Liverpool Banter Archive May 01 2017

01 May 2017 23:28:49
Great weekend for Liverpool, champions league football this year in particular will be crucial to our future over the next 5 years in my opinion. Virgil Van Dijk, Julian Brandt and Naby Keita are interested in moving to Anfield but champions league football is crucial in getting them here. If we manage to lose it from here it will be shocking and then we'd be going after second and third targets, playing Thursday, Sunday in the Europa and we'd be struggling to make top 4 again next year. The guys above that Klopp has picked could turn us into genuine title contenders, just wanna lock down that spot now and look forward to next season.

02 May 2017 00:09:24
Fingers crossed Donal, but I can't see us getting any of the three players you have mentioned, they will all go to the top top clubs .

02 May 2017 00:27:04
Redforever we are a topside how far have the fan base has drop .

02 May 2017 01:32:50
Hasn't ED02 repeatedly stated there's no interest in VVD? Or has that changed?

01 May 2017 22:48:05
Another fantastic performance by dejan lovren at the back. He seems to relish the physical challenge that players like lukaku and deeney pose. Him and Matip Throttled and suffocated deeney and niasse for majority of the game. But yet again, it could have all been for nothing if that prodl shot had got in. It's fine margins in this league, and you look at how top cb's like kompany suffer against the lowest scoring side in the league. It doesn't necessarily make him bad, it's just that it takes time and a settled back 4. I think lovren can be in the mold of alderweirld, vertonghen, kompany and mentioned in the top cb bracket, if we maintain consistency around him i. e. The back 4 and the one who sits in front of them, which Lucas did magnificently well again. I would much rather fine tune him, than bring in an expensive vvd, who would no doubt need time (years? ) to fix the problem.

01 May 2017 23:07:02
Yeah, I loved how he marked Benteke out the game last week too.

01 May 2017 23:35:38
No just no, just because he didn't make any simple mistakes like he usually does and you are now comparing him to the top centre backs in the league. Lovren is an awful defender, simple as.

02 May 2017 00:00:56
Didn't know Premier League teams were allowed to field players who belong to other clubs. Surprised they played him ahead of Niang!

02 May 2017 02:07:55
Lovren is not awful. He's got some bad games in him sure. But awful isn't quite fair.

02 May 2017 06:45:29
Agree with TjRed, there is a big gap between top class and awful and Lovren sits in that gap. He is limited and not top class but there are worse in the division and far worse as you go down the leagues and those guys aren't awful defenders just not very good.

02 May 2017 07:16:18
He could be top class if he starts focussing on his game more. He has all the elements of a top class defender apart from concentration.

{Ed001's Note - and bravery. He turns away from shots, rather than facing up to them. That means he has no idea where the ball has gone, which costs him seconds that can, and have, cost us goals while he recovers.}

02 May 2017 09:26:40
I know what you're saying ed and I think his fairly regular but brief injury spells are the cause of that.
When he's playing well and had a period of fitness I've seen him put himself about.
We're not getting the best out of him and the fact that he's got a new contract hopefully means Klopp has plans to remedy this.

{Ed001's Note - he still puts himself about, I am talking about the bravery to take a shot to the face, rather than turning away. And not to pussy out with a bit of blood in the nose like in the last game, when he was not even off with a broken nose or anything, just a bleed. When a shot comes in, he always turns away, every time. It is not due to injuries, it is because the modern day player is too much of a pussy to take a whack to the face from these feather light balls that barely hurt.}

02 May 2017 11:43:15
We should put our defenders through 'police horse training'.
Fire tennis balls at them until they learn not to flinch 😎.

02 May 2017 17:32:45
The players of today wouldn't get on the pitch 20 years ago with that useless attitude of not wanting to take one in the face. Spoiled children really who don't want their hair cuts or lips busted to save a goal.

I never turned away from a shot when I played for the exact reasons you mentioned. It's like heading the ball. You can 't close your eyes and head the ball then are shocked when the header is inaccurate. You need to look at the ball in order to direct it where you want it to go.

Same with blocking a shot, you need to face the shot so you can block the angle the shot will go to or at least have a better chance of blocking the shot cos turning away is just stupid.

