1.) 01 Nov 2022
01 Nov 2022 09:33:58
Ed1. Good analysis and a few things to unpack.

VVD - His form has been well below par since his injury. Do you feel he is now holding back due to missing the last international tournament and with the World Cup right around the corner?

Midfield Signing - I read below that you mentioned the money was available but Klopp decided against most of the options. Only to realised late in the window he in fact needed one. This seems to be unlike us, as in transfer windows gone by we appeared to have some sort of plan in place, with back up options in case our number one target was unattainable. For example Julian Brandt being the number one target but we decided on our fourth or fifth target in Salah. Are you able to say who our number midfield target was in the summer?

Pep Lijnders - Did he have some influence in Klopp’s indecisiveness in bringing in a midfielder or was that solely down to Klopp? Also, I can understand Klopp’s thinking in delegating the tactical duties to Pep in order to extended his managerial career. But surely Klopp must see this is not working. You cannot be loyal to someone to the detriment of your own job and as you said it’s his head on the chopping board. You touched on the fact the players initially bought into Pep’s tactics. It’s worrying but not surprising to hear that. If the players are unsure of the tactics, coupled with the poor performance and poor results then that is a recipe for disaster. Hence why this ‘blip’ has continued for this long and why it will continue for the foreseeable future unless changes are made. I just hope Klopp makes those changes before it’s too late.

{Ed001's Note - 1. I had not even thought about that, it could well be affecting him, but it just seems like he has not recovered mentally from the injury.

2. Tchouameni was first choice. We also wanted Bellingham, who had promised to stay at Dortmund so wouldn't go back on his word. Then there was Laimer, who wasn't interested as he wanted to go to Bayern but RBL refused to sell him to them. I am sure there would have been others but I don't know who they are.

3. Klopp made the transfer choice. That is down to his loyalty I would say. Klopp needs to find a new tactician, we just have to hope he realises that soon.}

2.) 01 Nov 2022
01 Nov 2022 10:09:56
Great read as usual, Ed. Reading thru every word of the gele analysis gave me chills. We are in deep doo doo if Klopp doesn’t wrest back control of this team who clearly are still playing for him. We simply do not have the players to play deep, slow motion footie which I can hazard a guess, the players prolly hate cos it goes against what they have been used to for literally years now.

Pep needs to step aside cos clearly he has made mistakes here cos if Klopp allows his loyalty continue to get in the way then if we think Forest and Leeds or Napoli were bad, it’s about get even worse. In the end, it’s his arse on the line.

3.) 01 Nov 2022
01 Nov 2022 10:13:50
Did that mean Klopp was looking to add both Tchouameni and Bellingham in the summer or was it a case of Tchouameni first choice and Bellingham was second choice? I take it Bellingham is now Klopp’s number one transfer target this summer. He seems a lad who has a good team behind him and will do what’s best for his career. But money talks and things change fast in football as we know and we are now competing with the likes of Madrid, City and Chelsea just to mention a few. Granted we get top four - If we stump up the cash Dortmund seek do you feel he would choose us given the information you know behind the scenes?

{Ed001's Note - that is a good question and I have no idea whether it was an either/or situation or trying to add both. I would assume either/or as I doubt the finances would have stretched to both.

From what Bellingham has said to people, he wants to join Liverpool and to play under Klopp.}

4.) 01 Nov 2022
01 Nov 2022 10:37:47
Ed001, correct me if i'm wrong. Klopp did say one of the reason he sign new contract is because pep is also signing a new contract together with him right? If that is true then it is concerning. Do you honestly think Klopp can turn this mess around? His loyalty to the people he trust even when it is not working is quite worrisome.

{Ed001's Note - I believe he did say that yes. I don't see anyone better out there that I would want in the job, if it takes time then he deserves time.}

5.) 01 Nov 2022
01 Nov 2022 10:52:31
Do you think our form this season has changed Bellinghams stance Ed001? I can’t see him wanting to join if something changes quickly.

{Ed001's Note - I doubt it, he is at Dortmund where Klopp is still the king and worshipped. I am sure all he is hearing is how great Klopp is.}

6.) 01 Nov 2022
01 Nov 2022 11:08:04
Peps stock has fallen alarmingly.

Was only a few weeks ago he was peoples choice to replace Klopp.

7.) 01 Nov 2022
01 Nov 2022 11:21:31
I missed them so much, ED01. Thanks for the write up. I am hopeful that we shall turn it around next year. Last year was an incredible year and although we didn't win the two big ones, I enjoyed the ride that I never experienced in my lifetime as a fan.

{Ed001's Note - very welcome, just a shame it wasn't a more positive result I was writing about.}

8.) 01 Nov 2022
01 Nov 2022 11:31:23
JK23, at first i'm one of the people that want him to succeed klopp when klopp does leave. But when he come out with that book, i know that he is not the guy i want to succeed klopp. Its kinda feel that he likes all the attention that he got. Its almost feel like he is the manager and not klopp.

I'm actually rooting for chelsea to go after someone like pochettino or anyone else before they got potter. I feel like potter is the most suitable one to replace klopp when he leave. The way his team play suits us and he seems to know how to get the best out of his players.

