Liverpool - 2017/18

redman5

New Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2007
Messages
5,241
Location
In a world of my own. People know me here.
Really? All bias aside is this what you expect from your European campaign?

The midfield was dominated and the defence a calamity against a pretty toothless Hoffenheim side playing their first ever European game.

I genuinely don't think it bodes well for you CL campaign. The squad needs alot of work in the next two weeks or you'll be in Europa in the new year.
Your first European match of last season in the Europa League ended up with a 1-0 defeat away to Feyenoord. I don't think your team created one chance throughout the whole match. I doubt you were happy with that result let alone the performance. We were given a tricky 2 legged tie in order to successfully navigate to the group stages of the CL & we've gotten through the 1st leg with a pretty strong advantage. Are we happy ? Yes of course we are. Do we give a f**k about the performance ?. Do we f**k.
 

TheReligion

Abusive
Joined
Nov 22, 2006
Messages
51,465
Location
Manchester
Your first European match of last season in the Europa League ended up with a 1-0 defeat away to Feyenoord. I don't think your team created one chance throughout the whole match. I doubt you were happy with that result let alone the performance. We were given a tricky 2 legged tie in order to successfully navigate to the group stages of the CL & we've gotten through the 1st leg with a pretty strong advantage. Are we happy ? Yes of course we are. Do we give a f**k about the performance ?. Do we f**k.
You don't care about the performance?

Bizarre comment.

Not that the Feyenoord United game in a different competition 12 months ago has anything to do with how Liverpool performed last night at Hoffenheim under a manger who has had his squad for 2 years mind..
 

ShadesOfTomato

New Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
4,779
Supports
Liverpool
Really? All bias aside is this what you expect from your European campaign?

The midfield was dominated and the defence a calamity against a pretty toothless Hoffenheim side playing their first ever European game.

I genuinely don't think it bodes well for you CL campaign. The squad needs alot of work in the next two weeks or you'll be in Europa in the new year.
We were a bit open at times but we would have kept a clean sheet if TAA didn't start trying to play offside for their goal. It wasn't great but it wasn't atrocious. I'd like to think we'll be in better shape later down the line.
 

Rafateria

New Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2009
Messages
6,246
Location
Shanghai
We were a bit open at times but we would have kept a clean sheet if TAA didn't start trying to play offside for their goal. It wasn't great but it wasn't atrocious. I'd like to think we'll be in better shape later down the line.
The attack, even without looking totally awesome, created 7-8 clear cut chances that we scored once from, on another day we might have romped away with this match however the scoreline could of course easily been 4-8 to us with clinical precision from both sides. The midfield was crap and the left side of our defence (only) were indeed atrocious. And that's on Klopp (why not Robertson or Milner in such an important match) whose attitude to Moreno is perplexing to say the least, we had an offer of £11m for him we turned down saying we wanted £15m ... and then he starts in both of our first two competitive matches. WTF.
 

Oga on top.

New Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2014
Messages
2,204
Location
I <3 D. Sturridge
Supports
Liverpool
Each day that goes by without signings I'm kinda dying a little inside, are they waiting for Christmas ffs? Call it melodramatic but It's true. I shouldn't be this bothered, I've got my own fecking problems but jesus man there's less than a fortnight to go and Watford have spent more dough. Everton spending £45 mill on a player? What is this? Some Lindsey Lohan freaky Friday role reversal bullshit?
 

Tommy

bigot with fetish for footballers getting fingered
Joined
Aug 3, 2014
Messages
10,672
Location
Birmingham
Supports
Liverpool
Each day that goes by without signings I'm kinda dying a little inside, are they waiting for Christmas ffs? Call it melodramatic but It's true. I shouldn't be this bothered, I've got my own fecking problems but jesus man there's less than a fortnight to go and Watford have spent more dough. Everton spending £45 mill on a player? What is this? Some Lindsey Lohan freaky Friday role reversal bullshit?
It's especially disheartening because it looked like we were going to have a great summer. Bringing in Salah & Solanke, with both VVD & Keita looking very likely to join... And now what? We're looking like we might end the summer £70m in the black because we're likely selling our talisman, & anyone we bring in to replace Cou will be overpriced this late in the window.

It's disappointing to be sure.
 

