22 Apr 2019 13:48:20
Sorry Ed001 I'm trying and failing to wait for your match review. Mostly because so so many pundits are giving Matip their MOTM against Cardiff. Presumably because he was given the freedom of the park to make a few loping runs forward. Eye catching but they ultimately came to nothing. What did you think of him, your MOTM?

{Ed001's Note - I haven't done the review yet as I have not had a chance to watch the game a second time. Just about to try and sit and watch it again but no Matip was not bad but he was far from MOTM imo. Van Dijk had the better game and his one run forward was for more effective than all of Matip's put together. So I wouldn't even have Matip down as the best centre back, let alone MOTM.}


1.) 22 Apr 2019
22 Apr 2019 14:02:18
I thought as much. Thanks Ed.

{Ed001's Note - I personally wish he wouldn't allow himself to be tempted into making those forward runs. He would be better moving the ball on quickly as he has a good passing range.}


2.) 22 Apr 2019
22 Apr 2019 14:40:37
The guy has a decent game but people still looking for a way to put him down. Does it just that much to give anyone some credit.


3.) 22 Apr 2019
22 Apr 2019 15:10:12
I agree he had more than a decent game, just not MOTM. I also thought his forward runs indirectly made things happen at a time when our passing was ponderous. I like Matip and hope he stays instead of Lovren. I just know Ed001 isn't Matip's biggest fan, so i was interested in his opinion.

{Ed0333's Note - the thing with Matip he’s not gonna improve year on year. He has a limited skill set coupled with lapses in concentration will cost us if he hasn’t got VVD to help him. For example a pairing of say Gomes and Matip would fill me with dread and would concede a lot more than VVD and Matip. Matip doesn’t get needlessly slagged off he gets abused because he’s not that good. When he plays will he gets lauded but his bad performances far out weigh his bad. I’m ambivalent about him staying next season.


4.) 22 Apr 2019
22 Apr 2019 15:11:27
His runs forward do not fill me with confidence, he had an okay game but certainly not motm in my opinion. I thought gini was a good shout for motm.


5.) 22 Apr 2019
22 Apr 2019 15:23:40
I fully understand eds annoyance at matips runs forward as in that game we were countered on but in general I think his runs forward generally cause havoc in the opposition defences and have rarely had any consequences for us and though they rarely lead to goals they often lead to chances being created and general panic, in some occasions I'd say he's been our best midfielder against the lower league opposition and as long as he's being covered I have no problem with him continuing to do it as long as the structure allows him to do it.

{Ed0333's Note - I think you must be watching a different Matip mate because our won isn’t what you describe, in fact I’d be interested in signing the Matip you’re on about lol.


6.) 22 Apr 2019
22 Apr 2019 15:10:12
I agree he had more than a decent game, just not MOTM. I also thought his forward runs indirectly made things happen at a time when our passing was ponderous. I like Matip and hope he stays instead of Lovren. I just know Ed001 isn't Matip's biggest fan, so i was interested in his opinion.


7.) 22 Apr 2019
22 Apr 2019 17:32:25
We won 2-0 away from home against a team who put 11 men in their own box and were so intent on time wasting they didn't even have any ball boys. Nobody played badly.


8.) 22 Apr 2019
22 Apr 2019 18:47:08
I think Klopp wants Matip to run the ball out and on more than one occasion yesterday Vvd was directing him to run it forward with arm movements. If Klopp didn’t want Matip to run it out then he wouldn’t be doing it against his managers will. We all know Klopp doesn’t suffer fools.


9.) 22 Apr 2019
22 Apr 2019 16:56:51
If matip doesn’t have scope for improvement lovren certainly doesn’t either Ed.

{Ed0333's Note - I’m not sure about that mate. Lovren has the capacity to be very good on a more consistent basis than Matip. Also lovren suffers from emotional issues which he sees a psychologist for. He’s a sensitive guy and when everything’s right in his personal life it has a positive influence in his professional one. During the World Cup he had daily psychologist sessions with the creation team Dr and he was excellent.


10.) 22 Apr 2019
22 Apr 2019 22:34:43
I think when he goes forward with the ball, it gives us a numerical advantage because our mids can then look for open spaces further upfield. My perception is that it's usually 50/ 50; half the time he gives it away and half the time he finds a mid or a forward in the last third. As long as we don't suffer because of the space he leaves open behind (VVD usually should be covering), I don't think it's a bad thing. I don't recall taking in a goal because of his forward runs. He does come up with a gem of a pass from time to time; it certainly adds some variety to our attack. And if Klopp has not put an end to it, then I am assuming it has his blessing.


11.) 22 Apr 2019
22 Apr 2019 22:35:39
I distinctly remember one of his runs forward where Cardiff were able to get the ball to counter, and Matip was just jogging back without a care in the world and took a lot of time to get back. It’s this lack of motivation to try and do the best job he can do that grinds my gears. Definitely not MOTM for me - but Glad that we kept a clean sheet.


12.) 22 Apr 2019
22 Apr 2019 22:39:10
Matip was not MOTM, IMO even tho he had a solid game and kept Niase very quiet (not hard to do as he had NO support) . Ed01 is spot on im his assessment of Matip. As a Matip critic, I don't buy into the whole "he makes good runs in the opposing half" stuff. If people have not been paying attention, teams have been letting him do that as a tactic for weeks now. They let him saunter forward while all the passing lanes are blocked. He then tries to pass the ball after he is WAY too far forward. The oppo. nicks it and we are vulnerable at the back. I mean, this is not rocket science cos if I can see it then anyone can if they actually cared to pay attention during games.

Matip is not good enuff for us long term and like Ed said, were VVD not next to him, we would be in a world of hurt cos he switches off, lacks concentration, lacks aggressiveness in the challenge and goes walk about hence leaving VVD to cover the space and we are thin at the back (See Saints goal by Shane Long) . Matip has played well in some games (vs Bayern at home, at Burnley, both games vs B'mouth) BUT in the games he has not played well in, that should be called out as well.


13.) 23 Apr 2019
23 Apr 2019 08:28:24
clearly matip taking the ball forward is an instruction by Klopp with the amount of times he does it, it mixes up our attack and gives the opposition something different to think about and he does it well. I am not his biggest fan but 40 yard switches to full backs can sometimes be too obvious.


14.) 23 Apr 2019
23 Apr 2019 14:58:00
If one of the centre-backs is going to surge forward with the ball, the other needs to stay back and cover. Id rather Matip went forward leaving VVD as our last line of defence than the other way around.