Liverpool Banter Archive December 23 2015

23 Dec 2015 22:23:11
Why always "klipperty" Ed2?

{Ed002's Note - It was his nickname as a child and what players and club employees call him as many struggle with pronouncing Jurgen correctly.}

23 Dec 2015 23:18:13
Are you serious or was that a whined up answer, Ed?

{Ed002's Note - It is common knowledge I thought?}

23 Dec 2015 23:48:54
There's a children's book called klippity klop, clearly as a horses hooves would sound, I always presumed it was some play on that sound.

{Ed002's Note - Never heard of it - maybe he has a copy.}

24 Dec 2015 00:33:11
Wow I feel old. they will be asking who Alan Hansen is next.

24 Dec 2015 07:48:30
" I saw a Mouse, " song.

{Ed002's Note - If the Kop really wish to make him happy and to feel at home, then using hollowed out half coconuts they should make trotting sounds.}

23 Dec 2015 20:46:19
Merry Christmas everyone.

I hope you all get the shabites, fall over drunk, have a massive nark with your bird, wake up with the worse hangover ever and breakdown on your way to the shop when you ran out of milk for a festive brew.

Bah humbug you shower of reprobates!

23 Dec 2015 21:58:31
Ironically my brother has a pet bird (different birds I think lol) and I'm considering cooking it for the Christmas meal. The point of this short story is never ever let anyone convince you that a pet bird is in any way a good idea.

Merry Christmas to all of you reds.

23 Dec 2015 18:21:57
Have to say that the importance of moving players on that are not in Klopp's plans is far more important than making new signings in January.

Klopp did not even have a preseason so to expect him to finish top 4 is bordering on ridiculous when LFC have struggled for many years. One good season under Brendan Rodgers means bugger all. His 180 page dossier and £300m + in transfer spend has dug an extremely deep hole for this club.

This season will be about Klopp assessing what he needs to take the club forward next season. We cannot just add more players to a squad which is already filled to the brim.

What is more, moving on players like Enrique and Balotelli to open some space is going to be a huge ask unless our club is willing to take the worst end of the stick.

We have to face it, this club has been mismanaged financially for many years. Mistakes of the past have not been rectified.

FSG are actually very good owners but they never knew what they got themselves into when they bought this club. Financially they have thrown the kitchen sink at gaining success but it has blown up in LFC's face.

The amount of cash LFC have spent compared to return in success is absolutely appalling. All we can hope for is that Klopp is the difference in spending £20m for a player like Markovic who clearly was never ready for the EPL and paying £5m for Grujic who is highly rated and will have far less pressure to prove himself with a reasonable price tag.

Klopp is working with the same transfer committee as Rodgers but it is fair to say that Klopp would have never agreed to a deal of paying £25m or so for Lallana and all of the other ridiculous transfer fees we have paid for players.

I expect Klopp to be shrewd in the market and not hemorrhage the club's finances. Fingers crossed.

23 Dec 2015 18:44:11
Post of the Week. Brilliant and honest assessment mate.

23 Dec 2015 19:08:33
100% Correct mate. We, and Klopp, are stuck with a mid-table squad.
I'm just greatful he took on this challenge because he's a natural born winner and will build a brilliant team over time.

23 Dec 2015 19:27:32
Thanks Harry.

23 Dec 2015 19:56:43
Loganlfc has pretty much nailed the situation.

Let's see what January brings?

23 Dec 2015 20:07:13
Yuri, in January, sell, sell, sell and the in the summer bring in player who will hopefully make a difference.

This season was over when it started. Rodgers knew it.

23 Dec 2015 20:24:20
The season is far from over Logan. Fa Cup, Europa League, League Cup and a top 4 spot. Do we just pack it in now?

23 Dec 2015 20:48:04
For me in my own mind as petty as its sound, I was always going to judge him and what to expect from his first signing

Brendan and his tens, defenders but no midfielder or gk. That's what's left us in this position, those positions on the field are really bad.

Klopp for me has my love now since he has signed a midfield, big, strong and powerful! He has identified the weakness we all see and addressed it, the future is bright 😁.

23 Dec 2015 20:43:27
A mid-table club?

Nonsense!

Were playing like a mid-table club when the going gets tough and the flamboyant tarts can't motivate themselves.

