Liverpool banter 2

15 May 2024 08:21:49
Defence is more of our problem than attack.

If we had two players like Rice and Saliba I suspect we would win more games by having to score less goals which would be the difference over a season to winning the title.

If that's right then we are literally just two players away from a proper title push.

Surely we can find one top notch DM and CB this summer.

15 May 2024 08:41:54
Having better players obviously helps but it won't solve the issues completely. Fixing how the team defends as a unit is far more effective. Even a prime Franco Baresi would struggle if the system isn't set up correctly.

15 May 2024 08:44:32
I don't think Saliba would do much better in this system either. Apart from the past few matches, since we have effectively been out of the title race, VVD had been great this season. Konate is also a pretty good CB especially 1v1, and Quansah looks special. I don't think we need a CB as much. However, we would massively improve if we had a DM like Rodri, or Rice. While being good Endo lacks both pace and press-resistance, and Macca is simply wasted as a 6. Maybe Bajcetic can grow into that elite DM, but he would need time. However, he is someone I have immense trust in, and it would be interesting to see how Slot uses him in pre-season.

15 May 2024 09:22:26
I agree. I know our strikers have had a bit of stick but they've been put under immediate pressure by our tendency to gift the first goal to pretty much every team we've played against.

We need a top class DM and a replacement for VVD at a minimum. Then we need to stop this daft tactic of having to chase every single game!

15 May 2024 10:39:03
I think we need to move Trent and Macca out of the RB and DM roles. RW/ AM for Trent and CM/ AM for Macca. They get dribbled past far too easily and then people have to step out of position to cover for them which creates this knock on effect of pure carnage and everyone all over the place.

Quansah and Virgil are both very good CB's who win their individual duels more often than not but they're being dragged from pillar to post. Robertson and Endo are both good players even at 30 years old but we need to find younger solutions next season as they play in positions where a physical decline will be very noticeable. Bajcetic and Beck should be considered in pre-season but if they aren't good enough then signing a new LB and DM is a must.

I personally back Bajcetic to make the DM role his own and I think people are forgetting how good he was pre-injury. But also, maybe I'm over estimating his ability to bounce back from it and become 1st choice. I don't know enough about Beck so right now I'm thinking the priority for defence is a new LB until I've seen more of him. Bradley should be first choice RB next season without question and Quansah has to be a starter at CB. They're both too good for the bench.

The difference you would see by not having Macca and Trent getting absolutely trampled over dragging others out of position, would be massive. Quansah and Virgil is potentially a great partnership with better protection in front of them and down the sides of the defence.

15 May 2024 10:46:15
1. Tactics
2. Defensive midfielder
3. Centreback
4. Left back
5. Right sided forward
6. Left sided forward
7. Backup goalkeeper
8. A repeat of Bruce Grobbelaar's liquid-based ceremony.

15 May 2024 11:56:39
Thing is MK, TAA isn’t quick enough or skilful enough on the ball to be a right winger and he’s not a number 10 or attacking midfielder in a million years, trying to shoehorn him into the team just for the occasional long shot and Hollywood pass is to do so at the detriment of the team, as harsh as that sounds, I’m of the opinion that I can’t see where he fits in the starting line up going forward, so it is time to part ways.

Putting all our eggs in one basket with Bajcetic is a huge risk, and Endo doesn’t have the legs for a full season, so a top class defensive midfielder is needed. Just go back to the difference that Fabinho made when he signed.

15 May 2024 12:37:42
Trent at RB, with occasional inversion would be my go to instead of the entire tactic seemingly centred on freeing Trent up to playmake. Watching him vs Spurs, it looked much better and simpler. He even showed he could defend Son in some tricky moments.

Trent's superpower is his long pass. It's by far and away the best in the world. Moving him forward would just make him an above average midfielder.

Selling the best long passer in the world who happens to be a Scouser and still in his mid-20s would be insane imo.

We'd be much better off just simplifying the tactics and his role in them.

