Liverpool Football Club Thread

[glb]

6 hours ago, Gabe said:

Does Klopp even have a history of rebuilding teams? Wasn't a lot of his Dortmund success largely the same players, just replacing those that Bayern poached every season (I don't know if that's accurate)?

 

I said back in the 2020/21 season that I wouldn't be surprised if he decided he'd had enough, he's done wonders for the club but, as you say, the current board aren't going to spend the kind of money needed to sort this squad out. We could be saying goodbye to CL football for a little while, you feel. I think you are probably right that behind the scenes stuff is off, too. Perhaps Salah's massive contract - especially when everybody in the team could see he was pretty awful from January onwards - has caused discontent and thrown the harmony of the dressing room too.

 

It is all about perspective though, you're quite correct, and I've said it loads in this thread over the last year or so that it is so far down on my list of priorities in life these days that I feel rather detached from a lot of it. I still check the results and like to chat in here about it all, but I haven't watched a full Liverpool game since the CL final and outside of the World Cup I haven't watched any PL games at all (for any team) for about a year now probably. My interest in football has waned a lot (it happened to me once before back in the mid-90s) so I can't really get excited about it, good or bad.

I love Nunez for the shifts he puts in and the excitement he brings but also agree he didn’t / doesn’t feel like a ‘sensible’ signing, not when other areas of the side still need more urgent attention. Mentioned before I thought this season would be transitional, but that was when I thought the style of play would be adapted to suit the changing shape (and age) of the squad.

 

Instead, the side, which is clearly knackered beyond recognition, is still being asked to play the same pressing style but with personnel that just aren’t up to it anymore. There’s no protection being offered by midfield, and the link between full-backs and attack just isn’t firing like it did over the last few seasons because the physical demands outweigh the energy of the squad.

 

Klopp had seven years at Mainz, seven at Dortmund and now seven (so far) at Liverpool. He’s evolved each but with Dortmund and Liverpool think it’s fair to say he’s made sides that were greater than the sum of their parts that bloodied the nose of a more powerful rival in Bayern and Man City.

 

Football will forever be cyclical though, punishingly so as we’re experiencing this season. It’s interesting that Man City also look on the decline, even with Haaland. The league’s landscape is shifting before our eyes. Maybe in May it’ll have shifted a few more times and we’ll be able to better make sense of it all and where we’re at. And then it all starts anew.

 

Because of that I’m not even angry about this season, more bemused. Plus were ninth, not Everton. Four more wins and at least we’re safe from relegation. Not even sure if that’s a joke or not after today’s performance, but in a strange way I’m finding not having the relentlessness of the title chases with City refreshing. Probably a good thing as there won’t be another for a while.

 

As an aside @Gabe hope all else is well, and you keep on posting, even from a place of detachment. You’ve been a regular in here for as long as I can remember and hope this thread can still offer a bit of escapism when you need it.

[Gabe]

37 minutes ago, glb said:

As an aside @Gabe hope all else is well, and you keep on posting, even from a place of detachment. You’ve been a regular in here for as long as I can remember and hope this thread can still offer a bit of escapism when you need it.

Thanks man, I genuinely appreciate that and it's nice to be noticed  

 

The main reason I don't really care about football so much these days is because the rest of my life went to crap last year and suddenly it just didn't matter anymore. That said, I do still love to talk about it even if I don't watch the games now (and so my observations are often probably even more inaccurate than usual ). I find it a shame that talk in this thread has died down quite a bit this season.

 

As for your post, I think I said a few times before the start of last season that I wondered if the team had enough in them to go again and they managed to find the energy from somewhere, so it's no real surprise they are struggling to find that gear again this year, even ignoring the injuries and aging squad. I also remember before this season started saying I thought the ultimate disappointment of how last season finished might cause a bit of a hangover, and I still think that might be playing a part. To go so far and then lose the two biggest prizes surely has a mental impact?

 

I think Klopp has a lot of problems and nowhere to turn for answers at the moment.

[glb]

7 hours ago, Gabe said:

I think Klopp has a lot of problems and nowhere to turn for answers at the moment.

As neat a summary of the current situation as I’ve seen.

 

Hope things start looking up for you this year  The thread is quieter but hopefully it’ll pick up when Arthur Melo is unleashed!

[bradigor]

On the supporters coach on our way to Leigh for the WSL game with United.

 

@cknyare you still going? 

 

 

 

[bradigor]

Whatever was being fed to the players at the AXA Training Center this week was also fed to the women. That was abject in every way possible. Matt Beard was brutal in his interview and apologised for it.

[Gabe]

The women's team is in the same sort of poor form as the men's at the moment. They can point to having come up from the season before and so this season is all about staying up, but they've been very leaky at the back and lacking a real presence up top too.

 

Probably still take their midfield right now though. 

[bradigor]

Nah, defeats have come against teams we expect to lose to. The United and Everton results are the only ones to be disgusted at. Tottenham was just unlucky. You can't compare where the two teams are coming from in any way shape or form.

[ckny]

5 hours ago, bradigor said:

On the supporters coach on our way to Leigh for the WSL game with United.

 

@cknyare you still going? 

 

 

 

Yes we were there! I had planned on dropping you a PM but we were coming straight from my daughters match for Blackpool U13s away at Bolton which was scheduled for 11am KO but didn’t actually start until 11.50am, meaning we missed the first 10 mins of the match.

 

Anyway - what a great game. Liverpool were absolutely dire, but I thought United played some really good stuff too. First experience of the WSL, don’t think it’ll be our last.

