Liverpool Banter Archive August 02 2017

02 Aug 2017 23:08:08
RNred, you asked a question earlier. Lovren and Matip started 18 league games together last season, in those games we conceded just 13 goals (0.72 per game) . In the other 20 games we conceded 29 goals (1.45 per game) .

It suggests that, if Lovren and Matip can stay fit, they're a good enough partnership for a title challenging side.

{Ed025's Note - really???..

02 Aug 2017 23:23:35
Maybe ed25 could put the stats up for Evertons Central defensive partnerships 😉😉.

{Ed025's Note - i dont do stats irish...i say what i see mate..

03 Aug 2017 00:15:47
After the last 3 seasons watching Lovren and you've come to the conclusion that we could win the title with him starting is just baffling. Mediocre at best, rash, constant errors and just not a good defender. Gomez is substantially better and he's coming back from a cruciate injury.

03 Aug 2017 00:30:10
Well said Sakho, he may have the occasional good game but in general nothing about him breeds confidence and if he is one of our first choice CBs then we're in trouble.

03 Aug 2017 04:14:00
Lovren seems to work best when he has a CB next to him who is an organiser. Leaves him free to smash forwards. Which might explain why he worked so well with Fonte but not with skrtel or Sakho.
Defence is very much a team effort.

02 Aug 2017 23:52:29
That's what all people who can't count say Ed025 :)

{Ed025's Note - its what people who cant be arsed counting say burkey..

03 Aug 2017 00:25:29
You should go on "Catchphrase" ed025.

03 Aug 2017 07:17:01
Ed025, you would be awesome on catchphrase 😉.

03 Aug 2017 03:07:30
Ed25, whether Lovren and Matip are good enough is up for debate, I've posted before that I'd like Lovren replaced, but the stats do suggest what I said it did. Are you not a little surprised to see how good the stats are when the two play together?

{Ed025's Note - it did surprise me putney, but as we all know stats can be misleading mate..

03 Aug 2017 07:16:35
Bit harsh I think, he's not that bad. We should definitely be trying to sign someone better, but I have no issues with Lovren being in and around the squad. He's come on a lot since Klopps come in and I think his first year has tainted a lot of people's views on here.

03 Aug 2017 07:23:03
They both have their faults but both would walk into Everton's starting 11. That's why I don't understand our fans berating of them and this furore surrounding Everton at the moment. We are talking about signing world class talent because that's the only way to improve what we already have. They are signing average players hoping to improve them. We are worlds apart in both our quality and our ambitions.

03 Aug 2017 07:31:53
The man was asked to provide stats, he did exactly that.
His statement about a title challenge is true if similar results can be achieved, that is all.
Thanks for the info Putney, appreciated and found it very interesting. Also pleasantly surprised as to how well both did together (stats wise)

03 Aug 2017 08:05:30
Lovren is a good defender. He certainly proved that elsewhere and here at times. You have to remember the system we play leaves the defence exposed to the one thing they dread. space.
Gomez is completely unproven and has had limited and shaky performances at centre half. He's young and has great potential which he hope he is allowed to fulfil, but his performance last night for example is exactly how some perceive Lovren.
I agree that Lovren/ Matip is our best partnership but they can't play every game so hopefully Gomez gets game time. If we get VVD then I'd prefer to see him get some experience on loan. Then it's up to the lad to make the loan work.

03 Aug 2017 08:43:53
Not many seem to rate Lovren on here, I don't think Matip is better but people rave about him. Not a physical enough presence, looks weak and doesn't command the defence like the great centre halves do. We not only need a very good defender but we need a leader in there, an organiser which at present we don't. I like VVD and Lovren could be a good pairing.

03 Aug 2017 09:16:59
I didn't think Gomez was too bad last night save that awful pass in the first couple of minutes. Seems to me that he started a bit shaky and people are using that as a stick to beat him with. I thought he actually had a good game and switched positions well when asked to go to right back. They had one chance in the whole game which they very luckily scored from. The move that led to the goal was down to Milner and Klavan sleeping nothing to do with Gomez.

02 Aug 2017 22:34:44
We will play one of FCSB (Steaua Bucharest), Young Boys, Nice, Hoffenheim or Istanbul Basaksehir.

02 Aug 2017 23:08:49
Probably prefer to avoid a trip to turkey, hodge grim weren't bad last year, take any of the other 3.

02 Aug 2017 23:21:16
Hoffenheim bitte.

{Ed025's Note - why are you asking me?.. :)

03 Aug 2017 01:57:39
Nice? Ballo.

03 Aug 2017 00:27:35
😄

Fair play ed025.

03 Aug 2017 07:14:07
As long as it isn't Nice or Hoffenheim I don't mind.

03 Aug 2017 07:19:52
I would say young boys would probably be the best draw.

03 Aug 2017 09:36:20
Who cares. We're better than all of those teams and I would expect us to beat any one of them. If we don't win we'll be an absolute laughing stock.

02 Aug 2017 21:23:18
Eds I have a question I have always meant to ask you but never got around to, so was hoping you could.

A few seasons back we almost signed Yevin Konoplyanka but in the 11th hr the chairman blocked the deal. At that point he only had one year to run on his deal. However the following season when he became a free agent we showed absolutely no interest.

I could never understand this at the time he had ability and was still young. woukd have been a good addition to that squad in particular. Do you know why we never tried to sign him for free?

{Ed001's Note - we no longer had any interest in him.}

03 Aug 2017 01:46:57
We dodged a bullet there in my opinion. He seems to have a history of having "complicated relationships" with his clubs.

02 Aug 2017 21:34:47
Jordan looked liked the only one who wouldn't score. his silly little shuffle showed indecision and the shot was poor. Not a big deal but even the wife called it!

