Liverpool FC Team Talk, Gossip, Rumours 2019

ERG89

gimli2112 wrote:

we really haven't played well all season except in spurts, the defence has been fantastic and we've rode our luck at times. Still we're in the mix.

The subs in the first half killed the tempo a bit but there was a an entire second half. Klopp was clearly pissed on the touchline as he saw the chance was there to win but Salah & Mane couldn't pass the ball 2 yards whereas Sturridge was practically playing as a third centre back for United he was so bad.
The biggest difference this season in big games is that we go out in some of the away ones & play not to lose. I think yesterday we assumed United would have a full squad & all week the team set up to not lose first instead of looking to win. Rightly or wrongly that did not happen the last few years.
We set up that way vs City(twice), Chelsea & Arsenal away, away in Paris & Naples, to an extent the Spurs game we were cautious too, the Bayern game last week we never went for it in the second half as 0-0 is better than a score draw. That's 1 win from 8 in those games & we got lucky in a few of them.
We have a good keeper & Van Dijk now so can rely more on the defence but there are some games where we couldn't have setup to play as poorly as we did.
Sure we only lost one game, have the best defence in the league but outside of the top 3 there would not be too many sides in the league who could say they've had a good season, which to me shows why this is a big opportunity. But the team have to win the league as City are highly unlikely going to just drop points for us.
It's not down the fans not making an atmosphere now it's based on the team performance; time to show they want it as there are maybe 12 games left this season. I kinda hope we stay in Europe as anytime we have have an extended break we look a total shambles after it.

Plasandrunt

i hate this we've rode our luck at time narrative too, Mane had a clear goal disallowed at the Emirates, Kompany's blatent redcard at the Ethihad and even stuff like Chris Wood's goal for Burnley in which he was a good 5 yards off side all gets overlooked but Salah getting ninja kicked for penalties against Arsenal and Brighton and teams missing penalties (Mahrez) and keepers making mistakes (Pickford and Speroni) never happens to any other teams apparantly, only us

We were poor yesterday but this free flowing United team parked the bus against us and I've never ever heard Old Trafford that loud, I'll defnitely take the point, go top of the league with 11 games to go and move onto Watford

Tipsy McSwagger

Southdubin6 wrote: »

Completely agree about Virgil, but the problem is we aren't has beens anymore 5 years ago we were a side who done it years ago but just couldn't quite get it done now. We are the team in England now, clubs hated playing us cause they knew we were gonna put 3 4 5 past them with Virgil our back line was solid again. THEN for whatever reason we played city and lost and it has been chase our tails since dropping silly points.

All you need to do is look at United fans crowing about how we are bottling it, bottling it my bollo× we have lost form as can happen in football, they are delighted at home getting a draw off us. That was unheard of before the last 2 years.

I couldn’t care less about that lot, they think they have found the new messiah. A manager who puts on an unfit player only have to take him off 18 mins later after he got injured trying to run around Allison. The real brains there is Mike Phelan anyway.

I honestly still think the title is in our own hands but there is something clearly wrong with the way we are playing.

Southdubin6

Tipsy McSwagger wrote: »

I couldn’t care less about that lot, they think they have found the new messiah. A manager who puts on an unfit player only have to take him off 18 mins later after he got injured trying to run around Allison.

I honestly still think the title is in our own hands but there is something clearly wrong with the way we are playing.

Yes for sure, that's meaning behind my post hopefully it can be address we've a game in a number of days that it's 3 points or league is I'm city's hands. It's no gimme but very winnable

gimli2112

Southdubin6 wrote: »

Absolutely rubbish we were the best team in England until the city game. Leading up to that in 4 games bearing wolves United arsenal and Newcastle we scored 14 conceeding 2.

Please don't come here talking nonsense

yeah like I said in spurts they've been good but our league position has been been largely based on grinding out results. It's staggering how many points we've accumulated. There's been a plenty of underwhelming results this year too - away in Europe, the last 4-5 games, Chelsea, Leicester, Everton, Utd (all good results) etc. It may be that City have raised the bar but there's enough cause for concern watching some of the performances.

