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

Moreno has to play. Enrique was a joke yesterday tbh

MD1990

Dickerty wrote: »

Only 4 points behind City, so when you discount their home game against us, there is only a point in it. A long way to go.

I don't think anyone will complete with Chelsea and City, but United are a worry - so many goals in that team, they are likely to win 2/3 comfortably for every foot-shooting defeat they have. So we need to hope that Arsenal keep messing up, at least more than we do!

I think United will probably finish 3rd. With us & Arsenal fighting it out for 4th.

Dickerty

rarnes1 wrote: »

Moreno has to play. Enrique was a joke yesterday tbh

And given how Manquillo has played, there is an argument for him at RB and Johnson at LB...

Iang87

hopefully these reports of bale being out are true. It appears he has a sore hole

tok9

I don't think it's a rumour anymore. He's out for two weeks.

Mr Alan

Remember Rodgers slated Mourinho for his negative tactics in only being interested in keeping a clean sheet at Anfield last season? How he said that it was easy to do and anyone could coach it?

Would love to see some of it on Wednesday!

tok9

I would actually hate to see those tactics deployed.

Mr Alan

tok9 wrote: »

I would actually hate to see those tactics deployed.

If we got a point home & away to Real while waiting for form & Sturridge to return, it'd be wonderful. Saying otherwise is pretty deluded tbh!

brevity

Mr Alan wrote: »

Remember Rodgers slated Mourinho for his negative tactics in only being interested in keeping a clean sheet at Anfield last season? How he said that it was easy to do and anyone could coach it?

Would love to see some of it on Wednesday!

If we try to play a defensive game then borini should start.

MD1990

Mr Alan wrote: »

Remember Rodgers slated Mourinho for his negative tactics in only being interested in keeping a clean sheet at Anfield last season? How he said that it was easy to do and anyone could coach it?

Would love to see some of it on Wednesday!

So don't commit anyone on the counter where Real are very weak & just play for thrown ins? That would be a terrible idea. We need to be compact & then try & break on the counter at speed.

Mr Alan

We need to try and not concede whatever way possible. If 10 across the back is easy to pull off & to coach (as Rodgers has said!) then let's go for it!

Boom_Bap

Just read that Moreno didn't feature for the U-21's due to a 'technical' problem. Anyone know any more about this?

MD1990

Mr Alan wrote: »

We need to try and not concede whatever way possible. If 10 across the back is easy to pull off & to coach (as Rodgers has said!) then let's go for it!

Ive seen nearly all of Real's games this season. There a very good team but they have weaknesses. Not much midfield protection with no real DM & very poor at defending counter's. Ludogorets had chances against them too.

5live

MD1990 wrote: »

I think United will probably finish 3rd. With us & Arsenal fighting it out for 4th.

But they have no CL games. Surely that means they will win the league at a canter, probably by christmas, too...

Osmosis Jones

Just realised Madrid do have Barcelona on Saturday, hopefully they'll be playing with one eye on that game. If we get point from the two fixtures I'll be happy.

Utopia Parkway

Mr Alan wrote: »

We need to try and not concede whatever way possible. If 10 across the back is easy to pull off & to coach (as Rodgers has said!) then let's go for it!

Fans would never stand for a Liverpool team getting 10 men behind the ball at home for 90 minutes. Even against Real Madrid. They would expect the team to have a go at the very least.

Now if they pulled off a 1-0 mugging then they would probably accept it but if they lost anyway playing like that then the manager would get pelters.

ciaranmac

5live wrote: »

Also, this thing about adapting the style of play to suit Balotelli is right up to a point but Balotelli also has to adapt his style to suit us. I don't imagine many defenders losing much sleep to see Balotelli drop off to 40 yards out to receive the ball and shoot from 30 yards out. The defenders are laughing because they can stay in place and within contact with each other because nobody drags defenders out of position with movement or turns to run in behind defenses and turn the whole back line.

