07 Oct 2018 18:13:00
Ed001 hope you're well matey. Watching the City game and was wondering- do you think our lack of zip and pressing is an intentional ploy? Obviously we've had quite a challenging month fixture wise so do you think we've been conserving slightly to get through the month?

{Ed001's Note - yes mate, it is a change of style to conserve energy for a long season as the sports science said the player levels dropped in the run in last season.}


1.) 07 Oct 2018
07 Oct 2018 18:55:51
Are you overall happy with the result Ed mate? I must say I am, I thought we'd win but when I think about the recent set of games I'll take a draw no problem. Time for winning ways again though against Huddersfield, god help them!

{Ed001's Note - I think your namesake, my mate, is a Jonah, so no. Since he has been coming round to watch you play we haven't won. I have told him he will be banned if we don't start winning. It is all his fault I reckon.}


2.) 07 Oct 2018
07 Oct 2018 19:03:06
Chelsea away, Tottenham away and city at home and joint top, I'll take that.


3.) 07 Oct 2018
07 Oct 2018 19:04:14
Thought as much it's a long old season and we don't want to burn out! Cheers ed have a good one.

{Ed001's Note - exactly, and a bunch of the players never had a proper pre-season either with the World Cup.}


4.) 07 Oct 2018
07 Oct 2018 19:23:18
Well we have to blame somebody ed mate, so yeah I agree he has to be the one to blame, ban him immediately! lol.

Just as a side note I need to mention Hendo today, what a performance by the lad, if he carries on playing like that he'll prove a hell of a lot of doubters wrong. Absolute class performance and best player on the pitch imo.

{Ed001's Note - Hendo did do well but you will never convince the doubters.}


5.) 07 Oct 2018
07 Oct 2018 19:35:34
I think Hendo is an easy target salah, cos he isn’t a star name when thing goes wrong he takes all the stick. He always seems crucial against city.


6.) 07 Oct 2018
07 Oct 2018 19:56:54
Think we are missing the Ox attacking midfielder linking with the front 3
Could shaquiri fit into that role he sems to have a good work rate.
Can we affors to go more attacking given that the defence and goalie looks much more solid.


7.) 07 Oct 2018
07 Oct 2018 20:07:06
Hendo had a good game, especially towards the end, made some fantastic tackles and interceptions!
Show’s how far we’ve come when City set up the way they did today.

We now look solid at the back, just can’t wakt until we really click into gear.


8.) 07 Oct 2018
07 Oct 2018 20:08:28
I take the points but not the front three. Time to shed the usual excuses “ we haven’t clicked yet” “ not got into the second gear”. Sorry but get used to it guys! That front ain’t going to blast teams of anymore. Need to find goals elsewhere. If kieta isn’t pumping the balloon then we need Shaqiri! Why did we sign him?


9.) 07 Oct 2018
07 Oct 2018 20:54:12
I agree, maybe Shaqiri should have replaced either Salah or Mané. The front three won’t blast teams away like last season because both Mané and Salah thrive on space in behind the back line, teams, like city did to today, will look to nullify this. We struggled last season to break down teams that “park the bus “ so it’s nothing knew!

I think we’ve been playing bang average but ( apart from the Napoli game ) we are creating chances. Just not converting them.

Do we need more creativity from midfield? Yes, I just hope Keita and I’m sure he will, help in this area. We have an industrious midfield that enables the front three to attack in confidence, especially as the defence is so much more assured.

One thing is for sure, we need more goals from Midfeld.


10.) 07 Oct 2018
07 Oct 2018 20:13:14
Hendo did have a good game today. But why can’t people say he has a bad game when he has a bad game. The rest of the team get it. He’s not being picked on. If he plays well then fans say he plays well. When he plays poor then the people who say it aren’t proper fans apparently.


