you like ... City are even guilty of a slow start and although the seem to be putting it right we are in a mixed bag with United/Everton/Spurs/Arsenal trying to get the most out of our players and to find some sort of last seasons form.

We slated United supporters for it last season but reading the pages people need to have some patience! We lost Suarez and our next best striker has barely touched the ball! Chelsea without Costa, City without Aguero and Arsenal haven't had a striker in years ... it all takes effect.

We should have won that game on Saturday, we did more than enough to win it and other than a ridiculous 1 off strike we did the business. Tough sh*te as it is though that's football. Does anyone really think that we have hit our peak form this season? That we have found our level?

Come on lads ... we are better than this sort of nonsense.

Agent Coulson

Those pictures show the problem playing just one up front.

Gbear

Harry Palmr wrote: »

From that





It just screams Sturridge!

It does.

The thing is, Balotelli is more likely to be the one playing that pass than receiving it. In the absence of a striker doing it we need midfielders getting beyond Balotelli and making those runs for him. I can certainly remember Markovic being put through on goal and being outmuscled. He and the rest of them need to do a lot more of that.

But it's something he needs to develop in his game. It's fine having a preference, but Sturridge doesn't just limit himself to running behind people. He also drops deep, picks the ball up wide, can run at players, can shoot from distance.

It's an awful lot easier to play against Balotelli than Sturridge and that's not because Sturridge's technical ability or physical prowess but because he has so many different talents.

SlickRic

the problem is simple.

no Suarez and Sturridge = no unplayable movement. that means less space for the midfielders to attack into.

we also don't have their ability to take the ball on and create something out of fúck all.

if you lose that, you need a solid defensive structure. we don't have that.

over the last few weeks, we needed the ability to beat teams 1-0. the lack of solidity, and lack of organisation when a ball comes into the box means that that has been impossible.

Sturridge will paper over those cracks when he returns because we'll score more, but those issues MUST eventually be addressed properly.

there was a slight improvement Saturday, but we still couldn't close it out.

Balotelli just doesn't fit in the current system.

He should be better when Sturridge comes back. Well, he must be.

SlickRic

rarnes1 wrote: »

Balotelli just doesn't fit in the current system.

He should be better when Sturridge comes back. Well, he must be.

i think he can fit, but he needs someone else who can create space, a la the Spurs game where you have Sterling and Sturridge pulling them all over the shop.

Royal Legend

SlickRic wrote: »

the problem is simple.

no Suarez and Sturridge = no unplayable movement. that means less space for the midfielders to attack into.

we also don't have their ability to take the ball on and create something out of fúck all.

if you lose that, you need a solid defensive structure. we don't have that.

over the last few weeks, we needed the ability to beat teams 1-0. the lack of solidity, and lack of organisation when a ball comes into the box means that that has been impossible.

Sturridge will paper over those cracks when he returns because we'll score more, but those issues MUST eventually be addressed properly.

there was a slight improvement Saturday, but we still couldn't close it out.

What is worrying is that Brendan does not appear to have learnt lessons from last season. I found it surprising that when we were on the back foot on Saturday that the substitutions he made were attacking, when what we needed to do was shore up midfield. Its great that he has an attacking philosophy, but sometimes you need to hold what you have and Brendan seems abject to doing this, which will definitely cost us in Europe at the very least

SlickRic

SlickRic wrote: »

i think he can fit, but he needs someone else who can create space, a la the Spurs game where you have Sterling and Sturridge pulling them all over the shop.

Hopefully

Connavar

Royal Legend wrote: »

What is worrying is that Brendan does not appear to have learnt lessons from last season. I found it surprising that when we were on the back foot on Saturday that the substitutions he made were attacking, when what we needed to do was shore up midfield. Its great that he has an attacking philosophy, but sometimes you need to hold what you have and Brendan seems abject to doing this, which will definitely cost us in Europe at the very least

I disagree to an extent. We were allowing them to run at us and sitting really deep(something that we haven't been good at in ages)
He was probably hoping that an attacking sub would spur us forward where we look much more comfortable holding on to posetion

SlickRic

i had no problem with Brendan's subs really.

our main issue is defending set plays, and generally any crosses into the box. that's where the focus needs to be.

brevity

I think Rodgers is caught between a rock and hard place at the moment. Because of our midfield situation, he cannot really afford to put two up top. He's probably tried to focus on not conceding over scoring goals.

I think Borini should play ahead of Marcovic myself.

Fescue

brevity wrote: »

I think Rodgers is caught between a rock and hard place at the moment. Because of our midfield situation, he cannot really afford to put two up top. He's probably tried to focus on not conceding over scoring goals.

I think Borini should play ahead of Marcovic myself.

