Liverpool FC Team Talk, Gossip, Rumours 2024/25

Fitz* · 14-01-2023 6:35pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120108630#Comment_120108630

He changed to a 4-2-4 at the start of the season, before going back to 4-3-3 and the a 4-3-1-2. And changed to a 3-4-3 for the first half of today. He is trying things. They might not work out, but he is trying things. To be fair to him.

AdrianG08 · 14-01-2023 6:36pm

Midfield needs replacing, but it's out of order that our defence is so bad.

If our midfield running/pressing at 90miles an hour is needed every game to paper over defensive deficiencies, then it's a crap defence.

Good teams don't leak goals.

BorneTobyWilde · 14-01-2023 6:36pm

Klopp: “It’s fully my responsibility, we have to sort these problems. We have limited options at the moment”

Ardent · 14-01-2023 6:38pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120108625#Comment_120108625

Amen. He's one of the biggest liabilities and problems in this team. At least provide some competition for his position!

Nalz · 14-01-2023 6:38pm

How did Evan Ferguson play?

mormank · 14-01-2023 6:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120108630#Comment_120108630

It hasn't "been sussed". He doesn't have the personnel available to play it properly right now. Our midfield in it's current state is simply not fit for purpose. Even having Firmino up top would make a difference as he becomes like an extra number in midfield. We were missing 4 players, from my count, who would have started today from defence and our attack but we were missing nobody in midfield who would have started today and I think that is very telling.

yourdeadwright · 14-01-2023 7:03pm

I think we would be mad not to cash in on Trent

Youd probably get 100 million in todays market

14-01-2023 7:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120108773#Comment_120108773

For England’s third choice RB, and a defender who can’t defend? I think 100m is optimistic.

BorneTobyWilde · 14-01-2023 7:12pm

.

When you walk through the storm

Hold your head up high

And don't be afraid of the dark

At the end of the storm

There's a golden sky

And the sweet silver song of the lark

Walk on, through the wind

Walk on, through the rain

Though your dreams be tossed and blown

Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart

And you'll never walk alone

You'll never walk alone

Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart

And you'll never walk alone

You'll never walk alone

14-01-2023 7:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120108660#Comment_120108660

Excellent again. Laid on the pass for March’s goal, and was a thorn in Liverpool’s side until subbed. Got a deserved ovation from the home crowd.

UsBus · 14-01-2023 7:16pm

We've just come off a six week break in the season and we're back to missing players again. Something seriously off in the preparation of these players. Constantly out with injuries. Same story different season

machiavellianme · 14-01-2023 7:17pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120108648#Comment_120108648

I'd be worried if he didn't. Blind people can tell you how bad it was today.

BorneTobyWilde · 14-01-2023 7:19pm

I admire how he sticks to his tactics in the face of such criticism. We had 50 goals in our first 18 PL games last season, 34 goals in 18 PL games this season, and 9 of those came in one game, that leaves 25 in the other 17 games.. so basically half, we need goals.

This is football,,,, goals win games, who knew !

yourdeadwright · 14-01-2023 7:43pm

I'd love to know who's decision it was to spend 40 million on a sluggish looking attacker over a midfielder in January

It's baffling

JPup · 14-01-2023 7:49pm

Bad day at the office.

Amazing to think that was 8 of the 11 players who comprehensively outplayed Real Madrid in the Champions League less than 8 months ago (24 shots to 4 remember!) including the same midfield midfield 3 that totally dominated the legendary trio of Casemeiro, Kronos and Modric.

After going so hard last year to almost get the quadruple, it’s like the team is just mentally and physically drained. Reminds me of Gerrard the year after the ‘slip’ in 2013/14. He just couldn’t pick himself back up and was a shadow of his former self until he retired.

Hopefully Klopp and the coaching staff can figure out a solution fast the league is gone now our season comes down to Champions League. We’re in the same boat as Chelsea

BorneTobyWilde · 14-01-2023 8:00pm

Chelsea just got Mudryk for 100m, sure why not 🤑

~Rebel~ · 14-01-2023 8:27pm

Had avoided the result and just watched the match in full. Obviously that was a bad decision.

Christ.

Jesus Christ.

sigh.

Ok, well, the most basic and glaring issue seems to be that half the team (or more) have somehow forgotten how to sprint. Fabinho hasn't sprinted in months - he literally cannot be selected again. He's absolute poison at this stage. But it's so many more of them - Ox's thing used to be his dynamism and speed, and now he's just 3/4 pace'ing it around the place. Loads of them covering lots of ground in theory I'm sure, but none of it effective cause they're always just moving at a trot. Trent was awful for this too - though at one stage he did actually have a sprint seemingly out of frustration to burn off some energy or something, and even though it was a lost cause, it flustered their keeper who misplaced his pass. Because that's what happens if you force someone into acting a bit quicker than they'd like!

We had one moment right at the end of the first half, where Brighton had the ball in the backline, and we had 4 players well positioned for a press, but none of them actually pressed, they all just went through the motions, and Brighton easily passed through. It's like our performances are some shadowy memory of what came before.

