24 Mar 2016 18:13:29
Any news on Ings are we likely to see him on the turf at Anfield before the season is wrapped up? And what's are your thoughts on our midfield situation. we have looked poor when Philly was out. have we back up here. We also played a full season with only one recognized out and out winger Ibe who in fairness to him needs a season or two to develop. Our defensive midfielders have been okey but rarely set the league a light. Lucas is a seasoned pro reliable he won't bag 15 goals from defensive midfield but that's not his job. Can has made improvements but needs to kick on next season if we are serious about a title challenge, Henderson has heart and gives 100% but do we need that extra bit of class to make a push to win the league?


1.) 24 Mar 2016
24 Mar 2016 18:41:51
We need a winger to contribute goals. Possibly an outside back, but I'd like to see Gomez fill in when fit. I think a fully fit henderson and Can are great in the middle of the park and lucas and milner are useful as well.

Maybe i'm optimistic, but I think if we can hang on to our stars (Coutinho), and get our strikers on form (Studge and Ings) we should compete for the league. I'd rather us use youth than overspend on players who keep the youth out.


2.) 24 Mar 2016
24 Mar 2016 18:49:53
No reason to rush. Probably little to play for in the league and if the rest are fit, may as well leave him for next season.


3.) 24 Mar 2016
24 Mar 2016 19:41:41
I shouldn't need to remind you this but if Henderson hadn't been banned in the last few games of the 13/ 14 season we would have a league title. That midfield had Coutinho, Henderson and Gerrard in it. Aside from set pieces, is Can worse than Gerrard in the holding role? No not even close.

Our problem is that in that season we had a fit Flanagan, a fit Sturridge, Sterling and Suarez. I actually don't think Clyne is at all better than Glen Johnson. Lovren-Sakho isn't much better than Skrtel-Sakho. The midfield is just as strong if npt stronger than the midfield that nearly won us the league and probably would've had it not been for a young Henderson making a rash mistake.

So by all means, everyone continue to spout this nonsense about Henderson not being good enough. But to be quite frank, it's just classic fickleness from people who can't remember as far back as two years to when we were top of the league on an 11 game winning run with Henderson at the heart of our team.


4.) 24 Mar 2016
24 Mar 2016 20:15:07
Your argument completely falls down as you seem to forget that Suarez made the whole team look far better than they were hence the capitulation when he left. Our defence was woeful in that season we simply had three forward players bang on form because Suarez caused that many problem for the opposition that space opened up for the other two to exploit. Henderson did not stop us from winning the title at all suarez's brilliance got us to second place and his ridiculous behaviour eventually lost us for it. Henderson isn't the player we all want him to be and if he wasn't captain your view wouldn't be so blurred. Jordan Henderson is an average player who works very hard and has a great attitude. If he wasn't captain when Klopp arrived do you think he would be now?

{Ed001's Note - but it is true that we were not as good without Hendo, so his argument does not fall down. In fact, we got just as good results while Suarez was out banned as we did when he played, that season.}


5.) 24 Mar 2016
24 Mar 2016 20:41:34
Not much to play for in the league?

Sticks in my craw that. There's a quarter of the season left, 27 points up for grabs. If we take 27 points we'll definitely be in the top 4 IMO.


6.) 24 Mar 2016
24 Mar 2016 20:48:31
I think the main problem is that EMS thinks Clyne is no better than Johnson! I know it's been a while, but come on! He hasn't been brilliant but he's not a bad player.


7.) 24 Mar 2016
24 Mar 2016 20:54:53
Henderson was awesome that season; he was at times the furthest player forward and I'm sure his assists that season was quite high.


8.) 24 Mar 2016
24 Mar 2016 21:19:15
EMS

Absolute horseradish mate - honestly. You don't half talk some nonsense on times.

The midfield isn't on par or better than when we nearly won the league. Please, utter waffle. What an absolute disservice to probably the best midfielder we've ever had. Can has some way to go to even be able to lace up Stevie's left boot.

I think you're forgetting the intangible skills a player possesses, notably mentality. Henderson was fantastic in the 3 with Gerrard and Coutinho, but there was zero responsibility on his shoulders and with real born winners in your team like Stevie and Suarez, you're bound to excel.

And the simple fact remains, we had the 3rd best player in the world in our team. I'll say it again, the 3rd best player in the WORLD, now we probably haven't got the 3rd best player in Bootle. Yes we did well without him, but I can sure as heck guarantee without him we wouldn't have got anywhere near the title. Don't kid yourself on the quality he has, he is a remarkable player, regardless if his personality has tainted his reputation. As a pure footballer, he is a genius.

Oh, and for the record, I really like Hendo. Great lad and top player. I do however feel the captaincy is too much for him. Starting 11 player? Without a doubt. Captain? Not so sure.


9.) 24 Mar 2016
24 Mar 2016 21:30:15
Henderson won't score goals as he is playing the deep midfielder. We are stuck with two similar players in Can and Henderson. Both offering the same thing and poor at other. Klopp wouldn't play another CM in there leaving us open and weak in midfield.
No clue what's EMS saying with his post. Two seasons ago Hendo was playing as an ACM which made him look devastating.


10.) 24 Mar 2016
24 Mar 2016 23:15:16
If 13/ 14, the defence was half as organised as now, we would have title.


