1.) 23 Jan 2018
23 Jan 2018 21:57:47
Good review Ed I agree with 90%. But VVD I don't agree, it was not the fault of the defence it was the fault of the midfield and forwards that we didn't win the game or at least get a point. Swansea only had 3 shots in 90 minutes.

VVD created our best 2 chances of the whole game. Of course VVD and Matip had to step out of defence and run forward because the midfield never did. VVD put it on a plate for Firmino's only chance of the whole game in the last minute and he missed it.

2.) 23 Jan 2018
23 Jan 2018 22:21:12
Wijnaldim and Milner have to go in the summer. Wijnaldim should never have been bought and milners the clubs highest earner which is disgraceful.

3.) 23 Jan 2018
23 Jan 2018 23:18:52
Very frustrating game to watch and you’re spot on with the slow tempo and just moving from side to side. Robertson annoyed me last night he had so many chances to get a cross in but time and again he turned back and passed it short. The centre midfield worries me with our lack of depth at the minute, Wijnaldum shouldn’t be playing he has been non existent.

Even the City game when everyone upped their performance he didn’t turn up. Looking at our bench last night it was clear we had nothing to throw at the game. To be fair to Swansea they shut up shop, defended well and deserved to get something out of the game. Liverpool need a kick up the arse every now and then so fingers crossed this was it.

4.) 23 Jan 2018
23 Jan 2018 23:21:06
Not just me who was surprised to see Ox being substituted? It should have been Gini tbh, but it's gone now! Great review of a shocking night and hopefully one we'll learn from! Hopefully Trent plays in the cup and show the lads how to take a corner!

5.) 24 Jan 2018
23 Jan 2018 20:50:20
Very good, thanks Ed1, couldn't agree more with all of that.

{Ed001's Note - thank you.}

6.) 24 Jan 2018
23 Jan 2018 20:57:32
Excellant read as always ed001 kind regards.

{Ed001's Note - thank you.}

7.) 24 Jan 2018
23 Jan 2018 21:11:46
Great review ed probably the best of the season so far.

{Ed001's Note - odd as it was probably the worst result, but thank you very much Ace.}

8.) 24 Jan 2018
24 Jan 2018 01:38:42
I can't bring myself to think about the match 😣🤧.

9.) 24 Jan 2018
23 Jan 2018 21:29:37
Bob on as always Ed, not a single outfield player nor the manager emerge with an iota of credit from that performance. In the last 20 years numerous managers have failed to combine tactical nouse and motivational skills in order to get the team consistently maintaining the levels required irrespective of the opposition.

Klopp claiming the game was lost in the first half is a damning indictment of his own capabilities as manager. He had 15 minutes 3 substitutes and another 45 minutes play to turn that around. Blaming the players, a la fat Sam, was pathetic and unbecoming of someone who is supposed to base his philosophy on speed, passion and aggression.
Not impressed with excuses, prepare the team properly. the Swansea manager did his job.

{Ed001's Note - very disappointing from Klopp to be honest, but everyone makes mistakes.}

10.) 24 Jan 2018
24 Jan 2018 04:28:03
To slate the defenders is way off, IMO.
Full backs you could criticise, yes, but I thought on the whole that was a back four I'd happily go into a big game with and see develop together.

I hate to say this but Coutinho's loss goes deeper than the creativity issue; he was also the conductor of the team's tempo. Zipping about, his style invited everyone else to pick it up too.
The balance of the team did not look right at all, and that is down to the midfield and specifically Can. He was picked as Captain and fulcrum, and the comparison with Coutinho's style could't have been more apparent and harsh.
Roll on Keita, and Jordan Henderson getting fit again, I say.

{Ed001's Note - obviously you missed the point, it was the defence that conceded a goal to the worst attacking team in the Prem, so they deserve criticism. They were, to a man, awful when defending.

As for this ludicrous stuff about Coutinho I keep reading, utter nonsense. We lost these kind of games regularly with him playing, one of the main problems we had, while he was 'zipping about' was that he did no such thing and was as much at fault as everyone else for lack of intensity. What he would do was pick up the ball, get anywhere within 40 yards of the goal and smack it hopefully. He was as lacking in creativity as the team we put out against Swans when it mattered. It is not about him.

