Liverpool banter 3

14 May 2024 03:15:55
Ed1, you are right. Our defense really do need sorting out. It looks like a mess right now. When our forward can score goals, our defense can't seem to defend. When the defender can defend, our forwards can't score goals. Last night remind me of the beginning of Klopp era. Scoring enough goals while also conceding a lot goals.

{Ed001's Note - it is a mess that will need fixing.}

14 May 2024 10:12:42
Van Dijk's fallen off a cliff the past few weeks after seeming to recapture his best form earlier in the season. He's not going to be able to play basically every game anymore, do that needs sorting.

The midfield became porous as soon as Endo came off, so we need another Endo. Those two things would fix 50 percent of it imo.

14 May 2024 10:36:57
Do you think VVD and Quansah isn't as good pairing compared to VVD and Konate? It seems like they both doesn't really have the understanding of what the other are doing. Like when VVD is stepping up, Quansah dropping down or late to step up and vice versa. It feels like Villa can score more than 3 goals last night. Just like second half against Spurs, Villa just going through our midfield and defense with ease. Sure these last few matches doesn't mean anything, but got to defend better than that.

{Ed025's Note - what you have mfahmee is experience alongside inexperience mate, there are bound to be a few teething problems but i think Quansah could be something special and personally i would stick with him..

14 May 2024 10:43:14
I remember back to that season when VVD was assaulted by Pickford and we used Fabinho and Hendo as CBs. Weakening the midfield had too much of a difference all over the pitch.

The 6 position is critical for me. I think we need to have either an established CDM come in for Endo to backup or the future CDM come in. but I really don't want to see a 10 or an 8 come in and be deployed as a CDM.

it doesn't work.

14 May 2024 10:52:40
I do think Quansah is good Ed25, maybe Van Dijk could be more vocal during matches to organize the defend better. It seems like Van Dijk and Quansah are both little bit laid back so maybe that is one thing to fix. These last few matches with nothing left to play, could be one of the reason why players doesn't seem to bother to defend well.

14 May 2024 11:44:34
With looked incredibly porous with Endo on too. It's just Villa didn't take their chances.

I think finally people are seeing this is not Kloppball we have been playing for the last couple of years. It's a poorly attempted imitation of De Zerbi's style.

It literally suits nobody in our team.

14 May 2024 11:47:54
We need an upgrade on Endo but I would keep him. It shows how fragile the midfield is when Endo has to be the first name in there.
The defence needs sorting but it's like the area under the Old Trafford Waterfall with the midfield being the roof. We need an experienced partner for VVD and Quansah can develop. We've a good young right back and TAA can play there with the right players around him. I wouldn't be averse to bringing in a left back as Robertson has started to creak.
The midfield is the real concern and I think we're expecting a lot of Endo and Bajcetic to sort it and at least one quality addition is needed. Mac, Szob and Grav need to be higher up the pitch and next season is a big one for the last two.

14 May 2024 12:39:39
We weren’t as bad as we are now when we had Fabinho and he do back there, too many of these lads aren’t giving their all, Trent and Gomez and vvd are the worst…. gomez only gets a by because he’s a utility man. Vvd isn’t a captain and not doing his job so how can he tell others. Quansah is quality and konate has needed to do 2 roles with this inverted full back nonsense…. Might as well have 3 cbs.

14 May 2024 14:42:29
Trent has been so lax since he got back in the team more interested in Hollywood passes than putting in a shift.

14 May 2024 14:57:02
Agree gmil he looks like he’s checked out on this team.

14 May 2024 15:09:35
Eds, it seems like almost all the coaching staff will leaving the club alongside Klopp. New DoF, Edwards and Ward is coming back also. Does all this changes happening at one go concern you?

{Ed002's Note - No.}

14 May 2024 15:54:21
Gonna be an emotional one on Sunday but it looks like the players are already on their summer holidays or even worse conserving themselves for the Euros and Copa America.

Bit of a sad way for Klopp to bow out in a meaningless game v Wolves.

14 May 2024 16:48:27
JK, I don't think it's that bad of a way to bow out. There's no pressure to get a result and it's more about Klopp. Can you remember a couple of seasons ago when we played Wolves on the last day when we could have won the League and City were 0-2 and ended up winning 3-2? That would be worse, imo.
It could also be better though!

