Liverpool Banter Archive May 16 2016

16 May 2016 23:10:54
Anyone know what happened with Allen Rodrigues. He looked a great prospect.

17 May 2016 04:18:28
If on about the youngster he hasn't got a work permit yet I don't think.

16 May 2016 16:46:40
Karius and Zielinski as good as dine deal. I would think Zielinski at 11mil is a Kante-like capture.

16 May 2016 23:43:52
Different type of player to Kante altogether.

17 May 2016 00:11:46
Think he means one player added to team and they turn into prem chamos 😊.

17 May 2016 02:10:15
That is a huge over statement.

17 May 2016 05:29:13
Might as well call him the Polish Iniesta right now and get it over with!

16 May 2016 21:47:40
Best match of the season

Liverpool 4-3 Dortmund.

FSG, thank you for finally bringing us a tactically adept manager!

16 May 2016 23:22:55
It's a pity that so many were bemoaning a tactically-inept manager after following Europa game.

16 May 2016 23:48:28
Goes to show the knee jerk nature of fans these days, Annie.

17 May 2016 06:15:35
Best match for me was the first leg against Man U where we should have scored more than the 2 goals we scored.

16 May 2016 21:21:28
So this guy Karius reported £4.7m (without going to far into finances) I really feel he will turn out boss, all of Jurgens key players for BVB were all bargains, hopefully this signing will prove to be another!
ROLL ON WEDNESDAY!
YNWA!

16 May 2016 23:45:03
Karius is highly rated.

16 May 2016 23:50:44
Apart from Neuer and Leno, he is the best in Bundesliga.

16 May 2016 20:00:42
The same scenario that happened to us on final day of last season losing 6-1 to Stoke, is the same thing going to happen to POCHETTINO next season with him losing 5-1 to newcastle who only had 10 men. That is to me a worse loss than us at Stoke, if i was POCHETTINO i would be worried.

On another note that loss at Stoke 6-1 final game of last season, bet no one would of thought after the Stoke game last year that our last game this year would be a European final how things can change, thanks Jurgen.

16 May 2016 20:36:16
I mean our league form hasn't been that impressive. One day we play great, the next poor. Though I am still very excited for next campaign. I'm just trying to stay grounded. The Europa league has us all nervous for Wednesday. If we win, this season will be a success. If we lose? Hmm.

16 May 2016 21:29:35
That is a fair point TJRED.

16 May 2016 22:17:31
Am I the only one who think Spurs have been fairly average this season? They've received loads of plaudits but have ultimately finished with 70pts which would normally be 4th, 5th place. I think they've benefitted from the usual suspects being dire this season, us included. If we win the Europa league then for me we've had a much better season than them in the grand scheme of things.

16 May 2016 20:48:00
You have to wonder how good Spurs actually are, are they not just benefiting from the general poor quality of the league this year. Like Leicester have.

16 May 2016 23:56:51
007, no need to try to relativize both results as they were both horrible. The big difference you fail to point out is that Spurs had a great season overall and Poch just got an extension. The Stoke defeat was more devastating to us and BR as his job was on the line and he should have been fired right after the final whistle. But not complaining as we now have Klopp and he is all ours.

17 May 2016 00:23:58
I don't think the league has been poor this year I think all the lesser teams have improved and will continue to do so with the silly money in the league now imo gone are the days of teams running away with the league that is unless pep is as good as everyone thinks!

16 May 2016 18:26:33
Carra did a pod with anfield index, you guys should check it out pretty good!

16 May 2016 20:14:16
Yeah the one in Cardiff and somewhere else, there podcasts are rather good. Most of them. They do a transfer committee that's decent if you want to know about some players you don't get to watch.

16 May 2016 17:30:40
I'm very curious on the plans we have for trimming the squad. This and the next two windows will be really interesting. Hopefully, we'll be able to bring in a couple from the reserves over to first team in the next two seasons or so.

-Krishna.

16 May 2016 15:12:16
Have any of the eds/ posters heard anymore about where the LFC v Barcelona game will be held?

16 May 2016 15:51:40
Wembley.

16 May 2016 14:50:25
Regarding our final league position - clearly it's not good enough, but it is also important to remember that we have lost a substantial number of points in the last 3rd of the season whilst concentrating on the cups, as we mistakenly believed we had little left to fight for. Realistically if we had played anything like a first XI against West Brom, Sunderland and Newcastle we'd have an extra 6 points which already puts us at a much more credible position, whilst we would have stood a real decent chance vs Swansea doing the same which could have in the CL spots. At the time we were making good calls, looking back they weren't but that's captain hindsight for you!