11.) 07 Oct 2018
07 Oct 2018 20:48:15
I’m not sure why Harry takes pleasure in finding faults with the team but it’s pretty irritating. The system has clearly changed this season, we are not pressing as hard and the front 3 are getting less chances in front of goal we are however more solid at the back because teams aren’t beating the press (because it’s selective and less often now) . It’s obvious that Klopp has shifted tack we won’t be as entertaining as last year but also we won’t finish 20 points behind city.


12.) 07 Oct 2018
07 Oct 2018 20:57:30
Either Keita or Shaqiri need to be starting and with Milners injury they may get a chance. We do need the Ox that is for sure. Mane has been woeful the past few games yet it is Salah getting all the stick.

The international break is much needed imo because we look spent after this run of games. Everyone in that napoli match was dead on their feet, and Ed001 is spot on with his analysis that we are trying to conserve energy during recent matches. Under the circumstances i’ll take a win and two draws from the Chelsea, Spurs and City games. I do think our lack of intensity today was planned and we did go out to win the game in the second half, but both teams cancelled eachother out. With Huddersfield and Cardiff coming up in quick succession we have to return to top form because their managers will be looking for a reaction after their recent games and we really need to improve our goal difference.


13.) 07 Oct 2018
07 Oct 2018 22:13:10
I am not taking any pressure here. Just pointing out facts and areas for concern and improvement. It’s up to you to understand it. Liverpool and Chelsea are the closest to challenge city and we did even come close to beating them today. We were extremely lucky to get a draw today.

I don’t think it is the system that is stopping us from scoring. Pressing should always be our “Motto”. End of! we are counter pressing team who relies heavily on full backs to offer width and our front three are wide inside forwards. That much is clear and I don’t think there is any need to change this as we have now “Strength in depth”.

You don’t win football matches without scoring goals and it doesn’t matter what system you play you got to score one more than the other.

This whole changing tactics remind of Brebdan post Suarez. And he got dog abused for changing tactics which worked brilliant in his second season. From high pressing to possession.

We don’t create much simply coz we don’t create much! Hardly anything to do with system. You got to be creative to creat chances.

I don’t know what you mean by “ industrial midfield “. We have a “ Workman midfield” less creative than the likes of Silva and KDB. Which is exactly why we rely so much on Mane ( Now dropping deeper ) and Firmino.

Go watch and that pass from Silva to set up Mahrez in the blink of an eye. That was so quick it took our entire midfield out from the game. We got to release the ball Quicker and transition needs to be faster!


14.) 07 Oct 2018
07 Oct 2018 21:16:20
We simply need to drop one CM for an attacker. Why are we playing with 3 Workman, less creative CM’s at home against any opposition? City plays with only one out and out Center midfielder and the other two are purest form of playmakers!
Most of our CM’s are now converted holding midfielders. Play Shaqiri in the middle!


15.) 07 Oct 2018
07 Oct 2018 23:00:03
Harry? Talking facts? I must have drank my lunch, lol. As long as Klopp is not signing the players, playing the style or picking the lineup that HE wants, it's all doom and gloom and finding faults with this or that. Like he just said what City do in midfield, meaning why can't we play the way City does. See what I mean? Clearly it has not occurred to him that we DID play with Shaq in the no. 10 vs Saints and we afforded too much space and Klopp had to fix it at half time BUT he conveniently forgets that fact.

The fact of the matter is that we have changed our way of playing, as Ed said. Klopp has become more pragmatic cos last season, if we did not play well, we would NOT win. To win, we had to blitz teams. That for anyone with a functioning brain, means that such a style is UNSUSTAINABLE for a whole season if you want to be in the title hunt in the run-in. That is what Klopp is doing. In today's game, the main thing is NOT to lose it if you cannot win it. We got lucky with the missed penalty and we move on BUT we still need to improve and I'm sure Klopp does not need to be told that by anyone.


