Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours 15/16

x43r0

Dickerty wrote: »

I'm not some guy who hangs around in a full kit and compare the current team to Kenny's double winning team................more drinks!

I liked the way you worked that*





*No Dickerty

Dickerty

And I'm BACK!

I have to apologize that work has gotten in the way of my procrastination...

monkey9

Kerrigooney being a dick again, I see. Lord Chinese Buzz Killington.

Kerrigooney

monkey9 wrote: »

Kerrigooney being a dick again, I see. Lord Chinese Buzz Killington.

I had a dodgy take away a week ago and I've taken against the whole nation. I'm a bastard for holding a grudge.

mosstin

Kerrigooney wrote: »

I had a dodgy take away a week ago and I've taken against the whole nation. I'm a bastard for holding a grudge.

The irony is that it was a vindaloo.

Agent Coulson

https://twitter.com/bbcmerseysport/status/700395937705914368

klose

Agent Coulson wrote: »

https://twitter.com/bbcmerseysport/status/700395937705914368

Better make the most of it so

5starpool

5starpool wrote: »

Depends how their big game goes before ours as well I guess.

Might be quiet enough then.

Harry Palmr

5starpool wrote: »

Might be quiet enough then.

They'll be watching and waiting looking for succour

Gbear

My unpopular opinion - our games with Sturridge back have been amongst our worst performances in the last couple of months.

Our passing and intensity seem to have disappeared somewhere.
We're still more effective, but when we had to really try and create things with lads who weren't normally up to that sort of thing, it seemed to elicit more effort.

I was hoping the play outside the box would seamlessly marry Sturridge's movement and goal threat but, taking into one of the worst performances in the history of the PL by Villa, I really don't think we've seen that.

Milkers

Gbear wrote: »

My unpopular opinion - our games with Sturridge back have been amongst our worst performances in the last couple of months.

Our passing and intensity seem to have disappeared somewhere.
We're still more effective, but when we had to really try and create things with lads who weren't normally up to that sort of thing, it seemed to elicit more effort.

I was hoping the play outside the box would seamlessly marry Sturridge's movement and goal threat but, taking into one of the worst performances in the history of the PL by Villa, I really don't think we've seen that.

You have a very odd/contrarian view on the thrashing we gave Villa and seem intent on sharing it. Yes Villa played very poorly, but we beat them 6-0. If you think that was one of our worst performances in the last couple of months... then you're wrong.

But yes tonight we are muck so far.

rob316

Centre midfield is deplorable. We'll go through at home but the better teams in this competition we haven't a hope against.

Harry Palmr

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Can, Milner and Henderson are just not a happy mix at all.

Gbear

Milkers wrote: »

You have a very odd/contrarian view on the thrashing we gave Villa and seem intent on sharing it. Yes Villa played very poorly, but we beat them 6-0. If you think that was one of our worst performances in the last couple of months... then you're wrong.

But yes tonight we are muck so far.

Our passing was mostly ****e.

We were gifted a couple of goals and they gave up.

We did very little of note.

On tonight, I was expecting us to steam into this game and really go for them from the get go.

They're obviously not great, going by their league position or, indeed, their performance, so I see no reason why we couldn't have gone into the game with a greater degree of arrogance.
Going into a lower-tier european competition against a relegation-fodder team from the 4th strongest league in Europe, even if they're at home, isn't something I'd expect even this team to approach as a solid 0-0 to take back home.

Not a disastrous result, but with a cup final 4 days after the next leg and a week between this and that, tonight seemed like the best night to try and cut loose.

I suppose part of that is down to how we set up - reliant on a Sturridge who's obviously not fit yet, but also starting with Milner.
Leaving that aside, the team that went out there didn't look hugely interested, bar 15 minutes in the 2nd half.

I suppose it doesn't matter as long as we get through, but for a team who's been mostly ****e all year and are heavily reliant on a player who's not fit yet and could break at any moment, you'd want a few decent performances, if not results, to make you trust in us enough when we need to revert to grinding games out against **** teams.

SuperTortoise

Harry Palmr wrote: »

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Can, Milner and Henderson are just not a happy mix at all.

Milner done ok tonight but the other two were anonymous.

