The Liverpool FC Thread XIV

So basically, what they saying is that because Skrtel didn't roll around on the floor like a baby, Costa's behaviour wasn't malicious? Wow.

I mean I'm really glad to see that Skrtel didn't make a big deal about it because Costa thrives on winding defenders up and making them do something stupid (e.g: Gabriel).
I can say with near certainty that if Skrtel had made a big deal out of it, Costa would've been off.

I find it ridiculous that players have to react like children in order for the referee to take notice. It's like where if a player tries to stay up, sometimes he won't get a foul/penalty when he would if he went to ground.

Also love how Skrtel didn't respond to Costa kicking him but more or less the entire Chelsea team crowded the referee for the Lucas foul. Then after the game all they do is bitch about that and completely ignore the Costa incident (i.e: Shed End).

Well the referee report said that the ref saw it in the game and didn't think it was malicious/intentional and therefore they won't look at it in video replay. The rules need changing to be honest. I don't understand why there is an aversion to using technology when it is available.

Anyway need to look forward to the Rubin Kazan game now. It's a long away trip but probably a game we need to win now if we want to progress from the group stages. 3 draws means we're not out yet but if we lose one or two games now, we're basically out.

See that makes no sense to me. Fair enough if the referee sees it but misses something - they aren't perfect at they don't get replays. Therefore looking back on it after the game seems like a no-brainer.
I understand that perhaps they don't want to contradict the judgement of the referee, but when the game is playing as fast as it is, they can be deceived and they can miss something. Like we said, Skrtel didn't make anything of it so the referee's attention wasn't drawn to the incident.

Yeah we definitely need to win this one. 3 draws isn't as bad as you think because it means we've limited all of the other teams in those games, however like you said we're just one slip up away from it being maybe out of our hands.
It's gonna be a tough few games - away to Rubin and back to Anfield for the Palace game 3 days later. However we do get a few weeks break before the City game which will be nice (provided nobody gets injured during internationals).

All in all, with every day that passes we're getting better under Klopp. He's slowly removing the style of Rodgers and implementing his own. That will always take time but we've already seen results. If he can bring in a few players who are instantly ready to play how he likes, it will really solidify our team.
Do you reckon we'll buy anybody in January? It's an odd one because if Klopp's gonna change us for the better, he really needs to buy a few players, however in the January window you can sometimes be a little restricted.

Maybe they think it opens up a can of worms for every incident if they can all be reviewed? System is all messed up anyway.

True, and because there was another draw between Kazan and Bordeaux too it means it's all still yet to play for.

I don't think we've won a premier league game after playing a EL game so far this season which isn't great.

See I don't think Klopp has really removed Rodgers' style. We're still passes the ball and you could see the patient passing against Chelsea. Only real difference is the high press but we did that in Rodgers' second season.

Re new players?





Maybe we'll buy one or two players. We don't need a striker which might make it a little easier. Just a midfield player and a LB would do for me.

Well why don't they just create a board that decide on incidents? Or maybe each manager gets 1 "appeal" per match. There's no real reason they shouldn't do it, they're just being stubborn.

Precisely - results have helped us out and somehow we're 2nd in the group after 3 games without a win.
Sion are comfortable at the top and it's out of our hands to go through 1st now. It's very precarious.
Yeah but in fairness, Rodgers wasn't exactly doing well and Klopp has barely had time to get things in order.
We're very underwhelming in Europe anyway; our players aren't really used to it but Klopp has a very impressive amount of experience so i'm not worried about it. We'll just finish top 4 and get CL instead

Perhaps he hasn't removed it entirely, but with Rodgers we just passed the ball for the hell of it. I feel like now when we pass the ball, it's us being patient and waiting for an opportunity.
Not to mention that Klopp has managed to solidify our awful defence in a matter of weeks, giving further evidence of Rodgers' defensive failings.
Sakho and Clyne are very solid defenders. Moreno, Skrtel and Mignolet could be improved but they aren't bad at all either. We have the ingredients but Rodgers didn't know the recipe.

We don't need a striker but i doubt this will be the only time where Sturridge and Benteke are simultaneously injured. Your best two strikers simply cannot both be injury-prone, that's just common sense.
They're both obviously star quality when fit so we don't want to buy any more strikers. However the problem lies with the fact that we cannot rely on them.
As a result, for large portions of our upcoming seasons, we may have to rely on Ings and Origi in some big games, which i do not like.

I know it's harsh because he has been exceptional for us, but i'd seriously consider selling Sturridge. His capacity to score goals when fit is amazing, but he's out so often that there's no point. Bringing in another striker who we can rely on in the long term is the only way forward in my opinion.

Personally i feel like a CM is the priority followed by a CB. I don't think we need a new LB because Moreno isn't that bad, however we could definitely improve on him.
I would be very happy if we bought a CM or CB in January and bought the rest in the summer. A quality signing in either of those positions would improve us immensely.
We need to be strong in the second half of the season and i'm very optimistic about it.
Klopp is already showing what he can do and all our our big PL games are at home. I know nobody expected it, but we actually have a real chance at top 4 this season if Chelsea don't pick things up fast.

Been away for a while, but I'm back.

