Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2015/16 (*EVERYONE READ MOD POST in OP)

NukaCola

He did say judge him after 3 seasons. The data is in. Does anyone think he'll turn us around to a point where we are challenging for top 4 and trophies?

I have no doubts he'll turn the results around some what, then get figured out, fail to adapt and we'll end up in 5/6/7. Thats what BR will get us.

Whether its fair or not, BR wont get us to where we need to be on a consistent basis. A change was needed in the summer truth be told.

You can end up 5th or 6th after challenging for 4th, people seem to think challenging for 4th can only be considered so if you get it.

NukaCola

Augeo wrote: »

You can end up 5th or 6th after challenging for 4th, people seem to think challenging for 4th can only be considered so if you get it.

I dont think we'll seriously challenge for 4th. Bar the second season we never looked like a top 4 team on regular basis under BR.

Knex*

Yeah, I want Gomez starting in a back 3.

I'd nearly start him alongside Sakho in a back four, too.

Boom_Bap

2 things I loved from yesterday.
Allens runs were being blocked off the ball by one of their big lads in midfield all night. When Allen done the same to him, the other fella went down in a heap rolling around in agony.

When Sahko came on and went up for the first corner, some lad tried shoving him, Sahko looked at the other fella's pathetic hand on him, gave the other lad a little shove and the other fella nearly went over. The other fella stood off Sahko then.

Allen I thought put in a great shift and played some lovely passes.

Boom_Bap

Augeo wrote: »

Allen I thought put in a great shift and played some lovely passes.

Thought the same myself, but any time he was mopping up towards the area where there should be a full back, he was isolated. His natural instinct is to look for the full backs if he gets into trouble, with the system last night, there was just an empty space he ran into.

punk_one82

Knex. wrote: »

Yeah, I want Gomez starting in a back 3.

I'd nearly start him alongside Sakho in a back four, too.

My bad, I was only mentioning it in the context of not wanting Ilori so my point no longer stands.

brevity

SlickRic started a thread recently, The Role of the Manager and I’d been thinking about it for a while. IMO, the role of the manager is to bring a squad of players together and get them playing in a system that gets the best out of them, he elevates the team, poor players become good and good players become great. He spots weaknesses and exploits them and he plays to the players strengths.

Comparing the role to a director of a movie - we’ve all seen movies where an actor we previously though was crap put in an excellent performance - that, IMO, comes down to the director (the script too) and how he or she gets the best out of them. A good director can elevate a pretty mediocre script. A good director picks actors for the right role.

A bad director over complicates things, doesn’t listen to advice and doesn’t explain things correctly.

Rodgers is unfortunately falling into latter category. He is the writer/director of this expensive disaster movie. The players have their head full of confusing crap that isn’t helping, they don’t know where they are supposed to be, young players are mashed into roles that they don’t understand. It’s awful. There will be a good performance here and there but it won’t last long.

The club cannot continue like this, FSG need to act and they need to move Ayre away from football and onto commercial. They need to get in an experienced Sporting Director, someone who knows the scouting markets and has a vision that he can implement in the club. They need to get in an experienced Manager, someone who has won trophies and has experience of working with a club who won’t always be purchasing the best of the best but will have funds to purchase good players that he needs.

If they don’t do this then we’re, for want of a better phrase, ****ed.

super_furry

Is he gone yet?

Milkers

I thought Allen had a good game too. If Rossiter was a few years older and had been bought instead of coming through the academy he would be getting absolutely slated; on performance alone he is miles off the level that should be expected for a Liverpool midfielder in a European game. Origi had easily his best game, showed some promise but also showed he doesn't look a natural finisher which is always a bit of a problem for a forward.

Summary: Rodgers out.

brevity

Tony Barret has got himself in a spot of bother regarding "tourists" at games.

https://twitter.com/TonyBarretTimes/status/649683606521151488

This season is quite simple imo, Sturridge is to us what Sanchez is to Arsenal & what Aguero is to Man City.

If he plays 25+ of our PL games and the latter games of the EL should we progress to the knock out rounds than we do well (get 4th and maybe a run in the EL, it being a cup comp anything can happen of course).