Southdubin6

gimli2112 wrote: »

yeah like I said in spurts they've been good but our league position has been been largely based on grinding out results. It's staggering how many points we've accumulated. There's been a plenty of underwhelming results this year too - away in Europe, the last 4-5 games, Chelsea, Leicester, Everton, Utd (all good results) etc. It may be that City have raised the bar but there's enough cause for concern watching some of the performances.

I don't think city have raised the bar, they are now playing to their expected level we have dropped off. We've scored 59 goals this year conceeding 15. We were amazing August to December. Last 3 months we have wilted. If the players reapply themselves there is no reason we can't still win this and then some

ERG89

Plasandrunt wrote:

i hate this we've rode our luck at time narrative too, Mane had a clear goal disallowed at the Emirates, Kompany's blatent redcard at the Ethihad and even stuff like Chris Wood's goal for Burnley in which he was a good 5 yards off side all gets overlooked but Salah getting ninja kicked for penalties against Arsenal and Brighton and teams missing penalties (Mahrez) and keepers making mistakes (Pickford and Speroni) never happens to any other teams apparantly, only us

Could have conceded a pen to Spurs late on, Sturridge's goal at the Bridge & Mahrez missing a pen we did ride our luck at times, Milik's chance late on & even Origi's goal vs Everton is not something the team physically possible to repeat such was it's abnormality.
I wouldn't have many of those down as anything but getting lucky at times.
We've lost one game but to say we haven't came close to losing more points is seriously having the blinkers on.

citytillidie

Liverpool have to start going for it now, they may have only lost 1 game but draws are killing them.

Liverpool W20 D6 and L1
Man City W21 D2 and L4.

Going to be like 2009 again with too many draws

Potential Underachiever

Have to say it was a far more exhilirating thrill ride when we went for the title under Rodgers, sure we shipped a lot of goals but we were unbelievable going forward, it was a joy to watch.

This season yes we have been excellent and efficient but there's very little flow or fluidity in the play, we're trying to grind our way to a title, fair enough tactics if it comes to fruition mind you. I agree with a poster above who mentioned our set up in big games being a bit too cautious, sticking Milner in yesterday was a prime example, then not getting Keita or TAA on as the game progressed was poor too. We should have thrown a bit more caution to the wind.

murpho999

citytillidie wrote: »

Liverpool have to start going for it now, they may have only lost 1 game but draws are killing them.

Liverpool W20 D6 and L1
Man City W21 D2 and L4.

Going to be like 2009 again with too many draws

So why are you ignoring that City have lost 4 games and Liverpool only 1?

Why can't City's defeats kill them?

Plasandrunt

ERG89 wrote: »

Could have conceded a pen to Spurs late on, Sturridge's goal at the Bridge & Mahrez missing a pen we did ride our luck at times, Milik's chance late on & even Origi's goal vs Everton is not something the team physically possible to repeat such was it's abnormality.
I wouldn't have many of those down as anything but getting lucky at times.
We've lost one game but to say we haven't came close to losing more points is seriously having the blinkers on.

I don't see what Sturridge's goal has got to do with luck, it was a great strike. Goakeeper saves from Milik, again why is that lucky? We should have been about 4/5 goals up in that game but it's only the Napoli chance missed is unlucky? Pickford made a mistake in the Derby, Lovren made a mistake for Sane's goal for City's winner, these things happen

Southdubin6

Potential Underachiever wrote: »

Have to say it was a far more exhilirating thrill ride when we went for the title under Rodgers, sure we shipped a lot of goals but we were unbelievable going forward, it was a joy to watch.

This season yes we have been excellent and efficient but there's very little flow or fluidity in the play, we're trying to grind our way to a title, fair enough tactics if it comes to fruition mind you. I agree with a poster above who mentioned our set up in big games being a bit too cautious, sticking Milner in yesterday was a prime example, then not getting Keita or TAA on as the game progressed was poor too. We should have thrown a bit more caution to the wind.

Keita for me was the missing piece yesterday I keep saying it but when we've Fab, Gini and Hendo in the middle we've nobody there to pick a pass or burst out of that role of holding in front of the back line. Gini would be the creative of the 3, Hendo sits and Fab sits and holds. We needed something different when Herrera went well should of exploited

citytillidie

murpho999 wrote: »

So why are you ignoring that City have lost 4 games and Liverpool only 1?