You need grit in a teambwhen you play your West Bromwich etc, and we simply don't have it.

Against the top teams under Klopp we would beat any team.

It's massively influenced by the managers nativity to the league though, but he'll learn.

23 Dec 2015 21:10:30
Irish Rover,

I am just putting the season into context.

Klopp is not going to come out and say we are going to win a trophy this season. He is not that daft and we should not feel disappointed if he doesn't.

We have already done better in Europe so that is a start. I would rather see us crawl again before we walk. At least we have a manager now again who understands the art of winning trophies but do not go off your heads if there is no silverware this season.

23 Dec 2015 20:24:20
The season is far from over Logan. Fa Cup, Europa League, League Cup and a top 4 spot. Do we just pack it in now?

23 Dec 2015 23:36:28
Logan, your post is 100% spot on but I do agree with Irish. This season is far from over and even tho Klopp get a pass for this year but I can say that he is defo not giving himself one. He was seething after the last two losses but kept his cool. The man hates losing and you can tell. He sets up to try to win every game which is what I love about him. He gives no excuses and will take no prisoners. So Logan, we will go into every game for the win and I'll take that everyday.

24 Dec 2015 02:44:45
In terms of our performances though since klopp arrived, honestly the only difference on Match days I can see between our days under Rodgers and now under klopp is that the crowd are no longer booing.
Our last 3 games have been against Newcastle West Brom and Watford in which we have picked up 1 point out of the 9, a point which we were very very lucky to get thanks to a 96th minute deflection. I just don't think things seem any better 2 months down the line. I understand that klopp will need to me to bring in his own players for his own system but honestly I feel our squad is much much better than the squad spurs are rocking at the minute, yet they are flying and we are struggling to pick up points against the weaker sides in the league at the minute. If we had picked up all 9 points in the last 3 games we would be joint 3rd with city.

{Ed001's Note - and yet Spurs last season were struggling in exactly the same way for almost all the exact same reasons. Give the man time!}

24 Dec 2015 04:25:43
Exactly Ed001
People talk of winning against Chelsea and a man city this season. Chelsea were rocking a bad season of performances. We got the result against a bad team. Tactically we got it spot on against a weakened Man city team. Have always struggled with Kompany in the centre of defense. Newcastle, Two break away goals. One deflection
West Brom, fouls on players and bad marking. Still showed fight to keep going into the 96th minute
Watford, they just wanted it more. Very evident.

24 Dec 2015 08:07:34
Davey, we are 9th. Not 4th. Nineth
If we strengthen in January I see no reason why we can't claw back Palace, Watford and WestHam.
But this current Liverpool squad, is a MID TABLE squad (9th)

24 Dec 2015 08:07:34
Davey, we are 9th. Not 4th. Nineth
If we strengthen in January I see no reason why we can't claw back Palace, Watford and WestHam.
But this current Liverpool squad, is a MID TABLE squad (9th)

24 Dec 2015 07:25:31
Gazza

You listed couple of excuses that went against us in the last three matches.

My question : Why couldn't we score goals against those three teams more than the opposition?

23 Dec 2015 17:20:09
The Premier League has never been the best league because of the players. Spain always have the extra special ones. Our league is the best through competitiveness, the fact that it's not a dead cert before each game who will win, and it is usually high energy enjoyable games. It's only the past few years when we have a lot of managers joining the possession club that the big games has become less exciting. We're in a growth period, every league and nation has one.

Think in 3 years all the 19/20 year olds currently developing could be slap bang into there prime and are league will have the quality it desires.

Martial, depay, sterling, can, rossiter, Kane, son, countinho, ox, Barkley, lukaku, de bruyne, hazard, stones. These are just some that are all still developing. no matter how good some may look, they are all still very young and should get better.

23 Dec 2015 18:11:48
The so called weaker and middle table teams have improved their squad massively, in large part due to the TV money flowing in and the domino effect it has. I mean Andre Ayew at Swansea, Payet at West Ham, Inler sitting on the bench at Leicester, Sissokho, Thauvin, Mitrovic at Newcastle, Shaqiri, Bojan, Arnautovic at Stoke all examples of the string squads PL clubs slightly lower down from teams representing PL in Europe has amassed.