MD1990

Might be knee jerk but a bit worried about Sturridge. No pace & doesn't really press either. I hope his comeback isn't similar to last year where he scored a few in his 1st few games back & then was average in the rest of his appearances.

klose

Yeah, I'm gonna second the can Milner Henderson point, all too similar a player, two of them at max should really be on the pitch. We really need a play making midfielder who can thread passes.
I do wonder where hendos future lies at the moment under klopp, wouldn't be surprised if he's not a guarenteed starter next season.

SuperTortoise

klose wrote: »

Yeah, I'm gonna second the can Milner Henderson point, all too similar a player, two of them at max should really be on the pitch. We really need a play making midfielder who can thread passes.
I do wonder where hendos future lies at the moment under klopp, wouldn't be surprised if he's not a guarenteed starter next season.

Play Coutinho further back and play a 2nd striker?

LFC CONNAUGHTON

Going forward:
(GK)
Clyne Matip (Any CB) Moreno
Can Coutinho
(Winger) (Winger)
Firmino (Striker)

Much too negative of a team at the moment with very little cutting edge unless all the players are playing on the top of their game.

Harry Palmr

LFC CONNAUGHTON wrote: »

Going forward:
(GK)
Clyne Matip (Any CB) Moreno
Can Coutinho
(Winger) (Winger)
Firmino (Striker)

Much too negative of a team at the moment with very little cutting edge unless all the players are playing on the top of their game.

That team would be killed most weeks.

redzerdrog

---

Ward

---

Clyne ----Toure----An other--Flanagan

---

Can

---

---

Henderson

---

Coutinho

---

---

Firmino

---

Sturidge----Origi

---

Simples!

LFC CONNAUGHTON

Harry Palmr wrote: »

That team would be killed most weeks.

I might be over reacting to the boredom from this game (and the season in general) because of our dire attack.

Harry Palmr

redzerdrog wrote: »

---

Ward

---

Clyne ----Toure----An other--Flanagan

---

Can

---

---

Henderson

---

Coutinho

---

---

Firmino

---

Sturidge----Origi

---

Simples!

Yep the diamond would really help, Coutinho is intelligent enough to play a smart ball from the No 8 position. Mind you I'm not sure Hendo should be playing at all - he really seems to be lacking some edge and pace since his heel went bang.

Another non-defeat with Kolo at the back, who played well again today.

MD1990

Would love if we somehow got Gundogen. Very unlikely though. Henderson has been very poor this season.

Knex*

Henderson is nowhere near as effective when not pushed further forward, in my eyes.

Unfortunately, however, we don't have another midfielder who attempts to get on the ball and set the tempo from deep, and yet also has the range to play the quick ball in, or diagonal cross field pass, that puts us on the front foot.

That needs to change in the summer, as I'll go mad watching our current midfield options for another year.

I think I've been banging on about our need for a midfielder for over two years now.

~Rebel~

Knex. wrote: »

Henderson is nowhere near as effective when not pushed further forward, in my eyes.

Unfortunately, however, we don't have another midfielder who attempts to get on the ball and set the tempo from deep, and yet also has the range to play the quick ball in, or diagonal cross field pass, that puts us on the front foot.

That needs to change in the summer, as I'll go mad watching our current midfield options for another year.

I think I've been banging on about our need for a midfielder for over two years now.

What's funny is that we've bought a few in that time, but they're all the same as each other!

Knex*

~Rebel~ wrote: »

What's funny is that we've bought a few in that time, but they're all the same as each other!

Painfully true.

Also, on the Sturridge topic, I wouldn't be concerned yet, really. Tonight was his first time starting consecutive games in 11 months.

That's an insane stat line, really.

Pyjamarama

I thought we were ok... granted I slept through the 1st half and only saw the 2nd. Firmino made some lovely runs and Danny should have (and usually would have) scored.

Buford T. Justice XIX

Knex. wrote: »

Henderson is nowhere near as effective when not pushed further forward, in my eyes.

Unfortunately, however, we don't have another midfielder who attempts to get on the ball and set the tempo from deep, and yet also has the range to play the quick ball in, or diagonal cross field pass, that puts us on the front foot.

That needs to change in the summer, as I'll go mad watching our current midfield options for another year.

I think I've been banging on about our need for a midfielder for over two years now.

