Liverpool FC Team Talk, Gossip, Rumours 2020/2021

Girly Gal

If we're not going to sign a CB, I wonder was the option of recalling Marko Grujić from his loan spell explored. He could well be a decent option at CB or else fill Fabinho's role in midfield. We could let Origi go to free up space for him. I'd imagine they'd already have done that at the start of January if it was an option.

Agent Coulson

Southampton have confirmed Ings tested positive for Covid right after the Liverpool game.

So more than likely he played the game with it so we might see a few players dropping out in the next few days.

atilladehun

Girly Gal wrote: »

If we're not going to sign a CB, I wonder was the option of recalling Marko Grujić from his loan spell explored. He could well be a decent option at CB or else fill Fabinho's role in midfield. We could let Origi go to free up space for him. I'd imagine they'd already have done that at the start of January if it was an option.

I thought that too. He looks like a CB, I was thinking it during the pre season friendlies.

I think he has some sort of pre contract with Porto. He's contracted with us till 2021 but with Porto till 2023. Probably part of the deal that we can't call him back.

davyboy1975

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Southampton have confirmed Ings tested positive for Covid right after the Liverpool game.

So more than likely he played the game with it so we might see a few players dropping out in the next few days.

Doubt it as none of our players got near enough to him in the game

Girly Gal

atilladehun wrote: »

I thought that too. He looks like a CB, I was thinking it during the pre season friendlies.

I think he has some sort of pre contract with Porto. He's contracted with us till 2021 but with Porto till 2023. Probably part of the deal that we can't call him back.

Wasn't aware he had a pre contract with Porto, there really should always be an option to recall a player once January comes, even if it could only be done during first week of January and maybe having to give them another player for remainer of the season.
It's funny at the start of season there were countless posts praising Michael Edwards deals, don't see too many of them lately as certainly from a defensive point of view we left our selves short

~Rebel~

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Southampton have confirmed Ings tested positive for Covid right after the Liverpool game.

So more than likely he played the game with it so we might see a few players dropping out in the next few days.

Feck. He was talking verrry closely with two LFC coaches right after the match (the smaller fella who looks like Klopp and someone taller facing the other direction. Could’ve been Klopp himself)... it was outside, but with Ings breathing heavily and hardly any distance at all between them. It caught my attention on screen as it looked a bit wrong under the circumstances.

yourdeadwright

~Rebel~ wrote: »

Feck. He was talking verrry closely with two LFC coaches right after the match (the smaller fella who looks like Klopp and someone taller facing the other direction. Could’ve been Klopp himself)... it was outside, but with Ings breathing heavily and hardly any distance at all between them. It caught my attention on screen as it looked a bit wrong under the circumstances.

Ye is seen that it was the fitness coach .
Just our luck to have a couple more big players drop out before the United ,
Thiago,Mane, Trent, Salah, Naby, Shaq, Tsimakas have had it so are all safe ,

Its only a matter of time before some of the other lads get it ,

brevity

Klopp probably has it. He hasn’t looked well of late.

The White Wolf

.G. wrote: »

Man United are a sideshow in terms of where this league ends up. We need to win this weekend but not because they're a threat, even they're own manager is tripping over himself to try talk them out of it, City are *the* threat. Playing reasonably well, aren't conceding many, scoring enough, unbeaten since the spurs game in November.

I think, nobody had gone more than 3 wins a row this season, City have just done 4 and have a very winnable run to add to it coming up before they play us in a few weeks.

If we don't start winning games and fast we could be a long way behind them by the time we play them.

We can pretend United are a sideshow but if they beat us they go 6 points clear.

We have Tottenham, City and Leicester to come as well while United's next run of fixtures runs comparatively handier.

If you think there's not scope there for United to steadily sneak away then I don't know what to say. I'm worried.

Agent Coulson

The FA Cup game against Man U will be at 5pm on the BBC Sunday week

Girly Gal

The White Wolf wrote: »

We can pretend United are a sideshow but if they beat us they go 6 points clear.

We have Tottenham, City and Leicester to come as well while United's next run of fixtures runs comparatively handier.

If you think there's not scope there for United to steadily sneak away then I don't know what to say. I'm worried.

