Liverpool 0-1 Burnley - Thursday 21st January, 2021

[Rick]

1 minute ago, Cicero said:

Strength in depth is what retains titles. Klopp implements a tiring system so it was evident the front three would dry up at some point given how much they put in the past 3 season .

Origi and Shaqiri just don't cut it. Not been impressed with Minimino at all either. 

Mate, we don’t need any attacking re-enforcements. We have Origi.

We also don’t need defenders when we can just play our midfield in the back line. 

[LFCMike]

1 minute ago, Cicero said:

Strength in depth is what retains titles. Klopp implements a tiring system so it was evident the front three would dry up at some point given how much they put in the past 3 seasons.

Origi and Shaqiri just don't cut it. Not been impressed with Minimino at all either. 

Jota is a huge miss at the moment

[Stan]

2 minutes ago, Cicero said:

Strength in depth is what retains titles. Klopp implements a tiring system so it was evident the front three would dry up at some point given how much they put in the past 3 seasons.

Origi and Shaqiri just don't cut it. Not been impressed with Minimino at all either. 

Not to this extent surely, though?! Was only in December they smashed 7 past Palace. 

[JoshBRFC+]

5 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Finally someone who understands that Virgil is worth at least 60 other players

What do you actually think the reason is? Playing a Midfielder at CB for too long? And not having a World Class out and out striker?

To me it’s these type of games where you need a Harry Kane for the crosses that are whipped in the box and the ugly games. Do the dirty things that’s the flair players like Salah and Mane can’t do. You’re persisted with Firmino for way too long now. 
 

Obviously let’s not get carried away, it’s an elite team going through a bad phase. But I think the VVD loss and lack of world class out and out striker are the main 2 issues.

 

 

[Rick]

I really think the owners have to spend some cash in this window now, because we really are jeopardising even getting top four by not helping these players and Klopp by bringing in a face or two. This team is in dire need of some spark. We haven’t spend a lot in the last few years, it’s time to step up and make moves. 

[JoshBRFC+]

Thiago right now.

[Lucas]

No wind up here. 

Would have been a great season for Amazon Prime to film. Proper intriguing to see what's going on behind the scenes there.

[Cicero]

1 minute ago, Rick said:

I really think the owners have to spend some cash in this window now, because we really are jeopardising even getting top four by not helping these players and Klopp by bringing in a face or two. This team is in dire need of some spark. We haven’t spend a lot in the last few years, it’s time to step up and make moves. 

Who's available right now that would be an improvement?

[DeadLinesman]

1 minute ago, shut up said:

Sokratis available on a free

‘Kinell mate, keep your voice down. Start world war 3 with that kind of talk in these parts.

[Rick]

5 minutes ago, Cicero said:

Who's available right now that would be an improvement?

Haaland has a release clause, right?
 

There are plenty of strikers out there if you look. Same for centre backs, why all of a sudden some people talk as if there is no chance of signing improvements just confuses me. 

[Dr. Gonzo]

Just now, JoshBRFC said:

What do you actually think the reason is? Playing a Midfielder at CB for too long? And not having a World Class goalscorers?

To me it’s these type of games where you need a Harry Kane for the crosses that are whipped in the box and the ugly games. Do the dirty things that’s the flair players like Salah and Mane can’t do. You’re persisted without Firmino for way too long now. 
 

Obviously let’s not get carried away, it’s an elite team going through a bad phase. But I think the VVD loss and lack of world class out and out striker are the main 2 issues.

 

 

I don’t even think we need a striker like Kane, tbh. Kane wouldn’t fit in at all with how we play, imo. But maybe the problem is down to not tweaking the system we play in.

The biggest issues, imo, stem from having both our starting CBs out. Especially Virgil, given he’s probably our best player - definitely our best defensive player. And it impacts us in a lot of different ways.

Firstly, they’re 2 of our fastest players. Both of them being out means we can’t play as high of a line as we normally do. This means if we want to do our high press the same as last season, there’s a massive gap in front of the defense - or, as we’ve seen since Gomez’s injury... we don’t press as high up or with as many people if it is a high press. And our high press is a big part of how we create so many good chances imo.

Next is Fabinho playing mostly in CB. Before we signed him, Liverpool fans were crying out for a defensive midfielder like him. And then he came in and was brilliant. He’s a good CB, but he’s world class in midfield - and our midfield and defense are much better with him in midfield.

That issue is doubled when we don’t have Henderson playing.

Our front 3 look knackered and other than Jota, who’s injured, the backups just aren’t up to standard. The best of the rest is Shaqiri, and he’s a better midfielder than a winger now (he’s also a better midfielder than the Ox now).

It’s just been a very bad season for us.