15 May 2024 15:14:33
Think we need a backup for Virg more than a replacement. Realistically who could we get for left CB that's better than him anyway? Van Dijk is not the problem, if he showed this seasons form I'd be happy to have him start for another 3 or 4 years. Lloyd Kelly on a free would have been a smart signing.

{Ed002's Note - Lloyd Kelly will not move to simply be cover.}

15 May 2024 15:17:02
If we want a better defence we have to play Bradley at RB - he is just a better defender than TAA. We need Quansah to continue his upward trajectory and become a regular starter and we need to replace VVD with a younger left footed LCB. Virgil is the past and we need to look to the future.

15 May 2024 15:27:29
Virg has had more partners than a call girl this year.

{Ed077's Note - then sadly the call girl needs a change of profession.😂 or better "marketing" 🤣🤣

15 May 2024 15:31:42
WDW, I personally just want a good back up to replace Matip and reduce our reliance on Konate. I'm happy with Virgil and Quansah as the 1st choice pairing. I'd really like to see Van den Berg get a shot before we spend big on a replacement for Matip. If VdB wasn't already our player you'd be talking about at least a 30m transfer fee to get him after the season he's just had.

15 May 2024 15:35:25
Who is better than Virg and attainable.

Vvd's form has dropped off the last month or so but so has everyones.

I had VVD as a front runner for player of the season with Mac a few weeks ago.

Endo is another shout but he didn't get into the team until Dec and then was away in Jan and had a good Feb.

15 May 2024 15:46:51
I agree about Lloyd Kelly Ed, but even if we paid 60m on Ignacio for example he would be back up to Virg. Said Kelly because at least then we wouldn't have parted with a mountain of cash.

{Ed002's Note - Inacio will also not be moving to be back up to anyone.}

15 May 2024 16:32:00
How many minutes has Baj played in the PL, playing DM?

15 May 2024 16:47:38
Just stick with what we have now then seen as no half decent player wants to be backup to virg. Or maybe Van Den Berg will be brought back.

15 May 2024 17:45:24
Irish in answer to that.

25 mins this season.

159 mins last season

All his other minutes came as right or left centre mid and right back.

15 May 2024 17:47:22
Irish Rover, was about 1000 minutes of senior football in 22/ 23 season before he was ruled out with an adductor injury. In that period he was our best midfielder though.

I still have faith in him to come back. It will make or break him though. Elliott came back from worse and has never looked back. Some players don’t have the mentality to recover so that’s why I’d assess him in pre-season first.

15 May 2024 18:09:39
Exactly that JK. I don’t dispute he played well in what was a horrible season but he hardly played at DM where everyone thinks he’s a shoe in 🤷‍♂️.

15 May 2024 18:45:40
Macca is wasted at No6, we can all see that, and once Endo goes off, we concede even more goals .
Macca should be much further up the pitch,
and please make better use of our subs this coming season .

15 May 2024 19:00:21
I'm with you Irish. Baj may well be the future DM but he's not ready yet so we need a top class one to play until he is. I think this is the one position where we need a 'ready to go' player, someone at their peak rather than someone with potential.

15 May 2024 19:06:27
Context is important though, JK/ Irish.

Bajcetic only played 20 minutes off the bench at RB so that’s barely worth mentioning.

He played a further approx. 450 minutes off the side of a midfield 3, usually the left. That was across about 4 leagur starts and 1 CL start. From memory Fabinho was the DM in all of these games I think.

He played roughly 350 minutes at DM across 2 league starts and 4 cup starts. This was where he played his best football in my opinion, crucially as part of a double pivot alongside Thiago who is a similar player to Mac Allister in my opinion.

There was then another maybe 100 minutes where he came on as a sub and his position wasn’t recorded and it was a mix of CM and DM from memory.