D2Z

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jul 1, 2016
Messages
529
Location
Milton
Supports
Undercover "Chelsea fan" ;)
Each day that goes by without signings I'm kinda dying a little inside, are they waiting for Christmas ffs? Call it melodramatic but It's true. I shouldn't be this bothered, I've got my own fecking problems but jesus man there's less than a fortnight to go and Watford have spent more dough. Everton spending £45 mill on a player? What is this? Some Lindsey Lohan freaky Friday role reversal bullshit?
It's especially disheartening because it looked like we were going to have a great summer. Bringing in Salah & Solanke, with both VVD & Keita looking very likely to join... And now what? We're looking like we might end the summer £70m in the black because we're likely selling our talisman, & anyone we bring in to replace Cou will be overpriced this late in the window.

It's disappointing to be sure.
Youre a mid table side who sometimes can make it in the CL. What are you so "disheartened" by exactly? Youll be lucky to make it into Europa league this year.
 

Oga on top.

New Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2014
Messages
2,204
Location
I <3 D. Sturridge
Supports
Liverpool
It's especially disheartening because it looked like we were going to have a great summer. Bringing in Salah & Solanke, with both VVD & Keita looking very likely to join... And now what? We're looking like we might end the summer £70m in the black because we're likely selling our talisman, & anyone we bring in to replace Cou will be overpriced this late in the window.

It's disappointing to be sure.
Yep. We genuinely thought things were going to take off after the Salah and Solanke signings and we heard a lot of billy big bollocks talk about breaking our transfer records etc. I'm just thinking though, if Roma hadn't been desperate for cash and we had even one club chasing us for Salahs' signature, would we have secured it? Hmm
I don't know, things worked out well with Mo but there's a bigger picture we need to look at.
 

Djemba-Djemba

Full Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2007
Messages
21,421
Location
Manchester
It's especially disheartening because it looked like we were going to have a great summer. Bringing in Salah & Solanke, with both VVD & Keita looking very likely to join... And now what? We're looking like we might end the summer £70m in the black because we're likely selling our talisman, & anyone we bring in to replace Cou will be overpriced this late in the window.

It's disappointing to be sure.
I thought Liverpool would do big business this Summer like you said. VVD and Keita added to the current Liverpool side would have been great business regardless of the price but that looks unlikely now.

I'd still expect VVD to be at Liverpool by the close of the transfer window, although I don't think you'll get Keita.
 

Oga on top.

New Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2014
Messages
2,204
Location
I <3 D. Sturridge
Supports
Liverpool
Youre a mid table side who sometimes can make it in the CL. What are you so "disheartened" by exactly? Youll be lucky to make it into Europa league this year.
Nah if we invested sufficiently this summer we would have made top 4 again if not a title challenge.
 

Rob

Full Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2009
Messages
3,230
Supports
Liverpool
It's especially disheartening because it looked like we were going to have a great summer. Bringing in Salah & Solanke, with both VVD & Keita looking very likely to join... And now what? We're looking like we might end the summer £70m in the black because we're likely selling our talisman, & anyone we bring in to replace Cou will be overpriced this late in the window.

It's disappointing to be sure.
Yep. I too was very positive a while back and sure that the team would be far stronger after the break. This summer is turning out to be a real dissapointment unless something happens within the next two weeks. Unfortunately, the most likely outcome seems to be Coutinho leaving and then being replaced with someone inferior and overprized. That is if he even gets replaced and they don't just claim that Salah is an adequate replacement.
 

Hullyback

New Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2016
Messages
1,343
Location
Yorkshire
Supports
Liverpool FC
You don't care about the performance?

Bizarre comment.

Not that the Feyenoord United game in a different competition 12 months ago has anything to do with how Liverpool performed last night at Hoffenheim under a manger who has had his squad for 2 years mind..

I think the pertinent point is it's not how you start, it's how you finish. If you're a United fanatic you should know this all too well as you won countless leagues where you played like dogshit in some games yet still took the points, and your greatest triumph barring the Benfica demolition, you played terribly also until 89 minutes - are saying you cared about the performance when Solskjaeer won it?

Win well, win ugly, win luckily. A win is still a win. Even a bad performance still beat a team that went all last season unbeaten at home including against teams like Bayern and Dortmund. Any team would be happy leaving there with a win knowing the home leg is to come.
 

Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jul 21, 2015
Messages
38,565
Supports
Arsenal
Liverpool have rejected a third bid from Barcelona for Philippe Coutinho - believed to be in the region of £114m.

