Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours 2017/2018

marklazarcovic

Jesus I wouldn't be complaining about mo at this stage,if he scored and assisted what he has and didn't get a sniff of another chance we would be delighted,yea he misses a few ,but he has added another dimension to our attack, delighted we got him.

Grayditch

Not beating a team that's 8th in the Russian league is fairly lame. I'm sure we'll finish 2nd behind Seville, but not without a fight.

It was just one of those games. We created a lot of chances and on another day would have run out handy winners.

Benimar

RoboKlopp wrote: »

It was just one of those games. We created a lot of chances and on another day would have run out handy winners.

Given that the exact same thing could have been said after Sevilla, Burnley and Leicester (LC), it’s not just one of those days.

4 times in 5 games indicates some form of issue that can’t be just written off as ‘ah, it happens lads’

D'Agger

Klopp playing Firmino for 90minutes last night is one of the poorer decisions he's made as manager, he was fúcking woeful.

Benimar

Benimar wrote: »

Given that the exact same thing could have been said after Sevilla, Burnley and Leicester (LC), it’s not just one of those days.

4 times in 5 games indicates some form of issue that can’t be just written off as ‘ah, it happens lads’

I did think we deserved to win any of those games you mentioned.

Our finishing was poor last night but we are creating a lot of chances.

D'Agger

D'Agger wrote: »

Klopp playing Firmino for 90minutes last night is one of the poorer decisions he's made as manager, he was fúcking woeful.

Yep, he was poor alright

mada999

Osmosis Jones wrote: »

Firmino scored a header against Arsenal and was denied another one today by a very good save

ah i thought he should have scored last night with that header... was too close to the keeper.. not clinical enough

mada999

murpho999 wrote: »

I don't like Klopp's idea of playing Karius.

These are Champion's League games not the League cup.

I think Liverpool should play their best keeper, who at present is clearly Mignolet and get the the whole defensive unit playing together regularly and create an understanding.

Ward actually looked better to me last week and also more dominant in the box.

Also, not convinced by Lovren and Moreno, despite what many say here, as a defending pair.

Finally, we need to get more clinical in front of goal. Firmino's hard work etc is not good enough as we should be putting away chances.

To be honest i didnt even see Lovern on the pitch tonight... honestly... there was no defending to be done... at all...

redzerdrog

I thought Lovren was excellent last night.

mada999

Nerdlingr wrote: »

Nice to see Henderson getting some recognition on here at last. I wouldn't be a person that champions one player but I seem to be defending him nearly every week for the last few weeks / months. Someone listed last week a load of his faults ... that he has given up tracking back etc. Crock of sh*te. The man has been a work horse for us for years now and has been scapegoated for the shortcomings of other players for far too long. I've said it before but he's the first midfielder I'd put down in our teamsheet. Works his boll*x off for the cause. Anyway. ...

Crazy decision by klopp to take mane off and then put coutinho wide left. Our most creative player isolated in the wing. In what world is that a good idea when the game is passing firmino by? Very disappointing result.

I think Henderson needs some creative players around him... Can is sometimes not the answer and also Can AND Gini at the same time..

The mane decision was mental... i think firmino should have made way for Sturridge

JonnyM

redzerdrog wrote: »

I thought Lovren was excellent last night.

I wouldn't say he was excellent as he had **** all to Do!

He did the simple things right for a change so I'd say he was 6/10 IMO.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

RoboKlopp wrote: »

It was just one of those games. We created a lot of chances and on another day would have run out handy winners.

It's actually been five of those games in a row now - at what point does the exception become the norm?

RoboKlopp

RoboKlopp wrote: »

It was just one of those games. We created a lot of chances and on another day would have run out handy winners.

Benimar wrote: »

Given that the exact same thing could have been said after Sevilla, Burnley and Leicester (LC), it’s not just one of those days.

4 times in 5 games indicates some form of issue that can’t be just written off as ‘ah, it happens lads’

Loads of the chances we create are less than half chances. We're the opposite of the Arsenal "walk it into the net" approach that the media used to speel on about endlessly.

Loads of our "chances" are shots that shouldn't be taken, misplaced crosses that someone gets something on but not meaningful contact to actually test the keeper.

Now that accepted, we did create 5+ very decent chances that weren't converted last night. But our actual chance creation rate is looney high and the majority of them are not real chances IMO.

MD1990

Knex. wrote: »

I haven't seen a single thing from Karius since he joined the club that suggests that he can in anyway use his hands effectively when shot stopping. Literally, not one thing.

