The Bigfooty Liverpool Thread

[The Punter]

That's probably it as far as winning the league is concerned.

Allison
Gomez - Van Dijk - Matip -
Keita - Fabinho -
Mane - Jota -

Only one off on every line from a proper "Liverpool all-injured XI".

 

[Cooldude]

Bob just doesn't play well against bus parking teams anymore

We'd benefit from having a traditional no.9 more in these games

 

[Cooldude]

Buy that Bissouma though, he's good

 

[RossFC]

Klopp said Jota is still 2-4 weeks away.

 

[Bostonian]

Buy that Bissouma though, he's good

He's been outstanding for us in the last few months.

Have no doubt a few big clubs will come enquiring about his availability in the offseason.

 

[peternorth]

Buy that Bissouma though, he's good

remember the old days when we'd express interest in every player who plays well against us? hahaha.

 

[RossFC]

He's been outstanding for us in the last few months.

Have no doubt a few big clubs will come enquiring about his availability in the offseason.

Since Wijnaldum is going to Barca on a free, we'll probs be in the market for a mid. Not sure if we'll have the funds though.

 

[QuietB]

Since Christmas Liverpool have played 4 of the bottom 5 sides in the EPL and taken 2 points. TWO

That is horrendous.

Imagine Jota did not score the goals he did early in the season. Liverpool would be close to relegation.

Something is not right.

 

[RossFC]

Since Christmas Liverpool have played 4 of the bottom 5 sides in the EPL and taken 2 points. TWO

That is horrendous.

Imagine Jota did not score the goals he did early in the season. Liverpool would be close to relegation.

Something is not right.

We had 9 senior players unavailable, and the players that we do have left have got nobody to rotate with, that's what's not right.

 

[Bostonian]

Since Wijnaldum is going to Barca on a free, we'll probs be in the market for a mid. Not sure if we'll have the funds though.

He won't come cheap.

Our strategy during covid seems to be hold onto what we have e.g Ben White rather than go out and spend a heap on a replacement.

 

[QuietB]

We had 9 senior players unavailable, and the players that we do have left have got nobody to rotate with, that's what's not right.

I do agree that injuries have ruined everything.

2 points from the bottom 4 sides in the last month though is alarming. 2 draws and 2 losses, both at home, to cellar dwellers says this is deeper than just injuries.

 

[Zidane98]

Thank goodness I had the first day of school to distract me from watching the rest of the match.


The goal conceded encapsulates all what is wrong with our defence. Cant win the ball in the air and an atrocious attempt at a clearance from Phillips which is not surprising considering he is a League 1 standard CB.


We're lacking drive forward from midfield atm. That's normally Hendo/Fab but they're either injured or playing in defense.


At this rate we will be fortunate to get within 2 of City on the weekend. Must secure top 4 football and have a decent run in the CL to rescue the season.


The best option IMO is to null & void the season completely in the interests of public health & safety with 20,000 covid cases per day running rampant thorughout the UK. For some reason opposition fans are strangely silent on that note this season.

 

[QuietB]

Thank goodness I had the first day of school to distract me from watching the rest of the match.


The goal conceded encapsulates all what is wrong with our defence. Cant win the ball in the air and an atrocious attempt at a clearance from Phillips which is not surprising considering he is a League 1 standard CB.


We're lacking drive forward from midfield atm. That's normally Hendo/Fab but they're either injured or playing in defense.


At this rate we will be fortunate to get within 2 of City on the weekend. Must secure top 4 football and have a decent run in the CL to rescue the season.


The best option IMO is to null & void the season completely in the interests of public health & safety with 20,000 covid cases per day running rampant thorughout the UK. For some reason opposition fans are strangely silent on that note this season.

TAA also had a lot to answer for on that goal. His man was unmarked beyond the back post and TAA made no effort to get to him when the ball was clearly going over his head.

Agree with the last bit - Liverpool should stink up the main board asking for the season to be cancelled

 

[Zidane98]

Would take some serious balls but wonder whether Jurg will play one of Kabak / Davies with Fab on the weekend.

Naby Keita would be handy right about now after his last "little" muscular injury in late dec turned into a month long absence.

 

[RossFC]

I'd go with this vs City

Mane-Firmino-Salah
Thiago-Gini-Henderson
Robbo-Fabinho-Kabak-Arnold
Alisson

Subs: Kelleher, Davies, Kostas, Neco, Milner, Jones, Shaq, Ox, Origi

 

[The Punter]

Kabak first time v City?!??! I wouldn't think so.

 

[Cooldude]

Wonder what our form is, stats wise, when none of VVD Gomez or Matip are playing

They do a lot offensively at CB as well, they help us squeeze and break sides, and also forays forward

 

[CP28]

Kabak first time v City?!??! I wouldn't think so.

Not much to lose now, might be worth throwing him in the deep end? (I doubt we will though)

 

[Zidane98]

Not much to lose now, might be worth throwing him in the deep end? (I doubt we will though)

Can't be Phillips who will be shredded by City's attack. Need Hendo's drive from midfield.


