24 Jan 2024 19:42:15
Ed001 how would your half way point in the season report read.
For me the best thing is we have started the season with great results without playing great at times but I would say we seem to have started playing well now and the result have carried on. I think Mac Allister has started to look a lot better in the 6 role since he has come back from injury and I've not been sold on Konate since he signed but the last few games he has looked outstanding. Nunez I feel his all round game has improved massively and I can't think of a striker who has got more chances in a games in my life time and if he improves and starts to get a bit of luck he is going to score more goals than anybody out there.
I feel the Chelsea and Arsenal games coming up in the league are massive games that could set us on the way to one hell of a season.

{Ed001's Note - I would say we are exceeding expectations. The side has been rebuilt in one window and not needed a period of transition to get back to a point where it can challenge for the title. Klopp has put aside his usual loyalty to be ruthless and sweep aside the old guard in midfield and put a new one together and got them working as a unit. The new tactics, which were causing issues with us constantly going behind in games, have been adjusted to fix the issues. No longer is it just an inverted full-back, now it is a midfielder who drops into defence when needed. Or, when Gomez plays it, more of an old-fashioned sweeper stepping out of defence to act as a bulwark against attacks.

Pretty much every player is looking to be improving and not even injuries and international tournaments have been able to derail things. In fact the biggest problem has been terrible refereeing decisions.

A few factors have actually helped - Endo's involvement has been a big plus as he has helped the team become more ball dominant, which helped increase the confidence in the team (on top of the work the coaching staff do I mean).

The ball dominance and increased confidence in ourselves has caused opponents to be fearful of going at us, allowing us to be even more dominant.

Also, much as Matip was also improving, his injury has helped in respect of him being the one centre-back who had been struggling with the defensive system. He was the only one who really struggled when having to go out into wide areas and never ever looked comfortable. He was improving but losing him has meant that Konate and Quansah have had to step up and both have done so. Both look in, in many respects, a better fit for the way we are now playing. Though it would be nice to have him there available, we do still have his great personality for the team around the camp, so it is not as big a loss as it could have been.

The other thing that has impressed is the way we have gradually upped the intensity in our play as the season has gone on. It was far too low early on, but now it is beginning to once more overwhelm our opponents. Added to that never-say-die attitude returning and a team of leaders, where almost every player could be captain, we have a great foundation for long term success right now.

And players like Mac Allister are now looking like the player we thought we were getting and that is added to the development of youth too. It looks like we have the beginnings of a long term trophy-winning calibre squad. However City will always be a spoke in the wheel and that we have to expect to be the one thing that stops us cleaning up.}

1.) 25 Jan 2024
25 Jan 2024 03:45:49
I hope the boys keep delivering us happiness ???.

2.) 25 Jan 2024
25 Jan 2024 03:56:26
Ed1, It seems like we are able to find that sweet spot between the need to win games now and promoting our academy players. Klopp seems to be having more trust in academy players compared to few seasons back. Still remember seeing Henderson and Fab playing as a CB when our CB are injured instead of giving our academy players chances. It really nice seeing the likes of Quansah and Bradley been given chances and they show that they are more than capable to play well in 1st team football.

{Ed001's Note - the academy is producing better players to be fair. It is a different thing trusting Rhys Williams to Jarrell Quansah. Not meaning to offend Williams, but he is simply not as good. When the quality was there - Trent, Jones - Klopp has always been willing to put his faith in them.}

3.) 25 Jan 2024
25 Jan 2024 07:30:37
I would say the press has been upped as the season goes on as well. I have to say am so impressed with Connor Bradley he has a calmness about him and a few skills as well. The op is right the Chelsea and Arsenal game are absolutely massive and we can’t afford so slip up.

4.) 25 Jan 2024
25 Jan 2024 11:50:06
Ed. 001, far be it for me to question your knowledge of the game and the team, however . I would question the absolute truth behind your statement, 'Klopp has put aside his usual loyalty' in reference to the midfield. In Milner's case, you could argue the truth of it but it was hardly ruthless to let the old man move on. As great a servant as he has been.

Contracts running out for Ox and Keita, inevitable, again not ruthless.