01 May 2017 22:28:56
Great performance defensively wise absolute worldie for Can who put in another super shift as did Lucas Maltip and Lovern delighted with the result but as per usual this game should have been put to bed instead of us yet again hanging on but fantastic 3 pts let's hope we don't loose focus now and do something we haven't done all season and that's score against Southampton will be another tough game but one we have to win full stop, let's hope couts injury isn't too serious and we can finally push on and secure this top 4 place good to see Sturridge back and getting mins thought Origi worked really hard again tonight slowly getting the squad back which will be imperitive with the final run in.

01 May 2017 22:50:36
Coutinho is thought to have only suffered a dead leg. Hopefully not out for long.

02 May 2017 07:59:34
Lallana was superb as well. Ran his heart out and made space as well as some chances. Three games, three wins. It's in our own hands.

01 May 2017 22:11:51
Good win, poorish performance, Migs has improved and looks stronger, Clyne is awful would rather sign stevie wonder. we currently look like Rodgers lfc but ill take the win after the weekends results!
YNWA.

01 May 2017 22:24:05
Why does everyone pick on clyne after every single game? For crying out loud the guy did nothing wrong TONIGHT! Give him a break. Yes I'd rather we signed a new rb but until we do support the lad instead of putting him down for doing absolutely nothing wrong! (Again I mean tonight)

01 May 2017 22:36:00
Was he not out of position for their chance late on RedTed? Quite a big mistake and could have been costly.

01 May 2017 22:53:28
There were also several times when he received the ball high up the pitch with the opportunity create something yet did absolutely nothing. It's a regular feature of his game. Play often breaks down when he gets the ball. Let's face it, Clyne is an average at best. But hey, we got the win tonight and kept a clean sheet, so let's not get too down on anyone.

02 May 2017 07:55:36
It's either Clyne or can. If Clyne had of scored that goal tonight then can would probably be getting dogs per usual. But the brown tongues will be out in force. Important win and I think we are mad if we let lucas go.

02 May 2017 08:19:45
Clyne is poor, end of. However, we won so the slating of players should no longer be the order of the day.

02 May 2017 09:10:57
Pretty sure it was Clyne who got in the way of lovren trying to make a clearance that lead to a Watford chance. He was out of position several times and every time he got forward and received the ball he cuts inside into someone else's space instead of using his pace and exploiting the obvious space down the outside because he knows he cannot cross. He has a great injury record and a great engine other than that he's just not very good unfortunately.

02 May 2017 11:04:10
One mistake okay? Where's the people slating Lucas for diving? No where! Where's people slating Milner for slowing down the attack too? Nowhere! It's not just clyne that's at fault! Clearly communication between clyne and lovren in that instance was non existent so therefore lovren can be a fault for not telling clyne to move etc. but no just clyne gets the abuse because you all want him gone.

02 May 2017 13:58:51
Completely different issue mate. Sounds like you're just going out of your way to find flaws in the performance.

02 May 2017 14:58:36
Milner is not a fullback so while he does the same things badly as Clyne it's more forgivable because this is his first season playing the position. People have been slating Lucas for diving it was terrible we all know that. It may have been miss communication in the lovren incident but Clyne was in the way. I'm not having a go at his attitude because he tries every game and works his socks off. But he offers nothing to the side going forward despite getting the ball lots in dangerous positions. He never takes his man on and he never goes down the wing and whips one in. Cuts inside every time and squashes down the space for our attackers. For someone with that much pace it's crazy.

01 May 2017 22:02:58
That win was as ugly as they come, great performance from Mignolet in the decisive periods of the game. It must be said that the standard of refereeing was poor tonight which to varying degrees affected both teams, both the linesmen and the referee.

My stream cut out just before Can scored that goal, haven't seen it yet but it sounds good. I think the defensive work was simply effective tonight, Lovren put in a solid performance despite the mild social media outrage reaction to his renewal. If only Sturridge had scored that goal it would have been the icing on a stale fruitcake.

Come on the Reds!

01 May 2017 22:58:43
Dunno whether to agree or disagree there. I don't think it was ugly at all. We took a lead and then defended really well. In this league there's always a chance a team could come back into it for a spell. Would agree with your thoughts re Sturridge and stale cake icing quote tho. Funny.