Would be a bold move but Fab/Kabak is the right move IMO.

 

[FreoRicci]

Had one eye on Man City. Paid no respect to Brighton. Well done to them, they played superbly. Excellent defence and choked any chances we had.

This season is done and dusted. Aim now for top 4, get into the Champions League For next season. Focus is on this season’s champion league for silverware.

 

[FreoRicci]

Since Christmas Liverpool have played 4 of the bottom 5 sides in the EPL and taken 2 points. TWO

That is horrendous.

Imagine Jota did not score the goals he did early in the season. Liverpool would be close to relegation.

Something is not right.

None of our star players that won us key games for the past three season are in form.
TAA has been garbage all season. Firmino is useless and might as well be a midfielder. Mane has burnt out. Defence is all in the medical room. It is what it is, a bad season after an incredible 3 years. Time to reshape and buy players to upgrade

 

[BuddyHawk]

As frustrating as it was, my main takeaway from this morning’s game is we’ve reached a tipping point in terms of personnel. While the Spurs and West Ham results were great, it was a disastrous few days on the injury front - Matip gone for the season and Mané and Fabinho picking up (hopefully) short-term injuries.

Every club - Liverpool included - has a core group of about 15-16 players, which they rotate through the starting 11 depending on form, fitness and the opposition. Even City with their limitless resources still have a core squad of about this size - an injury crisis aside, Pep really only reaches deeper into his playing stocks when they’re playing lower-league teams in the cups.

Against Brighton we had 8 of our core squad - for want of a better term -unavailable: (from the back) Allison, VVD, Gomez, Matip, Fabinho, Keita, Mané and Jota. Then there’s Henderson who’s playing out of position. That’s a huge hole and I’d challenge even City or Bayern to remain competitive without so many good players.

I was a little surprised we beat an in-form West Ham with such a thin squad, tbh, and it seems that game took a lot out of a few players. Don’t get me wrong - we should still be beating Brighton even with a weakened side. But the result didn’t shock me at all, especially when you consider the constant chopping and changing.

It’s not all doom and gloom - Mané is usually pretty durable, so you’d expect he’ll stay fit for the rest of the season. The break might do him good, too. Fabinho’s a bit more injury-prone, but he should still be available for most remaining matches. Those two in the team - plus Henderson in midfield, if Kabak can hold down a CB spot - will make a huge difference, especially with Jota on the way back.

The title is gone, sadly - but then I hadn’t thought it was all that realistic from the moment VVD and Gomez went down. We’ve still got a very good squad and I’m really looking forward to seeing what we can do in the Champions League knock-outs.

 

[Cooldude]

Yeah our attacking setup needs a retweak, it clearly still works against top 6 teams that don't park it against us, but anyone else, it's easy pickings

Jota hid a lot of the attack's problems earlier in the season, too. He scored loads of winners. We need some more young blood like him

 

[RossFC]

1mil + 2mil in oddons.

 

[Nuke Fremantle]

As frustrating as it was, my main takeaway from this morning’s game is we’ve reached a tipping point in terms of personnel. While the Spurs and West Ham results were great, it was a disastrous few days on the injury front - Matip gone for the season and Mané and Fabinho picking up (hopefully) short-term injuries.

Every club - Liverpool included - has a core group of about 15-16 players, which they rotate through the starting 11 depending on form, fitness and the opposition. Even City with their limitless resources still have a core squad of about this size - an injury crisis aside, Pep really only reaches deeper into his playing stocks when they’re playing lower-league teams in the cups.

Against Brighton we had 8 of our core squad - for want of a better term -unavailable: (from the back) Allison, VVD, Gomez, Matip, Fabinho, Keita, Mané and Jota. Then there’s Henderson who’s playing out of position. That’s a huge hole and I’d challenge even City or Bayern to remain competitive without so many good players.

I was a little surprised we beat an in-form West Ham with such a thin squad, tbh, and it seems that game took a lot out of a few players. Don’t get me wrong - we should still be beating Brighton even with a weakened side. But the result didn’t shock me at all, especially when you consider the constant chopping and changing.

It’s not all doom and gloom - Mané is usually pretty durable, so you’d expect he’ll stay fit for the rest of the season. The break might do him good, too. Fabinho’s a bit more injury-prone, but he should still be available for most remaining matches. Those two in the team - plus Henderson in midfield, if Kabak can hold down a CB spot - will make a huge difference, especially with Jota on the way back.

The title is gone, sadly - but then I hadn’t thought it was all that realistic from the moment VVD and Gomez went down. We’ve still got a very good squad and I’m really looking forward to seeing what we can do in the Champions League knock-outs.

Excellent post.

You're bang on about the tipping point.

Before Spurs - Fabinho ruled out
During Spurs - Matip injured
Before West Ham - Mane ruled out
Before Brighton - Alisson ruled out

Continually starting games without 5 or 6 of our best XI will catch up with us sooner rather than later.

If Jota is out for another 4 weeks, then it'll be a 3 month absence. All because he needlessly played a dead rubber game. This is one thing we have to learn from going forward, I don't care what the suits in Boston think.