And that is in a season where we had the injury crisis from hell (second most injured squad in the league, seemingly due to a massive change in training) and where we have had more games by far than any team in Europe. There is plenty to say (in my opinion) that this manager and these same players, with some added robustness now they are used to their training and a few key additions (some of which are already on the way i. e. Matip) and some of our younger players being that much more reliable, should be significantly higher on the table next year by doing what they have been doing just a little more consistently.

Personally from this point, I wouldn't be distraught if we started next season a few players lighter and only one first XI goalkeeper added to the roster. With that change I would fully expect us to finish 3rd or 4th next year.

16 May 2016 15:38:10
I think it was a good decision. All or nothing for the "easiest" route to champions league football. We could have faltered in both accounts and ended up just in the Europa league. Next season we are either a champions league club or won't have to have Sunday/ Monday matches because of no Europa league and hopefully that will mean much stronger league form to push for top 4 or even the title, like in 13/ 14.

16 May 2016 16:40:16
we only finished 6pts behind man city, we threw away 19 points from match winning positions, if we can sort that out we will be finishing higher than 8th next season, any season we don't finish 1st is a failure for this club, call me old school but you will never find me celebrating finishing 2nd, 3rd or 4th etc, having said that I can see the bigger picture and under jurgen klopp I feel we have the right man for the job, Leicester have proved anything is possible and any team can take the premiership, why should it not be us next season, any way 1st things first roll on Wednesday.

16 May 2016 13:42:29
Is it just me or does anyone else have a feeling henderson could be gone in the summer. Klopp obviously fancies Emre more and henderson isn't quality enough to warrant the centre MF in my opinion. If a sibstantial offer were to com ( rumour of spurs) i can see Klopp considering it. Thoughts?

16 May 2016 13:53:03
Henderson has played when fit. Don't know how you decided Klopp fancies Can more.

16 May 2016 13:54:35
My thought is that when Hendo has been fit or even half fit this season then Klopp has played him. I think you are putting your opinion as Klopp's. Tell me how is it obvious that Klopp fancies Can over Hendo?

16 May 2016 13:57:54
I don't know how you figure that Klopp favours Can, Hendo's played whenever fit (as has Can) . My oppinion is that Hendo and Can are the bedrock of Klopp's plans for the team and, unless something changes, those two are going to be around for a long time.

16 May 2016 13:58:55
I give up. He's got enough quality for midfield at 8th placed Liverpool, but he is for 3rd placed Spurs? In fact he has so much quality they may place a substantial offer?

If Hendo leaves, it's because he knows he is too good to play mid table. There is no way he'll be pushed out.

I can't even be bothered to argue with you. If you can't see how valuable Hendo is to our team, you probably can't read!

16 May 2016 14:01:21
Henderson has been hampered by injuries this season, last season he was arguably one of our best players, which is one of the reasons he got the captaincy. His stats speak for themselves against can. Even when injured the majority of the season he still manages more goals and assists. Both still need to improve vastly in those areas of their game but hendo always hits decent numbers if you looked at past seasons. The two seasons emre has been here he has appalling assists and goal stats. He is still very young but do not overrate him. He still has a lot of improving to do, and when both on fit and on form Henderson is far and away the more rounded player. Hendo and can will both stay and build a partnership next season (I base that on the underwhelming signing of Piotr zielinski, who is not an improvement on these two IMO) .

16 May 2016 14:21:13
Do we only have one player per position now? Keep Hendo, keep Can.

16 May 2016 14:45:10
I think in 2 seasons showed how he's being missed when not available. I don't have stats to prove it, but I'm sure there are lots who'll agree.

He's one of my favorites. I actually like him more than Cout and Sturridge. That maybe lots won't agree.

16 May 2016 14:48:28
When both Hendo and Can have both been available (i. e. not injured) haven't they more often than not played together?

Post doesn't make any sense to me? Surely Klopp favours them playing together if anything!?!

16 May 2016 15:01:41
Think henderson will be here next season, but i think it will be his last. Decent player when fit but the quality level is about to rise a notch at liverpool under klopp.

16 May 2016 14:13:06
Before abusing the OP someone had to stop the club / Klopp in signing similar midfielders like Henderson.