It is about intensity and pace, pace in moving the ball. Couts brought neither to the team, so this was not about him. Couts is, like all of our team, better against the big boys, when he is actually up for it. His loss is a big loss to the team overall, but not in games like that.}

11.) 24 Jan 2018
24 Jan 2018 07:29:55
Ye ed1, its laughable that coutinho gets brought up after a game like that. I can rattle of a dozen games where coutinho did jack sh*t against such deep lying teams.

To me, our attack comes down to patience. We had a few solid one-touch passing moves that had swansea scrambling. But then we lose patience and don't come back to it and try again. City kept plugging away against us and got their goals, we can do the same and keep believing in what we do. Cos when we do play that one touch football, ot looks good and we create chances. We jist dobt persist enough.

{Ed001's Note - spot on mate.}

12.) 24 Jan 2018
24 Jan 2018 08:03:41
On the other side you could name a dozen games like this where Coutinho made the difference. Where he got the first goal or assist and we won the match or got a point.

I am dam sure he would have offered more than Gini.

{Ed001's Note - name them then. Because I don't remember a single one.}

13.) 24 Jan 2018
24 Jan 2018 08:46:54
without even thinking didn't he stick a free kick in the top corner last minute away to Stoke to win us the game?

14.) 24 Jan 2018
24 Jan 2018 08:53:59
As an example Ed that game at Anfield a few weeks ago vs Swansea - it was tight in the first half, not much available in terms of space or chances but Coutinho smashed in a worldie and that eventually meant the game opened up and we scored more. Those sorts of goals change games. His freekick away to Arsenal last season turned the game around for the better. He has scored a few crucial goals, on separate occasions, against Stoke before to win the game or snatch us something. He's scored the only goal against resilient Southampton teams before.

I'm no saying I actually disagree with your overall viewpoint ED as Coutinho did go missing as much as anyone else whilst here, no doubt about it. He was capable of turning a game at times though you just never knew which game it would be - put it this way I know who I would choose between Wijinaldum and Coutinho to alter the course of a game. The problem is now Coutinho is gone we don't really have other options to play in midfield - we have an unfit Henderson, an unfit Lallana, Can (who is nailed on in the deeper role), Ox who offers a lot of graft and directness but little in terms of finesse or creativity, Milner who offers basically nothing, and a very poor Wijinaldum - it's an incredible weak midfield and one with very little creativity in it.

I think the bigger issue is motivation though, too many of the players lack it. I'm not sure we would be able to find, ability wise, an exact replacement for Coutinho, I just hope we find a player we a damn sight more motivation and fight then the ones currently at the club.

{Ed001's Note - you can't count Arsenal, you are totally missing the point if you do. You are talking about one or two games, then comparing it with one performance and trying to draw conclusions. Knee jerk is the word. Couts was as responsible as anyone for our struggles against lesser teams and we have improved this season when he has not played, which is far more indicative than one game.}

15.) 24 Jan 2018
24 Jan 2018 09:26:01
We are not saying that Ed he had plenty poor games but he was our most talented player. I was in favour of the sale it had to be done but it leaves a big hole in the squad and more importantly the first 11.

Over the last 3 years it is a fact he has won us more points than any other player. (by a distance) .

Even this season He also after 30 mins 0-0 took the corner for Can's first goal v Brighton. Game changer.

Versus Bournemouth at 0-0 he scored the first after 20 odd minutes. Then set up the second a few minutes later I think. Game changer.

Those are this season even when he wasn't playing his best he still won us points.

West Ham away last season, the massive match going no where, West ham had some chances. He then slides the ball through to Sturridge. Who can do that now?

We are left with a midfield lacking any sort of genuine quality.