He looks a one-trick-pony and that trick isn't even good anymore.:mad:

But when a pass goes his direction in the 6 yard box, they fall over themselves to put it in their own net.

Dickerty

Boom_Bap wrote: »

Just read that Moreno didn't feature for the U-21's due to a 'technical' problem. Anyone know any more about this?

"He has no issue," said the Spanish U21 manager following his side's 2-1 defeat. "There is no physical problem or anything preventing him from playing. It was a tactical decision because we thought that when it came to this match, Gaya would be a better choice for that position."

rob316

I would hate to see us play 2 banks of 4 at home no matter who it was against. They might stand for that at some clubs but if we got beaten playing like that Rodgers would be skinned.
What I would like to see Wednesday is a drastic change in formation and just pack the midfield. Something like this.

Sakho- Skrtel - Lovren

Henderson - Gerrard - Allen - Coutinho- Lallana

Sterling
Balotelli/Borini


What would everyone else think of that?

Boom_Bap

rob316 wrote: »

I would hate to see us play 2 banks of 4 at home no matter who it was against. They might stand for that at some clubs but if we got beaten playing like that Rodgers would be skinned.
What I would like to see Wednesday is a drastic change in formation and just pack the midfield. Something like this.

Sakho- Skrtel - Lovren

Henderson - Gerrard - Allen - Coutinho- Lallana

Sterling
Balotelli/Borini


What would everyone else think of that?

Playing with 10 men and without a keeper is a bit of a risk.

kop77

rob316 wrote: »

I would hate to see us play 2 banks of 4 at home no matter who it was against. They might stand for that at some clubs but if we got beaten playing like that Rodgers would be skinned.
What I would like to see Wednesday is a drastic change in formation and just pack the midfield. Something like this.

Sakho- Skrtel - Lovren

Henderson - Gerrard - Allen - Coutinho- Lallana

Sterling
Balotelli/Borini


What would everyone else think of that?

some on here are saying Sakho in injured, if so I'd go with

.......................Ming

.. Manquillo...Skrtel...Lovren.... Moreno

..................Gerrard
....Henderson......Allen.........Lallana
..................Sterling
......................Balotelli

maybe Johnson will get in instead of Manquillo?

and as I was sying earlier get Allen to feel up Ronaldo for the full 90 minutes & hopefully it puts him off!!

S. Goodspeed

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Fans would never stand for a Liverpool team getting 10 men behind the ball at home for 90 minutes. Even against Real Madrid. They would expect the team to have a go at the very least.

Now if they pulled off a 1-0 mugging then they would probably accept it but if they lost anyway playing like that then the manager would get pelters.

We accepted it fine when Rafa and Houllier did it to great effect at times in Europe. I think the difference is now that even with 11 men behind the ball this group of players is not capable of keeping a clean sheet. Losing with 11 men behind the ball is a lot less acceptable after you lose!

LuckyLloyd

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Fans would never stand for a Liverpool team getting 10 men behind the ball at home for 90 minutes. Even against Real Madrid. They would expect the team to have a go at the very least.

Now if they pulled off a 1-0 mugging then they would probably accept it but if they lost anyway playing like that then the manager would get pelters.

Stood for it just fine when it delivered European trophies under Houllier and Benitez.

Utopia Parkway

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Stood for it just fine when it delivered European trophies under Houllier and Benitez.

Don't remember us getting 10 or 11 men behind the ball for 90 minutes at home very often under either of them.

Remember the comparision was being made with Chelsea at Anfield last season and us playing at home like Chelsea did that day.

Hidalgo

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Fans would never stand for a Liverpool team getting 10 men behind the ball at home for 90 minutes. Even against Real Madrid. They would expect the team to have a go at the very least.

Now if they pulled off a 1-0 mugging then they would probably accept it but if they lost anyway playing like that then the manager would get pelters.

If Liverpool pull off a 1-0 mugging or even a 1-1 mugging, Liverpool fans should be thrilled, not merely accepting of it.

Harry Palmr

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Don't remember us getting 10 or 11 men behind the ball for 90 minutes at home very often under either of them.

