01 Jan 2017 11:57:30
Don't you just love media spinsters! We beat Stoke 1-4 and it's all "this defence is going to cost Liverpool a place in the top 4". Chelsea beat Stoke 4-2 and now it's "Great battling performance. They were asked different questions and they found the answers just like all good title challengers".

No fault of Chelsea might I add, just funny the way the media can completely change the way a result is viewed by the general public. We have only conceded 21 goals in 19 games. Only Chelsea (13) and Man United (19) can better that. Arsenal and Spurs could better that as well as long as they don't get thumped in their 19th games today. Guess my point is, we have the 5th best defensive record in the league at the midway point, but the best offensive record to go with it. So it really isn't anything to write home about that we have conceded just over a goal a game when we are scoring an average of about 2.5! Let's not forget that we have played the 3 big London clubs in London already this season and taken 7 points! Let's see how many they take back to London from the fortress that is Anfield!

1.) 01 Jan 2017
01 Jan 2017 12:34:47
MK you can't win with the press. Change their minds daily depending on results. Look at the national team, one win and it's our time, one loss and the press make them out to be the worst on the planet. Makes me laugh reading the papers.

2.) 01 Jan 2017
01 Jan 2017 12:41:38
Without that lapse in concentration against Bournemouth, we'd have conceded three less goals as well! We're keeping clean sheets now which is very important. The media don't know what they're on about half the time.

3.) 01 Jan 2017
01 Jan 2017 12:42:38
I have been making the same argument for weeks and thankfully, you have seen the same things I have, MK. The media are what they are and it seems some of them have it in for us and Klopp especially with this "bad defence and GK issue" nonsense. They always use statistics where it suits them and then still stick to a narrative even tho, it is being debunked as you just did. We don`t care what they think about us and frankliy, I never have especially after the chuckle bros started targeting Karius unfairly, IMO. We know how good we are and how awesome our manager is and that is what should matter.

4.) 01 Jan 2017
01 Jan 2017 13:18:26
In reality our defense has done really well but it's not perfect. Clyne and Milner have been very strong defensively but Karius and Migs have shown flaws at times in goal and Lovren and Klavan have also made the odd mistake here and there. The problem is the media makes every mistake out to mean players are completely rubbish when in reality Karius and Klavan deserve a bit of time to settle into a new league, and it hasn't helped Lovren we haven't had a settled CB pairing for a while for a variety of reasons.

I suspect if we can get Matip back and playing with Lovren, and Karius gets the time he deserves then we will in time become one of the better defenses in the league - we're already not too far off if we give the back 4 the cover they need from midfield.

5.) 01 Jan 2017
01 Jan 2017 14:22:55
I've noticed the same thing mk. I've noticed that were going under the radar a little bit in terms of how the pundits see us. I think ed1 summed it up pretty good with his match review. We used brilliant tactics against city, yet the pundits think they had an off day. I'm starting to think that all pundits have no clue about football.

6.) 01 Jan 2017
01 Jan 2017 14:30:58
Don't read the media-watch the games and come tour your own conclusions.

7.) 01 Jan 2017
01 Jan 2017 17:13:23
Well according to collymore we will finish outside the top 4 altogether because of our defence. I wouldn't worry about media and pundits, their opinions are just about as valid as ours on this site. so not much then!

8.) 01 Jan 2017
01 Jan 2017 18:11:25
Honestly if it means going under the radar and being counted out then so be it. I'd prefer the pressure of us and we don't need to be recognised as genuine title contenders by them to actually be one. I think that suits us a lot more, so let the pundits play to the mainstream and the cliches. Defensively we have got a lot better. I think on paper we have a very decent defence, I'd say 5th best is about right. The problem is and has been for many years, are individual errors. It's only on occasion been down to shape or terrible defensive organisation, it's mostly individual errors and inability to defend set pieces. Now we are improving, I think the arguement some where trying to make is that we won't win the league with the way our defence and goalkeeper is, not that we have a shocking defence in regards to the rest of the league or can't compete, because that is simply untrue. But when you compare us with our direct rivals, then you see the point they might be trying to make, we are joint worst with city. However, they do exaggerate things and favouritism does exist to an extent. Just look how Karius came under such scrutiny and was called to be dropped but I didn't hear the same noise about bravo, even though in my opinion dropping Karius was the correct decision at the time.

The fact that we are clearly going for the league, people will say Chelsea are stronger back to front than we are, and let's face it they have been. We are a lot better offensively but they are a lot better defensively and we know defences win you titles whilst offences win you games. Our defence is now on track to what it should be. A few more games with good defensive performances and it won't be a stick for pundits to beat us with.

9.) 02 Jan 2017
02 Jan 2017 01:47:26
I say long may it continue. If anything the press is taking the pressure off of us, they are writing us off and taking the expectations off us.
Maybe it's spurring klopp and the players to prove a point.