Hence why I think he deserves a chance during pre-season in Slot’s preferred double pivot alongside who I think will most likely be Mac Allister. I’m not saying Bajcetic has loads of experience as a lone 6 because he has pretty much zero, but that is irrelevant because Slot doesn’t play with a lone 6. He uses 2 DM’s and one sits to protect and build up from deeper and the other pushes up higher when Geertruida inverts. Bajcetic showed the ability with the ball when he played off the left of a 3 to suggest he will be okay building up from deep and he showed the destructive capabilities when he was in the double pivot with Thiago to suggest he can screen the backline. He came through as a CB so he is defensively minded and that is important because too many of our midfielders are forward thinking players who don’t see danger. I stand by my original point, he deserves a chance before we buy.

15 May 2024 19:10:47
Saliba would struggle in the system we play cos people forget, it is Gabrial who is left on his own when Zinchenko inverts. Just my take.

15 May 2024 20:06:37
Mk absolutely and I agree. Irish asked about the Premier league though mate hence why I mentioned RB.

I remember his game at home to wolves and Fab was at DM and he was our best player on the pitch playing the left 8.

That’s not me saying he can’t play 6, I’m just saying he’s pretty good at 8 as well.

Obviously with a new manager and formation you’re spot on that we might not be playing a lone 6.

Baj only played the equivalent of 10 a half games last season across 4 competitions for the first team.

As much as I’m excited about him I also believe it’s extremely early days in his career for us to be pinning our hopes to him.

Anyone remember the Scouse Cafu.

15 May 2024 23:03:44
It's not so much the system that doesn't work. It's our players that can't make it work.
Other teams play with a back three when they have the ball but they are not left as exposed as we are because they have more and better defensive minded players. Not many teams would play Mac as a six and have him flanked by the likes of Szob, Grav, Jones or Elliott.
Our best team under Klopp very often had both full backs very high up the pitch but we had the players to allow them to do that. Henderson, Wijnaldum and Milner would cover for them.

16 May 2024 12:51:28
Anyone signing with the view of being back up while in their prime isn't worth having, they should sign with a view that they will break into the first 11.

15 May 2024 07:49:09
This for me is a week to celebrate Jürgen Norbert Klopp and appreciate what he has done for our great club. What is your favourite memory over Jurgens time as manager -

Mine is the first interview when he called himself 'The Normal One', at that point something special begun and I have enjoyed every minute of it the good and bad.

Thank you Jürgen for making me a believer again and I wish you happiness, success and good health in the future 🍻.

15 May 2024 11:22:15
My favourite Klopp moment was a couple of days ago when he made the press wait for him and said "Who gives a ****" 😂.

15 May 2024 12:35:13
Mine would have to be Lallana Broken Glasses. Absolutly brilliant and that was some of the best football matches I can remember watching win, lose or draw.

15 May 2024 13:31:09
The broken glasses was a good one.

Favourite probably the running on the pitch to celebrate with Alisson after Origi won the derby in added time 😆.

15 May 2024 14:52:43
The brainf@#k for brain fog for me 😂.

15 May 2024 17:38:21
The tears at the champions league final. Meant so much to him and us all to be back at the top again.

15 May 2024 18:37:37
Great man, great manager and delivered great football much of the time as well as the full set of trophies.

15 May 2024 18:47:52
I agree with Ron, when Origi scored that late winner V Everton, that was great to see Klopp running on to the pitch . wow what a moment .

15 May 2024 19:12:47
"It is not important what people think of you when you come. It is more important what people think of you when you leave".

And this actually played out in reality. Honor and Integrity Till The End!

14 May 2024 20:56:29


iwillbered has written an article entitled, Liverpool FC Players Overview

15 May 2024 07:28:27
That's not a bad summary, red. I disagree about a few players but that is to be expected.
One thing that stands out though is that forward lines like Salah, Mane and Firmino don't come along very often. They worked that well together and the longevity of the partnership was almost freakish.
Our forward options are still good but it was unlikely that we could replicate quality of the old one.
In fact, I would say our attacking options are better than Arsenal's.

