Liverpool Banter Archive September 19 2013

19 Sep 2013 22:47:01
I just saw Swansea dismantle and destroy Valencia in UEFA League. We were not only lucky but did extremely well to pull out that draw at their Liberty Stadium.

I hope we play this lineup at Southampton: Mignolet - Kelly, Agger, Sakho, Enrique - Lucas, Gerrard, Henderson - Moses, Sturridge, Aspas

Toure instead of Sakho for me, but agree with the rest of that lineup.

I would leave kelly out. I feel he's still lacking a yard of pace and needs another game or two in the reserves. Wisdom will do fine.
Toure instead of Sakho most definately.
And we just might see sterling in place of aspas to cover up for the dribbles down the right wing that we're missing with johnson out.

20 Sep 2013 10:26:50
has agger been declared fit for tomorrow, what has martin skrtel done wrong to lose his place, if wisdom plays he will need the likes of sterling in front of him as imo sterling has a good hard working etic about him although I haven't seen enough of aspas to say he dosent justify a place, the centre back parnership I would love to see at some stage this season toure and sakho we all have to remember its a long season with injuries, I have a feeling with toures experience and power mixed with sakhos speed and power, both good enough passers of the ball and I believe agger isn't as good with set pieces as both these players.its going to be hard keeping the players not selected happy I just hope we give the backline a chance to gel too much changing at the back will lead to inconsistency.

19 Sep 2013 21:02:31
Ed's fellow Reds, I would like your opinion on something. I thought at the beginning of the transfer window we were going to address the lack of creativity/and goals from midfield that cost us dear last season, Being linked with Mkhitaryan, Willian, Erriksen( who will show his class at spurs i'm sure)) I thought this was a position that was a priority, but the window closed with a last ditch loan move for Moses?
Is it only myself who is of the opinion that Lucus, Henderson and Gerrard in the same midfield doesn't offer much in the final third? Maybe Coutinho has not created much this season but it was quite clear he was the only link from midfield to attack we had and when he went off we couldn't press as the ball kept coming back at us.
Henderson does a similar job to Lucus for me just further up the pitch, he works great breaks up attacks and can start our moves off for us, but offers little goal threat or defensive splitting passes. Gerrard is also very in and out of games at the moment and looks really tired around the 70 min mark.
I think we really need to be looking at a long term replacement for SG, Someone who can score and create from a central position, I personally would also like to see Kanoplyanka for wide left as he scores, creates and works hard for the team something I hope Moses can bring to the team.

Don't say i'm being negative because that's a kop out, I am really pleased the way things are going would just like to know who people think will create the most, and score form central mid this season.

dave240876

We can never replace gerrard

Whats with all the replace Gerrard talk? He is still by far one of our best players. He looked a little tired in the last game but that was undoubtably due to playing the 2 international games previously. Everyone knows performances dip after international breaks and that applies to many teams.

Gerrard could still at 32 years of age walk into any top team in the world and make an impact. You can't replace a player like Gerrard, enjoy him while he is still here!

Red Rum

Well steven gerrard is a shadow of a player he was once.2006.2007.2008.2009.but then he went injured and since his return after injury has been played in the defensive role and has lost his effect on the game. he just puts in quality from set pieces and that's about it for the final third, however he works immensly for the defensive block of the team,
also at 33 he is our leader, and no club would ever have a leader like him.
i really wouldn't like to buy much but since we are in transition I would like us to play more of kelly ibe sterling alberto rossister sama mclaughin and morgan to see if they cut in and have it in themselves.
i didn't get it when coady went out on loan, I thought this would be his season alongside lucas!
suso would be great for us perhaps . we need to rotate our team, as for now we play same team in and out every week. coutinho's injury might be a chance for many players.
but I think it will be suarez wo comes in for him. (which I don't mind at all) but against the lesser teams we can give our young gems a start and opportunity.

I completely agree with you mate we definitely need a creative midfield and with Coutinho out we will suffer. I am still perplex why we have not signed one We had option to buy Eriksen or another one but we have not done so. For now I think Stevie should cover the absence of Coutinho and Luis Alberto to replace him when he is tired.

