28 Aug 2023 09:50:50
Some thoughts after yesterday

1. Really hope we just stitch with 433 and dropped the inverted fullback nonsense. We look more solid in defence and fluid in attack. When we do the inverted FB, there's no width, Salah runs back 20 yards to get the ball, defence is a mess. I don't see any benefit to it. We must remember while we got those results last season, it rarely felt comfortable and it was also a time when we had a lack of quality and numbers and legs in midfield. We don't have that issue at the moment. And TAA's passing is still very devastating from RB.

But I do fear Klopp will still stick with inverted FB based on his post match interview.

Yet again, his stubbornness is also his strength as he decided to attack with 10 men like he always does rather than just do damage control.

2. If this is the new Nunez, he's got to start. Great running, clinical finishing. In fact he was in that position twice more, once his control let him down and the other the ball didn't reach him as the sensible thing was the corner flag.

3. Refs are a real joke this season and we are only 3 matches in. Don't think there's any vendetta against us as every match seems to have some sort of weird refereeing.

4. Newcastle does have some really good players. But I don't think they will go far with Eddie Howie in charge. 70mins against 10 men and he lost the game. I couldn't really make sense of what he was trying to do via his substitutions.

1.) 28 Aug 2023
28 Aug 2023 10:10:21
1. I agree. I've always wondered about the extent of Klopp's influence on this team. Could it be true that nobody around him advises against persisting with this ineffective IWB tactic? Does no one offer him sensible insights during game reviews? I struggle to comprehend how we've ended up in such a difficult situation. The long-term implications are truly concerning. Consequently, it's valid to question whether Klopp remains the best choice to lead the team forward.

2. Darwin should have started instead of Jota from day one this season. Klopp's stubbornness also plays a role here.

3. Referees are consistently inconsistent, not just with us, but for everyone. There's no room for complaining here. We might be at the receiving end today, but it could be our opponents next time.

4. Howe did a fantastic job last season, let's acknowledge that. He has also managed to secure the signatures of amazing players like Botman, Tonali, Bruno, and even Joelinton, any of whom could easily find a place in our starting 11.

{Ed001's Note - Howe is not involved in recruitment.}

2.) 28 Aug 2023
28 Aug 2023 10:10:51
we've had our fair share of struggles against 10-men, it was newcastle's turn today.

there was one point I remember when Szobo got the ball in midfield and turned to face the right sideline and there was no one to pass to lol. Can't recall if that was before or after the red card, but it did stand out as a weird quirk with how we play.

I think with Nunez, until we play a more direct style then he will be coming off the bench. And he will just have to keep banging them in from the bench.

3.) 28 Aug 2023
28 Aug 2023 10:16:02
What did you learn from Darwin yesterday? He likes to run in behind and play shoulder to shoulder with the defenders. He is not fit for the inverted FB system and when you want your Stiker (False number 9) to drop into the middle to be involved in build up play.
Darwin is your old school robust CF

I have said below. Newcastle have a world class Midfield. Bruno is just excllent.

4.) 28 Aug 2023
28 Aug 2023 10:42:55
The main thing the referee got wrong yesterday was the foul by Gordon on trent he was quite right to be frustrated but what a save by allison.

5.) 28 Aug 2023
28 Aug 2023 10:51:37
I think we found a real weakness in Newcastle yesterday. When they counter attack, they can be lethal. When they need to break down a solid defense, they couldn't do it (even with our 3rd, 4th and 5th choice defenders) . If more teams set up like that against them this season I think they'll struggle to get in the top 4 again.

6.) 28 Aug 2023
28 Aug 2023 11:07:11
It’s always a great game vs Newcastle. I can’t really concentrate on the negatives after a heroic smash and grab as satisfying as that one.

I feel like there will be many days to point out the negatives with Liverpool, but this week isn’t one of them for myself. Well done the boys!

7.) 28 Aug 2023
28 Aug 2023 11:08:41
I was quite surprised in how well Nunez and Jota actually linked up yesterday. They had a couple of lovely interchanges between themselves not just for the first goal but for one Nunez just over hit the return and the 2nd Jota miss timed his shot and it went between his legs.

Good to see both make an impact yesterday.

In fairness all the subs made an impact yesterday.

8.) 28 Aug 2023
28 Aug 2023 11:15:10
That "world class midfield" created two decent chances in 70 minutes against 10 men.

I guarantee you if we had their midfield people would be whining that Klopp just wanted workers and grafters and no creativity in his midfield.

9.) 28 Aug 2023
28 Aug 2023 11:20:05
Joelinton was signed before Eddie Howe was Newcastle manager.

10.) 28 Aug 2023
28 Aug 2023 11:28:55
The fact that Trent ended up about 4 yards off the pitch and the shoulder barge was into his back whilst he was 3 yards from the touch line should show how much force was used.

If it was shoulder to shoulder then fair enough.

I actually quite like the rule about yellow cards for time wasting or throwing the ball away.

The ref laid the law early with it yesterday but then failed to be consistent with it.

And there’s no rule that says your next foul after a card has to be another card.

I think Trent made 2 fouls yesterday and the talk is he should have been sent off. Yet Joelinton made around 7 and there’s not a word spoken about it in the media.

That’s not me moaning that Joelinton should have been sent off because he didn’t deserve to be. But then neither did Trent (or Vvd in my opinion but that’s another argument entirely)

11.) 28 Aug 2023
28 Aug 2023 12:22:46
What I learned and sort of knew anyway that Darwin needs space to run into and he used that to good use yesterday.

12.) 28 Aug 2023
28 Aug 2023 12:48:41
Every summer the FA seems to give instructions to the refs to interpret the rules in some more or less bizarre way. Every year it last 4-5 weeks until some sanity is restored. Every year I get sick of the nonsense.

This year I'll draw a line and avoid Villa, Wolves and West Ham. The refereeing should be back to the usual standard/ sub standard by then.

So weird the FA don't understand the harm this stupidity is causing their product, I can't be the only one who is quite sick of it all three weeks in?

13.) 28 Aug 2023
28 Aug 2023 14:08:42
"Newcastle have a world class midfield". Nice try, Harry. You can now take the rest of the day off now cos you're only allowed one ridiculous post per day. I read it in this forum's Terms and Conditions.