A lot of people still think it's last season when we were rolling from win to win either that or they can't see the reality, tbh I think only if United win on Sunday will the reality dawn on them.
Let's face it since around the start of February last year we haven't really played well, take out the 2 Palace wins and we really haven't had many more stand out performances. In the meantime United have actually started to at least play as a team and have picked up as many if not more points than us over the last year, plus they are coming to Anfield high on confidence while morale must be fairly low within our camp. We were 7 or 8 points ahead of them just a few weeks ago, yet by Sunday we could be 6 behind. Atm United are on an upward curve, while we seem to be going in the opposite direction.
In terms of the league this season I think even if we win on Sunday our recent poor form has unfortunately opened the door for City and they will more than likely take advantage of it.

.G.

The White Wolf wrote: »

We can pretend United are a sideshow but if they beat us they go 6 points clear.

We have Tottenham, City and Leicester to come as well while United's next run of fixtures runs comparatively handier.

If you think there's not scope there for United to steadily sneak away then I don't know what to say. I'm worried.

It's January and we've to play them twice in the league still and they've have to play alot of the big 6 away too. They've haven't won any big game they've played this season so far. I'm not worried about them no cos I'm only concerned about winning the league, and it's City and only City we need to concern ourselves with on that score. United may well pull away from us too but thats neither here nor there. If we finish above City we win this league.

It's a big if though.

.G.

A lot of folk where very worried about Leicester at a similar stage last season and we know what happened there. The way some talk here you'd think it was only us and United in the race and that suits the main challengers quite well if we're all honest. Unbeaten in 14 games yet United under Ole are the threat.

Not for me Jeff. Its not even halfway yet and my glass is still half full.

BillyHasMates

.G. wrote: »

A lot of folk where very worried about Leicester at a similar stage last season and we know what happened there. The way some talk here you'd think it was only us and United in the race and that suits the main challengers quite well if we're all honest. Unbeaten in 14 games yet United under Ole are the threat.

Not for me Jeff. Its not even halfway yet and my glass is still half full.

City are obviously the threat in terms of who wins the title nobody saying any different. Utd's form does need to be acknowledged though in comparison to our own and there is a very real prospect they could finish above us this season. Don't know many Liverpool fans that don't want to see that happen so I don't know why posters are saying they are not concerned by them . If they do win Sunday will we continue to see posts about keeping Ole at the wheel? I doubt it

Girly Gal

.G. wrote: »

A lot of folk where very worried about Leicester at a similar stage last season and we know what happened there. The way some talk here you'd think it was only us and United in the race and that suits the main challengers quite well if we're all honest. Unbeaten in 14 games yet United under Ole are the threat.

Not for me Jeff. Its not even halfway yet and my glass is still half full.

I think even a blind man can see that City are favourites to win the league now, but, in regards to the weekend game United are in better shape than us and have shown over the last year they can hold their form for the remainder of the season so they could finish above us. I still think we will probably finish above United, but, they could seriously impact our season in the next 2 weeks by dealing our title defense a serious and potentially fatal blow this weekend and also dump us out of the FA cup next week. None of us want to see that happening. Either way we've allowed City back into the title race and I think we'll regret that at the end of the season

citytillidie

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Southampton have confirmed Ings tested positive for Covid right after the Liverpool game.

So more than likely he played the game with it so we might see a few players dropping out in the next few days.

Do a Man City then and request to postpone the game if one player has it:pac:

Enzokk

Girly Gal wrote: »

Let's face it since around the start of February last year we haven't really played well, take out the 2 Palace wins and we really haven't had many more stand out performances. In the meantime United have actually started to at least play as a team and have picked up as many if not more points than us over the last year, plus they are coming to Anfield high on confidence while morale must be fairly low within our camp. We were 7 or 8 points ahead of them just a few weeks ago, yet by Sunday we could be 6 behind. Atm United are on an upward curve, while we seem to be going in the opposite direction.

Yeah, if you ignore the Leicester at home this season, and Chelsea away, and Wolves at home, and Atalanta away, then we have not had many standout performances.

How many standout performances can you remember last season before February? There was Everton at home, Leicester away. Man City at home as well, but another referee on another day and they have a penalty and the match changes. So let us not pretend that we had a season of standout performances, we were good enough to win most matches last year and we had luck going our way. Other than Villa away, we have been worse than last year but still had moments in all matches that we could have won or drawn where we lost points.