Would love to see Henderson in Gerrards Position. He would enable us to play higher up the pitch as his pace would be able to track back. He'll press all day long and will be amazing. Gerrard is conscious of his legs so paces himself and doesn't push up too far as he doesn't have the pace to get back.
Yes Gerrard has great ability, but in the position he's in. We need more tireless pressing and ball winning.
Lucas should be the Covering not ball winning. Gerrard should be the one pressing high and winning balls. He just doesn't do enough defensively. He doesn't need to stand off, as he has lucas behind him. Press the ball and win it.

20 Sep 2013 09:54:36
There was no option on Erikson.

Akrubbish, Rossitor is 16. 16!

19 Sep 2013 19:47:05
As much as Gerrard has been a fantastic player over the years, and still is performing relatively well, there is a clear problem with him right now. Although I like players trying to pass the ball forwards instead of sideways, I think in our system you have to keep it simple at times. Gerrard often seems to almost get bored with passing it around the middle and attempts a long ball to one of our forwards. Whilst it is a good idea if there's a genuine opportunity, such passes are often very difficult to control, and can lead to us giving away the ball cheaply. I wish Rodgers would tell Stevie to cut down on this, but, as much as I like the manager, I don't think he really has the guts. I feel that if we want to win games by passing the ball, giving it away carelessly is playing into the opposition's hands. Peace.

Dear me, your entitled to your opinion fella but that post is pure nonsense, I'm sure we had these kind of posts at the start of last season about Stevie and YET AGAIN he was our best midfielder by a country mile!

I really don't get some of you on here, you can't wait to jump on the genuine world class players we have when there sky high standards may occasionally slip yet defend to high heaven some of the average Joe's we have in the squad who will never do anything more than pick up there extortionate wages and slip back into obscurity were they belong!

Enjoy and appreciate your legends because they don't come along very often, mind you the way some of you have slagged King Kenny I would imagine this last paragraph will fall on deaf ears ( sorry, blind eyes )

What I don't get is the disecting of players when we are unbeaten. They must be doing something right. Alas, Waro is right. Players like Gerrard come around once in a blue moon.

Gerard is doing a job for the team at the moment.
Of course he would love to be playing further forward. I'm sure as soon as he gets that position back you'll see the old Gerrard back again with crosses, shots, surging runs and goals

Gerrard is a professional and will be playing exactly how Rodgers wants him to.The beauty of Gerrard is that he will step up and try to take the game by the scruff of the neck if needed, but that is not what is happening here. I can not believe for one moment that any manager would be gutless and not express an opinion about a player to said player. Rodgers appears to be a very good man manager so I don't see him being unable to approach and communicate with Gerrard.

I think you could display a little more respect for our manager and captain as professionals at what they do.

That is called switching the play and the way Gerrard carries that out is second to none. And what more to start off with the attack than a majestic long ball from Gerrard. And very few times he's lost us possession by doing so. Sickens me when folks blame just for the sake of it.

I think Gerrard is simply playing the role that is asked of him, and if he was asked to play further forwards, he would still perform just as well. It is probably fair to say that a deeper role will prolong his career, but I would prefer Stevie G in this role, week in week out for the next 2-3 seasons, than busting a gut from box to box as he used to and getting burnt out. He is still an enormous presence in the team, and IMHO our best player ever. Incidentally, if we played a more counter-attacking game this would suit his long range of passing, but dominating possession and territory against 2 banks of 4, which is what we have done in the first half of games, is not conducive to his legendary 40 yard passes!

I completely agree that Gerrard has been a fantastic player over the years, and is still good, but watch him in games, he WILL give away the ball at least three or four times trying a long pass when there isn't an opportunity for it. I'm not blaming for the sake of it, I'm just making a valid point. I think it's a real shame because right now that's the only real negative point to his game. And about Rodgers not having the guts, I think that if it were any other player, Rodgers WOULD be able to to tell them to cut it out, but because it's a club legend, it will be very difficult.