15 May 2024 10:18:21
Said the same on an earlier post - we've made our strikers job too hard this by gifting too many teams and early goal which immediately puts them into chase the game mode, increasing the pressure on them to score. A top quality DM would/ will make a huge difference I believe, I think our forward line is pretty decent really but we've just given them too much to do by starting so many games a goal down!

If Salah goes then I'd be tempted to stick Szoboslai out there rather than trying to buy a direct replacement. Go back to 3 hard workers in midfield.

15 May 2024 10:54:03
Can't really disagree with anything you wrote iwillbered apart from the Robbo part. I suspect we will let him run his contract down and look to instead bring in a new left back to replace Tsimikas. Beck might get another loan and if he continues to impress secure Robbo's place in the squad the year after.

First thing we need to do is settle on the tactics, including the scope of Trent's role in the team. Second thing is to sort the defensive midfield position out as the issue has been dragging on too long.

After that, presumably Matip, Tsimikas, Diaz (sounds like he's off), Kelleher and Salah (sounds like he could be sold) will ned to be replaced.

15 May 2024 12:02:39
Johnnyr, agree there. We scored three goals against Villa which should be enough to win a game. Our poor defending and lack of any kind of organisation is killing us.

15 May 2024 18:39:18
A pretty good summary. Wouldn’t change much about what you suggested.

15 May 2024 19:17:30
Spot on, ViktorVaughan. Also, people mentioning Salah, Mane and Bobbie need to stop with the comparisons with this crop. We all know that when they arrived, people laughed at us signing such players and didn't think they would reach the Balon D'OR levels they reached (apart from Bobbie, I think) .

Now we all saw them grow from there to absolute PL legends, let alone LFC legends. The most feared Front 3 in PL history, IMO. Second only to MSN in CL history, IMO. We did not sign them when they were great cos we wouldn't be able to afford them. We signed them as projects who blew up. It is time for us to give the current crop the support we game these legends and stop comparing them to legends, IMO.

14 May 2024 16:34:38
To me, Allison looks like he does not want to be at LFC.

14 May 2024 17:04:08
How have worked that out then?

14 May 2024 18:38:32
And, you figured this out, how?

Did you see the one player who has actually been consistently good these last 2 years and thought, none of that!

14 May 2024 18:42:20
These amateur psychologists are hilarious!

14 May 2024 19:21:17
Because he looks annoyed at his teammates when goals go in? He is always like this. He hates getting scored on since he came to the club and will waste no time in going after teammates for errors. Remember him blaming the wall against Barcelona.

Hopefully he stays because he is a massive part of this club.

14 May 2024 22:31:18
He looked annoyed because of the keystone cops defending. I don’t blame him.

15 May 2024 07:07:55
Heavy metal might not be his thing.
I can see him being a Smooth Radio listener.

15 May 2024 18:50:12
some of the defending has been pub league standard at times, he should be very annoyed .

15 May 2024 19:18:22
And we're off with the conspiracy theories again.

14 May 2024 03:15:55
Ed1, you are right. Our defense really do need sorting out. It looks like a mess right now. When our forward can score goals, our defense can't seem to defend. When the defender can defend, our forwards can't score goals. Last night remind me of the beginning of Klopp era. Scoring enough goals while also conceding a lot goals.

{Ed001's Note - it is a mess that will need fixing.}

14 May 2024 10:12:42
Van Dijk's fallen off a cliff the past few weeks after seeming to recapture his best form earlier in the season. He's not going to be able to play basically every game anymore, do that needs sorting.

The midfield became porous as soon as Endo came off, so we need another Endo. Those two things would fix 50 percent of it imo.

14 May 2024 10:36:57
Do you think VVD and Quansah isn't as good pairing compared to VVD and Konate? It seems like they both doesn't really have the understanding of what the other are doing. Like when VVD is stepping up, Quansah dropping down or late to step up and vice versa. It feels like Villa can score more than 3 goals last night. Just like second half against Spurs, Villa just going through our midfield and defense with ease. Sure these last few matches doesn't mean anything, but got to defend better than that.

