30 Jan 2025 10:00:35
Interesting comments post match from slot. Sounds like he was impressed with McConnell, I reckon we might see more of him this season.
30 Jan 2025 10:09:11
He was excellent last night. I had wondered why he started ahead of Morton. There’s your answer.
He looks like he’s picked up the wriggle from Gravy too.
30 Jan 2025 10:09:41
McConnedll is great. I was disappointed with Danns. He looks a bit lost upfront, his movement seemed disjointed with rest of team. He has physicality but technique and speed wise i just feel he is not Liverpool-level.
U see a Liverpool grade forward when he comes out of academy, like Fowler, Owen. instant impact. Danns feel like just not it, probably do well for another premier league club.
30 Jan 2025 10:14:08
Agree on Danns, was expecting more given people were talking about replacing Nunez with him. Didn’t look ready at all for me and doesn’t seem to have the speed needed to play at highest level.
Likewise for Elliot, always said he’s a good little player but not good enough to be a starter for us and don’t see that changing.
Positives are that both Endo and Chiesa played well. Hopefully Chiesa gets more minutes now although have to say he looked much better on the left.
30 Jan 2025 10:20:55
McConnell was / is excellent. Real high hopes that he can become a regular first team player for us.
30 Jan 2025 10:25:36
Thought mcconnell v good last nite as well, he has that burst of pace+'wriggle 'to get away from a player in the middle of field that I think slot values. Bit like grav.
30 Jan 2025 10:33:33
To be fair to Danns it was his first start. There is a big difference between coming off the bench against Southampton/ Accrington or a knackered Chelsea in ET, compared to starting in the Champions league against the reigning Champions of the Eredivisie! He was quite poor, but it is a learning experience for him.
McConnell (as stated by others) was really good. He tired later in the game and played a few loose passes, but for the first 70 minutes you could easily argue he was the best player on the pitch. The closest thing to Gravenberch that I've seen in our squad in fact. His ability to take the ball under pressure and then turn out to initiate an attack was superb. Maybe we just saw last night why we've not panic bought a new DM this window.
30 Jan 2025 10:40:58
It was his first start in the CL away to a team top of the Dutch league. It’s going to take a while to get to the speed of first team football, let alone higher level CL football. Some of his touches were a bit heavy but there were also some very clever link up play. He was also kicked to bits by their centre halves as well. I think it was a very encouraging game with him gaining invaluable experience. To say he’s not up to it from that game is a ridiculous comment to make.
30 Jan 2025 10:43:41
McDonnell played well but I don’t actually see him starting a league or CL game ahead of Grav, Mac or Szob this season.
Not meant as a dig at him just can’t see us seeing a lot more of him this season as is being suggested.
30 Jan 2025 11:16:05
Maybe in the FA cup JK23.
30 Jan 2025 11:23:16
JK23, I wouldn't be shocked to see him used off the bench at times though and we will probably see him starting in the FA Cup earlier rounds. Slot's comments after the game indicate he has the intention of using McConnell in at least some capacity. Why else would he emphatically rule out a loan?
I'm with you that he probably won't start many if any games in the Premier League or Champions League. He is 20 years old though and we've seen other "big 6" sides use players of a similar age and younger in midfield (Rico Lewis, Kobbie Mainoo, Lucas Bergvall, Pape Sarr, Ethan Nwanieri etc) .
30 Jan 2025 12:27:25
McConnell stepped up. Kudos to him.
Danns was instrumental in the first goal and got kicked from pillar to post. He did OK but will not be pleased with his overall performance. If Danns played with Salah and Gakpo/ Nunez and our usual midfield, he would look totally different. He would have more time and space than he did last night.
Chiesa is still pushed off the ball too easily but a good run out and he looked lovely.
Nobody mentioning how appalling our back 4 were last night?
30 Jan 2025 11:42:05
The Milk and FA cup's plus some sub appearances as we see out games from a winning position are probably the best he can hope for this season, but that could provide the bedrock to properly integrate him for next season.
Personally, I think McConnell is of more use than Harvey in this set up.
30 Jan 2025 12:35:49
Danns is 18 right? I don't expect him to be able to gel from the first game with players he does not play with. Slot has a lot of tactical instructions for how we play and those tactics change within the game. Give the lad a break and let him develop. He may not become the player we want him to as lots can change but he has the abilities and mindset to get there.
