Liverpool Banter Archive March 26 2015

 

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26 Mar 2015 16:07:01
If Hendo stays there's a great building block and foundation for the next 5 years.

Hendo, Lallana, Coutinho, Sturridge and Markovic are positives for me. If they keep progressing will be a delight to watch going forward.

Can I think should be developed as defensive mid - I love his efforts.

Sakho and Lovren should be given a season together to see how they work and gel.

Moreno is great but needs to focus more and know when to attack and when to defend.

If Raheem wants to go let him - one great season doesn't get you big $$$$ - let him go to City
If Origi comes in he'll be inconsistent but will take time but i'm sure he'll be a success.

Add in the hopeful advancement of Flanno, Smith and the three Jordans what's not to like? YNWA

Believable13 Unbelievable2

26 Mar 2015 17:16:44
Could not agree more mate.We have some fantastic young talent at the club.Hendo will not leave the club he is very happy and settled.Weather or not BR will be there is another thing.As Ed001 pointed out teams have sussed out how to play against us even Stevie Wonder can see that but yet he has done nothing.For me that's a sign of good coach someone who can think quickly on his feet but against Rover's, Swansea and Utd he didn't.I think results wise he is very lucky to still be saved in his job.
BarryinLouth

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27 Mar 2015 02:59:16
I am confident that the club will do everything they can to keep Sterling at the club. I sincerely hope they don't take your advice and "let him go".

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27 Mar 2015 06:29:53
Good post, but Brad Smith will be gone in the summer; he has refused to sign a contract extension and was bought back from loan because of this.

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27 Mar 2015 07:51:59
Agree Sterling not worth the wages, bye. Like to think Sturridge can survive 5-6 yrs, but by then there won't be an inch left that hasn't kaput with injury. That aside the future core is bright. Let's see if we're allowed what Illori can bring in. Hoping he and Sakho make up a solid partnership for next 8yrs

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27 Mar 2015 10:26:46
Didn't know that AG, a little disappointing - though I suppose if you saw fellow players, *cough* Enrique *cough*, messing about in Dubai and not really applying themselves in any meaningful way, and knew they were still guaranteed to be ahead of you in the pecking order, then you might well be inclined to leave (if you care about your own development at least).

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28 Mar 2015 10:04:12
This Sterling bashing is unbelievable.
Not worth the wages???
He has just scored 1 and assisted 1 for England.
Go and read what Andrea Pirlo said about Raheem Sterling and then get back to me on this "he is not worth the wages" crap.
What is the point in having a youth system only to sell these players on when they about to hit their peaks in the next 5-6 yrs??
Beyond pointless.

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26 Mar 2015 16:02:58
I think the biggest marker in Rodgers failures is the players he sticks with and the players he has moved out of position: Skrtel, Gerrard (until injuries/suspensions), Johnson (until he grafted Sterling into a right wing back role - madness in my opinion), Allen, Can being played at centre back.

Skrtel is a constant source of bad positioning and bad organisation at the heart of the defence yet is, when available, undropable. He is a poor centre back who can head a ball but do little else. When Rodgers finally realises that then stage 1 of the defensive evolution will finally be complete.

Stage 2 will come when he stops playing three at the back and stops playing Emre Can, a fine young player with bags of potential, in a position that handicaps and restricts some of his stronger attributes (stamina, drive, passing range, ability to take/hold off an opponent).

Stage 3 should follow by playing left backs and right backs in positions they are familiar with i.e. at left back and right back. Moreno hasn't shone at left wing back. Sterling, like Emre Can, is a shadow of the player he could be for us because he is burdened with tracking back to his own 18 yard box instead of on the opponents 18 yard box linking up with Sturridge and Coutinho.

When Rodgers finally concedes that Allen is simply not up to task against certain players, usually the rough housing, aggressive players like Fellaini - not the likes of Yaya Toure who, though physically strong and imposing, is not dirty aggressive like Fellaini - then the better for the team. Rodgers does not seem to know what players to play at what times - this is troubling given he is the MANAGER.

Finally, when Rodgers stops considering Gerrard for a starting berth as soon as he is fit, we can say that he is progressing and learning and developing the squad.

