Liverpool banter 4

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.

13 May 2024 13:50:42
Genuine question about the standard of footy these days. Does everything just seem tactically over complicated for the sake of it and just rather boring to watch these days? Too much possession based passing for the sake of passing in my opinion.

I don't seem to be finding matches as entertaining as I used to (albeit there are exceptions of course) .

13 May 2024 14:11:50
The game has changed a lot. Teams are not willing to commit to swashbuckling football anymore due to being scared to death of being counterattacked or overloaded.

Part of that is down to the new wave of coaches trying to copy Pep and/ or De Zerbi.

We're the press-baiting era now.

13 May 2024 14:48:30
Anyone remember the Arsenal fans and their ‘ one nil to the Arsenal ‘ chant? I think football is better now than it was 20 years ago,

13 May 2024 15:50:10
Modern football is dreadfully dull. I don't think there are as many talented individuals are there were 20+ years ago, everything now is system based.

{Ed014's Note - maybe you need to change teams mate 😂

13 May 2024 17:12:40
I think if you ask non-Liverpool fans about our teams from the 70’s and 80’s if football was more exciting back then they’ll have a different answer to what a Liverpool fan would say! We were pretty much as boring as you could get. Go 1 up and then keep the ball, even if it meant abusing the lack of back pass rules.

I do wish we had more players who would run at people in the game nowadays though. That side of the game is mesmerising. Diaz for example, not our best player, but so fun to watch.

13 May 2024 18:01:34
Top level football is nothing more than a game of chess. I love it but give me the rough and ready early days of the prem any day.

13 May 2024 19:00:38
I agree the game is better than 40 years ago. I think I just feel everyone in the last few seasons wants to play Pepball which i find so dull.

{Ed025's Note - im with you Taurus..

13 May 2024 19:00:40
Given the number of times we now see the top 3 teams with over 80 points I think you can make a case that the lesser teams are now much worse than they used to be. I remember the days when 40 points was the magic number needed to stay up but I bet it's more like 35 now, if not less. This type of thing helps make the league less competitive.

{Ed025's Note - Forest will be safe with 29 Johnny..

13 May 2024 19:11:58
I do think football has got a lot more robotic in recent years. with man city being the best team about people try to copy the best about and that's there type of football.
The days of a le tisser or a di canio being 1 of leading lights in premiership seem gone. Neither played for my club and I don't particularly like either player away from the pitch but I genuinely really loved watching them play football.

13 May 2024 18:50:53
It is over-complicated a bit, IMO. Players also seem to be overcoached hence, it seems they are unable to solve issues on their own esp. the simplest of issues. Loot at setpiece defending.

For ex. if a team is getting joy with corners against another team, the other team seems to not be able to change their marking schemes in-game to lessen the mismatches since well, the coach hasn't told them to do so. Then, they are shocked that they conceded once or twice in the same manner.

13 May 2024 22:09:34
Football has become data driven that’s the issue.

13 May 2024 22:26:57
A 3-3 tonight and I guarantee our fans won't be happy.
Do we want other teams to entertain us and play wide open football and for us to just keep winning?
One of the reasons City and Arsenal are above us is because they have more control over games.

13 May 2024 23:10:55
I think Rigsby the problem we have compared to arsenal or city isn't so much control its they are far more determined and aggressive defensively, there defenders want to defend and our prepared to put bodies on line. I seen stat recently, not sure how true it is but it wouldn't surprise me, that lfc are the most dribbled past team in Europe's top 5 leagues. The amount of times players swan by our midfielders and defenders is unbelievable.

13 May 2024 23:58:29
It is control, Digger.
They both play at least three players in a back four that can play centre half. They both have midfielders that will protect the back four and are strong enough to hold the ball and move it forward.
They control games by keeping the ball and winning it back when they don't have it.
You are far more likely to score goals and not concede them when you have the ball. They aggressively defend to win the ball back or to at least prevent the opposition from getting a chance to score.
They also exert more control by being better organised than most other teams. It might be boring to some but it works and they both score goals.

13 May 2024 08:19:19
Ed’s anyone of the loanees coming back that you are excited about and think could be a useful player next season for us?

{Ed001's Note - Beck.}

13 May 2024 09:14:08
Would you sell tsimikas then Ed

And who else in the current squad do you thing could be sold?

{Ed001's Note - I would yes. I have no idea who could be sold as we have a completely new team in charge, they might have all new ideas.}

13 May 2024 10:54:56
Any idea how he’s done at Dunndee eds1?

{Ed001's Note - from what I have been told, he is their standout player.}

13 May 2024 11:25:25
Beck made team of the season in Scotland. Best left back in their league this season by all accounts, so well worth a shout, given the success of Bradley.