[bradigor]

1 minute ago, ckny said:

Yes we were there! I had planned on dropping you a PM but we were coming straight from my daughters match for Blackpool U13s away at Bolton which was scheduled for 11am KO but didn’t actually start until 11.50am, meaning we missed the first 10 mins of the match.

 

Anyway - what a great game. Liverpool were absolutely dire, but I thought United played some really good stuff too. First experience of the WSL, don’t think it’ll be our last.

 

Glad you enjoyed it mate, do get to some more! 

 

That was the worst we have played in three years. 

 

Will hopefully give you a better game back at Prenton Park 

[Chewylegs]

16 hours ago, Gabe said:

The main reason I don't really care about football so much these days is because the rest of my life went to crap last year and suddenly it just didn't matter anymore. That said, I do still love to talk about it even if I don't watch the games now (and so my observations are often probably even more inaccurate than usual ). I find it a shame that talk in this thread has died down quite a bit this season.

Sorry to hear this.  When my life went to shit just over 2 years ago, it was rllmuk, this thread and football that was a great distraction for me, something that couldn't be associated with the crap that was happening.

Obviously I don't know your circumstances but just hope things are starting to get better for you, we rarely see eye to eye on football matters but a fellow red suffering is not what any of us want.

[Hamus]

Klopp has rebuilt teams, just not his own. I think he deserves that chance.

 

I find it remarkable that people say he might leave or that it's over and he should be sacked.

 

Firstly. This is not unlike the post championship winning season when Liverpool were guff.

They put up an amazing points total last season and probably only lost our because they drew to the anti-football of Spurz.

Now the decline.

 

Secondly. Arteta last season was almost on his way out according to Arsenal fans. He was a joke. It wasn't working.

He got time, and he hasn't done much with Arsenal aside from an FA Cup likely fluked out in season 1.

 

Sure there needs to be some changes, yet Klopp isnt anywhere near done. He has benefitted the league, from the football he has bought to our eyes to his very being (be some dislike, he is entertaining).

 

Good luck to Klopp and Liverpool both, I think they'll do some defensive business (maybe even before the end of the window) but certainly in the summer.

[glb]

I think most would agree, and personally I'd rather every player left before Klopp did because I don't think there's a better fit for the club as a manager right now. Just idle speculation at this point anyway, and I think most (sane) Reds would prefer he stayed on as long as he wants.

 

That doesn't make him immune to criticism but think there are a number of caveats like injuries that have imbalanced the side and, perhaps, things happening behind-the-scenes at the minute. I'm not sure a sale is anywhere close to being imminent though, despite some wild rumours over the last few days. On the pitch, obviously the title has long-gone, and top four is about the best possible target in the league but there's still half a season to be played, so plenty of time for the current malaise to be sorted out. Would be nice to see a reaction of sorts tonight, but would honestly prefer one against Chelsea on Saturday lunchtime.

 

Hopefully Everton can continue to provide some light relief in the meantime.

[dizogg]

Yeah Klopp is still one of the best coaches in the world, that hasn’t changed. Only circumstances haves changed. Hard to fully understand but it’s a accumulation of things and I wouldn’t want anyone else to lead us onwards right now than him.

 

Cant see anything but a loss tonight though… be interesting if we do change anything.

 

[bradigor]

We will batter Wolves tonight. The scrap a draw at the weekend.

[Azrael]

No actual Liverpool fans want Klopp to leave, ludicrous to want that after what he's brought to the club so far. 

[Adrock]

The only manager in my life time to continue being successful at a single club for a prolonged period was Ferguson at United and the way he achieved it was constant renewal, either of the playing or coaching staff.

 

It feels like that is what is required at Liverpool right now.

[glb]

Think a number of players will leave in the summer, which will free up some wages. Have never really believed we'll sign Bellingham (FSG is saving the money for Mbappe 2024...), and thought Klopp was quite pointed when he recently talked about not wanting players that wouldn't join us if we weren't in the Champions League. Not sure if there's a midfield equivalent of 2019's Van Dijk, but that's what we need in the middle: someone who makes the game look effortless while also being able to organise those around him. Sure such an option will be cheap and readily available. And we'll probably end up doing something daft like bringing Sterling back to the club anyway.

[bradigor]

Is there a Xabi Alonso regen?

[ryodi]

Quote

 

#LFC line up v Wolves: Kelleher, Milner, Gomez, Konate, Tsimikas, Bajcetic, Thiago, Keita, Elliott, Carvalho, Gakpo.

 

Subs: Alisson, Fabinho, Salah, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jones, Robertson, Matip, Phillips, Doak.

 

 

Wolves are going to win comfortably. 

[Chewylegs]

Keita scores a double tonight.

 

Good to see Kelleher back in too.

[bradigor]

Apart from needing to play Milner at RB I like that team. It should be full of energy with a good mix of youth and experience. I'd have played Phillips at CB though.

[Pug]

Is no one watching it LOL!

 

WTF!?

[Hamus]

Feel that Liverpool are ripe for a busting tonight however.

They will create a few chances then leak like a 90 year old on a 20 hour flight.

[Hamus]

2 minutes ago, Hamus said:

Feel that Liverpool are ripe for a busting tonight however.

They will create a few chances then leak like a 90 year old on a 20 hour flight.

 

Well!

 

Pick that out! Hit!

[bradigor]

What a run and hit by Elliott 

[ryodi]

Worldie from Elliot.

[Azrael]

More plz 

[CheekyLee]

Perhaps we've just needed a bit more squad rotation? They really look to be enjoying it out there.

[bradigor]

Do Wolves think every foul against then should be a card?

[Azrael]

Alan Shearer is absolutely wank on commentary, I'm not surprised but it just needs saying. Another good reason for not paying for the TV licence.