07 Jan 2019 22:56:51
didn't watch the game, just followed commentary and others' comments. some thoughts anyways! :

1- often feel like in these kinds of games when ya play so many youth, that ya might as well play closer to a full U23 team with a couple key senior players. I'm not sure if that is possible in terms of how teams have to be registered, but at least there'd be chemistry and you would know that all of them are out there fighting to prove themselves! Sounds like some of our fringe senior players didn't cover themselves in glory!

2- I feel like our next natural progression, after we hopefully win a title, is to develop our squad to be competing on all fronts and to do that consistently year in year out. I think it is a little "small-club minded" to be saying "yay now we can focus on the league". But I am content that we weren't good enough to get the job done with that squad against a fairly strong Wolves team. Maybe once we get over the hump then we can expect that we are battling for all trophies each season.

3- whilst I am "content" with the result today I am equally disappointed to be out of the Cup and have the door closed on another trophy for this season. Probably more due to the fact that many of those players would have played their last proper first team game this season. Hope they continue their progression in the academy or secure good loan deals somewhere

and finally. Yay now we can focus on the league. :p:p:p.


1.) 07 Jan 2019
07 Jan 2019 23:16:32
It's go Big or go home now mate.


2.) 07 Jan 2019
07 Jan 2019 23:17:16
Man City v Rotherham play Emerson, Walker, Stones, De Bruyne, Aguero, Sterling, Sane, Mahrez, Jesus having played and beaten us 3 days earlier and with another game 3 days later.

Against Wolves we play Mignolet, Moreno, 3 teenagers on debut with 1 day extra rest and we haven’t got another game for 6 days.

Klopp is doing it wrong 🤝.


3.) 07 Jan 2019
07 Jan 2019 23:20:49
Fully agree, Faith. I was not that interested in the lineup we put out as we all anticipated it. I was more interested in what side Wolves would put out and they fielded 9 of their 11 starters. Once I saw that, I kind of knew we would be lucky to get a draw. Once you play youth mixed with players who normally don't play and you play them together, their lack of game time, communication, rhythm and collective nous will be fully on show so we have to accept it cos really, what did we expect under such circumstances.


Having said that, I am irritated by the way the likes of Studge, Shaq, Moreno and Migs conducted themselves today. At least, Fab, Milner (tho at sea at DM by himself) and Origi, kept trying (even tho he lacked any game time YET scored a good goal) . Studge was literally invisible. Shaq couldn't be bothered to get stuck in or track back, Migs was a complete shambles for the 2nd goal and of cours, Moreno is well, Moreno. Our youth showed more fight in them than these senior players and that is disgraceful, IMO. On to Brighton, I guess.


4.) 07 Jan 2019
07 Jan 2019 23:33:43
Well said Ron.
Klopps third season in a row where he does not get cup games right - it is veru annoying to say the least.

You need a good cup run to bring youth players through as that is their main outlet untill you get to the latter stages of cup competitions.

Also when you see your opponant put out most of their senior players, why then feild a waeken team?

Any suggestions cup games are a diversion are farsical and from those that are ignorant.
If your highly trained arhletes can not play 2 games a week then they need to be sold.

Also can we please put up Sturridge for sale - at £1.
Get rid of him, nothing but an oxygen theif.

As you can tell I hate losing when we don't need to have lost.


5.) 07 Jan 2019
07 Jan 2019 23:35:06
Agree redwolf on the attitude of some of the senior players. I really don’t see any effort from them to want to get in first 11.


6.) 07 Jan 2019
07 Jan 2019 23:35:57
No shape first half. Camacho missing on right. Shaquiri not backing him up or covering when Camacho missing. Too static up front - no movement. Sturridge was v poor. Origi little better. Poor Curtis Jones lost confidence during game but had little support. Keita invisible for most of game. 16yr old played well for his age - lovely run from back line and through ball to Shaq I. 2nd half. Migs reminded me why I'm so grateful for Allison. Fringe players did nothing to persuade Klopp why they should play more regularly. Missed opportunity IMHO.


7.) 08 Jan 2019
08 Jan 2019 00:47:29
I feel sorry for the 5,000 plus supporters who travelled to Wolves to watch that performance.

It really was a case of well this is the team, let's hope we manage to get something out of this game.

The fans didn't get cheap tickets but were served up a very 'cheap' showing from a massively weakened team.

LFC should refund every single one of them for their tickets and travel costs.

They were all duped, and that is putting it mildly.


8.) 08 Jan 2019
08 Jan 2019 00:36:52
Ron,

Man city started two players that played against liverpool.

Liverpool started two players that played against man city.

Simple fact is liverpool don't have anywhere near the squad depth city have.

Compare the two starting teams. Injuries aside. Man cities second string would hammer ours.