Lets not forget Ryan Grav (who is a few years older) was top of everyones sell list last season and look what happened there.
Or Harry Kane who no one every predicted to make it but he worked very hard and surprised everyone.
30 Jan 2025 12:39:31
Harsh on Danns, I think. He worked his socks off. He definitely could have done a bit better with awareness of his pressing mates in a collective press, but that is to be expected for someone who is young/ new.
As we have seen, none of the no9s are flourishing in Slot's system to date. That includes Darwin, Jota and Diaz, who have all played there. When Jota and Diaz have scored, it has usually been playing in one of the other positions. Part of it is clearly systemic.
30 Jan 2025 12:44:01
Rotation JK23? Players can’t play every minute of every game.
30 Jan 2025 13:10:46
From last night’s performance, Danns is no near good enough for the first team. He just look too slow and cumbersome and had no impact on the game whatsoever.
30 Jan 2025 13:30:20
I think people would be easier on Danns if he hadn't been overhyped by many on here, didn't people say to sell Nunez as Danns was a more than capable replacement?
Maybe let the youngsters prove their worth over an extended time before hailing them as the next 'worldie', it would be better for them and probably for the site too.
30 Jan 2025 13:41:50
I agree, Mcgoveb.
He was built up after twenty minutes against Accrington Stanley and was always likely to come crashing down.
30 Jan 2025 13:51:42
They’re no mugs PSV. That was step up for those kids. Whether they did well or not, it’s a learning curve and playing away in the champions league is as hard as it gets. Great experience for them.
30 Jan 2025 14:06:39
Yep Mcgoveb, people said that and even some on here started crunching the nos. with a severely limited sample size, to make is look like he was better than Nunez. This same thing was done to Konate with the overhyping of Quansah after a tiny sample size of games, as well. Only for people to find out he wasn't as good as they thought.
IMO, Danns and Macconell are good young players who have produced for us already at Wembley last season already so I wish people would stop this crap of overhyping our youngsters and allow them to grow, mature and learn at their own pace.
30 Jan 2025 14:09:19
Gents I agree on the fa cup and my comment wasn’t aimed as a negative towards him.
The narrative for the last 3 months has been Slot seems to now trust Endo more and it’s only a matter of time before Chiesa and Elliot also start starting games.
We’re well over half way through the league campaign and them 3 have yet to start a Premier league game so I'm not sure if McDonnell leap frogs Endo and Elliot after last night let alone the regulars.
But only my opinion.
30 Jan 2025 14:47:41
Cant believe Danns ' the 18 yr old ' is getting a bit of stick on here. the kids been out for a long time injured. n now he come back into the big team. was people actually think he'd score a hat trick n be man of the match. he knows where the net is but at least give him a chance eh.
30 Jan 2025 15:02:23
Champions league game, an 18 year old lad, he may not of had the best of games but no player can perform 100% every game and at that age it's all about learning. The kid is a very good player, still lots to learn but in time he can be huge if he continues getting his chances. Guaranteed we'd of seen a different side to him yesterday if he'd of been playing with the first team.
30 Jan 2025 15:24:12
I didn't realise that McConnell is actually older than Bajetic.
30 Jan 2025 15:44:39
Fowler and Owen went straight into full strength Liverpool teams, not a mish mash of kids and squad players away to the Dutch Champions like Danns did. He can do better than lastnite, he'll know that himself. By the way can't remember him missing any guilt edge chances like some eternally backed players in our squad, he put in a shift on a hard night and will be better for the experience.
30 Jan 2025 15:54:38
Not a great result last night but the information Slot has got from that game will be priceless as in what players are up to it and who’s not because there were plenty that didn’t look great.
30 Jan 2025 17:19:33
I've seen it said over the season that chambers can replace Robbo, Danns can replace Nunez, Morton >Mac and Bradley > Trent etc which is all great and just opinions.
The comical bit is how much the SF's get triggered only when you mention Darwin.
31 Jan 2025 04:04:14
@Florian, neither God or Owen - if they were 18 now - would walk into the team because we’ve got Darwin and Diogo.