The Liverpool FC Thread XIV

Original post by Zerforax

Just watching MoTD.

What a surprise that Mignolet flaps at the first set-piece and Lovren misses the header for the second set piece..

Our problems defending set pieces stretch far beyond Mignolet. It's telling that Skrtel - our longest-serving player bar Lucas and supposedly our defensive leader - is regularly found wanting. He tears Mignolet a new one after the goal, too, but a few players need to look at themselves long and hard really.

Reply 2602

doobucks

16

How would Benteke fit Chelsea?

Just because he has a resemblance to Drogba doesn't mean he's a fit for the setup. Drogba was a second option(a ****ing useful second option) in his second spell at Chelsea but that doesn't mean that he fitted the setup, quite often we had to completely change our style of play to accommodate/utilise Drogba(e.g. vs Newcastle where we just peppered them with aerial balls), vs United away where we had loads of space to counter attack but Drogba's lack of speed meant that we often played inward, vs Arsenal away Oscar up top had pace but was subbed off for Drogba in the second half who's only aim was to hold up play as the game was basically played in our final third for about 60% of the game.

The strikers that fit Chelsea's setup at this moment in time have to be able to run the channels, link up the play on the floor, and be able to get off low cut backs usually from the left hand side when Hazard gets past a player or a Fabregas through ball. How often do we score aerial goals other than set pieces(which obviously we're the masters of in the division the past few years) e.g?

If anything Lukaku works better as he's more of a runner than Benteke. Benteke playing in the wrong system however. This doesn't suit him but he will adapt to be a great plan B. I think the only real way to accommodate Benteke is to play the diamond with a faster player next to him(so they can't play a high line).

Reply 2603

doobucks

16

Original post by AR_95

Giroud is a much better striker than Benteke fwiw

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That's true but that was kinda obvious unless Liverpool change the setup that was going to happen.

Reply 2604

Pimped Butterfly

Disappointing that in successive weeks, our rivals have dropped points and we've failed to capitalise.

United are ****ing ****e and Spurs are ****ing ****e. And we're still reliant on a deflected injury time equaliser at home to West Brom. Should have closed the gap to top four by now. It doesn't help that Leicester look a real threat. Us, United, Leicester and Spurs are competing for two places and this time tomorrow, we could be 11 behind Leicester.

Reply 2605

Pimped Butterfly

Benteke's main problem is his finishing, rather than anything to do with the set up. And I'm not comparing him to Mario, because Mario's always been a ****e finisher whilst Benteke has at least been good before, but that was Mario's problem last season too in a system that wasn't identical, but comparable.

Reply 2606

mr tim

18

Augsburg v Liverpool europa Round of 32

Reply 2607

Augsburg. They've got Alex Manninger at 39 years old. I'll take that.

Reply 2608

OP

FC Augsburg are currently 13th out of 18 in the Bundesliga. They sit on 16 points from 16 games only just ahead of relegation with the bottom side on 12 points. They just won 2 in a row so I think they were bottom of the table before that.

Not too far to travel + a team not in great form + opposition that Klopp will already know about = I'm happy.

Reply 2609

Original post by Zerforax

FC Augsburg are currently 13th out of 18 in the Bundesliga. They sit on 16 points from 16 games only just ahead of relegation with the bottom side on 12 points. They just won 2 in a row so I think they were bottom of the table before that.

Not too far to travel + a team not in great form + opposition that Klopp will already know about = I'm happy.

Agreed. Plenty of reasons to be positive. United and ourselves seem to have got off lightly with that draw, but we must respect Augsburg.

Tottenham have to travel to a Fiorentina side who dumped them out of last season's competition and currently sit 2nd in Serie A, so I'm content with our opponents.

Original post by Pimped Butterfly

Disappointing that in successive weeks, our rivals have dropped points and we've failed to capitalise.

United are ****ing ****e and Spurs are ****ing ****e. And we're still reliant on a deflected injury time equaliser at home to West Brom. Should have closed the gap to top four by now. It doesn't help that Leicester look a real threat. Us, United, Leicester and Spurs are competing for two places and this time tomorrow, we could be 11 behind Leicester.

