The Liverpool FC Thread XII

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Yeah I reckon he'd do well up top with Balotelli personally.

Think Balo would have to adapt. Sterling generally thrives when running at defenders with space, so it would require either Balotelli to occupy defenders, or a midfield runner which Hendo could do.

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Reply 7481

Mackay

Original post by jam277

Honestly there was a clear improvement in Suarez after Sturridge came in and there was a clear improvement in your results too. Markovic is improving though I think he'll be a game winner by the end of this season.

Wish I shared that confidence in Markovic. Think we'll have to settle for him being infuriatingly dreadful sometimes in return for a bit of magic. Sort of Luis Garcia-esque.

Reply 7482

AR_95

Original post by jam277

I believe that Sturridge was synergistic to Suarez but he could do it well on his own.

Honestly there was a clear improvement in Suarez after Sturridge came in and there was a clear improvement in your results too. Markovic is improving though I think he'll be a game winner by the end of this season.

Waiting for your honest analysis of today's game and thoughts of the final score.

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Reply 7483

doobucks

Original post by AR_95

Waiting for your honest analysis of today's game and thoughts of the final score.

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I said that I expected a 2-2 draw beforehand on the thread.

Reply 7484

Mackay

Could be the last time we see Borini in a Liverpool shirt today.

Reply 7485

Endless Blue

Thought Lallana was quite impressive today.

I really don't understand Markovic. Everything I heard about him just before/after we signed him indicated that he was a very fast player who loves running at people etc. However I'd struggle to put together 5 times I've seen him actually attempt to beat a player this season. He just seems intent on making a safe backwards/sideways pass when he should be trying to beat the fullback and put a ball in.

Is it just laziness?

Reply 7486

samir12

Original post by Endless Blue

It's not laziness, it's confidence, as he plays more he will grow in confidence, he is still adjusting to the league and doesn't want to risk giving the ball away too many times. He did very well today tbh, most of our attacking play came from him in the first half. He still has work to do but could become a very good player for us in the future.

Reply 7487

Zerforax

Original post by Mackay

Not denying all three had a good game - thought Sterling was poor, though.

What I mean by that is that we can't play four at the same time - it just doesn't work. Arsenal tried it for years and are still attempting it to some degree.

Henderson being shunted out on the right isn't good for his development, either. It's almost as if Rodgers thought to himself "who's right footed and athletic? Oh, Jordan is, so we'll stick him on the right."

It's a specialised position - and Henderson's ability to affect a game is deteriorating rapidly as a result.

Hard role to play as a striker when Arsenal were defending deep and Sterling doesn't have the size or height to do much else (since he can't use his pace).

Yea I feel bad for Henderson. I think his best position would be behind the striker like Gerrard played for years.

Original post by IceJJFish(II)

Ah I see your point, thought you meant in terms of playing styles. I thought you played well tbh, think Can should've started ahead of Gerrard, if not then put Manquillo at RWB and then played Hendo through the middle tbh. Yeah Henderson has had a poor season so far but I don't blame him. Know we keep saying it but Sturridge coming back will solve a lot of problems, wouldn't mind seeing a diamond with Lucas, Can, Henderson if I'm honest.

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What's the point in playing the diamond unless we have two top quality strikers?

Original post by Mackay

Manquillo's lack of game time is curious given how much he has impressed with his composed performances.

Henderson should always be played in the middle, and I agree Can could have got a start.

Sturridge's inclusion today would have been a game changer for sure. Can't wait to have the beautiful bastard back.

Watch Manquillo next time he plays. After 45-60 mins, he's huffing and puffing. He's physically not there yet to be able to play 90 mins regularly.

Original post by jam277

Cool so people finally realising how vital Sturridge is to the team then?

Think a few people were saying it last season. Suarez was a creative spark but Sturridge was the one who got more winning goals and his all round game meant it's harder to defend against Sturridge than Suarez.

Reply 7488

Zerforax

Original post by Endless Blue

He regularly turned and motored forward with the ball. Players in the premier league and generally very athletic so it's difficult to just outpace someone.

Reply 7489

doobucks

Only SUG was saying that and he was still pretty implanted into the Sterling hype as a matchwinner as the main reason for that giant win streak 2nd half of the season which is partially justified however it's clear who the big boys were at Liverpool.

