Liverpool Discussion posts

15 May 2024 14:10:12
Just read a stat that we have been dribbled past more times (413) than any other team across Europe’s top five leagues this season.

Just shows our lack of defensive minded personnel in midfield, and the standoffish-ness nature of our back 4.

Worrying reading. Slot has a bit of a job on his hands defensively.

15 May 2024 14:57:23
Was Van Dijk playing No.6?🤔.

15 May 2024 17:26:17
Wow who’s counting all these stats - weird.

15 May 2024 17:48:30
Gotta admit that is the first time I've ever heard of this stat 😂.

15 May 2024 19:03:37
Our defensive issues have to be down to coaching also not just the players. I won't miss the keystone cop defending that's for sure.

14 May 2024 21:56:05
Third is what we end up getting. But after last season its probably the progression that was a realistic target. Have to say a huge well done to Villa, who will join us in the CL next season. What an effort that is . For me they have the 3rd best manager in the league behind us and City. he's worked wonders there. No one had them finishing top 4. 115 charges FC, Arsenal, then perhaps Chelsea, Liverpool, United Newcastle again, maybe Spurs and as an outside shout West Ham but perhaps not Villa. So far play to them and the manager.

15 May 2024 00:41:40
Yeah I must admit I like how villa have been this season. I'm quite surprised we didn't go in for Emery to be honest.

15 May 2024 08:11:59
It is almost impossible to understand what he is saying I think this hinders him greatly. I can imagine players being more confused than anything during team talks. He literally has the strongest Spanish twang to his English I have ever heard. His interviews and pressers are a hard watch.

15 May 2024 10:33:57
Villa is the perfect fit for Unai Emery. He's got his old mate Monchi with him, players he knows in Torres and Carlos and owners that are ambitious and willing to back the club in the market.

Not to mention that he is only allowed to work for clubs with V-I-L-L-A in their name.

15 May 2024 11:39:26
He’s only ever successful at clubs with Villa in the Pelican. Maybe that’s where he feels at home.

14 May 2024 20:35:03
Hi Ed002,

Are there any other Barcelona players other than Raphina that we might be interested in if they want a part exchange for Luis Diaz?

Cheers Ed.

{Ed002's Note - I don’t think so.}

14 May 2024 22:33:00
I’d tell Barcelona it’s cold hard cash or jog on. There isn’t anyone there worth taking.

15 May 2024 08:13:15
It’s funny that Barcelona only have players to trade to make transfers but have no players worth trading. Hilarious.

15 May 2024 11:47:07
Barcelona spend badly, get buyers remorse, then struggle to get shot of their bad players. See Coutinho, Dembele, Griezmann, Raphinha et al. There’s not one player who Barcelona want to sell who is worth signing.

14 May 2024 20:18:39
With no announcement yet on Arne Slot
What's the latest on pre season and the return for that.
Does the manager have complete say on when they return? Any travel plans that the new manager might have. Will he have enough time to organise?
With International football too. The players will need a break giving them a later return date.

I would have thought plans would have already been in place for this. Does anyone have any idea of how this works?

{Ed002's Note - The tour is organised and when the season ends there will be announcements. I don't understand your concerns.}

15 May 2024 07:42:00
I was just enquiring Ed if it was the manager that had a input to these actions or a club set out
Seems to be the club organise this
Thanks for the response bud. Enjoy your day sir.

{Ed002's Note - The manager does not organise pre-season tours.}

14 May 2024 21:17:09
Pep doing that spitting thing is rank.

Never mentioned on punditry though.

It's horrible.

15 May 2024 04:36:09
Turns my stomach too. It’s disgusting. He’s getting worse too. It’s like a tic now. He did four quick spits after Haaland’s goal tonight and one went on his jumper. Just odd. Someone should tell him to cut it out but it seems the whole world’s too scared.

15 May 2024 07:04:07
The 'Camel' i call him. Things is, he spits more than one of those. Can't think of anything that spits more. Maybe a alpaca.

15 May 2024 08:43:06
Jamie Carragher, Bulk?

15 May 2024 17:29:15
Camels definitely spit more than alpacas.
Only Spit the Dog spits more than a camel…. and
Pep.

Filthy habit.

14 May 2024 19:18:29
With a new manager due to Slot in very soon seemingly, what changes can we expect backroom staff?

In the modern game managers due to tend to have done their homework on the squad their likely to inherit and have clear ideas of who's key and who's dispensable.

We cn only guess, but its my thinking that Van Dyck will be his captain, along with Trent, Jones, Macallister, Szlobo and Allison.

the rest i think we will see.

thoughts anyone?

14 May 2024 21:23:28
Honestly
If we have Virgil as captain and Trent as vice captain - based on attitude then we are struggling

Virgil has developed his habit of throwing his hands up in the air and Trent looks largely uninterested.

14 May 2024 18:53:40
People are rightly calling out our defenders, the amateurish system we play, as well as the positioning of our right back throughout prolonged moments of a match. This has honestly been the case for the last two years, and I am amazed Klopp never found a solution. In fact, I would say his failure to adapt is negligible at best.