We looked better after the subs I thought, literally just having a few players who actually sprinted around. And with Elliott and Naby running, Thiago started running as well and looked much better and more active, winning the ball back more times than in the pervious 70 minutes combined. Gakpo looked better with a bit of hustle around him after that point too.

I'd like us to start picking our teams based firmly on who is actually going to run for the next while. We need to inject that intensity back in, and having lads like Fabinho and Ox in there just won't do it, and it drags everyone down to their level of physical apathy. I'm on the fence with Trent even, he annoyed me at times today, but he is at least capable of it, so if a bit of a talking to - and some other players running around him - would kick him up a gear that's grand.

It really goes to show just how much Nunez has been bringing in that regard by himself this season though!

Anyway, with all that vented, hopefully I'll never have to think of this performance again.

yourdeadwright · 14-01-2023 8:29pm

I just don't understand how our last league game was Brentford away and this ended up being the exact same even actually worse.

Do our management not work on tactics or has Klopp lost the dressing room and the players ?

Charlie19 · 14-01-2023 8:38pm

Losing out on the league and CL after putting in some amount of graft must be catching up on them.

BorneTobyWilde · 14-01-2023 9:04pm

Goals not only win games, they rip the heart out of teams, we used to do that to most, now the heart of our team is ripped out every time we concede.

We need to score more, attack more, under Klopp our offense was our defense, we need to play with more freedom, and less fears

Zak Flaps · 14-01-2023 9:08pm

Thankfully I missed the shambles today. How did Caicedo play? Would you be happy if we got him?

14-01-2023 9:10pm

Kinda sums it up.

https://www.football365.com/news/opinion-liverpool-have-a-hole-at-their-heart-at-the-moment-both-on-and-off-the-pitch

~Rebel~ · 14-01-2023 9:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120109313#Comment_120109313

Caicedo And MacAllister are both streets ahead of anything we have.

noodler · 14-01-2023 9:23pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120109143#Comment_120109143

God if I hear this one more time

Charlie19 · 14-01-2023 9:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120109368#Comment_120109368

Losing out on the league and CL after putting in some amount of graft must be catching up on them.

14-01-2023 9:30pm

Losing out on the league and CL after putting in some amount of graft must be catching up on them.

~Rebel~ · 14-01-2023 9:34pm

Y'know, ya really have to wonder if losing out on the league and CL, after putting in some amount of graft, might be catching up on them.

noodler · 14-01-2023 9:37pm

I heard Liverpool are the only club to have played last season.

Fitz* · 14-01-2023 9:38pm

I really do think after losing out on the League and CL, after putting in all that physical and mental graft, it's all caught up with them.

Zak Flaps · 14-01-2023 9:39pm

It's obvious that Salah's major increase in wages has caused trouble in the squad which is showing itself on the field. Actually, who am I kidding.... more than likely it's losing out on the league and CL after putting in some amount of graft that has finally caught up with them.

Alonso77 · 14-01-2023 9:40pm

It's obvious what needs to happen, Klopp needs to be sacked..... and reappointed immediately for the new manager bounce! Yes!

14-01-2023 9:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120109430#Comment_120109430

What you possibly heard is that they were the only club to play in every game, every competition possible last year. That amount of graft is possibly catching up on them.

~Rebel~ · 14-01-2023 9:43pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120109430#Comment_120109430

That's not at all the point being made...

I mean, obviously Liverpool did literally play more football than anyone else - but its' way beyond that. People are referring to the mental toll of raising their game week in week out, and then falling agonisingly short. Twice. In quick succession, in the two biggest things that mattered. A potentially monumental achievement became a damp squib in the blink of an eye. The mental fatigue and sheer disappointment from that must really be fairly crushing.

noodler · 14-01-2023 9:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120109454#Comment_120109454

Yes, yes, were months on now.

This is being said every week.

There was the summer, there was a world cup break for half of them.

Very difficult surely.

Let's move the **** on.

~Rebel~ · 14-01-2023 9:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120109465#Comment_120109465

Ah yeah, that's true enough. It feels like some major malaise has set in, which only a rise in refocused intensity could fix (like it did a few years ago), but with the added issue that a few players physically can't climb to those heights again. So we're kind of dead in the water until reinforcements arrive who can run.

atilladehun · 14-01-2023 9:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120109465#Comment_120109465

They would if they could. But they're mentally burnt out.

ebbsy · 14-01-2023 9:57pm

We can go out and buy 10 new players in the morning but guess what ? They will all be out for months with injuries sooner or later.

And when they come back then they will break down again sooner or later.

Every time I turn on the news somebody else is done. This needs to be sorted out.

BillyHasMates · 14-01-2023 10:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120109454#Comment_120109454

They have had months to get over it at this stage. Doesn't come anywhere close to explaining the woeful form of so many players. If it was a minor drop or blip we could use that excuse but not anymore.

