Liverpool Football Club Thread

[bradigor]

Just now, Chewylegs said:

If it's the decision I think you are talking about then that would be the stupidest decision ever made.

 

It would, but it wouldn't surprise me at the same time. Klopp needs to be allowed to get the players he needs to salvage something from this season. But I fear FSG will do something stupid.

[bradigor]

Just now, glb said:

Don’t get this weird flex that players celebrating is somehow a bad thing?

 

They've just beaten a side that’s regularly battered them the last few seasons and are

top of the league. They should dance around all they want in the moment.

 

I remember the reaction when a Neil Mellor goal beat Arsenal themselves. 

 

I love seeing joy in people, because life sucks and joy is needed where you can get it 

[Chewylegs]

Sean Dyche still free?

[The Fox]

18 minutes ago, Azrael said:

Arsenal and their fans celebrating like they've just won the league 

Oh look out lads, the celebration police have infiltrated rllmuk 🚨 

[Gabe]

7 minutes ago, bradigor said:

 

It would, but it wouldn't surprise me at the same time. Klopp needs to be allowed to get the players he needs to salvage something from this season. But I fear FSG will do something stupid.

I think that's an even sillier thing to say than the conspiracy theory stuff. There's absolutely no chance FSG would sack Klopp, none. The fanbase would crucify them for it, for starters and it would irreparably damage their credibility in the eyes of the fans. And who could they possibly get in with any pedigree to try and improve the situation, especially given their lack of interest in investing more fully in the team?

 

The only way Klopp leaves is if he wants to and I said a couple of years ago it wouldn't surprise me if he did back then. I think this season could be his last though (ignoring the whole 7-year plan cycle stuff that seems to be doing the rounds) if the owners don't provide him with some ammo for the transfer market.

[glb]

7 minutes ago, Gabe said:

I think that's an even sillier thing to say than the conspiracy theory stuff. There's absolutely no chance FSG would sack Klopp, none. The fanbase would crucify them for it, for starters and it would irreparably damage their credibility in the eyes of the fans. And who could they possibly get in with any pedigree to try and improve the situation, especially given their lack of interest in investing more fully in the team?

 

The only way Klopp leaves is if he wants to and I said a couple of years ago it wouldn't surprise me if he did back then. I think this season could be his last though (ignoring the whole 7-year plan cycle stuff that seems to be doing the rounds) if the owners don't provide him with some ammo for the transfer market.

I’ve been thinking recently Klopp might just bin things off next summer. Not because he’s lost the dressing room or run out of ideas or anything but more he’s given everything for the club, won everything and in reality there’s not really much more he can do than what he’s already done.

[ryodi]

It was a penalty and you see them given all the time. The better team won and Liverpool looked like pre Arteta Arsenal where the players are there but the system isn’t working and the players aren’t working as hard as they used til I fear for us in the game against City, even though it’s at Anfield I expect them to cut through Liverpool at will. 

[glb]

Klopp sounded pretty pessimistic about the injuries to Trent and Diaz. And now there’s talk of a potential investigation into something said by Henderson towards Gabriel. So a shite start is quickly descending into something far, far worse.

[Gabe]

Things are rapidly going off the rails, aren't they?

[bradigor]

I hope that it isn't what is being rumoured. 

[Gabe]

Given nobody was allowed to mention it, I'm assuming a racist remark?

[SMD]

If Oliver had heard something like that, he would've sent off Henderson. I don't think it's good to speculate about something as serious as this until the investigation and any actions from that. Honestly we've been here before with the Firmino/Holgate thing and it just doesn't help when people look at Twitter speculation as anything other than clout chasing.

[Chewylegs]

14 hours ago, ryodi said:

It was a penalty and you see them given all the time. The better team won and Liverpool looked like pre Arteta Arsenal where the players are there but the system isn’t working and the players aren’t working as hard as they used til I fear for us in the game against City, even though it’s at Anfield I expect them to cut through Liverpool at will. 

It was a penalty because it was given as so, but contact does not mean a penalty should be given.  It was very soft and if the ref hadn't given it I think VAR wouldn't have overturned it.

 

The better team did win though.  Im not sure it's down to them not working hard enough though, more as you said the system isn't working and the players looking like they have no confidence at all.

 

Like you, I do fear for us against Man City though as we look all over the place at the back.  A back 4 of Milner, Matip, VVD and Tsimikas (probably the only player in a bit of form at the mo) does not instill confidence against Haaland at the moment.

[glb]

Think Haaland would have troubled our defence at its best, so yeah next week could be ugly. Don’t see much of a route to victory with so many players out of form and our most incisive forward hobbling out the Emirates with a knee brace on.

 

Fascinated to see how the Rangers game unfolds. After a slow start yesterday, thought we controlled the game until the comedy of errors right before half-time. There’s still a decent side in there somewhere, just not sure how Klopp elevates them to believing that again anytime soon.

 

As this will be a season of inconsistency, it’s kind of refreshing not having the draining ‘every game is a must-win’ week on week. Well, at least until we slip into a relegation battle with Everton.

[The Fox]

I would have been fuming if that penalty was given against us tbh. I can understand why VAR didn't overturn it because there was contact, but it's definitely a 'home team' penalty.

[Chewylegs]

45 minutes ago, The Fox said:

I would have been fuming if that penalty was given against us tbh. I can understand why VAR didn't overturn it because there was contact, but it's definitely a 'home team' penalty.

Nice to hear that from an Arsenal fan.  To be honest I get fed up with the idea that a touch in the area means it's a penalty.  There is so much grabbing and grappling that players get away with but a player going for the ball and tapping the back of a guys leg is a penalty? Makes no sense.

