Liverpool Banter Archive February 04 2015

04 Feb 2015 22:32:46
Late goals always boost confidence and this will keep us going on this little run

Must say i was really impressed with mignolet sakho coutinho and sterling. and

EMRE CAN . he is completely wasted at centreback and should be pushed into midfield alongside Jordan a midfield with them two would be full of energy

I would prefer lovren to come back into the team and play in a settled back three and a keeper that is more confident so that Can is able to move forward

Onwards and upwards

04 Feb 2015 23:27:16
I find it hard to says he's wasted? He has beenquality at the cb position as well

Agreed! However, I felt we were poor and looked slow and sluggish until we were down and got desperate. We need to play better vs CP or we will defo be out.

Nabeal I agree that Can looked class in midfield but surely we can't drop Lucas after the form he has shown, we look a completely different team defensively with him on the pitch and I think he helps our attack too with his simple short passing which is underated and very effective. Maybe play Can in the midfield in Europa games but as it stands I see no need to change a Lucas and Henderson midfield that's working so well

I would continue playing Can at CB simply because Lucas has been effective alongside Hendo.

05 Feb 2015 07:44:00
Personally in bigger games that require a bit more in the midfield i would sacrifice one of our attacking players and push Can into midfield to create a trio of

Henderson Lucas Can
Still playing with the 3 centrebacks and 2 wingbacks.

However at home against so called lesser teams i would like to see the

Henderson Can partnership utilized as i feel Can's presence and passing would unlock defences a lot sooner

04 Feb 2015 22:13:18
Sakho and Can are becoming BIG players for us - along with the other youngsters like Sterling, Coutinho, Markovic, Llalana, Ibe, Sturridge - we will really challenge next season!

04 Feb 2015 21:54:43
BR you got lucky

Gerrard and Allen(what does him bring to a game)in midfield was not a good idea

Can looks better every time I watch him

Sterling, Coutinho very good

Mignolet looks confident & Danny to start on Saturday

Roll on Everton

Can is wasted at CB and ill get found out in big games. LOvren or Toute should play there and release him to wreak havoc on the opposition in midfield. We got luvky to day and SG and Allen were very poor, IMO. Must do better.

04 Feb 2015 21:41:17
Lonergan looks to be a very good keeper, anyone see much of him this season?

Bad keepers seem to always have immense games when they play us, he'd probably concede 6 if he was play a non-league club.

04 Feb 2015 21:58:02
After the first leg people were asking if we could sign bogdan haha!

04 Feb 2015 21:37:12
Poor ref
Can - wasted at CB
PC - world class

04 Feb 2015 21:44:56
3 goals this season , world class. Have a word. World class is thrown around far to much. Ronaldo, messi, aguero, bale, reus, hazard = world class!

I thought the ref had a decent game. Any ref who gives a pen against us isn't a bad one. Skrtel needs to improve that part of his game

I was thinking at the start of the game how it would be such a waste to use Can in the back for the next few years. Crazy when you think Lovren was worth double what Can was, has much more experience in general and Can is better than him at his own position. Not trying to put him down but it's a testament to Can and shows how odd football can be.

Stand, I agree Coutinho is not yet world class. However, Hazard? Haha, no. His entire game is based on quick feet, going down easily and then scoring the resulting penalty.

He just hasn't improved remotely since joining Chelsea. From scoring nearly 30 goals in a single season at Lille to relying on penalties? He is no doubt a very good player who still scores goals and creates a lot of chances, but if Coutinho isn't world class then neither is Hazard. Silva is the only world class no. 10 in the Premier league for me mate.

04 Feb 2015 22:25:47
Personally for me Hazard is in that bracket now, and I'd agree with Silva too! Shame all the WC players in the premiership are in Chelski and Citeh sides and not our two sides haha

Have to agree with EMS here completely, hazard is overrated and overhyped because he is chelseas star. He wins lots of penalities and benefits from those around him. I just see him as a very very good winger, not much more really. He could definately improve to be world class, but people who compare him to messi and ronaldo are nuts.

Piledriver, yes Skrtel did invite the dive but it was cheating.
The ref was poor from the off.
Coutinho and Sterling were targeted and the ref just was not interested in giving them anything.
Two offsides in the first half were blatantly onside.
Just a poor game from the officials.
But we still won.

Perhaps my very brief post was taken to heart too much. Was rushed for time (Mrs as usual) but PC will be world class if not already. For me he is on very much an upward curve and as good as he is now looks like he will only get better.

04 Feb 2015 23:21:11
Just to make it clear I'm not comparing hazard to messi or Ronaldo . Them two are just different level altogether

Couts needs to improve like everyone else on our team inclding the manager, himself. As for Hazard, he is not as good as many think ihe is because he is still the same player he was when he got to London. He`s not getting better and seems comfortable where he is. Cristiano is at the level he is now because he is NEVER comfortable and ALWAYS looks to get better. Hazard`s not even the best player on the Belgian team, IMO. That player is KDB who for me, was the star of that Belgian team at the WC in Brazil along w/ Mertens. He needs to work harder and prove his sceptics wrong.

