Liverpool Banter Archive September 30 2014

30 Sep 2014 19:01:24
Not necessarily Liverpool related, but Utd playing these global 'lucrative' games as compensation to not being in the Champions League, appears to be a good bit of business - if true.

As fans, It's all about the achievements to us, to some, it's about spending big money on big-time players, so do you think we could compete in a similar situation of lucrative games if (God forbid) we failed to meet the top four position in the league?

Would the fan-base and history of both Liverpool and Utd have more of a financial pull than your City's and Chelsea?

I hear about these lucrative cricket contracts to play in India, and on occasions the NFL franchise comes onto our shores, but surely this has legs.

It may not be true, but for many years the suggestion that a European super-league lingered in the background, with many 'top' clubs prepared to sacrifice the tradition of the European Cup and premier league for the lucrative contracts and lure of a big pay proves that we are all a little fickle.

You just never know.

{Ed002's Note - It would financially just scratch the surface of not being in the CL. Five minutes in the Liverpool fans would all be whining about it being a conspiracy that Liverpool has to travel to these games and using it as an excuse for the slightest hiccup in their EPL form.}

We all know that teams suffer after European away days and after internationals, so why United would want to do this is beyond me.
United should be trying to give themselves the best possible chance of getting into the top 4 and traveling to do pointless friendlys is not going to help.
Reminds me of those past it rock stars who do greatest hits tours for a big pay day and for the fans when they haven't been relevant for years.

{Ed002's Note - They are seeing if something can be done with Chevrolet or AON but there are few if money spinners in the United States - and I am aware of discussions the saw a major midweek constraint. More likely a money spinner against a Far East, possibly Japanese or Chinese team - possibly hosted in Dubai, UAE or Qatar or somewhere similar. Kaizer Chiefs from South Africa Club America in Mexico meets the demographic. Santos, Corinthians and Boca might be other considerations - but practicalities outside of South America might be an issue. An absolute outside option that will likely not work will be a post Christmas EPL game moved from a weekend to midweek to accommodate a weekend trip. It was raised but is not seen as viable.}

Utd are already complaining about injuries to first team etc, what if more occur here

is it worth the risk playing reserves and youth in these midweek games and the reserve leagues for very little financial gain? will the players picked be fresh for sautrday and sunday, many pundits said liverpools advantage was no midweek game last year, mu are throwing this advantage away.

I think the players and reserves would be better served in an extra training session personally

I'd say that would be a very short conversation between their md and van gaal.

30 Sep 2014 13:02:18
Would anybody else start Rossiter tomorrow night, or is that just me? Thought he was excellent against Middlesborough. He did the exact job Allen does for us, but at 7 years his junior. Presses the opposition, gives us mobility in the centre of the park, is always available to receive the ball and rarely concedes possession. He is the type of player that always get's unappreciated and yet his talent excites me. Scouse Xavi? Put him back in Rodgers. We are seriously lacking some composure in midfield.

Allen, Can, Rossiter and Henderson seem to be the only central midfielders in our squad who don't panic on the ball. Lallana, Sterling and Suso are also composed but they're more attacking players. I think that is what we're lacking in midfield. Lucas, Gerrard, Markovic and Coutinho (currently, probably due to form) all look scared to receive the ball in tight areas. It's making us too easy to defend against. To be fair to Gerrard and Lucas, their lack of mobility kind of limits them to how much they can offer going forward and is probably the reason they don't want the ball when players are near them (it's hard to take a clever touch and step away from someone with a quick burst when your legs just aren't up to it). Opposition teams are just putting our midfield under a little bit of pressure and they're capitulating and going sideways or backwards (scared to lose possession, which perhaps stems from a lack of trust in the players behind them). With Allen and Can injured, Lallana just back from injury, Suso and Rossiter rarely playing and Coutinho's form being at it's worst since he signed our midfield is just predictable and scared stiff. That is why Sterling and Henderson are standing out like a sore thumb currently. They are the only midfielders in our team who are not hiding away and who are match fit. I say match fit because I think when Lallana is sharp, we'll see a massive difference in linking midfield to attack.