{Ed001's Note - I disagree. He was good but went missing more often than not.}

16.) 24 Jan 2018
24 Jan 2018 09:54:06
No ED I see your point and am not really disputing it - you asked the previous poster for examples of Coutinho affecting/ influencing/ changing the game against lesser opposition. As you rightfully state Arsenal cannot be counted but the others can. I know Coutinho was very inconsistent, even last season and the first half of this when he has arguably been at his best. The point is you never know when he would produce a rabbit out of a hat but knew that he could, and opposition knew that too. Just having a player like him on the pitch gives others space - that midfield we played against Swansea, any team who organizes themselves half decently is going to do well against them because there is a lack of creativity and guile in it. It is not the only reason for our troubles vs Swansea, there are many many more which have been mentioned (defence, wrong tactical approach, motivation, etc), but the midfield seems worryingly weak and selling Coutinho without replacing him has hardly helped matters. Would he of made the difference vs Swansea? Nobody can say - he might of had one of his anonymous games were he did little and drifted in and out, or he might have produced a world class goal/ pass that made the difference - the point with Coutinho is that it was a possibility, can we say the same thing about Can Wiji or Oxlaide?

{Ed001's Note - that is not the point though. The point is that it should not have mattered if we had performed at our best. It is not a lack of Coutinho that made the difference. It was the fact that we had 11 players on the pitch who did not step up, not that one is gone.}

17.) 24 Jan 2018
24 Jan 2018 10:04:38
Painful review ed thanks. Hopefully Klopp learns from his mistakes. Huddersfield away could be a similar type of game. Cheers.

{Ed001's Note - 'Udders don't often sit back like that, so hopefully not.}

18.) 24 Jan 2018
24 Jan 2018 10:17:17
In his last 9 starts, when not playing at his best.
7 goals
4 assists
4 man of the match v Spartack
Brighton
Bournemouth
Swansea
all so called lesser games.
I also think he was man of the match v Arsenal. Where he created many chances that the others missed.

{Ed001's Note - hmmmm MOTM I would dispute in any game this season. He was lazy every single time and played for himself not the team. If you think he was that great, then I am wasting my time as you only want a show pony, not a player.}

19.) 24 Jan 2018
24 Jan 2018 10:35:07
The players won't play at their best every game. What they can do is play at their normal level. You are asking them to move the ball quicker, play at a higher tempo etc. I am sure that is what Klopp asked them to do.

The real question is are they capable of that? I don't think they are consistantly able to do it. To win games agains't the lesser teams often we will need Salah or Mane to have a really good game. Or get a goal from a set piece to start us off. The first goal is everything in these type of games.

20.) 24 Jan 2018
24 Jan 2018 10:48:25
Are you disputing his 7 goals and 4 assists in his last 9 games. Watch the first half v Arsenal this season where he created 3 quality chances for Firmino and another for Salah. They missed them all and then he scored himself. No way on earth was he playing for himself that day. Lazy not in that game, he ran them ragged for 45 minutes.

People have very short memories and the way he has left has clouded people's opinion of him as a footballer. I don't say he was world class but I am very very sure he was our best player over the past few seasons. You don't get sold for £140m if you are not a very very good player.

{Ed001's Note - obviously you are not bothering to read what I said, so I won't waste my time.}

21.) 24 Jan 2018
24 Jan 2018 11:58:34
That’s one of the best review I have read here in a long long time. You are spot on for Can as the blame he gets is coz he is seeing out of his contract just like they abused Coutinho who was moving. Nailed it on the full backs. Dreadful, Can’t cross, Can’t pass, Can’t shoot and Can’t defend. Solid view on Lallana the savior. He offers nothing and you got that one dead spot on. Since you are the Ed, I am sure people won’t abuse you.

I would like to urge you to add an extra para in your reviews of what should be the counter measure against such teams or results!

Well done
Cheers.

22.) 24 Jan 2018
24 Jan 2018 12:34:44
Coutinho was very good for us, no doubt about that and I do agree with Markp08 that some have had their judgement clouded by the way and speed of his departure (possibly myself included) .

As I have said since it became apparent he was definitely leaving in January, he was a fine, fine player for us, he could have even been a legend for us, but his departure and all that came with it has forever consigned him to just having being a very good player in our history.

Nothing special, we've had lots of very good players.

Yes I also think he was excellent in the final games of his time with us, his stats stand for themselves but if his attitude was better, he could have done more and we could have won games like the Arsenal match away from home.

23.) 24 Jan 2018
24 Jan 2018 22:13:44
Let us hope whoever comes in is as good Olrish.