06 Feb 2018 07:44:13
I know a lot of our fans aren't terribly happy or confident with the team this year especially due to our very inconsistent performances. But with 12 games of the season left and just United and Chelsea to play of the big 6 we are in 3rd place this is despite Spurs apparently having a great season. Chelsea were league winners last year and spent again. United look far from formidable especially given the money they've pumped in. I'm sure most our fans would've taken this position at this stage of the season. Yes we're still quite a few pieces of the jigsaw short, Goalkeeper, left back, centre back, midfielder or 2. So are we over achieving with what we've got in which case Klopps doing a fantastic job, and if this is the case let's home Milner and co can keep over achieving and push for second. I don't see why not.


1.) 06 Feb 2018
06 Feb 2018 10:26:57
Ibiza, I agree that fans are not happy as nor confident BUT I think it is mostly due to recent history. Many of our fans have suffered too many false dawns so after every poor result, a self-defeatist attitude sets in and people start to project the worst as a way of emotional self preservation so if we were to falter in the end, the emotional toll is not that bad. That is what needs to change, IMO.

Klopp says we must turn from doubters to believers. That does not mean we believe blindly. It means we believe based on how far we have come since say, when he took over. The fact of the matter is that we are much better and way ahead of where we were where Klopp arrived. Before he arrived, we were NOT anywhere near the neighborhood of the Chelsea's, City's, Utd's and even Arsenal or Spurs and fading fast into midtable redundance. Now, we are smack in the middle of their block and had it not been for the turn up of the level of the EPL with City, 51 points a few seasons ago will get you 2nd at this point.

That is the big picture that should NEVER be lost in the midst of criticism and frustration, IMO. We should always remember who we were and now are and stop comparing ourselves to teams like City and Utd (Spurs, and Chelsea are now our equals and Arsenal are seeing our dust atm) who are ahead of us for now. We'll get there slowly BUT surely and we must persevere in the right direction regardless of result cos instant gratification and quick fixes will NEVER work for us. Why? We've tried it for the disaster we now know of. Or you can be Chelsea right now who are a basket case with NO end in sight. Keep the faith, lads!


2.) 06 Feb 2018
06 Feb 2018 10:42:13
The problem is we lose against the lesser teams. If we had 12 big games left id feel more confident. Same old story. We came 2nd under Rodgers and got to a few cup finals we haven't come close to that under Klopp but somehow we have improved lol. Where do you guys get this from?

{Ed001's Note - what cup finals did we get to under Rodgers?}


3.) 06 Feb 2018
06 Feb 2018 10:58:39
Oh dear Slimz, just oh dear!


4.) 06 Feb 2018
06 Feb 2018 11:06:38
I actually genuinely think we are closer to consistency under klopp, than we ever were with Rodgers. Look how the squad has changed in such a short time. I believe VVD will actually help bring out the best in Lovren. Hopefully Keita will be the player we believe he can be. Yes we need more players but as Klopp has said why go buy players for the sake of players I for one am happier that he waits and he actually gets the targets he wants that he believes fits the team. He’s done quite well with his signings so far and believe we will be stronger again next year unlike Rodgers who was like a kid in a candy shop when he got the money from Suarez. And I believe it was king Kenny that took us to the cup finals in the season Rodgers was sacked and klopp has taken us to 2 aswell no? Obviously an up coming CL final too!


5.) 06 Feb 2018
06 Feb 2018 11:14:58
As far as i see it, we are 3rd in the league with 12 games to go, only Man City have lost less games this season, and we're in the knock out stages of the Champions League for the first time since 2009.

The only game I'm still annoyed about this season is the FA cup exit as i really wanted silverware this year. Klopp played a strong team though and frankly, they let him down.

We are a team on the rise and I genuinely believe we can finish 2nd and reach the CL Quarter finals at least; I have given up hope of winning it yet!

People will always think the grass is greener. It is human nature. The only team in England who have a better position than us to kick on and compete is Man City. Spurs will be hampered by their wage structure. United will be left in a mess by Mourinho as is standard throughout his entire career. Arsenal are already in a mess thanks to Wenger. Chelsea are a total mess.

I think people are reeling over losing Coutinho and now potentially Salah. I'm not even worried if we lose Salah as we'll just go and get someone like Malcom or Bailey and turn them into the next superstar. That is the Liverpool way.

Never make a player bigger than the club. We made that mistake with Gerrard and it set us back 15 years. What did we win after refusing to sell Gerrard in 2005? An FA cup and a League Cup? Oh wow, thank god we didn't sell and gave Gerrard more power than every manager he played under after that! He literally refused to play were Rafa wanted him in the team because we made him bigger than the club, then Rodgers had to shoe horn him into the team because of his status, just to take penalties. Maybe if we'd sold Gerrard, Rafa would've been allowed to reinvest in Silva, Villa and Alves and we'd have some league titles to talk about. Maybe Rodgers could've played Lucas at the base of the diamond and he would've actually protected the defence that year. Gerrard even had a say in tactics and transfers apparently!

