Liverpool Banter Archive December 30 2016

30 Dec 2016 19:36:10
The U23s drew with Wigan yesterday in a friendly 4-4.
Ojo scored again. I think he's scored in every game since returning from injury, however he did come off with a knock at the end. Harry Wilson scored again as well. He is looking ready for the first team now, his consistency has been execellent this season. Toni Gomes scored the other two. He has played partly in the U23s and partly in the U18s and he is seen as a big prospect for the future.
Also, Joe Gomez completed 90 minutes at centre back so that's good to see him getting back to full fitness again.
I'm happy to give updates on the U23s every now and again if people want that?

30 Dec 2016 20:40:12
Good to get some insight into how the young lads are doing, especially for those who cannot attend any of the games. Gives a good insight for us guys.

Lets hope some of them actually come through to become 1st team regulars in the coming years, would be good to see.

From what I have seen TAA looks the most realistic prospect to come into the 1st team without too many blocking his path to some games, would like to see if Ojo can make it though if we sign another forward player I am not sure he will get the opportunities to progress.

Thanks for the post DaRed.

30 Dec 2016 21:49:02
Thanks mate, I'm really keen to see some of these boys in the first team rather than see us spend money on a player who will just block the youth player. Klopp knows what he's doing so I trust him fully to do the right thing with our youth and our buys in the transfer market.

30 Dec 2016 22:24:32
Did Woodburn feature?
Or Jack Dunn?
Thanks for the update.

30 Dec 2016 23:22:33
Cheers for the update Redman keep them coming.

31 Dec 2016 02:11:33
I'd very much appreciate any updates provided Redman, I have no way of knowing of how thew youth are doing but am always interested to hear about it.

31 Dec 2016 08:29:42
Woodburn did not feature dermot. Just to add, we are third in Premier League 2 beyond Man City (2nd) and Everton (1st) .

30 Dec 2016 15:46:17
Just wondering if anyone can tell me if James Milner has actually changed his opinion on playing in the left back role? Or is he still unsettled about it? Given the amount of grief he got from fans and a few of us on here, he has become a important member of the squad. I'm happy to be proved wrong.

30 Dec 2016 22:36:58
He is a very well payed player who shouldn't complain if he's in midfield up front left back or even in goal he is wearing that famous red shirt that I'm sure he is proud to be wearing, just look at how well he has performed since settling into left back that guy deserves some credit just for a bit of a moral boost and maybe might improve in that position even more, I mean who else is out there at the moment that can do the job to the level he has this season?

The guy can play anywhere because he can read the game and these days that's a rare commodity in the modern game it's the difference between good players and great all round players.

30 Dec 2016 10:32:51
It may be just me but in the past/ present A lot of the valid news from the eds ends up been turned into something in the paper a day or so later. Do the journos visit this site to get info? They must? We all know they make up absolute nonsense.

30 Dec 2016 12:07:07
When sky says "sky sources say" it usually means they have ripped off this or another site, I remember a lot of the bigger sports news sites used to rip off macca and ed002 in particular.

30 Dec 2016 14:32:08
Very true Mikey.

30 Dec 2016 16:02:35
Let them visit the site. It's a credit to the site after all.

30 Dec 2016 06:07:18
All this talk of signing someone else to replace Mane while he's away.

So if Henderson or Klavan or even Mingolet gets sent off and incurs a 3 game ban would you want us to go and sign a replacement just because they have been suspended?

30 Dec 2016 08:05:50
Some people probably would.

30 Dec 2016 14:15:40
Some people just want to see new players come in, with out the slightest idea of how the player will fair, impact the rhythm of the team or the time he will need to adapt. It`s only in England you see this train of thought. Team is going through a rough couple of games? Make a signing just "to make a statement of intent", what ever the French that means.

30 Dec 2016 15:59:28
I don't believe the club is stupid enough to buy a player for 4 weeks. The cub always look out for players which will improve the team and rightly so. If someone do come in, it would be for the long term.
The club looking at a winger is no secret.

30 Dec 2016 18:40:09
Its not a three game ban, its an extra tournament during a league campaign. We don't know what form he'll come back in, or how fatigued and what knocks he may pick up. All that plus we are short on a wide forward to begin with.

{Ed001's Note - that's why we need to develop a couple of the youngsters now, while we have the chance, rather than keep having to buy in the future.}

30 Dec 2016 22:27:16
Haych. All players will have dips in form. That's why squads are assembled not just first team 11's.