Still think Leicester will drop off when they get a few injuries and their lack of depth gets exposed, like Southampton last year. No idea who'll do it out of Spurs, Liverpool and United as we're all ****e and keep dropping points to bottom half fodder

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Reply 2611

One player we should be wary of is Raúl Bobadilla. He's Augsburg's top scorer, and the Europa League top scorer, with six in the competition from their six group matches.

Reply 2612

OP

Original post by Mackay

Agreed. Plenty of reasons to be positive. United and ourselves seem to have got off lightly with that draw, but we must respect Augsburg.

Tottenham have to travel to a Fiorentina side who dumped them out of last season's competition and currently sit 2nd in Serie A, so I'm content with our opponents.

Yep could've been a lot worse. Spurs fans might be a little pleased if they get knocked out so they can focus on the league?

Original post by sr90

Still think Leicester will drop off when they get a few injuries and their lack of depth gets exposed, like Southampton last year. No idea who'll do it out of Spurs, Liverpool and United as we're all ****e and keep dropping points to bottom half fodder

Posted from TSR Mobile

At some point, someone will probably injury/buy Vardy and Mahrez to stop Leicester? :colondollar:

Does seem to be a race to prove who can be the worst/most inconsistent.

Three games till we're at the halfway point which is usually a good indication of who is ahead/behind.

Original post by Zerforax

Yep could've been a lot worse. Spurs fans might be a little pleased if they get knocked out so they can focus on the league?

At some point, someone will probably injury/buy Vardy and Mahrez to stop Leicester? :colondollar:

Does seem to be a race to prove who can be the worst/most inconsistent.

Three games till we're at the halfway point which is usually a good indication of who is ahead/behind.

Leicester won't sell them, certainly not in January. Their owners are loaded and their players will be on good wages. Everyone else has had scores of injuries though whereas Leicester are settled, it was the same with West Ham last year who were 4th at Christmas and ended up like 12th.

I think Leicester will be competing for 6th with Palace, Everton, Stoke and Chelsea

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(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 2614

OP

Original post by sr90

Leicester won't sell them, certainly not in January. Their owners are loaded and their players will be on good wages. Everyone else has had scores of injuries though whereas Leicester are settled, it was the same with West Ham last year who were 4th at Christmas and ended up like 12th.

I think Leicester will be competing for 6th with Palace, Everton, Stoke and Chelsea

Posted from TSR Mobile

Yea I think it will finish:

Man City
Arsenal
Man Utd
Liverpool
Spurs
Leicester

Reply 2615

atom y humber

Original post by Mackay

Augsburg. They've got Alex Manninger at 39 years old. I'll take that.

Hmmmmm

Has more premier league title than whole of merseyside

Original post by Zerforax

Yea I think it will finish:

Man City
Arsenal
Man Utd
Liverpool
Spurs
Leicester

Agree with that.

No way is Alex Manninger their keeper, I remember him playing for Arsenal around the time half the posters here were born ffs. Thought he retired years ago

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Reply 2617

Original post by sr90

Agree with that.

No way is Alex Manninger their keeper, I remember him playing for Arsenal around the time half the posters here were born ffs. Thought he retired years ago

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Bloke had the most 90s haircut of any PL footballer during that era.

Reply 2618

Pimped Butterfly

Original post by sr90

Still think Leicester will drop off when they get a few injuries and their lack of depth gets exposed, like Southampton last year. No idea who'll do it out of Spurs, Liverpool and United as we're all ****e and keep dropping points to bottom half fodder

Posted from TSR Mobile

Leicester are 3/1 with the bookies now. Win tonight and they'll probably be 5/2, which is around a 30% chance at top four. I think they've got a serious chance now.

I think if Leicester keep it up, then United are in the most relative trouble compared to right now; Liverpool and Spurs both seem more likely than United to go on a proper run of form and get a proper points tally. United seem likely to meander along and scrape into the top four, but they won't be able to do that if Leicester keep it up, and Liverpool/Spurs go on a mad 1.

Reply 2619

OP