Liverpool Banter Archive January 05 2017

05 Jan 2017 20:40:18
Arsenal Ed002 podcast


Sharkopod 5 where Ed002 tells you the latest Arsenal transfer rumours

05 Jan 2017 18:04:30
Hello Ed's who do you see replacing Mane? And do you think Matip was purposely excluded from the team so he won't go for Africans nations cup?

{Ed001's Note - Matip had already asked not to be considered, he has been injured. There is no conspiracy, he does not have to go, they knew he was not interested, hence they did not pick him. I expect Coutinho to be back and take the spot in the team.}

05 Jan 2017 19:41:38
Ed would you go Coutinho Origi Firmino, Coutinho Sturridge firmino or coutinho firmino Lallana.

{Ed001's Note - actually I would play Origi, Sturridge, Firmino, with Couts behind in midfield alongside Lallana.}

05 Jan 2017 20:27:42
That is very attacking Ed 001,do u think we would be strong enough defensively bareing in mind well be playing against Man. Utd and Chelsea when Mane is away.

{Ed001's Note - why would it be any more attacking than normal? Firmino tracks back, Origi presses well, Coutinho does a lot of work pressing the opposition and tracking back too. The issue is Henderson being out, that is what we have to worry about. Time to give Stewart a run, that role is just not for Can.}

05 Jan 2017 20:36:19
I agree with you on Can and I'd be happy with that line up, Id think we're at our best when we're on the front foot. thanks Ed.

{Ed001's Note - you are very welcome.}

05 Jan 2017 21:32:26
Wouldn't happen against UTD. It would be physical and they will storm past our midfield.

05 Jan 2017 21:23:35
Hendo should be back for Utd though ed mate right?

{Ed001's Note - he might well be back for our next league match on the 15th, all being well. Depends on how well the injury responds to treatment.}

05 Jan 2017 22:28:56
I hope Henderson comes back for the Man. Utd game.
If he doesn't, I hope Stewart starts. May be a game with lots of spotlights concerning it's a derby, but he understands the role better than Can and would hopefully play well.

05 Jan 2017 22:35:44
I agree about giving Stewart a shot. I think he was unlucky not to get a chance in the Sunderland game.

06 Jan 2017 00:02:15
Totally agree about Stewart he's well worthy of a place.

06 Jan 2017 03:40:50
It's not a derby, just two teams who dislike each other intensely

05 Jan 2017 22:22:03
You think Can is more suited in a more attacking role, Ed01?

{Ed001's Note - yes. He has no defensive mindset, he doesn't understand the role. When Can is playing there, he throws himself in on the halfway line, picking up needless bookings, when he should be staying on his feet and ensuring he is covering the defence. It is fine to do those on the edge of the box when a player is running at a disorganised defence to ensure no pen is given away. However you do not do it on the halfway line, you stay on your feet and give your defenders time to organise and other players time to get back, as well as keeping yourself in play, not sat on your arse on the halfway line. You are absolutely no use to the team sat down on the halfway line!}

06 Jan 2017 06:39:14
How is He suited to more of an attacking role. Just coz he runs with the ball at the opposition? He is not a technical player at all. Not good with his feet rather use his upper body to get past players. More like Sissokho.
He is never going to be that link up player alongisdid Lallana, Couts and Mane.

{Ed001's Note - it can change a game when he runs at the opposition. It has done a number of times.}

06 Jan 2017 06:39:42
"Wouldn't happen against UTD. It would be physical and they will storm past our midfield"

Whilst we are busy putting the ball in their net.

06 Jan 2017 07:38:12
Harry,

Can you give it a rest with the emre bashing please? This must be the 20th post I've seen you slate him in the last few weeks. We get it, you don't rate him so stop labouring the point. He is much more talented than you give him credit for, he's 22/ 23 which is still very young.

Don't dare try and make out like what you're doing is ok, he's an lfc player who hasn't done anything anywhere near enough to deserve the abuse you're putting his way

06 Jan 2017 08:56:27
87 Red

No comments!