Right now I feel Rodgers is hindering progression of individual players as well as the team. Sturridge is suffering from a woeful lack of service and players pressing behind him - as shown when given a chance he more often than not buries it. Coutinho suffers from being marked tightly and, due to the formation, having few forward outlets to work with. Henderson suffers from a lack of midfield support - when Allen plays Henderson's defensive work rate increases and so his ability to play box-to-box diminishes. And this theme continues throughout the squad.

I want us to attack ruthlessly and in swarms like last season - the problem isn't that we lack a Suarez, the problem is our entire formation has been messed about leading to players out of position and/or playing with other players who do not compliment each other. Lucas should be the first name on the sheet - afterwards it should be Henderson OR Allen, not both. Emre Can should be moved into midfield, perhaps playing alongside, or slightly behind, Coutinho. It would give our midfield a lot of energy and also allow us to chop and change our system depending on who we play/fitness i.e. Sterling/Coutinho Ibe/Sterling Can/Sterling Lallana/Coutinho, etc etc etc limitless attacking midfield combinations backed up by a rock solid Henderson/Lucas spine which could mop up opposition attacks. Obviously Lucas is an injury concern explaining how important a central midfield acquisition is in the summer. Skrtel needs to be moved on - he is not good enough. Lovren has not impressed, but Sakho (our best defender) and Lovren have had barely any game time to adapt and work on their partnership - how can they form an effective pairing if they never have the chance? It needs trying.

I don't think Rodgers has any clue on either his best formation, or best player combinations, or best positions for players - this really is a worry. If he lacks in these areas how can we function cohesively and successfully? And this criticism is ignoring the woeful transfer business.

I'm putting it out there clearly: Rodgers should be finished at Liverpool. He shows no management of the team and no understanding of the relationships between players. Sterling at right wing is a dreadful idea that will bear little fruition against any side - yet that was Rodgers plan against United (and which he maintained for the entire game). The writing is on the wall - it isn't losing, it's how we are losing which is the real concern. As has been mentioned by both Ed01 and various other posters: Rodgers appears to be learning nothing. After 3 years that is not good enough.

Believable7 Unbelievable17

26 Mar 2015 21:08:13
Seano, very good post, and I agree with most of what you say, but think you are a bit hit and miss with some of it, the midfield is so important, and so hard to get right, take Emre Can, could he do with another season in our back three, to help him develop his game, I think the two games with Man Utd should be taken as they take it with us, they hate to lose these games, BR has tinkered too much in both games, the one away, he dropped Lucas after he put in some great games, then on this one at home, putting Sterling wide on the right, was a disaster, you only have to look at any, every game he has played there, to know that, also the first half against Swansea, then Man U was another disaster, we got lucky first game, then outplayed by Man U, they really closed us down, and pressed us back, and maybe should have got a third goal,
we should wait till pre-season to try out different formations, we really want to start next season, much much better than this one, not sure were I am with Rodgers, and Stevie G , who has been a legend, always will be, but that slip and this stamp has def put me off him, with Rodgers, if he goes, and yes he just might, because we don't look like top four now, who do we get, and I think the Blackburn away game is 50/50, the pitch there will not suit our passing game, we will see once again the same players getting flattened, and spending half their game, picking themselves up, why pick these same players, like in the Bolton game, same story, so we could end up with a cup-final and top four, or another difficult end of season, plus we still need two wing backs, yet again, just to end on a good note, Jordon Ibe will be our best player soon .

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26 Mar 2015 21:25:24
Sorry mate - not a very convincing post to say the least. I don't think you watched the same Liverpool I have watched recently.

You want them to attack ruthless and swarm, well I want them to score 20 goals per match and bring world peace. Let's be realistic. You have 11 players on the other team, they are not there to just stand there and wathc us swarm, you may be surprised to find out. Last season we had a world class player in attack, a player who would band down to tie his laces and score a hat-trick while doing it. This year half a season we had Sturridge injured and we had to swarm forward with Lambert, 34 years old SG and Baloteli.

I don't understand what do you want of our defenders. Since the begining of 2015 we have one of the most solid defences in the PL. I think we just finished a run of 6 away games without conceding which didn't happened since Bill Shankly's time. Skertl was not only our best defenders this season but our best player and one of the best defenders in the league for 2015. Can has been fantastic in the back and avarage at best every time he played in MF. Credit to BR who played him in the position he was best for us (same as with Moreno). 'Out of Position' - was he born as a DFM? he is a young guy, maybe he is better in the back - he was for us this season for sure.