Last week, the Reds rejected a £90m bid from the Spanish giants for the 25-year-old Brazil attacking midfielder, who then submitted a transfer request.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/40979106

They are basically doing what we are doing with Sanchez. They want to keep him, even if he is unhappy at Liverpool. They know they can’t replace him.
 

Hullyback

New Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2016
Messages
1,343
Location
Yorkshire
Supports
Liverpool FC
No one is worth the money that they're going for in footy now. The game is going to eat itself.
Agreed. There's going to be an almighty crash soon enough. I rate Coutinho but £114m is pure madness. Before the Neymar transfer I'd have said £70m tops and even that is a good price for someone so inconsistent who fails to make a mark when it matters.
 

mayurr

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jan 7, 2014
Messages
174
Supports
Liverpool
I wonder is Liverpool's lack of signings related to their qualification in champions league? Players waiting to confirm that Liverpool do offer champions league football this season?
 

Santi_Mesut_Alexis_87

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jul 21, 2015
Messages
38,565
Supports
Arsenal
I wonder is Liverpool's lack of signings related to their qualification in champions league? Players waiting to confirm that Liverpool do offer champions league football this season?
How much money would they get from qualifying to group stage?
 

Hullyback

New Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2016
Messages
1,343
Location
Yorkshire
Supports
Liverpool FC
I wonder is Liverpool's lack of signings related to their qualification in champions league? Players waiting to confirm that Liverpool do offer champions league football this season?
No. It's ineptitude. First for jaunts in Blackpool, then having one target their club were unwilling to part with and no plan B option.

Getting Salah early doors made me feel we might have a good window, now it's same old same old. One decent player, one prospect and a left back from a relegated team and the possibility of losing our second best player (I rate Mane above Coutinho)
 

Tommy

bigot with fetish for footballers getting fingered
Joined
Aug 3, 2014
Messages
10,672
Location
Birmingham
Supports
Liverpool
Really good debut from the lad Robertson, but our midfield is still screaming out for a signing or two.
 

TheReligion

Abusive
Joined
Nov 22, 2006
Messages
51,465
Location
Manchester
Unconvincing again from Liverpool. Much like the Hoffenheim match.

This was at home against a team that were just smashed by Huddersfield Town..

Squad needs alot of investment. They need to get Coutinho moved on and start spending IMO.
 

SwansonsTache

incontinent sexual deviant & German sausage lover
Joined
Dec 16, 2015
Messages
15,563
Location
Norway
Just imagine what a Matic type player would have done for them.

Strangely there are zero rumours or links to defensive midfielders.
 

TheReligion

Abusive
Joined
Nov 22, 2006
Messages
51,465
Location
Manchester
Just imagine what a Matic type player would have done for them.

Strangely there are zero rumours or links to defensive midfielders.
He really would have. So glad we signed Matic. Looking a steal too with current figures being thrown about

Do you think Klopp is too stubborn to go for a player outside his profile or do you think the money is simply not there?

Look at Harry Maguire. He's been great for Leicester and would have strengthened Liverpool but they didn't move.. the players are there for them but they don't pull the trigger.

I think there's issues behind the scenes.
 

giorno

boob novice
Joined
Jul 20, 2016
Messages
26,662
Supports
Real Madrid
N'Zonzi would be good for them imho. Get him, draxler and push for Goretzka and they'd be mostly sorted. This might actually be a good time to sell coutinho afterall
 

Tommy

bigot with fetish for footballers getting fingered
Joined
Aug 3, 2014
Messages
10,672
Location
Birmingham
Supports
Liverpool
Just imagine what a Matic type player would have done for them.

Strangely there are zero rumours or links to defensive midfielders.
Would've been great. Matic isn't a world class player so-to speak, but he does elevate those around him very well indeed. A midfield 3 of Can/Matic/Lallana doesn't look too strong in terms of individual talent, but Matic freeing the other two up for more offensive play/crazy pressing in behind Salah/Firmino/Mane... Would be much better than we are now, for sure.
 

SwansonsTache

incontinent sexual deviant & German sausage lover
Joined
Dec 16, 2015
Messages
15,563
Location
Norway
He really would have. So glad we signed Matic. Looking a steal too with current figures being thrown about

Do you think Klopp is too stubborn to go for a player outside his profile or do you think the money is simply not there?

Look at Harry Maguire. He's been great for Leicester and would have strengthened Liverpool but they didn't move.. the players are there for them but they don't pull the trigger.