02 Aug 2017 22:26:01
Kent impressed me, he's done well in preseason. Good composure and fantastic strike for his penalty too.

02 Aug 2017 20:45:15
What a differance a day makes.

02 Aug 2017 20:53:18
24 little hours.

02 Aug 2017 21:04:26
So what have we learned from last season, same old same old. Go a goal down, then struggle to break them down.

02 Aug 2017 21:37:23
Origi doesn't cut it for me he needs proper game time and a loan out! Young lads did well Kent Is coolness on the field looks good! Ward done well too! Vvd and a striker if u ask me what we need!

02 Aug 2017 21:45:28
Jerk knee . rearrange as appropriate, it's preseason mate and the 2nd game in 24 hours.

02 Aug 2017 21:52:24
It was our second team effectively. But shows our limited squad depth. That's what we will have to watch every week if coutinho goes haha. No creativity just can and wij passing side to side haha.

02 Aug 2017 21:57:05
And that people are still knee-jerkers with a maximum memory capacity of 90 minutes.

02 Aug 2017 21:57:22
Grow up with the negativity. Atletico are a very good defensive team, well drilled plus we didn't have our creative players in together. It's a friendly!

02 Aug 2017 21:47:19
So what have we learnt. Same old same old boring comments from boring low life's who only love to critisize. Bore off. Sorry Eds, probably youngsters who are clueless to understand friendlies are purely to get fit.

02 Aug 2017 22:00:11
Lost the game in the first half, a lot of the players didn't gel, like milner and woodburn, or flanagan and mane, or gomez and klaven, passing and tempo was poor, 2nd game in two days meant we couldn't play our first eleven, and then 2nd half, I thought that we upped our game, and with a bit of luck, we could have just got the win, just a small point, I don't get the way some goalies have their arms high up when facing a Penalty .

02 Aug 2017 22:08:58
1st half Athletico Sat back nice and deep knowing we struggle to break down sides like that. 2nd half Klopp brought an injection of pace and high intensity which Madrid struggled more to deal with. It his the youngsters can do a role and effectively. Some silly touches and wrong decisions but that's how you learn. Overall I'm happy with our pre season.

Baz.

02 Aug 2017 23:45:10
wow some people really don't like Dinah Washington I didn't think it was that bad a song :)

02 Aug 2017 23:45:10
wow some people really don't like Dinah Washington I didn't think it was that bad a song :)

03 Aug 2017 07:12:47
Our second team just drew with a vastly experienced Athletico Madrid team. Am I the only one that's ok with that?

03 Aug 2017 07:13:10
Bearing in mind we started the game without any of our first choice back 4, Solanke instead of Firmino or Sturridge, Woodburn instead of Salah and no Coutinho, we were missing a few of the usual suspects who unlock tight defences and so I thought we did alright. Goal was unfortunate and CBs switched off for the run into the box and also rebound, but aside from that we looked the better side.

Second half we looked more dangerous side again, but still had a lot of youngsters on so don't read too much into the result and struggle to score against a side like Atletico.

Main takeaways for me were:
1) we rely on Coutinho, Mane, Salah to break down tough defences as they have the pace and unpredictability others (eg Lallana, Gini) lack. we need to keep Coutinho and can't afford to sell him

2) our second string back 4 is a bit lacking, at CB in particular but Flanagan and Milner also didn't cover themselves in glory tonight

3) Solanke and Origi are good players but still quite green and Firmino and Sturridge are clear front runners for striker

4) Hendo and Can looks our best starting setup at the base of a 4-2-3-1.not sure anyone else convinces there (eg Gini looks better further forward to me)

5) Grujic continues to impress me in how he pops up in dangerous positions all the time - somehow we look dangerous when he's in midfield making late runs into the box

6) defence is still priority

02 Aug 2017 20:33:56
It's easy to see we have 13/ 14 excellent players unfortunately the second 13/ 14 are good but not enough to take the team into challenging or a good run in the champions league
2 central midfielders and VVD are a must
TTA looks twice the player Gomez is.

02 Aug 2017 20:51:06
I rate Gomez quite highly to be honest I think he is going to grow to be a solid defensive player also TAA is a natural fullback Gomez is a CB filling in at RB.

02 Aug 2017 22:03:07
2 central midfielders? What you on about? I wouldn't even say we need one, Keita was only going to be a luxury but imo were still very well stocked, can, gini, hendo, coutinho (if he stays and drops back) lallana, grujic. Adding another 2 would be stupid unless 2 leave and I wouldn't want any 2 of the lot to leave.

02 Aug 2017 19:43:07
Itv 4 coverage. how much does Matthew Upson sound like Gareth Southgate!?

Are they related? 😂.

02 Aug 2017 20:16:28
They sound exactly the same lol.

02 Aug 2017 20:36:45
I hear Norman Lovett - aka. Holly from Red Dwarf - when he speaks.

02 Aug 2017 20:38:20
I started watching late til I just read that I thought it was Southgate didn't even think to question why he would be commentating :)

02 Aug 2017 22:39:27
Ditto. So boring.

02 Aug 2017 19:00:28
I know it's pre season but does anyone else feel it's a big game for lallana.

02 Aug 2017 20:22:40
Not at all Lallana was superb last season, we need a strong squad not to weaken it.

02 Aug 2017 18:25:36
Eds any idea what's going on with Robertson. 2 games in 2 days and he's been on the bench for both. Milner starting at Lb tonight. Surely the lad needs game time for his new team or have we spent 8 mill on a third choice left back.