 

Arsenal are still flying though so fair play to you guys, it's impressive and shows what happens if you give a manager time.

[Azrael]

I'd say having TAA miss a few games would be a good thing for us and him. If we had Neco still. Is Ramsay fit enough to play yet? Would be good if it was like when Moreno got injured and Robbo broke into the team and claimed his spot. 

[glb]

Ramsay returned to training last week, so it’s probably a week or two early for him to be in contention. I’d imagine Gomez will fill in at RB, and hopefully Konate will start at least one of this week’s games.

 

Trent certainly needed a break (not literally, obvs) to get his head together. He’s certainly not the only one though, several senior players are coasting at the minute.

[bradigor]

16 minutes ago, glb said:

Ramsay returned to training last week, so it’s probably a week or two early for him to be in contention. I’d imagine Gomez will fill in at RB, and hopefully Konate will start at least one of this week’s games.

 

Trent certainly needed a break (not literally, obvs) to get his head together. He’s certainly not the only one though, several senior players are coasting at the mo.

 

Fixed that for you 

[glb]

Took me a minute/mo…

[Gabe]

2 hours ago, glb said:

As this will be a season of inconsistency, it’s kind of refreshing not having the draining ‘every game is a must-win’ week on week. Well, at least until we slip into a relegation battle with Everton.

This does feel like Football Manager, where you have been doing really well for a while and then the next season, with largely the same squad and tactics, you just can't buy a win and can't seem to turn it around no matter what you try.

 

I think, like in FM, the opposition just suss you out. We've played the same way for years and we saw last season how many wins the team scraped/late winners were needed. I think teams have found a way to nullify the press and the work rate has dropped, with teams out-working us.

 

What concerns me, and I mentioned it yesterday, is that even with no games for a month, time on the training ground has done nothing to improve performances, and certainly not solidified the defence. The team is leaking goals at a horrible rate and at the same time as lacking the creativity and width from the full-backs means it is the worst of both worlds.

 

I've said before, this is a real big test for Klopp and I think we are a long way behind at least 5 of the teams above us right now (probably 6 given how organised Newcastle are starting to look.)

[bradigor]

I blame Pep Ljinders book revealing all our secrets 

[glb]

51 minutes ago, Gabe said:

This does feel like Football Manager, where you have been doing really well for a while and then the next season, with largely the same squad and tactics, you just can't buy a win and can't seem to turn it around no matter what you try.

 

I think, like in FM, the opposition just suss you out. We've played the same way for years and we saw last season how many wins the team scraped/late winners were needed. I think teams have found a way to nullify the press and the work rate has dropped, with teams out-working us.

 

What concerns me, and I mentioned it yesterday, is that even with no games for a month, time on the training ground has done nothing to improve performances, and certainly not solidified the defence. The team is leaking goals at a horrible rate and at the same time as lacking the creativity and width from the full-backs means it is the worst of both worlds.

 

I've said before, this is a real big test for Klopp and I think we are a long way behind at least 5 of the teams above us right now (probably 6 given how organised Newcastle are starting to look.)

 

Think this is pretty accurate. There was talk of the players having a clear-the-air meeting about a month ago, which appears to have done the opposite of what was intended. The players look tetchy during games and are getting wound up far too easily by things they've ignored in recent seasons. It's interesting you mention the narrow margins of last season, because I think we're seeing similar this season just through a lens of when things don't quite fall our way. I'd argue the draws with Palace and Everton the players created enough to win, the latter particularly so but Pickford put in an outstanding performance. Four more points, plus a game in hand wouldn't necessarily put us back in the title picture but we'd be well in the hunt for top four and a lot less doom and gloom about the side.

 

Last season we often had Salah to make the difference; he's been anonymous at best this season (his goals per game is 0.28, down from last season's 0.66) And of course we had Mane (0.47 gpg) albeit his replacement Diaz has managed 0.42gpg this season. Firmino has been the one big positive, having already scored more in the league than he did last season (0.86 up from 0.25gpg)

 

Having a relentless schedule for the next six weeks means the side has to play their way into form if they can. Probably after the Man City game as even with a good showing, the thought of how much space Haaland will find against our backline is terrifying. There were better periods against Arsenal, but the recent fragility undid any hard work (I'd argue a point dropped, the side didn't create enough to feel deserving of more)

 

After City, the league fixtures are West Ham (H), Forest (A), Leeds (H), Spurs (A) and Southampton (H). Spurs away is at best a coin toss, but the side needs close to maximum points from the other four games, even if that requires a big upturn in form. 9-12 points between now and the World Cup would improve the mood, and probably league placing. Less than that and we'll likely be bouncing around midtable, or actually sucked into a bit more of a dogfight, for the foreseeable. We shall see.

[ryodi]

 

Hopefully TAA injury isn’t as bad.

[Chewylegs]

Fuckety fuck.

[Gotters]

Seems to be 2 views on what Henderson said, the jump to conclusion being something racist (which seems out of keeping for him), I’d have thought Oliver would have sent him off for that.

 

The other being not racist but just one letter different, calling an unnamed premier league player who is on bail at present a rapist. 

 

 

[SMD]

2 views by people who have absolutely no insight whatsoever though

[ryodi]

Hopefully Konate is fit because a back four or Gomez Philips Van Dijk and Robertson does not fill me with much confidence.

[SMD]

has any back four this season filled you with confidence?

[ryodi]

The Fulham game with our first choice back four from last season.