Topic: FT: Liverpool 1 vs Palace 2 (Phil 23' Benteke 42' 73')

[JackWard33]

No, that’s not true.

Sterling’s agent announced he wasn’t going to sign a contract on 21st May, the day before we lost 2-1 at home to United, our first defeat in 13-games. Up until then we’d played 14 games with three at the back, winning ten of them and were 5th in the league. We then lost to Villa in the FA Cup semi-final and to Arsenal. We played it twice more that season and lost both of them.

Sterling was probably our main player at that time and his drop off in form after that announcement cost us big time. 

Yeah this is a nonsense - contract disputes don't happen in a day it was going on all season and certainly during our unbeaten run.
Anyway getting into the various problems of that awful season probably isn't productive
Point is 3 at the back can be a great system if you have the personnel as we did that year. But we don't right now and it would take a lot of surgery to the squad to make it work so I doubt we'll be seeing it regularly anytime soon

[LiamG]

Look at the two teams who are probably the most ‘balanced’ in the league, Chelsea and Spurs. Chelsea play with three centre backs so they have a numerical advantage there but they also have Matip and Kante giving protection.

Spurs have played three at the back often and have two of Dier, Wanyama and Dembele protecting them. For most of the season we’ve had Henderson as our deepest midfielder who has never played there before. Lucas has come in recently but he’s not even playing as a true DM as he’s getting forward and hasn’t got the pace or stamina to get up and down. 

True, Wonder how different we will look with a better DM in the side than Lucas

[Oddball]

No it doesn't look bleak, come Sunday it could be a completely different situation. So much could happen, don't get why people can only see the worst situation. The Manc derby is key, should United lose that, they have only to drop another point, and suddenly we're back in it. There is still everything to play for.

Feels it though mate. I mean look at what you just said there...If Utd lose the derby and then drop another point. Lots of ifs and buts. Will be gutted if weve thrown this away.

[Funky_Gibbons]

He didn't pick himself at right wing-back against Manchester United to be fair.

That wasn't his first game there you know.

Yeah this is a nonsense - contract disputes don't happen in a day it was going on all season and certainly during our unbeaten run.
Anyway getting into the various problems of that awful season probably isn't productive
Point is 3 at the back can be a great system if you have the personnel as we did that year. But we don't right now and it would take a lot of surgery to the squad to make it work so I doubt we'll be seeing it regularly anytime soon

The fall out from Sterlinf announcing he wasn't going to sign a contract had a massive negative effect on the team and the atmosphere around them.

Our season fell apart after that.

[WaterfordRed]

We are back into hoping for results again so lets hope that this was the last disastrous performance of the season and that Man City  absolutely thrash Man U on Thursday.

[Lynndenberries]

Feels it though mate. I mean look at what you just said there...If Utd lose the derby and then drop another point. Lots of ifs and buts. Will be gutted if weve thrown this away.

I am by no means optimistic following the match this weekend, but United would just need to lose the derby and then qualifying for the Champions League is in our hands again, assuming we have a better goal difference.

[jillcwhomever]

Feels it though mate. I mean look at what you just said there...If Utd lose the derby and then drop another point. Lots of ifs and buts. Will be gutted if weve thrown this away.

Football is always full of ifs and buts though. There ain't no guarantees that's the thing. You can play crap and win, then play wonderfully and still lose, that's the way it is. Always full of ups and downs, that's what makes it the compelling sport it is, who knows what is going to happen. Where any of us expecting Chelsea to lose games, when everything had been a stroll for them up to now? Then suddenly it started happening. All sorts of things are possible because United have awkward fixtures all over the place, also having to play every three days. I won't give in till the fat lady sings, but that's me stubborn. 

[jillcwhomever]

We shouldn't be having to wait for a player to come back so we can be creative again, we should have someone to come in whilst he's out.

Well players get injured we can't stop that. Yes we should have had more cover but that didn't happen, so that's something that needs to be rectified for next season. But we can only deal with the here and now I'm afraid. Also I don't think getting a new player who has the understanding Lallana has with Firmino and Couthinho would be easy to replicate with someone else. You'd have to be very lucky to get another player who has the same telepathetic understanding that those three have. But yes we should have more cover, I would agree with that.. 

[thelinnen]

I may have overreacted after the match but performances like that over the last few seasons have made me realise that there's not many players in the squad with the mentality to play for a top team. They played like they thought they just had to turn up to win, just like against Leicester, Bournemouth etc.