06 Jan 2017 11:12:31
It's a belated Christmas miracle.

06 Jan 2017 16:03:23
Owned again! Bravo, 87red!

08 Jan 2017 00:04:21
Didn't we get to 2 finals last season wi can playing dm/ 6 majority of time?

05 Jan 2017 17:41:33
Does anyone else think that improving our team is actually very difficult? Our options for the front three are Firmino, Coutinho, Mane, Sturridge and Origi - there aren't many people in football (including the likes of Brandt and Promes) who would improve them, they would just be some extra depth. In the middle we have the undroppable Lallana and Hendo, together with Wiji, Can, Stewart, Lucas and Grujic. That's a great mix of first team options, specialised talent and young players coming through - there are more players that would improve this selection of players but with such a well crafted balance, would better players make it a better team? I have my doubts and the longer they play together, the more doubts I will have over it.

The defense is the more suspect area but with young talent such as Juanma and Trent Alexander-Arnold coming through we really want to leave that avenue open - there are few top quality full backs available for any money in football at the moment and on balance it does seem that making our own would be a better use of our time than trying to poach others. So in reality, the only likely position where we could import talent that actually improves our first team is CB - Lovren is decent but in reality, Matip is the only top quality CB we have and a pacey partner with good positioning and a level head would definitely improve us.

Goalkeeper is another area but it depends whether you want to develop Ward/ Karius or just keep buying.

05 Jan 2017 17:56:10
Depth is what we need atm due our brilliant record on injuries. We have a solid first team good enough to brag any PL team but when a couple gets injured we look externally average. Henderson and Coutinho for example. We are never the same without Matip as well.

The bench aren't as good as the first team which is what haunting Klopp the most but then you can't buy players are bench then either, Could you?

Who will believe this team has scored record number of goals without playing an out and out striker?

There are detain players without which the Car wouldn't function and we don't have the same quality in Back Up.

There are two ways to tackle this.

1. Bring the youth ( Just like Poch is doing atm ) as much as possible and inherit them to the first team system and tactics. ( Klopp doesn't play the youngsters when the team is already won )

2. But solid players who will challenge the first team which will improve the squad as a whole.

There are lot of players who could challenge our first teamers. For example Brandt would really push Coutinho or Lallana. Franck Kissie will push Henderson

It's up to the manager what he prefers.

05 Jan 2017 18:01:34
I think klopp with drop coutinho into midfield next to lallana and buy another winger.

05 Jan 2017 18:14:56
Hijkle, your post is well-thought out. you can always improve the team, no question. However, it is with whom that is my issue.

The system we play is not just high energy. it requires not just off the charts fitness level BUT most of all, it requires technical ability well above average, great on the ball, great positional awareness, vision and passing ability as well as offensive and defensive nous. But most importantly, the player needs to have a very high football IQ. There is a reason players like Benteke, Smith, Ibe, Allen and the lot are no longer here. They were lacking some of these things.

Hence, players that can improve us have to have all these qualities and you won`t get them in Jan, for sure. Regarding the defence, we only need a partner for Matip (Not VDV by the way) and it seems Juanma and TAA are being grommed for the FB positions, per Ed01.

Either way, I trust Klopp to do the right thing for the club regarding transfers cos afterall, he got us Matip and Mane, two players who have improved us immensely. As for Karius and Wiji, they should be given enough time to prove themselves.

05 Jan 2017 19:17:00
I think we need more competition for places. Not depth, competition! Firmino has just 1 goal in his last 9 league games. Not good enough, but who do we have to put a rocket up his unmentionable?

05 Jan 2017 19:38:54
MK Firmino's drought has largely coincided with Coutinho's injury and him being played wide as a consequence. He also misses those little passes in behind that Couts gives him as they have a great understanding. I am confident that Firmino will start banging them in as soon as Couts is back.