19 Sep 2013 18:55:14
Hi Ed's, got a question for u.

Do u see sakho as just a back up right now for agger? Simply because he's left footed? Nobody is talking about a sakho agger partnership, which is odd to me because nobody has any problems with two right footed centre backs. Obviously agger is getting on now and is linked with a move away for 2 summers on the trott, is this just Rodgers' long term plan for when agger leaves? Or over the course of the season can u see sakho and agger our main CB pairing?

{Ed002's Note - Sakho was apparently promised game time - we will see what happens in the longer term.}

I don't see why they can't form a partnership impretty sure agger plays rcb for denmark

Agree with ogee88 - they can surely form a solid partnership if played together.

Most teams play two right footed centre backs, so why not two left footed? Makes it easier to deal with the right footed attackers as well as when they come onto their stronger right foot, they're also guaranteed to be turning onto whichever centre back they are being marked by's stronger foot as well.

Sakho will be a starter, soon. While Skrtel has done well so far, I still think the management see him along with Coates as the ones to go. Toure meanwhile is on a relatively short term contract and will likely be a important squad player.

I don't get this "2 left foot" issue. If anything that's a positive as most attackers they will face will be right footed so they will be on their stronger side to tackle a player who is right footed. Its irrelevant what foot the centre backs use, stop mentioning it.

I think Sakho and Toure will eventually the Cb pairings.

21 Sep 2013 01:42:25
It won't work 1 is enough.its always very difficult to play on the opposite side of your stronger foot which makes it very hard to position your body to make tackles and even clear the ball properly when under pressure.
Go watch city vs hull and see how easy hull opened them up because lescott played rcb, or go watch when we played at the ethihad last season
Agger and sakho don't use their right foot well enough to play together

19 Sep 2013 19:10:35
Who's gunna line up v Man U, it is the league cup, pretty sure with Suarez back sturridge will be rested.

Mignolet

Kelly
Skrtel
Sakho
Enrique

Lucas allan
Henderson

Aspas RF
Sterling LF
Suarez CF

I'd rest gerrard agger toure Moses sturridge 100% differnt story if it was the FA cup tho.

Why rest moses? He needs games

Sturridge won't be rested I think. Suarez might come off the bench.

Thats only 10 players.

I don't know who will play but this Liverpool v Man Utd. I don't think a rest is an option, is it? Or have times changed?

No way will Skrtel and Sakho play together again, at least for some time anyway. It will be Toure and Skrtel I think.

Mgs, kelly toure sahko enrique lucas henderson sterling alberto moses suarez


its poor that we don't have the players to be able to rest lucas aswell as gerrard forthis game

i aid we needed middfield options in summer. we are very light there

19 Sep 2013 18:18:08
Would really like to see Henderson, Alberto or Ibe given the '10' role next game. With it being a bit less pressure than some of our other fixtures then maybe a good opportunity to give Ibe or Alberto the chance.
There is also the possibility of Lucas, don't know how many of you remember but I think it was Marseille away when they lined up to defend against Gerrard playing in behind the striker and then Gerrard sat deep with Lucas pushed up, he scored and left Marseille out of sorts for a while. He played there before his move from Grêmio.
Ibe I think has the quick feet and sharp passing to play there and would be great if trained to play there as a rotating role with Henderson on the right. {Ed030's Note - I think Ibe would be great going through the middle, Or maybe Gerrard could play in advanced role and Henderson could play in a deeper role and he could support us on the break as he has a magnificent engine. }

Southampton are a really good side, they play good football, don't for a second think that this is going to be an easy game. All teams are gunna notice pretty soon that if u push us back an defend from the front u stop Liverpool playing! It's happend in all our games so far. We've just bin lucky enough nobody has done it from the start, or we'd be in big trouble.

Don't underestimate Southampton. They are a good team with some excellent players and a good manager. We will be in for a good game, that's for sure.

This is a game, at home, to stay top of the league. There's no 'less' pressure.

I feel Southampton should not be underestimated. Their manager loves playing good football and they will take the game to us. Hope we don't shuffle with our back 4 a lot from now, we need to stick with a winning combination of Kolo and Agger.