I also criticised BR for sticking with Johnson and Gerrad early season but for long time he hasn't. He use Johnson only as substitute and same with Gerrard.

You may have forgotten that BR's role is not to develop players but to play our best players in every game. Lovern wasn't good enough for many games as we all saw, so he sticked to Sakho and Skertl who were better - why was he supposed to bench Skertl who was way better than Lovern? so that Lovern and Sakho will learn how to play with each other and we will lose games until it happened? and what if Lovern is not good enough?

You say it isn't losing, it is how we are losing - well first of all we don't lose so much - in the league we didn't lose for almost three months. And the loss on Sunday was a loss in a tight game. Two fantastic goals for them and a red card for us - nothing much BR could have done about these. Our defence was still solid, our forwards were a bit wastful as always - that Lallana miss which BR couldn't control from the sidelines.

If we don;t bring a manager who won the CL, then all I say is be careful what you wish for. What BR did since Janaury is quite exceptional despite last Sunday. Not many managers in the PL are capable of that. Ah and I don;t know what do you mean by 3 seasons. Last season we finished 2nd and gave one of our best seasons in the last decade.

I thought early season he should go, I am convinced now he should stay. Let him start the season with the same squad hopefully with another top striker and let's see where it takes us. Everyone know that another season out of the top 4 he will go - don't see what the rush. Neither Sir Alex nor Guardiolla are waiting to replace him.

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27 Mar 2015 01:04:46
Moreno used to be a left winger. Not even 3 years ago for Sevilla.

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27 Mar 2015 05:56:05
@ Fanobip

"This year half a season we had Sturridge injured and we had to swarm forward with Lambert, 34 years old SG and Baloteli."

Whose fault is it that we have Balotelli and Lambert rather than an adequate, quality replacement for Suarez? The buck rests with the manager. I would also add that, in terms of swarming the opposition, it is made harder for the front players to do it when a) we play a solitary striker and b) we play with wing backs. Playing with wing-back and 3 central defenders (+ a defensive midfielder usually) means that, at any given moment, we are defending 6 deep, leaving 4 players, maximum, to press. That isn't enough to force errors and turn over possession - it's a tactical problem Rodgers has created and is yet to address.

"Since the begining of 2015 we have one of the most solid defences in the PL."

We are playing 3 at the back, with 2 wing backs and a defensive midfielder - we are of course going to have a tighter defence. The problem is that this impedes our attack. More worrying is that we need this many men back in order to defend with a semblance of structure.

"Skertl was not only our best defenders this season but our best player and one of the best defenders in the league for 2015."

Sorry but disagree in the strongest possible terms - Skrtel is constantly out of position, constantly dropping deep and constantly failing to communicate. It is this reason why Rodgers has started playing 3 at the back, Skrtel is simply untrustworthy when paired with just one, single team mate. Agger covered for his poor quality when he was here, now Sakho and Can (and Lucas) are. He is probably the most over rated defender in the league and has done nothing to convince me. What about the first half of the season when he was playing and we were getting walloped in every game?

"Can has been fantastic in the back and avarage at best every time he played in MF."

He has been found out multiple times against decent opposition when played as a centre back - the United game a good example of a player not entirely comfortable. He has played decently when in midfield (though it has been a rare occurence) and, more importantly, he offers a physicality and drive in midfield that would, if nothing else, provide a good alternative to Allen. I don't know how you can hail him as 'fantastic' at the back when he has so clearly struggled at times. He is doing well for a player grafted into an unfamiliar position - but I really hope it isn't long term.


"I also criticised BR for sticking with Johnson and Gerrad early season but for long time he hasn't. He use Johnson only as substitute and same with Gerrard."

Instead he is playing Sterling as a right wing back - how does that constitute good management?? And is it not coincidental that Gerrard's absence from the team has coincided with injuries (and now a suspension)? Hardly think Rodgers has been brave here.

"Lovern wasn't good enough for many games as we all saw, so he sticked to Sakho and Skertl who were better - why was he supposed to bench Skertl who was way better than Lovern? so that Lovern and Sakho will learn how to play with each other and we will lose games until it happened?"

