15 Sep 2017 06:00:26
Morning Eds and Reds.

Over the past few years we have suffered the same problem, an inconsistent defence. No matter how good our team has been, and I even go back to the great team of the 80’s. In my opinion I think that we have had at least one defensive position filled by a player that has had to be carried by those around him, whether it be Grobbelaar protected by some world class central defenders (Hansen et al) or a dodgy full back like Stig Inge Bjornebye all the way through to todays unacceptable bunch. But the one consistent position that hasn’t been filled with a world class player, again in my opinion, since the days of Clemence has been the goalkeeper.

Now don’t get too upset with me here but I am going to compare our beloved team with the dark side at the other end of the East Lancs. I have had this discussion with Utd fans before but I believe the most important signing they made which turned them from a very good team into the dominant force of English football for two decades was Peter Schmeichel. For years Utd produced teams with some great attacking flair, sprinkled with the odd great player such as Muhren and Thijssen but they never quite made it to the top because of their poor defence summed up by Gary Bailey. But once they signed Scmeichel their fortunes changed. They suddenly had a world class gk who not only kept the ball out but he organised his defence, Pallister and Bruce and several changes. Most Utd fans look to Cantona as the catalyst but I disagree because as I said their attacking flair had never been in doubt just their ability to defend.

Does that ring any bells for us? Of course it does, we need a keeper who can kick sh** out of the central defenders to make sure they concentrate for the full 90, can organise a back 4 to defend as a unit making sure that they play for each other and then we need him to do his own job with security and confidence and be that world class keeper we are sadly lacking. I honestly believe that even with the centre backs we have now a man of Scmeichels stature behind them would make them look a thousand times better, he would organise them and make sure they were better as a unit and give them the one thing they lack more than anything at the moment, confidence.

That’s the answer to our problems but the finer detail of who that miracle worker could be is beyond me at the moment because I just don’t see a player good enough out there with the exception of De Gea who wouldn’t cross the East Lancs to join us unfortunately.

Just my opinion and open to discussion. Thanks for your time.
Istanbul.

1.) 15 Sep 2017
15 Sep 2017 06:20:15
Grobs was class mate
Up the pool.

2.) 15 Sep 2017
15 Sep 2017 06:33:04
Spot on Istanbul, but I do still think Lovren and Klavan are not good enough.

3.) 15 Sep 2017
15 Sep 2017 09:15:16
I said this ages ago! We need a keeper who throttles players when they balls up! I've never heard one player when I'm in anfield screaming at players! As I said when I played ball when u didn't clear your lines you'd turn around and see your big cb or keeper steaming towards u! LFC don't have that! They've hendo who's a nice guy 👍🏼.

4.) 15 Sep 2017
15 Sep 2017 09:18:30
Grobs was a great keeper who bailed Hansen out plenty of times. Hansen made his fair share of errors.

5.) 15 Sep 2017
15 Sep 2017 09:25:30
OP, I like your spirit and you make some very good points. However, football has changed massively from even 5 years ago and those rules in the era you speak of, no longer apply unfortunately. We would all like to think footie is an exact science and in some cases, it is. In most cases, it is not.

GK's don't do the "organization" of the defence thing anymore as only Buffon IMO, still does it as he is literally a coach on the pitch and a great one at that. Systems have killed the art of GK's being able to be forceful and organize things now due to coaches who are too insecure to accept outside input and want to be control freaks so even if the system is not working, they just replace the players BUT keep the system (in this case, defensive) in place.

I agree that we need a GK who can be forceful, vocal and get in people's faces BUT he has to be empowered to do that. Will Klopp do that with Migs or Karius or ward? I can't answer that. Now what I will say that Karius in the Seville game, showed glimpses that he could be that commanding figure at the back as he looked very sure of himself in what ever he did even tho, he was NEVER really tested. Could he be the guy? We will have to see cos he is still young and needs more games to show if he can do that.

6.) 15 Sep 2017
15 Sep 2017 09:27:30
Between 2007-2010 Reina was easily world class. Top 3 keepers in the world in my opinion.

He would still walk into most teams in Europe even now in his mid 30's.

It is such a shame he made his position untenable, but what a drop down in quality to replace him with Mignolet ☹.

7.) 15 Sep 2017
15 Sep 2017 10:34:52
Spot on, MK. I loved Reina too BUT his conduct and attitude near the end there was disgraceful. BR should never have signed Migs and Klopp should have binned him way back when. The both get the blame for the Migs issues.

8.) 15 Sep 2017
15 Sep 2017 13:15:32
The back pass rule would have had a huge impact on Hansen, Grobblar/ Clemency.
A huge part of our European game was to play the ball along the back four and keeper to draw the opposition forward, then Hansen would get the ball, drop the shoulder and break forward with the ball splitting the opposition midfield,
Absolute class.

But with the back pass rule it has changed the whole system where the modern goalkeeper is to act nearly as a sweeper to allow the centre halfs to push up to play the high line.

Mark Lawrenson is one of the old school who would have been stool class in the modern game,

{Ed001's Note - I disagree, Grobs, Clemence and Lawrence all played a sweeper keeper role. What changed for us was quality of players, not the back pass rule. We had already lost our place at the summit of the game before the rule was introduced in 1992.}

9.) 15 Sep 2017
15 Sep 2017 15:32:52
I agree with Istanbul about the importance of a gk. That is why I can't understand this constant rotation. Karius should be given the chance.

{Ed001's Note - rotating goalkeepers is always a mistake. It is not a position you can do that in. Klopp clearly prefers Karius, he has made that plain, so stand by your choice and get rid of Migs for heaven's sake! He is just not good enough.}

10.) 15 Sep 2017
15 Sep 2017 15:59:41
You're right ed. There must be a reason why teams, all through the history of football, have never rotated that position. I guess there must be some other than us but it is extremely rare. Shouldve sold migs when karius came in. That way the temptation is gone.

{Ed001's Note - spot on mate. The few teams that have tried it tend to suffer because of it. A keeper is the organiser, the players in front of him need to understand him.}

11.) 15 Sep 2017
15 Sep 2017 16:07:11
EDDS001,
Fully agree, by swapping MINGO and KARIUS it shows a weakness by the manager, he is getting paid an awful lot of money to make decisions and the goalkeeping one he is failing big time. by the way who's turn is it this week.

{Ed002's Note - Bogdan is near fit and has been registered by Liverpool for the Premier League.}

12.) 15 Sep 2017
15 Sep 2017 17:12:48
Hi Ed,

Since the back pass rule started the keeper now has play the ball with his feet more often as he can no longer pick it up.

The option to take time out of the game by playing it back and forth to the keeper is now gone,

The keeper now has to be more able to play the ball with his feet while being closed down,

I don't remember Lawrence playing but I know Clemence and Grobb were top class, they were trained for the rules back then,

The skill set that was required for back then compared to now has changed.

No doubt they could have adapted.

I mentioned Mark Lawrenson as left sided centre half, with pace and the ability to fill in at left back, His skill set would still suit today.

{Ed001's Note - so would Hansen's, he was twice the player Lawro ever was. As for the keepers, all 3 would have been fine, the back pass rule only made a slight change, as we can see with the likes of Pep emphasising possession, they just make sure that the keeper can also pass the ball. Grobs, in particular, was very good on the ball.}