05 Jan 2017 20:12:35
Jeese Harry, a bit rough on Wiji i think. I think he has been consistently good not excellent but good. He also allows the others to do the clever stuff while he, and similar to Hendo, does the graft work. He is always on offer when we have the ball and has given us great protection defensively on many occasions.

05 Jan 2017 20:41:43
I appreciate that Pipscreamer, but every season since he has been here Coutinho has picked up an injury which has put him out for between 4-8 weeks. If Firmino cannot play without Coutinho then we need someone else on his wavelength or someone to take his place when he is struggling. In that same 9 game period Firmino also has 0 assists. So it isn't just the lack of Coutinho to find his runs, he is just off the pace. Unfortunately, without Couts he is our only creative forward. Mane, Sturridge and Origi all have pace and goals in them, but Coutinho and Firmino are the magicians. Without one another they struggle. I don't think we should replace Mane or buy a back up for him. We have plenty of pacey forwards in the academy; Ojo, Woodburn etc. Not to mention Ings. Either we give Wilson a chance (who is the true creative force in the U23's) or we need to find competition for Coutinho and Firmino externally. Jimenez would be ideal in my opinion but of course I would prefer it if Wilson could save us some cash. I would give him chances to stake a claim and look to a player such as Jiminez in the Summer if Wilson doesn't cut it. It is surely alarming to more than just me that Firmino is so heavily reliant on Coutinho for his form? 1 goal in 9 games for a striker is atrocious by anyone's standards. If his pressing wasn't so beneficial to the team he'd probably have been dropped already.

05 Jan 2017 21:35:25
Andy

Oh c'mon Andy. Nothing against Wijnaldum. He is not so critical and we could cope without him but I don't think we will ever cope without Coutinho and Hendo, simply coz we don't have the similar type players available.

Hendo could play Wiji's role if you have someone to okay Henderson's role.

05 Jan 2017 22:35:44
Personally, I don't think it's that Firmino can't play without Coutinho. I think Firmino isn't suited for the left wing. He does a job there, sure. But he isn't playing at his best. Origi might have scored 5 in a row (which is fantastic) and Sturridge is hopefully on his way to full recovery, but for me, I'll start Bobby in the middle ahead of them. That's where he's at his best.
I believe the team is good as it is. Just need a CB to partner Matip and Stewart to get more gametime (cos he's the most natural backup to Hendo) . I would give Karius time and seeing as I haven't seen Danny Ward, I can't comment on whether or not he can challenge Karius next season (I still expect Mignolet to leave)

06 Jan 2017 06:31:04
I think we could improve the squad by having someone else like Hendo - allowing for rotation/ cover/ competition at base of midfield without losing any quality, and also offering the option to play Hendo (or the new player) to play slightly further forward if required to establish more control in midfield/ cover injuries to Llalana or Wijnaldum. Vidal would be my dream but maybe a Kongdogbia, Schneiderlin, Kante type player.

Unfortunately that would most likely mean the end of Can who is currently supposed to play that role but I think he has some way to go to playing the deep role and so an upgrade would be brutal but make almost sense in the overall team.

Only other position I would consider would be upgrading Klavan with a real challenger to Lovren (say a Jonathan Tah or Sule) .

06 Jan 2017 06:51:10
Vidal is certainly not a holding player and more of the old Henderson. But I assume he has been playing there at a Bayern. ( Price is out of the reach and heard Conte is looking at him) .

Kondogbia is available for the right money.

Schniderlin - 2 years ago he was the best CM in the league. A playmaker who could defend. Disciplined CM and would be an excellent addition under Klopp.

Kante happens only once in a decade.

Brozovic - Good player who score goals from the midfield. Very much in the mold of Henderson.

Franck Kiessie - We should splash the cash imo. A defensive midfielder who has 5 goals and 6 assist in his name. He is a terrific player and very young. Better than Renato Sanchez.