Te way to describe them in Europe would be "controlled" a euphemism for crushingly dull quite often! Though Chelsea can take some of the blame of course.

Nerdlingr

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Te way to describe them in Europe would be "controlled" a euphemism for crushingly dull quite often! Though Chelsea can take some of the blame of course.

Yes, a good european controlled tactical battle with us emerging the victors 1-0 would suit me fine.

Augmerson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rgepWg4rzw

tok9

Mr Alan wrote: »

If we got a point home & away to Real while waiting for form & Sturridge to return, it'd be wonderful. Saying otherwise is pretty deluded tbh!

Sure and if we play our normal football and get a point it'll be wonderful too.

Just playing defensive doesn't mean you automatically get a point. Saying otherwise is pretty deluded.

tok9

tok9 wrote: »

Sure and if we play our normal football and get a point it'll be wonderful too.

Just playing defensive doesn't mean you automatically get a point. Saying otherwise is pretty deluded.

No but it would surely help us not concede?

Remember we had one of our worst defensive years in decades last season afaik, and we are on course to even better that this season.

Doesn't take a genius to figure out that if we set up the same way as we have been the past 18 months or so we will almost definitely concede goals.

Lord Trollington

Some of the comments on this forum about our player Balotelli is shocking and this coming from our own fans also some of which should know much better than to judge a player only several games into the season.

It's not balotelli's fault we are completely at odds in midfield and at the back. And we are playing no where near to the level we are capable of which may (or indeed may not) allow Balotelli to excel far more than he has been.

Considering this we are not playing to his strengths.

There is enough of other teams fans sticking the boot in our players without us doing it ourselves also. Think Balotelli deserves a little more time to prove himself.

Hangballlouie

Monday meltdown hasn't been that great lads so I'm gonna throw a spanner in the works and get it kicked off in here.

Tomorrow you have the opportunity to replace Rodgers with Rafa. Ye or nay? Discuss.

brevity

@CoutinhoRed's https://twitter.com/CoutinhoRed/status/524193603397361664

Agent Coulson

This is the team I would go with..

---

Mignolet

---

Manquillo----Lovren--- Sakho

---

Moreno

Johnson---Henderson--Gerrard--Lallana--

---

Sterling

---

---

Balotelli

---

Replace Sakho or Lovren with Skrtel it doesn't make a huge difference.

I would have Johnson playing for his experience and attacking and he can also cover Manquillo on his attacks.

Dickerty

Anyone seen a link to the U18s highlights yet? Marsh and Canos sharing 5 goals...

tok9

rarnes1 wrote: »

No but it would surely help us not concede?

Ya it probably would help but again that doesn't mean we won't concede.

If we do concede should we just keep defending for damage limitation too?

We're at home. I don't care who it's against, we should be playing to win.

Harry Palmr

Arbeloa interview with Sid Lowe - very good read

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/oct/20/alvaro-arbeloa-liverpool-real-madrid-champions-league

NEDDURC

If I was picking the team I'd pick the following:

---

Mignolet

---

Manquillo----Lovren--- Skrtel

---

Moreno

---

Can

---

Allen

---

----Sterling---Henderson---Lallana

---

---

Balotelli

---

I know he'd never leave Gerrard out but I wish he would!!

mav79

We don't have the players to sit back and defend against the likes of Stoke and Palace nevermind Real. I'd pack midfield with Allen, Henderson, Gerrard and Couthino, and play Sterling running in behind constantly. Hopefully he will have caused Pepe and Marcelo to be sent off after ten minutes.

5live

Lord Trollington wrote: »

Some of the comments on this forum about our player Balotelli is shocking and this coming from our own fans also some of which should know much better than to judge a player only several games into the season.

It's not balotelli's fault we are completely at odds in midfield and at the back. And we are playing no where near to the level we are capable of which may (or indeed may not) allow Balotelli to excel far more than he has been.

Considering this we are not playing to his strengths.