{Ed002's Note - I donn't pick the team.}

02 Aug 2017 18:37:10
Cheers for the reply.

02 Aug 2017 18:39:25
😄 you are very patient ed002.

02 Aug 2017 19:17:50
Ron 😴.

02 Aug 2017 19:20:47
Ask a stupid question.

02 Aug 2017 19:54:44
Cheers for your input Irishscouse.

02 Aug 2017 21:52:31
Tonight's team showed we are weak without certain players, lallana I question his ability, klavan man of match omg I so do not rate him, slow vulnerable, Lovren slightly better. lfc have had all summer to get players in and wasted time not getting them in. hector Herrera, kovacevic, mammana, how many Liverpool players would get into the top 4 teams .

03 Aug 2017 06:37:24
Sound, so about right for our transfer activity. Said that Milner is first choice from day one.

02 Aug 2017 17:36:51
So the Keita drama is finally over, we wait and see what happens with VVD. So EDS, do you know of any intrest in other plays from liverpool at the moment? Thanks in advance.

{Ed002's Note - Read the posts please.}

02 Aug 2017 17:23:20
Ed002. realistically speaking is our window finished? Or is that an impossible thing to say? What's your opinion if you don't mind me asking.

{Ed002's Note - No the window is open another month.}

02 Aug 2017 17:12:56
I heard at the weekend a theory that should Neymar go to PSG and we lose Phil that as the dominos start to fall we will look at Lanzini from West Ham . does this sound like a realistic option.? Don't know much about him as a replacement.

{Ed002's Note - I am not aware of Liverpool making any approach for Lanzini.}

02 Aug 2017 18:22:02
Good lord, transfer dominoes now.
Whatever next?

02 Aug 2017 18:34:44
How about Transfer Risk - that about sums it all
up!

02 Aug 2017 18:40:39
Transfer top Trumps 👍.

02 Aug 2017 14:01:27
Question for Ed002 regarding a release clause (the one where a club can match the figure, not where the player can buy himself out of the contract)

basically Ed regarding the payment structure of a deal like Neymars, does that figure have to be 100% up front in order to trigger a release clause, or would the terms and structure of payment be pre-agreed as part of the release clause, or are they up for negotiation?

Cheers Ed.

{Ed002's Note - No, and I have explained over and over about the different tpes of clauses.}

02 Aug 2017 15:04:43
If coutinho does go to Barcelona who knows? I think Koop will drop firmino into his position and sign a striker, PEA perhaps?

02 Aug 2017 15:27:09
I think your right we will just have to adapt without him like we did after Suarez left us. I wouldn't mind seeing Firmino drop deeper and play behind a striker maybe Sturridge but I don't think he can be trusted to stay fit. Anyone got any strikers in mind that are realistically obtainable? My choice would probably be Belotti.

02 Aug 2017 15:33:10
I'd take Kovacic as a replacement. Of course would have been ideal but KOvacic is a quality player with a good passing range and gets stuck in when needed. Also capable of bursting forward and scoring long range goals. Perfect midfield partner for Hendo/ Can.

02 Aug 2017 15:43:33
Afternoon Harry.

02 Aug 2017 15:53:04
Luan is my choice!

02 Aug 2017 16:10:31
Barca is looking for a left forward and they see coutinho as a iniesta replacement. They are looking for dembele mbappe as neymar replacement.

02 Aug 2017 16:30:50
Surely not the Dembele from Celtic. He's good, but he's not Barcelona good.

02 Aug 2017 17:38:26
I think he means the chap at Dortmund.

02 Aug 2017 18:22:12
Kovacic could be in Xab1 Alonso mould than Coutino.

He would be great addition for sure.

Cheers.

02 Aug 2017 18:35:45
They have very publicly stated he is not for sale at any price.

02 Aug 2017 19:25:10
Isco for me.

02 Aug 2017 14:28:58
ed001 -

with 10 days to go with the season what are your main worries with the squad and our preparation?

also what are you pleased with or has anything surprised you positively with the pre season?

{Ed001's Note - what worries? It is not for me to worry about that, there are far more important things to worry about. That is why we employ Klopp, so I can just enjoy the games without worrying.

I don't really care about preseason to be honest, it is irrelevant, all I want is to see us win when it matters.}

02 Aug 2017 16:07:36
Ed1 was you impressed with Moreno last night mate? One thing you can never question his attitude.

{Ed001's Note - I have not seen the game mate.}

02 Aug 2017 18:43:11
Wasn't maxlfc the stat-man.

02 Aug 2017 13:59:54
How did we not see this happening? It's so obvious now when you think about it.
Neymar on a private jet to London. It's clear that we have decided a straight swap with couts and Neymar going on opposite directions.
You heard it here first.

02 Aug 2017 15:27:42
think you have your wires crossed .

02 Aug 2017 13:32:33
Brilliant watching us back in action. Can see a few new names getting added to our squad in terms of youth at last! Ryan Kent looked excellent his loan moves have helped shaped him, TAA looked fantastic, not sure if quite an upgrade on clyne yet but I'd like to see him play a lot more. As for Grujjic. why is this lad not week in week out. In my opinion, a midfield of Gruj, Wij and couts could be very exciting! Ed001. what lads do you think will make a stamp this year? I still think Woodburn needs a loan away, still looks very timid.

{Ed001's Note - Grujic is the obvious one as he has to play a lot of games for his work permit.}

02 Aug 2017 14:52:54
Grujic should, imo, be ahead of Can in the pecking order. For numerous reasons.

02 Aug 2017 15:16:17
Why don't you rate Can? I'inconsistency yes, but so does phill. When he's running with the ball for a lad who's a fair lump he's fairly agile and is hard to knock off the ball. Il get stuck I know but I see Hendo as the weak link.