Why can't City's defeats kill them?

I was comparing it to 2009, where Liverpool only lost 2 games and yet too many draws killed them

Man Utd W28 D6 and L4
Liverpool W25 D11 and L2

Win more games get more points allowing you to lose more games as long as you do not have lots of draws.

Potential Underachiever

Potential Underachiever wrote: »

......... we're trying to grind our way to a title............

Sort of Jose football at times.

rob316

That was the most disappointing thing yesterday Keita wasn't brought on. Pogba never turned up and they had 2 average kids in the middle of the park, it was just so poor. We needed something creative to drive through the middle and test their CB's, we didn't do it once, it was so easy for them to defend against Mane and Salah.

murpho999

murpho999 wrote: »

So why are you ignoring that City have lost 4 games and Liverpool only 1?

Why can't City's defeats kill them?

I'd say draws are killing us if we were trailing City by a few points!

Ste-

rob316 wrote: »

That was the most disappointing thing yesterday Keita wasn't brought on. Pogba never turned up and they had 2 average kids in the middle of the park, it was just so poor. We needed something creative to drive through the middle and test their CB's, we didn't do it once, it was so easy for them to defend against Mane and Salah.

Matip did it once in the first half and got a free on the edge of the box.
Why this wasn't done again by someone else I don't know.

Luckycharms_74

citytillidie wrote: »

Liverpool have to start going for it now, they may have only lost 1 game but draws are killing them.

Liverpool W20 D6 and L1
Man City W21 D2 and L4.

Going to be like 2009 again with too many draws

murpho999 wrote: »

So why are you ignoring that City have lost 4 games and Liverpool only 1?

Why can't City's defeats kill them?

Agree with citytillidie here. I said to my mate yesterday that it's the draws that could kill our league challenge just like 08/09.
Very similar to that season Utd lost 4 and we lost 2 but 12 fcuking draws.
We can see from spurs how little impact draws have in the grand scheme of things. They have lost 7 games , zero draws and yet only 6 pts behind us, so they still not out of it fully yet.


I think Klopp missed a trick yesterday. With Utd's walking wounded they were there for the taking. That whole second half they were playing with 10 and a half fit Rashford.
We should have whipped Milner at HT for Trent. Sturridge should have never been on the pitch after 30 mins, it should have been Shaq or Kieta and gone 442 or 4312. I hope he never gets another start between now and end of the season, and I'm a big Sturridge fan.

How good was that save by Allison :eek:, that's why we spend the money on him for those big game saves


We see now and esp since January that we need top quality depth in the squad. Once we get past 13 players we short on it. I think we need 3 top players in the summer and deffo one for the attack.
The 3 boys up front are under no threat for their place. Salah has been muck the last few weeks & Shaw had him in his pocket all game yesterday.

Let's regroup vs Watford and then the tough trip to Goodison. As stated yesterday by media if we are top after next weekend it should spur us on for the home stretch.
It also shows how far we come when 0-0 vs Bayern and 0-0 at OT and we are not happy.

Southdubin6

Ste- wrote: »

Matip did it once in the first half and got a free on the edge of the box.
Why this wasn't done again by someone else I don't know.

That's the point our center half had to break 30 yards to the opponents box. It should of been constant from the midfield waves of pressure

marklazarcovic

Fabinho and vvd will be the future leaders of this team, colossal signings both.

08/09 was a lot different. We blew our chances over a period in Dec/Jan. Four draws in a row iirc. Then we chased Utd and nealy caught them. Left ourselves with too much to do.

It's in our hands this time. Need to improve asap though.

gimli2112

Salah's never scored against Utd but what's remarkable is he's scored against every other premier league side ( I haven't fact checked this so I really hope it's true)

PhuckHugh

A lot of players are out of form and teams have adjusted well to what worked earlier in the year ... simple as that.... An fully fit and firing Ox could make a big difference.

PhuckHugh

PhuckHugh wrote: »

A lot of players are out of form and teams have adjusted well to what worked earlier in the year ... simple as that.... An fully fit and firing Ox could make a big difference.