13 May 2024 12:14:27
Surely Nat Phillips is moved on this year.

13 May 2024 11:38:17
Jaros - having a good half season at Sturm Graz by all acocounts. About to win the league there. Could be a good replaecment for Kellerher as 2nd choice if he leaves.
Davies - dropped out of the Crewe team after failing to impress. Probably time to move him on.
Ramsay - get rid. Barely played again due to injury.
Van den Berg - had a great season at Mainz. I saw him described as one of the top 10 defenders in the Bundesliga on another forum. Could come back to replace Matip as a squad option perhaps.
Williams - not good enough. Let him go to progress his career.
Koumetio - not good enough. Let him go to progress his career.
Phillips - doing well at Preston. Should good a good move in the summer.
Beck - Not seen much of him but he's started over 80% of Dundee's games and according to Ed001 has had a good season. Possible Tsimikas replacement
Chambers - another who will be after Tsimikas's position in the squad. Had a great half season with Wigan playing CB, LB and LM. Decent utility player who might fancy his chances in pre season.
Morton - had a good season with Hull City but I think he'll struggle to get back in our squad with Bajcetic and Clark both just being better and younger players. Time to move on I reckon.
Balagizi - done nothing at either Wigan or Kilmarnock. End of the line for him I suspect. Will have to drop down to League 1 or below.
Corness - done well by all accounts in Switzerland but bit like Morton, I don't see where he fits in with better and younger midfielders in his way.
Carvalho - might get a chance in pre season. He's recently said he wants to come back to Liverpool. Scored some screamers too. Might find a way back under Slot.

{Ed001's Note - I forgot about VDB! He has looked very good out on loan in the Bundesliga. Injuries are the issue with him.}

13 May 2024 13:31:04
I've read a lot of good things about Sepp VDB recently, my only concern is that he's playing in a pretty poor team so probably easy to standout however didn't we buy Robbo from a relegated team so what do I know? I think we should bring him back as a Matip replacement to see if he can cut it over here, will free up some cash for improvement elsewhere. Same for Beck too, sell Tsimikas.

13 May 2024 13:36:16
Is there an option for Mainz to by VDB as part of his loan contract? I don't remember where I heard it, may have been when he went out on loan. If so, are we required to accept that bid, or is it just they get first, unrivaled option?

{Ed002's Note - Nat Phillips (CB) Time to move on come the summer.
Sepp van den Berg (CB) He likely won't get a chance as a starter at Liverpool and will probably be sold in the summer to raise funds - could be a mistake by the club. There is no option to buy for Mainz but they will have a a first pick option if he were to be sold. Will need to speak to the club and see what other options he has.}

13 May 2024 14:31:30
In fairness to VdB Ed, he’s not had any time out for injury this season, statistically he is the best u23 currently plying his trade in Europe according to Whoscored and he’s in good company in that bracket. He’s strong in the air, decent with the ball at his feet (doesn’t treat it like an unpinned hand grenade), he’s brave, likes a tackle and is rapid for a big lad. Only downside is he looks like a member of the Weasley family. No reason why he shouldn’t be given a chance.

{Ed001's Note - I like him, but he has had a couple of big injuries and that is always something to be wary of. I would defo keep him personally. He offers a lot of flexibility in play as well, due to being able to play full-back, right of a back 3 or right of a back four. That would have made him ideal for the tactics we employed this season, with the right-sided centre-back pretty much having to swap between those 3 positions as the game goes on.}

13 May 2024 16:06:38
Right, who's starting the petition to keep VDB for the 2024/ 25 season 😉.

13 May 2024 15:51:17
Is he able to play well on the left side of CB Ed1? I do think that if he is to play under the current coaching team, his injury record would be something to be worried about. As our injury record and players availability is really bad. But I do read that Fayenoord under Slot has one of the best squad in term of players availability in Europe. Maybe they can improve our squad in term of player's injury and availability.

{Ed001's Note - I have not seen him play on the left that I can remember.}

13 May 2024 18:53:55
Never thought of that, E01 re: VDB As someone who is comfortable at RB and RCB in a 4 or a 3, he definitely would have been more ideal to play the RCB with Trent inverted or Bradley pushing up as he is used to defending out wide in space in the wide areas. Well, we move on.

13 May 2024 19:59:23
Johnny I have been excited and following Sepp VDB' performances in Germany as I think he could be a top Premier level defender. As Ed002 says above I think we would be making a massive mistake in moving him on.