23 Dec 2015 18:44:38
Tend to agree, AG. The talent that some of the smaller clubs have managed to recruit is pretty remarkable. I think the vast majority, if not all, the PL teams are now top 35 or so in the world in terms of revenue so I do see it as entirely feasible that a very shrewd traditional smaller club could upset the apple cart these days.

23 Dec 2015 18:45:56
AG is right, Those clubs have had some very good business done and some excellent players on a small minimal fee.

23 Dec 2015 19:50:39
I agree about competitvenss, however I think up to about 5-6 years ago PL teams were also playing top class football and you had here some outstanding players here, Ronaldo, Henry, RVP at its best, we had Suarez for one season when he was arguably the best in the world. Ruben was in Chelsea, Drogba wasn't bad either. There were others as well. And the quality of some of the games was also high, quality of finishing in particular. It was also a much more attractive football than in the continent (other than Barcelona of course), much more open and end to end. It is true that in the last five-seven years the hegemony is with Barca, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, and the top PL sides struggle to compete with them and, uch of what we left is the competetivness.

23 Dec 2015 23:44:10
The funds that clubs like CP, Stoke, and West Ham have are non existent at the club's of the same standing in Spain. Hence, they can assemble competitive squads that can compete especially if they show the same courage and effort they are showing now. This does not happen in Spain, Germany, and Italy.

23 Dec 2015 15:26:40
This is for Ed02, if around:

1. How is the business/finance side of things at Liverpool?

2. I understand from what Klopp has said that he will not be doing high value transfers for the sake of it. Is there an understanding about the kind of resources that will be available to Klopp.

3. Will Klopp be given enough time or it just a lucky chance that FSG landed him. I mean is there a well though out strategy behind the decisions that will give long term results.

4. Most important question which I have been meaning to ask you. what is it that you do and how does one get to do that.

I have no doubt that you will have some cheeky answer to the last question :)

{Ed002's Note - 1. I have answered this on numerous occasions - nothing has changed. Commercially the club is doing well but there is significant debt and the club is still not living within their means. There will be a boost of income in 2017. The owners will not want to continue to throw good money after bad. 2. (a) Klipperty has said he won't spend the money that isn't there - I know nothing of him talking about "high value transfers" at all. (b) I have explained that the club will find the money for players at the right price (e.g. Grujic is one of those). 3. Klopp will be given time by the owners, but the fans will no doubt turn on him at some point - it is after all the "Liverpool way" that the fans keep harping on about. 4. I am a gentleman adventurer and part time rodeo clown.}

23 Dec 2015 19:42:04
How's that pay Ed? I've been looking for part time work. I hear the bearded lady has better benefits though.

{Ed002's Note - The Bearded Lady has some rather specialist benefits that I rather doubt you have the stomach for.}

23 Dec 2015 14:33:05
Weird thing in the French league. Monaco are second, 19 points off the top and only 15 off the relegation places haha.

23 Dec 2015 14:46:27
You only have to look at the first placed teams' squad to know why.

23 Dec 2015 14:54:45
In English league 2 Barnet FC are 19th - 12 points from relegation and 11 from playoffs. That's a close league!

23 Dec 2015 13:43:29
Any of the ed's know much about this grujic? He good enough for now or one for the future? Cheers.

{Ed001's Note - not really sure, from what I have been told more the future, though some think he might be ready now.}

23 Dec 2015 14:20:11
Same age and similar player to Dele Ali he doesn't seem to be doing too bad!

23 Dec 2015 14:28:06
Is he similar to Alli? I don't see that at all.

23 Dec 2015 14:47:45
Alli is apowerful runner and box to box player; Grujic seems to have more of a languid style of play.

23 Dec 2015 14:58:24
Based on the youtube clips (I know, unreliable), he is big, strong, a bit box to box and has a fierce shot on him. He has decent dribbling skills and movement. Apart from that, only time will tell. If anybody can know if he`s ready for the now instead of the future, it would be Klopp.

23 Dec 2015 15:48:10
Someone mentioned that he reminded them of javi martinez pre biesla if that means anything too you ed1.

23 Dec 2015 16:14:49
He is a holding midfielder who could carry the ball forward well. He has a good passing range and has goals in him.
I believe he would take up Lucas place.