For me, Sunday will be all about Klopp and the fabulous years he has given us. I'm not going to be dwelling on stuff he didn't do, the tactics, the book he contributed to etc etc.
There have been far more positives than negatives and we might not see the like again. I'll be honest, I didn't think I'd see them again until Jürgen Norbert Klopp arrived at our club.

Ps. and I'll be keeping an eye on the title race. I hope Spurs get something tonight to make it really interesting!

14 May 2024 22:13:58
@Ed25, have you run out of your tablets, mate? You do realise that you said a Liverpool player might be a good ‘un?

{Ed025's Note - you should realize by now WDW that im like "superman" mate, i dont tell lies and i can see through lead.. :)

15 May 2024 07:36:05
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Nah it’s Super Ed 👍.

{Ed025's Note - love it WDW..

14 May 2024 07:39:01
{Ed's Note - gdog55 has posted a new article entitled, Current State of Glasgow Rangers

13 May 2024 22:10:03
What a mess the defending is school boy defending. Arne Slot has a big job sorting the defence out and midfield. Too much room for villa to run at us. Like to see the lines in both our goals given offside, they looked very close to me especially the Diaz goal.

13 May 2024 22:33:03
If we had a few more players that can and want to defend it wouldn't be so bad.
But I thought we wanted heavy metal football?

13 May 2024 23:23:22
Midfield as porous as a sieve with a hole in it.

13 May 2024 23:39:16
I don't imagine Roy Keane would want to be in the trenches with any of them, Ron 😂.
They are wetter than an Old Trafford stand.

14 May 2024 06:52:01
No physicality or athleticism in midfield. It's been like that since prime Fabinho.

14 May 2024 08:46:00
Need to buy a quality DM. I know Bajcetic is available again but he's still only a kid and we have no way of knowing how he's going to turn out. I'm actually starting to think that the DM position maybe the most crucial acquisition for next season.

14 May 2024 09:03:45
Guys, if we are honest, this is NOTHING new. This is the way we have been playing for the most part in the PL this season. Reality is hard to take BUT if anyone really and truly STILL thought/ thinks a team this inconsistent, this flawed and this much of a danger to itself more than a danger to the other team and awash with poor decision making on the pitch and on the touchline, was ever going to win the title then sorry, you did that all to yourself.

I too, thought we could win the league this season cos well, Im a fan and want my team to win. However, the chickens (as in all our problems) have come home to roost and now, it is now time to accept that this team had NO shot of winning the title. It's hard to take BUT that is the reality. it is what it is.

14 May 2024 09:05:35
I’m not massively confident we’re going to go and get a quality defensive midfielder. All the talk is that we’re looking at Koopmeiners, who isn’t a defensive midfielder at all.

14 May 2024 09:18:46
While a new DM won’t solve the tactical failures, we’ve been in need of one for 3 seasons now. Fabinho decline began during the 21/ 22 season.

14 May 2024 09:29:30
Agreed on the tactical side FPF and that will change soon enough but the way folk bypass our midfield needs to be addressed however we are setup to play next season. Klopp has been brilliant but the last few years have seen a few too many square pegs in round holes for my liking.

14 May 2024 14:08:23
Johnnyr1970, this is because we have eliminated the press that would happen as soon as we lose the ball. The square pegs in round holes are a prob BUT frankly, we don't press the way we used to right after we lose the ball hence, we get run thru in midfield and anywhere else. We do it in stages/ spurts BUT it ain't there, man. Is it because Klopp allowed himself to be convinced to abandon the press is this situation, something we did 4 years ago? Your guess is good as mine.

14 May 2024 15:18:54
Need to get the right bodies in to get the press working properly of course. A quality mobile DM will help though I think.

14 May 2024 16:19:19
We haven't abandoned the press but the pressers are not as good.
I could take or leave Firminho but he was great at pressing the opposition. Mane, too. He was quick, strong and got stuck in.
Fabinho, Henderson, Wijnaldum and Milner all had their limitations but they were all big lads willing to put a foot in.
Can you say the same about the current crop?