02 May 2017 00:14:37
to be honest, I would start Sturridge in the next game, we are at home, Origi has gone off the boil, so its well worth a shot .

02 May 2017 08:20:20
It was not an ugly win at all. We had 60% possession, 8 shots on target, hit the post and won most of the duels. We should have scored at least 3 goals, we were that dominant. However, we almost got punished at the end there so the game is made of fine margins if you don't take your chances. A very solid and professional win away from home, is what I would call it.

01 May 2017 21:55:59
What a game! Massive 3 points for us! Emre Can what a goal and what a game he had on top of that game. Definitely my motm tonight! Top 4 is ours to lose now! Keep working hard for the reaming games and do us fans proud and bring home a top 4 finish! YNWA.

01 May 2017 20:58:10
Am I dreaming? Did Can really just score that goal?

01 May 2017 22:00:25
Goal of the season from big Emre? Wow just wow!
Great 3 pts tonight against a rough and rugged Watford.
Hope Coutinho's injury not too bad.
Well done lads
YNWA.

01 May 2017 20:45:58
Well well well, a few disgruntled on here yesterday bemoaning Rashfords dive. Lucas just didn't his very own Tom Daley impression.

01 May 2017 20:49:43
No excuse for it stand united. Think they should copy Scotland with a ban for anyone found diving.

01 May 2017 20:53:51
How many times has Lucas been accused of such tactic? Rashford? For me the only way it stops is if retrospective 3 game ban for those that our found guilty of diving, goes for all players.

01 May 2017 20:56:53
Totally agree only way its going to stop it.

01 May 2017 21:08:27
Agreed mate. 3 game ban for diving, can't stand it.

01 May 2017 21:10:16
Difference is though rashford got away with it.

01 May 2017 21:21:13
Except Rashford finished it off with the customary feigning an injury.

01 May 2017 21:24:31
Lavers so diving fine as long as you get a yellow? Makes it any less cheating does it?

01 May 2017 21:31:04
No, diving should be a straight red card in my eyes to try and stamp it out.

The only problem is that some players have it down to a fine art and get away with it (I don't mead either)

01 May 2017 22:00:05
i agree with retrospective ban. put a bit of twist on it as well, get the ref to ask him if he dived or if that was a pen. atleast the player will either get the pen and 3 game ban after if he lied, and booking if he admits to diving.

01 May 2017 22:16:20
Think that's a cracking suggestion Kaiser, if the player admits it then no action to be taken, ref doesn't then give a penalty away, would help keep the game honest as no incentive to cheat, until any incentive or reward for cheating is removed then unfortunately it will continue.

02 May 2017 08:00:19
Rashford will dive through out his career as he is a striker. That's the very first time Lucas has dived in 10 years!

01 May 2017 19:22:14
Heading downtown to the Butcher and Bullock to watch the game with the Vancouver LFC Supporter's Club. It's midday KO here. Everything crossed for the win! Hoping it's a cricket score for us to send a message to those on our heels.

{Ed002's Note - You should skip the game and head down to Bussard and get yourself some rock n' roll history.}

01 May 2017 19:55:42
I live here now ed so plenty time for culture in the close season! Thanks for the tip!

{Ed002's Note - Really nice town - head to Neptoon Records if you like popular music. Bussard has some neat 60s history.}

01 May 2017 21:13:36
Thanks again ed. Will check them out. Have to admit the city is a slight upgrade on Manchester ;) Hope you've had a good bank hol.

{Ed002's Note - It is a cool town and one I like man. Not been there for 4 or 5 years but will take the first opportunity that comes up. I was born a couple of hundred miles south in Bellevue, WA.}

01 May 2017 23:08:45
Look me up when if you ever head back mate. I'll be glad to give you all the IDK archaeology info 🏰.