11.) 25 Mar 2016
24 Mar 2016 23:28:50
ed is right about we played well without suarez. we had a great style but our defense was rubbish. mostly down to migs, skrtel and gerrard playing defensive mid. our style was still evident in pre season after the suarez sale, but we were still unable to fix the defence. so instead of identifying the problems, rodgers curled up into a ball and started playing 5 at the back and we quickly went backwards because of a manager too stubborn to think there might be a problem with the players he chooses and where he plays them. i'm not actually sure if rodgers is totally inept or if he will learn from his mistakes. it will be interesting to see how he does in his next job.


12.) 25 Mar 2016
25 Mar 2016 00:15:25
Hendo is perfect example of a box to box midfielder but he and Can look very very capable next to each other sitting a bit deeper. Both capable of striding forward into the box and also comfortable protecting the back 4.


13.) 25 Mar 2016
25 Mar 2016 00:36:57
The only thing idont like bout can / hendo midfield is that their strength (box to box, energy, pressing) can easily become our team's weakness where our midfield are very easy to bypass. I prefer a more balanced combo.


14.) 25 Mar 2016
25 Mar 2016 00:56:56
DGX on what planet are Can and Henderson similar players?! The only similarity is their position on the pitch. Otherwise they are completely different both tactically and physically. Can's best attributes are his strength and ability to burst passed players, I've never once seen Hendo do that. Hendo can set a tempo with his pressing and pick a pass in possession. I suppose neither have great positioning or great finishing ability but that can be coached. Both would be great with a top holding midfield player like a Mascherano. Lucas just doesn't cut it for me. Love the guy but he's just an average player that tries hard. i'm looking forward to the coming seasons as I think we have a great side in the making. Just a few tweaks here and there and more experience for some of the younger players and I think we'll be a real force. Exciting times! YNWA!


15.) 25 Mar 2016
25 Mar 2016 00:50:58
Faith can you explain more how it become weakness? By pass as in long ball? Long ball can be use against inept midfield with can and hendo too.


16.) 25 Mar 2016
25 Mar 2016 04:14:32
Wiseryan

Pure delusion. We did not play any better without him. In fact we did not replace a 35 goal genius then not now. from 2nd with more or less the same team and added 7 players we nose dived to 7th.

Pipe.
Missing the point there mate. In real world we would only need one of Hendo or Can alongside a top class CDM or positionally sound midfielder. For eg. Can- Schniderlin.
With Grujic coming in we are again doing the same thing. 4 B2B. Milner- Grujic - Can - Henderson.

What we miss is someone to play alongside one of Can of Hemderson who sit there and protect the back 4 which release the shackles of Hendo or Can.


17.) 25 Mar 2016
25 Mar 2016 08:21:01
I am completely against this idea of needing someone to just sit in front of the back four. Why?

Your midfielders should be the heart beat of the team, dictating the pace of the game. Both should be able to pass, tackle, score and have the discipline to know when to sit back and when to bomb on. They should compliment each other not do two completely different roles.

Leicester are showing that if you have the right attitude and workrate you don't need to sacrifice a player to just sit in front of two centre backs that are in 90% of games are now looking after just one striker.


18.) 25 Mar 2016
25 Mar 2016 09:51:57
Never in a month of Sunday's did hendo s ban cost us the title. The pressure did. Poor management did. A woeful defence did. hendo s absence had nothing to do with it. He did have probably his best season to date granted but what happened the following season when Suarez left?


19.) 25 Mar 2016
25 Mar 2016 10:58:36
For sure Hendo was a massive loss and contributing factor in 13/ 14. Allen was very ordinary when he stepped in and we lost Hendos zip in midfield and his surges into the box.

DG, Can is more than capable of being a defensive shield but also capable of surging forward if there's space and Hendo has proven he's capable of covering him if he does.

I think people underestimate Cans ability to play deeper midfield, he can def improve still but he's got the footballing brain to make it his own with coaching.


20.) 25 Mar 2016
25 Mar 2016 12:01:34
If Jamie Carragher retired a year later we would have won the league in 2013/ 4.


21.) 25 Mar 2016
25 Mar 2016 12:13:41
Well that argument falls apart because leicester have kante who is an excellent defensive midfielder.


22.) 25 Mar 2016
25 Mar 2016 13:40:53
Kante is not a DM and neither is Drinkwater. They are two way CM`s who can do both attacking and defending as well as cover every blade of grass in midfield. there is none like them in the PL which is why they dominate midfield in almost every game they play.


23.) 25 Mar 2016
25 Mar 2016 16:46:54
Kante carries the ball 30/ 40 yards in every game I've seen him. He breaks up play yes, but he doesn't win a tackle and then look to get rid of the ball ala Makele, Carrick etc.

To call him a defensive midfielder is massively insulting to the man. He is a complete midfielder.


24.) 25 Mar 2016
25 Mar 2016 18:54:38
Spot on, Mick. the guy barely needs to foul you in order to dispossess you. What a player and great scouting by LC.


25.) 26 Mar 2016
26 Mar 2016 01:54:42
Leicester missed him when he was not playing, he has been hands down the best midfielder in the league this season, and will be fighting it out with vardy and mahrez for footballer of the year, he gets my vote.