It seems to me that the biggest challenge facing Rodgers is telling Gerrard he won't be starting every game.

5live

brevity wrote: »

I think Rodgers is caught between a rock and hard place at the moment. Because of our midfield situation, he cannot really afford to put two up top. He's probably tried to focus on not conceding over scoring goals.

I think Borini anyone should play ahead of Marcovic myself.

FYP:)

I was underwhelmed, to say the least, by Markovich on Saturday. I know its early days but he seemed totally overwhelmed by playing and very off the pace of the game, imo.

If Sturridge comes back in for Markovich then that will be our 'strongest' 11.

Pilsbury Doughboy

Coutinho in for Markovic as the only change for West Brom, presuming that Sturridge and Allen aren't back. I thought Coutinho done well on Saturday when he came on. I would like to see a team with a front six of Allen,Hendo,Lallana,Sterling,Balo,Sturridge at some point.

razorblunt

Royal Legend wrote: »

What is worrying is that Brendan does not appear to have learnt lessons from last season. I found it surprising that when we were on the back foot on Saturday that the substitutions he made were attacking, when what we needed to do was shore up midfield. Its great that he has an attacking philosophy, but sometimes you need to hold what you have and Brendan seems abject to doing this, which will definitely cost us in Europe at the very least

I don't think you can use Saturday as a good example though, Everton didn't do much for the whole game and in the end it was a pearler from a CB who hadn't scored in donkeys to tie it up.

MD1990

Borini doesn't look good enough. I know he hasn't got a run of games but his first is terrible.

Luckycharms_74

daithijjj

Fescue wrote: »

Apologies, i've been on hols.

Problem with this stuff is its interpretative.

That looks bad for Sakho.......or does it?. Spurs had 1 shot on target in 90 mins in a game Skrtel never played. Maybe we just do a hell of a lot more defending when Sakho isnt around?.

I notice this chart above has left out the fact above that we conceded 6 goals more under a Skrtel and Lovren combo?. 6 goals more!!!!!

rob316

Sakho just give me palpitations. He struggles to trap a ball, and that header for the 3rd west ham goal was just comical, for all of Skrtel's fault he his good with the ball and wouldn't head a ball like that. Skrtel and Lovren is our best pairing and we should give them the time to prosper.

On Lovren once he settles with Skrtel by his side I'm confident he well go onto be an excellent signing for us.

I'm fairly slow to criticise our defence though as what they have protecting them isn't sufficient IMO.

8-10

So would you start Sakho on Wednesday or not?

Fescue

daithijjj wrote: »

Apologies, i've been on hols.

Problem with this stuff is its interpretative.

That looks bad for Sakho.......or does it?. Spurs had 1 shot on target in 90 mins in a game Skrtel never played. Maybe we just do a hell of a lot more defending when Sakho isnt around?.

I notice this chart above has left out the fact above that we conceded 6 goals more under a Skrtel and Lovren combo?. 6 goals more!!!!!

I thought the 4 statistics I picked would be a fair reflection of what a defender should be doing. Obviously the sample size is small.

When I couple those statistics with what I see during the games, Skrtel and Lovren are by far the best pairing we have.

If Sakho improves and pushes ahead of them I'd be delighted but right now he's a distant third, possibly 4th given the squad for the Everton game.

Demosthenese

I'm excited about our backline to be honest, we have 2 good fullbacks, young hungry and eager to contribute. They've hit the ground running and we should be happy with their form - once we get Skrtel and Lovern playing regularly beside them it is a pretty good defence as a 4. We need to give them time. That said, as a collective back 5 they need to have more of a ruthless streak in them and for setpieces they need to up the concentration considerably although that goes for the whole team. It's not rocket science - stop wrestling with the opponent and go and win the header!

As for saying BR has not learned, he has and there were signs of it on Saturday when we hit the last 15mins, we basically pushed them wide (Villa/West Ham were steamrolling through the middle) and Everton had no idea how to break us down. You could see Stevie bringing the players in nice and tight as a group. Defend deep ... like what we've been up against. We did not get our just reward for this ... but that's football.

Agent Coulson

To be honest it really doesn't matter who makes up our back 4 is to be honest.

They are going to be exposed time and again if we play a diamond without a proper DM and a nervous goalkeeper behind them.

They need to be coached either play a high line or sit deep.

They need to be coached what to do for free kicks and corner against them for the system the manager wants to play.

Until all this is coached in training and sorted out in training Laurel and Hardy or Hansen and Lawrenson could be our centre backs and it wouldn't make a difference.

Skrtel is not a great defender. He was poor last season, a season where we shipped the most goals in years. I think it was even worse than the Hodgson season.

How the guy escapes criticism from some is beyond me.