02 Aug 2017 15:28:28
I like the look of Grujic going forward but he doesn't seem very good when the opposition have to ball. I might be doing the lad a disservice here but that's my observation on the limited times I've seen him. He always seems to be out of position, he seems to lack the desire to get the ball back and the opposition drift past him far too easily which leads to him he making silly tackles when the balls not there to be won. Hopefully I'm wrong and have just noticed something which isn't necessarily a fair reflection of his ability?

02 Aug 2017 18:38:43
Agree with red butcher. can't see what everyone see in him. His stats show best passing rate but no gets within 10yrds because he has passed the ball by then.

02 Aug 2017 13:01:00
Not related to Liverpool too directly and I'd never usually enjoy someone's failure to succeed but how I'd laugh if come next May Monaco win Ligue 1 again and PSG don't progress far in the Champions league. Been worried about Football for many years now with the way it's going financially but Neymar going to PSG has taken things to new levels with regards to the reported fee involved. How are clubs supposed to match that with the exception of one or two? Only answer is to work harder to develop your own youth prospects which I'd prefer anyway. Love seeing locals come through.

02 Aug 2017 13:08:07
Money doesn't ruin football, nothing does. As a fan it doesn't matter to me at all. yea if they changed rules like they did in cricket and make it stupid then i'd be worried.
they will still loose football matches to some team next season on any day can still beat PSG - that is the beauty of football.

02 Aug 2017 13:29:25
akshit

Football is going through an economic bubble, and whenever these bubbles burst it leads to damage. In a connected economy a huge number of people lose out even though they may not be connected to football in a direct sense. Obviously the bursting of football's bubble will be no where near as impactful as the failure of the financial markets in 2008, but it will impact those associated with the sport, media, coaching, logistics, merchandise and so on.

From a fan's perspective, the problem with having huge amounts of money involved is that commercial gains can take precedence over quality and authenticity, and as a natural progression the regulatory bodies start tempering with rules of the game and formats to create commercial opportunities and as a result ruin the purity. Think about your own cricket example and also consider Formula 1. With potentially huge global commercial incomes, suddenly the 55k ticket holders and a few million British viewers won't matter so much and won't be able to safeguard the game they have cherished for generations.

02 Aug 2017 13:41:40
Football has been in an "economic bubble" for 20 years now. I see no change in the next 20 years.

02 Aug 2017 14:15:25
As long as the game itself doesn't change I couldn't really care less what happens off the pitch, financially or otherwise. I like a competitive league and money has started to make that more of a reality in the Premier League anyway. That aside, I watch football for the actual sport, not the politics. It just so happens that I found Liverpool to be my team at a young age and that's where my allegiances lie. Otherwise, I watch it for the skill, excitement etc. I don't care about Usain Bolt's sponsorships etc, I watch for the thrill of the race. I think a lot of people could take a step back and realise that even if we don't win anything, even if we can't compete with the very biggest spenders, we can never be accused of being boring or unentertaining. As long as that stays the case, I'm happy enough.

02 Aug 2017 14:35:38
Olirish. I agree with most of what you said but I do enjoy other teams failure and hope for it. What's wrong with that.

02 Aug 2017 15:06:30
Irish rover, there are no straight lines in this world, only circles! Economic fluctuations will always be there.

02 Aug 2017 15:07:51
Fair points from all. I am always going to be a fan of LFC even if we go down the leagues, due to numerous reasons including the lure, attraction and mystical stadium that we have, the true fans we have. The entertainment and competitiveness is a huge bonus obviously. I don't usually revel in other's failure too much (maybe just to some Man Utd mates now and again) because I know and remember all too well how it feels when we fail and because I feel it's better to concentrate on your own self, not on other's successes/ failures, which is a waste of time and energy for me when I could be just spending my energy on supporting my own.

02 Aug 2017 12:33:31
I still think all the effort to buy Keita was partly an insurance if Coutinho was to leave. It just seems to be a lot of money to fork out on someone who wouldn't be a pivotal part of the team. I'm not saying he WILL leave but I think Klopp was trying to cover all bases. Having said that if Neymar leaves and the dominoes start to fall, it could see a larger bid for Coutinho. The question is do we need a replacement for him in his position? Is there anyone available who would consider Liverpool? Would this trigger a formal move for VVD? The reality is our first game is next weekend. I'm sure the next couple of weeks are going to be very exciting ones!

02 Aug 2017 12:17:00
Great performance last night but let's not get carried away it's pre season . Sturridge despite being a world beater when fit has proven again before the season has even started he can't be relied upon. He says it's fatigue. It's not it's another muscle injury.
It will be 3- 6 weeks out for him again! Gutted for him but we can't indulge him anymore.

Comments on Sanchez amuse me, did anyone not see how many times he gave the ball away? Not an improvement on our players in that position. TAA was very impressive and would be fantastic if he can step up to a new level this season, especially with other clubs spending so much on full backs. Solanke may get more game time now studge will be back on the treatment table.

Let's hope we can get VVD over the line, then we will be ready.

02 Aug 2017 12:37:29
Why just disregard anything Klopp and Sturridge has said because it suites the Sturridge hate brigade. He said he was fine after the game, and that it was fatigue. The players have intense training sessions in the morning before these games, they are probably already tired before getting on. I would rather take his word for him being ok and go into the season positive that we have a player who could potentially score 20 goals for us. Something we've been missing since 13/ 14. All he needs is one chance, and proved his class with that brilliant chip.

02 Aug 2017 12:47:17
Sturridge hate brigade? Rubbish! I would love him fit and firing but 46 prem starts in 3 seasons isn't good e Pugh. End of.