{Ed002's Note - I left the PNW in 61 or 62 - since thenm I was in the Bay Area until 1981 so ies are few and far between. Really appreciate it and thanks anyway.}

01 May 2017 23:29:15
I have always wondered if there was a Pub for the game sin Vancouver, i actually live in Whistler!

{Ed002's Note - God, I loved his mother.}

01 May 2017 18:00:28
I know he's very young ....

{Ed002's Note - You are on the wrong page, this is the Liverpool page.}

01 May 2017 20:28:07
My bad Ed, just thought as a talented young left winger we might have had a little look at him.

{Ed002's Note - Try the Eurpoean pages DEn - if we answered questions about all of the young men that Liverpool fans find hot (in one way or another) then we would here forever.}

01 May 2017 15:37:23
Hey Ed001,

If you're about. Lallana and Sturridge on the bench tonight?

{Ed001's Note - fingers crossed but they should both be back yes.}

01 May 2017 15:44:57
Hopefully we are in a position to give them a run out at some point in the game, with us wining and in control of the game!

01 May 2017 15:56:46
Hope so, Nicky.

01 May 2017 17:50:11
Lallana could start I reckon. It'll be one of those late fitness test thingy-m-bobs.

01 May 2017 13:46:45
Afternoon Eds/ Reds

Just wondered what the general consensus on starting Sturridge over Origi tonight would be?

Personally I think Sturridge has looked decent in the brief cameos he's had recently and Origi has been notably quiet, offering next to nothing. He seems to always have a big impact off the bench though unlike others so feel this could be our best bet.

01 May 2017 13:54:13
Sturridge can only play as one of a 2 and I'm pretty sure origi is much better with a partner. Not sure why Klopp hasn't worked this out yet to be honest.

01 May 2017 14:34:53
if he was fit enough I'd agree with you but right now he's not. Hopefully he gets some time this evening and a couple of starts before the end of the season.

01 May 2017 15:08:59
I would think Klopp would go with Firmino uptop Lallana on the wing .

01 May 2017 15:23:23
Firmino up top and Lallana to play RW. We all know Klopp.

01 May 2017 15:59:50
Studge is not fit enough to start neither is Lallana so the first 11 from last time will start today.

01 May 2017 17:11:33
so 12 12, with your thinking that klopp ain't worked it out and studge and origi should start upfront with full team which two of firminio, coutinho and mane do you drop to make way.

01 May 2017 18:06:49
Bruffo

Sturridge doesn't impress Klopp nor he works enough for the way he wants his players in his set up for games. He downs the press enough or run enough for all Firmino does week in week out. Klopp would excuse if his strikers doesn't score all deals. But no excuse if he doesn't run all game. There is absolutely no comparison over quality. Sturridge is a the purest form of what you will ever call a striker. He is no weakness absolutely no weaknes.

01 May 2017 20:11:13
Sturridges weakness is his fitness Harry, or ability to be able to stay so.

01 May 2017 10:23:38
Dream summer:

In
Brandt, Keita, Gibson, pereira, sessegnon (who's loaned back to Fulham)

If you tally up who we'd expect to leave imagine would leave a fairly balanced summer spend and would improve he whole squad!

01 May 2017 10:37:07
Seesegnon is ready, no need to loan him back, he'll be replacing Milner.

01 May 2017 10:50:15
Loaning RS back may be a caveat to getting a deal done.

01 May 2017 10:51:31
Why is Gibson a dream signing? Just curious not being funny, a dream for me would be Marquinhos.

01 May 2017 11:02:29
You have strange dreams because it seems you dream about signing all the players we're most linked with. If I was to suggest a dream summer it would be: de gea, alderweield, alaba, alonso at his peak (still a dream), Douglas costa and dybala. That's a dream summer. Yours is pretty much what we kind of expect to happen because they are the targets.

01 May 2017 11:07:57
My youngest son supports Fulham (I don't know where I went wrong and need to be reported to Childlike for allowing that), and he said that Sessegnon is the type of player who has a football brain and will pass to someone in a better position rather than blindly shoot at goal. He said he also has other great attributes.

This tells me that he is ready now and will come on strongly once he adapts. There are plenty of older players who don't have a football brain and never will have one, and it's usually the ones with a brain that turn out to be one of the greats.