14 May 2024 16:27:33
Rigsby agree on Firmino. His greatest asset was his ability to read the game.

He was already pressing defenders before the pass was even made to them. Almost like he was a step ahead.

15 May 2024 11:20:08
We create more chances than anyone, clearly the forwards are the problem, Diaz is an older Nunez who creates chaos but lacks finishing, I'd be holding onto Nunez for this as he is younger and does makes defences nervous, Salah has some value and should be sold, we know we always need to sell to buy players, Jota can't stay fit, Gakpo needs games o get going and in this league with such small margins for error we can't always afford that, we have to get a finisher to put these chances away, if we had Rice and Kane we would be level if not in front of City now, we all know the quality of our signings have been potential instead of ready made, it needs to change to challenge again, Bajectic being fit is going to be huge for us, a genuine top draw looking player.

13 May 2024 22:08:34
Ive seen a few quips about the state of Old Traffords roof as it leaks so badly, the best one being Old Trafford, theatre of streams. But I've thought of one. Its funny how Man City are reigning champions and Man United are raining champions.

13 May 2024 22:48:34
Going to see the new Old Trafford Waterfall at the weekend lads. Second highest one in England apparently?

That club are in some serious trouble. When we were at our lowest ebb in the 90s, at least Anfield was still in decent condition.

14 May 2024 17:56:40
Long May they continue to be awful.

13 May 2024 19:52:40
Efc fan here in peace. Just wanted to wish good luck for tonight. I'm gutted klopp is leaving. A top class manager and just a top quality fella. I can just about recall how respected kendal was by both sides of the city and I think most true fans hold Jurgen in the esteem. Hope you have a strong end to the season and rebuild again for next season. Best wishes.

13 May 2024 20:21:01
Nice Post Witty. my brother is a blue . n loved Kendal as a player n manager . Klopp is a once in a generational manager . sad to see him go. but looking forward to next season.

13 May 2024 21:18:27
Fair play man. Great respect to Everton.

13 May 2024 23:25:38
I met Kendall when I was a kid in the 80s. Lovely man, they don’t make them like that anymore.

14 May 2024 09:58:19
Nice one, Witty.

13 May 2024 17:06:05
game at Villa tonight will be a tough one . Villa need to win to get the 4th spot, so they will be going all out . I will be happy with a draw and a good win next Sunday .
we need to keep an eye on Ollie Watkins, 2nd best striker in the Prem for me .
yes I would really like the win, but Villa might want the win a bit more .

13 May 2024 18:03:07
It’s a dead rubber for us. So just look to give the kids a run out.

13 May 2024 22:18:29
The only surprise is that it wasn't a higher scoring draw.
We're always going to concede goals with those players and the way we play but fans will moan about it and still want to us play even more recklessly.
Are you not entertained? 😂.

13 May 2024 22:23:02
We need to learn how to defend and buy a world class DM. if Arsenal can defend why can’t we.

13 May 2024 22:37:46
Before buying a “world class dm”, how about we get the simple stuff right?

Time and again we see the same defensive errors.

We give teams half chances over and over again. Good teams will punish you.

This isn’t solved by buying one player IMO. This is about how the team is defending as a unit and, for their second goal, how we are trying to play. Why is Virgil passing that ball into Macca?!

Whatever happens we’re finishing 3rd so today didn’t mean a lot but the defending today showed why we’re out of the title race whilst the other two are taking it to the final day.

13 May 2024 23:09:49
Players that can and want to defend don't make the same defensive errors that our players do. When you rebuild your midfield and only buy one defensive minded player and he's a £17m workhorse, you are asking for trouble.

14 May 2024 10:00:23
Rigsby the worst thing here is that these individual/ collective mistakes are the same in nature and KEEP happening which tells me that either the coaching staff is oblivious to them? Or they see it and just ignore these same issues that have plagued us all season. Either way, this is bad.

14 May 2024 10:18:52
Are individual mistakes down to the coaching staff or the players?

{Ed025's Note - a coach will not tell you to give the ball away on the edge of your own box JK, its individual errors mate caused by lack of concentration..

