Liverpool Banter Archive March 20 2014

20 Mar 2014 22:12:24
(Ed02) That was such a nice reply from you in relation to B.Rogers. Is your wit slipping a little bit or maybe BR is familiar with your past (i.e. reasons for being refused entry to other countries). Now I'm more used to the character assassinating, sharp witted, cut throat answering Ed02. Anyway just adds to the mysterious Ed image. Should we throw around "worked for the CIA" rumour. Done some black ops stuff in his "dark past" but now he's undercover as Ed02. How many believes will we get for this one. Still best rumour and banter site on the web keep it up " Well done All the Eds"

21 Mar 2014 06:43:56
Haven't you worked it out yet Jim? There is no Ed02. The Matrix is real. He is just a program, like the rest of us. Except of course for Mourinho, he's special, he thinks he is the Matrix.

21 Mar 2014 10:26:10
Ed02 is Gandalf.

20 Mar 2014 20:47:05
Anyone else think we should rest stevie vs Cardiff, not by any means saying it's a walkover, just think coutinho should start, and Allen and hendo are playing well, 4-3-3 with stevie rested could be an option! Don't want him missing the big two if he does pick up a knock!

Maybe we could do fine with that selection but I think Gerrard's holding up fine with the schedule, I think consistency now is key to maintaining momentum if we really are to push on with a title challenge

20 Mar 2014 22:57:52
I think BR will get it right.
He has proved me wrong on several thoughts I had at the beginning of the season.

Live & learn!

I'm sure the players can all cope with 1 to 2 games a week (with none going to extra time).

I'd rather we play our strongest team each game (if possible); if we find ourselves in a decent lead then by all means make substitutions.

I would hate for players to be rested and then the blame game starts (as remembered in 2008-9 - Bringing Torres off etc. )

21 Mar 2014 01:30:41
The difference between now is we can make subtle changes without weakening the side.
This is due mostly to players really stepping up when needed.
Agger can come out for Sakho, Enrique for Flanno,
Gerrard for Allen, Lucas for Coutinho,
We didn't really have that in 2008-2009!

I don't see the need to rest Stevie when he is doing so well. I am pretty sure he can cope with playing a game a week, even at his age.

I would be more worried about complacency setting in after our impressive form of late.

Don't see how resting our captain for an away game makes sense. I know Cardiff aren't in great form but their ground is not a cake walk and we'll need players with Stevie's personality and resolve - its the sort of game he should definitely be playing in. Sunderland at home would be a different proposition.

20 Mar 2014 19:34:40
I don’t watch Portuguese football but benfica are far better than spurs over the to legs I admire how brave are on the ball especially at the back just wondering if we ever tracked any of there players (MOTD fever I no) but they play the right type of fotball

{Ed002's Note - No, and as you say it is MOTD fever.}

20 Mar 2014 15:37:13
I think in the summer I personally would like to see us sign 1 top centre back.
I know we have lots already but I would only really keep Sakho and Agger and call back Ilori then I'd like us to buy an established CB. Hummels would probably not be possible and I'm not sure about Godin or Lovren but that's the sort of calibre signing I'm talking about.
Any thoughts Ed(s)

{Ed002's Note - So you would sell Kelly, Coates, Toure, Skrtel, Wisdom, Smith and Coady and replace them with a single player? Seems unlikely Chris.

I wasn't including the youngsters Ed but I would sell Coates, Skrtel and Toure and replace them with 1 player

{Ed002's Note - I would think selling Toure would be difficult but Coates will leave and either Agger or Skrtel will leave I expect. You are right about Hummels of course - he won't be joining.}

I guessed as much Ed, I honestly can't say I know if Godin is good enough but he's spoken of highly but my pick would be Lovren (again, won't be easy). Unless of course you can recommend another name or two that may be both of a good enough quality and available in that position.
I hope though that we include Ilori in our future plans

{Ed002's Note - There is a lot of interest in Hinteregger but only vague speculation about interest from Liverpool. Rojo's name cropped up as well.}

I don't think we need a CB to replace any of Skrtel, Sakho, Agger or Toure, maybe bring Andre Wisdom back into the first team, sell Coates and loan out Kelly. However, if Skrtel leaves then we would need a RCB to go straight into the starting 11, but if Agger leaves we will need a third choice CB as we already have Sakho as first choice LCB.

I agree. Not on the selling everyone part but CB is where we are weakest. I feel with a world class centre back we'd be sat on top of the league now with a comfy lead. It's only the back 4 that needs sorting IMO.

To play Champions League football and compete in the league and 2 cup competitions you need nearly 2 teams, 22 players who you can rely on. My opinion is that the likes of Aspas, Alberto, Coady, Wisdom, Borini, Coates, are not good enough to do that for us. I also agree that Agger or Skrtel will be sold (i think Agger) & Reina is obviously gone too. Have I missed anyone? Lol

There is interest in Rojo from Liverpool, according to Sporting CP anyway. It's funny though as my source for Liverpool cannot find out either way.

