Matchday Chat - 2016/17 season archive

[LFCMadLad]

5 minutes ago, Machado said:

Mane is the real deal. Both his and Coutinho's goals were pure class.

 

 

Marco Silva is unbeaten at home for 39 games now. That's two full seasons - one for Sporting Lisbon and another for Olympiacos, plus this short spell at Hull.

Looks like Mane will miss the rest of the season. Gutted as he's been by far our player of the season. When we signed him plenty of people scoffed at the price tag but surely he's one of the buys of the summer?

[True Blue]

2 minutes ago, LFCMadLad said:

Yeah I think you'll win it too but this league is mad and anything can happen!

Lose on wednesday and panic mode will be activated at the Bridge haha

[Takyon]

31 minutes ago, Machado said:

Marco Silva is unbeaten at home for 39 games now. That's two full seasons - one for Sporting Lisbon and another for Olympiacos, plus this short spell at Hull.

In the seasons before that, while managing Estoril, he lost 4 home games in 15. Finally, in his first ever season as a manager, also for Estoril but in Portugal's 2nd division, he lost 1 in 15 at home. Which means that in his whole managing career he lost a total of 5 home games out of 54.

I can't help but wonder where we'd be if the board had gone after him when Bruce resigned instead of appointing Phelan. 

Saw this on twitter which got a little laugh out of me:

[Dave]

My thoughts on today's activity...

- Some class football from Liverpool in the early kick off. If they play like that against all the smaller clubs in this division they will qualify for The Champions League with ease. I have doubts that they will given that players are naturally more focused on derby games. As for Everton with all the injuries they had there's nothing to be concerned about over this performance long term but the experienced players in that team should be asking questions of themselves in terms of why they can't win at Anfield.

- Chelsea will be wondering how they didn't win that game given the onslaught in the second half but Jesus didn't my boys do me proud. Mamadou Sakho was here there and everywhere again. I hope there's a twenty million clause in his loan because at the moment i'd take it. Then we had Wilfried Zaha who was direct, exciting and a deserved Man Of The Match. Then there's the cheek, the confidence and the audacity of Benteke to score that goal. He'd be fantastic if he just ran.

- A massive three points for Tottenham at a ground where most teams struggle. It's the type of match you really need to win if you want to mount a title challenge. As for Burnley I didn't realise how close they were to the drop and could possibly do with two wins quickly. Hope Harry Winks is OK after that freak injury.

- Given the money Manchester United have spent I think it's truly pathetic there only attacking outlet is a 34 year old. Yes, he's a very good 34 year old, but this is Manchester United who have spent ninety odd million on a hair stylist. Tony Pulis does set his teams up well and they are hard to break down but with the resources United have it's something they should be able to do with no problem.

- Not really surprised that Leicester have continued there good form. Stoke at home is literally the perfect team to play when you're flying at this point of the season as they have nothing to play for. What a goal that was though.

- That three points should see Watford safe now. I don't really rate them as a team but they get results. Poor Sunderland though look really off the pace. The owners refusal to sign players in Sunderland whilst rivals invested looks like it's taking them down. I feel a bit for David Moyes as he's had a rough time of it and aged about 20 years since Everton. It would be a shame for him to bow out on a relegation.

- West Ham only really have themselves to blame by creating all this negative media publicity in the last fortnight. It's created problems for themselves. I don't really get what the owner expect. That all said Hull still needed to do a professional job and under Marco Silva they could do what I thought was impossible on September 1st. The next four games are massive. Spurs will be difficult but they're more than capable of winning the other three.

 - This Southampton / Bournemouth game is a massive let down.

[Dan+]

We truly are back I think. Another comfortable victory and probably ought to have been more really as we were quite wasteful.

Four wins on the bounce, five in all competitions out of five under Shakespeare, who is lining himself up to possibly get this job beyond the summer.

I think we're safe barring a total disaster. 33 points now with home games against Sunderland, Watford & Bournemouth all to come, not forgetting we're one of the form sides of the league again.

Two absolutely quality goals from us today. Ndidi has been a fantastic buy from us so far. I expect him to play at the top one day.

The optimism and excitement is back. We may be villains in a lot of peoples eyes but we weren't wrong at all to do what we did. 12 points in our last 4 games. The previous 12 points we picked up before that takes us back 17 games.

Win on Tuesday at home to Sunderland and it's as good as done for me. In-fact if we win on Tuesday I'll be hoping we go to Everton next weekend with a weakened team.

[Dave]

With those fixtures I wouldn't put it past Leicester to finish in the top half with the squad they have if they don't field weakened sides for The Champions League. Watford are not really all that, Bournemouth's momentum will not last, it's just Southampton as the threat really.

[...Dan]

Oh, Arter.

[Happy Blue]

A must win for Arsenal tomorrow on less they are happy fighting united for 5th and we have our own little battle with Spurs for 2nd, so could do with the 3pts too

[Happy Blue]

2 hours ago, LFCMadLad said:

Chelsea have some tough games in the run-in. Maybe it's not as cutvand dried as we thought?

Spurs could nick it if we take another 3pts off them next game, a 4pt lead would be squeaky bum time!

[Happy Blue]

1 hour ago, True Blue said:

Of course everything could still be lost, we are still in pole position but a bad spell could come our way and we could blow it. I was certain Liverpool would win the title a few seasons back but the defeat from Chelsea and draw from Palace and you are out. Could well happen but we should win on wednesday and ease the pressure a bit.

City have grabbed it twice when it looked like another team had it in the bag with a few games to go  ...don't see it happening this year though even with the points gap about the same

[LFCMike]

Don't know what i was worried about.  had a bet on 3-1 later on at 12/1. They're fucking shit. My mate 'loves' derby day but they've won what, four this century?  feel silly now! 