Lovren and Sakho had one game together, Spurs away, which we won, and in which their partnership showed promise. We conceded tons of goals with Skrtel at the back!! Do you not remember the first half of the season?? Also, if your assertion is right, why piss away 20million+ on Lovren only to never give the player a chance?? No matter how you look at it it is bad management and Rodgers mishandling of the situation simply made a new players confidence hit its nadir.

"in the league we didn't lose for almost three months."

In the league we lie 5th with a miniscule chance of Champions League football - look at the entire season, as opposed to the recent good run, and tell me it is good enough. Quite simply it isn't and Rodgers is the architect of this. Why should he stay when he has squandered a load of money and, in all likelihood, failed to achieve 4th place?

"If we don;t bring a manager who won the CL, then all I say is be careful what you wish for [. ] Last season we finished 2nd and gave one of our best seasons in the last decade"

What I wish for? To stick with a manager who has already failed or another manager be given a chance to succeed? Hmmm I know what I want. What has Rodgers won since being here? He has achieved CL once and, while in the competition, bombed in what was a spectacularly easy group. Wow, what a guy.

"I am convinced now he should stay. Let him start the season with the same squad hopefully with another top striker and let's see where it takes us. Everyone know that another season out of the top 4 he will go"

The worry is that, if he stays, I see another season outside of the top 4 as a nigh on certainty.

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27 Mar 2015 08:01:07
Got to agree 100% with fanobip, glad someone else isn't falling apart after losing 2-1 with 10 men for half a game.

As for Moreno being a winger 3 yrs ago, what? Was he 15 or something? He is going to be class with some proper defensive coaching, which regardless of record breaking run (40yrs people) defence isn't Rodgers priority. If he were a. English and b. From our youth team, following his goal vs Spurs and being part of a record breaking defence he'd be championed all over instead of being knocked regularly.

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27 Mar 2015 09:32:28
@ Omega

Moreno, ignoring that Spurs goal, has been mediocre this season and has been directly responsible for a number of high profile goals conceded (against both City and United to name but 2). He has potential but he hasn't shown a lot of it, particularly when it comes to defending. I'm all for supporting the players, particularly new arrivals, but you seem to be ignoring faults and embellishing qualities. As for our defence? We are playing with 6 players geared to get back and defend at all times - the focus is more bodies in the box rather than learning how to position and communicate and defend properly. Look at how few goals we have also scored in the same amount of time because of how the team is set up - there is not enough attacking outlets or enough pressing because of this and we are starting to struggle, again: have a look at a few of our recent performances - Swansea, Blackburn, United - we've been poor and struggled to create many chances in all of them. Sure we haven't conceded many but we need more than that surely? The whole formation has spawned from a combination of bad transfer policy, non-existent defensive coaching and poor team selection/management - and it is now being found out. But guess what we broke an old defensive record - who cares about trophies or the Champions League eh because we broke the record! Yippee.

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27 Mar 2015 18:18:56
@Seano. I've never said breaking records outstrips trophies? But credit where it's due we broke a 40 yr old defensive record and Moreno played a big part it that.

Let's not forget this is a massive club full of huge expectation. Let's also not forget the kid is just that, a kid in a new country, new league, new tactics etc etc.

All I'm saying is many here who state they're all about supporting the players, then they slate a young lad like Moreno. If it were Flanno orBrad Smith, their first season and played the same, some good, some poor but always with passion and effort then they'd be praised all day long. Moreno isn't but Imo he should be. He looks like he'll be worth every penny we spent on him. At the same stage of his LFC career Henderson didn't and look at him now.

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28 Mar 2015 10:10:51
Nice to see a bit of perspective from fanobip and Omega.

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28 Mar 2015 15:01:25
@Omega

I haven't slated the lad, I have given an honest assessment in that he has been mediocre at best. You want to paint him as some world class left back in the making but there has been nothing to suggest that is the case this season. I also take umbrage with your suggestion that he always plays with passion and effort - there have been a number of notable occasions where he has played without any sort of energy at all and where his concentration and focus have been zero. I'm not saying he is the worlds worst, but building up a player to levels he has yet to even come close is part of the reason why fans turn on them - because they don't fulfill these unrealistic expectations. Moreno is young, still learning and could, in the not too distant future, turn into a great left back. He isn't there yet, and refusing to address/notice the weaknesses in his game certainly won't get him there.

