Liverpool Football Club Thread

[Adrock]

Truth is, regardless of all the moaning about Benteke he stuck the ball in the net when it mattered. He certainly needs to improve in many areas throughout his game but he has a knack of scoring goals and thats something you need above anything else as a striker.

Origi definitely suits the Klopp system right now though.

[Gabe]

I wasn't moaning, just mentioning the difference. And yeah, he scored, but then missed an absolute dolly which could have cost us, he just seemed to far too casual and without any urgency - he wanted to walk it in.

He's got 5 in 15 league games and given that a number of those games have seen him start on the bench and he's been injured, that's not a bad return - but when you don't have other players chipping-in with goals, you do need to be seeing a bit more from your striker.

[Chewylegs]

Swings and roundabouts though, isn't it? We get extra time to prepare for the Sunderland game, whereas everybody else gets extra time to prepare for the weekend game.

Yes,I just thought it was utterly bizarre to have a Wednesday game at all. 12:30 kick off Saturday does take the biscuit though!

[Istanbul]

First team in the league to keep a clean sheet against Leicester this season.

[Istanbul]

Yes,I just thought it was utterly bizarre to have a Wednesday game at all. 12:30 kick off Saturday does take the biscuit though!

It is, and it's not like they're home games either. Sunderland away and West Ham away. Add to that that we've got Stoke away on the Tuesday after West Ham, and then in the same week, Exeter away on Friday. Crazy. Even worse for the fans who travel.

[glb]

Belated Klopp hugs. What a Christmas present!

[Istanbul]

Two interesting Klopp quotes:

On Benteke: “We need his goals and he is a goal scorer no doubt, but I don’t only think about him and goals. We are not a team who can play with a striker who scores a goal but is not involved in the game for the other 89 minutes. We need the striker for the other options too, to work for the other minutes.”

On Sturridge declaring himself fit (again): “I think this is absolutely the same thing that Daniel said four weeks ago, and we let him play and he was injured again."

Full context: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/liverpool-manager-jurgen-klopp-issues-7078077

[Gabe]

Well they are both pretty innocuous things to say, really. Few teams in the modern game can afford a striker who occasionally scores and offers little else these days, that's nothing new. There's a quote from him in the BBC article which isn't in the Mirror piece: "You could see that I showed I understand his message and now I have to keep going like that."

I'd question that he looked any different to his previous, rather static performance, but hopefully we'll see that change.

And the quote about Sturridge is just recognition that he's injured far too much and sounds like a sensible approach - see how he reacts to training regularly before putting him back in the team.

That said, it's refreshing to hear it said in such a straightforward manner. I wonder if we'll see that change as time goes on and the press twist everything to make it 'controversial', as is their way?

[angel]

No, this is klopp, he always answers, never deflects, even when they try to wind him up and asked him about his hair work ("it looks great, dont you think?"), he disarms them with truth. Instantly my fave prem manager.

[glb]

Flanagan played 30 minutes against Fleetwood - first football for 19 months. Fingers-crossed he can stay fit and deliver on his potential.

[Azrael]

We're going to lose tonight, aren't we? Would be typical of us, beat the leaders then lose to relegation candidates. Wonder if Borini will subdue his celebrations when he scores.

[ryodi]

Knowing our luck it'll be Coates who scores the winner.

[gospvg]

Nope, we will win

[angel]

I think 1-1.

[Gabe]

Not exactly been a rip-roaring first half. Mannone's first save from Firminho was fantastic, the save from the header was a bit for the cameras I thought. Sunderland have looked fairly comfortable all-told and had some half-chances themselves, so it's not one-way traffic by any stretch.

[ryodi]

That was quick. Benteke gets so few chances it nice to see him so clinical when they happen.

[Gabe]

Really not looking comfortable here and just lack the discipline to close out games which is a bigger problem when we struggle to score more than 1.

[christaylor]

Fucking hell that could've broken Sakho's ankle there. Had to look away.

Aaand Ibe should've scored there!

[Gabe]

I'm amazed Firminho is still on the pitch. What does he add?

(I'm saying this in the hope he scores so as to shut me up.)

[christaylor]

Benteke could really do with practising his 1-on-1s!

[ryodi]

Benteke misses his second one on one in a week

[Gabe]

...And again Benteke misses a sitter. Does he not like scoring more than 1 in a match?

[JohnnyNolan]

Benteke really is shit at one on ones!

[christaylor]

Thank fook for that. Relief on Benteke's face!

[ryodi]

That was harder than it needed to be. Coutinho has lost his shooting boots and Ibe and Benteke both missed good chances.

[Azrael]

Should have had a few more if it wasn't for some poor finishing/good keeping from Mannone.

[Gabe]

So we finish the month with a couple of wins, but 7 points from 15 isn't a great return when you look at the games we've had. The way we are currently misfiring, I'd take draws in our next 3 league games (West Ham, Arsenal and Man U).

[davidcotton]

With your luck the Man U game (is it home or away?) will be the one they turn up in.

[Oh Danny Boy]

Away to West Ham and home against Arsenal and United. Should be looking for wins there.

[Gabe]

If those fixtures were coming off the back of the performances we saw at City and Chelsea then yes, we should be thinking we can win them all. But we haven't played well for, well, most of December, so my positivity is somewhat dented.