Moral of the story is, never make one player bigger than the club because the team is more important than an individual. If Salah wants out, let him go. We replaced Keegan and Toshack, with Dalglish and Rush. Dalglish and Rush, with Barnes and Aldridge. Then Barnes and Rush came back. Then Fowler and McManaman. Then Owen and Gerrard. Then Torres and Gerrard. Then Suarez and Sturridge. Then Coutinho and Sterling. Then Firmino and Salah.

Am i worried about losing Salah? Not in the slightest. I don't even care if we're a selling club to some. Every team loses players they don't want to lose at times. The fact of the matter is, Liverpool makes you great. You don't make Liverpool great. Our future is exciting and I'm not going to be negative because we lost two games a week ago and the almighty Spurs needed to dive on 3 separate occasions to steal a point.

Nor will i be negative if Salah wants to go to Real Madrid to find out that Liverpool gave him the freedom to succeed, whereas at Madrid the fan pressure will crush him like it did with Rodriguez, Benzema and Bale. You have to be arrogant beyond measure to believe in yourself when nobody else in the stadium does and therefore succeed in a team which constantly wants to replace you with a new Galactico. In 3 years time he'll be begging to return like Owen did.

We are Liverpool, and i am already a believer.


6.) 06 Feb 2018
06 Feb 2018 11:27:14
People's expectations are unrealistic, that is the simple problem.

Certain people think we should be challenging for the title as soon as a new manager comes in and a summer transfer window passes.

It's unlikely and it's unrealistic and even if we had a fluke season and somehow won the league last season, we'd be "struggling" this season in 3rd/ 4th wouldn't we?!

A manager's job is an impossible one today more than ever, people just have zero patience and everything is about the now, when what we need is to build for long-term success of some kind - Klopp in my eyes is trying to do just that.


7.) 06 Feb 2018
06 Feb 2018 11:39:43
Feel a bit too much blame is being put on Gerrard there. The man gave is all for the club. Maybe he had too much power, personally I have no idea what went on. I can only judge on what i know which was he was fantastic for us on the pitch. Speaking to most of his ex colleagues, he was highly thought of (except Diouf) so from the outside it seems like he was a positive influence.

Our lack of titles should not be attributed to him. Rick Parry appears to have played his part where he blocked a number of moves. And then generally there was poor investment from our managers. Houllier, Rafa, Rodgers all invested poorly.

Our two best title challenges also came in season he played very well.

I agree with your overall point that if we sell Salah, we'll move on. But since we've began selling our best players, where has that got us? We may replace great players but we're not kicking on and winning trophies. If we do sell Salah, I feel its further prolonging the wait for a major trophy.


8.) 06 Feb 2018
06 Feb 2018 11:44:11
I'm sorry MK, I have to fundamentally disagree with a lot of your post, it's too long to give my opinions on each point, but I have a totally different vision of the club, not an unrealistic one but for example - Salah, if Madrid bid for him in the summer and we let him go, I'll be extremely angry with the hierarchy of the club on this occasion.

I've accepted it previously when Suarez, Torres, Sterling and Coutinho left as they were here a few seasons and worked hard mostly while turning out for us, but Salah hasn't even finished a full season and people are already talking about him being sold.

We should not allow ourselves to be seen as a stepping stone, it's that simple - we are a huge brand ourselves, but by allowing players like Salah to leave that quick would be ridiculous and prove to me many that the club aren't interested in success at all, only financial reward.

Stepping stones have no positives attached to them, they only get walked on (pun intended), Liverpool need to wake up now and take control of situations like this one which is clearly brewing in the background.

Selling a player after one good season for profit, it's totally unacceptable for a club like Liverpool to even consider it.

Not like we need the money badly right now either.


9.) 06 Feb 2018
06 Feb 2018 11:46:34
Agreed Reyrey1.


10.) 06 Feb 2018
06 Feb 2018 13:13:51
Unfortunately the player holds all the cards now not the club. Madrid and Barcelona are the biggest names in world football and whether we like it or not if either come calling most players would turn their heads, just like all the Southampton players who have come to us in recent yrs. They are professional and they will have ambitions.
I think fans are blinded by their own love for their club. The players, Managers and Owners are business men. It's their job. We should just enjoy the players while they wear our shirt and wish them luck if they don't.

