25 Jan 2021 13:04:16
To Ed001 if you're about? I know you don't do a Match Review for the Cup Games, however, what are your brief thoughts on yesterday's game - from our perspective? Seemed like some improvements blighted by some poor errors. Good to see some signs of fluency returning though. Also, why do you think Nat Philips is being overlooked? He didn't seem to do anything too bad in the games he played and would seem a more reliable option to young Rhys Williams maybe? Thanks.

{Ed001's Note - ok quick:

Overall: confidence is shot resulting in mistakes and a lack of fluency all over the pitch

Alisson: has no confidence in the defence at all, making him second guess himself and make silly errors

Trent: players need to start making runs to attack the balls he is putting in or he may as well not bother

Williams: has no defensive nous at all. He is making the errors of a 12 year old new to organised football. Has no pace but constantly goes to the play and allows himself to be beaten over the top because he is 10 yards too far forward almost all the time. Liability right now. If he does not know the basics by now, he probably never will.

Fabinho: still plays centre-back like a midfielder and it is costing us at times when he sells himself needlessly crashing into a challenge when he should stay on his feet.

Robertson: is being wasted right now, just like Trent.

Thiago: cannot play the deep lying role in this country as he can't defend. Embarrassing to see him duck under the free kick as well. Needs to play further forward or he is a liability.

Wijnaldum: completely out of form and needs a rest

Milner: needed help yesterday and got none

Jones: should play in midfield, as he showed when he dropped back. He is not suited to playing further forward.

Firmino: another woefull out of form and in need of a break. Surely Taki deserves a run there?

Salah: scored the goals, what more can you ask?

25 Jan 2021 15:23:58
Can’t argue with any of that Ed - understand the form thing but really don’t get why Thiago is being left so exposed and we’re not using Taki. Should also have been Philips over Rhys. Klopp is a legend but some of his selections have been a bit odd of late.

{Ed001's Note - anyone over Williams to be fair. He is completely out of his depth. I don't understand how highly paid staff have not spotted it when I saw it in his first game against Spurs. It is beginning to look like Klopp is trying to force FSG to buy him a defender by showing how bad the options are.

As for Thiago, he played that role in the Bundesliga but this is not the Bundesliga.}

25 Jan 2021 15:26:30
Thanks Ed - much appreciated. I do agree with your comments and we seem to be playing lots of people out of position to sort the defence. Personally, I would play Hendo in the 6 at all times (never in defence) which would allow Thiago to play in one of the 8's. Then, when Matip is not fit, play Philips (rather than Hendo) so as not to disrupt the midfield so much. I would also rather see Gini and Thiago swap their positions if there is no Hendo option for the 6 - with Gini as the 6 and Thiago as the 8. None of this is ideal, however, we are trying to make do as best as we can. Thoughts?

{Ed001's Note - I don't understand why Phillips is not in the team over Williams. He is clearly a better defender.}

25 Jan 2021 15:27:05
Agree with everything you’ve said Ed.

Interestingly, I thought we look at our best for about the 15 mins that Bobby managed to look like his old self. As out of form he’s been for a while, it’s clear to see that when he plays, our whole team does.

{Ed001's Note - that has always been the way, he makes the team tick. Which is why it is vital we get an option up to speed for those days he is not fit or in form.}

25 Jan 2021 15:30:51
Wow Ed quite a report mate but pretty much bang on in all you’ve said. Singing a CB in the next 6 days would correct a lot of our issues now and would push Fab into the holding roll and allow Thiago the license to roam further forward.

Can you tell the owners please mate.

{Ed001's Note - I don't see why we need to sign a centre-back to do that. Philips could play there. When Hendo is fit I would prefer him there to Fabinho as Fabinho's front screening is more important to the team than the centre-back role.}

25 Jan 2021 16:00:45
So Klopp is making a big error by keep playing a lad who is not up to it.

25 Jan 2021 16:12:35
I’m seriously scratching my head at why Phillips is overlooked in favour of Williams. Makes even less sense when there’s talk of us looking at Sokratis who is so over the hill it’s unreal.

25 Jan 2021 15:55:47
Thanks for the review ed1 much appreciated 👍👍.

{Ed001's Note - very welcome M R.}

25 Jan 2021 17:07:32
It's a sad state of affairs but sokratis is better an more experienced than ryhs William's and spot on with nat Phillip's he should of got a little run in the team to gain confidence.

25 Jan 2021 17:26:32
Sokratis is past it, he’s been shocking this last year at Arsenal, there’s a reason they were desperate to get shot of him.

{Ed025's Note - if you think rhys is slow...this fella takes it to whole new level mate..

25 Jan 2021 17:35:04
I don't think Nat Phillips would have been any better versus Rashford yesterday tbh. Honestly, and without criticising either of the lads, they are not good enough at this level.

25 Jan 2021 17:51:40
The difference between Phillips and Williams is that Phillips is more aware of his limitations, especially in terms of pace, and drops off earlier to account for it. Isolated 1v1, yeah he'd probably struggle as bad against a fast forward as Williams did. But I don't think he'd end up situations where he's throwing himself into a tackle or clearance to stop a ball going in behind him, and then missing said tackle or clearance, three times in 90 minutes.

25 Jan 2021 18:48:10
Difference with Sokratis though is that he has a defensive brain and will not allow himself to get underneath the ball every time it goes forward. He has proven quality, Williams hasn’t. I’d take a on the decline Sokratis over him any day to fill in temp.

25 Jan 2021 20:00:51
I think Phillips is just as bad as Williams only worse on the ball. Neither are good enough at the moment but we all know we’ve got issues at CB and it won’t be sorted until next season. We’ve got to make the best of it.
I thought Bobby was much better in the second half. First minute I was screaming at him as he jogged behind Lindelof as he brought the ball out of defence. The Bobby of old would’ve humiliated him for trying that in his vicinity. He did start to press more like himself in the second half and it resulted in us being able to press them in and they were starting to crack.
It was all undone by mistakes at the back but that’s been done to death.

25 Jan 2021 20:31:05
Rumour has it Phillips, Williams and Sokratis all raced a parked car. And the car won.

25 Jan 2021 20:52:51
I'm of the mind that we'd be better pairing Phillip's with Matip (when fit) and then restore Fab to the midfield. I feel like playing Fab out of position for this length of time and then pairing him with Hendo just further weakens the team and is contributing to our dysfunction.

I'd rather have Fab there with Hendos engine and leadership and then free up Thiago further forward. He is putting a good effort as the anchor but is expanding so much energy I think that may be impacting his passing as a lot of his angles balls don't fit d the mark.

25 Jan 2021 23:08:54
Phillips is actually fast and he is clearly a better defender. I don't think Rhys' passing ability is what we need right now, a better defender is what we need and Nat is there waiting.

Also, Nat Phillips is a 23 year old man, not a young boy growing into his body. His yellow card v Newcastle was him whacking Joelinton (big strong lad) over the sideline. Rhys is a kid. I'd rather plug the gap with Phillips the coming months.

{Ed0666's Note - so you think we can play a high line with nat Philips Sean?