16 May 2016 15:24:47
with any luck.

16 May 2016 23:24:33
Perhaps Henderson doesn't have the quality that Alonso, Gerrard, masch etc had, but I don't remember us winning the league with them, in fact I remember us coming a damn site closer to winning the league with hendo in our midfield than we ever did without.

Since 2000 we finished 2nd 3 times I believe but only with hendo was it ever in our hands, and when he was suspended we blew it. And don't say it was all Suarez because he played when hendo was out and we still blew it.

Having a hard working balanced and committed team is far more important than individual quality as proved by Leicester this year and players like hendo and Milner are the epitomy of this even if they aren't the stereotypical marquee world beaters many have become obsessed with.

Can will improve but his progress is clear to see, future captain in my eyes. Many see hendo as a younger better version of Milner and Klopp described Milner as perfect, so I don't think hendo is going anywhere, and if he does believe me it will our loss.

16 May 2016 13:16:51
Hi Ed002, a question for you if you don't mind, not LFC related,

{Ed002's Note - Try the Newcastle page.}

16 May 2016 12:42:37
I'm getting butterflies already about Wednesday night. I honestly don't care right now about the season that just finished nor care about next season. All I care about for the next 2.5 days is the Europa Cup final.

16 May 2016 18:23:56
Nah don't worry mate.

16 May 2016 11:29:32
well i'm glad the season is over and its beyond my wildest dreams we are one winning game from getting in the Champions League group stages, at the start of the season with BR in charge things looked grim i never looked forward to any of our games the team had no direction or even looked like a jelled team, players were getting played out of position and the feeling all around LFC was not very good, we lost Stevie G who under klopp would have flourished there's still no one in the team who can pass like he can, i know he was older and lost his legs but he had that experience of what ball to play and when to play it, look at lucas his legs have gone but klopp put him in defence and he looks very good there, Klopp came in and changed everything i now look forward to our games the team has direction and an identity and players have got a lot better under his management

All i can hope for now is for us to win the final and we will get some very good players because of that but even if we don't get into the champs league i do think klopp will still get us some very good players because players will come just because of him as he is a winner and his track record speaks for itself,

we all know what positions needs improving and it will be interesting to see if klopp gets the players for them positions who will make the team better by the quality he buys for them positions, like the GK slot mingolet is not that bad really but we can do with a better keeper who will save us points by making the saves mingolet does not because if we can keep clean sheets then we have a better chance of winning the game look at man utds keeper he has kept them in games where they have gone on to win after being battered but De Gea has kept a clean sheet and the mancs have gone on to win by the odd goal, we have not had that with mingolet consistantly enough, we would have ended higher up the table if we would have had De Gea in goal

klopp has bought a couple of players and he has not paid stupid amounts for them he has got Grujic and Matip 2 players for unser 20 mill if not a lot less, so that bodes well because if he does pay a high price for a player i believe the player will be worth every penny and lastly klopp has got us playing with belief that we can score and we do we have come back from being a goal or 2 down to win games or draw them so for me the future looks very bright and i'm looking forward to it with excitement,

Y.N.W.A.

16 May 2016 12:51:02
Sorry Gerrard would not have flourished in a klopp team at all. His legs have gone and he was never a defensive minded player. Rodgers tried to shoehorn him into a defensive role and Gerrards lack of positional sense required to fulfill the role was exposed. Big difference between lucas who is excellent at reading the game and a attacking midfielder who's legs have gone. Time to move on from Gerrard.

16 May 2016 12:51:02
Sorry Gerrard would not have flourished in a klopp team at all. His legs have gone and he was never a defensive minded player. Rodgers tried to shoehorn him into a defensive role and Gerrards lack of positional sense required to fulfill the role was exposed. Big difference between lucas who is excellent at reading the game and a attacking midfielder who's legs have gone. Time to move on from Gerrard.

16 May 2016 13:30:45
Agreeded dilakh. He was finished in the prem. He was a great player but took the club to ransom and forced others out. Lucas always has positional sence and reading to make up for a lack of pace (similar to carragher)

16 May 2016 14:33:26
so you think gerrard did not have the positional sense or couldn't read the game, maybe when he was in the right position to score all them goal from outside of the box was just luck as was his reading of his passes to feet or the runners he passed to, plus playing in defence is a lot easier than to midfield that's why lucas was put in the defence, but if you 2 think lucas is a better player than gerrard than i have to disagree, as I've said gerrard must have just been lucky to be in the positions he found himself in to score all them goals and he just guessed were players would be when he passed the ball to set up a lot of goals.