Yeah, Ox would be very much welcomed back. Is he nearly ready?

SlickRic

Vicxas wrote: »

So a nights sleep has calmed me down a bit.

My biggest concern now is our current performance dip.

This is really the only thing I'm concerned with.

If yesterday had been a day where we battered them, but Utd held out for a backs-to-the-wall point, I'd have been annoyed, but I wouldn't have been overly worried.

the Watford game gives us a perfect chance to try and get momentum back, but the toothlessness is becoming a trend. West Ham, Leicester, Bayern, Utd. Bayern played decently, but Utd were there for the taking if we had any cohesion whatsoever in attack.

it's funny how our defence is being relied upon so heavily. even yesterday, Utd had the best chances. VVD had a couple of great clearances, Robertson got well in front of Lukaku on one occasion, and Allisson pulled out the best piece of goalkeeping of the match.

hopefully this is merely a blip in performance.

the other problem is that such is the quality and usual relentlessness of City, slip-ups aren't afforded in the same way that they used to be. it was fine when 85 points was the target for winning a league. but that's not the world we're living in unfortunately. there is concern because the bar is so high for what we need to do to achieve what we all crave.

Mr.H

murpho999 wrote:

Why can't City's defeats kill them?

They may have lost 3 games more than us but they are only a point behind. So to be fair draws are killing us. In fact for gd we could have been better if we lost 4 and won 2 of those 6.

We need to gp for it more. We are too scared to concede this season.

Southdubin6

RoboKlopp wrote: »

Yeah, Ox would be very much welcomed back. Is he nearly ready?

According to the medical staff first game in April he will be in the side.

Luckycharms_74

gimli2112 wrote: »

Salah's never scored against Utd but what's remarkable is he's scored against every other premier league side ( I haven't fact checked this so I really hope it's true)

Swansea but they now in the championship, so yeah only Utd

LuckyLloyd

Do you want to know the good news folks? We'll know a lot in three weeks time:

Watford (H)
Everton (A)
Burnley (H)
Bayern Munich (A)
Fulham (A)

International break.

Either we'll be top of the table with 7 games to go and into the CL Quarter Finals or we'll have stuttered in one or both. This is as good a series of fixtures to find form in as any. Two home games as favourite; a derby where the opponents will neccesarily push it as demanded by the home crowd; a tie against relegation fodder and finally a European game with the tie in the balance. This is a run of games we're good enough to do well in. It's a run of games that suits our style, our identity and our strengths.

It isn't the time to be looking back. Five games in three weeks that are all massively relevant to the two biggest competitions we play in. I'm looking forward, with hope.

rob316

Its all the breaks are killing our match sharpness, we looked brilliant against Bournemouth then it was another 10 days before we played Bayern. We were suspect defensively against Palace but we still scored 4 goals and looked sharp, break again for 11 days and we were awful against Leicester.

City put ten past rag ball rovers but it doesn't matter its kept them sharp, the football free flowing. I'm not buying this lack of games helps, maybe less midweek games but 10-14 days off is breaking our rhythm.

I think we'll be fine again Wednesday and sunday and start to return to some form.

Potential Underachiever

Any word on Firmino? I can't be optimistic about this next run of games Lloyd posted about unless he's going to be available. If not, I foresee a few more disjointed performances coming up.

NIMAN

As a neutral who watched the game the other day, I genuinely think Liverpool aren't going to win the league this year.

I have seen some recent performances and they seem to be losing their edge.

At the weekend they played the weakest Utd team in many a year, who had made all their subs before half-time and who had an injured man on field for 90mins. Yet they rarely troubled them, and even worse it looked like Klopp settled for the draw.

The 3 points was there for the taking. Opportunity missed.

gimli2112

Luckycharms_74 wrote: »

Swansea but they now in the championship, so yeah only Utd

I saw they included Swansea in the stat and couldn't work out why, they must have included relegated sides

LuckyLloyd

NIMAN wrote: »

As a neutral who watched the game the other day, I genuinely think Liverpool aren't going to win the league this year.

I have seen some recent performances and they seem to be losing their edge.