14 May 2024 12:04:17
Oli, the coaches are not oblivious to them. The coaches have filled the team with attacking players that want to get us on the front foot. To play attacking, high intensity and exciting football like TAA, Mac, Szob, Elliott and Grav. and there's not much steel in any of them.
I thought you all wanted heavy metal football.
Me, I preferred it when we had three grafters form the likes of Fabinho, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Milner etc to keep things tight and relied on our two full backs and front three to get us goals. I realise that the current front three is nowhere near as strong as the previous one but the team we have and the way we play leaves us very easy to get at.

14 May 2024 14:21:58
Rigsby if they are not oblivious to it then, why that football do they keep happening? You can't tell me the coaches are free from all responsibility here cos that is not the way any of these things works. Oh, it is NOT a front 3 issue yesterday. It is a case of deja-vu with the same mistakes happening including making 4 changes in one go which we all know does not work. Or is that the players' fault too?

Clearly, the players cannot do what they are being asked to do so it is either the players doing this are benched or the tactics needs to change cos this has been happening near all season. Ali has the ball and even tho there is no one to pass to, he still tries to pass it thru a sea of Villa players and they intercept it by Bailey and Watkins almost scores.

As for me yes, I wanted front foot footie cos that is when we are at our best and the players we have fit the bill and and we have been very successful at it. Playing this slow, possession stuff trying to pass the ball out under pressure clearly does not work so why has the manager continued to persist with it? Pretty sure the players don't pick the tactics.

14 May 2024 14:27:29
"a coach will not tell you to give the ball away on the edge of your own box".

No, he won (t do that BUT if you keep doing that then it is either you can't hack it playing out the back in possession or change the tactics to protect the team. What you cannot do as a manager, is neither. That is hogwash and Im not going to blame the players cos they don't coach themselves no pick the tactics.

These mistakes keep happening and it is several of the same players who do it. You have Alisoon despite not having a soul to pass to, still tries to pass the ball out and we are shocked he passed it to a Villa player who nearly scored. Macca has made the same mistake a few times this season that led to goals YET he keeps being told to the same thing with him in the 6. Sorry, that is a coaching issue. It's up to the coach to fix that, not the player cos clearly, the coach is setting him/ them up to fail asking him to do the things he clear can NOT do.

14 May 2024 15:36:35
6 weeks ago the manager and coach’s had set us up for a quadruple. Now they have set us up for failure.

So which one is it?

Safe to say the management, coaches and players are all to blame for our failures as well as they get praised for the successes.

14 May 2024 16:35:27
It's down to the management for filling a team with players that want the ball and want time on the ball but are not prepared to work hard enough without it or to win it back. Klopp and the management team are responsible for that.
It's not my type of football but it could be theirs and it has got us CL football and a trophy.
I want to see Liverpool win and go at teams but not if it means we become a soft touch.
Klopp as manager is ultimately responsible for the imbalance in the team and also for getting us to third in the table. It works both ways.
In hindsight, three midfielders leaving last summer should have been handled a lot better.

13 May 2024 15:12:51
Thanks for your help at Castle Grayskull earlier MK 'She-Ra' Scouser. :)

13 May 2024 15:56:08
"Castle Grayskull".

I've heard that as a nickname for both Old Trafford and Ibrox.

13 May 2024 17:56:29
It was Mum-Ra (the everliving) not She-Ra!

13 May 2024 17:57:22
I found this so much funnier than I should have Ed033 😂 great choice of princess 👏🏻.

{Ed033's Note - MK Scouser, I thought you had changed your name from Prince Adam to Princess Adora; then went Exploring with a new pair of Boots that you Swiped from some Pirate Piggies! :)

13 May 2024 18:25:39
Mumm Ra was thundercats Stoneage. She-Ra was he-man’s twin sister in masters of the universe. Greyskull was He-man’s pad. I watched far too much tv as a kid.

13 May 2024 19:51:38
To be fair Ed033, seems to be quite common nowadays to go from ‘Adam’ to ‘Adora’. Not sure the missus would be very happy though. She’s about as cheery as Skeletor at the best of times so I better not push my luck. Shame, I’d look great in a dress if I shaved my legs.

13 May 2024 23:29:01
Battle-cat was cool.