I would argue that we have the Saudis to thank for the final removal of the old guard. Would we have replaced Fab without them, would Hendo have been tempted away so easily and quickly. I am not so sure. I think they did us a huge favour and without them we may have seen Klopp being more loyal than he actually appeared.

We would always have brought in a couple of midfielders but I'm not so sure Endo and Gravenberch would have come without the Saudis.

{Ed001's Note - so your point is what? Because contracts could have been extended. And the Saudis did make their bids. So he was ruthless when the chance presented itself, rather than in a fantasy world you are suggesting where those things didn't happen. It doesn't matter why he was ruthless, the point is he was.}

5.) 25 Jan 2024
25 Jan 2024 12:07:04
Brilliantly stated, Ed01. Everything you have mentioned is clear for the eyes to see in near every aspect. Long may it continue.

6.) 25 Jan 2024
25 Jan 2024 13:47:34
Very well said Ed1 and always appreciate your opinions mate. I'm so happy with this team, I had a feeling we'd do well this season at the beginning of it but not this well. I believe I predicted we'd do the Europa League and now who knows, it's all up for grabs. What a position to be in. It's ours to lose now. One thing I love is we are getting results no matter who is on the pitch, half of our team are out yet we're still doing what is needed. Pretty soon we have our first choices back, we will absolutely smash this season, bring all of them trophy's on.

Hope you're having a good day mate.

7.) 25 Jan 2024
25 Jan 2024 13:59:36
To be fair to potclay, and potclay, apologies if I'm putting words in your mouth, but Ed, your statement reads like Klopp sacked off half the MF to bring in the new group. I think it was fairly well publicised he wanted the likes of Milner, Hendo and Fabs to stay if I'm not mistaken. it was down to the players own personal choice to leave plus the end of contracts for Ox et al. I'm sure contract extensions aren't even managed by Klopp but at a more executive level?
Either way, good assessment and can't argue with your other points.

8.) 25 Jan 2024
25 Jan 2024 14:42:38
Nice post Grino, and solid response, 001. What you said about the evolution of the hybrid roles particularly resonated with me. We talked about this before, but it seems Gomez's interpretation of the inversion has made it work better from a defensive solidity standpoint, while Trent's inversion has been far more defensively fraught. Gomez has played as a CB and DM in his inversion from the left and although I don't have the stats to back it up, it feels like we've conceded less and have been generally more assured at the back with Gomez on the left inverting and playing three or four positions throughout per game. It's been really interesting to watch him grow and improve so much, and could easily be one of our players of the season!

9.) 25 Jan 2024
25 Jan 2024 15:29:47
Ed.001 Didn't mean to annoy you with my opinion. I agree with almost everything you post here and am hugely appreciative of your efforts. As in most things here, it's a game of opinions. I just don't see it the same way you do and that's fine.

The old policy of the Paisley, Fagan, Dalglish era was ruthless, cut a player before he reaches 30, even if he was still doing something for the team. That way we had continued success.

Klopp has only really stuck his neck out for Hendo in getting him a new contract. He has shown loyalty to players and he did want Bobby to stay and have a new contract.

However, the players who left at the end of their contracts were never going to be offered an extension. Hendo made the choice to leave after being told his game time was limited. I'm not sure how much say he would have had in the Fab deal and whether he had any ability to keep him, but we got the money we spent on him and 5 great years. Cutting him from the line up for Bajcetic last season was far more ruthless and the right call. He was already on his way out. And Milly had been given a rolling extension for years, we all loved him but his time was up. None of these were ruthless decisions by Klopp.

If the Saudis hadn't made the offers we would probably still be lining in some league cup games with Hendo and Fab. They did us a favour and it was obvious to everyone and their mothers that it was the only call to make to let them go, hardly ruthless.

The criticism of Klopp being too loyal is fair but hardly a bad trait to have in most situations. I don't think any of the departures last summer have assuaged my thoughts on that. We have a really exciting midfield and I'm loving that. The criticism of the Saudis has been another constant, in this case though, I think they did us a favour.

10.) 25 Jan 2024
25 Jan 2024 16:46:42
I think we are going to win trophies with this team, and big ones at that. We seem to have the frailties of defending sorted, we probably need one or two players to be a full tilt team going for all the titles, but im delighted with what i've seen so far, mentality is back, pressing is back, and Klopp has his mojo again.