At the weekend they played the weakest Utd team in many a year, who had made all their subs before half-time and who had an injured man on field for 90mins. Yet they rarely troubled them, and even worse it looked like Klopp settled for the draw.

The 3 points was there for the taking. Opportunity missed.

This is an entirely reasonable opinion. Yesterday was two points dropped against poor opponents. It was frustrating and disappointing. We have clearly suffered a prolonged period with a dip in form. And yet, we have only lost two games during the stretch and there were ways to win every game we've played.

It is all to play for, the odds from bookmakers reflect the reality but it's great to be involved and in the mix.

Luckycharms_74

Good article by Rory Smith in NY Times


Liverpool Draws at Manchester United and Lives to Fight Another Day

wrote:

MANCHESTER, England — Jürgen Klopp was walking along the edge of the Old Trafford field, on his way from the changing room to speak to the assembled news media, when Liverpool’s fans spotted him. They had been corralled inside the stadium for 20 minutes or so after the final whistle, until the Manchester police had determined it was safe for them to be accompanied out. They had entertained themselves by singing, for a while, but had gradually fallen quiet, as if trying to work out their emotional reaction to the 0-0 draw they had just seen.

And then Klopp appeared. As they lingered in the aisles, ringed by stewards, they turned to salute him. “Liverpool, top of the league,” they sang. Klopp had spent most of the afternoon with a deep-set scowl on his face, barking instructions at his players, bristling and bubbling with dissatisfaction.

As he got closer, though, as he worked out what they were singing, he put one hand on his heart — on the Liverpool crest on his top — and, with the other, offered a little wave. He beamed that broad, warm smile, the one that makes him look a little like a happy shark. It lingered even as he turned away, before he got serious again.

Liverpool’s day was a little like that, somewhere between a scowl and a smile.

A draw with Manchester United meant a return to the top of the Premier League table, ahead of Manchester City by a single point, with 11 games left to play.

It meant Klopp’s players have now faced the most daunting fixture of their run-in: against England’s most in-form team — United remains unbeaten domestically since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer replaced José Mourinho — and a club fizzing with motivation to see Liverpool fail. That point represented an obstacle cleared. There was no great sense of relief, though, no untamed glee among the travelling fans. The point also represented an opportunity lost, against a United team frayed by injury. Anthony Martial sat in the stands, not fit enough to be involved; Nemanja Matic was ruled out after picking up an injury in training.

By halftime, Solskjaer had been forced to use all three of his substitutes, too, with Ander Herrera, Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard — a substitute himself — all limping off. Marcus Rashford, clearly in discomfort for much of the game, was forced to swallow a couple of painkillers and carry on.

United’s midfield, for more than an hour, consisted of Scott McTominay and Andreas Pereira, callow youth forced to bear the responsibilities of grizzled experience. Liverpool would rarely have faced a United team with such threadbare resources, with quite so many square pegs in round holes. It would rarely have found fate smiling so kindly at Old Trafford. That point stood as proof, too, of Liverpool’s failure to profit from United’s troubles.

Juan Mata, top, was the second member of the Manchester United midfield to leave with an injury in the first half. He was replaced by Jesse Lingard, but before the halftime whistle, Lingard, above, was gone as well.

But then Liverpool’s season has been a little like that: elusive, fuzzy, difficult to discern and define, as noteworthy for what it is missing as what is present.

The raw numbers, of course, are enormously impressive: just one defeat all year — at Manchester City, right at the start of January, still likely the most significant result of the campaign — and more points than it has ever had at this stage of the Premier League. More points, indeed, than all but a handful of teams have had at this stage of the season. Liverpool has the best defence in the country, comfortably ahead of Manchester City’s in goals surrendered; Virgil Van Dijk would be a contender for the various player of the year awards, a rarity for a defender. Only City has scored more goals.

The best gauge of how impressive Liverpool has been, though, is that with two -thirds of the season gone, it remains ahead of a City team so good that Pep Guardiola, its coach, has spent a good part of the last week batting off questions about whether it can win all four trophies — the mythical, unprecedented quadruple — this season. (It picked up the first on Sunday, beating Chelsea on penalties in the Carabao Cup final.) City is a team that picked up 100 points in winning the title last year, and has, at various points, been deemed to be even better this time around. All of that, and Liverpool is still on top.