{Ed025's Note - what you have mfahmee is experience alongside inexperience mate, there are bound to be a few teething problems but i think Quansah could be something special and personally i would stick with him..

14 May 2024 10:43:14
I remember back to that season when VVD was assaulted by Pickford and we used Fabinho and Hendo as CBs. Weakening the midfield had too much of a difference all over the pitch.

The 6 position is critical for me. I think we need to have either an established CDM come in for Endo to backup or the future CDM come in. but I really don't want to see a 10 or an 8 come in and be deployed as a CDM.

it doesn't work.

14 May 2024 10:52:40
I do think Quansah is good Ed25, maybe Van Dijk could be more vocal during matches to organize the defend better. It seems like Van Dijk and Quansah are both little bit laid back so maybe that is one thing to fix. These last few matches with nothing left to play, could be one of the reason why players doesn't seem to bother to defend well.

14 May 2024 11:44:34
With looked incredibly porous with Endo on too. It's just Villa didn't take their chances.

I think finally people are seeing this is not Kloppball we have been playing for the last couple of years. It's a poorly attempted imitation of De Zerbi's style.

It literally suits nobody in our team.

14 May 2024 11:47:54
We need an upgrade on Endo but I would keep him. It shows how fragile the midfield is when Endo has to be the first name in there.
The defence needs sorting but it's like the area under the Old Trafford Waterfall with the midfield being the roof. We need an experienced partner for VVD and Quansah can develop. We've a good young right back and TAA can play there with the right players around him. I wouldn't be averse to bringing in a left back as Robertson has started to creak.
The midfield is the real concern and I think we're expecting a lot of Endo and Bajcetic to sort it and at least one quality addition is needed. Mac, Szob and Grav need to be higher up the pitch and next season is a big one for the last two.

14 May 2024 12:39:39
We weren’t as bad as we are now when we had Fabinho and he do back there, too many of these lads aren’t giving their all, Trent and Gomez and vvd are the worst…. gomez only gets a by because he’s a utility man. Vvd isn’t a captain and not doing his job so how can he tell others. Quansah is quality and konate has needed to do 2 roles with this inverted full back nonsense…. Might as well have 3 cbs.

14 May 2024 14:42:29
Trent has been so lax since he got back in the team more interested in Hollywood passes than putting in a shift.

14 May 2024 14:57:02
Agree gmil he looks like he’s checked out on this team.

14 May 2024 15:09:35
Eds, it seems like almost all the coaching staff will leaving the club alongside Klopp. New DoF, Edwards and Ward is coming back also. Does all this changes happening at one go concern you?

{Ed002's Note - No.}

14 May 2024 15:54:21
Gonna be an emotional one on Sunday but it looks like the players are already on their summer holidays or even worse conserving themselves for the Euros and Copa America.

Bit of a sad way for Klopp to bow out in a meaningless game v Wolves.

14 May 2024 16:48:27
JK, I don't think it's that bad of a way to bow out. There's no pressure to get a result and it's more about Klopp. Can you remember a couple of seasons ago when we played Wolves on the last day when we could have won the League and City were 0-2 and ended up winning 3-2? That would be worse, imo.
It could also be better though!

For me, Sunday will be all about Klopp and the fabulous years he has given us. I'm not going to be dwelling on stuff he didn't do, the tactics, the book he contributed to etc etc.
There have been far more positives than negatives and we might not see the like again. I'll be honest, I didn't think I'd see them again until Jürgen Norbert Klopp arrived at our club.

Ps. and I'll be keeping an eye on the title race. I hope Spurs get something tonight to make it really interesting!

14 May 2024 22:13:58
@Ed25, have you run out of your tablets, mate? You do realise that you said a Liverpool player might be a good ‘un?

{Ed025's Note - you should realize by now WDW that im like "superman" mate, i dont tell lies and i can see through lead.. :)

15 May 2024 07:36:05
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Nah it’s Super Ed 👍.

{Ed025's Note - love it WDW..