[DeadLinesman]

4 hours ago, Toony said:

Fair enough, I suppose there's pros and cons to either system. I prefer the individual threads personally.

Think we had a chat a while back and said the 'big' games would probably get separate threads. 

[Storts]

What a day of football - big win at Burnley, not many teams have gone there and done what we did today. Dominant second half after two injuries. Pray for Winksy, that boy is a talent

[Mel81x+]

When I was looking at how many games teams around us have played I got the feeling that a top four finish wouldn't be possible for us because we're going to lose a game before the season is over and the other teams still have games to play that we've moved past. However, some of the run-ins for United, Spurs and Chelsea are going to make the race for European spots quite an interesting one. 

United's imo is the worst run-in of the lot because they have to play the rest of the top 6 before the end of the season. 

Just saw the replay for the Winks injury and hope he recovers soon. Is Wanyama also a possible injury for Spurs now?

[The Artful Dodger]

Thought Hull were doomed at 1-0 down, great turn round. Palace winning was a cunt though, and Swansea still have the edge. Home form alone won't be enough.

[LFCMadLad]

29 minutes ago, Storts said:

What a day of football - big win at Burnley, not many teams have gone there and done what we did today. Dominant second half after two injuries. Pray for Winksy, that boy is a talent

Spurs are becoming pretty solid. I thought you'd suffer missing Kane but the results keep coming in. 

Good win today!

[LFCMadLad]

5 hours ago, Aaroncpfc said:

Well it's official. Alan Pardew has cost us the title.

Just seen highlights of your match. What a  loan signing Sakho has been?!  

 

[Dave]

49 minutes ago, LFCMadLad said:

Just seen highlights of your match. What a  loan signing Sakho has been?!  

 

He's been brilliant. Given we've won every game I don't see any reason why he shouldn't get Player Of The Month. I'm sure it will go to a Leicester player and there's fans will still go on about how everyone hates them mind you.

[Rafa Beneathus]

I've given Allardyce a lot of stick over the years, most of it narrow minded and blinded by his tenure at NUFC and the fallout from it. However he is doing a cracking job at Palace and feel that had he stayed at Sunderland he would have them safe and sound.

 

[Batard]

4 minutes ago, Any O'Brien said:

I've given Allardyce a lot of stick over the years, most of it narrow minded and blinded by his tenure at NUFC and the fallout from it. However he is doing a cracking job at Palace and feel that had he stayed at Sunderland he would have them safe and sound.

 

I totally agree. I think this is his level though, small to medium team with little expectations. Bigger jobs require something more than bluster and "just get stuck in" management. 

Signing Sakho and getting Zaha to perform has really turned their season. Arguably losing at home to Sunderland has saved them given the way they've adjusted since 

[Stan]

We've not won many this season but yesterday was probably our easiest. Stoke offer nothing and Berahino is wasted in that team. We have Huth and Benalouane at the back who are very physical so bringing on Crouch when Stoke went to play route one football played in to our hands so we could see out the game with ease. 

The goals we scored were ridiculously good. Ndidi is just brilliant. Not only with the goal he scored but the way he broke up anything Stoke were doing in the middle of the park. And as soon as Crouch came on, Shakespeare told him to be in any aerial battles with him and he carried out that duty superbly too. The goal was phenomenal though. From where I am in the stands, it looked more central but seeing the replays after the game made the strike even better as it was an angle. So much power and accuracy to give the keeper no chance from there. And Vardy's goal was well taken, too. Getting a goal that quickly after half-time killed any chance Stoke had in the game. At 2-0 just after HT we remained professional and calm and just controlled the game. Hughes said after the game that when we score first it plays in to our hands so we can sit back and hit on the counter which works well for our players.

Gonna mention Okazaki too because although he doesn't score many at all, he does so much hard work to free up Vardy and remains the link between the central midfield and his strike partner. Runs himself in to the ground every single game and there aren't many forward players in the game any more that are like him. Not that I can think of off the top of my head anyway. Love that man to bits because it's 100% every single game.

As much as we controlled the game and won easily, I was a bit disappointed with Drinkwater and to a lesser extent, Mahrez. Drinkwater lost possession few too many times for me and Mahrez, for all his efforts, never really got going today. He had one chance just outside the box which Grant saved well, but was a bit wasteful in other attacking opportunities.

3 points off the top half now. A position I did not envisage us in if Ranieri was still here. Shakespeare has been brilliant and is now the first English manager to win his first 4 league games in this division. Proud for him and the turnaround in fortunes he has helped us with. 

[Stan]

15 hours ago, Storts said:

What a day of football - big win at Burnley, not many teams have gone there and done what we did today. Dominant second half after two injuries. Pray for Winksy, that boy is a talent

Good win for you indeed especially given Burnley's record as you say. What actually happened with Winks? Saw him writhing in agony on MOTD but they didn't really capture what happened. Did he do his ankle in as he ran off the pitch or as he fell over all the water bottles?

[Toony]

Huge game about to start now.

Boro look almost gone if they lose today, big week for them though with Hull & Burnley to follow.

[HK85]

A typical performance at Anfield from us. I'm bored of walking over that park before the game has finished. Every year it's the same. 

Give Barkley the armband and a new contract. 

[roversgirl]

Barkley showed his immaturity and let himself get caught up in the occasion yesterday. His tackle on Lovren should of seen him sent off and he tried to do too much rather than keeping things simple. Lukakau was isolated upfront and got poor service, but he didn't help himself either and it's another big game he has had little influence on. It was far too easy for Liverpool.