06 Jan 2017 07:13:31
"I don't think we will ever cope without Coutinho and Hendo, simply coz we don't have the similar type players available. "

I disagree with the above statement. Klopp is developing a team which does not rely on one or two individuals being fit/ available.
If our team can't cope (I disagree) then this is the area we can and must improve. It does not always require new faces to improve the team. Coaching, fitness, preparation are ways of improving the team, otherwise why have coaches?
I'm afraid it's the 'Football Manager' game mentality that permeates football these days. Make the current crop the best they can be, then look at new faces.

06 Jan 2017 12:23:19
Harry is in many ways proving my points. 'Brandt would push Coutinho' - no he wouldnt. 'Kissie would push Hendo' - he stands very little chance of pushing our captain. Kissie has had half a season of actual regular football, of which the first 6 months has been good in a poor league. However he would stand almost no chance of replacing Hendo - he'd be replacing Grujic, Chirivella, Stewart etc in our squad. Not to mention we have no idea what he's like as a person - would he fit into our squad? Can he deal with the pressures of the PL? Will he be able to pick himself back up after an injury? Renato Sanchez has shown that he can deal with the pressure of a Euro's Final against the favourites and after losing their best player early, what has Kissie shown of himself to justify that price tag? Some extra goals in a worse league? Who knows, yet in your opinion from 6 months of stats and a highlight reel you rate him at 35m or so is ludicrious for a team with an actual budget and in my opinion, based solely on the fact that Chelsea are interested in him so in your opinion he must be amazing. I find it unlikely that you've actually watched much of Atlanta this year.

Equally Scheneiderlin at his best doesn't displace anyone in our midfield fully fit, and neither does Brozovic. They are just people that could sit on our bench, for huge amounts of money, and destroy any chance of young players progressing. Vidal and to a much lesser extent Kondogbia are the only players that could possibly get to the same level but between the marginal improvements that Kondogbia MIGHT bring, and Vidals rapidly advancing age, is it worth the massive outlay that would unsettle our midfield that have provided the basis for Liverpool being the highest scoring team in the league? I don't think so

{Ed025's Note - you make some very valid points hjikle but they are in the end opinions which is just the same as with harry, it does not make either of you right or wrong mate..just opinionated which makes for good discussion..

06 Jan 2017 16:07:41
Spot on, Hijkle. Pulling non LFC players out of thin air to make a point or unfairly compare them to our own players, proves absolutely nothing and Hijkle just royally debunked that notion.

05 Jan 2017 17:22:34
This is to Ed01, I want to ask, if you are to pick a position to strengthen the team this Jan, what will it be? And who do you see is available that can assist us in our pursuit of a season high this year. Looking to hearing from you. YNWA.

{Ed001's Note - goalkeeper but I don't see one available. I honestly can not think of a single one available to come in.}

05 Jan 2017 17:42:08
That means we will have 3 GK's Ed01?

{Ed001's Note - Mignoley will not stay if he is not first choice.}

05 Jan 2017 17:51:10
Sirigu is only at Sevilla on loan Ed. Surely an improvement?

{Ed001's Note - I am not convinced by him at all.}

05 Jan 2017 18:46:51
Karius first choice, Ward second choice, Fulton third for next season, Ed001?

{Ed001's Note - doesn't sound too bad, so long as Karius is what we hope in the long run.}

05 Jan 2017 18:54:54
Possibility Migs might look to move in Jan then ed?

{Ed001's Note - not while he is in the team. Summer is the most likely time.}

05 Jan 2017 20:02:09
Spot on, Ried.

05 Jan 2017 22:12:47
My neighbours a Chesterfield season ticket holder as its up the rd from us and a big LFC fan, he says Fultons been awful, a young lad I know but im just passing on some first hand info, not seen any reports to know any different to be fair.

05 Jan 2017 16:18:12
Hey Eds and Reds,

.......