02 Aug 2017 13:27:43
Are you Sturridge's doctor Redroon?

02 Aug 2017 12:05:59
Ed what's your thoughts please on playing 2 games in 2 days? Most of our players seemed leggy after an hour or so last night and now they have to play again. I take it today will be there recovery day until playing tonight? Do you expect the players who started last night not to start tonight?

{Ed001's Note - this is normal practice in preseason, it is just to push the players to get fit.}

02 Aug 2017 12:52:45
Ali sparred for double the rounds of a boxing bout. Have to go beyond limits to make gains.

02 Aug 2017 12:34:30
I do it for running. Training plans often have long, back to back runs, 8-12 hours apart.
It teaches your body to work when it's tired.
It feels like hell though.

02 Aug 2017 13:08:32
I do it for eating.

02 Aug 2017 13:29:05
Tbh chaps its no different to us working 5 days on the spin really is it 🤔.

02 Aug 2017 11:44:29
Just a hunch but Sturridges words about the injury are more about his increased mental toughness than anything else. I suspect he has been learning on how to play through pain this summer and is as keen as anyone to stay on the field.

02 Aug 2017 11:36:36
So £198 for Neymar. Suppose I'll let coutinho go for £190 million now 😂
Barca should have bought before selling Neymar. They now have a situation where teams know they have money, like when bale went and soldado was bought for £30m🙈🙈.

02 Aug 2017 11:46:16
197.99 million please, and we give you his besti moreno has a hamper. people need their friends you know.

02 Aug 2017 10:59:13
We have depth in the attack, normally an injury to Daniel makes me sad, but today, i am like if he plays, he plays.
We have depth in the midfield, although we still don't have a like for like replacement for Coutinho
Only in the defense do i have issues, all across the defense CB and Full back. We need to strengthen there and hopefully we will before the end of the transfer window.

02 Aug 2017 11:06:21
It looks to me like woodburn is being schooled to take that position, ok not ready yet, but hopefully another year watching coutinho and he will be closer! Just my opinion.

02 Aug 2017 11:19:27
Haven't we been pretty solid at the back during pre-season? Maybe our defence has improved?

{Ed025's Note - a false dawn me thinks mate..

02 Aug 2017 11:42:18
I think we were a bit scrappy at times yesterday which felt oh so familiar. The eds can probably explain better but it just looks at times as though once or twice a game someone will completely switch off and get caught out of position and it all starts to unravel. I don't know if it's the constant personnel changes, or just the players themselves.

{Ed001's Note - it is normal in friendlies, difficult to concentrate with nothing at stake.}

02 Aug 2017 10:51:04
Ed002 has said many times that Barcelona see coutinho as an iniesta replacement not Neymar - don't worry guys - it's probably still the same likelihood as before regardless of Neymar!

02 Aug 2017 11:49:27
Nobody said Coutinho is Neymar's replacement. The worrying thing is Neymar's transfer means Barcelona will be able to throw more money at FSG to tempt them into letting Coutinho go.
I still remain confident he will stay though. Klopp would not lie through his teeth with the supporters over selling our best player especially after failing to sign

02 Aug 2017 10:28:43
Does anyone else think Ryan Kent can fill in the winger position if Salah or mane injured? The way he skinned that defender and put it on a plate for Marko was unbelievable I personally would have him before ojo.

02 Aug 2017 10:40:32
I am shocked he's never been given more of a chance, I've been impressed with him every time I've seen him play, always looks confident on the ball and looks to make things happen.

02 Aug 2017 10:44:32
I hope he gets some game time. Cup runs and the last 20 mins or so when teams are tired.

Woodburn played a nice pass into Sturridge as well last night.

02 Aug 2017 10:54:00
2 years ago when he was killing it in the academy he was seen as one of the biggest prospects at the club. He played in a 3 man attack with Wilson and Ojo.

For some reason he got chucked out on loan for a couple of seasons. He looks to have come back a better player than Ojo or Wilson though. He just looks so well balanced, makes great decisions, and can hit a pass or shot so crisp. I've personally been very impressed. He looked good in the Championship, but surrounded by better players, he looks even better.

{Ed001's Note - workrate issues were the problem MKS. He would fade out of games a lot because he would not work as hard as others.}

02 Aug 2017 10:56:35
If he doesn't get game time here he will move on and that will be a big mistake! The lads well worth the hype.

02 Aug 2017 11:05:36
Kent looks the business to me, if he ever gets a decent run of games he'll start skinning people for fun. His determination to beat his man and his skill set will eventually start to click imo, i just hope it's in a Liverpool shirt.

02 Aug 2017 11:15:37
Reminds me of a old school winger likes to get the byline and if it isn't possible coming in and having a pop I would personally rather him stay here than go on loan he could learn a lot from our two starters and progress him further than going back down to the championship.

02 Aug 2017 11:21:35
I'm sure Klopp sees his ability. 🤔
If he doesn't make it then there must be other issues as Ed suggested. He is a raw talent which hopefully Klopp can turn into a consistent top quality player.

02 Aug 2017 11:38:18
Thanks for the insight Ed001. I never understood why the club almost gave up on him. Work rate certainly hasn't been an issue this pre-season though.

Perhaps being surplus gave him a kick up the you know what.

{Ed001's Note - it certainly seems to have worked.}

02 Aug 2017 11:44:39
He's certainly got quick feet. Left the right back for dead yesterday and in one of the games in HK. I know only pre season but he's shown glimpses of ability at least.

02 Aug 2017 11:50:55
Kent is direct and exactly what we need from an impact sub (his most likely role next season) . Will run tired out defenders even more ragged and help kill games off. Good young player that Klopp should be able to develop into a valuable squad member.