Don't understand why people are getting on klopps back. The situation is what it is. We are top of the league.

If liverpool had have started a full strength team tonight they might not have won either. People seem to be taking that as a given.

December was a very tough run. The team looked knackered against city.

Liverpools next 5 league games i think see city playing 8 games in the same period. With our starting eleven given a nice rest period it sets us up to start and turn it up a notch. And hopefully all going well maybe sneak another 2 or 3 points ahead.

Klopp ain't the first manager to ever take a gamble in the cup and won't be the last.

Anyone banging on about the fa cup isn't living in the real world. No manager in professional football would have played our regular 11 tonight given the position liverpool find themselves in.


9.) 08 Jan 2019
08 Jan 2019 01:56:37
Wow mac city has signed Emerson from chelsea😂.


10.) 08 Jan 2019
08 Jan 2019 01:56:52
Red Kurd, you say you think a cup run is great to give youth a chance but then complain that he got it wrong by not playing a strong team. Which is it mate? 🤷🏻‍♂️
Not happy we lost but I understand the clubs priorities lie elsewhere. It might end up kicking us in the face, but we HAVE to prioritise the league. It’s been way too long.


11.) 08 Jan 2019
08 Jan 2019 02:36:44
Well said Wolverine, I used to enjoy Ron’s posts.
We cannot play the same players in every game, the likes of Alisson, VVD and Robertson have played in almost every game, they were due a rest.
Wolves are a very good team and played almost their full team, it’s entirely possible we could have played a far stronger team and still lost, the armchair managers always come out after a defeat.
Everyone knew this would be the game where we rested a bunch of first teamers, support the team not the individuals.
Like it or not going out of the cup gives us the best chance of winning the league.


12.) 08 Jan 2019
08 Jan 2019 05:43:05
Hammer ours? they couldn't defeat our team in jan last year which was without vvd nd alisson. delusional people.


13.) 08 Jan 2019
08 Jan 2019 06:38:35
I don’t care if no-one enjoys my posts, I don’t post for approval.

Not many people seem to comprehend my posts before commenting on them. Again, so what?

My message, in plainer English, is that once again Klopp has failed in the use of his squad and I am NOT just talking about this game.

How do you use a squad? You use them all season, regularly changing the line-up, keeping players fresh, playing players into form and spreading the load fairly evenly throughout the season.

How do you fail to use your squad? You play the same 13-14 players every week in the league and champions league then you make 9 changes for the domestic cups and those fringe players get 1 game.

1 game to impress, 1 game with a line-up who have no cohesion, no understanding. People are having a go at Keita, yes he had a poor game, but who is he playing with? Sturridge who couldn’t care less and Origi who had played about 20 minutes in 2 seasons plus 3 teenagers on debut. Against Wolves? Wolves who recently turned over a full strength Spurs? Players who are not gettting any game time go stale, they lose “match fitness”. Goalkeepers are completely different. Our great managers of the past - Shanks, Paisley, Joe, Kenny and Rafa never rotated Goalkeepers. Brucie played every game for 8 seasons straight!

Klopp is not taking 50% of our potential trophies seriously. If he was, he wouldn’t have played Mignolet. If he doesn’t take them seriously then cut his wage by 50% because we as a club are not in a position to arrogantly disregard 50% of our trophies.

If you don’t like my opinion, give me a thumbs down, but I pay to watch this club, have done for many decades and I have a right to an opinion. I do not change it to make others happy.


14.) 08 Jan 2019
08 Jan 2019 07:07:13
And another thing:

World class players are attracted to a club for several reasons : 1) Money, 2)Fame 3) success.

They want to win things. Do you think they look back st their career and say, well I didn’t win any cups because I was prioritising the league? No, they want to play for a club which is winning things and the FA Cup is the most famous domestic cup competition in world football and starting at the 3rd round, represents our easiest chance of success.

People moan about Coutinho, Sterling and Suarez engineering moves away and I don’t condone any of their actions AT ALL. But why do they do it? Answer: they want to win trophies and at Liverpool they currently have a manager who reduces their chances by 50%. Do you think VVD joined us to forget about the FA cup?

If we don’t start winning trophies soon, Salah will leave, Mane will leave VVD will leave and Alisson will leave.

We’ve won 1 league cup in 13 seasons!


15.) 08 Jan 2019
08 Jan 2019 09:57:51
Love it Ron. Great points. I like your posts 🤝.


16.) 08 Jan 2019
08 Jan 2019 10:47:37
50% of our trophies? How about the maximum fixtures played in FA cup and league cup account for about less than 20% of our season.

Ron, Klopp has been mamaging the squad well each season and makimg little imptovements along the way. Probably not as much as you wamt obviously. We loat the game, I don't think an inquisition is required here.