[RandoEFC+]

Any popcorn going for when @LFCMadLad arrives in the thread?

[Rick]

Just now, RandoEFC said:

Any popcorn going for when @LFCMadLad arrives in the thread?

Even he can’t defend this 

[Dr. Gonzo]

8 minutes ago, Lucas said:

No wind up here. 

Would have been a great season for Amazon Prime to film. Proper intriguing to see what's going on behind the scenes there.

I hope we never do one of those tbh

[Cicero]

Your YouTube channel already shows enough 

[The Artful Dodger]

Klopp as always sound in his interview, honest and takes the blame. No idea why people see him as some sort of dick, he’s always a good interview. 
 

[Dr. Gonzo]

Just now, The Artful Dodger said:

Klopp as always sound in his interview, honest and takes the blame. No idea why people see him as some sort of dick, he’s always a good interview. 
 

Out of all the people on here, I would have thought you especially would know exactly why

[Rick]

3 minutes ago, The Artful Dodger said:

Klopp as always sound in his interview, honest and takes the blame. No idea why people see him as some sort of dick, he’s always a good interview. 
 

You’ve got plenty of managers whinging about referees and decisions in their post game interviews, you get people like Mourinho & Lampard just talking utter shit about their players and never taking the blame, but It’s only big nasty Klopp that’s the bad one. 

[Storts]

9 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

I don’t even think we need a striker like Kane, tbh. Kane wouldn’t fit in at all with how we play, imo. But maybe the problem is down to not tweaking the system we play in.

The biggest issues, imo, stem from having both our starting CBs out. Especially Virgil, given he’s probably our best player - definitely our best defensive player. And it impacts us in a lot of different ways.

Firstly, they’re 2 of our fastest players. Both of them being out means we can’t play as high of a line as we normally do. This means if we want to do our high press the same as last season, there’s a massive gap in front of the defense - or, as we’ve seen since Gomez’s injury... we don’t press as high up or with as many people if it is a high press. And our high press is a big part of how we create so many good chances imo.

Next is Fabinho playing mostly in CB. Before we signed him, Liverpool fans were crying out for a defensive midfielder like him. And then he came in and was brilliant. He’s a good CB, but he’s world class in midfield - and our midfield and defense are much better with him in midfield.

That issue is doubled when we don’t have Henderson playing.

Our front 3 look knackered and other than Jota, who’s injured, the backups just aren’t up to standard. The best of the rest is Shaqiri, and he’s a better midfielder than a winger now (he’s also a better midfielder than the Ox now).

It’s just been a very bad season for us.

Absolute crap. Kane could play in any team or system in the world. Hed be incredible in your team, such an upgrade on Firmino. 

[Dr. Gonzo]

7 minutes ago, Storts said:

Absolute crap. Kane could play in any team or system in the world. Hed be incredible in your team, such an upgrade on Firmino. 

Insert press X to doubt meme

[Danny]

14 minutes ago, The Artful Dodger said:

Klopp as always sound in his interview, honest and takes the blame. No idea why people see him as some sort of dick, he’s always a good interview. 
 

Because it’s fun to watch world class managers lose their shit over a 1-0 loss to someone like Burnley

[RandoEFC+]

I don't get it with Thiago, in some quarters of the media he's already been hailed as some sort of world class superstar. We know how good he was at Bayern, but please wait until he's also been good at Liverpool for a bit before wanking over his performances. One of the blue tick football Twitter accounts tweeted something about how he's the only player in the league to have 100 passes per game this season, out of those that have played 5+ games. He's obviously a good passer of the ball but that's all a bit Joe Allen for me. Liverpool haven't scored or won in most (any?) of those games.

Then there are other people who think this bad run is entirely because he's been introduced to the side. This is also ridiculous. I assume these people haven't been watching how Liverpool's attacking play just stops at the edge of the box until they work it wide to the full backs slowly enough to let the opposition get 9 players back in the box and clear the cross that finally comes in. I think there were games last season and earlier this season where Liverpool stuggled to break teams down and were crying out for a player like Thiago to add a bit more penetration from midfield than you get from Henderson or Wijnaldum. Right now, they're completely out of sorts and you can't really make a judgement on him either way.

As for Firmino, no he doesn't score enough goals for a striker, but he helps Mane and Salah create a bunch of chances and goals so the net product is good. He does seem to mistime some decent chances, he's done it a few times in derby games that I've noticed and he had one today that he should have hit the target with. I don't think Liverpool should replace him with a player in the mould of Kane or anything, but I do think he is a bit below Salah and Mane's level of ability in that front three. What Liverpool could do with is a better version of Origi, a big cunt who can get on the end of crosses when the usual approach isn't working. Dzeko was the absolute best at it when that Man City side were at their very best. He wouldn't start every game but he offered a different dimension to Aguero and Tevez and their small skilful wingers. Giroud is another in that category who isn't just an aerial threat but a great all-round goal poacher and finisher who also has the technical ability for players to play off him. A centre forward that's a younger version of Dzeko/Giroud is probably what the doctor ordered for games like tonight.