02 Aug 2017 11:52:49
He seems perfect to bring on with 1/ 2 hour to go to run at tired full backs! 👍.

02 Aug 2017 12:18:36
Im a barnsley lad and all my mates are die hard barnsley fans. Season ticket holders etc. I asked them there thoughts on kent. The consensus was they liked him because he was a exciting flair player. They did also go on to say his decision making was rather poor and would go missing rather a lot in games. Also that he tried to do unnecessary tricks skills stepovers in stupid dangerous positions and gave the ball away in these positions which would lead to opponent attacks. Overall though positive about his spell and would have liked him again this season.

02 Aug 2017 10:05:43
Brace yourself Ed's if this deal goes through with Neymar prepare for a busy month regarding Couts!

02 Aug 2017 10:44:44
Be a busy month regardless. There's lots of deals to be done and lots of cash for clubs to spend still mate.

02 Aug 2017 11:30:02
I can't help but think that a domino affect will take place if Neymar is sold.
Will be gutted if couts leaves but we could command a huge fee as well as pick of the players that they are willing to let go. The huge fee could then finance the VVD transfer if that's still a possibility.
While couts is almost irreplaceable, we do have a embarrassment of riches in the attacking midfield area, although couts does have that magic which we would miss.
After all that though, I really hope he stays.

02 Aug 2017 11:52:41
No thanks Wires. don't want any of Barca's players (MSN aside) in any deal for Coutinho. He should stay at LFC at least for this season.

02 Aug 2017 09:48:28
I might get a lot of hate for this but it is just my opinion and view. I would honestly like the club to sign oxlade because he gives us a third player with real pace that can play out wide, would offer a different option from the bench to what we currently have and just think his versatility a long with he's work rate plays right into our hands. However if we were to sign him a striker would have to be sold imo, this is probably were I'll get most of the hate but I think origi could be sold or loaned if we sign ox because right now he needs to playing regularly in order to improve and I don't think he'll get that much game time next season, despite us having the increased number of matches. So for me I'd say ox in, origi out (loan preferably) .

02 Aug 2017 10:08:39
I get your point on Origi and personally i think if this season nothing happens for him or if solanke edges him out, next season Origi will definitely want to leave.
that said i donot see any requirement for Ox. if we loan origi now which albeit is stupid i'd like ings to get chance rather than get Ox.

02 Aug 2017 10:50:09
Ox and origi are 2 different players. You say a third player with pace but why would he replace a striker? If you were talking about bringing in a striker then fair enough you could expect Ings or Origi to be in danger. The ox is never going to get in our team in midfield and if you want another wide player then Ryan Kent is worth a gamble after the glimpses he showed last night. Looks physically strong and well worth a place in our squad. No need to waste millions for the sake of it.

02 Aug 2017 10:51:37
Yeah that's fair enough. Ings definitely deserves a chance . Tbh now I think about it, Kent could probably fill in on the wing (read from above) and do a decent job.

02 Aug 2017 11:44:43
Welsh red I don't really see origi playing as a striker that much this season. So therefore I feel he will be used in the wings and for me he doesn't do enough on the wing so would rather replace him and bring in ox/ keep Kent. Ings and origi are definitely capable of being 3rd choice striker if origi were to go. He's still young so I'll keep my patience with him for another year.

02 Aug 2017 09:34:53
News reports this morning are basically saying Neymar turned up to training, told the squad he is off and left. One of his agents, (one of how? many does he need? ), is supposedly in Paris. Now I appreciate Barcelona want Coutinho as his replacement but considering Neymar seems to have been the one in Coutinho's ear for so long does this make it less likely he would go there? The Neymar transfer seems to be a bit of a mess so could that closeness backfire on Barcelona and he tell PC to avoid? Is there a feel for whether the desire to play there or the connection to his Brazilian team mate is the stronger driver? Or am I just clutching at straws? (As an aside I've never really got the assumption that Portuguese soeaking/ influenced Brazilians automatically want to play for a Spanish club) .

02 Aug 2017 09:44:21
Have to admit i did think this aswell!

02 Aug 2017 09:45:35
By that argument he could be of interest to PSG also.

02 Aug 2017 09:58:45
Friends are important but Barcelona are still a huge club so it wouldn't change much. Also Couts was never seen as Neymar's replacement (frankly that would be a downgrade), he was being looked at for their midfield. I can see Barcelona switching their focus to Mbappe now which may impact their pursuit of Couts.

02 Aug 2017 10:06:21
I still can't believe Paris are willing to pay so much for Neymar. He is an excellent player, but also comes across like Justn Bieber with his attitude. He is not worth it.
And yes, I think if he leaves Barcelona then Couts will not be as committed to jumping ship, which is looking good since Neymar has pissed off most of his team mates.

02 Aug 2017 10:12:04
Barca will move for Sanchez the man Neymar replaced. Simple option better player than neymar. Just needs a i have never forgotten you phone call from messi.

02 Aug 2017 12:26:44
You are aware of why Sanchez left Barca. he won't be going back there.

02 Aug 2017 09:02:55
Am I the only one having second thoughts about moreno? He was great last night. Would be good wing back in 352. It was one game that turned a lot of us against him. The europa final. Then after that he must have felt the hate and it made him a bit wobbly. He wasn't that bad before then. Reminds me of a young risse. Good option if we need to get a goal desperately. Think we should keep him. He is a young lad, who will get better defencively. If anyone says he's rubbish then look at how he had muller (one of world's best) in his back pocket last night. Totally changed my opinion on him. Feels like a new signing!