23 Dec 2015 19:11:14
Not a bloody clue. But I didn't know who Lewandowski was either.

23 Dec 2015 22:50:44
Perhaps somewhere in between then, next season or the season after.

23 Dec 2015 13:11:27
Not sure if the shock of the last three PL games has sunk in yet. Looking ahead to Leicester, who are clearly the favorites despite being at Anfield, how would you approach the game?

I recall a time a few years ago when we were just a few games from the PL title, flying high, and heavily favored at home to Chelsea. What Mourinho did that game was tactical (call it park the bus and counter if you like but it worked) . Our loss changed the course of history.

With Vardy and Mahrez on fire, I would take the same approach. This means only one striker, and might as well be Origi since atleast we know he will run. Lallana and Firmino have to be benched in my opinion, and give a few young lads a run out. If Flanno was ready, I would bring him on in second half after the inevitable injury to one of our defenders (my money is on Toure this game), to give us something to cheer about. Then in the dying minutes of a 0 - 0 draw we bring on Sturridge, who scores a last gasp winner, and then gets injured in the celebration. I realize Sturridge is not supposed to be available, but with his track record, what difference would it make if we stuck him on for a couple of minutes?

Merry Xmas to all.

Coop.

23 Dec 2015 14:11:38
To park the bus, you need a solid defence.

23 Dec 2015 14:30:49
We'll win 5-2 IMO.

23 Dec 2015 14:54:09
Spouting nonsense ron. It's going to finish 14-9 😕.

23 Dec 2015 15:37:34
Why should we park the bus at home? If you can`t show courage and go for the win then we might as well not show up. Worst of all, that is not a way to get the fans going. you need to show that you are brave and go for the win. leicester have an average defence that can be exploited because all they do is outscore teams although, they do a good job of that. i say, we go for the win and make them defend instead of allowing them to attack because that is who they are. they can`t attack you if they`re busy defending.

23 Dec 2015 16:17:35
That's one of your best response Redohio. I truly feel sympathies with some people who has given up their life already. You are playing at home against a team who got promoted this year. Your squad annual budget is close to 100 mill and your manager has won 2 league titles in Germany. Apparently those believe we will do well next season by some black magic.
Pls post this Eds.

23 Dec 2015 17:24:58
Spot on EG! No wonder we are so baffled as to why the atmosphere at Anfield is so dull. It is that people who show up expecting a poor perf or loss have no reason to cheer or spur the boys on hence, they do nothing during the game. If you can`t spur your team on when you come to the game, then stay away and watch it at home. Leicester might be top of the PL but even they are afraid of us because they know we can turn it on if we are on our game (they have seen us pummel city and Saints so they know we can play) . We are LFC and should be able to protect our house. I`d rather have ten thousand screaming fans at Anfield than have 45 thousand there of which 35,000 of them are watching netflix instead cheering us on.

23 Dec 2015 17:53:57
Harry, Leicester were promoted the year before.
If we approach this game thinking ' they've not long been promoted gang, we've got this' then the game is already lost.
Maybe we should approach the game thinking 'league leaders today's lads, we've got to be bang on it' and we might actually win.
We ought to be showing them serious respect!

23 Dec 2015 18:49:31
Welsh

Maybe we should approach the game thinking this is Anfield and We should give our best against any team let alone League leaders.

The moment you give up from inside, You lose the game.

23 Dec 2015 12:45:42
This is for ed001

Sky News says that Red Star have accepted out 5.1 million bid for Grujic.

With that signing, how do you think our midfield will take shape next season? There's basically only two CM spots- maybe 3- up for grabs, and for those spots we have Henderson, Lucas, Can, Grujic, Allen, and Milner all competing for them.

I can see Grujic probably having a strong tussle with Can.

{Ed001's Note - it will depend on the game, form and fitness but Grujic is only young, he will have to compete for a place. It seems unlikely that both or either of Milner and Allen will even be at the club next season.}

23 Dec 2015 12:59:47
Do you think Klopp would look to operate Grujic as more of a DM? Because Henderson will already occupy that B2B role when on the field.