Grujic seems to be the body to occupy that position. He seems to be billed as a more mobile Alonso type midfielder.

Nerdlingr

Think the injury has affected Henderson more than he would like to admit. I know he went back on saying he'd have the pain for the rest of his career but I'd its definitely affecting him. His performances has dipped since he's come back. Speaking of midfielders...do people on here still have the horn for m'vila ? He was all the rage a year or so ago.

GiftofGab

Bad result. We put out a strong team so we could have a lead going into the 2nd leg at Anfield. Guaranteed we’re now going to have a scrappy 120 minutes of football 4 days before the cup final.

BullBlackNova

Nerdlingr wrote: »

Think the injury has affected Henderson more than he would like to admit. I know he went back on saying he'd have the pain for the rest of his career but I'd its definitely affecting him. His performances has dipped since he's come back. Speaking of midfielders...do people on here still have the horn for m'vila ? He was all the rage a year or so ago.

I think for Henderson it is a combination of both points made on here.

He clearly hasn't recovered from his injury. His movement and tempo have dropped, while he has reverted to some lazy long range shots and passes. He is still more than capable of something special from time to time, as we have seen, but he needs more space and time than he did before. It's like what we saw with Gerrard and Redknapp after the former got older and the latter got injured. Hopefully for Henderson, some down time will herald a return to form though.

But, secondly, his best games for us have always come when he was in an advanced position. He isn't quite as attacking as Lallana, Coutinho, etc but he is more comfortable and able to impact a game from here. He doesn't have the physicality and pace to take control of a game from deep like Yaya Toure, etc. (which is what we seem to be envisioning for Emre Can) and he doesn't have the vision of an Alonso type deep midfielder. He isn't a defensive player either - so when he occupies this space further back the field, he can't make a huge amount of difference to the game.

I think we need a few new bodies in the middle. Regardless of what everyone is capable of, they are all so similar. Any one of them will probably raise their game dramatically if playing alongside a properly top class player though - which we have seen throughout the careers of Lucas, Henderson and Milner.

Knex*

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Grujic seems to be the body to occupy that position. He seems to be billed as a more mobile Alonso type midfielder.

I'm blaming you if he isn't Xabi 2.0.

Hopefully a legitimate one, and a, "The Serbian Xabi", scenario.

Agent Coulson

We badly need to sign a player that can grab a game like last night by the scruf of the neck and drag the rest of the players up a level.

Knex*

MD1990 wrote: »

Might be knee jerk but a bit worried about Sturridge. No pace & doesn't really press either. I hope his comeback isn't similar to last year where he scored a few in his 1st few games back & then was average in the rest of his appearances.

Very insensitive.

Talking about knee jerks and Sturridge in the same sentence.

Harry Palmr

---

Horn
Clyne

---

Matip---Sakho

---

Moreno

---

Grujic-Xhaka
Feghouli

---

Coutinho

---

---

Sturridge--Firmino

Klopp has highlighted the lack of a wide man and Feghouli is out of contract in the summer.

On Sturridge he could and should have scored last night and we'd not be moaning, he was starting two games back to back for the first time in lord knows how long as pointed out above.

x43r0

Harry Palmr wrote: »

---

Horn
Clyne

---

Matip---Sakho

---

Moreno

---

Grujic-Xhaka
Feghouli

---

Coutinho

---

---

Sturridge--Firmino

A commanding horn behind the back four would really stiffen up the defence alright

djPSB

Harry Palmr wrote: »

---

Horn
Clyne

---

Matip---Sakho

---

Moreno

---

Grujic-Xhaka
Feghouli

---

Coutinho

---

---

Sturridge--Firmino

Klopp has highlighted the lack of a wide man and Feghouli is out of contract in the summer.

On Sturridge he could and should have scored last night and we'd not be moaning, he was starting two games back to back for the first time in lord knows how long as pointed out above.

With the way the squad is shaping up:

We need a keeper.

Clyne right wing back.

Moreno left wing back.

Matic and Sakho or Lovren as CBs.

Can/Lucas as DM and sitting back as a CB to make a back 3 when wing backs go forward. Similar to the role Gerrard played in 13/14. Dier plays this role for Spurs.

Henderson or Milner and a new signing as CMs.

Coutinho as the number 10.