{Ed002's Note - He will have to attend school until he is 18 and he is limited how many hours a week he can train. Add to that he is settled at Fulham and there are still two people at Fulham who don't want to do business with Liverpool, it will be a mistake to take him this summer. At best a deal and loan back would make sense.}

01 May 2017 11:16:01
I agree with lone ranger Roland - my dream too is getting all the business Klopp wants without any hitches. If I were truly allowed to dream, I might switch Gibson with Jose Gimenez, but any stable CB will be fine really.
Might add Dembele, if he were willing to be a reserve, but sadly that ain't happening. If Ings does not get into rhytm fast and Sturridge leaves there will be room for a rotation striker.

01 May 2017 11:43:32
Think all your dreams are forgetting a sheik buying lfc because we couldn't afford the players listed!

01 May 2017 12:05:17
Roland-dinho, so we could not afford Mane at £34m, Benteke, Markovic, Lovren, Suarez, Carroll, Wijnaldum etc etc etc?

LFC will go spend money again in the summer. That is for sure and if Klopp wants to go sign Brandt etc then the money will be made available.

Having someone who has oil fields makes no difference. He will have to loan money to LFC just like FSG are doing now.

01 May 2017 12:53:14
He wouldn't be my 'dream' signing, but I quite the idea of signing Gordon. Not only a decent defender but also has good leadership qualities that could benefit the team.

01 May 2017 14:57:48
Gordon? He is an angry chef / hotel critic with injury problems.

I agree he has great leadership qualities. He runs his kitchens superbly. Just not sure he has anything left in the tank in terms of a football career.

01 May 2017 17:28:08
Unless a very short term solution is found whilst I understand sign/ loan back may be best way to get the deal I don't see the point. LFC need a specialist left back now, if one has to be bought until Sessegnon is available then that one should be the main option, otherwise spending extra for a cover.

01 May 2017 18:57:11
Sorry if I'm missing something, why does he still have to go to school until he's 18? Do clubs impose higher education on the youth lads? Good idea if so assuming a percentage of the lads probably won't go on to play professionally.

{Ed002's Note - They are children in the eyes of the game and are required to go to school until the are 18.}

01 May 2017 06:38:01
Tonights team talk should be one of the easiest to do. With every result this weekend pretty much going our way, the players know what they need to do. I think it will also show what players have the passion and the fight and who doesnt. We need a win simple as that. Come on lads.

01 May 2017 10:41:09
Results gone our way. They've gone the way I hoped but could have been a little better if there had been no cheating. At the moment the points are 66-66-65. If there had been honest penalty decisions over the past ten days that could be 69-65-64! With the amount of money involved and technology available these days you would think that there could be time-outs during a match and retrospective punishments afterwards. I know that there a lots of cheats about but football doesn't need them. The problem isn't helped at all with a lot of blinkered managers who are selective when there are controversial events during a match. There is not one manager who would say that he is suspending a player because he cheated. Things will eventually change but it's taking a long time.

{Ed025's Note - it will be a cold day in hell when a manager suspends a player for diving papetwee...seeing as they are taught to dive on the training pitch mate..

01 May 2017 11:18:48
I'd just play the champions league music in the dressing room every team talk at half time. now till the end of the season.

Nothing else needs to said.

01 May 2017 12:06:24
I know what you're saying, Ed025, but there will come a time when this is stopped. We just need some real people in authority who realise that a lot of changes are necessary to rid the sport of all this cheating etc. The likes of the Chinese manager need to be controlled.

{Ed025's Note - in an ideal world you would be right papetwee but the pressure to win on managers is so great that they will stop at nothing, its win at all costs im afraid which is a sad state of affairs but a fact of life i suppose mate..

01 May 2017 16:14:06
A manager will NEVER suspend a player for diving especially if it led to him getting the win. it is up to the FA to stamp this out by retrospective bans. it is also true that players are learning a new way of diving by diving and kicking their legs out to draw contact from the opposing player. Vardy was notorious for that and Hazard before him. Now, It is back. If the FA don't do anything about this then, we are better off just getting used to it.

01 May 2017 16:31:59
papetwee and Ed025 I still think if players are being banned for it, especially with a scale the same as bookings so you pick up extra games for each instance, managers might finally twig it isn't helping them, until then don't see any managers in the press slating the player after a dive, that has been caught on camera and called by the media.