20 Sep 2013 08:21:11
A lot you get me wrong guys, I fully appreciate that Southampton are a very strong side that can really pass the ball around well with some stand out players, Lovren, Shaw, Schneiderlin, Wanyama, Ramirez are all good players, Schneiderlin, Ramirez and Shaw would all be welcome at Liverpool in fact.
All I meant is that it is a home game which would mean Ibe getting brilliant support in a new role as opposed to away where every touch can be met with hostility, and although Southampton are a fantastic side it would be easier than say Man U, City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Everton, and maybe a few of the others.

Ibe for '10' role!

Just no.ibe is a winger, he doesn't have the technical abilty to play the no 10 role

alberto all day if we are going to play with a 10

19 Sep 2013 16:21:50
Nice piece on LFC channel on the friendship between Bobby Charlton and Shanks. Shanks used to just turn up at his house and talk non stop about how great Liverpool was

19 Sep 2013 14:51:01
To 'beef-up' the defensive midfield position, close eyes are being kept on Coady. If he develops well and we continue to look weak in that area he will be recalled in January. If the problem has sorted itself out by Xmas or Coady hasn't developed fast enough then an experienced addition from within the Premier League will be sought. Also we have plenty of internal options including moving Agger to DM if needs be or changing to three central defenders and two wing backs. All of this is being talked about and some bits tried in training. {Ed002's Note - Coady does not need to be recalled in January - his loan contract is only until the end of this year.}

Mere hair-splitting that is Ed002. You know full well that come January the current plan is that unless he is needed, his stay at Sheffield will be extended to seasons end to gain him match time. {Ed002's Note - I have no knowledge that is the plan at all.}

Agger can t play dm. jesus

19 Sep 2013 11:26:30
I'm going to the cup game at OT next Wednesday and I understand the place has no atmosphere. Does anyone know if they sell bottled gas and breathing apparatus in their club shop? Better safe than sorry.

Apparently they've got a 'Singing Section' now, so maybe they do requests.

Maybe our brethren would care to suggest some?

What Manchester United need to get the crowd going at the match is a "Dancin' Homer" character.
Come to think of it, Wayne Rooney might have a future at OT afterall.

19 Sep 2013 02:49:48
Everyone seems to be bit concerned bout our overall performance (specially in 2nd half). but having seen all the teams play. I believe none of the top team looks convincing to me. so considering tht I believe Liverpool is well placed and got real shot at top 4. what's your thought ed on this.

Spurs look strong, united are starting to find their groove

19 Sep 2013 00:17:39
All the talk is of Coutinho's injury and our second half performances so far.
We should be able to cope with the loss of Coutinho; we have enough in our squad to cope with that.
Our second half displays will only change if BR decides and then order the team to not defend so deep and be more adventurous and brave by attacking teams whether home or away.
P.S. It saddens me to see our fans underrate and criticise Aspas. if you can't see it, you can't see it. BR has a good eye for players, so trust him.

Good eye for players? not so sure mate. While I enjoy the style of play he has introduced, I believe BR has something to learn about spotting talent. Remember the clamor around Borini's arrival, who BR HAD to have? Also Sahin, Assaidi, Allen. I also suspect that Aspas won't make it-hope I'm wrong. Maybe we need a director of football to oversee purchases in the future?

19 Sep 2013 11:23:52
sturridge, coutinho, mignolet, toure, plus he has put in sterling, ibe, wisdom, so yeah i'd agree he does seem to have a good eye for a player. Also look how Henderson is improving constantly, I am now at the point where I believe he could be a great player for us, I know Kenny brought him by br showed the faith in him and he is being rewarded for it now.

Learpholl.

yes a good eye for talent, assaidi deal was already done before BR was hired so perhaps you should do your research. as for sahin, all the fans were crying out to get him and it is perfectly understandable why we went for him. unfortunately siginings don't always work out. borini is also very highly thought of in italy and I would use the examples of lucas & henderson about judging a player too quickly.

Easy to name the ones that haven't panned out yet, how you forget the gems he has brought in I will never know. Pull your foot out Learpholl.

We have seen that BR is also very good at nurturing and developing players. I truly believe we have reason to be excited about the upcoming years.