JPup · 14-01-2023 11:22pm

I don’t understand that logic. What explanation do you have other than mental and physical burnout after playing more football than any other team last year and coming agonisingly close twice only to be crushingly disappointed? I mean that’s it. That’s what’s happening. I said it earlier, but it’s like Gerrard the year after the 2013/14 season except on a collective level

iIts obviously not an easy fix. Otherwise Klopp would have fixed it already.

theoneeyedman · 14-01-2023 11:42pm

Gerrard was 33/34 in 2014. It's pretty clear why his form may have fallen away at that stage of a long career, especially given his style which relied of athletism and power.

It's not mental, it's physical, not unlike Henderson and in ways Thiago.

The coaches deserve huge critism at this stage IMHO. It's clear we need reinforcements, but there are weaker squads in the league playing better than we are. You gotta adapt and make the best of whatever resources available, and we're not doing that We're setting up as if we have the 2019 versions of Virgil, Fab, Hendo, Bobby, Mane, and Gini available to us. We haven't adapted to the players available to us at all,and that's on the coaches.

yourdeadwright · 14-01-2023 11:47pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120109843#Comment_120109843

It wasn't just Gerrard in 13/14

Suarez & Agger left & Sturridge was injured for the entire season basically

JPup · 15-01-2023 12:06am

Yeah. We lost our 3 best players in one go. Suarez sold, Sturridge injured and Gerrard to burnout.

I felt sorry for Rodgers that summer. He scoffed at the idea of signing Balotelli in a press conference only to be forced to accept him as better than nothing at the end of the window.

Our recruitment at that point was terrible which thankfully proved the catalyst for FSG getting their act together and putting together a world class scouting and analytics team. Unfortunately that seems to have fallen apart a bit over the last couple of year.

mada999 · 15-01-2023 12:26am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120107969#Comment_120107969

nah OX was a coward today imo... jumping out of 50/50 tackles all game... free header 6 yards out and blew it...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120108025#Comment_120108025

Have to say, its not just even Fab..... the passing today (even when not even under pressure) was ridiculously poor...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120108070#Comment_120108070

dont actually know what he does? fúck all assists, fúck all goals, a few flicks, jogging around... id say between his wages and Salah's, the others are probably just phoning it in tbh

~Rebel~ · 15-01-2023 12:41am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120110007#Comment_120110007

Our recruitment wasn't bad, Rodgers just refused to work with quite a few of the people they brought. But they were already recognising talents at cut prices. Decent players like Aspas, Sahin, and Luis Alberto very shrewdly identified, but left to rot effectively. We could've reaaallly done with Aspas instead of bringing in Balotelli, but Rodgers had already sent him packing after one season. Even someone like Assaidi could've contributed more than he was allowed to - as shown by his performances when he too was sent on loan, to Stoke.

And of course there were some who did actually get to play - the recruitment staff saw the value in Sturridge, Coutinho, and Can, who arrived for a collective 30m and became key players. Firmino is another, who Rodger's was in the process of ruining, before he got the sack and Klopp used him properly.

That transfers civil war was a total disaster for us, wasted so much money on that dumb "one for you, one for me" policy. Ending up with Benteke and Firmino in the same window the perfect example - two forwards who just don't fit into the same plan.

Osmosis Jones · 15-01-2023 12:54am

What's this sudden sentiment of the players being mad at Salah's wages? Been mentioned in a few comments since the game

BillyHasMates · 15-01-2023 12:55am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120109843#Comment_120109843

That season ended almost 8 months ago. The players have had a break and also a club break around the world cup. How long do you think it should take professional footballers to recover from disappointment. I am not writing it off completely as a factor, it might have explained a poor start to the season alright. But we are now in January and the team is playing worse not better. Their minds should now be completely on this season. There are far more relevant factors at play than a hangover from last season.

~Rebel~ · 15-01-2023 12:56am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120110148#Comment_120110148

yeah, I can't say I buy that at all. It'd be one thing if others were outperforming or outworking Mo, but as it stands he's one of the few that actually puts a full and total shift in, normally pressing on his own.

atilladehun · 15-01-2023 1:59am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120110155#Comment_120110155

Sometimes professional players never get over things like that. It's not just last season. There's a compound of disappointments and last season may have broken them.

Others get over quicker.

Sometimes it's a particular event that fixes it, not just time. Like the right new player coming in. A new leader to hold some mental weight. A new person to spark the dressing room.

kingshankly · 15-01-2023 2:00am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120109483#Comment_120109483

It always baffles me how someone sitting watching a match on tv not having any face to face interaction with a player can decide that the team is mentally burnt out

BorneTobyWilde · 15-01-2023 2:04am

Away to Wolves in a KO competition to 99.999999% of managers means Chess Football, keep it tight, stay compact, kill the space. But we all know Klopp will go away to Wolves with a sky high line, and with Trent and Robertson playing in the oppositions box, and he's not stupid, so it's brave. We've seen it plenty of times on the touchline, reading his lips when we need to up our game, be brave!

In the long run it's right, but at the moment it's congrats to Wolves on their progression to the next round

Liverpool FC Team Talk, Gossip, Rumours 2024/25

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