Liverpool 2014/15 | WARNING: Contains strong amounts of Scouse nonsense

Chesterlestreet

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I don't think Rodgers has demonstrated a lack of flexibility when it comes to overcoming opposition. In fact, he's been incredibly pragmatic in his approach with tactical changes leading to wins and goals. His team won 12 of the last 14 games last season with wins and performances as varied as you can get. Late winners in scrappy games like Swansea at home and Fulham away. Very dominant home games against top 6 sides, basically bullying them off the park with aggressive attacking play. Tactical switches leading to Sterling playing centrally against United at OT. Coming from behind against Newcastle. The only game it didn't come off was Chelsea at home. While that was frustrating it would be incredibly simplistic to use that as evidence as to Liverpool's supposed lack of Plan B rather than using the overwhelming majority of matches as evidence of Rodgers' capacity to incorporate a variety of approaches.

Indeed, even saying Plan B suggests Liverpool had a Plan A set way of playing. In reality, Rodgers established a way of playing that didn't resemble a single system. I don't think you can win that many games with a rigid approach. It'd be too easy to stop.
Maybe you're right. To me, though, it seemed like many teams set up a bit too naively against Liverpool last season - many of your games played out very openly, not the sort of match you'd expect between a top side and a...not so top side. I think that may change this season, as the possibility of taking you lightly (even a little bit) will be non-existent.
 

PickledRed

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Aye, we all thought you were going to win the league, how wrong we were. Won't make that mistake again.

Seriously, you're going to be lucky to get 5th.
Transfers still happening. Such declarations seem a tad premature.
 

PickledRed

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Maybe you're right. To me, though, it seemed like many teams set up a bit too naively against Liverpool last season - many of your games played out very openly, not the sort of match you'd expect between a top side and a...not so top side. I think that may change this season, as the possibility of taking you lightly (even a little bit) will be non-existent.
Possibly, but if teams in the league regard Liverpool as lowly as this thread does I can't imagine such an approach from oppo sides. ;)
 

Chesterlestreet

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Did Manchester United ever had a 'plan B' during your 20 years of success under Fergie ? I don't think they did. I'm not too sure Arsenal, or even Chelsea have either. What you've all had however, is quality players to bring off the bench to change things that need changing. Managers & players work all week on a particular system, having a secondary system in place (just in case) isn't feasible. Being able to bring on certain players who may possess different qualities is certainly a must for all clubs aiming for top honours. We didn't have that last year, but I'd like to think this coming season might see us having a few more options available to break down stubborn teams.
Yeah, "Plan B" is a bit of a lazy term, I'll concede that. It's not about having a completely different tactical approach up your sleeve which you can play out at will whenever your "Plan A" isn't working. It's more about being able to deal with matches that, for one reason or another, don't play out like you want them to.

My feeling is that Liverpool had momentum last season - of the sort you have from time to time, making everything go smoothly. That doesn't explain your fine run in-itself, Rodgers clearly did a lot of things right and deserves credit for that. But it didn't hurt.

You'll be in a different role next season - I think teams will appraoch you a bit differently, perhaps making it more difficult for you to play your game.
 

Kraftwerker

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It's a bit sad playing the whole 'you didn't think we'd challenge last year either' card, when (1) neither did you, and (2) your fans are pretty much always wrong, whereas at least we get it right most of the time. Even last year, which was probably the one year when the 'this is our year' rhetoric took a bit of a back-seat pre-season, you were wrong about how you would perform. Just so happened it turned out to be the one year you outperformed the fans' unusually pragmatic pre-season expectations. Though this is tempered a little by the premature league celebrations from March onwards. :D

Nice to see the giddiness has returned. Seems to be inversely proportional to the realistic prospects of your team.
 

thegregster

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Liverpool FC.

Will have spent over 800million since 1990 in a few weeks. Not one league title. Says it all.

Will be great when they got through the billion pound barrier.
 

Amir

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Yeah, "Plan B" is a bit of a lazy term, I'll concede that. It's not about having a completely different tactical approach up your sleeve which you can play out at will whenever your "Plan A" isn't working. It's more about being able to deal with matches that, for one reason or another, don't play out like you want them to.
Sometimes it's just about having a variety of threats. Quality passers, quality crossers, players with great heading ability who can be a threat from set pieces, great free kick takers. Probably the best sides in England over the last 20 years, ours included, usually had the ability to threaten from all angles.
 

Cina sucks

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Liverpool FC.

Will have spent over 800million since 1990 in a few weeks. Not one league title. Says it all.

Will be great when they got through the billion pound barrier.
They really are the kings of spending vast amounts of cash on shite. The list of players is both ridiculous and hilarious.

They even pip Spurs to this accolade.
 

Chesterlestreet

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Sometimes it's just about having a variety of threats. Quality passers, quality crossers, players with great heading ability who can be a threat from set pieces, great free kick takers. Probably the best sides in England over the last 20 years, ours included, usually had the ability to threaten from all angles.
Yes. Players who can grab that goal for you when you aren't able to outplay the opposition and end up banging against a parked bus - to use an obvious example.
 

redman5

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Yeah, "Plan B" is a bit of a lazy term, I'll concede that. It's not about having a completely different tactical approach up your sleeve which you can play out at will whenever your "Plan A" isn't working. It's more about being able to deal with matches that, for one reason or another, don't play out like you want them to.

