Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours 2018

Riesen_Meal

Vicxas wrote: »

Christ i love these

Coutinho getting the bat and the "Didn't want to win it anyway" make an appearance

Harry Palmr

The Klopp test card made me laugh. Hopefully never to be seen again.

Agent Coulson

Fieldog wrote: »

Might lighten the mood a bit....

When I'm Liverpool Everton 3rd Round Edition :

https://imgtc.com/w/BcUA3y7

I just noticed watching that VVD is doing a Lucas on it by going it his first name on the jersey Virgil.

garra

Mr.H wrote: »

I think we can win it 2-0. Mane back among the goals and one from Firmino. I think all the attention will be on keeping Salah locked down so it should free up the other two. City will probably control most of the midfield play but if we can stay disciplined at the back I think we can catch them on the break if they misplace any passes.

Migs, Gomez, Matip, Van Djik, Robertson, Can, Henderson, Wjini, Firmino, Mane, Salah

Would have Oxlade or Lallana ahead of Can, otherwise yep

We owe them one, I fancy us for a win for some insane reason.

sword1

Agent Coulson wrote: »

I just noticed watching that VVD is doing a Lucas on it by going it his first name on the jersey Virgil.

Better than dijk

Gaillimh1976

Agent Coulson wrote: »

I just noticed watching that VVD is doing a Lucas on it by going it his first name on the jersey Virgil.

Did the same at Celtic

Harry Palmr

Knex. wrote: »

Harry will like this. The website I linked earlier actually does decent, albeit quick, breakdowns. Here's the Everton game. The photo has a navigation bar, in case anyone misses it, so you can cycle through the image breakdown (took me a second to spot it).

http://www.coachesvoice.com/virgil-victor-anfield-debut/

Harry Palmr wrote: »

Cheers.

This is an annoyance and one that really is not hard to stop

There are times in a game when Liverpool have the wind at their back and we see 3/4 players ahead of the ball and as many again within a short sideways pass. Losing possession in this moment usually means even the worst opposition can be presented with a decent chance to scare the centre-backs/keeper with a decent ball for a runner.

and on this http://www.playedoffthepark.co.uk/window-shopping-liverpool/

Watching some clips of Liverpool though, it felt as though the opposition could progress the ball through the midfield with minimal fuss. Granted it may not be best making this judgement looking at counter attacks and chances conceded, but it felt as though there were fairly big gaps between both horizontal and vertical lines, something you wouldn’t associate with a Klopp side.

I thought I’d have a look at some numbers to try and see if there was any truth in this.

One way to look at it was to just see the completion rate of passes that move the ball from the opposition’s half to Liverpool’s. In this Liverpool do well with the opposition having the 4th lowest completion in the league.

Another way of looking at it was to look just at the vertical passes moving the ball from the opposition’s half into Liverpool’s. Only Newcastle allow the opposition to attempt more of these passes than Liverpool in the Premier League this season. While the completion of these passes is pretty much the average (45.3% vs 44.9%), meaning the opposition complete the 5th most vertical passes into Liverpool’s half per match.

Given vertical passes exclude 15% either side of side of the pitch to focus on the centre, this could be a worry for Liverpool. Again, comparing to Tottenham and Manchester City, these numbers are much higher. Liverpool allow a vertical pass from the opposition’s half to their half 5.733 times per game, Spurs 3.267 and City 2.333 – with the completion rates of these passes also being significantly below average, 35.3% for Spurs, 31.5% for City.

Liverpool do seem slightly better at dealing with counter attacks than last season, but is still something they should be looking to improve. When they lose the ball it feels as though the opposition are only a pass away from running at Liverpool’s centre-backs left exposed.

Assuming Keita doesn't turn into the midfield Moreno when he joins this should be reduced to an average level at worst. Everyone in the current midfield is failing badly - Henderson's lack of mobility and reading of the game when defending, Can's head in Turin and slow take off speed, Wiji's complete lack of urgency further up the field. We fret about the defence and the attack (now Phil has gone) but the middle is the real problem. Neither dynamic enough going forward while being soft headed in defence.

sword1

Did can bulk up too much, his speed in turning, reacting is definitely slower. A vertical pass sounds like a garryowen.

Vicxas

Bristol City doing well.

Seems the key to stopping City is to not give them the ball......



Huh.

BorneTobyWilde

Liverpool back from Dubai, I never even saw pictures of them being in Dubai. They spent most of the time in the air if they're back already, what was purpose of literally a few hours in Dubai.

Rumple Stillson

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

Liverpool back from Dubai, I never even saw pictures of them being in Dubai. They spent most of the time in the air if they're back already, what was purpose of literally a few hours in Dubai.

Shopping for the Missuses.

sword1

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

Liverpool back from Dubai, I never even saw pictures of them being in Dubai. They spent most of the time in the air if they're back already, what was purpose of literally a few hours in Dubai.