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26 Mar 2015 10:19:16
Ed

Talk to me about Pjanic please. I've read your ppst about who was and is interested. what's the latest please do you see us being an option for him if we don't make champions league and have we made any advances at this stage?

Believable0 Unbelievable0

{Ed002's Note - I have explained - nothing has changed.}

27 Mar 2015 10:31:21
We simply cannot afford to shell out that sort of money on one single player - I would honestly put it in the 0% probability category - unless the club develops a mad, cavalier attitude towards its finances.

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25 Mar 2015 20:12:36
Eds you keep talking about Liverpool and money issues especially with no champions league next season! Do you see us going for any other free transfers like Ings for example Yarmolenko or even Ayew would be good IMO much more so than Milner! Although i rate all 3 as far better than Lallana.

Last question, do you think FSG are almost done with the "top to bottom" alterations of staff at the club? In addition does Rodgers needs to win the FA cup in order to keep his job this summer?

Cheers PDLFC

Believable0 Unbelievable4

{Ed002's Note - You can search on the players they have all been dealt with. The other matters have been dealt with. Read the posts.}

26 Mar 2015 10:43:07
If we finish outside the top four Rodgers should BR sacked, as that would be abject failure considering the funds he has had to spend.

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26 Mar 2015 11:07:33
I really think Lallana is a much better player than a lot on here give him credit for. I think with a coach who trusts him and doesn't have him as first sub everyone we will see the real class act that he is.

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26 Mar 2015 11:22:53
You think Ayew, Milner and Yarmolenko are better than Lallana? Is that purely because we own Lallana and every fan and his dog seem to be taking up player-slating as a new hobby, or is it based on their lack of notable personal acheivements in sub standard leagues for two of them, and in a hyper powered team for the third?

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26 Mar 2015 13:35:35
To rate them 3 players 'far better' than Lallana is absolutely ridiculous. They're not even as good as him. Lallana is technically wise one of the best players we have, and if you don't see that then i'm sorry but you don't know football.

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26 Mar 2015 15:25:27
Agree; I'm pretty sure Lallana if far better than Yarmolenko and Ayew; Milner is more versatil, has good technique and good workrate; I rate him moderately. For Lallana, I saw him for almost 10 games last season, and he really saw much more impresing than what he is at LFC. Its impoible to know if I was biased, or if he is the type of players that outstands in a small team in which he acts as a real leader (with and without the ball).

Lallana has been completely dissapointing for his price tag. At Soton, his dribling and decision making with space was one of this best attributes, while at LFC it has been awful. He has good ball control, but when he start dribbling I just expect the other team to recover the ball (even some of the lfc players do the same, and do not show themselves for the pass, instead they get back into a good position for recovery). In contrast, the best form Lallana at liverpool has been his first touches, to give key passes or to shoot on target. He has told twice that he is near to his best after some good games, this annoy's me because I thouht he had much more, also he has been far from consistent game by game. With all this in mind, I think he is a player with moments of brilliance, but not a game changer or a player in which the team can rely on. I still rate him moderately, expecting this is just a year of adaptation, and that he can really show us all his potential and why he was brought by LFC.
Definitely with those 25M I would have bought other player, perhaps in other position.

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26 Mar 2015 15:37:10
Just to add: Lallana is better than the 3 of above, but those 3 are cheaper too. Eventhough, Yarmolenko still overpriced, Milner is overpaid and Ayew is far from being good enough for liverpool.
I'll give Lallana 2 more years to step up or to sell him.

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26 Mar 2015 16:12:02
LOL 2 more years to step up? He's been one of the better players this year especially when he's been given a run of games, he wasn't great vs United but nobody was.

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26 Mar 2015 16:41:24
Lallana is better than all three of them and IMO, he will show it.

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26 Mar 2015 21:15:27
Lallana is a class player, but, he is yet another lightweight that we have, hate to see that when we play against a big strong team, players like him just get brushed aside and knocked over, we have too many small players and will always have problems against big teams, just watch us when we play Blackburn, won't be good .

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27 Mar 2015 10:36:13
@ redforever

Size has nothing to do with it. The system we play at the moment isolates Lallana and Coutinho. Instead of being backed up by their own players they are left in tight positions around the pitch with no support and as a result are prone to being tackled and dispossessed. Lallana, in my opinion, holds the ball up very well - but when he is boxed into the corner, with only Moreno for support, it makes life for him very difficult. The system needs revamping if we want to see the best of our attacking players which, currently, we are not.

