05 Jul 2022 13:20:57
Just looking back on the season and re-thinking the CL final vs real madrid. I think Klopp is the best thing since sliced bread, and maybe I am looking back with the benefit of hindsight but sometimes I wonder if Klopp could be more versatile tactically, for example play defensive and/ or counter attacking in some games.

When I look at successful cup managers, I see that the majority of them are overwhelmingly defensive minded i. e. Mourinho, Rafa Benitez, Carlo Ancelloti, Unai Emery.

Maybe I am over-thinking it as Klopp has quite a good record in cup finals?

1.) 05 Jul 2022
05 Jul 2022 14:05:21
OP, You're overthinking it. Klopp played exactly the way you are describing when we beat Spurs in that CL final 3 years ago and we used to pummel City for fun playing counter attacking football btw 2016 and 2018 so you are pointing out what he already does and has done.

Also, I believe had we scored first, we would have done the exact same thing vs Spurs which is the exact same thing RM did to us when they scored. Chelsea did the same thing to City in the CL final last year as well so none of the managers you mentioned (Klopp included) have reinvented the wheel here. We had a couple of really great chances to score vs RM and we didn't. It happens so no need to overthink it, IMO. It's football.

2.) 05 Jul 2022
05 Jul 2022 14:07:29
I think you're over thinking - if we had finished half the chances we had, we would have won that game, same with both domestic cup finals, we made it a lot harder for ourselves because we didn't finish our chances.

3.) 05 Jul 2022
05 Jul 2022 14:09:21
I think teams have started to play a certain way against us. Defend deep, lob the ball behind Trent and hope for the best.
We are still good enough to batter most teams but if a team that’s also good have a bit of luck with it then we can see what happens.
I think we needed to see a slight change happen and I think with Mane out and Nunez in, we have changed enough offensively that teams are going to have to adapt slightly in defence to cope. They will probably still defend deep and lob the ball over Trent but their defenders will be facing something different and will have something else to think about. Teams will know liverpools front 3 inside out because it’s largely unchanged for a few years now, so tactically they can prepare for it, now I think they will have to go back to the drawing board a little. So provided Nunez isn’t a flop we might get a bit more luck next year when teams are defending so deep.

4.) 05 Jul 2022
05 Jul 2022 14:28:03
Real were (supposedly) meant to be easy opposition with a team of ageing players but in fairness they turned up on the night and defended for most parts with their bodies on the line.

We had lots of opportunities and we didn’t take them. For me even Real’s first goal should have stood. Goals win games and we didn’t score any whilst Real were awarded 1 of theirs.

After every defeat I’m sure coaches think of the what ifs but it’s all about how we rebound now going into next season.

5.) 05 Jul 2022
05 Jul 2022 14:57:52
Let's just remember that Courtois played out of his skin that night (wasn't he MoM? ) . Sometimes, that just happens, sadly.

6.) 05 Jul 2022
05 Jul 2022 15:33:47
I think if your name is not meant to be on the trophy then there's not a great deal you can do about it.
We pummelled Real Madrid yet they won with their only shot on target.
In situations like that it doesn't matter what way you play in my opinion.

7.) 05 Jul 2022
05 Jul 2022 16:31:05
We were the better team in champs league final. a centre forward was needed. We have that now so im very confident we can turn atleast 2 of those draws from prem to wins this season coming. My only concern with the club is we seem to have too much sentiment with certain players. We've moved minamino, origi and probably neco onto pastures new. But the likes of ox bobby and keita remain. hopefully they'll be gone soon. Taki could of replaced ox, carvalho to replace keitas minutes. It's time to say a fond farewell. Hopefully Bellingham comes in next summer. Bring on the new season.

8.) 05 Jul 2022
05 Jul 2022 16:52:59
Agree w JK first goal should have stood for me too; looked like it came off our player. I think the HT talk would have been diff and we'd have had 45 mins to score not 30.

9.) 05 Jul 2022
05 Jul 2022 17:04:06
It’s a massive regret because that was seriously there to be won. We are miles ahead of Madrid.
But winning and losing Major finals is what being a Big club is all about, we’ve won more European finals than any other English club, and we’ve also lost more than them too
That’s history, and All Part of this Gigantic club that is Liverpool. We’ll be back.

10.) 05 Jul 2022
05 Jul 2022 17:35:36
Courtois was average that night, it was just our finishing was poor.