It's clearly not coming from Klopp, there's just a real lack of leaders on the pitch. If I had to name the ones we had I'd say one is injured and the other will never play for Liverpool again.

The result didn't piss me off but the performance did, Crystal Palace didn't even have to work for the win. They just waited us out until they caught a player making a mistake or a set piece.

I blame Rodgers for that, he let everyone go who had leadership qualities and replaced them with players that didn't. Under Dalglish we were shite but the team had heart. Won a trophy and should've had another, without a couple of players on the pitch to keep the tempo up it falls apart at a crucial point of the season. I have no doubt that Klopp will address that but it's frustrating that we're staring down the barrel of another transitional season because we can't attract the top tier of players available.

[Red_Mist]

Football is always full of ifs and buts though. There ain't no guarantees that's the thing. You can play crap and win, then play wonderfully and still lose, that's the way it is. Always full of ups and downs, that's what makes it the compelling sport it is, who knows what is going to happen. Where any of us expecting Chelsea to lose games, when everything had been a stroll for them up to now? Then suddenly it started happening. All sorts of things are possible because United have awkward fixtures all over the place, also having to play every three days. I won't give in till the fat lady sings, but that's me stubborn. 

Good on you Jill, we need some more of that positivity now.

I'll just say, I think it's the wider context that's got so many normally positive posters (myself included) so wound up.

Qualification for the CL seems crucial at this point for the progress we've made under Klopp to be given another jolt of momentum. Qualify and the big European nights are back, attract a few much needed top quality players to push us on to the next level. Keep going in the right direction.

The alternative isn't pretty. Feels like a fork in the road.

Anyhow, that's enough of that. Four games left, just win them all Reds. Now is the fucking time.  I couldn't give a shiny shite anymore who's out injured, who man united, man city or arsenal have got to play, how many points we're likely to need. Doesn't matter anymore.

Four games. Four massive games, nothing left on the pitch. Just win. Simple as that.

[jillcwhomever]

Good on you Jill, we need some more of that positivity now.

I'll just say, I think it's the wider context that's got so many normally positive posters (myself included) so wound up.

Qualification for the CL seems crucial at this point for the progress we've made under Klopp to be given another jolt of momentum. Qualify and the big European nights are back, attract a few much needed top quality players to push us on to the next level. Keep going in the right direction.

The alternative isn't pretty. Feels like a fork in the road.

Anyhow, that's enough of that. Four games left, just win them all Reds. Now is the fucking time.  I couldn't give a shiny shite anymore who's out injured, who man united, man city or arsenal have got to play, how many points we're likely to need. Doesn't matter anymore.

Four games. Four massive games, nothing left on the pitch. Just win. Simple as that.

I know exactly what you mean, and I understand people feeling demoralized. In a way Klopp needed this season. He needed to see which players had the ability and drive, to come through a season like this. Sometimes its the only way and Klopp is a manager who likes to see things with his own eyes, so to speak. Statistics only tell you so much after all. By the time we've come to the end, he will have learnt a lot about this group of players. Then the really hard work begins. While the season is still alive though, lets hope they can still turn it around, and it won't feel so much like a wake. 

[LFCEmpire]

Good on you Jill, we need some more of that positivity now.

I'll just say, I think it's the wider context that's got so many normally positive posters (myself included) so wound up.

Qualification for the CL seems crucial at this point for the progress we've made under Klopp to be given another jolt of momentum. Qualify and the big European nights are back, attract a few much needed top quality players to push us on to the next level. Keep going in the right direction.

The alternative isn't pretty. Feels like a fork in the road.

Anyhow, that's enough of that. Four games left, just win them all Reds. Now is the fucking time.  I couldn't give a shiny shite anymore who's out injured, who man united, man city or arsenal have got to play, how many points we're likely to need. Doesn't matter anymore.

Four games. Four massive games, nothing left on the pitch. Just win. Simple as that.

Amen bro, hope some of the players read that. Win, nothing less will do.

[didi shamone]

We're the highest scoring team in the league, so that puts that argument to bed. Our problem isn't scoring it's our leaky brainless deadweight defenders.

But there is a way of playing against our attack that nulifys it.  There isn't a set way of doing that against any of the other teams. Its no good winning 5-1 then losing the next game 1-0 because the other team didnt let us play.   This requires tweaks rather than major surgery.
The defense is of course a big problem.  I only rate Matip as good enough long term. And two full backs who could contribute to the attack would help the first problem.