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27 Mar 2015 15:07:07
Seano, while I agree with you that the system we use does give less options to the man with the ball, size does matter, the opposition look for, and work on any weakness they see, take the first Everton game, they were using the left to right diaganal ball, for Lukaku to use his hieght against Moreno, Bolton targetted three of our small players, and smashed them as soon as they got the ball, Blackburn will do the same, and we will find it very difficult to win there .but yes, the man with the ball should have more options, hate to say it, but United did give us a football lesson first half .

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26 Mar 2015 06:39:41
Hi ed's,

I was just wandering if we win the FA cup would the owners see it as a success or do you think a top 4 finish is a must for Rodgers to keep his job.

Thanks,

Believable0 Unbelievable2

{Ed001's Note - it is all about the Champions League.}

26 Mar 2015 16:42:09
His blunders might be too much to overcome an FA Cup victory w/o CL, IMO.

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26 Mar 2015 23:41:37
Red, which year are you talking about, winning the FA Cup, just read that Sturridge is injured again, will miss games, we all knew this could / would happen, I would just love to see us winning at Wembley, maybe in a couple of years time .

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26 Mar 2015 01:34:11
First time visiting the page after the Man U defeat, usually takes me about that long to get over it.
There is something clearly not right in the team at the moment that runs a little deeper than Rogers refusal to change tactics at short notice. Sterling looks a shadow of the player we know. Yes I know Rogers is creating a stir in the media about this contract but once the players on the pitch he's got to ignore it. I don't understand why clubs open contract negotiations mid season, it can only cause problems. Just do it all in the summer when the club knows where it finished and what competitions it will be playing in. Balotelli after scoring 2 winning goals in 3 games got shunned, and not looks like a disinterested wandering red card waiting to happen. (Are any of the fans who held him back members of the site? Love to congratulate you) Sturridge is isolated, coutinho can sure hit them but has a tendency to dissapear for most of the game, popping up to curl one wide trying to recreate his city goal. Skertls stamp is moronic and if I was the FA i'd ban him for longer, stamping on other players ankles is thuggish and dangerous. Which brings me onto our captain, who it appears has gone senile. How on earth did he think he would get away with it? What was he thinking?
When we play well we look like we could beat anyone, but when we play poorly we look like we could lose to literally anyone too, including the worst united side for 20 years.
Brendans biggest issue as a manager, consistency. Weve given him over 2 years and £150m+, and he's found exhilarating and shocking, and everything in between, but he still hasn't found consistency. I think its make or break next few weeks/months.
However all lots of posters are doing is moaning about everything, and I think its fair to praise those who deserve it. Hendersons been unrelenting of late (next captain for me no doubt in my mins), sakho, who although looks like a newborn giraffe on ice on the ball, has beaten more players in the last 3 games than any of our attackers, and special mention to Mingolet.
Mingolet has taken unlimited abuse from posters on this site almost since the day we bought him. He's been our best player since christmas, lots of clean sheets down to him, really turned his season around, showed the strength of a liverpool player.
The only time I cheered all game against united? When Mingolet saved the penalty to stop that miserable spud-faced plonker breaking his 10 year duck at anfield.
Fans need to show him more credit.
Fingers crossed for top four.
KCK

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26 Mar 2015 07:50:00
Can't agree more. Don't know what's up with Sterling, when is Ibe due to return? and Gerrard. well it seems he's destined for failure recently. On a positive note this reminds me of last year when we beat Man city and thought that was the title decider which didn't turn out to be the case. Maybe this isn't the top 4 decider, what I'm trying to say is: I don't believe the race is over. We have to beat Arsenal obviously.

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26 Mar 2015 09:14:32
I honestly cannot believe how anyone can moan about Baloteli didn't get enough chances. Two winning gaols in three games wow. Well one of those have been penalty. I have to say every minute I have seen him play this year, every minute literaly I thought, wow, he can't be so bad, he can't be so childish, he can't so so lazy and showing offish. He got a lot of chances and the only time he showed a bit of his abilities was when he took that ball from henderson to kick that penalty.

Re Sakho - don;t know what people want of him and his control of the ball. i said several times he is our best passer. I really enjoy to see him with the ball. It is just an optical illusion maybe because of his run that he is not good with the ball.