However, the one thing that genuinely concerns me is Van Dijk.

I have never seen Van Dijk retreat as much as he has in recent matches, and it has highlighted the fact that his pace is completely gone. I didn't realise his pace was gone until recently, but he struggled to keep up with a lot of people, and didn't look comfortable extering himself, at all. Even when it was required, which is rare because more often the RCB does the heavy lifting, in terms of energy expenditure, covering for Trent.

It was alarming habit during the match, Van Dijk just kept sprinting back to the keepers box, never once looking to engage the opponent. It happened so often, and cost us a goal. It was almost like he wanted to create the illusion that he was in position doing something, but you afforded the opponent that space and time, through poor game management.

I will also say that I think Van Dijk is a terrible captain, more in line with Bruno Fernandes than Henderson. The amount of times a goal goes in, and he throws his hands up in the air, rolls his eyes, looks at a teammate and then shakes his head is infuriating. It is poor. A real captain motivates, encourages the team to up their levels when things are going wrong. Van Dijk is incapable of this.

Say what you like about Henderson, but he was a genuine captain. When the going got tough, he would be around the players, barking instructions, motivation. He would lead the press from the off, continue to provide instruction, motivation until things fixed themselves. Then, he would keep doing it, to ensure standards didn't slip.

Hendo was never an incredible player, but he was a brilliant captain. He, and Milner, their leadership has been missing this season. Had one stayed, I believe the standard and professionalism by some players would not have slipped. Easy to say in hindsight, but we really missed that leadership.

Honestly, with Van Dijk's pace being gone, we can not play this high line anymore, as he is always the deepest defender playing people onside. He must make Nunez look incredible in training, because Van Dijk sits so deep that even Nunez can't be offside.

For me, at 33, and 1 year left on his contract, it is time to say goodbye and bring in someone younger, with pace that can play our highline. I suspect Saudi will come in for him, I know Real and Barcelona are linked, but there is no way they will pay a significant fee for a guy that is 33 years old. No chance.

14 May 2024 20:57:13
If we hadn't vvd this season we definitely wouldn't have won the league cup and I'd reckon we would be in real scrap to get champ league position. He dipped last few weeks no doubt but up to that he was 1 of the best, if not the best, cb in league. Our problem is if vvd ain't doing everything himself defensively we frigged. Far too dependent on him imo.

14 May 2024 21:27:11
I agree with most of your points Mango, and I also get Diggers points about VVD being good up until this recent drop off. I actually think you are both right. I think VVD has been awful recently, has not shown good captain behaviour, but also has been our best defender this season. Trouble is, we have been conceding all season long even when people were saying VVD was back to his best. So he's the best of a bad bunch, or at in a team of poor tactics at any rate. If he's lost his pace, we should play a low block when defending. Our pressing game is useless currently and we don't break at pace when we win it back, preferring to recycle possession and look for openings slowly rather than the old Klopp lighting counter style, so we might as well sit deep. I think all our defence would be more effective this way.

14 May 2024 21:41:22
What I would say is that the constant presence in the back 4 has been Virgil
That for me means that you have to look at the common denominator when we concede goals so readily when compared to our previous seasons

I agree that he’s been our best defender but compared to his best there has been a drop off
And I’d question how much he helps those around him or is he concentrating on his own game only.

14 May 2024 22:51:57
Completely agree with Digger, really can notice a targeting of Van Dijk on here at the first opportunity from some people. He was up there with Saliba for the best centrehalf this year up till recently, was colossal in the Cup final. So many others get a free pass while Virgil and a couple of others cop all the flack.

15 May 2024 07:44:02
Problem is you can have the best defender in the world but if the rest of the players aren't helping, the defence does not have adequate protection or everything is a little disjointed then it's not going to make a difference.

VVD has lost pace and his not the player he was but that is going to happen after the injury and with age. Still a great defender.

Konate is a bit unpredictable and injury prone, Quansah is young and inexperienced. I think we looked more solid with Bradley maybe moving Trent further forward not necessarily in midfield but as a CAM or winger might work.

Think the defence needs rebuilding with VVD for the next season, a new DM though I love Endo and a more out and out striker and see where that takes us.

15 May 2024 09:08:49
Throw in the long term injuries to Bradley, Trent, Matip, Konate (not lerm term in particular but still missed half the games with various niggles), Robbo and Tsimikas and it doesn't help.

15 May 2024 09:09:49
I think the issues are far more than just VVD being in decline, which although true (given his age and the impact of that injury), whoever is on the right side of central defence is always on to a loser if TAA is playing right back as he doesn’t do enough defensively by a very long way. We have looked far more solid with Bradley and that’s no coincidence as he does far more defensive work that Trent. We’re also not helped by still having a midfield that doesn’t function. As much as I like Endo, he’s not a first choice and we really haven’t replaced Fabinho. How many times have we played Mac at number 6? Until that gets resolved it will still be a problem. Personally I’d make Bradley the first choice right back, I also wouldn’t try and shoehorn Trent into midfield as I don’t think he has the work rate or all round game to play there.