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

05 Jan 2017 16:29:04
Apologies Ed002, posted again to the relevant page!

{Ed002's Note - Really appreciate that Reid.}

05 Jan 2017 15:10:53
Latest Ed002 podcast


Sharkopod 4 where Ed002 tells you the latest Chelsea transfer rumours

05 Jan 2017 17:59:41
Thank you ed, it's always good to hear what other teams are up to.
I couldn't make out the name of the player that you said would probably go to Barcelona? I listened a few times but couldn't get it.

{Ed002's Note - Cancelo.}

05 Jan 2017 13:37:03
Is it true the messiah is off to Reading? Good luck to the guy. Didn't get a chance.

05 Jan 2017 15:28:41
Henderson is not going to reading, and he had loads of games for us?

05 Jan 2017 16:37:39
Kevin Keegan was the messiah. He even had a second coming at Newcastle.

05 Jan 2017 10:26:49
Happy New Year to you all.

I have a player sighting for you (I'll upload the photo today), not a new player but a slightly forgotten man, Danny Ings.

My uncle, who is the captain of the boat that Danny and his miussus spent New Year on, sent the photo to me yesterday.

My uncle said he was a very charming and polite lad and was waxing lyrical about Klopp and the backroom staff have been so supportive during his injury. Plus one reason why their fitness has improved so much is down to the new diet that they've got them all on.

He says he hopes to be back before the end of the season. I asked about any gossip within the club but my uncle is yet to get back to me on that.

Either way, nice to hear that morale in the dressing room is high.

Cheers.

05 Jan 2017 10:37:32
Good to hear thanks mate.

05 Jan 2017 09:42:26
Hi eds and a happy new year to all

Haven't posted in a long time but am an avid reader of this fantastic site daily which we are lucky to have thanks to you eds.
A question to Ed 01 if possible regarding Sturridge if I may .
With his injuries over the past couple of years have obviously affected his burst of pace which gave him a big advantage over most defenders in the first yard or two, would you think that that can be regained or is it his body just not allowing him to do it anymore .
The reason I ask this is that someone like Torres for me had a similar burst of pace pre injuries and it's seems he never regained it and as consequence wasn't the same player again . The same probably applies to how Owens career panned out .
Would you think that he would have to remodel his game to adjust to this and can he be as successful as I think he is still a fantastic finisher .
Thanks again for keeping us fans up to date on all things Liverpool.

{Ed001's Note - it is unlikely he will recover it quickly enough to benefit him and will require him to alter his game. The latest studies have shown that the brain retrains itself after an injury of the type he suffered, it alters the way the injured person walks and runs to try and stop injuries recurring. It can be a long process to retrain the brain to allow sprints etc.

However, in Sturridge's case, he still has lightning quick feet, fantastic technical ability and a powerful shot, added to the mental capacity to remain calm and composed on the ball. I believe he could learn to become better, with less reliance on pure acceleration. It does come down to him learning the right lessons, which depends a lot on the coaching he gets.}

05 Jan 2017 10:10:03
Thanks for the prompt reply Ed.

It seems that Klopp rates him highly so for his sake I hope he can stay injury free.

{Ed001's Note - fingers crossed!}

05 Jan 2017 13:00:17
I hope his use being so sparse is to allow him to be 100% solid fit. That we keep him then next year unleash him. He's such an immense talent that has been screwed through injury. We are finally in a place with our squad that we don't need to rely on a single player like years past, allowing him the proper time to recover. I would love for him to stay and have a complete season with us injury free (mostly) .

05 Jan 2017 14:59:20
Sturridges time imo at Liverpool is over come summer. He's a great player WHEN FIT which isn't often is it? No point beating around the Bush about it, his time at Liverpool is about to end and although I rate the lad highly, to be quite Frank it's about time. He's done nothing for a few years, time to let him go. Some people tend to think he will be back to how he was 3 years ago. It's not going to happen, how long do you want to wait?