Over to meet up with rodgers, get a pep talk so that there will be no slip ups

BorneTobyWilde

I don't get all the Rodgers bashing, he was great when he had the right tools to perform with. He was trying to shoot pool without a cue in his last season.

5starpool

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

I don't get all the Rodgers bashing, he was great when he had the right tools to perform with. He was trying to shoot pool without a cue in his last season.

Most people don't want to hear others talk about how great they are. It's not a father ted competition for a parachute where that sort of thing is acceptable.

sword1

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

I don't get all the Rodgers bashing, he was great when he had the right tools to perform with. He was trying to shoot pool without a cue in his last season.

I was just bringing attention to the fact that celtic were in Dubai at the time also, I wouldn't be big into bashing rodgers but I do wonder how anyone could juggle one hundred odd properties, a wife and kids, a girlfriend, the amount of personal grooming (teeth, weight loss etc) and still have the time to manage a football club in his last season at Liverpool. It was a turbulent year for him to say the least.

Agent Coulson

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

Liverpool back from Dubai, I never even saw pictures of them being in Dubai. They spent most of the time in the air if they're back already, what was purpose of literally a few hours in Dubai.

They were being inspected by our future owners only needed to be there for a few hours of inspection.

martyos121

Bristol leading LOL. Hopefully City knacker themselves trying to break them down in the second half, whether they win or lose matters little as long as they’re good and tired on Sunday.

Agent Coulson

martyos121 wrote: »

Bristol leading LOL. Hopefully City knacker themselves trying to break them down in the second half, whether they win or lose matters little as long as they’re good and tired on Sunday.

City are giving them and everyone else a bit of hope before battering them by 10 in the second leg.

Talisman

munstermagic11 wrote: »

Yes, in the 6 role, which may be the toughest position in Klopps formation.
Henderson isn’t ideal for the role, he’s just the best one we currently have for it.
It doesn’t mask that Wijnaldum has been poor, and would be in a serious fight for his place come the start of next season.

If we sign another decent midfielder to partner Keita then both Henderson and Wijnaldum will be benched on a regular basis.

Oxlade-Chamberlain is the younger more mobile replacement for Milner.

My prediction is that Keita will be Henderson's replacement.

Goretzka is the rumoured replacement for Can.

That trio alone would be a marked improvement on the current midfield line-up.

Utopia Parkway

For those wondering the Coutinho add-ons apparently are

€5M after 25 appearances
€20M after 100 appearances
€5M for each of the first first 2 seasons Barcelona qualify for the CL
€5M if Barcelona win the CL

So all are pretty much guaranteed I'd say apart from Barcelona winning the CL which is still a definite possibility.

Talisman

Vicxas wrote: »

Bristol City doing well.

Seems the key to stopping City is to not give them the ball......



Huh.

Man City had 66% possession in the first half and were undone by a counter attack.

Vicxas

Talisman wrote: »

Man City had 66% possession in the first half and were undone by a counter attack.

Man,

My jokes really arent landing tonight...

sword1

De bruyne levels it

~Rebel~

De Bruyne really is just magic. Brilliant stuff from Sterling too. He's really developed into a genuinely world class player this year. Does the right things at the right times, and gets into fantastic positions, and of course finishes these days too.

Vicxas

Poor oul Bristol City, that 10 mins they were in the lead must have been great.....

Agent Coulson

De Bruyne recovered from being dead I see and is better than ever.

Agent Coulson

The Newcastle Chronicle newspaper are reporting that Rafa wants Sturridge on loan but his wages demands are to high.

Tipsy McSwagger

I would make VVD captain, we have absolutely no leaders and this guy is a born leader. I know he has only played one game but I don’t care. The armband does be passed around anyway when Henderson is out injured (which is all the time) so let’s get it done.

~Rebel~

Tipsy McSwagger wrote: »

I would make VVD captain, we have absolutely no leaders and this guy is a born leader. I know he has only played one game but I don’t care. The armband does be passed around anyway when Henderson is out injured (which is all the time) so let’s get it done.

I think we put too much emphasis on captaincy. Leaders on the field are leaders whether they have the armband or not. Carra was always a leader. Sammi was a leader long after he lost the captaincy. Kuyt, Lucas, Mascherano, Alonso, all leaders without captaincy.

I think we're all a bit influenced by a golden era in the premiership where each club had one talismanic player with the armband, Viera, Terry, Gerrard, Keane. With the exception of Terry there, the role of the midfielder has changed how we see the captaincy too I think... it was synonymous with the all action midfielder - but that's not really a thing anymore. Midfield has become compartmentalized in what they're being asked to do.

Beyond Liverpool and Kompany at City, I actually have no idea who the other teams captains are. No idea who Utds captain is, or Everton, or Arsenal, or Chelsea, or Spurs, or any of the rest.