I said it after the last game as well. Liverpool's midfield is really suffering from Fabinho not being in there. So much more is coming through the midfield than you'd have seen last season or earlier this season. I'd say actually that the drop-off in midfield of losing Fabinho is bigger than the drop-off in central defence of losing Van Dijk (although a part of that is obviously because Fabinho does well there in his absence). Trent Alexander-Arnold has been exposed defensively a bit this season. I honestly don't think you'll see much improvement in that part of his game. Like someone else said, you might ultimately see him play a different sort of position if he finds himself in a Liverpool side with the likes of Van Dijk, Fabinho and Henderson offering enough protection that he can get away with his somewhat mediocre defensive play as the right-back in a four.

There's a general lack of quality options in the squad as well. Shaqiri, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Origi, Minamino just don't impact the game often enough. They've got away with it for two seasons because of the improbable amount of time the first choice 13-14 players managed to sustain an elite level of performance and fitness, but now it's starting to show.

[Scouse_Mouse]

45 minutes ago, Storts said:

At Liverpool have spurs next. Easy win 

Ironically you are probably right, after recent results Spurs are just what the doctor ordered.

[Rick]

3 minutes ago, RandoEFC said:

I don't get it with Thiago, in some quarters of the media he's already been hailed as some sort of world class superstar. We know how good he was at Bayern, but please wait until he's also been good at Liverpool for a bit before wanking over his performances. One of the blue tick football Twitter accounts tweeted something about how he's the only player in the league to have 100 passes per game this season, out of those that have played 5+ games. He's obviously a good passer of the ball but that's all a bit Joe Allen for me. Liverpool haven't scored or won in most (any?) of those games.

Then there are other people who think this bad run is entirely because he's been introduced to the side. This is also ridiculous. I assume these people haven't been watching how Liverpool's attacking play just stops at the edge of the box until they work it wide to the full backs slowly enough to let the opposition get 9 players back in the box and clear the cross that finally comes in. I think there were games last season and earlier this season where Liverpool stuggled to break teams down and were crying out for a player like Thiago to add a bit more penetration from midfield than you get from Henderson or Wijnaldum. Right now, they're completely out of sorts and you can't really make a judgement on him either way.

As for Firmino, no he doesn't score enough goals for a striker, but he helps Mane and Salah create a bunch of chances and goals so the net product is good. He does seem to mistime some decent chances, he's done it a few times in derby games that I've noticed and he had one today that he should have hit the target with. I don't think Liverpool should replace him with a player in the mould of Kane or anything, but I do think he is a bit below Salah and Mane's level of ability in that front three. What Liverpool could do with is a better version of Origi, a big cunt who can get on the end of crosses when the usual approach isn't working. Dzeko was the absolute best at it when that Man City side were at their very best. He wouldn't start every game but he offered a different dimension to Aguero and Tevez and their small skilful wingers. Giroud is another in that category who isn't just an aerial threat but a great all-round goal poacher and finisher who also has the technical ability for players to play off him. A centre forward that's a younger version of Dzeko/Giroud is probably what the doctor ordered for games like tonight.

I said it after the last game as well. Liverpool's midfield is really suffering from Fabinho not being in there. So much more is coming through the midfield than you'd have seen last season or earlier this season. I'd say actually that the drop-off in midfield of losing Fabinho is bigger than the drop-off in central defence of losing Van Dijk (although a part of that is obviously because Fabinho does well there in his absence). Trent Alexander-Arnold has been exposed defensively a bit this season. I honestly don't think you'll see much improvement in that part of his game. Like someone else said, you might ultimately see him play a different sort of position if he finds himself in a Liverpool side with the likes of Van Dijk, Fabinho and Henderson offering enough protection that he can get away with his somewhat mediocre defensive play as the right-back in a four.

There's a general lack of quality options in the squad as well. Shaqiri, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Origi, Minamino just don't impact the game often enough. They've got away with it for two seasons because of the improbable amount of time the first choice 13-14 players managed to sustain an elite level of performance and fitness, but now it's starting to show.

Wouldn’t mind somebody like Mitrovic. 

[Storts]

2 minutes ago, Scouse_Mouse said:

Ironically you are probably right, after recent results Spurs are just what the doctor ordered.

100% - you’ll score a late winner as usual. No confidence at all for that game