13 Aug 2023 19:45:36
3 very obvious things Klopp will no doubt learn from today:

1) Gakpo isn't a left-sided midfielder, but Curtis Jones is, so maybe play Jones

2) Mac Allister isn't a number 6, so we need one desperately as Curtis Jones isn't either

3) Jota shouldn't start games and Nunez should

and I'll throw in an extra - if Saudi offer £115m for Salah, it should be taken to improve the first 11 - disgusting reaction to him being subbed, given he was nowhere to be seen in the second half.

1.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 20:11:05
Can’t blame Salah for being quiet in the second half as we were dreadful. But his reaction to being subbed as not good.

2.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 20:12:42
Gakpo should be starting as CF ahead of Nunez and Jota.

3.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 20:17:24
He was p#**ed off being subbed. That’s what you want players wanting to stay on. Jota made a few good clearances I was more unhappy with Diaz.

4.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 20:17:24
If that's disgusting for you then you must have a very low tolerance. Salah was p. ed he can't continue his record of scoring on opening days. He's a winner and it shows. Rather have players like that anytime.

5.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 20:18:00
The same way klopp learned that Trent has no positional sense and we desperately needs right back to play him in his natural position?

Or the same way klopp keeps playing a broken system which pep doesn't even play anymore?

6.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 20:22:15
£115m for Salah?

A disgusting reaction? He just looked disappointed to be subbed. He was petulant but I'd sooner him be like that than be glad to come off.
It wasn't a disgusting reaction by any means.

7.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 20:26:57
I have no problem with salahs reaction… shows his passion to win. I personally wouldn’t want to lose that mentality.

Agree gakpo cannot play midfield. Didn’t really offer anything there. And James and Sterling just doubled up on robbo and exposed the gaps gakpo left.

I think Macca can play 6 in games against teams that sit deeper but this wasn’t the game for it. Hopefully we can bring someone in soon.

Jota through the middle is just not good. Personally I think we need gakpo there today. He can hold the ball up and bring the rest of the forward line in.

What was worrying was how gassed salah and Diaz looked. But part of me thinks that was due to the fact we had zero control from 30 mins onwards and were just chasing shadows.

8.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 20:31:19
Would you play Nunez ahead of Gakpo? and i never mind a player frustrated at being subbed.

9.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 20:37:27
Diaz often fades in games, in my opinion.

10.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 21:02:23
I'd start with Nunez ahead of Jota, not Gakpo. Jota is the better finisher than Jota, but Nunez's speed and his unpredictableness would unsettle CB's enough at the start of games to set a certain tone. And I like Nunez's pressing better than Jota's (almost non existant) . I'd find a way to start Gakpo but I have no idea in which position. But clearly he should be in offensive positions and not be forced to find himself below Mac Allister and Szoboszlai on the field.

I don't understand how some are saying Mac Allister and Szoboszlai didn't play well today.

11.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 21:06:23
I agree, nothing wrong with Salah being subbed off he was angry with himself and not for being replaced by Doak. Just the Presenters and Camera shot making it look like more than everything else.

12.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 21:11:28
I’d rather have Gakpo as a false nine than have Darwin up top. I do think there are times when Darwin will work well starting but I think Gakpo can be great in that role!

13.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 21:28:54
Jota is a god awful footballer who breaks moves down far more regularly than he scores. I’d cash in if the opportunity was there.

14.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 21:30:48
You could see the midfield was all skewed. but all in all it looked on the most part ok.

Defense, who knows until the midfield is sorted its difficult to tell, but the positional play between VVD and Konte was sometimes to seperated. VVD keeps finding himself out of the line of the goal zone, beyond the front post so gets bypassed.

I was impressed by Gakpo, he was asked to play in an unusual position and showed good energy and movement, yes a few too many pirouettes, but that's how he turns players up top, but 100% I can't fault his effort.

As for salah, for a team that plays a possession based game you have to be able to fundamentally control the ball, make good decisions and pass the ball. Far too many time Salah loses possession and some of his shooting is woeful. Every now and then we get a great moment from him, but they are too few and too far and between compared to the crazy money a SA team would pay for him. Frankly, as in many games he deserved to get pulled and when below par or ineffective, he should be pulled more.

Elliot looked a man with a point to prove when he came on. and he proved it well.

Good start!

15.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 22:08:53
Do you think they faded because not one of them played more than 45 minutes in preseason? Or because we literally couldn't get hold of the ball for most of the second half and they were all chasing shadows.

16.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 22:13:43
Talk about kneejerking over Salah's reaction.

17.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 22:39:58
I didn’t agree with playing a forward player in a central midfield position especially as szobo is also used to playing in more advanced midfield roles so left is unbalanced.
The thing that disappointed me most however was how long it took for the obvious changes to be made just after half time. Not until 65th minute.
We definitely need a new def midfielder but further evidence that we need another v good defender at the back.
Side note that Robertson was by passed too easily over and over today. Looked a yard short of pace, Which is a slight worry.
Positives that MacAllister and szobo wer arguably our best players today (along with alisson as usual) .
Elliot looked good when came on and love Doak’s confidence.

18.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 22:56:33
You people are a circus. 1-1 away at Chelsea is a decent result, stop acting like we got battered 5-0.

19.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 23:04:12
I think In Robbo’s defence today he was up against Sterling and James who doubled up on him. Only player dealing with them pair is a prime Maldini.

Trent had just Chilwell to worry about.

20.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 22:56:33
You people are a circus. 1-1 away at Chelsea is a decent result, stop acting like we got battered 5-0.

21.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 23:13:58
Thought that was the typical Mo Salah performance of the last few years. haggles about the wing not doing much, but sparks to life in moments and bags a goal or assist. Love that about him.

Being subbed off for a kid with 15mins to go would rile up most guys of his stature. I don't think we should read too much into that.

22.) 13 Aug 2023
13 Aug 2023 23:23:07
Hsf, not sure anyone is acting like we got battered. We can be satisfied with the result but unhappy about aspects of the performance. God forbid fans share their thoughts on a football banter site

@redwillis, it does feel they faded because we were chasing shadows. I can imagine it’s not the something the team are used to doing.

23.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 01:42:03
If klopp has no problem then there's no problem in it.

24.) 14 Aug 2023
14 Aug 2023 08:13:11
Agree Rigsby, Diaz is amazing for 20 minutes and gets progressively more ineffective and is pretty much gone after 60, a bit like Thiago. Would agree that Gakpo playing central as a number 10 is his best position. I like Jota as he scores goals but not in a central position as he has zero link up play. He should be on the left as a sub coming on at 60 mins or before after Diaz gasses out. Nunez is a real problem re what we do with him. I don’t think he gets in ahead of Gakpo or Diaz but we paid £80m for him so how can he sit on the subs bench? I guess we’ll rotate but he for me he needs rhythm which means playing every week. Get a real quality number 6 / risk big money on Lavia and hopefully then no need to play Gakpo at left midfield again and we should be ok.