The man is a completely average keeper, if even that. Mignolet is noticeably superior to him, which is a worry as Mignolet is not the level you require for a team hunting for silverware.

Our keeper probably have about 5 things to do a game, on a bad day, yet along with our defenders, we are here talking about them every week. Its ****ing infuriating.

Last night is the night where I have given up on Karius.
He is clearly not good enough for Liverpool.

We need a new GK next summer till then Mignolet should be playing in the CL.

billymitchell

MD1990 wrote: »

Last night is the night where I have given up on Karius.
He is clearly not good enough for Liverpool.

We need a new GK next summer till then Mignolet should be playing in the CL.

I think Ward is worth a shout at this stage

JonnyM

billymitchell wrote: »

I think Ward is worth a shout at this stage

I'd be thinking the same but don't think klopp is.
Shame really as what is Ward going to be doing for the rest of the season if both keepers stay fit?

Would like to see him get ahead of Karius and has quite good experience in English football albeit not in the premiership.

citytillidie

So a draw away from home to the top seeded team in the group is now bad

We would have taken that result when the draw was made. Liverpool will be in a good position if they beat Maribor over the next two games weeks. With Spartak and Seville playing each other and taking points off each other.

Benimar

citytillidie wrote: »

So a draw away from home to the top seeded team in the group is now bad

We would have taken that result when the draw was made. Liverpool will be in a good position if they beat Maribor over the next two games weeks. With Spartak and Seville playing each other and taking points off each other.

Spartak are only top seeds due to the Russian Champions being getting a seeding, they are actually a poor side as can be seen by their current league position. Liverpool should have 6 points, they only have 2. They will get out of the group, but chances are it will be as runners up.

That would probably mean playing one of PSG/Bayern, Barca or Real Madrid in the last 16. If Man Utd, Man City and Chelsea win their groups we can only get one of the 4 teams above or the winners of the Besiktas group (please be this one!!)

Sevilla and Spartak won't take points off each other. Sevilla will win both games, Spartak are not any good.

Gbear

Benimar wrote: »

Spartak are only top seeds due to the Russian Champions being getting a seeding, they are actually a poor side as can be seen by their current league position. Liverpool should have 6 points, they only have 2. They will get out of the group, but chances are it will be as runners up.

That would probably mean playing one of PSG/Bayern, Barca or Real Madrid in the last 16. If Man Utd, Man City and Chelsea win their groups we can only get one of the 4 teams above or the winners of the Besiktas group (please be this one!!)

Sevilla and Spartak won't take points off each other. Sevilla will win both games, Spartak are not any good.

The way the groups are, it doesn't really matter where we finish.

It'll be drawn from PSG, Bayern, Real, Dortmund (if Spurs don't finish above them), Atletico, Juventus, Napoli.
Best case scenario is probably something like Porto, Benfica or Monaco.

Maybe one of the ****ter teams like Besiktas, CSKA or the likes gets through, but we've still about a 1 in 8 chance of getting a team that's worse than us.

Bandana boy

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Salah should have close to 20 goals and the Golden Boot wrapped up already.

I am taking solace in the fact his numbers are still good and that Luis was the same his first season.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

citytillidie wrote: »

So a draw away from home to the top seeded team in the group is now bad

We would have taken that result when the draw was made. Liverpool will be in a good position if they beat Maribor over the next two games weeks. With Spartak and Seville playing each other and taking points off each other.

I know what you mean, but to all extents and putposes, Seveilla are the top team in the group regarldess of seedings and Moscow, beleive it or not, are the weakest.

Seveilla are ranked 6 in Europe according to UEFA, Liverpool 35, Maribor 77 and Spartak 95.

Spartak, though, needed to win that game more because their upcoming scehdule is back-to-back games against Seveilla, followed by a trip to Anfield.

These means nothing though if we decide to have two more of "those games" against Maribor and fail to beat Spartak at home.

Benimar

Gbear wrote: »

The way the groups are, it doesn't really matter where we finish.

It'll be drawn from PSG, Bayern, Real, Dortmund (if Spurs don't finish above them), Atletico, Juventus, Napoli.
Best case scenario is probably something like Porto, Benfica or Monaco.

Maybe one of the ****ter teams like Besiktas, CSKA or the likes gets through, but we've still about a 1 in 8 chance of getting a team that's worse than us.

Based on current odds on group winners, as 2nd seeds we could draw PSG, Barca, Besiktas or Real, a 3 in 4 chance of a crappy draw.

As winners we could draw CSKA, Bayern, Athletico, Juventus, Porto or Napoli. CSKA and Porto would be nice, I'd favour us v Napoli and give us at least a punchers chance against the other 3.