I have no problem with a player moving on if he wants to. I have come to terms with accepting that in terms of what we can offer a player in terms of winning trophies, paying wages and location, we are a stone to the top of the mountain.
Real Madrid and Barcelona are the top whether we like it or not. We have been a platform for a lot of players to head to Spain, so why not accept it.
I am not going to say stop playing out of your skin Salah, you are going to interest clubs from abroad. Keep going Lad while your playing out of your skin I am watching a top player performing for my club. Come On You Reds.


11.) 06 Feb 2018
06 Feb 2018 13:52:47
Kev, it isn't about selling for profit. It is about building a team of eleven players who are all fully committed to Liverpool.

If Salah wants to leave and we deny him that, we will end up with an unhappy player eventually (again) . I agree we should try and convince him to stay. But forcing him to stay is a bad idea.


12.) 06 Feb 2018
06 Feb 2018 14:41:19
Kev and MK, your both right, we want and need a squad of players fully committed to LFC, but if Salah really wants a move to Real Madrid, we should want one more season of the same, then we should let him go in the summer . too difficult to get a repacement in the winter window,
that way, we would come to an agreement, and Salah would give us another big season,
we are Liverpool .


13.) 06 Feb 2018
06 Feb 2018 14:44:45
I am not at all bothered about Salah going, for me he is over performing because of klopp tactics .
He certainly isn’t Ronaldo (fat) and definitely will have second season syndrome .
we can replace him and kolpo can make them work and lift the team to more heights .
We need to see how well we are progressing with klopp.


14.) 06 Feb 2018
06 Feb 2018 13:49:45
I wasn't blaming Gerrard at all. I was blaming the club for putting a player into such a position of power, to the extent that he was called Mr. Liverpool.

Gerrard cannot be blamed for being put on a pedestal and maximising his own importance, therefore protecting his interests. Anybody would do the same, King Kenny aside.


15.) 06 Feb 2018
06 Feb 2018 16:37:28
If we sell Salah in the summer after one season it says to all supporters and all our players - We have no chance to win the title. He has 20 league goals and we are third, how do we replace those goals and Coutinho's goals and assits.

It is just going round and round. We are going to build a team not dismantle. I wouldn't sell Salah for £150m NO CHANCE. Which top players would want to come to Liverpool if our best players are leaving?


16.) 06 Feb 2018
06 Feb 2018 19:02:29
Brilliant thread here, guys. MK, I agree with your first post esp. about SG. The club gave him WAY too much power and it backfired big time. As for Salah like Mark08, we should do ALL we can to keep him AND Bobbie. If it takes Sanchez-like wages then so be it. As for him going to RM, MK is spot on. Those fans will destroy him as they have destroyed greater players than him. He is such a nice guy and a true gentleman, a recipe for disaster if you are a RM player. All in all, LFC is on the rise, no question so we should dust ourselves off from the weekend where the media darling Spurs and their perennial loser manager, needed to dive and cheat to get a point, not a win, a point. Now that is progress in itself.


17.) 06 Feb 2018
06 Feb 2018 19:44:44
I think you misunderstood me MK.
I also think it's about building a team but we can't do that if we allow players to leave after 12 months because they'll chuck their dummy out of their prams.
He's only with us 7 months and by the end of the season it'll be 11 months.

Nobody forced him back to England or to come to us so he should have no legitimate reason to leave after 1 year except for pure financial greed or easy and instant success in Spain.

He knew full well when joining us that this is a project and he clearly accepted it. If an offer comes in, we need to stand our ground with a firm no, maybe try again in Summer 2019.
End of story and that's it.


18.) 06 Feb 2018
06 Feb 2018 21:13:54
Kev, that's what I have been trying to say over the last few posts, right now Real Madrid are on a downward slope, while we are on a slow but constant rise,
we need at least two seasons from Salah,
I can see next season being a huge one for us, we should have an elite Keeper, and the spine of our team will be so much stronger,
we will be top two for sure .


19.) 07 Feb 2018
07 Feb 2018 00:44:18
We could have easily challenged City for the league had we bought better players in the summer or in January. We are short of a world class midfielder. Heavily relies on Salah and firmino. No real threat from the midfield and defense has been vulnerable all season. We are slowly but regretting the signings of Wijnadlum and AOC. I wish we bought a better CM last summer, someone like Doucoure ( Head and shoulders above AOC and Wiji )
Take out Salah and we are pretty average. FACT.


20.) 07 Feb 2018
07 Feb 2018 09:29:01
That is certainly not a FACT!

Take a Salah like player out of any team and they too are going to be fairly average, but replace him with an adequate player and suddenly you have a decent team again.

We didn't have Salah last season but got top 4 in the most competitive league in world football - please explain that FACT lol.

That was with a dodgy keeper and awful back 4 as well, now there's a FACT :)