Stand. Who cares what you think:)
The thing that excites me is that we don't have 1 potentially world class player. In my opinion we have 2 in Coutinho and Sterling.
We also have Markovic and Ibe who I believe can also be very good for us.
Lallana is not bad either.
I don't think I have said this for about 20 years.
Liverpool have a better squad than United.
In my humble unbiased opinion.

04 Feb 2015 21:32:36
CAN can you do the can can can you do the can can can you do the caaaaaaan caaaaaannnn

Since Can went into the midfield he has been a boss quality signing can't wait to see him midfield next year (great finish by sterling)

04 Feb 2015 20:34:44
The only reason we're not 2-0 up is because of an absolutely awful linesman. If this was the ACON he'd be banned for 6 months!

04 Feb 2015 19:54:42
Oh oh oh . Lallana, la la la laaaa

Lallana oh oh, Lallana oh oh oh oh!
To The Gipsy Kings, Volare!

04 Feb 2015 19:24:39
Hi Eds, thanks for keeping us up to date as per over January, I know I said back in October time whether I could please ask you to do a questionnaire for me for my a level course, I was wondering whether this is still feasible? It's literally one question, however it is very broad, but I'm only looking for as long as you can be bothered to write really, obviously wouldn't want to put much more strain on your already hectic lives running this site. Thanks eds/Macca and again if you could also send to any contacts i'd be extremely greatful! Cheers! Jake

{Ed001's Note - ok mate.}

How would I go about sending it to you ed? Cheers mate!

{Ed001's Note - contact form mate.}

04 Feb 2015 19:07:39
Brilliant that Brendan Rodgers sent a condolence letter to a son who's dad was a season ticket holder for 60 years.
Well done Brendan.
YNWA.

04 Feb 2015 18:50:11
Everyone is going on about squad rotation and not burning players out, but can I just mention a lot of our players are late teens to early 20s.

If the can't manage a couple of games at that age there's something wrong.

If we tinker to much were going to fall flat on our faces, should only be looking at 1 change every game if we can and do it that way.

04 Feb 2015 18:59:44
It's not so much that they can't play the games physically, although they may be more prone to injury if they over do it, it's more that their performance levels dip due to a lack of sharpness. That's not a rule and all players are different.

04 Feb 2015 17:53:44
There are some educated Anoraks on here who are very knowledgeable in the sport.

How did Southampton utilise and use Lambert to their advantage?

I've seen comments on here suggesting he has no pace, but he scored, and as far as I'm concerned, the Saints never played messy football.

In my opinion, it's a simple confidence issue as he's a cracking player with a sweet strike.

He plays a bit like Teddy Sheringham for me.
Not as good as Sheringham in my opinion but I think they play a similar type of game.

04 Feb 2015 18:46:01
A lot of his goals came from set pieces; free kicks and penalties. He actually rarely ever scored headers from corners or crosses etc. He scored most of his goals in open play from cut backs to the edge of the box from out wide. Southampton played with genuine wide forwards in Lallana, Ward-Prowse and Jay Rodriguez. Goal scoring wasn't really why he was in the team though. He played virtually as a false 9. He more often than not dropped deep to collect the ball from the midfield. His strength, composure and vision made him a perfect hold up player. He used to lay the ball off to overlapping midfielders such as Schneiderlin or Ramirez or shift the ball out wide to the wide forward. In the final third he usually went towards the ball and looked to play that final pass in behind or over the top. He's actually suprisingly good at it. Lallana and Jay Rod were both very willing to attack the box though under Pochettino's management so gave Lambert options. All of our players seem to just pass it around their box until Coutinho or Sterling decide to shoot.

Basically, to get the best out of Lambert you need runners from deep in midfield, and skillful wide forwards who can regularly hit the byline and cut it back into his path, stand a cross up for him to knock down to somebody else, or look for a one two with Lambert to get in behind themselves. The best players we could use to get the best out of Lambert would be Lallana on the left, Ibe/Sturridge on the right, with Henderson and Sterling making runs from midfield. Lambert will never be able to link up effectively with players like Gerrard (the current one), Coutinho etc because they want people to make runs for them to pick out. That isn't Lamberts game though.

I think Rodgers bought him expecting to get a cheap plan B (lump it up to him) after he was strongly criticised for being one dimensional following the Chelsea and Palace capitulations. Clearly the scouts didn't do their research though I because that is only how Roy Hodgson uses Lambert which is why he looks half the player for England that he did for Southampton.