Gerrard quite simply cannot play well unless he has two very mobile (and confident) players ahead of him to protect him and give him an option to pass to. Whilst Allen and Can are injured, he is not going to find form. I'm just so dissapointed by Coutinho. Losing Suarez was his chance to step up and become a key player and yet he has completely crumbled under the added pressure and now looks a mere shadow of the player he was for the first 3 months of his career here and at the back end of last season. It really is a shame because I can't see him ever making it here to be honest. Lallana is on a different level right now (especially when he gets his match fitness back) and Teixeira looks to be the better prospect as things stand. He really needs to step his game up. If we had more than just Henderson/Sterling working in the midfield, I've no doubt Gerrard wouldn't be underperforming so badly. He needs time on the ball and options to pass to but with our team so dysfunctional and everyone hiding away rather than looking for the ball, Gerrard has been hung out to dry.

Rodgers has to address this ASAP or else I can see him losing his job before Christmas, because until the midfield starts showing some composure we won't improve.

Confidence, composure and bravery. Add that to our game and we'll kick on soon enough.

Whilst i don't think we miss Suarez the player, I think we're missing his attitude to the game. He tended to give people around him confidence. That is the biggest part of his game we're missing in my opinion; and sadly, things like that can't be seen until players leave.

Although I usually agree with you on most matters EMS, I don't think coutinhos career at Liverpool is done. I think he is a fantastic little player who shines when he has strikers that are willing to make the runs in behind for him to pick his pass, and a hard working midfield creating some space for him to operate. So far this season, be it injuries or lack of form we haven't quite clicked, but give it time we will

30 Sep 2014 13:42:46
i don't think we miss Suarez the player,
========================
I think they call that living in denial , stats and facts show otherwise.


I think we're missing his attitude to the game
===========================
100% agree .

Like I posted many times already, it was time for him to go, but we should've replaced him with a similar type player

30 Sep 2014 13:57:34
EMS

Rossiter had a good game against Boro, But I won't start both Lucas and Rossiter in the same game. 2 DM is actually a very boring defensive set up for me.

Regarding Suarez. You got it bang on.

It was his Name which was a fear for defenders and distracted their attntion from Sterling and Countinho for a large extent.

When an opposition team look our teamcheet, They are quiet happy, aren't they?

Ballo. Bully him twice and He would himself get out.
Sterling the only own to mark
Gerrard is a DM
Hendo is a CM

You defo need a Fear factor, something which we are missing. Sturridge brings it quiet a lot.

I thought we looked better when coutinho came on vs everton.

I've said before, coutinho need players making through runs to be utilised. Balotelli won't do this, he's a power forward who likes the ball to feet or in the air, and to drop off, or drop deep. Coutinho playing with him as a lone forward simply won't work.

In his first game vs southampton, he didn't do well, vs city, he had the champions of last year, and at time I thought he played very well vs yaya and zabaletta. Since then he's been in and out, and sturridge has been injured.

Throwing rossitter into an away champions league game at 17 would be a massive gamble

I don't think you can separate Suarz the player and Suarez's attitude towards games: His attitude is there in him as a player.

I disagree completely when you say we don't miss Suarez; except for his antics, we do miss him.

Give rossiter a place on the bench and bring him on if things are liking rosy to give him a feel of the big European games. Starting him would be like throwing him to the lions, he may well hold his own but too much at risk in this game.

30 Sep 2014 17:22:28
Roy, saying we should have replaced Suarez with a similar striker is just a stupid throwaway comment because the fact is there are very few players like him and certainly none were available to us this summer.

{Ed002's Note - Elizabeth Lambert would not get a work permit.}

Coutinho is only as good as the runners in behind - if no one is making the runs then he can't pass to them! He's a super little player

Essaxred,
I don't buy that comment about Coutinho at all, he is an attacking player who should be able to attack. He shouldn't need players to make runs, he should be able to make the runs and therefore create space or then pace when defenders close him down.
His shooting is appalling, it hasn't improved since he joined us and that to me is a huge concern.
Look at Sterling, his all round game have improved so much since he started playing with the first team.
Lallana has also improved as his fitness is kicking in and to me looks a great buy.

