- Joined
- Apr 2, 2000
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- West Coast
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- Liverpool, Chicago Bulls.
Hmm. Ok some random thoughts.
First the bright side of life. That was the first time we have lost at Anfield in a whole year. That's impressive. Every team has poor games at home and loses games. We are not immune to it yet that record of not losing at home for a full calendar year was very impressive. It represented progress from Klopp and our players.
Since Klopp took over, we are one good result away from a third Cup Final match. That's impressive.
Another positive is that our clear best front three in Cout/Firm/Mane havent played together for near on two months. Yet we are still in the top four and CL places.
Hope is a big word that many fans have used for long time now. I hope we win, I hope we squeeze into fourth. I hope we can somehow win the league. I feel hope has evaporated now into belief.
I believe we can finish in the top four, I believe we can win silverware and I actually believe that we can win the league, maybe not this season, but building towards it. We are unquestionably a better side under Klopp than we have been under any previous manager for god knows how long.
Having said all that. I feel everybody wants everything now. And whilst that would be great, Klopp's Liverpool side is still very much a work in progress. First Coutinho and then Mane's absence has completely thrown us. We play that fluid front three and neither Origi or Sturridge fit into that. I feel Sturridge's future lies away from Anfield.
We need back up players who can fit into that front three to offset the loss of Mane or Coutinho. Right now I dont think we have the players in the squad to do that so we must venture into the transfer market to make it happen. Whether that's someone like Promes or Pulisic (I wish) in the future, it needs to be addressed.
I also think Ojo could be that player in the meantime. I feel Klopp made a mistake against Swansea. We were always going to dominate possession so leave Lallana where he is best, in midfield, drop Can who has been in poor form and play the closest thing we have to Mane in Mane's spot.
That's Ojo. Has pace and trickery but he also loves to take a player on, get to the byline or just beat someone with pace. Too often Origi will just go backwards and sadly for Sturridge, he no longer has any pace at all.
People say well play Sturridge in the middle or Origi as a striker. But that has a knock on effect. Firmino has been dreadful the past month playing wide in a front three. We finally move him back into the middle with Cout's return and he is back to being a sexy footballer and scoring goals.
I'm a big advocate for playing players in their best positions even if it weakens others. Klopp has played Lallana in a front three because of injuries and Mane's absence yet he's not great there. He is however terrific in midfield. Leave him there. Then play someone not as good as Lallana in the front three. It looks weaker on paper having a Woodburn or Ojo or Wilson play but I firmly believe we will still play better as a team.
The same goes for Sturridge, who plays far better centrally, but Firmino is just better in that position so just dont play Sturridge, dont shunt him wide. Just leave him on the bench.
Anyways that's all in an attacking sense.
Defensively we still have large issues. I feel Lovren, Sakho and Klavan are all not good enough. Klavan is ok as a fourth choice CB but right now he is third choice, one injury means he starts playing a lot of games and he isnt good enough for that.
It was also mentioned that Lovren is erratic which is very true. He can be very good sometimes and even in long stretches but then he will have poor games that cost us points. CB's need to be consistent. Matip is a fine example of this.
Sakho is gone but we are in desperate need of finding another very good CB to play next to Matip. The goalkeeper issue needs to be addressed also. Who is our number one, are either even good enough. We leak too many easy goals and it needs to stop if we are to challenge for the league title.
I'm also still keen on Dahoud. Sometimes our midfield cant pass their way out of a wet paper bag. Can is in horror form. Hendo just had a nightmare and Wij is neat and tidy but not particularly damaging. When teams park buses, sometimes you just need that bloke who can pick a pass out on a dime. Thread a ball, or loop one onto someones head with precision.
Dahoud could be that bloke.
The squad needs work in all areas to be fair before we can truly challenge.
This season now hinges on the next two or three weeks after that dreadful result at home.
If we start winning then we will find ourselves in a cup final, progression in the FA Cup and beating Chelsea will be huge, particularly if Chelsea then lose again to Arsenal as they have us and then Arsenal in back to back games.
Not all is lost this season, the next few weeks are huge. Mane coming back will be a shot in the arm too.
So yes, be annoyed, be angry at that result. I sure as shit am. It is a trait we need to stamp out. Losing to Swansea, Burnley and Bournemouth isnt good enough but we are not the finished article just yet.
Klopp has two full years in charge at Dortmund and finished 6th and 5th before going on to win the league. Im not saying we will win the league next season but we still need time.