My feeling is that Liverpool had momentum last season - of the sort you have from time to time, making everything go smoothly. That doesn't explain your fine run in-itself, Rodgers clearly did a lot of things right and deserves credit for that. But it didn't hurt.

You'll be in a different role next season - I think teams will appraoch you a bit differently, perhaps making it more difficult for you to play your game.
Certainly wouldn't disagree with that. It made the difference between us being well placed for 4th spot, to almost becoming champions.

Yeah, a lot of teams will treat us with great caution next season. I think Rodgers might have to adapt our team to cope with more than just the loss of Suarez.
 

ShadesOfTomato

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From around Jan 28th onwards (when we beat Everton 4-0) began the period which nearly got us over the line in the title race. Suarez managed 9 goals during this period, eclipsed by Sturridge (11). Sterling (with 6 goals during this period) and Gerrard (with 9) were also key contributors. Certainly suggests it was very much a team effort, which bodes well for next season.
 
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moses

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I have no idea either, yet.
I don't think Rodgers has demonstrated a lack of flexibility when it comes to overcoming opposition. In fact, he's been incredibly pragmatic in his approach with tactical changes leading to wins and goals..
I think he's talking about getting a draw to make a massive step towards winning the league against a team with no obvious desire to win. That kind of plan B.
 

Wumminator

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Btw good on Liverpool supporters for coming on here and being optimistic. Why would you not be if you were them. Just stick around if it does go wrong you pricks.
 

Dumbstar

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Best thing of all about our run was that it kept Kraftwerker off here for a few months.
:lol: It was nice admittedly.

@Chesterlestreet I think teams (specially smaller teams) were preparing to approach us differently when Suarez was still with us. But now they've seen him go you can sense a huge sigh of relief. They'll now go back to approaching us like they did last season, and why not as the one man band has left town.

This may sound like fanciful talk, but just listen to the opinions on this site alone. Now imagine the same no-lessons-learnt pigshit attitude among managers. Because they too, like fans, have a habit of being dense.
 

thegregster

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:lol: It was nice admittedly.

@Chesterlestreet I think teams (specially smaller teams) were preparing to approach us differently when Suarez was still with us. But now they've seen him go you can sense a huge sigh of relief. They'll now go back to approaching us like they did last season, and why not as the one man band has left town.

This may sound like fanciful talk, but just listen to the opinions on this site alone. Now imagine the same no-lessons-learnt pigshit attitude among managers. Because they too, like fans, have a habit of being dense.
Loosing the league in such hilarious fashion has really damaged you lot. Calling other fans dense while you backed the racially abusive,biting,diving cheat..........................
 

Dumbstar

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Loosing the league in such hilarious fashion has really damaged you lot. Calling other fans dense while you backed the racially abusive,biting,diving cheat..........................
Can't hear you from that far down, speak up.
 

thegregster

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Can't hear you from that far down, speak up.
Why do you need validation from United fans so badly? Its embarrassing.

Maybe if you actually won something it wouldn't look so small time. ;)
 
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Bwuk

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What's happening with Markovic then? Is it done yet?

I see on top of losing number 7, number 9 Aspas is off to Seville on loan. A great purchase by Brendan
 

Thisistheone

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In fairness to Rodgers and the lack of plan B talk. He was a Steven Gerrard slip away from winning the Premier League.

The thing is this time, apart from losing Suarez and all their rivals getting stronger, it really is hard seeing Liverpool repeat the record breaking run they went on in the league. The momentum they had was like nothing I've seen before. 11 wins on the bounce, at the business end of the season!

Last season felt very much like a one off, now or never campaign for Gerrard and co. They missed their golden chance, IMO.
 

Barney

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What's happening with Markovic then? Is it done yet?

I see on top of losing number 7, number 9 Aspas is off to Seville on loan. A great purchase by Brendan
Looks like he'll be done tomorrow. Aspas probably wasn't a Rodgers' signing.

Press Association are saying we think the Aspas deal will help us secure Moreno.

Maddock is saying we want Moreno, Davies, a centre half and a couple of attackers on top of Markovic and Origi.

Barrett is saying we still want Moreno and Stoke are in for Assaidi.

James Pearce is saying Rodgers wants 4 strikers.
 

Bwuk

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Moreno is quality if we hadn't signed Shaw he along with Rodriquez are others I'd of liked us too look at.
 

Thisistheone

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If Aspas wasn't a Rodgers' signing then is this summer different? Or is the Suarez money being spend by others?
 

Grinner

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So who is this Markovic then? I can't see any thread about him. Is he just another in the long line of no-marks that you tend to sign?
 

Lawman

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:lol: It was nice admittedly.

@Chesterlestreet I think teams (specially smaller teams) were preparing to approach us differently when Suarez was still with us. But now they've seen him go you can sense a huge sigh of relief. They'll now go back to approaching us like they did last season, and why not as the one man band has left town.

This may sound like fanciful talk, but just listen to the opinions on this site alone. Now imagine the same no-lessons-learnt pigshit attitude among managers. Because they too, like fans, have a habit of being dense.
Yep that's why these pig shit dumb managers get paid millions and you get paid ?? To spout wisdom in forums!!
 

bishblaize

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Who did he want instead, if anyone at all?
Clint Dempsey. Liverpool couldnt agree a fee so they went with Sturridge.

Which is amusing as its one of only a couple of Rodgers era signings that have worked.