15 Sep 2023 18:47:34
So tomorrow will be our 12th 12.30 kick off after an international break since klopp took over. The nearest team to that has 6. People wonder why klopp moans about it. This slot should be shared among the pl teams evenly.

1.) 15 Sep 2023
15 Sep 2023 19:45:20
Wolves also has it to be fair.
Both teams have the “disadvantage” so can’t complain if we lose, we should be able to beat Wolves any time, any day.

2.) 15 Sep 2023
15 Sep 2023 21:13:45
Obviously it’s hypothetical pre game

But if we beat Wolves comfortably tomorrow say 3-0 and look solid, do you bring in VVD next week. Or do we play him in the Europa and stick with our winning back 4 that’s looked decent?

3.) 15 Sep 2023
15 Sep 2023 21:57:47
It’s time to start phasing him out TBH. Yes he’s been part of our most successful team in 30 years but that injury has made him a lesser player. Pickford should be ashamed of himself over that tackle, he won’t be though because he’s obviously a moron.

4.) 16 Sep 2023
15 Sep 2023 23:16:01
Phase him out for who? We have 3 cbs who can’t be relied upon.

5.) 16 Sep 2023
15 Sep 2023 23:37:51
A guy who used to deliver fish to finch farm told me Pickford’s nickname was plank due to not being the brightest. Not a major surprise!

Cheers.

6.) 16 Sep 2023
15 Sep 2023 23:42:33
@Mikey, I agree in one sense, that both are disadvantaged by playing at 12:30 but Jurgen made a point at his presser that I hadn’t really taken into account before in terms of the vol7me of players we have all over the globe a couple of days before the match. He was saying that he hadn’t seen Luis and Macca as they hadn’t got back yet and it was only 24 hours to the match. The recovery time from the games and the travel is woefully short. My bad in previous conversations on Saturday lunchtime games as I hadn’t really factored the long distance travel in.

7.) 16 Sep 2023
15 Sep 2023 23:50:19
In Pickford’s defence - and this won’t be popular - and readily acknowledging that he’s a bit of a time wasting, showboating t*t, I’d have to say that I honestly didn’t act in a premeditated fashion. It was a poor challenge but mostly because it was poor timing and ineptitude rather than him being vicious. I totally agree though that VVD has not got over it, probably mentally more so than physically.

I think, the Mo to Saudi circus and Andre in Jan aside, two left footed defenders would be the priority in the upcoming January / July windows along with an additional right sided CB to replace Matip.

8.) 16 Sep 2023
16 Sep 2023 00:16:47
Both things can be true. Yes it seems a bit twisted that we’ve had that many 1230pm kick-offs comparative to other clubs. And yes we should be good enough to beat Wolves.

9.) 16 Sep 2023
16 Sep 2023 01:44:50
WDW3 - Pickford’s tackle might not have been vicious or intended to end van Dijk’s season, but it was yet another example of a stupid player not considering the consequences of their actions. Smart, well-measured people don’t make challenges like that.
Regardless, van Dijk is not finished by any means. He will never again be the invincible force he was pre-injury but he can still be a world class player. Gary Cahill and a 34-year old John Terry provided one of the best defences in football for nearly 3 seasons together. Absolutely no reason why van Dijk can’t do the same with a partner, it will just take some adaptation.

10.) 16 Sep 2023
16 Sep 2023 05:38:57
Well last season we had 6 12:30 Kick offs, so did City, United had 5, Newcastle had 5, just as a few examples, so I don’t think stats support the idea that we are unduly burdened with these kick off times compared to others. The bigger issue, I think, is we seem to do significantly worse in these time slots compared to other teams which is, unfortunately, our issue.

11.) 16 Sep 2023
16 Sep 2023 06:03:33
@Seano_ The point of the 12:30 kick off was that we have had so many after international breaks, when players are travelling halfway across the world.

12.) 16 Sep 2023
16 Sep 2023 06:23:14
Big Virgil is the team captain so of course he's going to go straight back into the XI.
Regarding his travails, I said at the time of his injury I'd cry if he struggled on his return.
I haven't quite burst into tears yet but it is upsetting seeing him not do what once came naturally.
Therein lies his issue, I hope. He has a very Hansen-like laconic style of playing that, post-injury, might not necessarily get him to positions where he needs to be.
It might be a case of him having to adjust his mindset, he's joined us mere mortals back on planet earth, and really push himself to get there.
He was once a football god, he can perhaps still be, but he has to get his hands dirty from now on. Not an easy realisation to make.
Anyway, with a player as good as van Dijk, the club and it's fans must support the man 100% and show him the love.
He's my favourite Liverpool defender of all time and I remain convinced he's still got plenty in the tank.

{Ed025's Note - favourite of all time Juicer??, hes a good player but does not make the top 10 best Liverpool defenders for me mate..

13.) 16 Sep 2023
16 Sep 2023 06:49:56
Ed025 that’s overboard lol. van Dijk hasn’t reached the (unmatchable) heights of Hansen, Thompson, o Lawrenson but, then again, those three comprise probably the best defence ever seen in England and made 1-0 scorelines look like thrashings it was so easy for them. He’s definitely in the top 10 Liverpool defenders, though.

{Ed025's Note - that may depend on your age Lowel, you have just mentioned 3 centre halves who were miles better than VVD and you have not even scratched the surface when you look at full backs like Neal, Nichol, Kennedy, Hyppia, Smith, Lawler Byrne, Staunton etc, the term "not fit to lace their boots" comes to mind mate..

14.) 16 Sep 2023
16 Sep 2023 08:54:40
Ahh lads, VvD has the speed of Lawrenson, the physicality of Rowdy, the distribution skills of Thompson on steroids, the ability to read a game like Hansen, the brutally of Tommy Smith but cleaned up on a catalytic converter for the 21st century lol.
I just really hope that, comme the season's end, I'm not singing that Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes classic "The love I lost".

15.) 16 Sep 2023
16 Sep 2023 12:23:00
You don’t need recovery time from travel, they travel by private plane, not horse and cart. Lol.

16.) 16 Sep 2023
16 Sep 2023 18:32:44
Van Dijk was clearly once in their class. Now he isn’t. Simple as that. He needs replacing in the next year or so.

17.) 16 Sep 2023
16 Sep 2023 21:20:58
I doubt he is going to reach the level he was at - I’d love to be proved wrong - and I’m not sure that he would see himself as a squad player, to be honest. I’d say he’d be a likely target for Saudi / Qatar.

18.) 17 Sep 2023
16 Sep 2023 09:06:27
Ed, Steve Staunton better than Van Dijk? Now you’re pulling our legs.

{Ed025's Note - i liked Staunton actually Lowel..