14 May 2024 07:39:01
{Ed's Note - gdog55 has posted a new article entitled, Current State of Glasgow Rangers

13 May 2024 22:10:03
What a mess the defending is school boy defending. Arne Slot has a big job sorting the defence out and midfield. Too much room for villa to run at us. Like to see the lines in both our goals given offside, they looked very close to me especially the Diaz goal.

13 May 2024 22:33:03
If we had a few more players that can and want to defend it wouldn't be so bad.
But I thought we wanted heavy metal football?

13 May 2024 23:23:22
Midfield as porous as a sieve with a hole in it.

13 May 2024 23:39:16
I don't imagine Roy Keane would want to be in the trenches with any of them, Ron 😂.
They are wetter than an Old Trafford stand.

14 May 2024 06:52:01
No physicality or athleticism in midfield. It's been like that since prime Fabinho.

14 May 2024 08:46:00
Need to buy a quality DM. I know Bajcetic is available again but he's still only a kid and we have no way of knowing how he's going to turn out. I'm actually starting to think that the DM position maybe the most crucial acquisition for next season.

14 May 2024 09:03:45
Guys, if we are honest, this is NOTHING new. This is the way we have been playing for the most part in the PL this season. Reality is hard to take BUT if anyone really and truly STILL thought/ thinks a team this inconsistent, this flawed and this much of a danger to itself more than a danger to the other team and awash with poor decision making on the pitch and on the touchline, was ever going to win the title then sorry, you did that all to yourself.

I too, thought we could win the league this season cos well, Im a fan and want my team to win. However, the chickens (as in all our problems) have come home to roost and now, it is now time to accept that this team had NO shot of winning the title. It's hard to take BUT that is the reality. it is what it is.

14 May 2024 09:05:35
I’m not massively confident we’re going to go and get a quality defensive midfielder. All the talk is that we’re looking at Koopmeiners, who isn’t a defensive midfielder at all.

14 May 2024 09:18:46
While a new DM won’t solve the tactical failures, we’ve been in need of one for 3 seasons now. Fabinho decline began during the 21/ 22 season.

14 May 2024 09:29:30
Agreed on the tactical side FPF and that will change soon enough but the way folk bypass our midfield needs to be addressed however we are setup to play next season. Klopp has been brilliant but the last few years have seen a few too many square pegs in round holes for my liking.

14 May 2024 14:08:23
Johnnyr1970, this is because we have eliminated the press that would happen as soon as we lose the ball. The square pegs in round holes are a prob BUT frankly, we don't press the way we used to right after we lose the ball hence, we get run thru in midfield and anywhere else. We do it in stages/ spurts BUT it ain't there, man. Is it because Klopp allowed himself to be convinced to abandon the press is this situation, something we did 4 years ago? Your guess is good as mine.

14 May 2024 15:18:54
Need to get the right bodies in to get the press working properly of course. A quality mobile DM will help though I think.

14 May 2024 16:19:19
We haven't abandoned the press but the pressers are not as good.
I could take or leave Firminho but he was great at pressing the opposition. Mane, too. He was quick, strong and got stuck in.
Fabinho, Henderson, Wijnaldum and Milner all had their limitations but they were all big lads willing to put a foot in.
Can you say the same about the current crop?

14 May 2024 16:27:33
Rigsby agree on Firmino. His greatest asset was his ability to read the game.

He was already pressing defenders before the pass was even made to them. Almost like he was a step ahead.

15 May 2024 11:20:08
We create more chances than anyone, clearly the forwards are the problem, Diaz is an older Nunez who creates chaos but lacks finishing, I'd be holding onto Nunez for this as he is younger and does makes defences nervous, Salah has some value and should be sold, we know we always need to sell to buy players, Jota can't stay fit, Gakpo needs games o get going and in this league with such small margins for error we can't always afford that, we have to get a finisher to put these chances away, if we had Rice and Kane we would be level if not in front of City now, we all know the quality of our signings have been potential instead of ready made, it needs to change to challenge again, Bajectic being fit is going to be huge for us, a genuine top draw looking player.