05 Jan 2017 17:39:08
Completely disagree with all that. He is still a very good player and I think we should hang on to him. Great finisher, quick feet and keeps his head up. Who would want him scoring goals for our rivals?

05 Jan 2017 22:25:14
Yeah but would he be scoring goals for rivals? if he's injured all the time it isn't going to happen is it. He's a complete waste of wages I really don't understand why people keep holding onto the thought that he will make it half decent again, he isn't going to which is unfortunate because he really was the big deal, he hasn't got that anymore. Game over. He comes back plays a few games and then get's injured after scoring maybe a goal, not good enough. I want the best for Liverpool, he isn't the best anymore, he was good a few years ago and ever since have we been able to rely on him? no. Origi is the one now, I like Sturridge but not for us, sooner we flog him the better because things won't change.

05 Jan 2017 22:25:14
Yeah but would he be scoring goals for rivals? if he's injured all the time it isn't going to happen is it. He's a complete waste of wages I really don't understand why people keep holding onto the thought that he will make it half decent again, he isn't going to which is unfortunate because he really was the big deal, he hasn't got that anymore. Game over. He comes back plays a few games and then get's injured after scoring maybe a goal, not good enough. I want the best for Liverpool, he isn't the best anymore, he was good a few years ago and ever since have we been able to rely on him? no. Origi is the one now, I like Sturridge but not for us, sooner we flog him the better because things won't change.

{Ed025's Note - hes possibly the most skillful player in the side 16, and the money you would get for him i think it would be best to keep him even if he is only used sparingly, hes a game changer and a match winner and they are worth their weight in gold, yes hes frustrating and a sulk but when hes on blob mate there is not many better in the EPL..

05 Jan 2017 08:50:43
U23s won 6-0 against Bangor in a friendly last night. Jack Dunn scored a hat trick, Harry Wilson scored 2 and Toni Gomes scored the other. Ojo got another 45mins in and thankfully the knock he picked up in the previous game wasn't anything serious. Woodburn, Trent AA and Ovid Ejaria didn't play a part so that would suggest they will be playing some part against Plymouth.
Next game for the U23s is against Man United on 16 Jan after the Leicester game next week has been moved to April.

05 Jan 2017 09:24:25
Brilliant DaRed. What you think of Wilson? Should he play against plymouth?

05 Jan 2017 11:45:56
Definitely, he's been excellent all season and he's been patiently waiting his chance and you'd think there would be no better game to give him time on the pitch.

05 Jan 2017 13:36:12
Just to add to Original Post, Cian Harris on trial from Coventry played Centre Back and played really well. Joe Gomez and Tiago Ilori were both left out of the team. Gomez to be included in squad against Plymouth, Ilori to sign for Reading.

05 Jan 2017 14:10:14
Thanks for the add on mate!
A correction to my initial post is that we are playing Barnet in a friendly on 10 January next and then it is Man United.

05 Jan 2017 01:55:37
Before Christmas I said I'd be happy if the 6 point gap between us and Chelsea didn't widen, given the City game. So, besides a sub par finishing display v Sunderland, no complaints here. Top 4 is still the priority for me this season.

05 Jan 2017 03:11:10
With you on that, Burky. CL football MUST be accomplished BUT cos Klopp focuses one one game at a time, we press forward and see what happens.

05 Jan 2017 06:19:34
No problem with healthy optimism, with you on that. I'm very happy to see solid improvement month by month and believe we have a great chance of success, this year or sometime soon.

05 Jan 2017 07:19:22
Anything below top 2 would be a failure considering
we play only one game a week and have a large squad unlike others. I am struggling with people who are happy to take up any where inside the 4 places in the league.
We are Liverpool FC and not Arsenal FC.

05 Jan 2017 08:00:20
It's called progress SWM. Don't know how a side that's not been in the top 4 for so long can be expecting to win a prize that they've not achieved in over 20 years. Getting back in to a top 4 position is an accomplishment and a realistic target, do that and build from that. At this stage of the season CL would have meant an additional 6 games, it's not an excuse to under perform.
Hope and optimism is fair enough, arrogance however completely not.