On the field, I think it carries far less importance than we think, and leaders will always show their mettle regardless of a bit of extra fabric. I think captaincy is probably more important off the field now, in being a voice for the dressing room to the coach, welcoming new players to the club etc, and in that respect, Henderson actually seems quite good. The role has more in common with union rep than on-field-general now I think.

j8wk2feszrnpao

Talisman wrote: »

If we sign another decent midfielder to partner Keita then both Henderson and Wijnaldum will be benched on a regular basis.

Oxlade-Chamberlain is the younger more mobile replacement for Milner.

My prediction is that Keita will be Henderson's replacement.

Goretzka is the rumoured replacement for Can.

That trio alone would be a marked improvement on the current midfield line-up.

No arguments with that. Goretzka, Keita, Ox (if he continues to improve), with rotation from Henderson/Wijnaldum/Milner. Not a bad set of options to choose from.

Riesen_Meal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygP_WhpKelE

Van Dijk is a giant beast, nice to have a big lump in the team again...

Agent Coulson

Ah I just saw Digger is on Celebrity Big Brother man he should be a multimillionaire sitting in his mansion smoking cigars in a lounge coat by a blazing fire not on Big Brother.

Agent Coulson

We can well afford that price.

Mohamed Bouhafsi claims that a bid of €70m would be the minimum requirement from AS Monaco this month to sell Thomas Lemar

https://twitter.com/gffn/status/950846396046946304

~Rebel~

Agent Coulson wrote: »

We can well afford that price.



https://twitter.com/gffn/status/950846396046946304

61 million pounds - yeah, grand, no bother at all at that price to be honest! Would be a bargain at current prices for talented young players.

Osmosis Jones

I'll be fairly annoyed if he leaves Monaco and we don't at least match whatever anyone else has bid for me.

RainMakerToo

Osmosis Jones wrote: »

I'll be fairly annoyed if he leaves Monaco and we don't at least match whatever anyone else has bid for me.

nobody is going to bid that much for you! :P

Knex*

If Klopp wants him, get it done.

Rumple Stillson

Osmosis Jones wrote: »

I'll be fairly annoyed if he leaves Monaco and we don't at least match whatever anyone else has bid for me.

I've never actually seen him kick a ball but if FSG don't sort this we'll be the laughing stock of world football. #FSGOUT

martyos121

Knex. wrote: »

If Klopp wants him, get it done.

That sentence seems to sum up our transfer strategy these days so if he does want him, I’d be fairly confident.

Osmosis Jones

RainMakerToo wrote: »

nobody is going to bid that much for you! :P

I've no idea how that happened but I'm leaving it in.

marklazarcovic

Think the club are pushing hard to get gorexta done so the funds not spent on buying a player for that position (considerable) can be spent on a lemar/pulisic player .. makes sense

Agent Coulson

Knex. wrote: »

If Klopp wants him, get it done.

I think that is the thing we are actually only buying the players he wants or it's no player.


As frustrating as that can be for us fans it's good to know the manager has a vision and the owners are backing that vision.

5starpool

Agent Coulson wrote: »

I think that is the thing we are actually only buying the players he wants or it's no player.


As frustrating as that can be for us fans it's good to know the manager has a vision and the owners are backing that vision.

If we end up not buying him though we have no idea why (unless someone reliable comes out and says why). It may be because Klopp didn't want him, or at least wasn't that pushed, it may be because the club wouldn't sanction the price or the wages, it may be that he got better terms at another club, or that he didn't like the weather in the north west of England.

I'm sure there will be loads of upset people though foaming at the mouth over someone they know little about (like me) and over a situation they have only a small % of the facts in (like me also).

Thanx 4 The Fish

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

Liverpool back from Dubai, I never even saw pictures of them being in Dubai. They spent most of the time in the air if they're back already, what was purpose of literally a few hours in Dubai.

Here is one for you..

5starpool

https://twitter.com/SamMcGuire90/status/950853355638874112

Talisman

Agent Coulson wrote: »

We can well afford that price.



https://twitter.com/gffn/status/950846396046946304

That would be the same offer they accepted from Liverpool in August.

Harry Palmr

marklazarcovic wrote: »

Think the club are pushing hard to get gorexta done so the funds not spent on buying a player for that position (considerable) can be spent on a lemar/pulisic player .. makes sense

There is not a chance of Leonid Goretexta signing.

Agent Coulson

Talisman wrote: »

That would be the same offer they accepted from Liverpool in August.

So we offered €70m not the £90m that every respected and not respected Journo said and Monaco excepted that €70m not £90m then what we changed our mind and said nah we don't really want him we might come back in January or next summer?


Cool you learn something every day.

Harry Palmr

Anyone want a laugh

https://twitter.com/DiMarzio/status/950867250151555072

Calciomercato | Il Real Madrid vuole rispondere al Barça: nel mirino Salah
Il Real Madrid vuole rispondere all'acquisto di Coutinho del Barcellona andando sempre a pescare tra i giocatori del Liverpool

hardly needs translating.

Agent Coulson

Madrid will probably target him in the summer along with Neymar, Kane & Hazard who will be there main targets I would imagine.