If Rodgers can't get the squad to top 4 or very very close (3pts ish) with Sturridge playing 25+ games, Benteke & Ings available and the likes of Coutinho, Ferminio & Lallana on the panel than I do reckon his time here is up.

Given what I've seen of Chelsea, Man City & Arsenal over the last few years in the CL I would have no expectation of Liverpool performing better than them so I wouldn't be expecting anything beyond last 16 tbh, should we qualify of course. I'd further qualify that by saying I would think that regardless who is in charge and regardless who we sign playerwise in the interim.

It's been quite a few years since Liverpool, Chelsea and Man Utd were CL heavyweights. Arsenal never have been to be fair.

Regarding Rossiter in the early EL games, I expect him to not feature should we get to the knockout rounds, the EL group stage is taking minimal effort/resources for want of better words. Clybe 45 mins, Ings 60 mins, Coutinho 30 mins, Milner and Lucas rested totally, Sturridge not on the bench. We'll see the big guns in the knockout rounds should we get there.

In saying that with Allen, Clyne, Lallana are imo serious quality compared to the opposition last night.

dogbert27

brevity wrote: »

Tony Barret has got himself in a spot of bother regarding "tourists" at games.

https://twitter.com/TonyBarretTimes/status/649683606521151488

What's the context?

Is the original argument that youth should be getting promoted rather than buying cheap foreign imports?

Agent Coulson

3 seasons of mistakes and he hasn't been able to coach those mistakes out.

https://twitter.com/JamesPearceEcho/status/649865340508352512

Hangballlouie

The Sion number 6 was a dirty fcuker. A couple of his challenges on Coutinho and Allen where extremely dangerous.

Knex*

brevity wrote: »

Tony Barret has got himself in a spot of bother regarding "tourists" at games.

https://twitter.com/TonyBarretTimes/status/649683606521151488

If you were a glory hunting tourist, why the **** would you go to Anfield these days?

brevity

dogbert27 wrote: »

What's the context?

Is the original argument that youth should be getting promoted rather than buying cheap foreign imports?

Sorry, should have said that in the lost. Its about the poor atmosphere at Anfield.

Harry Palmr

Bad News Barrett should have thought a bit before playing the tourist card esp about players when the manager is the biggest failure at the moment.

edit or is he talking about supporters? Either way the team is supposed to play to engage the supporters not send then to sleep - the first 3 minutes of last nights game saw the back three and Rossiter play about 40/50 passes between them. It was a real statement of intent!

Milkers

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Bad News Barrett should have thought a bit before playing the tourist card esp about players when the manager is the biggest failure at the moment.

edit or is he talking about supporters? Either way the team is supposed to play to engage the supporters not send then to sleep - the first 3 minutes of last nights game saw the back three and Rossiter play about 40/50 passes between them. It was a real statement of intent!

The first three minutes of the game last night summed up all that is wrong with the current setup. It was the most pointless football I have ever seen.

Harry Palmr

Harry Palmr wrote: »

..... the first 3 minutes of last nights game saw the back three and Rossiter play about 40/50 passes between them. It was a real statement of intent!

what min was the goal in?

Harry Palmr

Augeo wrote: »

what min was the goal in?

The 4th minute and that was the apex of the game!

careca

Augeo wrote: »

Allen I thought put in a great shift and played some lovely passes.

Boom_Bap wrote: »

Thought the same myself, but any time he was mopping up towards the area where there should be a full back, he was isolated. His natural instinct is to look for the full backs if he gets into trouble, with the system last night, there was just an empty space he ran into.

While I'd agree that he put in a shift, he did as much wrong as right imo. Unfortunately that's where I see the problem with Allen. He is very liable to give the ball away or give a stupid foul away in a dangerous position. I'd like to see his completion rate of passes last night. As most of them are 5 yards or to the full back, he should be in the high nineties.

I also feel in a game like last nights, that you can't have two holding midfielders who offer nothing going forward. Rossiter seemed to give it wide every single time, even though there was a few times when a nice pass to Origi or Cou (when he came on) were on. Too negative. Rossiter is another Jay Spearing imo.

5starpool

brevity wrote: »

Sorry, should have said that in the lost. Its about the poor atmosphere at Anfield.