I guess success breeds success and this is where United find themselves right now, not playing great but getting results. We have a chance to stop their momentum this weekend.

As for City, they weren't great against Brighton last night. It was very much a City performance of the last 2 years, they had moments on attack as they have brilliant players and the way they play means the opposition doesn't have a lot of chances. But this wasn't City of 3 years ago where it seemed almost impossible to beat them. I still see a vulnerability, but they are undoubtedly better defensively than they were last year.

Tusky

~Rebel~ wrote: »

Feck. He was talking verrry closely with two LFC coaches right after the match (the smaller fella who looks like Klopp and someone taller facing the other direction. Could’ve been Klopp himself)... it was outside, but with Ings breathing heavily and hardly any distance at all between them. It caught my attention on screen as it looked a bit wrong under the circumstances.

I think I read somewhere that he was in Liverpool’s dressing room after the match?

.G.

BillyHasMates wrote: »

City are obviously the threat in terms of who wins the title nobody saying any different. Utd's form does need to be acknowledged though in comparison to our own and there is a very real prospect they could finish above us this season. Don't know many Liverpool fans that don't want to see that happen so I don't know why posters are saying they are not concerned by them . If they do win Sunday will we continue to see posts about keeping Ole at the wheel? I doubt it

Genuinely, I'm one!

I'm not remotely arsed where they finish in relation to us if we haven't won the league. They won't win it either imo. Their own fans wanted the manager out a few short weeks ago when they got binned from the CL yet he seems to have some higher level of reverence here than they themselves have for him. He's won nothing, not even won a big game against any of the big 6 yet so far this season so the pressure is very much all on them to change that. They have much much more to prove before I'd ever be worried about them winning the big ones ahead of us.

They're on course for a Leicester type season which won a league cos everyone else was crap. Thats not the case this time, everyone else is still in and around their level at the moment and their city rivals look like accelerating away from them and us. The top of the league is very very tight, any run of winning games gets you right back in it.

They're in the conversation only because our and City's levels have dropped sufficiently to allow it. However City seem to have shaken that off now and are on a good long run unbeaten in all comps.

United might finish above us if our malaise continues but other than banter points on here it means nothing, if we haven't won the league we've failed, but there are many mitigating circumstances for that, finishing below them is nothing extra to lose sleep over. We aren't doing too badly at all considering the issues we've faced this season and there's a long way to go yet so as always, I prefer to try stay positive rather than worry about what ifs.

Nothing is won or lost this Sunday, regardless of the end result.

robwen

https://twitter.com/LFC/status/1349808252502958082?s=19

BorneTobyWilde

SHould Jones start, you know he'd have a good game, he's Made In Liverpool. We need passion on the pitch.

Nunu

Tusky wrote: »

I think I read somewhere that he was in Liverpool’s dressing room after the match?

That would be a clear breach of current match day protocols and would have consequences from governing bodies if true but I haven’t heard it?

~Rebel~

Eder Miliato apparently available on loan from Madrid too. Would be another decent option, decent on the ball. Cost Madrid 50 million euros! Also no harm that he's Brazilian, so communication with Fabinho beside him is that bit easier.

~Rebel~

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

SHould Jones start, you know he'd have a good game, he's Made In Liverpool. We need passion on the pitch.

Passion is grand, but I'd only play him if better players are unavailable.

Jones is a player who plays well when the team are playing well, and plays poorly when the team plays poorly. He's on a bit of a run of poor form, so he's a risk right now. I think on current form, he's behind Hendo, Gini, Thiago, Naby and Shaqiri, but ahead of Ox. Good option on the bench to inject energy in the last 30 if needed though.

atilladehun

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

SHould Jones start, you know he'd have a good game, he's Made In Liverpool. We need passion on the pitch.

Gerrard got 8 red cards in his career. 2 Vs Everton, 2 Vs utd. It's always made me veer away from the passion shout. At least with Gerrard he had a shout for being the best player on the pitch.

Hendo, Trent, Robbo, mane have enough explicit passion. I'd rather have Hendo, Thiago, Gini start. See how the game goes then.

Fitz*

atilladehun wrote: »

Gerrard got 8 red cards in his career. 2 Vs Everton, 2 Vs utd. It's always made me veer away from the passion shout. At least with Gerrard he had a shout for being the best player on the pitch.