But Coutinho hasn't improved and to me the drop the shoulder trick is now recognised by all defenders and that's another reason he's out of the team.
This could be the best thing that has happened to Coutinho, hopefully he will try harder, practice harder and shoot straighter and then he will earn his way back into the first 11.

I don't think it's a stupid comment at all, Puzzled Red. Balotelli is about as far from Suarez's style of play as you could get- he needs lots of service/support, he's not particularly creative on his own, he doesn't create for others, nor does he (at least historically) defend much from the front. All of these are things Suarez was good at and there are lots of players who are far more similar to that than Balotelli, albeit not at the same level as Suarez.

My not-so-crystal ball says Lallana replaces Coutinho, Coutinho sits out a lot, Coutinho gets annoyed, and we sell Coutinho in the summer.

{Ed002's Note - Coutinho will be out of the contract in the summer. He can sign a pre-contract with a non EPL side in January.}

Ha ha ha ha. Ohh! Ed. 😎

30 Sep 2014 23:06:09
RDL your not-so-crystal ball may very well predict the future . that's 2 good players may walk out on the free come next summer

01 Oct 2014 05:15:42
Is he now? Didn't realize that, thanks, Ed002. Scratch the 'sell' then and make it 'leaves for free'.

01 Oct 2014 05:16:01
Did you mean Suso or Coutinho, Ed002? Transfermarkt has Coutinho listed as under contract until 2018?

{Ed002's Note - Apologies, Suso will be out of contract. Coutinho can be sold.}

01 Oct 2014 05:16:35
Ed002, I think you mean Suso? Surely we did not sign coutinho on a 2 & 1/2 year deal

{Ed002's Note - Right. Clubs will be talking to Suso - at least one has a deal they are going to propose. Coutinho will be available to be sold.}

30 Sep 2014 07:35:44
Ed002, if you are around: You mentioned that LFC have the 5th highest wage bill in the PL and that Chelsea have the 4th highest. I assume both Manchester clubs are in the 1st, 2nd or 3rd position. But, who is there to ahead of Chelsea and LFC in terms of wages?

{Ed002's Note - Arsenal are third - MUFC, MCFC, AFC, CFC, LFC.}

30 Sep 2014 08:31:26
I'd read something like this before, but it's interesting when you consider the amount of 'star' players Chelsea have when compared to Arsenal.

{Ed002's Note - Arsenal's wage bill this year is significantly higher than before.}

Woah, Arsenal have a higher wage bill than Chelsea and LFC? Never thought that was the case!

30 Sep 2014 08:31:26
I'd read something like this before, but it's interesting when you consider the amount of 'star' players Chelsea have when compared to Arsenal.

{Ed002's Note - Arsenal's wages for this season are through the roof.}

Woah, Arsenal have a higher wage bill than Chelsea and LFC? Never thought that was the case!

30 Sep 2014 09:40:37
Now that's a surprise. I would really like to see how much arsenal pay their players Individually. Astonished that we are so low

I was so surprised, I asked the question twice!

30 Sep 2014 11:46:51
It doesn't surprise me arsenal are in the cl every year we r only bk in after 5years and according to excited Everton fans we r facing sanctions for over spending.I also thought we got some big earners of the books but that was probably with a bit of a payoff Cole, reina, jovanovic et al.

{Ed002's Note - The wages and spending are considered year on year - not what the club has done over a number of years.}

30 Sep 2014 11:58:07
R we in trouble ed ffpr r is it not as clear as everton fans think.

{Ed002's Note - Try the search engine - I have explained the situation on a number of occasions.}

30 Sep 2014 12:25:38
We are one among the club being investigated on the FFP system.
Now that istself indicate some kinda signal.

The Everton lad who got quiet a lot of abuse yesterday on his post got one point pretty much bang on.