It's certainly not just that as the locals have a lot to answer for too, but the proliferation nowadays of those that go over to take pictures and go just to say they have been there effectively, is not helping either. I don't think they are referring to anyone who travels from abroad to go to games as part of the problem of crap atmosphere, but even if you reduced ticket prices by 50% I don't think it would solve things either.

Bar abandoning selling tickets online and just putting them on sale at the stadium (which won't happen) there is no way to reverse the trend of less locals going to games if that is their aim. More affordable travel and people generally having more money than 20+ years ago is as responsible for that phenomenon as rising ticket prices I'd say.

Harry Palmr

Look carefully into the darkness.

brevity

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Look carefully into the darkness.

Anyone else looking for Kolo?

Agent Coulson

I see Buford T. Justice V and he doesn't look happy.

It looks like the Bandit escaped again.

RayCon

Yeah , it's the tourists fault there's no atmosphere at Anfield - nothing whatsoever to do with what's being served up. If there were only local born and bred fans in the stadium - they'd sing and wave their flags regardless of whats happening on the pitch. Y'know ... like REAL supporters should :rolleyes:

punk_one82

RayCon wrote: »

Yeah , it's the tourists fault there's no atmosphere at Anfield - nothing whatsoever to do with what's being served up. If there were only local born and bred fans in the stadium - they'd sing and wave their flags regardless of whats happening on the pitch. Y'know ... like REAL supporters should :rolleyes:

RayCon

Hang on ... I've cracked it ...

The Rodgers : “So it tells you that you can go there, you don’t need to dominate the ball – but you need to dominate the space.

There's no atmosphere in space

Harry Palmr

The Yellow Wall is as regimented as YNWA before the game at Anfield. It's all show really.

punk_one82

RayCon wrote: »

Hang on ... I've cracked it ...



There's no atmosphere in space

Plenty of formations to choose from though.

Harry Palmr

Harry Palmr wrote: »

........... the first 3 minutes of last nights game saw the back three and Rossiter play about 40/50 passes between them. It was a real statement of intent!

Milkers wrote: »

The first three minutes of the game last night summed up all that is wrong with the current setup. It was the most pointless football I have ever seen.

Harry Palmr wrote: »

The 4th minute and that was the apex of the game!

With a less than first string team I'd take it every time tbh, extrapolated out over 90 mins.

Lots of seemingly meaningless possession, than attacks out of the blue, ball in net.

Still all to play for in the EL group stage.

brevity

5starpool wrote: »

It's certainly not just that as the locals have a lot to answer for too, but the proliferation nowadays of those that go over to take pictures and go just to say they have been there effectively, is not helping either. I don't think they are referring to anyone who travels from abroad to go to games as part of the problem of crap atmosphere, but even if you reduced ticket prices by 50% I don't think it would solve things either.

Bar abandoning selling tickets online and just putting them on sale at the stadium (which won't happen) there is no way to reverse the trend of less locals going to games if that is their aim. More affordable travel and people generally having more money than 20+ years ago is as responsible for that phenomenon as rising ticket prices I'd say.

They need to introduce a singing or safe standing (obviously more controversial) section.

Luckycharms_74

Augeo wrote: »

This season is quite simple imo, Sturridge is to us what Sanchez is to Arsenal & what Aguero is to Man City.

If he plays 25+ of our PL games and the latter games of the EL should we progress to the knock out rounds than we do well (get 4th and maybe a run in the EL, it being a cup comp anything can happen of course).

If Rodgers can't get the squad to top 4 or very very close (3pts ish) with Sturridge playing 25+ games, Benteke & Ings available and the likes of Coutinho, Ferminio & Lallana on the panel than I do reckon his time here is up.

Given what I've seen of Chelsea, Man City & Arsenal over the last few years in the CL I would have no expectation of Liverpool performing better than them so I wouldn't be expecting anything beyond last 16 tbh, should we qualify of course. I'd further qualify that by saying I would think that regardless who is in charge and regardless who we sign playerwise in the interim.

It's been quite a few years since Liverpool, Chelsea and Man Utd were CL heavyweights. Arsenal never have been to be fair.