{Ed001's Note - you really think playing in defence is easier and that was why he was put there? How clueless are you? It is the exact opposite, which is why Lucas was put there. It demands a much higher level of reading of the game the way we play. Oh and Gerrard was awful when it came to defensive reading of the game, hence the lunge tackles in the box that everyone loved, even though he should never have needed to make them. If he had defensive awareness he would have not needed those late lunges as he had to recover from being caught out of position.}

16 May 2016 13:58:12
Dilakh, i disagree with u as i think Gerrard's lack of positional sense will be corrected by Klopp and his 2 assistants as compared to Rodgers and Driscoll. so its a pity Gerrard call it quit a bit too early or perhaps he was forced to by Rodgers.

16 May 2016 14:07:46
Lol Lucas is currently playing with the second tier team under Klopp. Gerrard was defensively poor but made up with his exceptional range of passing and set piece delivery. He also scored some cracking goals playing deep. Gerrard was one of the reason Suarez and Sturridge were picked up so beautifully when we countered an attack.

16 May 2016 15:23:13
Lucas isn't fit to lace Stevens boots and how many needless and silly fouls does Lucas give away? He nearly lost us the match against Dortmund with that silly challenge at the end. Sorry ed but Gerrard was ten times the player Lucas ever has been. Lucas and skrtel should have left with hodgson IMO. Two very mediocre players at best.

{Ed001's Note - you really are just being idiotic now, utterly ridiculous as you have no idea what defending is about if you think Gerrard is any good at it. You should be sorry for being unable to understand defending. Gerrard is a prick who does nothing to deserve this pathetic hero worship he gets.}

16 May 2016 15:24:35
Really is time to stop looking wistfully backwards, and constantly comparing our current players to Gerrard.
He's gone. finished. history.
Get over him. and support our players, who, without Gerrard, played some fantastic football to dispose of
Man Utd, Borussia Dortmund and Villareal, to reach the Europa League Final on Wednesday!

16 May 2016 15:35:28
Defending yes that's about it, but come on how can you compare Lucas to Gerrard? And could you further elaborate your reason's to why he's a prick? Not arguing with you I just want you to justify how you can slag off the best player we have ever had bar Kenny.

{Ed001's Note - learn to read, the comparison was made in the post I was replying to and it is easy to compare the pair's defensive abilities as Gerrard has absolutely none.

He is not even the best midfielder we had while he was here - Alonso is far better. This ridiculous hero worship of a philandering prick who treats the fans like crap is pathetic. He was a one dimensional glory hunter, who was only interested in playing for himself. He is lucky he had the likes of Alonso and Lucas doing all the defensive work so he could just hog all the limelight. He has cost people their jobs, attacked people in nightclubs, tries to avoid signing autographs etc at all costs, tried to force his way out of the club for more money, how much more do you want to prove the guy is a prick? Perhaps when he decided that anyone he didn't like was to be bullied until we lost them, like Torres?}

16 May 2016 15:46:35
Yer apologies mate I did just post without fully reading but wow I didn't know all that, thanks for the insight. I'd like to hear more about the bullying if you'd care to tell anymore. Thanks for the reply too bud, been away on a tour since November so first time I've been back for a while. Hope you and the other eds are good and well.

{Ed001's Note - him and Carra were a bad influence on the club for a long time, which is why players such as Arbeloa wanted away, as they weren't part of the clique.}

16 May 2016 15:55:19
OK thanks for the reply mate I guess some of us have rose tinted glasses especially when most of us are unaware about things like that.

16 May 2016 16:36:02
Gerrard = legend.

17 May 2016 14:35:44
Some might prefer. Leg End.

16 May 2016 07:21:05
What a goal from Ibe yesterday. If he was playing for his future then he certainly did it no harm. All the speculation has pointed to him leaving, but yesterday made me consider just how true it all is. The fact Klopp started him in a meaningless game, the last of the season no doubt is weird if he is leaving. Surely if that was the case a player staying would have got the nod? Then there is Ibes celebration. That didn't look like a kid who was playing his last game for the club.

Perhaps the old saying isn't applicable with this one, and there really isn't any fire where the smoke is!

On a side note, I hope Rafa stays at NUFC. The fans there already worship him. He deserves a place he can settle for 5-10 years and we know how much he loves northern England.

16 May 2016 07:59:12
Frankly, I haven't seen any speculation in the media about Ibe leaving permanently. I think a loan would benifit the lad.