16.) 08 Oct 2018
07 Oct 2018 23:42:00
What’s this? I’ve just got back from the game and thought I’d check in. Business as usual, Harry is moaning about the team again.
I thought today it was more City changing their usual way of playing because Pep didn’t want to take another hiding. That’s the least percentage of possession they’ve had since he took charge.
It very nearly worked for them but they wouldn’t have deserved it had the penalty gone in. Both teams cancelled each other out due to their tactics.
8 games gone, Chelsea, Spurs away and City at home played, unbeaten and joint top. I’ll take that.


17.) 08 Oct 2018
07 Oct 2018 23:45:30
Salah, Mane and Firmino looked great against West Ham.
Then the club reported Salah to the police and they haven’t looked anywhere near as sharp since.

Could be coincidence but Salah’s form, the movement and understanding of the front 3 have just disappeared since that incident.


18.) 08 Oct 2018
08 Oct 2018 03:26:14
Ya can tle a scytrgun approach and break it down as much as ya want to. We beat City last year and looked easily their equal yet finished miles behind em in the league.


19.) 08 Oct 2018
08 Oct 2018 09:02:33
Ron, I really do enjoy your posts but your last one is clutching on straws mate.


20.) 08 Oct 2018
08 Oct 2018 09:15:02
Too many people looking for reasons and answers to our recent front 3 conundrum and flatness of our midlfield. Sometimes in sports it just doesn't happen and Liverpool are going through that spell. We've arguably played the hardest fixtures (league and CL) and we are still sitting pretty on the top or nearer the top in both. It's scary to think that our front 3 haven't clicked yet and that for me keeps me optimistic about the title race.


21.) 08 Oct 2018
08 Oct 2018 14:17:59
I'm good with that analysis there, Para. Ron, that post is a bit of a head-scratcher to be fair.


22.) 08 Oct 2018
08 Oct 2018 15:21:46
Hmmm a think too much is getting made out of nothing here, we have had a run of games that wasn't the easiest and have come out of it in not to bad shape imo.
One thing a will say is that we now have a squad and klopp needs to trust in them a little more than he is. Like Napoli thru week ad of not played 2 of our front 3 and used sturridge and shaq to make sure they were as healthy as poss today.
Still up to now our season is in pritty good knick onwards and upwards a few easier so called games on the way let's get behind the red men YNWA.


23.) 08 Oct 2018
08 Oct 2018 15:22:24
Did we even had a shot on target in the last two games! Is this the new way of playing? Sorry i don’t know guys! I don’t know what a few are going to credit Huddersfield if we don’t win that one!


24.) 08 Oct 2018
08 Oct 2018 15:27:13
BRover

Playing Shaqiri leaves space? Why would it matter? We play with 2 holding mid anyways in Hendo and Wiji! What’s the need of another CM? Could you explain?
Could you tell me what would have happened had we signed Fekir instead of Shaqiri assuming the front three are all picked?
Playing pragmatic football to win the title in the long run? We ll need to wait and see in May!
If we were scoring goals nobody would be uttering a word about “Pragmatic football” now lol.


25.) 08 Oct 2018
08 Oct 2018 17:01:26
Head scratcher? Clutching at straws?

At the end of the day, the front 3 looked great against West Ham and haven’t played with the same movement and understanding since. It’s a fact that the phone incident was after the West Ham match.

I think Salah is feeling unappreciated. I don’t think he’s right, I think the club acted correctly, but I think it may have hurt Salah.


26.) 08 Oct 2018
08 Oct 2018 19:34:49
Under-appreciated? There was a young fan who ran on the field just to give him a hug. The guy is mobbed everywhere he goes and he is under-appreciated? Just wow. While you're at it, do you have any info on this or did this come from the fever swamps of the LFC conspiracy theorists? Like I said, Still a headscratcher, bro.


27.) 09 Oct 2018
09 Oct 2018 07:17:24
Unappreciated by the club (who reported him to the police), not the fans (who have him a hug)

{Ed001's Note - the club were legally obligated to report him Ron. It was nothing to do with appreciation.}


28.) 09 Oct 2018
09 Oct 2018 19:16:58
Thanks, Ed. The club had to do it and I'm sure Salah understands that cos he is that intelligent.