Lambert is a creator, a link up player and a set piece specialist. Rodgers has only ever tried to use him as a target man or alongside the wrong players. Watch him against Wimbledon when he had Coutinho and Gerrard up with him. It was the most ineffective attacking trio I've ever seen and took a moment of genius from Stevie to rescue what would've been an embarrassing draw. Lambert needs to play behind proper wide forwards/strikers and powerful midfield runners. Not through ball specialists or people who want to whip in crosses to a brute with clever movement.

Rodgers has completely let him down by not using him in the right system with players that compliment him.

So we should build our team around Lambert?
We bought him because he was cheap and because he loves the club.
We did not buy him because he fits our system.
Plan B's are Plan B's by nature because they don't fit the system you normally play.

I wpuld not advocate building our team long term around a 33 year old Jonny, but if you are going to play your plan B striker, surely you play to there strengths? Otherwise we might as well just check Skrtel up front and call him our plan B.

When we were struggling for strikers earlier in the season the team should've been set up around Lambert. Just like it's now set up around Sterling to get the best out of him.

You don't just chuck players in and ask them to do something they can't do. If you do, you certainly don't blame them for underperforming. Lambert is a player who likes to sit in the whole; as you say, like Sherringham. Putting him up front and asking him to run in behind or attack the penalty areaon his own was never going to work. MMovement is not his strength. His strength is link up play and we didn't play to that strength, hence why Lambert didn't play well. It's that simple.

You set your team up around your striker because they are the ones who score goals and ultimately win games. Therefore, how youset up fpr a pparticular game should 100% depend on which striker you're using.

I agree with playing to his strengths EMS.
The problem with him is his mobility.
That's it really.
I think he has real quality but our other players are too quick for his game in my opinion.
I am still glad we signed him but that is just for sentimental reasons.
Borini suits our style far more than Lambert I think.

04 Feb 2015 10:05:17
Just a question, do you go all out to win the Thursday night football trophy in order to try and make next season's CL or concentrate on top four place to get there ?
I know ideally it would be go all out in both competitions but that's going to be a very difficult balancing act to pull off .
Personally I think a top 4 finish is your most likely route to success as in all cup competitions even over two legs one bad performance can seal your fate where with the league its about consistency

Our squad is massive. If Rodgers can't compete in both he isn't up to the job.

Top 4 finish. We were abysmal in every European game. Couldn't beat Basel and scraped past ludogorets. What are the chances of beating another 6 teams!?

In my opinion the premier league route is a 2/5 near half Marathon where a couple of bad games are recoverable from but the Europa is a 1/32 lottery played on a Thursday making the league route more difficult

The question is where is more money? I think Top4 wins.

For me if we make it into the semis of the uefa cup then we should go all out for that.

Better to win a cup and get CL, rather than just top 4

I've stated from the start I don't see us getting top 4. The problem is if we field a severely weakened team in the europa league, we might face scrutiny from UEFA, if we play a semi strong squad or full 1st team, that weakens our chances of winning Sunday games statistically.

If you want to call it a lottery that's fine, but in that lottery you haveBruge, AAB, Inter, Anderlecht, Torino Guingamp, salzburg, Celtic Who I would expect at some point to be knocked out by the semis, if they cause an upset great, it means they have to up themselves for another 2 matches after knocking out a stronger team.
Whereas the premier league is 7 games vs Spurs, Everton, Chelsea, UTD, Arsenal, City, Southampton guaranteed.

04 Feb 2015 12:29:40
We have the squad to do both, but can't see us getting 4th, although I'd like to give it a good go all the same, so Europa League for me! I'd also like to win the FA Cup, as it's a cup competition we're still in and we're in it to win it! Tonight's match will prove how the management feel about this competition, but can see us putting out a strong side, as it's a cup at the end of the day!

I thought you'd struggle to make top four in August bob but the fact that everyone below city and chavs have struggled too has kept the door open for you.
Your results have picked up lately and Sturridge on the way back to full fitness can only mean goals and point's i think.
I'm hoping the emergence of Le Coq is going to help us move up a notch during the run in and I think with Liverpool now adapting better to life without Louie and getting Danny back could do the same for you

04 Feb 2015 13:25:43
I think it would be best if we all accept that our chances of CL football next year are slim to nil. More likely to end up in the Europa league again.

I'd want us to do as well as possible in all competitions we are part of. If we win the euro league i will be happy because it is a trophy and i like it a lot when we get one of those. The Champions League will be a bonus. Top four is going to be very difficult - we may not be that far off but the fixtures look difficult. Take a look on the games we have left. I think it is beyond us this year. So be it.

Half way through the season, starting to click, 5 points off 4th. I'm not worried, we'll make top 4.

Southampton don't have the depth to continue this push. United are hit and miss, Tottenham too. Arsenal look good vs the little teams, but don't they always? And I think City/Chelsea is set in stone. Everton won't be a problem.