And yet Liverpool does not look like a team capable of all of that: not just here, against a weakened Manchester United, but for considerable swaths of the season, too. City has a swagger and a panache and an irresistibility; Liverpool, on all but a few occasions, has seemed to toil for every goal and every point and every win.

It would be easy to see a run of draws in the last few weeks — against Leicester City and West Ham United and now Manchester United — and assume that the pressure is telling on Klopp and his players, unaccustomed to the stresses and strains that come with trying to win a league title. But in truth those performances were not so different to many of the games Liverpool has won this year; the only change was that Liverpool did not somehow pick a way through.

In part, that is all the fruit of a twin misunderstanding, a false comparison. Liverpool has been accused of failing to hit the heights of last year, when it reached the Champions League final and appeared uncontrollable, at times, in the Premier League.

But the memory plays tricks: Liverpool was not always the swashbuckling team of popular imagination last season; there were times of drudgery and frustration, too. And so, for that matter, does perception: Klopp has made a concerted effort this year to ensure Liverpool blows less hot and cold, does not expend too much of its energy in chasing games or swarming teams. He has trained his team to run a marathon, rather than a series of sprints.

That is why Liverpool is top of the league; it is why it feels surprising that Liverpool is top. How long that lasts, now, depends on whether Klopp’s gambit — stamina for speed — pays off. It depends on which interpretation of Liverpool is more accurate. It depends on whether Liverpool’s remaining games are defined by what it has, or what it does not. It remains a season that could end with a scowl, or with a smile. The solace, for Klopp, is that it remains Liverpool’s choice to make, just.

Southdubin6

Potential Underachiever wrote: »

Any word on Firmino? I can't be optimistic about this next run of games Lloyd posted about unless he's going to be available. If not, I foresee a few more disjointed performances coming up.

Scan today at 12 will know if damage to the medial ligaments or just a roll over. Looking at him jogging off I'd not have it as something serious unless it's his deltoid ligament that would only flair up 12 hours later

Southdubin6

***REGARDING Bobby's Injury.

Liverpool have said an update of scan will not be released today, Pre match presser tomorrow injury will be address and update will be given.

MD1990

https://twitter.com/SimonBrundish/status/1099996582538293248

How he never came on yesterday I don't know. Maybe he is 100% yet.

Southdubin6

MD1990 wrote: »

https://twitter.com/SimonBrundish/status/1099996582538293248

How he never came on yesterday I don't know. Maybe he is 100% yet.

He's not 100% but if someone is approaching match fitness he needs to be getting minutes to sharpen up

5starpool

Hindsight is a great thing, but I think leaving Keita and Alexander-Arnold out yesterday was a mistake.

I'm a bit conflicted about what to do if Firmino is out for Wednesday. He could bring in Shaqiri for the front 3 (who has been poor lately), or bring in Keita as another midfielder, but he has shown his best stuff centrally so would need to be played there, or just bring in Sturridge or Origi for the more orthodox replacement.

We need to win on Wednesday though surely. Maybe we can get another poxy late winner then against Everton to kickstart the remainder of the season, but we do need something.

I know we are top of the league. I know Salah is the joint top scorer this season. I know Firmino has been played a lot deeper, but the following are all still true statements:

- Liverpool have not played near as well at they can in a lot of games this season. Winning ugly is fine with me, but when they don't win these games it is just ugly.
- Salah seems all wrong this season. His touch, his instinct, his finishing, are all well of the pace of last season. I have no idea whether this is just down to opponents stopping him playing, or if his confidence is down, but he has been poor more often than not.
- Firmino seems to be far less effective in most games this season compared to the last couple of games. I haven't seen the stats on it, but even the pressing side of his game, which should be less affected by a position change) seems lesser than it was previously.

Positives are obviously the defence/goalie (for the most part), and Fabinho/Wijnaldum have been the shining lights of the last couple of months, and Mane had been our best attacker of recent games too, but the last couple of games has seen his form fit in with the others.