There is enough of other teams fans sticking the boot in our players without us doing it ourselves also. Think Balotelli deserves a little more time to prove himself.

Will you stand naked outside the GPO if he is judged a bust, though? That's the question; -)

~Rebel~

While Balotelli was obviously pretty rubbish yesterday (and in general), I do think it's worth pointing out that for the two OG's had the ball not been touched by the defender, he was in the position to score. That counts for something at least.

I also thought he looked a lot busier and desperate to contribute in the last 30 minutes or so...again far from ideal, but i'm grasping at whatever positives I can see.

We really do need to play someone up with him though, even as a constant reminder to keep moving - a partnership with someone like Borini would at least force him to keep focused, in a similar (but much smaller) way that Suarez presence on the field made everyone elses tempo rise.

Knex*

Balotelliisnottheman

Knex*

I do think he'd be good if Sturridge was in the team, however.

Harry Palmr

Balo is not a line-breaker and that's where it all falls down.

Hidalgo

Lord Trollington wrote: »

Some of the comments on this forum about our player Balotelli is shocking and this coming from our own fans also some of which should know much better than to judge a player only several games into the season.

It's not balotelli's fault we are completely at odds in midfield and at the back. And we are playing no where near to the level we are capable of which may (or indeed may not) allow Balotelli to excel far more than he has been.

Considering this we are not playing to his strengths.

There is enough of other teams fans sticking the boot in our players without us doing it ourselves also. Think Balotelli deserves a little more time to prove himself.

What annoyed me the most yesterday regarding Balotelli was his inability to hold the ball up/bring teammates into the fray. Instead he lashed a lazy shot away to no effect.

Holding the ball up and laying off a simple pass to Sterling or Henderson isn't exactly Baloon d'Or material in fairness.

Harry Palmr

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Balo is not a line-breaker and that's where it all falls down.

It falls down by him being at the club in any capacity. One shot he took yesterday just summed him up. Lazy effort. No apology to anyone and looked like he didn't give a fcuk.

garra

Hidalgo wrote: »

What annoyed me the most yesterday regarding Balotelli was his inability to hold the ball up/bring teammates into the fray. Instead he lashed a lazy shot away to no effect.

Holding the ball up and laying off a simple pass to Sterling or Henderson isn't exactly Baloon d'Or material in fairness.

Agreed, he does not look a team player at all, disinterested and turning his back on play, his attitude is stinking up the place. I wished and hoped and prayed that Mancini & Mourinho were wrong about him and that he could somehow change his mentality/maturity levels but am not surprised at his performances.

mosstin

rarnes1 wrote: »

It falls down by him being at the club in any capacity. One shot he took yesterday just summed him up. Lazy effort. No apology to anyone and looked like he didn't give a fcuk.

Nah, for me the most worrying thing about him yesterday was when we scored our first goal. They highlighted the deficiencies in the QPR on MOTD for turning their back on the ball but Mario did exactly the same thing, turning only at the last second as if he'd just remembered where he was and what his duties as a striker were.
There doesn't appear to be the slightest inkling of a killer instinct there which, given what we've lost, is a huge problem.

Harry Palmr

rarnes1 wrote: »

It falls down by him being at the club in any capacity. One shot he took yesterday just summed him up. Lazy effort. No apology to anyone and looked like he didn't give a fcuk.

I'm talking tactics, rather than application. Clearly he is all wrong but the main reason he is wrong for the team is that he is not a good fit, so he is rarely going to be where he needs to be at the right time. If he were able to make the runs and were played with say Borini that would aid the whole side, it could push up, squeeze the play and so stop the opposition waltzing into the space that is currently in abundance and easily exploited due to weak CM and CMs. Close that space by pushing up 15-20 yards and retain the ball higher.

PhiloCypher

Balotelli strikes me as a fair weather player , he'll look the part when we have Sturridge back and the team has gelled and is playing well again. Collectively we are ****e atm and Balo isn't the pull yourself up by your bootstraps sort of player Suarez was so he just gets the hump and gives up.