02 Aug 2017 09:22:48
It's only one game and a pre season fixture at that so I wouldn't get too carried away. I agree with you he was fantastic last night and I hope he has somehow improved massively since last season? He's had good games before though. If he has somehow improved and Klopp sees enough in him to challenge Robertson for the left back spot it can only be a good thing. With the emergence on TAA and Gomez coming back from injury it can only be positive for our defence going into next season especially with the extra games we'll have playing in Europe.

02 Aug 2017 09:27:58
Can't make out if you're serious or not. Couple of things
First- most fans were against him prior to the Europa final due to his constant absconding of his defensive duties. Teams consistently target our left flank due to his poor positioning.
Second- not sure how at 25 he reminds you of a young Risse to me 25 should be pushing to enter your peak years.
Third- Good option if we need a goal, how? He's scored 3 in 72 games and his final ball is erratic so cam not be relied on for an assist.
Fourth- I'll say it he's rubbish, he might have good games occasionally but he is far too inconsistent to be considered good enough for us.

02 Aug 2017 09:25:21
Moreno has had more than enough time to show his worth and personally I don't think he's cut it. I disagree that the UL final was the only reason fans turned on him and I think he's been fairly inconsistent since he arrived. We can't keep holding onto players that might improve one day in the future.

02 Aug 2017 09:40:09
He can't defend though, admittedly neither can the first choice on the other side but Clyne doesn't constantly throw himself into potential red card challenges. Team has constantly suffered from being attacked down the flanks and 3 centre backs with non defending wing backs isn't really going to change that. Plus as others have said it wasn't just the final, in fact the previous rounds highlighted the weakness down that side. There is a reason a right footed midfielder played LB all last season and a reason why most fans had little issue with Milner being prefered to Moreno. Maybe he could become a good option as a back up left wing but anything nearer own goal raises alarm.

02 Aug 2017 10:20:15
But what if that last night is the new norm?

What is all these years of learning has now finally clicked and we have the lb we actually thought we were buying?

02 Aug 2017 11:11:44
Superred, I think you've got a classic case of match of the day fever.

Yes Moreno played well, I think you could have made a case for Man of the match actually if Mane wasn't so blooming terrific.

I think you need to calm down though, knee jerk reactions aren't good and players need to be more consistent. Moreno remains rash and I still don't think he is a very good defender.

02 Aug 2017 12:49:06
Noones saying we have a world class player and all our problems are over.

Just wow it's looks like where going in the right direction. He just showed enough for me to stay within the team tomorrow and Saturday, let's see how he does and if he does not wrong then we also should start him opening day.

02 Aug 2017 08:46:38
Cheers for reply Eds. Appreciate it.

{Ed001's Note - welcome Carl.}

02 Aug 2017 08:02:42
Now can we all agree that Klopp is not just decent but WORLD CLASS?

{Ed025's Note - for winning a friendly?...yeah ok..

02 Aug 2017 08:28:03
Hey, calm down with the victory parade already. Let's take it one win at a time.

02 Aug 2017 08:30:52
Last year we beat Barcelona by 4.

02 Aug 2017 08:59:58
Chill out Tegar, it was a friendly. Doesn't mean a thing, Watford is our next big game!

02 Aug 2017 09:59:19
Not just the friendly mates,
Liverpool has become almost unbeatable by the big
Teams.
The coach should be given some credit.

02 Aug 2017 10:57:37
The big teams attack us tegar which plays right into our hands as we thrive on space to counter attack.

02 Aug 2017 07:51:28
Sorry if this has already been answered, have Napoli moved on from their interest in Moreno?

{Ed025's Note - they wont pay the asking price liverpool want so its not happening at the moment FR, maybe after last night liverpool may want to keep him though mate..

02 Aug 2017 08:33:59
Mmmm, one game doesn't make you a good or bad player, I think if the asking price was met he would be out.

02 Aug 2017 08:49:11
Klopp was trying to polished him.

02 Aug 2017 05:29:25
I see everyone praising TAA. did I watch a different game coz I believed he was getting torn apart by ribbery. ED1 your view is most welcomed.

{Ed001's Note - I wasn't able to watch the game but it is only a friendly and he is just a kid up against one of the better wingers in world football. Either way he will have learnt something.}

02 Aug 2017 06:58:28
Yep, think you were watching something else mate.

02 Aug 2017 07:02:34
Arnold was exceptional all game. The only way they could beat him was by doubling up on him.

A little bit of context is needed mate. An 18 year old just faced up against Ribery and Alaba, and even though he got passed by the overlap a few times, he more than held his own against two of the best left sided players in world football. He made some great blocks, some superb tackles, looked incredibly good on the ball, and intercepted a lot of attacks before they even started.

My only criticism is that when they doubled up on him on those few occasions mentioned, he didn't shout at anyone for leaving him hung out to dry. If he had grilled Can or Salah the first time it happened, it probably wouldn't have happened again.

02 Aug 2017 07:04:26
What game were you watching Praveen TAA had a good game and Robbery certainly knew he'd had been in a game and was excellent going forward very impressed with him Also good to see Mane back in the team.

02 Aug 2017 07:17:56
Moreno was better at left back.

02 Aug 2017 07:19:12
Thought he didcextremely well.

And, I'm about to say it, thought Moreno did too.

02 Aug 2017 08:02:48
He gave away a few silly fouls too, going in and putting hands on Riberys back - not much but enough for a player like ribery to go down. In a real match the third one or so would have been a booking, and it may have been tricky, but apart from that he was excellent.

{Ed025's Note - looking on the negative side is why its so hard for young guys to break through fencey, a few mistakes and the lad gets pelters and its bound to affect his confidence, then you all moan about why these kids are not coming through and why you are paying massive amounts for players...sometimes the club just cant win mate..

