new liverpool thread - everyone loves them (2 Viewers)

[Cormcolash]

Damien Delaney for taoiseach!

If anyone wants to know which Atletico player will score the winner against Real in the Champions League final, just pm me

 

[Lefty Frizzell]

People keep telling me that "Liverpool will never get a chance to win the PL again any time soon..."

These are the same people who told me 9 months ago that I was delusional in thinking Liverpool could get top four and Man Utd can definitely defend the title with Moyes.

 

[I Bleed Black]

If we bought nobody else but two top class defenders I would be confident we will be right up there next season. I think Suso, Wisdom, Borini and Ibe coming back from fairly successful loans will add some good squad depth.

 

[oh shit]

Yeah... personally I'd like to see another player capable of playing the role Gerrard's been in, especially if we are going to have a proper tilt at the Champion's League and the cup.

I actually don't think our centre backs have been as terrible overall as the media suggest, I think a lot of the goals we've shipped have been down to mistakes with the ball higher in midfield and a bit of naivety from the full backs. In rodgers' version of the diamond the full backs have probably got the hardest jobs because they alone have responsibility for the whole flank and they are both expected to go forward into the opposition penalty area when we build a slow attack.

If we lose the ball while the full backs are attacking, then Gerrard's meant to play as a third centre back until the rest of the team can drop back, which obviously isn't ideal. Gerrard's been brilliant at doing that in a lot of games since January but he went missing on Monday - though in fairness, Skrtel and Sakho made it impossible by dropping too far.

Anyway someone who could pass it a bit but who has a bit more pace - a hybrid of Gerrard's ability with Lucas's positioning. Rakitic would be great, Sven Bender, or Kroos... yknow, someone of that genre.

 

[washingcattle]

If we bought nobody else but two top class defenders I would be confident we will be right up there next season. I think Suso, Wisdom, Borini and Ibe coming back from fairly successful loans will add some good squad depth.

I think you're going down the Spurs/Arsenal path there. Carragher saying that Skrtel and Sakho have played together 18 times and kept one clean sheet isn't as damning as he probably meant it to be. The question is more about how many they've conceded. if it's 24,25 goals in 18 games that's actually not too bad. It shows promise to be honest. It takes time for a partnership to settle in. You buy 2 centre halves who've never met, they concede goals so you buy another few and none of them ever get a real chance to settle in. On one hand 18 games should be enough time to expect a bit better, yes, but on the other hand the way Liverpool play in the latter stages of the game is baffling. They drop deeper and deeper until they're defending their 18 line. That's not down to centre halves alone.

Using us as an example, which I'm sure hector Grey will just love. when Distin came in it took him a while to bed in properly and form an understanding with Jags, who incidentally had a great understanding with Lescott (who looks like a liability now). We leaked like a sieve for about 10 games and I thought we'd bought a dud. Now that they've settled we expect a clean sheet. When one of them is out we concede silly amounts of goals (10 in 3 games 2 of which we fucking scored) It takes time, to be honest I though Sakho did really well against Chelski and City.

 

[Hector Grey]

Centre backs aren't the first line of defence. For me, we need some legs in the mid. It looks bleak for Lucas, if you ask me. And Johnson, maybe. But I think we've got some decent CBs and Wisdom and Illori aren't shite.

 

[Unicron]

Centre backs aren't the first line of defence. For me, we need some legs in the mid. It looks bleak for Lucas, if you ask me. And Johnson, maybe. But I think we've got some decent CBs and Wisdom and Illori aren't shite.

Is Kelly not going to make it? I thought he looked like a player with a lot of potential couple of years ago, more promising than Wisdom and Flanagan.

 

[oh shit]

Kelly did his ACL last year and hasn't come back in. I think he was struggling to impress Rodgers anyway.. he's about 24 now too so the ship has probably sailed. Wisdom looked great in patches last season.

Ilori's probably the most promising, he's meant to be faster than Ronaldo in a flat sprint.

And actually, Sakho's very good, unlike Agger he comes forward to meet the ball so he doesn't get turned when trying to challenge, he loves a hard, clean tackle, he can out-jump and out-muscle most players, he defends corners without cheating. He looks a bit awkward on the ball sometimes but that'll change. I mean if you compare Skrtel 2 years ago to Skrtel actually dribbling the ball this season, you can see evidence that Rodgers isn't just talking himself up when he claims to improve players.

 

[Hector Grey]

Kelly's approaching veteran status at this stage, considering the median age of the team.