Hendo, Trent, Robbo, mane have enough explicit passion. I'd rather have Hendo, Thiago, Gini start. See how the game goes then.

And Gerrard also scored 19 goals against Man Utd & Everton! Clubs listed as 2 & 3 on the clubs he scored against the most.

Jones likes a shot and is capable of testing the keeper from distance but I don't think this is the game to start him in. Have to have smart heads in this game IMO. Not saying he is not smart, but more experienced and street wise, wary of the tricks that Utd players will get up to.

~Rebel~

Fitz* wrote: »

And Gerrard also scored 19 goals against Man Utd & Everton! Clubs listed as 2 & 3 on the clubs he scored against the most.

Jones likes a shot and is capable of testing the keeper from distance but I don't think this is the game to start him in. Have to have smart heads in this game IMO. Not saying he is not smart, but more experienced and street wise, wary of the tricks that Utd players will get up to.

Indeed... if the likes of Hendo, Gini, Thiago, Naby are fit, they're just better footballers than he is, and starting him would be putting 'passion' ahead of ability. I won't be upset if he ends up starting or anything, but I'd rather he was kept as an energetic presence from the bench. Not least because if he's on the bench it means we probably have a decent team on the field!

robwen

Who could forget that 38 seconds of passion from Stevie in 2015

BorneTobyWilde

United have a great away record, but in saying that have conceded 11 goals away from home, while Fulham have a bad away record and have conceded 12 goals away from home.
United score a lot on the road, coming back to win games, but dam they concede a lot. At home we've scored 21 , far the best in league
This bodes well, stat wise, I think we'll hit them for 2 at least, can they come back and hit us for 3, dunno, we've only conceded 8 at home.

rob316

I've been told Bailly is the best defender in the league if he was fit. Please bring this lot back down to earth Sunday

Zak Flaps

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

SHould Jones start, you know he'd have a good game, he's Made In Liverpool. We need passion on the pitch.

No.

Liam O

rob316 wrote: »

I've been told Bailly is the best defender in the league if he was fit. Please bring this lot back down to earth Sunday

Heard similar about Matip. Also was told Adrian was better than De Gea last season. Whoever said all of them was clearly wrong.

Bailly is probably the 4th or 5th best United defender in another universe where injuries aren't a thing. Had a good half season once when Jones was actually better than him playing as his partner. Jones gets injured and it starts to fall apart before Bailly gets injured for 2 years. He is always having to dive in and make saving tackles which is a big red flag.

yourdeadwright

Liam O wrote: »

Heard similar about Matip. Also was told Adrian was better than De Gea last season. Whoever said all of them was clearly wrong.

Bailly is probably the 4th or 5th best United defender in another universe where injuries aren't a thing. Had a good half season once when Jones was actually better than him playing as his partner. Jones gets injured and it starts to fall apart before Bailly gets injured for 2 years. He is always having to dive in and make saving tackles which is a big red flag.

Personally I think Bailly is United's Lovren

He can be absolutely fantastic for a spell of 3 or 4 games and you think the penny has finally dropped then will do something stupid, which usually involves trying to win a ball when he should just stand off and hold position , It'll lead to a goal or a penalty ,

Also like Lovren he can never stay fit for long runs ,

Both injury prone
Both fantastic defenders for periods but then do something absolute daft when there is absolute no need or danger ,

yourdeadwright

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

SHould Jones start, you know he'd have a good game, he's Made In Liverpool. We need passion on the pitch.

Only if we can't field 3 of the below in midfield

Fabhino, Henderson, Thiago,Gini, or Keita

And then its a toss up with Shaq ,

yourdeadwright

If the lads can't raise them self's for this weekend they may as well pack it in and do something else for a living ,

I have every faith that no matter what happens we will have a proper go at United ,

I think its a game to be brave on the ball and instead of worrying about being beaten go hell for leather for the win ,

happyoutscan

.G. wrote: »

Genuinely, I'm one!

I'm not remotely arsed where they finish in relation to us if we haven't won the league. They won't win it either imo. Their own fans wanted the manager out a few short weeks ago when they got binned from the CL yet he seems to have some higher level of reverence here than they themselves have for him. He's won nothing, not even won a big game against any of the big 6 yet so far this season so the pressure is very much all on them to change that. They have much much more to prove before I'd ever be worried about them winning the big ones ahead of us.

