Liverpool Banter

15 May 2024 08:21:49
Defence is more of our problem than attack.

If we had two players like Rice and Saliba I suspect we would win more games by having to score less goals which would be the difference over a season to winning the title.

If that's right then we are literally just two players away from a proper title push.

Surely we can find one top notch DM and CB this summer.

15 May 2024 08:41:54
Having better players obviously helps but it won't solve the issues completely. Fixing how the team defends as a unit is far more effective. Even a prime Franco Baresi would struggle if the system isn't set up correctly.

15 May 2024 08:44:32
I don't think Saliba would do much better in this system either. Apart from the past few matches, since we have effectively been out of the title race, VVD had been great this season. Konate is also a pretty good CB especially 1v1, and Quansah looks special. I don't think we need a CB as much. However, we would massively improve if we had a DM like Rodri, or Rice. While being good Endo lacks both pace and press-resistance, and Macca is simply wasted as a 6. Maybe Bajcetic can grow into that elite DM, but he would need time. However, he is someone I have immense trust in, and it would be interesting to see how Slot uses him in pre-season.

15 May 2024 09:22:26
I agree. I know our strikers have had a bit of stick but they've been put under immediate pressure by our tendency to gift the first goal to pretty much every team we've played against.

We need a top class DM and a replacement for VVD at a minimum. Then we need to stop this daft tactic of having to chase every single game!

15 May 2024 10:39:03
I think we need to move Trent and Macca out of the RB and DM roles. RW/ AM for Trent and CM/ AM for Macca. They get dribbled past far too easily and then people have to step out of position to cover for them which creates this knock on effect of pure carnage and everyone all over the place.

Quansah and Virgil are both very good CB's who win their individual duels more often than not but they're being dragged from pillar to post. Robertson and Endo are both good players even at 30 years old but we need to find younger solutions next season as they play in positions where a physical decline will be very noticeable. Bajcetic and Beck should be considered in pre-season but if they aren't good enough then signing a new LB and DM is a must.

I personally back Bajcetic to make the DM role his own and I think people are forgetting how good he was pre-injury. But also, maybe I'm over estimating his ability to bounce back from it and become 1st choice. I don't know enough about Beck so right now I'm thinking the priority for defence is a new LB until I've seen more of him. Bradley should be first choice RB next season without question and Quansah has to be a starter at CB. They're both too good for the bench.

The difference you would see by not having Macca and Trent getting absolutely trampled over dragging others out of position, would be massive. Quansah and Virgil is potentially a great partnership with better protection in front of them and down the sides of the defence.

15 May 2024 10:46:15
1. Tactics
2. Defensive midfielder
3. Centreback
4. Left back
5. Right sided forward
6. Left sided forward
7. Backup goalkeeper
8. A repeat of Bruce Grobbelaar's liquid-based ceremony.

15 May 2024 11:56:39
Thing is MK, TAA isn’t quick enough or skilful enough on the ball to be a right winger and he’s not a number 10 or attacking midfielder in a million years, trying to shoehorn him into the team just for the occasional long shot and Hollywood pass is to do so at the detriment of the team, as harsh as that sounds, I’m of the opinion that I can’t see where he fits in the starting line up going forward, so it is time to part ways.

Putting all our eggs in one basket with Bajcetic is a huge risk, and Endo doesn’t have the legs for a full season, so a top class defensive midfielder is needed. Just go back to the difference that Fabinho made when he signed.

14 May 2024 20:56:29


iwillbered has written an article entitled, Liverpool FC Players Overview

15 May 2024 07:28:27
That's not a bad summary, red. I disagree about a few players but that is to be expected.
One thing that stands out though is that forward lines like Salah, Mane and Firmino don't come along very often. They worked that well together and the longevity of the partnership was almost freakish.
Our forward options are still good but it was unlikely that we could replicate quality of the old one.
In fact, I would say our attacking options are better than Arsenal's.

15 May 2024 10:18:21
Said the same on an earlier post - we've made our strikers job too hard this by gifting too many teams and early goal which immediately puts them into chase the game mode, increasing the pressure on them to score. A top quality DM would/ will make a huge difference I believe, I think our forward line is pretty decent really but we've just given them too much to do by starting so many games a goal down!

If Salah goes then I'd be tempted to stick Szoboslai out there rather than trying to buy a direct replacement. Go back to 3 hard workers in midfield.

15 May 2024 10:54:03
Can't really disagree with anything you wrote iwillbered apart from the Robbo part. I suspect we will let him run his contract down and look to instead bring in a new left back to replace Tsimikas. Beck might get another loan and if he continues to impress secure Robbo's place in the squad the year after.

First thing we need to do is settle on the tactics, including the scope of Trent's role in the team. Second thing is to sort the defensive midfield position out as the issue has been dragging on too long.

After that, presumably Matip, Tsimikas, Diaz (sounds like he's off), Kelleher and Salah (sounds like he could be sold) will ned to be replaced.

15 May 2024 12:02:39
Johnnyr, agree there. We scored three goals against Villa which should be enough to win a game. Our poor defending and lack of any kind of organisation is killing us.

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..