I don't think the fact that Sterling has been shocking has anything to do with his contract talks (and if yes it is only his problem - should have signed it long ago).

My main concern is how injury prone we became. Everytime someone is finding his form he becomes injured. And the problem is we don't have good enough replacements. We paid a very heavy price for Sturridge's injury, we paid some price for Lucas and Ibe, not sure what is the story now with Ming and Lovern (we need him fit as Skertel is banned) and most worryingly Sturridge again.

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26 Mar 2015 09:28:10
For me there seems to be a problem with creativity in r team I don't know if the problem lies in wide areas r in the middle but we r not giving sturridge the service he needs if countinho has an off game.

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26 Mar 2015 12:07:10
Come on guys, sterling is beeing played as a lone striker or wb either right or left. Blame it on the manager.

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26 Mar 2015 12:26:09
I do somewhat agree with you Ztoopid, but if you flip the coin, if Raheem Sterling think he is worth a big contract he has to have the versatility to play in more than one position.

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26 Mar 2015 16:44:18
Kckred, that is a false argument. Does Messi play leftback and right wing back because he`s paid a fortune? NO! Sterling will be better for it by playing multiple positions at his early age BUT he needs to play where he is most effective which is either wide attacking the flanks or thru the middle.

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27 Mar 2015 10:38:08
Sterling is being played at right wing back - as position that greatly hampers his ability to make his mark on the game. He is far more effective attacking and, even more so, when played centrally. He is being badly mismanaged and he is 20 years old (so prone to consistency) - that he has yet to sign a new contract does not change those facts.

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28 Mar 2015 10:12:20
"Something not quite right about the team at the moment"
After 1 defeat in 14 games.

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{Ed001's Note - but how many good performances in those 14 games?}

25 Mar 2015 23:58:10
Few weeks back I done a comparison after 20 games, so thought will do it again after 30.
Last season after 30 games played:
65 points scored 82 conceded 38 Sitting strong in second place.
This season :
54 points scored 44 conceded 32 Sitting in disappointed fifth place.

As I posted then, our defence is not great, but its not the reason for our decline from last year, its the lack of goal scoring up front. (and no I am not expecting 82 goals, but we should do a bit better than 52% of what we scored last year)

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26 Mar 2015 07:00:33
Sold the best striker in the world and signed Balotelli and Rickie Lambert. That pretty much sums up where we are as a club at the minute. The fingers should be pointed at everyone who let this happen, this committee,, and everyone on it.
Or was it Raheem Sterlings fault ?

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26 Mar 2015 08:44:45
at least the defence has improved

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26 Mar 2015 11:32:09
Lavers, you're definitely a glass half full man, aren't you?!

lol!

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26 Mar 2015 12:35:49
zeddicus
you've always got to try and look on the brighter side of life lol

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26 Mar 2015 17:08:09
He should be getting the sack for that alone, DBol. Or may be his apologists will excuse him by saying he lost both strikers yet did NOTHING to adequately replace them after rejecting Remy, Lacazette, Bony and many others (Per Ed01) and ended up with Lambo and Balo.

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26 Mar 2015 19:14:52
Roy mate.
A lot of us on here questioned where the goals were going to come from once Suarez was sold.
A few even mentioned Sturidges injury record, and God forbid if he gets injured??
As they say the rest is history.

So what do a few fans on this site know??
it seems more than the transfer comitee, who replaced all those missing goals with. ? Strikers that aren't good enough. Period 😡😡😡😡😡

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26 Mar 2015 21:29:28
well said Phooey, and to replace the best striker in the premiership with two strikers who do NOT fit our style, only shows were we will finish this season, and maybe next, not in the top four and no cup-final, this is what we can all see, what do this so called transfer committee see .

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27 Mar 2015 10:39:23
So a goal difference last season of +44 comapred with +12 this season? That is pretty stark - the failure to buy a quality replacement for Suarez is going to cost Rodgers dearly.

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27 Mar 2015 15:13:29
yes and it will cost him his job, because when we finish 5/6th and dumped out of FA Cup, the fans and media will turn on him, giving our owners no choice but to replace him .

