1.) 01 Jun 2021
01 Jun 2021 09:09:04
Good read that Ed. Thanks for writing it.

Read the goalie one. I think throughout the prem years, Liverpool have always had a weakness either in goal or in one of the fullback positions. Two big areas for me that Alison excels are his distribution, dealing with crosses and doing the sweeper keeper role. Growing up in prem years, I remember every moment a cross or corner came in being a potential heart in the mouth moment.

I think Pepe Regina was probably the only other keeper we have had who had similar attributes. I can not really remember how he dealt with crosses. I think Reina did go down hill a bit after he came back from an injury and had a bit of excess weight on him (might have been muscle mass) .

I actually think a big part of our current success is down to having a great goalkeeper and fullbacks. We always seemed to lack a fullback that had a good all round game.

{Ed001's Note - thank you very much surf. I agree on keepers, they have always been a weak link since Grob's days. James, in particular, was a complete knob who could have been a great player but had decided the day he joined he was already great and didn't need to work at his game. Reina was different, he worked hard to improve and only the loss of his coach made him unhappy, and Torres too for that matter. Great coaching is a huge difference maker and that is why we are so much better now under Klopp as well, the coaching team is the best I can remember.}

2.) 01 Jun 2021
01 Jun 2021 09:25:26
Spot on, Ed. Coaching will always matter in football regardless of what fans of today like to get hyped up about players and stats and so on. Coaches can literally make a good player great or worse while they can also help win you a game while also on the other hand, help you lose it (Yeah, I'm talking to you Pep Guardiola) . Great Coaching matters and long may this trend continue.

3.) 01 Jun 2021
01 Jun 2021 11:01:32
Even GK coach Ed001?

{Ed001's Note - can be particularly important. Xavi Valero was a special case, not only did he make goalkeepers better but he also worked with the forwards and taught them how to beat the keepers they would face. Brilliant coach, we lost our way under Rafa without him and Pako.}

4.) 01 Jun 2021
01 Jun 2021 11:18:16
I loved Reina but he regressed as time went one and always had a mistake in him.

I remember him letting in a drogba goal at bridge in CL QF when we were 2-0 up and it completely changed the game. I think that was probably his last season with us.

5.) 01 Jun 2021
01 Jun 2021 14:12:11
He regressed because we lost Valero and Torres.