I think there's issues behind the scenes.
Combined bids of nearly £140m for VVD and Keita suggest that the money is there, I think it is Klopp that has failed to a) identify the weaknesses of his squad and b) identify alternative targets to his first choices.

I think Klopp isn't all that in the transfer market and that his lack of nous in that department was heavily covered by the brilliant recruitment and scouting that Dortmund did independent of the manager.
 

DonnieDarko

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Apr 17, 2017
Messages
259
Supports
Liverpool
Just imagine what a Matic type player would have done for them.

Strangely there are zero rumours or links to defensive midfielders.
Klopp doesn't believe in specialized DMs. He believes anyone is a DM when the team is in defence and anyone is an AM when we're attacking. And, while it might be true theoretically, players of that capability are extremey hard to find.

As for the game, I think we've found ourselves a decent (not extra-great) LB and a 20-goal-per-season striker (which is Mane). Midfield and CB situations are really worrying though.
Good to see Studge back and going off the pitch without beiing injured. We'll see what we make out of this in a few months, because I believe 100% fit & motivated Studge will drop Firmino to CAM spot or even bench.
 

Habs

Full Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2015
Messages
702
Klopp doesn't believe in specialized DMs. He believes anyone is a DM when the team is in defence and anyone is an AM when we're attacking. And, while it might be true theoretically, players of that capability are extremey hard to find.

As for the game, I think we've found ourselves a decent (not extra-great) LB and a 20-goal-per-season striker (which is Mane). Midfield and CB situations are really worrying though.
Good to see Studge back and going off the pitch without beiing injured. We'll see what we make out of this in a few months, because I believe 100% fit & motivated Studge will drop Firmino to CAM spot or even bench.
Not sure how you can class Mane as a 20-goal-per-season striker, when he's never been close to scoring 20 in a season and doesn't play as a striker
 

DJ Jeff

Not so Jazzy
Joined
Jan 6, 2011
Messages
5,442
Location
Soaring like a candy wrapper caught in an updraft
Not sure how you can class Mane as a 20-goal-per-season striker, when he's never been close to scoring 20 in a season and doesn't play as a striker
In fairness he looks like he could get 20 this season, and he gets a lot of chances. Obviously conjecture based on two games is silly - United fans jumping the gun on Lukaku or Pool fans doing so about Mane is stupid right now, our teams will soon be playing two games a week and the performance levels will drop 20% across the team and it'll become about the results, not the performances. It's always the way.

That said I reckon Mane might have gotten close to 20 had there been no ACON last year.
 

Habs

Full Member
Joined
Aug 23, 2015
Messages
702
In fairness he looks like he could get 20 this season, and he gets a lot of chances. Obviously conjecture based on two games is silly - United fans jumping the gun on Lukaku or Pool fans doing so about Mane is stupid right now, our teams will soon be playing two games a week and the performance levels will drop 20% across the team and it'll become about the results, not the performances. It's always the way.

That said I reckon Mane might have gotten close to 20 had there been no ACON last year.
Theres a pretty big difference between Lukaku and Mane as the former is a proven striker who's scored regularly for the past few seasons so its not really jumping the gun when United fans think he'll continue what he has been doing. I think Mane is an excellent player, I just think its a bit silly and premature thinking he'll get 20 when he hasnt really shown he can and the team isnt set out for him to do that unless he has an outstanding season. I think we'll see him get 10-15 with similar numbers for Salah and Firmino (all depends on if Liverpool actually get better, they look pretty rubbish atm.
 

christinaa

Gossip Girl
Joined
Sep 19, 2012
Messages
11,556
Supports
There's only one United!
Klopp doesn't know how to change the game when it's not going well.

He only knows one way forward, the Dortmund way, but that may not work in the Premier League.
 

ForeverRoma93

Full Member
Joined
Aug 28, 2014
Messages
290
Supports
A.S. Roma
I watched the game today and Palace went there to defend and take a draw, they were very compact and no surprise considering how awful they were against Huddersfield...most likely thought they would roll them over last week.

Liverpool are in desperate need of a couple of playmaking midfielders as Henderson, Gini and Milner were beyond awful. Apart from a front 3 of Salah, Firmino and Mane, they lack severe quality. Also runours flying about thay Lallana is injured until December.

They have a couple of decent young players but are vastly inexperienced (TAA, Robertson, Woodburn).

Should be interesting if they sign anyone last minute but Klopp will have done well if he achieves top 4 with the current squad.