I think our chances for top 4 are still good.

We've still got a lot of room for improvement so we should still only go one way.
So to be only 5 points of is good.

Id fancy arsenal to get 3rd with us grabbing 4th spot.
Southampton will drop and I think when the going gets tough spurs and united will.

04 Feb 2015 16:44:42
Ironic isn't it Gunner? Both our teams suddenly look 5 times better the minute we started to play an actual defensive midfielder in the defensive midfield role rather than makeshifts and adaptations. Who would have guessed?

Jones, Toure, Lovren, Enrique, Manquillo, Allen, Gerrard, Ibe, Borini, Balotelli, Lambert not to mention the young'uns (Rossiter, Williams, etc.) and those that don't play every BPL game like Johnson, Moreno. I think we can progress far enough with those players that we won't wear everyone in the squad out by playing 2-3 times a week. If we were still in the CL (which we should have been except for some personic performances), everyone would be happy with the squad we have.

{Ed002's Note - If folks are going to list teams etc here it will all get deleted. Go to the tams page for that stuff.}

Totally agree hjikle mate, I've been a neg head all season because we didn't do in the summer the one thing that we had to do above all others and sign a real life DM.
Then Mertaducker almost drove me completely over the edge against you and Stoke with his self folding antics but Le Coq ridng to the rescue has given all a lift players and fans alike, it showed against city when the players didn't go on the pitch beaten before a ball was kicked

04 Feb 2015 08:43:42
Gday Eds, has McLaughlin gone on loan after all?

I'm hoping a couple more of our youngsters will go out in the emergency loan window to get some senior games under their belts, especially Rossiter, since they look unlikely to get many minutes as things stand.

{Ed002's Note - Not yet as far as I know.}

04 Feb 2015 10:53:38
Rossiter won't be going anywhere with one good ankle !

Ah crap, I hadn't read about that.
Never mind so, just send one of the other Jordans out instead! ;)

04 Feb 2015 02:37:57
Hi eds,
just wondering when jose enriques contract runs out and which players other then gerrard and toure are out of contract after this season?

{Ed002's Note - (A) 2016; (B) Flanagan and Johnson.}

04 Feb 2015 02:20:57
Any suggestions as to a good pub to watch the match in tomorrow night not too far from the Echo Arena. Being Dad's taxi for the evening. Baltic Fleet doesn't do telly so other ideas welcome, thanks.

Alright ND.
I used to live at the marina, and always watched the match at the Coburg, just past the Baltic fleet. Good pub.

Nice one, thanks.

Rigby's is a great little place, good pub food, cracking ale. Shame you're driving, mate.

Good place to watch the game anyway.

And thanks to you too. Cheers

Good call Flaypool8. Coburg good pub. Not sure my heart can take too many games like that. Cheers

04 Feb 2015 00:05:01
As much as i like Ricky Lambert's love for the club and his desire to succeed can anyone honestly see him being a success? I would love for him to do the bizz for us but i just don't see it, nobody seems to have the heart to tell the guy.
I don't think he has been a failure, just looked a little lost at times, maybe it's the style of play we are using i don't know, if he created lot's of chances for others and scored loads of goals and did not look out of place i wouldn't be writing this would i? we should have taken the £5 million, sorry Ricky.

Maybe if he stopped being dropped after he scores a goal he would have a chance of proving himself, same could be said for borini.

Excellent response, Swisch! BR freezes players out so badly that it wreaks of a hidden agenda. Lambo wants to play here BUT when he scores (which is the reward for a week`s worth of hardwork in training) instead of giving him some more game time in the team, he benches him hence, out of rythm. Then when he brings him on, he`s rusty and can`t contribute so we think he is useless and some want him sold just like Borini. Typycal BR -type management, IMO.

There simply not good enough.
If any of the big 6 teams had lambert & borini upfront for a majority of there games we'd be laughing and ruling them out of the top 4 race.

Im sorry but Rickie has scored a couple of goals. In my opinion he was a pointless signing. The same as Manquillo considering he was behind Balo, Sturridge and Borini. i'm not one for floodind the first team with unknown and unproven kids but a 4th choice striker would be one.

I didn't say he was good enough, I was saying he deserves a chance. Strikers feed on confidence and both him and borini have been dropped after scoring important goals. Given how struggling we have been for goals those were opportunities for our strikers to find some form. Instead they were dropped so I'll guess we'll never know.

04 Feb 2015 12:19:44
If we keep using him as a target man and never hit him when we try and get the ball to him, no there is no chance of him being successful. If we used him properly, had runners moving around and past him etc then there is every chance he could be a very valuable player for us

To be fair they scored and were more or less dropped for a player that scores far more goals than them. Borini and Lambert will get their chances to prove themselves in the EL and, hopefully, tonight from the start.