{Ed001's Note - it is going to change from game to game. No one will play only one role.}

23 Dec 2015 15:33:40
Milner might well leave also then Ed?

{Ed002's Note - It is nothing to do with Milner.}

23 Dec 2015 15:48:54
Grujic is not a DM, that much I can tell you. he is more of an ACM with good technique and a fierce shot as well as more of a goal threat. As for Milner and Allen, I`m with ed. They will need to leave because they offer next to nothing and we can no longer afford playing one man short so come this summer, all passengers should be let go.

23 Dec 2015 16:58:46
Redohio
He is not an ACM. Just because he carries the ball forward doesn't make him an ACM. Wilshere does it. Kovacic does it. There are plenty of players who plays deep and carry forward well enough.
He himself believe close to Matic.
I believe he ll partner one of Hendo / Can in the midfield.

23 Dec 2015 11:20:38
Merry Christmas to you all people who love and care about Liverpool.
Sweden.

23 Dec 2015 15:11:34
And to you mate. Merry Christmas.

23 Dec 2015 10:31:42
Think it's been mentioned before but I'm unsure and search didn't reveal any relevant results.
..........
Cheers Eds, Merry Xmas to all.

{Ed002's Note - No.}

23 Dec 2015 11:26:08
Cheers mate, thought it was a long shot, I know some sporting body's make all that info public knowledge, was just hoping there was a chance the FA/EPL did.

23 Dec 2015 10:09:41
Assuming it is finalized shortly, Marko Grujic's arrival for next season makes you wonder about Klopp's planned formation and tactics in the future. Does he want to play with two holding midfielders? And what does it do for the current incumbents (Leiva, Can, Allen) and the potentials (Rossiter, Brannagan, Chirivella)? I expect Grujic to take a season or two to probably slot into a first team place, if he makes it. If actions are to speak louder than words, then I think that Klopp is not too confident with what he has in both incumbents and potentials, and wants to go in another direction. 7 players for 2 possible positions is clearly on the high side.

23 Dec 2015 10:51:28
I guess a similar formation to now, 4231, one a holding mid and the other more creative, hendo and Lucas say.

23 Dec 2015 11:01:23
allen will move on! i read an article about marko grujic and what it said was that the serbian coach thinks he is a better number ten or winger than a holding midfielder. i don't know if this is true as i have not seen anything of him! Klopp knows what he wants and his plans for the future we have to trust him to make the right decisions and let him build the team he wants, is he going to get that perfect team in on e transfer window probably not but at least we will be going in the direction of Klopp and not some of the awful buys of Rodgers!

23 Dec 2015 11:05:06
Allen and Brannagan are not holding mids, and Can and Rossiter have potential to be much more than holidng mids. Chirivella deserves some chance but is still a long way off and best case scenario has him being fully ready about the time that Lucas is stepping down.

23 Dec 2015 10:42:04
He would take Lucas place in all probablity. He has had a good look at lucas recently and has criticized our current crop of midfidlers making a habbit of pikcing up yellow cards. Can is not discplined enough to play there and Allen for love of the god is a defensive minded midfilder ( Neverthless I expect him to start ahead of Lucas this Saturday )
Gurijic will play the holding role with carrying the ball forward when in possession. Expcet Henderson/Can to partner him in near future.

23 Dec 2015 09:39:08
I'd just like to wish all my fellow reds and the Editors a merry Christmas and prosperous new year.

23 Dec 2015 11:00:43
Merry Christmas to you Chris, all the Eds and fellow reds. Here's to a successful 2016. Cheers 🍺🍺🍺.

{Ed002's Note - Enjoy.}

23 Dec 2015 08:17:31
Wishing every1 on the site a happy and safe time with thier loved ones during this festive seasons. To editors thanks a mill for the hard work you guys put into this site its must be hard going through some of the stuff we post, lol. kind regards.

{Ed001's Note - Merry Crimbo to you and everyone else. It's ok, I am used to it, though my daughter outgrew this phase when she started school, I understand many here clearly have yet to reach that kind of mental and emotional maturity.....}

23 Dec 2015 08:33:30
Merry Xmas to all Ed's on there continuas effort in providing us with a fantastic website (free of charge) and a brilliant insight into our beloved club.

{Ed001's Note - thank you mate, same to you. Oh and nobody minds you paying if you want to! ;o) }