Sturridge and Firminho up top. A replacement needed for Sturridge for when he's crocked.
Bye bye Benteke.

A diamond formation with the wing backs providing the width.

Buford T. Justice XIX

Harry Palmr wrote: »

---

Horn
Clyne

---

Matip---Sakho

---

Moreno

---

Grujic-Xhaka
Feghouli

---

Coutinho

---

---

Sturridge--Firmino

Klopp has highlighted the lack of a wide man and Feghouli is out of contract in the summer.

On Sturridge he could and should have scored last night and we'd not be moaning, he was starting two games back to back for the first time in lord knows how long as pointed out above.

Xhaka will probably be in Manchester City next season and Markovic will probably be given a chance in preseason at least before we sign anyone, I think.

Harry Palmr

City will buy Gündoğan!

Utopia Parkway

MD1990 wrote: »

Would love if we somehow got Gundogen. Very unlikely though. Henderson has been very poor this season.

He's had a serious injury for most of it to be fair. The injury is now gone but I think it's been a bit of a struggle for him to get back to 100% after it. May not see it until next season.

Milkers

Am I the only one who thinks Can really flatters to deceive? Occasional moments of brillianace (once every 5 games or so), the odd marauding charge forward but an awful lot of nothingness and giving away possession cheaply. It's also shocking how poor he is in the air for someone his size, check out how often he miss-times his jump or gets a poor contact on a basic header. Doesn't do the basics well enough in my opinion.

Buford T. Justice XIX

Harry Palmr wrote: »

City will buy Gündoğan!

Harry Palmr

Milkers wrote: »

Am I the only one who thinks Can really flatters to deceive? Occasional moments of brillianace (once every 5 games or so), the odd marauding charge forward but an awful lot of nothingness and giving away possession cheaply. It's also shocking how poor he is in the air for someone his size, check out how often he miss-times his jump or gets a poor contact on a basic header. Doesn't do the basics well enough in my opinion.

Sometimes the play goes straight past him with little reaction and yet at other times he'll get a vital touch or tackle in. Inconsistency is his weakness and as such probably needs more stability around him plus the coaching working on his generally levels of alertness. He looks better with Lucas behind him, no one looks good when Henderson is the other primary central midfielder these days.

Knex*

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

Yeah, but are they galvanised?

8-10

Milkers wrote: »

Am I the only one who thinks Can really flatters to deceive? Occasional moments of brillianace (once every 5 games or so), the odd marauding charge forward but an awful lot of nothingness and giving away possession cheaply. It's also shocking how poor he is in the air for someone his size, check out how often he miss-times his jump or gets a poor contact on a basic header. Doesn't do the basics well enough in my opinion.

I think he has the makings of an excellent player. He's still very young and I think we'll end up saying we're lucky to have signed him when we did. I get what you're saying but he's definitely not a player I'd give up on yet.

K-9

Can has improved though as the season has gone on. Both him and Henderson like to press. Lucas has dipped in form since the start of Klopp's reign. We could do with 2 buys in CM if Allen or Lucas move on.

K-9

Henderson is still carrying the underlying injury AFAIK, haven't heard otherwise anyway. His pressing stats were poor since he came back until the Villa game when they were back to normal for him.

Iused2likebusts

Milkers wrote: »

Am I the only one who thinks Can really flatters to deceive? Occasional moments of brillianace (once every 5 games or so), the odd marauding charge forward but an awful lot of nothingness and giving away possession cheaply. It's also shocking how poor he is in the air for someone his size, check out how often he miss-times his jump or gets a poor contact on a basic header. Doesn't do the basics well enough in my opinion.

I haven't been impressed with him as a midfielder this year. I saw him live against Sunderland and thought he was our 2nd worst player after mignolet. Doesn't look comfortable in possession and gives the ball away too much.

SuperTortoise

K-9 wrote: »

Can has improved though as the season has gone on. Both him and Henderson like to press. Lucas has dipped in form since the start of Klopp's reign. We could do with 2 buys in CM if Allen or Lucas move on.

I don't agree, i think Can has stood still at best this year, but really the only midfielder that has stood out is probably Allen.
There's certainly enough potential to keep him around the first team for the future but he needs to learn to read the game much better when defending, and when to release the ball when in possession, i do think those things will come in time he is still young.