Liverpool FC Team Talk, Gossip, Rumours 2024/25

Cup game V Arsenal is on the BBC on Sunday Jan 7th at 4:30pm

Yeah I would have Jota, Nunez, Salah as the first choice 3 at the moment too.

Diaz is way off it at the moment and Gakpo seems to be performing better as a sub and/or a general player who can play anywhere rather than CF.

I mean, it's maybe slight hyperbole, simply because his levels from 2018 to 2020 were so ludicrously high.

But i think a combination of the captain's armband, having legs in front of him in midfield, and maybe trusting his knee fully again, he looks back to at least 70% of his old self at least. his pace is not quite where it was at, but I would argue a lot of his aura is back.

when Cameron Archer got half-through in the first half yesterday, Van Dijk did his classic thing of holding the centre while waiting for reinforcements to come - delay, delay, delay, and only jump in when you have to. Archer pulled the trigger, and he effortlessly blocked it. he did it so perfectly, and as a result the commentator was so confused, that said commentator started criticising him for bad defending, saying he got lucky. i couldn't believe my ears. the guy defended it perfectly, and Archer looked like a child. just like all attackers did up to his injury.

now that the aura seems there again, long may it continue.

That's a fair point and something that I've thought of before.

I suspect that whilst UEFA obviously have no control over the UK police and can't dictate to them, that their attitude might be along the lines of "you're saying it cant be played at 8pm eh?, ok we'll reschedule it for 8pm in a neutral country then, no shortage of willing candidates". Kind of playing a bit of hardball. But not an option that's possible for an EPL fixture.

Merseyside police wouldn't need to worry as Liverpool nearly always get the 12.30 away from home!

Considering its a midweek and most locals would be at work and not out drinking

Everton already out of the relegation zone.

Handy for us to see Newcastle (and hopefully Spurs) dropping points tonight.

Right right.

Looking to Saturday,Does Konate start again considering how soon the match is after the Sheffield Utd and injury prone he is?

Palace will be without Doucoure,Eze and the left back Mitchell I think. Hodgson had a go at the fans midweek so things are definitely not rosy there at the minute. Might not be the worst time to be playing them

Yeah that is what I was thinking,maybe Jones in for MacAllister if the cut on his leg is bad

It's been a strange season. Here we are, lying second in the table, and IMO we haven't played that well so far. I think Alisson and Virgil are the only 2 players that have been relatively consistent.

I think Trent has been ok. Very good at times. I don't know where exactly he should play to get the very best out of him. Hopefully Klopp can figure that out. Matip has been decent and it's a real shame that he's done for the season. Konate is inconsistent but he's been good more than bad. Kostas has had a few shaky moments but overall I think he's done a pretty good job replacing Robertson. Gomez has had a few great games and has done well on the right, but he's too prone to errors. Quansah is very promising.

MacAllister isn't playing in his favoured position so it's understandable that he's not always at his best. After a great start, Dom has dropped a level recently but I'm sure he'll improve again. Gravenberch has some good games, but like Dom, has dropped off a bit in the last few games. Endo had a shaky start but his form has been good in the last few games. I think he's found his feet.

Elliot only seems to be good when coming on as a sub. Jones adds very little these days. I think he's better further up the pitch but Klopp doesn't seem to want him there.

Apart from a few goals, Diaz has been a big disappointment. I can't remember him being too great last season either, but I could be wrong there. Gakpo is very inconsistent also. Not sure where his best position is. Jota can be awful some games, but then he always seems to pop up with goals! Salah is Salah and will always score goals. He might be a bit tired at the moment. But he's always capable of some magic and his assist rate has been very good this season. Nunez overall has improved since last year. Still misses some sitters, but his work rate and the chaos he brings makes me smile.

I think we need another couple of good defenders and a midfielder if we have any chance of winning the premiership this season.

We're still 2nd though! 😊

The game tomorrow is a big game psychologically to win.

4 points ahead of City. Need to win to maintain the gap, City are going to take out their frustrations on Luton.

2 points ahead of Villa and 2 points behind Arsenal. A win puts us top of the league, pressure on Arsenal to win and a draw between Arsenal and Villa will have us 3 points ahead of Villa and ahead of Arsenal on goal difference.

A Villa win keeps us 2 points ahead of them and a clear point ahead of Arsenal. An Arsenal win will put us 5 points ahead of Villa and back in second where we currently are.

We're 7 points ahead of Spurs and United and 8 points ahead of Newcastle so a win keeps that gap no matter what their results and hopefully that gap gets a bit extended.

December / January have normally been tough months for us results wise. If we can get through the next 2 months and still be in the top 2 we tend to finish strong from February to May.

Wins in the next two months no matter how ugly the performances are really all that matters.

I hate the 12.30 game, but with Palace in Selhurst park, it's probably better than a midweek game under lights.

If they get going at all, that place rocks in nighttime games, and is a difficult place to get a win, as we've found out over the years. It's a great sight seeing them bouncing and singing 'Glad all over', unless you're 2-1 down after 80 minutes and they are hitting on the counter attack.

In some ways, a dull 1-0 or 2-0 win exactly like on Wednesday is what's required

Allison back in team training

Honestly I put it all down to a hangover from the world cup last christmas. The schedule was ridiculous

Interesting that so many teams seem to have injury crises now. I do wonder though whether at teams like Spurs and Newcastle it is just like we saw with Klopp when he arrived. Pushing the players in a new pressing system that they are not used to and for Newcastle the added matches that they had as well means players are just overloaded and they get injured. Add in a few unlucky injuries at the same time and you have a bare bones squad. We had 8 players out as well so its not like we have not been suffering, its just we seem to cope with it better as the injuries have not hit us in critical positions so the players not being available is not as bad as it could be.

19 years ago tonight I was sat just behind the goal on the Kop when you're happened...

😃

A pub in limerick,talking about limbs when Gerrard scored and every drink in the house spilt.

On the KOP myself block 205 that night.

Was working nights, with really no internet coverage. Was popping in and out to the security hut where the guard had a small B&W portable TV, and popped out to get the final score. Just happened in the hut about 30 seconds before the goal..... BOOM!

Different times.

The official site confirms Ali is in the squad. I'm not sure whether that wording suggests he's only on the bench...?