So let's try not to get too down, support the lads and hopefully have a big few weeks, get into a cup final and maybe if we are lucky get back into the title race.
First the bright side of life. That was the first time we have lost at Anfield in a whole year. That's impressive. Every team has poor games at home and loses games. We are not immune to it yet that record of not losing at home for a full calendar year was very impressive. It represented progress from Klopp and our players.
Since Klopp took over, we are one good result away from a third Cup Final match. That's impressive.
Another positive is that our clear best front three in Cout/Firm/Mane havent played together for near on two months. Yet we are still in the top four and CL places.
Hope is a big word that many fans have used for long time now. I hope we win, I hope we squeeze into fourth. I hope we can somehow win the league. I feel hope has evaporated now into belief.
I believe we can finish in the top four, I believe we can win silverware and I actually believe that we can win the league, maybe not this season, but building towards it. We are unquestionably a better side under Klopp than we have been under any previous manager for god knows how long.
Having said all that. I feel everybody wants everything now. And whilst that would be great, Klopp's Liverpool side is still very much a work in progress. First Coutinho and then Mane's absence has completely thrown us. We play that fluid front three and neither Origi or Sturridge fit into that. I feel Sturridge's future lies away from Anfield.
We need back up players who can fit into that front three to offset the loss of Mane or Coutinho. Right now I dont think we have the players in the squad to do that so we must venture into the transfer market to make it happen. Whether that's someone like Promes or Pulisic (I wish) in the future, it needs to be addressed.
I also think Ojo could be that player in the meantime. I feel Klopp made a mistake against Swansea. We were always going to dominate possession so leave Lallana where he is best, in midfield, drop Can who has been in poor form and play the closest thing we have to Mane in Mane's spot.
That's Ojo. Has pace and trickery but he also loves to take a player on, get to the byline or just beat someone with pace. Too often Origi will just go backwards and sadly for Sturridge, he no longer has any pace at all.
People say well play Sturridge in the middle or Origi as a striker. But that has a knock on effect. Firmino has been dreadful the past month playing wide in a front three. We finally move him back into the middle with Cout's return and he is back to being a sexy footballer and scoring goals.
I'm a big advocate for playing players in their best positions even if it weakens others. Klopp has played Lallana in a front three because of injuries and Mane's absence yet he's not great there. He is however terrific in midfield. Leave him there. Then play someone not as good as Lallana in the front three. It looks weaker on paper having a Woodburn or Ojo or Wilson play but I firmly believe we will still play better as a team.
The same goes for Sturridge, who plays far better centrally, but Firmino is just better in that position so just dont play Sturridge, dont shunt him wide. Just leave him on the bench.
Anyways that's all in an attacking sense.
Defensively we still have large issues. I feel Lovren, Sakho and Klavan are all not good enough. Klavan is ok as a fourth choice CB but right now he is third choice, one injury means he starts playing a lot of games and he isnt good enough for that.
It was also mentioned that Lovren is erratic which is very true. He can be very good sometimes and even in long stretches but then he will have poor games that cost us points. CB's need to be consistent. Matip is a fine example of this.
Sakho is gone but we are in desperate need of finding another very good CB to play next to Matip. The goalkeeper issue needs to be addressed also. Who is our number one, are either even good enough. We leak too many easy goals and it needs to stop if we are to challenge for the league title.
I'm also still keen on Dahoud. Sometimes our midfield cant pass their way out of a wet paper bag. Can is in horror form. Hendo just had a nightmare and Wij is neat and tidy but not particularly damaging. When teams park buses, sometimes you just need that bloke who can pick a pass out on a dime. Thread a ball, or loop one onto someones head with precision.
Dahoud could be that bloke.
The squad needs work in all areas to be fair before we can truly challenge.
This season now hinges on the next two or three weeks after that dreadful result at home.
If we start winning then we will find ourselves in a cup final, progression in the FA Cup and beating Chelsea will be huge, particularly if Chelsea then lose again to Arsenal as they have us and then Arsenal in back to back games.
Not all is lost this season, the next few weeks are huge. Mane coming back will be a shot in the arm too.
So yes, be annoyed, be angry at that result. I sure as shit am. It is a trait we need to stamp out. Losing to Swansea, Burnley and Bournemouth isnt good enough but we are not the finished article just yet.
Klopp has two full years in charge at Dortmund and finished 6th and 5th before going on to win the league. Im not saying we will win the league next season but we still need time.
So let's try not to get too down, support the lads and hopefully have a big few weeks, get into a cup final and maybe if we are lucky get back into the title race.