Personally, I think theres a big difference between coming 1st or 2nd.

SlickRic

it's not complicated.

we don't have a clinical striker. Firmino, as much as I love him, is not it and never will be. so missing chances is going to happen in games. don't listen to Klopp. it's not that we're 'unlucky'. it's just bad finishing.

Kane. Aguero. Lacazette. Morata. Lukaku.

goals get you out of games, and all these guys, who are in teams around us, can do it in a flash.

and we'll always let in a goal. half the shots against us go in, and we can't defend from corners, so the likelihood of a clean sheet is minimal.

so it's a recipe for constant heartbreak.

SlickRic

SlickRic wrote: »

.............. half the shots against us go in..............

Our defensive issues are far worse than many appreciate.
You cannot concede the goals we do and be successful, we are regressing defensively it seems, not improving.

Boom_Bap

SlickRic wrote: »

it's not complicated.

we don't have a clinical striker. Firmino, as much as I love him, is not it and never will be. so missing chances is going to happen in games. don't listen to Klopp. it's not that we're 'unlucky'. it's just bad finishing.

Kane. Aguero. Lacazette. Morata. Lukaku.

goals get you out of games, and all these guys, who are in teams around us, can do it in a flash.

and we'll always let in a goal. half the shots against us go in, and we can't defend from corners, so the likelihood of a clean sheet is minimal.

so it's a recipe for constant heartbreak.

I was honestly thinking the same thing.

I do think that Sturridge is clinical, but getting 20 minutes here and there is not enough for him.
It may be time to start Sturridge ahead of Fun Bobby....but ultimately we need that player that can bag 1 or 2 goals a game.

BorneTobyWilde

Karius tribute videos on youtube and genuinely videos that look like they are bashing him. If they are the highlights, then wtf.
Karius will parry ever shot no matter how timid and parry it into danger, clip will cut of course, he will also punch every cross no matter how easy it is to catch. He will also run out and play a sweeper type, but slides out and takes people out, getting away with it through luck. Great highlights .

Knex*

https://twitter.com/empireofthekop/status/912782857051021313

Liverpool's last 6 Games:

121 Shots
6 Goals
12 Conceded

One win.

That's fairly dire.

Gbear

Benimar wrote: »

Based on current odds on group winners, as 2nd seeds we could draw PSG, Barca, Besiktas or Real, a 3 in 4 chance of a crappy draw.

As winners we could draw CSKA, Bayern, Athletico, Juventus, Porto or Napoli. CSKA and Porto would be nice, I'd favour us v Napoli and give us at least a punchers chance against the other 3.

Personally, I think theres a big difference between coming 1st or 2nd.

There's a fair difference in quality, but the point is either way we're pretty long odds to get past the rnd of 16.

It'd be the case where if we come first we'll probably lose by 2-3, whereas if we come 2nd we'll probably lose by 5-10.

Ardent

Knex. wrote: »

https://twitter.com/empireofthekop/status/912782857051021313



That's fairly dire.

Those stats are horribly skewed by the Man City game. Things are not so bad.

NukaCola

Firmino was poor but was still doing the majority of the right things up until the final whistle.....his final ball was brutal but he was still working hard and getting in good positions.....

As for the clinical striker thing, its not just a clinical striker we need though, its a hard working player doing the hard graft and also being potent in front of goal, I'm not a scout but surely they are few and far between? Sturridge is a clinical striker for example, but we dont play a system that allows a player to just focus on getting in good positions while not pressing, dropping deep etc

A few weeks ago we had a frightening attack capable of cutting teams open, now we cant score and we are brutal apparently.....Its a bad patch IMO, I have no doubt we'll be banging them in soon enough.

Ardent

Ardent wrote: »

Those stats are horribly skewed by the Man City game. Things are not so bad.

Indeed, and of the 121 shots I'd say 50%+ of them shouldn't have been taken at all.

Knex*

Ardent wrote: »

Those stats are horribly skewed by the Man City game. Things are not so bad.

Very fair, yeah. Had forgotten that, although possibly for the better!

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Ardent wrote: »

Those stats are horribly skewed by the Man City game. Things are not so bad.

Knex. wrote: »

Very fair, yeah. Had forgotten that, although possibly for the better!

We' actually scored 7 - but we're one goal from seventeen chances nonetheless and we're conceding one from four.

IF we were playing teams that created as much as we do, we'd have conceed thrity goals in five games.