02 Aug 2017 08:26:29
Give the kid a break he played very well and he is still learning try getting behind our youngsters and in time it might pay off jeez
Up the pool.

02 Aug 2017 09:05:36
He had a descent game, the 2 silly fouls for pushing were just him being young and over eager to win the ball back and impress, can't hold that against him. Got done on the overlap once or twice but that's not his fault being in a 1 v 2 situation against 2 very good wide players is hard to defend and he should have had help. solid enough in defence in my eyes, should start at Watford. That will have done his confidence a world of good too.

02 Aug 2017 09:24:58
Special mention to Firmino here as he was shifted to the right side to track back and help TAA.

02 Aug 2017 09:15:55
Sorry ed025, I was not slating him at all, I said at the end he was excellent! It was for me just little point that he should look at, but by means did I intend to slate him! Just eagerness and a very experienced opposition!

{Ed025's Note - its not you per se fencey but supporters in general who are what you could call microwave supporters who are looking for instant success, if they dont get game time the will not progress and fans need to get off their backs with comments they make because they all come on sites such as this to see how fans rate them...as john lennon said..."give youth a chance"..or something like that..

02 Aug 2017 09:37:44
No problem with him getting physical early with Ribery showed him he was there and not to be messed with and ribery had little to no joy all night despite having lots of the ball. Thought it was a great performance for him!

02 Aug 2017 09:39:20
TAA- positives v Bayern, very good on ball, composed passing, decent blocks/ interceptions and made a few good tackles
Negatives, gave away a few silly fouls.
There ya go! A few silly fouls, something he can work on. Good performance from the young lad.

02 Aug 2017 10:00:46
Thought he did well - yes he got doubled up on a couple of times so they a couple of decent crosses in, but thought he tied down Ribery and Alaba well, particularly when the team setup shifted to give him a bit more cover. Very solid and composed.

I don't mind the silly fouls, weren't ever in dangerous positions and Ribery was clearly playing for them which is also a sign of respect. TAA wasn't afraid to mix it up with him physically.

02 Aug 2017 04:44:14
Just a note on thr youngsters who played last night:

TAA - I remember a few posters on here, a number of days ago), remarking that they could see him moving to midfield up further up the pitch as a winger in future - I didn't really get it at the time but I do now. Hos touch is sublime, so very good, and his clamness on the ball is excellent. He may just be, long term, too good for the RB position - I hope he plays there this season though, he is an upgrade on Clyne.

Kent - he offers a certain directness and pace which I think could make him a useful option from the bench. Woodburn is quality as well but his skillset (first touch, vision, passing) are perhaps not as suited to the impact sub role as Kents (pace, dribbling, directness) .

Woodburn - didn't have much time to make an impact but looked OK in the brief time he was allowed. Certainly has talent.

Grujic - the lad looks imposing in midfield. I'm not sure he will be starting that many games this season but he certainly looks to have ability and gets himself into dangerous positions going forward, hope we get to see more of him this season. His "goal" was well struck too - though it took an age to rule out I do think it was offside.

Solanke - had only a few minutes but came over to defend his team mate when their was a bit of handbags which is what I would like to see the team doing more of, supporting and defending each other on the pitch.

Big shout out to Moreno in this game as well - he was immense. Didn't reallt put a foot wrong in defence, his positioning was excellent and his timing in getting forward much more considered and effective. Add to that his passing accuracy and all round quality and, as others mentioned on the livechat, he was probably man of the match. Now I ain't getting my hopes up too much - this was only a friendly - but if he could reproduce those sorts of performances on a consistent basis he would be an animal at leftback.

02 Aug 2017 08:04:23
You do realise woodburn set up sturridges goal with a through ball played on the outside of his boot?

02 Aug 2017 11:44:34
I did not realise that - it was about 4am for me and my stream was crap, to say the least. So he provided a good assist, good for him, like I said the lad is quality and could go far: I still fancy Kent as a better impact sub though.

02 Aug 2017 03:36:49
Hello Eds. Might you be so kind as to give us your opinion of our young guns like woodburn, ok, Kent, ejaria, woodburn, Solanke, etc and if you envision then going out on loan, staying in u23, getting FA cup type minutes or legit minutes with the big boys. Thanks in advance.

{Ed001's Note - it depends on the player and the offers that come in but most are expected to get cup games and provide depth on the bench.}

02 Aug 2017 04:58:17
Thanks sir. Its promising to know we have a good amount of youth with such quality.

{Ed001's Note - it is very promising, the issue is that the club now have to find ways to get them regular football and allow them to develop. Just sending them out on loan en masse does not really help develop them for the club, so there needs to be a balance found to get them games in the first team.}

02 Aug 2017 00:07:11
First time poster, so go easy on me
After tonights performance, as poor as Bayern were, just Looking at our squad overall, it looks very strong. I personally think we need a CB and another attacker (winger) However I doubt another forward is being sought after. Just curious to see where people feel we should strengthen. Eds?

02 Aug 2017 01:23:41
Lemar and vvd.

After missing out on [you know who] and potentially mendy. I think buying someone who could replace coutinho would be valuable now considering Phil will more than likely be gone next year.

Vvd because after tonight's performance that's probably all's that's missing.

02 Aug 2017 01:33:08
Still think we lack a bit in depth. Especially up front.
Sturridge is injured again, and if one of Mane or Salah get injured then we look a little light upfront. Maybe this is the reasoning behind OX being targeted as a squad player. Kent offers a decent option as well but he will feature in the domestic cups only next season.

02 Aug 2017 03:44:43
Can we start calling keita voldermort from now on. he that shall not be named.

02 Aug 2017 07:21:43
If mane or salah get injured, we should bring through a young player instead
Kent for example.