11.) 05 Jul 2022
05 Jul 2022 18:38:29
Excatly Jones red 100% agree mate?.

12.) 05 Jul 2022
05 Jul 2022 18:47:20
Disagree, Jones Red.

13.) 05 Jul 2022
05 Jul 2022 18:55:49
Klopp has got a 5-4 record of wins v losses whilst at Liverpool, though better if the first couple of seasons are discounted when the team was still being developed.
Personally I love his positive attitude and attacking football, it’s a credit to the club and the game in general.

14.) 05 Jul 2022
05 Jul 2022 19:34:15
Zed at least one of those shots should have went in. Bad finishing cost us.

15.) 05 Jul 2022
05 Jul 2022 19:55:53
Can’t believe what I’m reading the keeper saved RM all night long.

16.) 05 Jul 2022
05 Jul 2022 17:49:08
Think it’s more a case of us not being clinical enough when we create chances.

I think this is something ed001 has mentioned before.

We need to put the chances away with more precision.

If we could do that we would win the bloody lot.

17.) 05 Jul 2022
05 Jul 2022 20:02:41
We lost concentration for a few moments and were unable to break madrid down. it happens. You can't afford to switch off in big games. Courtouis made one or two good saves and the rest was poor finishing / decisions, again pressure creates the environment.

18.) 05 Jul 2022
05 Jul 2022 20:06:33
We had a number of good chances in that game and poor finishing was what cost us. Not a single save Courtois made was anything special at all.

19.) 05 Jul 2022
05 Jul 2022 21:07:36
We have been profligate in not just the UCL final but all three Cup finals we played in this season but yes, let’s make an excuse for our poor finishing and say Courtois had a blinder.

I recall one save where I thought that is a worldie, the rest I was screaming at our players for hitting the goalkeeper.

{Ed0666's Note - I agree Courtois wasn’t anywhere near world class. He made one exceptional save from Mane and the rest Allison would have made with his eyes closed.

20.) 05 Jul 2022
05 Jul 2022 21:30:40
Problem is we could have had a proper striker in Kane or Haaland who despite being great finishers didn’t guide either of their teams to any cup finals last season.

Our forwards didn’t find the mark in any of the 3 finals but without them we wouldn’t have been there in the first place.

We still have 4 of the 5 so Klopp must be relatively pleased with them and their finishing.

21.) 05 Jul 2022
05 Jul 2022 21:50:15
Spurs now under Conte, will adopt the same tactics as Ancelotti, mass defence and counter attack.

I must say i really envious their front three of Son, Kane and now Richarlison that is some fire power and goals.

22.) 05 Jul 2022
05 Jul 2022 23:43:09
Envious of Richarlison?
Eh?
No doubt at all about the qualities of the other 2, but not Richy la.
He's a glorified junk yard dog. Fire power will be more along the lines of dive power.

23.) 06 Jul 2022
06 Jul 2022 01:13:40
Son is light years ahead of Kane and Richarlison. Conte would be a brave man to drop ‘one of our own’ who Spurs fans 5he know is the greatest striker that ever lived ( who, incidentally, isn’t fit to lace Jimmy Greaves’s boots ), so I hope, Richarlison is a £60m ornament. Or more accurately he is not ‘world’ standard. I don’t see him being an automatic starter for us or City or PSG or Bayern Munich or Real Madrid.

24.) 06 Jul 2022
06 Jul 2022 09:54:58
Juicer, I fully agree with you there on Klopp's positivity. He is the reason I have NO fear of failure under him even though, I want us to win every game. If we don't win the league or a trophy (of any type), I'm sad for a short while BUT not defeated nor do I dwell on the sadness. Why? Cos I know Klopp will try again and again and again till he wins. That is what keeps me going as a fan of LFC under him whenever we don't win and long may that continue.

25.) 06 Jul 2022
06 Jul 2022 22:55:31
That night Courtois made one, and only one, save that is worth mentioning. Nothing else went by him because the balls were shot right at him. Watch the game again, I have. A normal confident Salah would have had a hat-trick in that game. A tired and distracted (contract talks? ) Salah was pulling his shots and not finding open spaces neither for himself or for his team mates. Even before the game, I was expecting Real to score at least one goal. But I fully expected us to score three. Our finishing was poor.