Pepp1989

Sturridge really needs to be burying the chances like the volley he missed towards the end of last night in order to make up for the fact that he doesn't press.

yourdeadwright

I just pray we  an somehow scrap top four again this year, we need to become champions league regulars , I expect us to get out of the group stage this year and that's about it,
We need a new Keeper, CB and Striker before we can worry big teams,

Nerdlingr

Cavani getting screwed over at PSG, time to swoop in January me thinks.

Boom_Bap

Pepp1989 wrote: »

Sturridge really needs to be burying the chances like the volley he missed towards the end of last night in order to make up for the fact that he doesn't press.

I think with a regular run in the team, that sharpness will be there and he would have put that away.
Seriously difficult technique though for that volley.

yourdeadwright

We should be all over Cavani , We create so many chance that any top striker will score over 20 goals for us easy,
We should have gave up on Studg this summer, Its been clear for a long time he will never be the player he once was, we need to be ruthless,
Lorius should never play for us again he isn't good enough end of story and never will be ,

Boom_Bap

Boom_Bap wrote: »

.............
Seriously difficult technique though for that volley.

Indeed, far from a huge miss not to convert it, be nice to have forced a save at least.

Morzadec

Firmino is a superb player who offers a huge amount to the team beyond just goals, very clever player, works extremely hard and is a great "defensive forward", and creates a lot of chances for the likes of Mane, Salah and Coutinho either side of him.

Sturridge is a proven striker, has had his injury problems, but you would surely say is a good enough as a backup.

This is how I would have felt at the start of the season, and they're still points that are hard to argue against now.

However, when you look at how the "number 9s" of our rivals have started the season, and the goals they have racked up, you really have to start asking yourself - where would we be with a Kane, Aguero, Morata, Lukaku or even Lacazette in our team?

I feel like with Kane in our team we would have coasted last night. 3-1 at least. I don't think that's an exaggeration.

Burnley would have been 3 points.

Numerous matches last season against bus parking teams (even the United games), would likely have been wins instead of draws.

A lot of focus on our defence, but if this wastefulness and lack of cutting edge in front of goal continues we will fail to challenge.

When you look at our rivals it's one area where we don't compete. We don't have a world class goalscorer in our team.

More and more I'm starting to think we need one.

rob316

I'd play Sturridge over Firmino, there is enough work rate in the front 3 with Mane and Salah already, we can afford a luxury player like Sturridge, who knows where the net is. He could of had a couple last night but he just looks really short on confidence. A few goals and starts would fix that.

Morzadec

As has been said, if there's even a whiff of Cavani we should be all over it.

Spunk the budget.

Use the Van Dijk money even, I don't care.

Keep Firmino, have him cover and compete with Mane and Salah and cover for Cavani.

rob316

rob316 wrote: »

.............Sturridge ........ A few goals and starts would fix that.

Indeed, should he get injured than at least we tried
Carragher said it last season, if Sturridge is fit you play him and let others do the running etc.

All of the players swarming about is now looking like unorganised, unproductive chaos tbh, 5 on 2 last night at one stage and they all clueless, look at the break at the weekend, Sturridge and Hendo & job was done.

Nerdlingr

Imagine Cavani spearheading the attack up front, being backed up by Coutinho, Mane and Salah in behind..... drooooooooool :p:pac:

dfx-

Cavani, a player renowned for taking 20 chances to score two goals..

ballyargus

Cavani is 30 and has been eternally over-rated

Nerdlingr

dfx- wrote: »

Cavani, a player renowned for taking 20 chances to score two goals..

we would have won 2-1 last night so.

Gbear

Nerdlingr wrote: »

Cavani getting screwed over at PSG, time to swoop in January me thinks.

He's not much of a finisher either, but he ought to be in the right areas at least.

Too often there's nobody in the box.

How often last night did we see lads crossing into the box and there's only Mo Salah in there with 4 defenders for company?

Too many of our players want to play with the ball and want to be doing it on the edge of the box.
They do great work out there, but there's no focal point for them to interact with, there's not enough intelligent movement in there, and none of them are consistent enough finishers.

We don't need to fix everything.
We do get some good crosses in, sometimes there is enough people in the box, sometimes we engineer good chances and sometimes one of them demonstrates a good finish, but we're sort of 6/7 out of 10 at those things when we need to be 9/10 at one of them.

Morzadec

Spartak did what a lot of teams have done to us the last year or so.

Push us wide. Defend the central areas.

Moreno and TAA did well and actually put in some decent balls but you're not getting the best out of our front 3 with crosses in the box.

I don't really blame Salah or Firmino, though their headers were good attempts -it's not really their game.

Would be nice to have a big clinical number 9 to counter this strategy.