I was at the Bournemouth game and a few players - Ibe, Bogdan, Firmino - really impressed me. Teixeira was strong and inventive going forward, and managed to put the goal on for Clyne with that sublime bit of skill.

You can see the lads are enjoying their football more, and that was underlined by the Chelsea victory. I thought we were exceptional after the first 20 minutes, to be honest.

Of course, you need luck wherever you go in the PL - especially Chelsea and Stamford Bridge - so it was no surprise to see a deflected goal help us. Coutinho was great. Not magnificent, but a real jewel in our attacking crown. He bounced back extremely well from some ineffective performances. Personally, I was one of those calling for him to be dropped. I felt it would help him, but he rediscovered that form he showed in glimpses in 2012-13, 2013-14 and last season in style this weekend.

Skrtel and Sakho were tidy, managing to clear up what they needed to with minimal fuss. It was great to see the former not get involved with Costa, too. I think that the Spaniard is best when he is butting heads with somebody, so if he is ignored, he simply fades. We've seen that when players like Vertonghen deal with him. I prefer that route to the Seamus Coleman one.

Moreno was massively frustrating in parts, and managed to show why Rodgers lost faith in him after being vocal last week about the former manager's lack of belief in him. I thought Milner was massively disappointing, too, but you can see that at times he simply doesn't know what to do. He was gesturing to Klopp a few times at the weekend, and they remonstrated with each other.

Lucas played really well, I thought. His game management is something we lack when he's out of the team, and his cynical edge is something akin to the likes of Verratti. Joe Allen just doesn't provide that steel or darkness to our game.

Klopp's just something else, isn't he? I really like him. His whole aura is calmness personified, and I thought he rode the Chelsea technical area exceptionally this weekend. It's a tight, enclosed space but he managed to frustrate Mourinho and come across as a superior presence.

I think the game in Kazan - a 5000 mile trip - may be one too far for a lot of our players. I'd love to see a few of our boys rested for the entire trip to be honest, but Klopp may want silverware and sees the European competition in a stronger light than some of his English counterparts.

I don't like Milner at all. We were much, much better after he went off yesterday. Best we've played under Klopp. How he wears the armband is a completely different matter...

Glad to see Klopp has some balls though to take off whoever he wants whenever he wants. I remember when pretty much 99% fans knew it was time for Gerrard to be subbed off in games yet Rodgers never had the guts.

It's interesting because I think most managers have found Milner to be really intelligent and pick up instruction quickly. Maybe he's just annoyed on being on the flank again?

Lucas just knows how to be niggly fouling. If another player had played like him (e.g. Allen) he probably would've had 4 yellow cards Lucas committed 6 fouls in that game.

Do we really have the squad depth to be able to rest players? At this moment in time I think winning games on a run might be the best thing for the team's confidence?

Cheers mate.

Yeah Milner is definitely a product of his environment at times, able to be used as a utility midfielder and therefore deployed in numerous roles from game to game, and even within the same match.

Lucas is enjoying a real purple patch for a midfielder, it must be said. He was great and everywhere on Saturday I felt. He broke up play, got forward, and even sprayed the ball around well.

I think there are negatives from Saturday's victory - our urgency and tempo shifting the ball to our front three was too slow and lethargic at times, but Klopp will relish the chance to mould his players off the back of a victory. I think it's always better to reinforce good habits and get the team changing their style post-win to be honest, as they will be more perceptive.

I agree, and it's a shame Teixiera isn't in the EL squad to get a runout. I'd settle for a halfway house, to be honest. Maybe a back four of Clyne, Lovren, Skrtel and Moreno, midfield three of Can, Lucas and Allen, and a front three of Ings, Lallana and Origi.

I think Milner picked up a lot of intelligent things by playing at Man City. He knows what you need to do to unlock a side which is defending deep. Him and Lallana have the best movement for me. Wonder if Milner will kick up a fuss if he doesn't play centrally under Klopp. Obviously not promised to him by Klopp and I'm sure he's a professional but he did join us so that he could play centrally..

We just need Lucas not to get injured again. He doesn't always get a run of games due to tactics/choices/injuries. His passing ability is underrated. Might not be Pirlo but he plays the simple game and keeps the ball moving or trying to move it forwards. He's like a limited DM like some who can only win the ball and play it back/sideways.

It's hard to give the ball to your front 3 when the opposition are sitting deep. Chelsea rarely pushed on forwards and had 2 sitting midfield players and their wingers on strict instruction to track back. So basically 2 banks of 4 to compete with.

Ings is out for the season so it would need to be someone else. It's not the biggest squad currently with a few injuries.

Anyone know when Sturridge and Henderson could be back?

Cheers mate.

Yeah Milner is definitely a product of his environment at times, able to be used as a utility midfielder and therefore deployed in numerous roles from game to game, and even within the same match.

Lucas is enjoying a real purple patch for a midfielder, it must be said. He was great and everywhere on Saturday I felt. He broke up play, got forward, and even sprayed the ball around well.

Imagine bashing another teams player for unsportsmanlike behaviour when you take every last chance to protect Skrtel/Suarez...

Imagine bashing another teams player for unsportsmanlike behaviourist when you take every last chance to protect Skrtel/Suarez...

Not much negatives, you just thrashed a Chelsea side with a @Depleted team.