Like Ed said. We have so much quality in the youth set up. Let's start using it.

30 Dec 2016 02:29:37
hi ed001, i know this is a liverpool page, but would like to hear your opinion on Thiago Silva.

he seems to be very highly rated by many, and continously won team of the year etc, even the game fifa he is very highly rated (i know its a game, but only using this as to show more examples of how highly he is rated) .

in your opinion, if you have seen enough of him, considering of your situation now and with him playing in ligue 1, is he as good as he is rated by many?

thanks.

{Ed001's Note - nothing special for me. Decent, yes, but world class? No. He is typical of the modern defender, average defensively but good on the ball.}

30 Dec 2016 09:44:00
i felt the same too, bt have only seen so little of their games, bt it does make me wonder why he is so highly rated by many.

thanks ed001.

{Ed001's Note - because most people have no idea about the defensive side of the game. Particularly pundits, which is why they fail as managers and end up being pundits in the first place.}

30 Dec 2016 09:59:17
Going to disagree here.

Silva is the heartbeat of the Brazil national team defence. It was due to his loss largely that they got hammered by Germany so heavily at the WC.

He is a leader, a very good defender (although not the best) and one of the best ball playing centre backs in world football.

As weird as it sounds, and I'm sure ed001 will do agree here but in modern day football I don't think you necessarily need to be the best at defending to be the best defender. Leadership, technique and physical attributes are just as highly sought after.

{Ed001's Note - sought after but the lack of good defenders is why we see so many teams having to waste a midfielder doing a defender's job in front of the defence.}

30 Dec 2016 10:37:05
I've seen him play only a handful of times and from what I have seen he's nothing too special. Matip over him anyday.

30 Dec 2016 11:14:00
Similar to Hummels then ed, great on the ball but overrated as a defender because of it.

30 Dec 2016 12:00:18
just to clarify, i did not in anyway say that he is not good. just that he is very highly rated by many, bt im not sure if he is as good as what a lot of people are saying.

30 Dec 2016 14:23:41
Having watched Silva for years at Milan, PSG and with Brazil, his best days are well behind him. He was class in his younger years with Nesta and Maldini there to mentor himTo me he messed up big time by going to PSG in Ligue 1, a very average league in a team where he was rarely ever tested and that stopped him from improving as there was no competition from rivals.

After that, he went to the WC and he was quite poor BUT if you had Luiz who was even poorer, next to you then it doesn`t help. He`s still great on the ball, has decent pace and superb in the air BUT to me, he`s lost a step or two. And just to clarify, Silva is NO LONGER the heart and soul of Brazil.

In fact, under the new coach Tite, he`s yet to start a single game for them. The current heart and soul of Brazil is Neymar, assisted by Gab Jesus and Coutinho.

30 Dec 2016 14:30:25
Hes not as good as you were Mr Beckenbauer.

30 Dec 2016 14:31:46
". sought after but the lack of good defenders is why we see so many teams having to waste a midfielder doing a defender's job in front of the defense. "

This is a genius off reply Ed01👌👌.

30 Dec 2016 18:35:18
Out of curiosity ed1, who do rate as the top 5 defenders in the game today? I'd go with Chiellini, Bonucci, Diego Godin, Azpilicueta and can't stand the bloke but Pepe.

{Ed001's Note - I have no idea off the top of my head. Godin would have to be in there. Difficult to really pick as I have not watched much Italian football in years, so can't really choose from there. Spanish football has so few decent defenders, Pepe is far from a top defender in most games, but just has the odd great game. Plus it depends on the system you are playing and the way you want to play it. For instance a back three requires a totally different set of players from a back four. The wide defenders there have to be a cross between old fashioned defensive full backs and centre backs, while the central player needs to be all about reading of the game and positioning. I would certainly pick Fonte over Pepe all day long and twice on Sundays. He makes his team mates look better, including Pepe for Portugal.}

30 Dec 2016 18:56:58
Top 5 in the world has to be Godin, Alderweireld, Bonucci, Chiellini and Koscielny.

30 Dec 2016 19:53:35
Ramos deserves a mention as well. I agree on Koscielny. Kosc is a brilliant CB. Varane is another very good defender.

{Ed001's Note - Ramos? He may be a neighbour of my parents (well owns a house here anyway) but he is not a top class defender in anyway, shape or form. I would have Fonte over Koscielny every time, though I do rate Koscielny very highly. Varane is potentially good, but he has not been playing well in the last couple of seasons, so he shouldn't really be considered, yet.}