9.) 01 Nov 2022
01 Nov 2022 12:05:58
The hope has to be the sense of togetherness that has been fostered will allow them to objectively analyse the situation and talk through what is going wrong and how it can be put right.
We start so slowly and are now routinely going a goal behind, which is taking any sense of game management away from us and immediately putting us on the back foot.
That has to be the starting point. Then a more controlled game can kick in.

10.) 01 Nov 2022
01 Nov 2022 12:30:11
Ed’s just a quick, one relating to the above. Do you see us moving for someone such as Caceido of Brighton or Joa Gomes of Flamengo in January? Someone that would arguably be more attainable mid season rather than Bellingham, but then pursue Bellingham in the summer.

I know it’s pie in the sky but Barella of Inter would be the perfect fit for us, but I doubt attainable in the summer.

{Ed002's Note - I think it unlikely.}

11.) 01 Nov 2022
01 Nov 2022 12:18:07
Thanks for your report ed001. I have missed reading them. Really miss the heavy metal football. Win or lose with that style you come away from the game knowing they put a shift in. At the moment it looks ugly sorry to say but Klopp is the only manager personally I want to turn it around
Up the pool.

12.) 01 Nov 2022
01 Nov 2022 13:04:56
Great to see these back Ed001, many thanks. What I find so frustrating is the change in tactics was obviously a problem in August/ September. Why have the coaches made changes before. We are in November now and the league is over. It’s like the 90s and 00s all over again.

{Ed001's Note - all we can do is hope they see the issues and rectify them.}

13.) 01 Nov 2022
01 Nov 2022 13:17:54
Juicer is right as regards the starts, we start so slow we have fell behind to oppositions 1st attack so many times I've list count. Ajax missed sitter in 1st 2mins last week as well. Whatever style your trying to play is under pressure right away.

14.) 01 Nov 2022
01 Nov 2022 14:28:32
I honestly started changing my mind about Lijnders after the publication of his book. Nothing wrong with it per se. But it indicates where his focus is. More about thinking about self than anything else. Maybe he wrote it in the off-season (I have no idea), but there was always the risk that public opinion would turn if results did not match the "victory lap" he was taking with the book. And that has happened.

15.) 01 Nov 2022
01 Nov 2022 15:53:43
For me its clear why people have changed their mind on Ljinders and its pretty much the same reason why they wanted him in the first place.

16.) 01 Nov 2022
01 Nov 2022 18:11:59
Does Pep take credit for our 2 wins over City, Ajax, Rangers, Newcastle, Bournemouth and West Ham.

I’m a huge Klopp fan but for me the buck should stop at him. He’s the one that should be calling the shots and if he isn’t then that’s a weakness in his arsenal.

Klopp and the team are struggling but Klopp is world class enough to find the solution. Unfortunately due to games coming thick and fast the solution is taking far longer than us fans had hoped for.

17.) 01 Nov 2022
01 Nov 2022 18:29:11
So we're back to blaming Pep and his book now?

18.) 01 Nov 2022
01 Nov 2022 19:32:42
Flash, it seems so. Personally, couldn’t b arsed about the book cos even Klopp read it before it came out and endorsed it so that’s a nothing burger for me. I’m rather focused on what is actually happening on the pitch and books don’t play football. Players do under instructions and tactics from the coach and that is where Pep is failing and where things need to change fast.

As for Bellingham, he clearly wants to play fir us and Klopp by all accounts so to me, that is the most important piece. Whether we can get the deal done and offer CL footie is something else. We shall see.

19.) 01 Nov 2022
01 Nov 2022 15:53:36
Thanks for putting the review together, Ed. Appreciated and spot on.

{Ed001's Note - cheers FPF.}

20.) 01 Nov 2022
01 Nov 2022 16:33:13
Ed I also think vvd is holding back when playing one small injury and I think he knows he misses the wc and possibly his last one!
On Bellingham we all want him but can’t see us splashing that cash we we need a another 3/ 4 players ontop of him!
On linders I’ll say little I don’t like him I nvr have says and does to much for a assistant!
I just want this wc to come so we can regroup get bodies back and turn up and say don’t ever right us off!

{Ed001's Note - we will certainly find out after the WC if Virgil is being affected by it. It is such an odd situation having it mid-season.}

21.) 01 Nov 2022
01 Nov 2022 20:57:56
Ed’s can I ask if klopp or pep dictates the tactics for European games?
It just seems like we are (mostly) are old selves in midweek.
Cheers.

{Ed001's Note - it is not that, it is that we play a different way for the big games, with the higher intensity. It is the same reason we can beat Citeh and lose to Forest and Leeds. We are doing something Shankly and Paisley would be aghast to see - saving our legs for the big games, instead of taking each game as it comes.}

22.) 01 Nov 2022
01 Nov 2022 22:29:59
How can anyone take a dislike to someone they've never met and has never done them any harm?
Is that an "I need someone to blame/ hate" moment?
Sounds like my ex mother in law.

23.) 02 Nov 2022
02 Nov 2022 07:49:36
Ed01 Wait, what? We are saving our legs for the big games? Whatever happened to trying to win every game and all that Mentality Monsters stuff? Seriously, we need an intervention ASAP. I propose you step in, Ed01 cos this is getting outta hand.

{Ed001's Note - they are trying to win, but limit the effort used. They are planning ahead, trying to get through each game with a minimum of effort to save the legs. Personally I think it sends the wrong message to players by changing your way of playing, it makes some games feel less important. It is little wonder players turn up for big games but we struggle against the rest.}