17.) 08 Jan 2019
08 Jan 2019 11:00:40
Also, does anyone think winning the FA cup or league cup will help us keep our best players? Doubt it.

{Ed025's Note - that will depend if you win anything else faith, if you do it will soon be forgotten and seen as good management, if you dont it will be seen as a big mistake mate..


18.) 08 Jan 2019
08 Jan 2019 11:03:57
Ron while I agree with your points regarding winning trophies, the whole squad issue is a sensitive matter.
If u look at klopps selections during the season he has rotated the midfield and a few times the cb and rb position. unlike Man City we do not have the quality of like for like that they do. they can take off David silva and bring on KDB. we would take off Milner and bring on hendo. they could take off Aguero and bring on jesus, we would take off Firmino and bring on Sturridge. they are like that all over the park, we are not. squads take a while to build and to me because we are liverpool, klopp knows the pressure is on to deliver a title, hence our first 11 is as good as anyone’s. but the squad depth is nowhere near as strong and doesn’t yet have the quality that is required. if we manage to win the league this season then it will attract the sort of players we require and just maybe then we can build the squad we need to challenge on all fronts. remember if klopp had gone all out last night and say salAh, vvd or Firmino had got injured can u imagine the uproar.


19.) 08 Jan 2019
08 Jan 2019 11:15:50
I agree with some points of both Ron and Wolverine. I imagine Klopp played the likes of Mignolet, Moreno and Sturridge out of loyalty and respect as well as giving others a well deserved rest.

Mignolet in particular has been very proffesional and patient despite hardly playing. I agree that there is no need to rest Allison, as Ron said, but Mignolet has supported the team and that support hasn't waivered (as far as I know) . I realise he is being paid to do this but such is the modern game a lot of other players would be moaning etc.

VVD and Robertson needed a break and unfortunately there is a big drop off between them and their replacements. Its the same with the front 3 and their replacements. The truth is a lot of players who we'd want to sign know that our first 11 is practically set and aren't up for the challenge of competing with them for their place. Then it comes down to money. I am not sure we could offer bench players (like Mahrez, B. Silva, Jesus et al at Man City) such high wages (perhaps a question better suited to any of the eds)? It's ridiculous that football has even come to that but that's the game now.

I do think the the drop off in quality is more proof of how good that first 11 really is as well. Our second 11 would be competing for a mid table position compared to City's who would compete for a Champions league spot.

I am not happy we're out the FA Cup, I would have loved a cup run and I do believe it would have helped with confidence. However, I am not devasted. I understand our priority and I am game for it. All our eggs are in one basket, or even two!

Klopp would have liked to stay in the FA cup I am sure, but not at the expense of losing our first team players. I reckon he see's the gap in quality and will address it in the summer.

I have probably waffled on a bit much trying to play devils advocate. I don't post much so its nice to get these thoughts out! Up the reds, 3 points at the Amex please!


20.) 08 Jan 2019
08 Jan 2019 11:32:17
Ed25, I don't disagree with your point. But this idea that we must get a trophy to end the drought is sabotaging the narrative. What Klopp did is normal at this stage of the cup and in the context of our season makes perfect season. Seems to be lost here that another senior CB has gotten injured in this game. but my point is that Klopp is managing and rotating his squad about as you would expect. On this occasion the troops he sent out didn't perform. Hopefully they do next time, if there is next time for some of them!

{Ed025's Note - time will tell if it was a good decision faith, damned if he does damned if he does,nt i suppose mate..


21.) 08 Jan 2019
08 Jan 2019 11:40:59
Fully ed25, and I suppose he gets paid the bucks to make the calls!

Unlucky that the draw gave us wolves while others got rotherham. lol I think even this team we trot out pulls have given rotherham a run for their money!

{Ed025's Note - im not too sure after watching that faith.. :)


22.) 08 Jan 2019
08 Jan 2019 11:47:04
Ron i wasnt attacking you pal. Just disagreeing with you and giving my points. I always enjoy your posts mate. When im not chuckling im usually agreeing with you.

The problem is what manager would regularly rotate when their options are

Mignolet
Moreno
Clyne
Lallana
Origi
Sturridge.

We wouldn't be sitting top of the league if they all at 7 to 10 league games each.

Liverpools problem is that when they have previously been signing players its been reactive. They lose a top player and sign a top player. Or replace a top player with two in the bracket below. Man city don't have that problem. They sign a starter and the previous starter goes to the bench and smiles while playing with his boot laces.

I think they are starting to be more proactive but again the problem may still arise with salah and mane who both seem to have eyes on spain.

Liverpool are being run as well as i can remember behind the scenes. (in terms of player recruitment) . We have built very well on last seasons successful run in the champions league. Hopefully in another few transfer windows we can build a squad that can be trusted with a lot of rotation.

