02 Oct 2017 17:30:17
The things I can take away fro the draw yesterday is that Klopp has to make changes early when things are not going to plan. Leaves it for far to late. Maybe he thought Sturridge would pop out of nowhere to get a goal but truth be told, everybody but Klopp and the coaching staff could see that Sturridge was the reason our attack looked out of depth. Firmino should have been brought on start of the second half.
Other than our CB's having another brain fart moment, they were actually not that bad yesterday.
Mignolet, the less said the better. He had very little to do majority of the match but he just simply cannot get the simple things right? His distribution is absolute schoolboy stuff. Still starts though, cannot understand it!
Rest of the team was also on a road trip at 1 mile per hour.
Rafa played for the draw though and is a common trait of his. He got his players to shut out spaces all over the show. Klopp turned a blind eye to that.
The subs I would have made start of the second half would have been Can on for Wijnaldum and Firmino on for Sturridge.
We needed a player who had the ability to charge through Newcastle's midfield = Can and a player to draw Newcastle's defence out = Firmino.
Klopp might have shown his frustrations but continued to be happy seeing bugger all coming together on the pitch. For me, Klopp has to shoulder the most blame for the result. Make the changes early!
Me saying that Klopp should shoulder most of the blame for yesterday does not mean I want him out though otherwise we may have to settle for someone like Allardyce. No top quality managers hanging about unfortunately unless they can be pointed out.
Be careful what you wish for.
02 Oct 2017 17:58:31
And one more thing, chopping and changing the team all the time ain't going to do any players good. Go with the strongest starting eleven and stick with it.
We have more than enough players to cover for injuries. League and FA Cups mix things up but CL and EPL is where the chopping and changing should stop.
It will be interesting to see how we line up vs UTD. Going to be one hell of a match as always, that is for sure!
02 Oct 2017 17:54:56
We pulled of Klopp from nowhere. If the club decides to move Klopp then they will bring in someone bigger than Klopp! Don’t ask me who I don’t have a name but then I never had Klopp in my mind when Brendan was sacked nor did you!
{Ed025's Note - he was hardly plucked from nowhere harry as he had won the bundesliga with dortmund and was tipped to be the next bayern manager mate..
02 Oct 2017 18:34:03
Did FSG not want to bring in Klopp before Brendan arrived?
Harry, we can sack Klopp and bring in Roberto MartÃnez seeing that you have no suggestions and the fact that there are no quality managers hanging about.
And do not get me started on Ancelotti, he is not going to take over a team which does not have your Ronaldo's and Messi's in it.
02 Oct 2017 18:47:57
Nice comeback, Ed25. I seem to remember that when Klopp was on his sabbatical, the whole footie world was speculating on where he would go and many were surprised that he came to us esp. at the time he did cos we were in a WAY worse situation than we are now. He rejected Utd, Arsenal, City (not sure) as he was looking to take the Bayern job and it did not come so he came to us co he could have waited for it but he came to us.
Max, I agree with your post in part. I don't have a prob with the lineup cs many on here clamor for Studge to get games and when he does start, he is just woeful. Firmino needed a blow as well cos he has been missing chances as well and his confidence may be shot. Klopp may have thought that he is a finisher so if chances come to him, he will bury them. Alas, he fluffed his lines in the worst of ways. He is an impact sub, IMO right now. The midfield did not work either cos Wiji went absent again and Can had a crap game in Moscow so it was normal to change it up a bit. Not saying I agree with all this BUT just trying to understand things.
I do agree he left Studge too long on the pitch BUT I will say that he tried to change it up as he moved Salah to the no. 10 and moved Mane wide right and Mane still had a crap game. Ox came on and frankly, he should have scored on that header even tho, it was a tough chance to take. Had that happened, we got 3 points and something to build upon.
It seems like everything Klopp tries to do to generate a spark is not working and the frustration is showing with him and the players and the fans alike. We just have to stay the course in the hope that we can force our way out of this rot.
02 Oct 2017 19:22:03
I would not say we are in a rot Bingo, bad patch but the main thing for me leading to it is that there is no stability within the starting eleven. We will continue to see up and down results if the starting eleven is changed game in and out.
We have a defence waiting to implode any second in a match but does not make things easier at the rate chopping and changing is happening at the back. How I wish Klopp would just drop Mignolet for good and give either Karius or Ward a run and then settle on is defence selection.
Same with the midfield, Can had a bad game during the week but did that suffice to see him dropped when he is our best CM at the moment?
That is the biggest gripe I have with Klopp at the moment. Instability when it comes to his team selections, that and he waits to late to change things. Firmino going to do nothing with 15 minutes left when the rest of the lads do not know what to do with the ball due to having Newcastle players up in their faces every time the ball is received by a Liverpool player.
This was already apparent towards the end of the first half when Newcastle drew level. Rafa had then already decided the outcome of the game.
When Klopp decided not to do anything start of the second half Rafa ended up having a fat grin on his face. Rafa's players followed the instruction of 'we play for 1 point'.
And that is exactly how it panned out.
02 Oct 2017 19:48:53
Can't argue with any of your post there, Max. Can has to play next to Hendo if he is fit cos Wiji and Hendo is simply not working. The chopping and changing being a problem is well documented as well and some hard decisions have to be made with the GK situation by dropping Migs for good.
Also, Our players are so low on confidence that our midfielders are playing the safer passes and our forwards are so scared to miss that they either panic or overthink things and then the chance is gone. Listening to the Anfield Wrap right now and the boys and Melissa Reddy are saying that Klopp passion tho an asset, is also sending the wrong message to the team. He wears every goal and sadly, every miss on his sleeve and his mannerisms and outbursts are not helping the team. Sometimes, he has to guard his emotions a bit and encourage the team thru its travails BUT I doubt that will happen even tho, he does it at times. We have to just keep fighting as a team and as a club and we have to support the team as they need us right now.
02 Oct 2017 20:28:37
Good original post and enjoyable read that Max. For me I'd like to see a more dynamic midfield of Can, Grujic and Coutinho. It can't do much worse than Hendo who can't play a forward pass and Wijnaldum who must be up there for nomination for hide and seek champion 2017.
02 Oct 2017 20:56:44
Would also like to see a Grujic get a chance in midfield.
02 Oct 2017 22:01:41
Bingo and Max talking to each other! So much love â¤ï¸â¤ï¸. Poetry in motion. la la la la.
03 Oct 2017 00:30:08
I must say, this is a curious situation that Liverpool Football Club are in just now. Curious, because before the weekend, I hadn't sensed the level of disenchantment with the manager that seems to be popping up just now.
There's no doubt that the majority of games feel like deja vu and we should have wiped the floor with Newcastle, given the way the game worked out. But. it will all be okay in the end. Hello to Jason Isaacs!
03 Oct 2017 11:17:58
I'd let Grujic sit down with tapes of Matic and say to him - just copy Matic, that's what we want from you.
Won't happen because Klopp wants Grujic in the opponents box for 90 mins.
03 Oct 2017 13:01:39
Grujic is not a DM, Ron. He is a box to box midfield with a rocket of a right foot and very good in the air. This is why Klopp plays him there as that is his position. Him watching Matic tapes will do nothing for him, right now.
04 Oct 2017 06:15:07
Really? "Klopp plays him there"?
I must have missed those games because this lad has been left in the cold by Klopp.
He'll never get in the team as a b2b midfielder.