05 Jan 2017 08:31:14
Yes we are lfc not arsenal. The only difference between us an arsenal is that we actually literally have barely won anything in the last 10 years and also have been regularly irrelevant in europe. So yebthank goodness we're not arsenal.

05 Jan 2017 08:39:28
In Istanbul

Leicester city mate. It's called belief and nothing else. If you truly believe in you and what you could achiever then no one stops you achieving it.

05 Jan 2017 08:41:20
Faith

Arsenal have won nothing in last ten years other than two FA cups. Their CL campaign is not really good mate. They make up numbers and get eliminated by January every year. We have seen it from past a decade.

05 Jan 2017 09:20:46
Mate I'm full of belief, but we are not Leicester and an irrelevant comparison. There's 6 really good capable sides in that league, all of which will have the same ambitions. Of the top 6 I would possibly suggest that Liverpool should have the lowest level of expectation.
I'm just glad to see Anfield rocking again, and not being fearful of traveling going to a game to lose, the expectation is to win. Our performances this season have been fantastic which shows in the level of disapointment when we do anything but win.
One game at a time sir, all of which unfortunately we won't all win.

05 Jan 2017 10:55:19
It's all about progression surely. we are LFC and we all want to be winning titles but let's face it we have exceeded expectations so far this season. every year I want us to win the league but secretly would have settled for top 4.this year I think we have a realistic chance of winning the league but if we don't top 4 is a must. to me it's about building consistency and my hope is that we are in the position we are in now for many years to come. let us create a dynasty like we did in previous years. let every year we be challenging on all fronts. when the top players at home and abroad want to leave their club, let it be Liverpool they want to join. we have a better stadium and a great manager, let this be our time. YNWA.

05 Jan 2017 11:25:17
I agree with harry, but not sure the squad believes it yet. If we are a few points off top or heaven forbid leading coming into may, top 4 will not be good enough for me.

05 Jan 2017 12:28:39
Big

The progression is always there if you win the title or end up just inside top4. I am not talking about it all. We set our targets so low that anything seems Brilliant. We are half way through the season sitting in 2nd place and if you are happy to finish on 4th, Then I have nothing to say mate.

I am sure the msg from the owners are clear, They have more ambitions than some of our own fans. At least they want us to win the title every year.

05 Jan 2017 14:54:13
Harry, getting to the CL which was the objective when the season started, is not setting targets low. Media and many on here, had us finishing 6th and called finishing 5th a success. CL footie was also the target in 13/ 14 up until Feb of `14 when we found ourselves in a title race. After that season cos our title challenge was built on sand, we crumbled monumentally.

Therefore as of today, we are on track to get into the CL and that is progress already from last season, where we made a European final (only PL team to do that since Chelsea in 2012) just 8 months after taking charge of a team many thought were crap. We may have lost to Seville and that hurts BUT Klopp was more hurt and even said that the loss was fuel for his fire for this season.

We all wanna win the PL for sure BUT many of us are dreaming with our eyes open as in, considering reality and managing expectations. We are making progress rapidly and are ahead of schedule already cos even you nor I, didn`t think we`d be second by Jan so that has to be admitted. This doesn`t make us less ambitious or make us less passionate fans than others (been a fan for 30 plus years) and the fact that some of us are seen as less ambitious cos we are tempered in my expectations is unfair and wrong. That attitude and belittling of others needs to change.

05 Jan 2017 17:07:43
Sweet chin, I never said I'm happy with 4th. im saying of course I want us to win the league but u can only judge us since klopps reign. since he has been here we are playing much better football and much more consistently. we are only half way through the season and so far I am more than happy.

06 Jan 2017 08:36:50
More than we've achieved. not to say it is more than we'll become but if you're not winning things the least you expect is to be competitive. We have barely won anything and also barely been consistently competitive over that span!