There is no team in the premiership that can compare to the quality of 22 players that city have. Its the best squad of 22 players in the world. Madrid and Barcelona don't even have that quality of squad.

And that's why they can make 9 changes and still win 7.

Klopps not perfect by a long stretch. But he has taken us to 2 major european finals so far. I think he deserves the odd pass here and there.

He is building liverpool into a force that can sustain multiple seasons of challenging for top honours. We haven't had that in a long long time.

{Ed025's Note - good post that wolverine..


23.) 08 Jan 2019
08 Jan 2019 12:50:51
Im sorry, but i won't blame Mignolet for the second. his view was blocked, being a goalkeeper myself, i know it's pretty much impossible unless he has superman vision its impossible to jump early as if through deflection if the ball goes other side u people will only slant him.


24.) 08 Jan 2019
08 Jan 2019 13:06:02
Spot on Ron I can't disagree.


25.) 08 Jan 2019
08 Jan 2019 18:56:10
Well said Ron.
Excellent reply.
Far too many on here attack posters who they do not agree with, straight away comes that mob mentality.
A forum like this is about opinions and exchanges in ideas and views.

And I bet as soon as Klopp is gone, there will be people om here suddenly highlighting those same points about cup youth etc.

3 Seasons in a row he has squandered cup oppertunities.


26.) 08 Jan 2019
08 Jan 2019 21:28:23
Wolverine:

Pre-injury Lallana was looking at being first name on the team sheet.
12 months ago I was arguing bitterly for Robbo to replace Moreno and being shouted down on here for that.
12 months ago Clyne was first choice right back.

Klopp doesn’t play the squad system at all and the fringe players go stale and then when they’re needed they get slated for being poor.

People talk about needing to improve the depth of the squad but potential targets will be watching Liverpool and the manager. They will see fringe players maybe getting a one off game in the cups. They will see the career of the likes of Markovic, Grujic, Origi and Solanke be totally halted by Klopp’s penchant for picking the same players every week. Who is going to want to take the risk of ending up like that? Who is going to want to come and improve our squad depth but risk never playing?

All those disrespecting the FA cup, remind me of Man City’s first trophy of the Sheiks ownership?


27.) 08 Jan 2019
08 Jan 2019 23:27:58
lol Ron, City zapped up a squad an overnight became a beast that can compete consistently on all fronts. do ya think suarez looks back on his league cup medal with fondness and wishes he could come back into that team and be rubbish in the league but win the odd cup medal?
For the kind of club we want to be, the trophies should only matter if we are in the running each season. Winning a one-off trophy has such little importance to me if we're not also continuing to get ourselves towards the goal of competing at the top and for honours year in year out. Amongst all the complaining no one seems to care that suddenly we've become a consistent top-4 club. at least for now. that was so far off our radar before Klopp came in. We as fans were just salivating at the hope of qualifying for the Champions League and maybe winning a trophy, that the big picture of being a top club like the barca's and real madrid's was lost completely. We got to be less small minded and take stock so that our criticisms are relative to where we are at. I believe we are on the way, just not there yet!


28.) 09 Jan 2019
09 Jan 2019 00:37:51
Ron

Pre injury lallana and clyne of 12 months ago are not good enough players for a top 4 club. Which is why with players like them we have struggled to get top 4 in years past

Klopp was playing them because he had too. Moreno as you say was also in that bracket.

Players will come to a club who are regularly getting champions league football and more so to a team who go deep in the competition on a regular basis.

Players will come to be part of a squad who look like they mean business.

Part of the reason we are now looking like that kind of club is because lallana sturridge clyne moreno mignolet are not playing much.

If its a choice between letting a player go a bit stale or playing a player with a bag full of mistakes, one who slows down your play by running round in circles, one who won't run or one who can't tackle im afraid then i choose to let them go stale.

Fact is none of our squad options are good enough for a top 4 team.

City have at least 4 or 5 that would probably walk into any other top 4 side.

Mharez -origi
Stones - matip
Jesus - sturridge
B silva - lallana
Moreno- delph
Clyne - danilo
Otamendi - lovern
Bravo - mignolet
Gundogan - keita

It would be a lot easier to rotate in and out with the team on the left.

Our midfield has been rotated this year but that's only because its our strongest area depth wise.

We simply don't have the quality to rotate our defense or attack on a regular basis.

Players won't come if we win an fa cup players will come when the squad looks of a certain quality. It takes time to get that kind of a squad and maybe we never totally will.

But im sure the team will look a hell of a lot different in 2 years time if we are continued top 4 and going deep in champions league.

The squad by that time will be fully klopps own and a bit more rotation may come our way.