We still have everything in our own hands which is great, and we have the personnel and wherewithal to win the league, but our momentum has definitely been checked in the last couple of months since the City game.

eigrod

Klopp traditionally never tinkered too much with the formation or the front 3 personnel during a sticky patch and preferred just to ride it out. Probably doesn’t have the luxury of time now to be patient, with City right on our heels. However, with Firmino likely out for at least the short term, it will be interesting to see what he does (and if it works �� ). As for yesterday, very poor performance but I would take 4 points off Man Utd in a season without hesitation any season.

TitianGerm

5starpool wrote: »

Hindsight is a great thing, but I think leaving Keita and Alexander-Arnold out yesterday was a mistake.

I'm a bit conflicted about what to do if Firmino is out for Wednesday. He could bring in Shaqiri for the front 3 (who has been poor lately), or bring in Keita as another midfielder, but he has shown his best stuff centrally so would need to be played there, or just bring in Sturridge or Origi for the more orthodox replacement.

We need to win on Wednesday though surely. Maybe we can get another poxy late winner then against Everton to kickstart the remainder of the season, but we do need something.

I know we are top of the league. I know Salah is the joint top scorer this season. I know Firmino has been played a lot deeper, but the following are all still true statements:

- Liverpool have not played near as well at they can in a lot of games this season. Winning ugly is fine with me, but when they don't win these games it is just ugly.
- Salah seems all wrong this season. His touch, his instinct, his finishing, are all well of the pace of last season. I have no idea whether this is just down to opponents stopping him playing, or if his confidence is down, but he has been poor more often than not.
- Firmino seems to be far less effective in most games this season compared to the last couple of games. I haven't seen the stats on it, but even the pressing side of his game, which should be less affected by a position change) seems lesser than it was previously.

Positives are obviously the defence/goalie (for the most part), and Fabinho/Wijnaldum have been the shining lights of the last couple of months, and Mane had been our best attacker of recent games too, but the last couple of games has seen his form fit in with the others.

We still have everything in our own hands which is great, and we have the personnel and wherewithal to win the league, but our momentum has definitely been checked in the last couple of months since the City game.

TAA in at RB, Kieta in for Gini/Henderson, Origi in for Bobby. Then give Shaq 30 minutes in the second half, he's just better coming off the bench I feel.

I'd play Shaq and Kieta Wednesday

gimli2112

Watford should be easy it's not like they absolutely murdered their last opponents.
Nothing is looking easy on paper at the moment.

Boom_Bap

Bringing Keita in for Bobby makes sense to me.


Origi is so frustrating to watch. When the ball is played long, he gets his position wrong or, he gets it right and jumps way too early.
When he is chasing the ball down, he puts in effort to get there, but when he gets there, he doesn't attempt to close the ball or win it.


There was a chance yesterday when DeGea had the ball at his feet, Origi started to chase him down. DDG was still deciding what to do, Origi stopped running when he was 2 foot away, DDG passed it without pressure.
Origi does this way too much for my liking.


Sturridge just isn't doing enough when he's on the pitch for us, he's tried to adapt his game but it's not working out. I don't think its a fitness/sharpness thing either.


Shaq looks like he needs a confidence booster.

Our midfield need to contribute more goals.

Agent Coulson

Top of the league with 11 games to go and the advantage going into the second leg of the last 16 of the Champions League if you can't enjoy this maybe football's not for you.

Southdubin6

RoboKlopp wrote: »

I'd play Shaq and Kieta Wednesday

I'd start Keira and Shaq but as below so we don't go near that hoof ball with a straight 2 up top Shaq running off them.

Allison
Robbo Matip. VVD. TAA

Gini. Fab. Keita
Shaq

Mane. Salah

BillyHasMates

Midfield is the biggest cause of concern for me. We are far too over reliant on our front 3 for goals. If they are off form like yesterday then we don't threaten the goal at all. We are definitely missing that goal threat from midfield or the bench and that for me is the difference between us and City. Their midfield contribute goals which can make up for Aguero/Sane/Sterling having off days. We just don't have that luxury.

LuckyLloyd

Sturridge was horrendous yesterday. He's not an option in my mind if Firmino is out. You start Shaq imo.

Southdubin6

Firminho out of watford