16 May 2016 08:05:14
I think he is staying for sure but there are plenty of players that get to play the last game before leaving. Tim Howard at Everton at the weekend for instance. Does that mean Benteke is staying then? ;-)

16 May 2016 08:45:56
Bogdan staying?

16 May 2016 08:52:56
Yeah good point that Irish Rover.

I was just thinking along the lines of if Ibe was being sold the game time could've been given to Canos, Kent etc. But as you say, Benteke, Bogdan, Skrtel and Allen all played and they are rumoured to be leaving.

16 May 2016 11:31:33
When Ibe plsyed on the right he has scored goals that are very similar to the one he scored yesterday he has always looked better on the right than on the left.

16 May 2016 15:03:17
people keep going on about ibe needing to go out on loan, he has already been on loan at 2 clubs, the first one at Birmingham was a waste of everybody's time, he did well at derby, now he is a Liverpool squad player, 20 years old who has just gone through the roughest spell of his career, how he deals with this will be key to his future with us, he scored a goal yesterday that we all know he is capable of, I personally would be gutted if he left Liverpool in the summer. Talking of talented youngsters well done to canos who made his Liverpool debut, albeit 10 minutes after impressing on loan at Brentford, loans only work if both the player and the club benefit from it, this was one of our better loans imo.

16 May 2016 01:23:55
Would Lucas be sold in the Summer or does anyone reckon he'll be kept on just and be switched to playing CB. He has looked ok there and maybe with a pre-season training and playing there he'll improve.

16 May 2016 06:56:43
For me it would be a terrible idea to get rid of Lucas. Never mind him being a fantastic servant to the club but he's proving what a great squad member he is. Any time he's played at CB you'd swear he's been there for age's or DM no problem job done. We just can't sell Lucas no way no how.

16 May 2016 08:01:49
I think he will stay, though he will be behind Henderson and Can in the pecking order.

16 May 2016 08:59:40
Lucas, Toure and Milner should all be kept for their leadership and role model qualities if nothing else. They are the sort of experienced players that it's just great to have in your squad.

There was an excellent interview with Brad Smith the other day. He explained that after his red card vs Swansea he had barely got into the dressing room when he received a supportive text from James Milner basically telling him to keep his head up because it can happen to anyone.

Likewise, Lucas and Toure have also demonstrated great help towards younger lads and helping new players settle. No way I'd personally let any of them go as they all do a good job when called upon as well, in whatever position they are asked to play.

16 May 2016 11:47:17
For me it's about game time. In midfield will he be first reserve or lower down the list? He's largely played in defence because of injuries and Sakho's ban so he may struggle for game time there as well next season.

If he's 5th choice CM and 5th choice CB then it's not in his interests to stay. If he's further up on the list in either role then it's worth keeping him.

16 may 2016 12:54:20
lucas will be behind can, henderson, milner, stewart, grujic and possibly zelinski. what is the use of keeping a player and paying down his wages? ridiculous.
we need to make space for incoming players ( that are not fringe )
allen and lucas heads out,
stewart, grujic and zelinski comes in.

16 May 2016 13:29:52
Maybe Kova it's because Klopp appears not to share your view of who will automatically be preferred for starting roles to Lucas?

16 May 2016 13:41:16
All the stick FSG get for signing young players who lack experience, and some of you want Milner and Lucas shipped out? I don't think you can quantify their importance in the dressing room.

16 May 2016 14:12:54
Just accept that it's Klopp that chooses who stays or who goes. I am all for debating transfers when they happen, but sometimes it's hard reading about Klopp should keep this player, or should get rid of that player.
We all like different types of players, and some of our choices may be moved on by Klopp, as it's his job to select a squad of players that he can call upon to challenge on all fronts next season, playing in a style he determines.
This season has proved that the squad of players he inherited are not strong enough in depth to fight on all fronts, finishing 8th in the Premiership is a testament of this
I hope we are not quick to judge his signings and give them a chance to develop.

17 May 2016 01:05:54
Got to keep Lucas. He's almost like the most scouse player we have in the squad now! Obviously flanno aside. Loves the club despite being messed around for a long time. Consistently a top tackler in the league.

Deserves respect for his long service. I think he should have been given VC personally. As others have said. You need players like him in a squad to show the younguns what it's all about. And he seems like a great lad in all the videos the club out out. Will be willing to play a squad role and exactly the type of player you want coming off the bench if we need to protect a lead in Europe.
Love him to be honest.