 

[I Bleed Black]

I think you're going down the Spurs/Arsenal path there. Carragher saying that Skrtel and Sakho have played together 18 times and kept one clean sheet isn't as damning as he probably meant it to be. The question is more about how many they've conceded. if it's 24,25 goals in 18 games that's actually not too bad. It shows promise to be honest. It takes time for a partnership to settle in. You buy 2 centre halves who've never met, they concede goals so you buy another few and none of them ever get a real chance to settle in. On one hand 18 games should be enough time to expect a bit better, yes, but on the other hand the way Liverpool play in the latter stages of the game is baffling. They drop deeper and deeper until they're defending their 18 line. That's not down to centre halves alone.

Using us as an example, which I'm sure hector Grey will just love. when Distin came in it took him a while to bed in properly and form an understanding with Jags, who incidentally had a great understanding with Lescott (who looks like a liability now). We leaked like a sieve for about 10 games and I thought we'd bought a dud. Now that they've settled we expect a clean sheet. When one of them is out we concede silly amounts of goals (10 in 3 games 2 of which we fucking scored) It takes time, to be honest I though Sakho did really well against Chelski and City.

I think you're right I should have been more specific, I'd prefer two new full backs than centre halfs. Probably a centre half too if we decide to let Agger go but whole sale changes right across the backline won't fix all of our problems. Johnson for me should be first out the door, Flanagan has looked very good this season but very raw, he provides good cover on both sides but I don't think he should be first choice on either side. He will still get plenty of game time though. I would be hopeful that Sakho will get better next season, it took Skrtel a while to get used to our new system too. They looked a lot worse than they are at times due to our very open style of play. The problem with those two is that neither provide enough leadership at the back. I'm open to the idea of someone like Caulker coming in with a view to taking over Skrtel's position down the line. Illori will probably stay out on loan for another year. As much as it pains me to say it Lucas is another one that isn't really up to it anymore. Rodgers seems to be a fan though and with CL and Gerrard being another year older next season I think he will be kept on. He'll be disappointed not to make the Brazil WC squad but it might turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

 

[washingcattle]

Flanagan has looked very good this season but very raw, he provides good cover on both sides but I don't think he should be first choice on either side.

Really ? At his age and considering the big step up he's taken this season I'd say he'll nail that position down with a little work. Remember two years ago when i was complaining that Coleman wasn't the finished article because he couldn't turn his head and got drawn to the ball too often ? Looking back now you'd swear I was a mad man.

Defenders aren't really like midfielders or strikers, they can't just slot n and be interchangable. Really Mignolet Flannagan, Johnson Skrtel and Sahko have had only a little under a season together so they've done okay. I see why Johnson is a worry though at his age you'd be expecting better, so yeah a player is needed there but they really need a system which suits them rather than a system which suits players they don't have, if you get me. That and a bit of confidence. Creeping back towards your own goal is a sign that they're not confident in their own ability or pace. You can't learn pace unfortunately.

Centre backs aren't the first line of defence. For me, we need some legs in the mid. It looks bleak for Lucas, if you ask me. And Johnson, maybe. But I think we've got some decent CBs and Wisdom and Illori aren't shite.

A back four is unit. As much as it as a unit decides where it sits it's up to the midfield and goalkeeper to make space for them to sit in. Gerrard is new to his deeper role and so maybe that's an issue (I can't see it) but you never see Lucas or Allen screaming and organising the Flamini does at Arsenal.

 

[Hector Grey]

Back 4 is a unit if you're playing a back four. Liverpool aren't really doing that. Johnson was in a winger's position for most of the game on Monday. But he might play with 3 at the back. Or with actual wingers. You just don't know.

I think Johnson's a good player. I think it's time to try him in the number 10 role. He's earned it.

 

[I Bleed Black]

I think Lucas is the one that Rodgers tries to relay his tactics and changes to the team through the most as he has the tactical awareness but Lucas just isn't imposing or vocal enough. On reflection the thing that annoyed me most about Monday night was the lack of awareness or action from Gerrard and Lucas when we conceded the first and especially the second, with their experience and after playing under Rafa for so long they should have known we needed to kill the game, slow the play any way we could, hold the defensive line and drop the midfield deeper.

 

[I Bleed Black]

I think Johnson's a good player.

He's a very good player but just not a very focused or intelligent one unfortunately.

 

[Hector Grey]

Still nil all the City. Sure, it kicked off two minutes ago, but so far so good.

 

[Hector Grey]

Fab Delph with the winner?

 

[7 - No tomorrow]

"It's just a little airborne....."

 

[Hector Grey]

5 mins, nil all CHAMPIONSHIP ON!

 

[Hector Grey]

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[Hector Grey]

15 mins. IT'S ON.