11 Sep 2017 21:18:49
I think at the moment we Liverpool fans are caught between a rock and a hard place.
When we play like we did vs Arsenal we don't need a DM but when we play like we do against City we do.
We don't want our attacks slowed down by a player who isn't forward thinking enough, But at the same time we don't want our backline constantly got at like it is.
For me this really highlights a player like xabi Alonso who would be perfect for us right now. You can trust him to protect our defence and also pick a pass on a fast break.
Just my opinion guys, cheers.
11 Sep 2017 21:41:32
I am not sure how playing a DM disrupts our game. Instead it will help our fellow midfielders and full backs to charge like bull up and down. A DM will generally bring stability to a midfield.
Alonso won everything with just a B2B player alongside him. He was in his own league. There are some good little DLP out there. Rabiot, Paredes. Jorginho etc.
11 Sep 2017 21:44:00
Fact of the matter is that we did not struggle because of not having a defensive midfielder vs City as we were giving them the same grief as we did vs Arsenal in the first half when it came to City's back 3 and they were just going with the flow until one moment in the match which saw LFC going behind and Mane to follow being sent off. Missed chances from LFC played into City's hands.
It is also a fact that City were looking hopeless at the back irrespective of LFC being 1-0 down until Mane was sent off. If Mane was not sent off it could very well have been good night for City.
Xabi Alonso was not a defensive midfielder for us either. He was a playmaker. The dirty work was left to Mascherano.
If Alonso was still playing for LFC he would be no different to what Henderson is for us under Klopp. Fact.
{Ed025's Note - so your comparing alonso to hendo max?...i suspected you knew more about the game to be honest mate..
11 Sep 2017 21:52:48
I am not comparing the two Ed025. If you read again, Alosno would have had the same job as Hendo if he was playing under Klopp.
Alonso is not a defensive midfieldr and neither is Hendo.
Hope that explains it.
{Ed025's Note - oh right, i will give you the benefit of the doubt then max, it would be like comparing carlton palmer and maradonna mate..
11 Sep 2017 21:59:58
Alonso is the greatest ever holding midfielder to me! If he playing for Liverpool you would have either seen a different Henderson ( a proper old modern day B2B ball winner like Khadiera or Vidal ) or he would warm the bench!
Hendersin passes to where he looks at which is mostly to Matip as he can't turn the ball on his own nor he could spray long balls. There is a video compilation of Xabi at Bayern! Alonso could find a new planet with his passing!
{Ed025's Note - fantastic player alonso harry..
11 Sep 2017 22:00:40
But he was at his best with Masch (a true defensive mid) alongside him doing the dirty work.
{Ed025's Note - i can see that ings, but he could play with anyone mate, hes that good..
11 Sep 2017 22:06:36
It would be if Alonso was left to protect our defence which he would not have been under Klopp.
If that was the case then Henderson would have been know as the best defensive midfielder in the League which he is not as the fact is, Henderson is not a defensive midfielder and is not what he is deployed as by Klopp.
Neither would Alonso have been deployed as a defensive midfielder under Klopp as he ain't a defensive midfielder.
Alonso would be filling the same role under Klopp as Henderson does if Alosno was playing under Klopp. This is not comparing there abilities, it is telling you what Klopp would have done.
I do not have to explain it again?
{Ed025's Note - can i ask how you know what klopp would do then max?
11 Sep 2017 22:20:20
But Alonso is better than Henderson in that role. Moreover Alonso is conventional DM + CM. Hence the best ever holding midfielder tag!
Rafa always played a DM no matter what. Xabi had no such luxuary at Real and Bayern. He controlled the midfield on his own!
11 Sep 2017 22:37:36
Naby Kieta played a league game the other day . He played as a defensive midfielder in the first half and then operated as a traditional box to box midfielder in the second half as a result of a substitution of a teammate . He was outstanding in both positions and I finally understood exactly why he was our number one transfer target . He also scored a cracking goal from distance . He will bring energy and versatility to our midfield. I don't like placing pressure and expectations too early on players as they are human beings like the rest of us but I really am excited about the possibility of having him in our squad as I hope and believe that he will be a revelation . Too bad he arrives next season only . In my humble opinion he is an upgrade on what we currently have .
11 Sep 2017 22:47:47
Harry, Mourinho played Pogba as a defensive midfielder last season which did not work.
This is not about tit for tat.
If Alonso was at Liverpool right now irrespective of his ability, he would be playing the same role in our midfield 3 as Henderson and would still need to be staring down the barrel of our current defence.
If you want to argue about then so be it.
12 Sep 2017 00:51:01
Liverpool often play with holding mid. In fact often we play with two.
You can't have five or six players attacking the opponents box and have added defencive players. It's one or the other or a balance. When we lose we call for balance and when we win we love it and praise our manager (quite rightly so)
11 Sep 2017 22:29:14
Ed025, I have seen every match Klopp has managed at Liverpool.
There is no defensive midfielder in the Liverpool squad unless you can point one out.
Lucas was used sparingly too. Stewart has been moved on.
Why can nobody see that Klopp has no plan of integrating a defensive midfielder and that we did not loose vs City because of the lack of on and do not need one because of hoofball.
{Ed025's Note - the way you defend perhaps thats exactly what you need then max, lm not a football manager but when lovren was at southampton he was seen as one of the best in the league, could that be because he had wanyama in front of him?, just a thought mate..
12 Sep 2017 06:45:00
MAX
Yes, The way we defend and our defense has been very poor. Regardless of Xabi we would still need two world class CB. But Xabi would bring a lot more stability than Hendo could even imagine coz he is a natural holding midfielder.
12 Sep 2017 16:22:10
Lovren looked quality at Southampton because of wanyama and schneiderlin screening and covering for him, full backs who could defend and a cb partner in Fonte who could organise and actually help him out.
Take him out of that and place him in an unorganized defensive set up consisting of Moreno and Klavan, with little to no midfield protection and a goalkeeper who offers no help on set pieces, he's going to struggle - anyone would.
12 Sep 2017 09:02:58
Ed25, Koeman played a defensive setup at Saints with Wanyama and Morgan in front of the defence, which made Lovren look good as he was well-protected. We don't play that way here hence, why he looks shaky at times.
Now Klopp used a DM in Kehl and then Bender or both in his early days in BVB. He then shifted to a DLP in Sahin when they won the league in 2011. At LFC, he does not use a true DM cos per ED01, he wants his midfield 3 to offer energy, press hard and defend as a group as soon as the ball is lost. This is the way we play the press cos if we press and the gaps are not filled in behind it, the press is useless and we become vulnerable. That is the way it is. If you want to argue about that, no issues there.
The CDM issue is just a pathetic misnomer and a false argument that brings nothing useful to the table. If you think a CDM would have helped us vs City when we were one man down then you are either naive or dishonest as we did not need a CDM to pummel all the top teams that Klopp has relentlessly pummeled since he arrived so why is it now suddenly an issue?
{Ed025's Note - i dont see myself as naive bingo and i resent you thinking i might be dishonest, it was an opinion of mine thats all and what i think could be a way forward if klopp was to deploy it to protect the back 4, i enjoy the banter with you and others but there is a line and in calling me dishonest that line has been breeched, i would say i am more tolerant that most ED,s but i have to advise you that your future on this site will depend on how sincere i think your apology is..