Regarding Rossiter in the early EL games, I expect him to not feature should we get to the knockout rounds, the EL group stage is taking minimal effort/resources for want of better words. Clybe 45 mins, Ings 60 mins, Coutinho 30 mins, Milner and Lucas rested totally, Sturridge not on the bench. We'll see the big guns in the knockout rounds should we get there.

In saying that with Allen, Clyne, Lallana are imo serious quality compared to the opposition last night.

Pretty much agree with this.
Melissa Reddy made the exact point.
Give us Sturridge for all of last season and take away one of Aguero, Costa, Sanchez, Rooney from their respective teams and the top 4 pans out differently.
The manager is lauded and we are able to attract a higher calibre of player for our team.

I know majority of fans want him gone, but as I have said before unless FSG have a better replacement lined up I can't see it happening in the immediate future.
It seems from hearing that Mike Gordon is the one pushing for BR to be kept on and he has a huge say in FSG as the majority shareholder.

Vicxas

RayCon wrote: »

Hang on ... I've cracked it ...



There's no atmosphere in space

Knex*

That Tim & Eric routine is absolutely hilarious.

monkey9

RayCon wrote: »

FFS , Dresden was rebuilt after WWII quicker than this ....

The 'transition' and 'rebuilding' stuff is the same as Houllier's "We've turned a corner" mantra towards the end of his tenure.

brevity

Sturridge could play 40 games and it wouldn't save our season. Until he figures out how to set up a team to be able to defend and control a game then we're going nowhere.

whatawaster

punk_one82 wrote: »

Plenty of formations to choose from though.

too much rotation for my liking

monkey9

I agree with the tourists remark. The atmosphere is sh!t at Anfield. I know it'll never happen or feasible but priority should always be given to locals when it comes to tickets.

monkey9

brevity wrote: »

Sturridge could play 40 games and it wouldn't save our season. Until he figures out how to set up a team to be able to defend and control a game then we're going nowhere.

We couldn't defend for our lives in 2013.

Grayditch

It's been very hard to not let the 3-2 win over Villa or scraping by Carlisle to change my mind on wanting a change in management.

punk_one82

Grayditch wrote: »

It's been very hard to not let the 3-2 win over Villa or scraping by Carlisle to change my mind on wanting a change in management.

Surely our monumental 1-1 draw with the mighty Sion away in Europe will swing it in Rodgers favour.

Morzadec

Many here may have already made up their minds and are sure the end is inevitable, but I'm not sure the owners see it that way yet, or indeed perhaps a sizeable portion of the crowd.

I'm one of those who hasn't quite yet committed to the Rodgers Out brigade.

For this reason, Sunday's game has a real sense of Judgement Day about it. A loss (especially a comfortable one) could be the last straw for many and would really pile the pressure on.

Don't think it's an exaggeration to say it's one of the biggest matches of Rodgers' career.

monkey9

Grayditch wrote: »

It's been very hard to not let the 3-2 win over Villa or scraping by Carlisle to change my mind on wanting a change in management.

It's only Rodgers letting the win over Villa change his opinion or attitude. This time last week he was resigned to his fate, all sheepish in his press conference.

After the Villa match, he's giving it loads and talking about conspiracies in the media as if a victory over a sh!te team means something or changes things.

brevity

brevity wrote: »

Sturridge could play 40 games and it wouldn't save our season. Until he figures out how to set up a team to be able to defend and control a game then we're going nowhere.

100% disagree, Sturridge playing 20 more PL games last year for us would have been at a minimum 9/10 extra points imo.

We wouldn't have conceded any more with him playing but I am as sure as one could be that he would have scored goals.

Grayditch

Just as a side note, I feel there's a subtle difference between wanting him sacked today and wanting him replaced as soon as possible. Some are foaming at the mouth and out for blood. I still respect him a lot, but it's looking like it's over.

brevity

monkey9 wrote: »

We couldn't defend for our lives in 2013.

Imagine what would have happened if we could.

Knex*

For me, I would say that my pre match expectations are as low as they perhaps have ever been as a Liverpool fan, right now.

We're stagnating, and something needs to be done quickly.