They're on course for a Leicester type season which won a league cos everyone else was crap. Thats not the case this time, everyone else is still in and around their level at the moment and their city rivals look like accelerating away from them and us. The top of the league is very very tight, any run of winning games gets you right back in it.

They're in the conversation only because our and City's levels have dropped sufficiently to allow it. However City seem to have shaken that off now and are on a good long run unbeaten in all comps.

United might finish above us if our malaise continues but other than banter points on here it means nothing, if we haven't won the league we've failed, but there are many mitigating circumstances for that, finishing below them is nothing extra to lose sleep over. We aren't doing too badly at all considering the issues we've faced this season and there's a long way to go yet so as always, I prefer to try stay positive rather than worry about what ifs.

Nothing is won or lost this Sunday, regardless of the end result.

In complete agreement. Further to this, personally I can handle whatever happens this year as long as we qualify for the Champions League.

All because the weight of not winning the PL title is thankfully now gone.

theoneeyedman

Anyone see us playing a more 4-2-3-1 type thing on Sunday, then the normal 4-4-3? Maybe Henderson and Gini sitting in a little, protecting the center backs (especially if Matip is out) and allowing the full backs to bomb forward a little more. Bobby could help out in midfield as required, Mo and Sadio alternating up top.

Dunno, just a thought.

yourdeadwright

theoneeyedman wrote: »

Anyone see us playing a more 4-2-3-1 type thing on Sunday, then the normal 4-4-3? Maybe Henderson and Gini sitting in a little, protecting the center backs (especially if Matip is out) and allowing the full backs to bomb forward a little more. Bobby could help out in midfield as required, Mo and Sadio alternating up top.

Dunno, just a thought.

If Matip is out Henderson is 100% starting Cb in my opinion
But on that formation yes but Thiago & Gini deep Shaq right, Bobby centre Mane left and Mo up top ,

rob316

Madness putting hendo in at cb. Why weaken the midfield as well?

yourdeadwright

rob316 wrote: »

Madness putting hendo in at cb. Why weaken the midfield as well?

Klopp can't trust Williams or Phillips at the back both are to slow and don't move the ball quick enough ,

Agent Coulson

Christian Flak is reporting Liverpool have been in contact with Red Bull about signing both CB's Upamecano & Konate

cj maxx

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Christian Flak is reporting Liverpool have been in contact with Red Bull about signing both CB's Upamecano & Konate

Signing both ? In the one go?

Agent Coulson

cj maxx wrote: »

Signing both ? In the one go?

He just said Liverpool along with Chelsea and Munich had been in contact about signing Upamecano. Then added Liverpool are also made contact about Konate as well.

So maybe it’s one or the other.

However we really could do with two new CB’s in the squad next season.

.G.

theoneeyedman wrote: »

Anyone see us playing a more 4-2-3-1 type thing on Sunday, then the normal 4-4-3? Maybe Henderson and Gini sitting in a little, protecting the center backs (especially if Matip is out) and allowing the full backs to bomb forward a little more. Bobby could help out in midfield as required, Mo and Sadio alternating up top.

Dunno, just a thought.

4-2-3-1 is how I would go, put Williams beside Fab, Hendo and Thiago in front, Shaq right side, Bobby though the middle, Sadio left and Mo up top. We need to try something different to try get the goals flowing although the simple act of Thiago being back and able to start playing could change that by itself.

Maybe Hendo will be CB and Gini can play with Thiago.

giveitholly

Still a chance for Matip,kieta ruled out

https://twitter.com/CaoimheSport/status/1350066948059631616?s=19

BorneTobyWilde

Matip is someone you roll out for one game, then back to the treatment room.

BorneTobyWilde

The whole training thing is silly. Matip doesn't need training to start, he'd put in 90 mins without putting in 1 minute on training ground in previous month.

yourdeadwright

I don't think Matip will be playing I think Klopp just doesn't want to let United
I would be very surprised to see him line up ,

OwaynOTT

Can he be our Ledley king

.G.

Paul McGrath didn't do much training in his later years. Game has moved on though, lot more pacey now.