You'd think that the second Sturridge was bought you lot started getting consistency in your results that people would actually estimate his value to the team(40-50M) but people still slept on him. I think the rest of the league as well are realising his importance to the team too.

Reply 7490

Fideo

Sturridge is so overrated right now

Reply 7491

golden tribe

Sakho, emre can, sterling, lallana, markovic, coutinho need to start every single game for us, they are our best

Please sell henderson and Johnson this January too

Reply 7492

cBay

Original post by golden tribe

Sakho, emre can, sterling, lallana, markovic, coutinho need to start every single game for us, they are our best

I actually agree with this bit. Last season, our attacking play basically relied on overloading the final third with quality players who are always on the move. Their defensive players wouldn't know who to pick up and as a result it creates space for us to play in. Last season it was, Suarez, Sturridge, Sterling and Coutinho, now it is Lallana, Markovic, Sterling and Coutinho. Quality wise, of course we are worse off now (particularly in the finishing department), but tactically we still have the types of players who can make it work.

Once we have an actual striker to pick from, it will be hard to keep playing all 4, but then I suppose we wouldn't really need to. We could possibly have Sterling and Markovic as wing backs, Lallana and Coutinho in behind Sturridge, and Lucas (who absolutely MUST play) and one of Can/Gerrard/Hendo at CM (can't really see Gerrard being dropped though unfortunately). That would be a bit overkill though, I think I would keep Hendo at wing back (rotating him occasionally with Moreno) and just rotate the other four to keep them fresh.

I agree on Sakho too. People judge him because he looks clumsy on the ball but in actual fact he rarely loses the ball at all compared to our other CB's and his passes out of defence can actually be so good and start attacks straight off. Defensively, he and Skrtel were never really compatible and that showed last season, but I reckon he would be decent alongside just Toure. Whilst we have 3 at the back, he's fine though. I'm personally fed up with Skrtel, he is simply awful, but he's unlikely to get dropped whilst we play 3 at back (especially now Lovren is injured). Whilst he's in the team, we will continue to give away sloppy goals on a regular basis.

Reply 7493

cBay

Original post by Mackay

I find it odd you say this when our upturn in form directly coincides with BR putting all four in the team. I think we benefit from it massively (I explained my reasons for this in my previous post). All four AND Sturridge? Yea probably too much, but the four of them without any other forwards is absolutely fine imo. How is it tactically any worse than us playing all four of Suarez/Sturridge/Sterling/Coutinho last season?

Disagree on Hendo as well. He's been poor all season, if anything he's actually been better whilst at wing back. He got the assist midweek. Although if you really want a specialist, I would put Moreno in and switch Markovic to the right wing. In reference to your other posts, I really like Manquillo, I think he is quality defensively, but he doesn't provide enough offensively to be a wing back for us. I would actually consider using him as the RCB when we have 3 at the back. Would rather have him there than Skrtel. If Johnson can do it (which he has multiple times), then Manquillo can.

Reply 7494

golden tribe

I personally think henderson and Steve are liability and dead wood.

I hope never to see both henderson and Johnson after January transfer. Gerrard has been out of it since last season and I hope he concentrates on management now and starts to learns that trade rather then waste a position. He is a legend and should quit while ahead

Reply 7495

Mackay

Original post by cBay

Sterling was much more effective after Markovic's withdrawal, though.

Markovic looks a player who will play when confidence is high. His finishing needs to be honed, though, obviously.

Reply 7496

Pn94

Don't know why some of our fans rate Henderson so highly. Good work ethic, but he's an absolutely bang average footballer.

Reply 7497

Zerforax

Original post by Fideo

Sturridge is so overrated right now

It's not about him being a quality player only but that he allows the rest of the system to flourish.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30571842

Read the bottom part of this analysis by Phil Neville which explains how having Sterling (i.e. pace up front) means that the backline don't press high and then it gives more space for our attacking midfield players to run into. Sturridge gives us that but also more since he's a clinical finisher, can head the ball and join up play.

Original post by golden tribe

Sakho, emre can, sterling, lallana, markovic, coutinho need to start every single game for us, they are our best

Please sell henderson and Johnson this January too

Original post by golden tribe

GTFO if you think Henderson needs to be sold. He's going to be our star player in another year or two.
Why sell Johnson in January when we don't have a replacement available till the summer?