20 Mar 2014 22:14:45
Ed02 I know Hummels is extremely unlikely but do you not reckon he or a player of his quality might recognise that realistically Liverpool have a better chance of winning the title in the next few years than Dortmund?

{Ed002's Note - Hummels will not be moving to Liverpool. Dortmund will be ranked about 10 by the beginning of next season and Liverpool in the 50s.}

20 Mar 2014 12:39:09
I am prob a lot older than most people on here and the call for top price players is crazy, for instance Luke Shaw, talented kid no doubt and will be a top left back, but for the money it would take to get him really? I go back to when there was a player called Kenny Samson like Shaw who is going to be England's left back in the future but the money for Samson at the time was stupid, look at Baines and Coleman the two best full bks imo in the prem, they cost buttons, it's all about the scouting and I totally agree with fsg vision!

I agree with you to a certain extent Frank; but Baines didn't set the world alight for a few seasons since his move from Wigan to Everton; unfortunately we and a lot of teams supporters don't want to give people 1 season to be world class let alone 3 or 4.

20 Mar 2014 09:06:37
what do you lads think how our team would do in europe. I think we play good, modern, aggresive fast football with lot of pace and trickery. we just need that bit of quality on bench. I don't see any team having counter like ours and turning defence into attack so quickly, maybe real madrid and chelsea.

I think our attack is good enough to cause any team in Europe a headache. Take Barcelona, arguably one of the best teams in Europe - their high defensive line would be under serious pressure with Sterling/Sturridge/Suarez lurking. It gives teams headaches, makes them sit deeper and gives us more space to operate in. I'm not suggesting we would beat Barca (or any of the top teams) but I think we would be a more than adequate match up for any of them. The only team I would imagine us struggling with is Bayern - their intensity when pressing + there strength all over the pitch would make it a difficult proposition but, as I say, we have an attack capable of getting goals against anyone - if we make CL and are in pot 4 you can guarantee all the big teams will have earmarked us as ones to avoid.

20 Mar 2014 05:02:46
Hi Eds, we have not seen much of enrique this season and to me we should let him go because since he has been here he has hardly played for us so his wages are being wasted on a player who has never played a full season for us, we could use his wages to buy a younger left back and coach him to be a Liverpool player, we do have options from young players like robinson and flanno has had a run at left back, I would like us to buy luke shaw and I guess there's plenty of teams who are looking at him, if only we could get in first a pay what he is worth, this season has been great and one final push would see us winning the prem, maybe the game against chelski will be the title decider, no matter what though we will finish in the champ league and that will attract the better players who would not come to us because of that

{Ed002's Note - I appreciate that Enrique being a Liverpool player is someone you want out. Perhaps in the summer your wish will come true. Shaw, no.}

Why are we fussing about players like Enrique when Flanno is currently on form one of the best full backs in the league?

20 Mar 2014 17:40:15
I appreciate that there is an argument to be made that we've gotten on fine without him for most of this season and therefore he could be moved on.

But to say that a player who made 78 appearances in his first 2 years here has 'hardly played' is beyond ridiculous. And he actually he was fit and available for more than that: Rodgers didn't play him in the PL for nearly the first two months of last season and used Robinson for all the domestic cup games.

I know he's apparently a bit of a rogue but I like him, strong quick, good on the ball and sets up a fair few chances! Maybe with Johnson rb it would be too vulnerable at the back but if its flanno I don't see the problem

20 Mar 2014 01:10:34
United fans want dortmund, psg or athletico in the nxt round apparently they fancy they can beat any of them, can't see it myself

United would surely be seen as the weakest team left and everyone would want to be drawn with them

Atletico - form team
Dortmund - consistently high performers for last 4 years
PSG - many people's dark horses
Barcelona - say no more
Real - Top class team and manager
Bayern - favourites

I think Man Utd's best draw is Chelsea. They have played well against them in the league this season. Every other team left in will gub Man Utd.

Lewandowski is suspended for first game so let's hope they don't get Dortmund. End of the day it don't matter because they never in a million years going to win it

Knowing United's "luck" they WILL get the second weakest side left in the CL which is Dortmund.

I'm hoping they get Barca this time around so than play watch.

20 Mar 2014 13:52:53
to be fair we won it with a far worse team in 2005 than utd have now.But really can't see them doing it as bayern real, barca r far stronger than anything put before us in 2005, at least them staying in gives us abu something to cheer on in the comp.

Utd are not going to win the Champions League. Don't even worry about guys.

Dortmund are a good side, but I think they are falling behind the other teams in the champions league, I don't think any sides would say no to playing dortmund in the next round

Don't see why PSG should be seen as dark horses, they spent just under a trillion pounds.