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25 Mar 2015 22:55:54
With liverpool finally expanding. Would the club consider expanding the KOP to bring capacity to 70k

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{Ed001's Note - it can't go past a 60k capacity until the surrounding infrastructure is sorted out.}

26 Mar 2015 07:05:54
Ed,, this is something I'm not clued up about if I'm honest . Would I be right in guessing it's something to do with safety. As to Anfield being in everybody's back garden more or less? No space around the stadium if you will for that many people?

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{Ed001's Note - the transport infrastructure is felt unable to handle more people.}

26 Mar 2015 09:42:19
Ed1 Are we making progress in upgrading the surrounding infrastructure??

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{Ed002's Note - Fernandez has looked at Gomes as have a couple of other clubs but the asking price would need to halve to make a move viable. Don't hold your breath.}

26 Mar 2015 13:07:41
Are we updating the surrounding infrastructure?

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{Ed002's Note - No.}

26 Mar 2015 15:46:09
What does transport infrastructure mean in the >60,000 case? I guess we aren't talking about mini roundabouts, lighting, kerbs, bus services, disabled access etc ?

I imagine that >60,000 demands new, dedicated train stations, railway lines etc - so is prohibitively expensive?

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{Ed002's Note - Right it is not going to happen.}

26 Mar 2015 21:47:17
Bring back the Anfield station link.

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27 Mar 2015 17:41:10
amen to that brother, get the rail link in, get the council to sort access and infrastructure and quick so the KOP can get rebuilt or extended as it will be dwarfed by the other stands soon.

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25 Mar 2015 22:07:20
Eds fellow reds, after reading some of the posts today I get the impression that if we don't qualify for champs league BR will be dismissed .do you believe this to be the case .

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26 Mar 2015 21:33:53
In my opinion he should go, for me the four biggest games of the season are Everton and Man U home and away, BR did not pick our best team on all four games, did not set us up right in all four games, no wonder fans are on his back .

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27 Mar 2015 07:12:46
Rodgers has not delivered on his promises as Ed002 has intimated many times. I don't believe this is enough to just sack him though. I do believe it is enough cause for the owners to give Rodgers the ultimatum to work under their preferred system (DoF) or leave the club.

I think he may be too proud to accept working under a DoF so suspect we will see him leave at the end of the season.

Having said all of that, if he can not get us in to a Champions League position, there may not even be an ultimatum!

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25 Mar 2015 19:58:51
question for ed001.

If FSG do replace Rodgers, who is a legit replacement candidate that is better? I know you have had your reservations about de Boer, Simeone just signed a new deal at Atletico, assuming Bielsa's not interested in leaving France. so who are we left with that can tactically match up with guys like Mourinho or Van Gaal, Koeman might make some sense?? watching the Manu game was painful, with the game essentially being lost mostly on team setup.

I don't feel like we need to rebuild the squad, we probably need to add 2-4 quality players at least 1 maybe 2 strikers and strengthen the central midfield?

Thnaks.

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{Ed001's Note - I don't know, sorry. There are reservations with all the possibilities, but then there would have been with Shankly and Paisley before they were appointed. The question is whether you stick with one you know has failed repeatedly or if you take a chance on one who might fail.}

26 Mar 2015 08:07:08
There is no system in place to mitigate BR's failings and catch them early. If he's willing to work in a system where there is - fine. If not, change for someone who is

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26 Mar 2015 17:10:13
The owners will no longer tolerate his pathetic blunders and him sleepwalking thru every half season.If he stays, he has till December. If he goes, hen we look to get Klopp/De Boer and a very good DOF because things can no longer go on this way.

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25 Mar 2015 19:14:48
Hi eds, not sure if this question has been asked but was wondering if Liverpool were to sack Rodgers and replace him with Rafa, De Boer or Klopp, would these managers be happy to word under a DOF or not, thanks.

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{Ed001's Note - all of them operate with one in their current roles.}

25 Mar 2015 18:59:35
Evening eds,
Do you guys think sterlings contract situation will come to a head in the summer?? I.e. He signs a new bumper deal or will be sold? The lad seems to have lost some form as of late & I can't help but think the whole contract situation is part of that. I would ideally love him to stay think he can evolve into a world class player if he sets his mind to it but I can't see how this will he won't he saga dragging onto a new season helps him or the club.
Many thanks guys

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{Ed001's Note - I expect it to be sorted in the summer.}

 
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