[GreatEx]

Oblak
Clyne
Van djik
Matip
Sessegnon
Kieta
Henderson
Costa
Mane
Coutinho
Lacazette

Subs
Karius
Gomez
firminio
Winjaldum
Milner
Lallana
Ings

A beautiful combination of hype-train, impossible targets and infinite transfer budget - I like it! All we need now is for Suarez to bite Crissy Ronaldo and force a move back to Liverpool.

[hide5seek]

I may have overreacted after the match but performances like that over the last few seasons have made me realise that there's not many players in the squad with the mentality to play for a top team. They played like they thought they just had to turn up to win, just like against Leicester, Bournemouth etc.

It's clearly not coming from Klopp, there's just a real lack of leaders on the pitch. If I had to name the ones we had I'd say one is injured and the other will never play for Liverpool again.

The result didn't piss me off but the performance did, Crystal Palace didn't even have to work for the win. They just waited us out until they caught a player making a mistake or a set piece.

I blame Rodgers for that, he let everyone go who had leadership qualities and replaced them with players that didn't. Under Dalglish we were shite but the team had heart. Won a trophy and should've had another, without a couple of players on the pitch to keep the tempo up it falls apart at a crucial point of the season. I have no doubt that Klopp will address that but it's frustrating that we're staring down the barrel of another transitional season because we can't attract the top tier of players available.

TO attract the top tier we'll need to spend big or get very lucky. Being as we had net of zero transfer spend end of the summer transfer window, well that isn't happening.
We'll need to get lucky to win the premiership as other teams will spend big. That's not to say we've never spent big, but we use the scatter gun approach and throw around 15/20 millions. But players like Matip do show you don't always need a cheque book. We need 4/5 Matips next transfer window.

[puroresu_kid]

I may have overreacted after the match but performances like that over the last few seasons have made me realise that there's not many players in the squad with the mentality to play for a top team. They played like they thought they just had to turn up to win, just like against Leicester, Bournemouth etc.

It's clearly not coming from Klopp, there's just a real lack of leaders on the pitch. If I had to name the ones we had I'd say one is injured and the other will never play for Liverpool again.

The result didn't piss me off but the performance did, Crystal Palace didn't even have to work for the win. They just waited us out until they caught a player making a mistake or a set piece.

I blame Rodgers for that, he let everyone go who had leadership qualities and replaced them with players that didn't. Under Dalglish we were shite but the team had heart. Won a trophy and should've had another, without a couple of players on the pitch to keep the tempo up it falls apart at a crucial point of the season. I have no doubt that Klopp will address that but it's frustrating that we're staring down the barrel of another transitional season because we can't attract the top tier of players available.

Blaming Rodgers, c'mon that's a bit of a stretch. His been gone ages.

[thelinnen]

Blaming Rodgers, c'mon that's a bit of a stretch. His been gone ages.

Yet the dangerously thin quality in the squad he left us still has the ability to haunt us.

Just look at Mane, he's not really a leader but he sets an example by being consistent. We haven't signed a player like that since Kenny was manager.

Some of the players he decided to let go were not replaced in any shape or form.

[Oddball]

I am by no means optimistic following the match this weekend, but United would just need to lose the derby and then qualifying for the Champions League is in our hands again, assuming we have a better goal difference.

2 more of those if's there mate :/

[Oddball]

Football is always full of ifs and buts though. There ain't no guarantees that's the thing. You can play crap and win, then play wonderfully and still lose, that's the way it is. Always full of ups and downs, that's what makes it the compelling sport it is, who knows what is going to happen. Where any of us expecting Chelsea to lose games, when everything had been a stroll for them up to now? Then suddenly it started happening. All sorts of things are possible because United have awkward fixtures all over the place, also having to play every three days. I won't give in till the fat lady sings, but that's me stubborn. 

Of course there not, I know that. When its in your hands and you seemingly throw it away though...Im more on at these who say its in our hands. It isnt. Its reliant on other factors.

[Titi Camara]

Football is always full of ifs and buts though.

And the occasional Anil Koc or Ralf Minge

[poopscoop]

We should have been out of sight long before Lovren had his moment. The lack of leadership and game intelligence after they went in front though is a more fundamental team issue. And illustrates why we are biting nails on qualification after tossing off points to the likes of Bournemouth, Hull and others.
A few seasons ago we were referred to as flat track bullies because we'd stuff the lower table teams and come unstuck against the top four/five. We've seem to have flipped that on its head.
Personally I don't think the loss of Hendo or Sahko has any bearing on it - we've been susceptible to that kind of performance for sometime - for example the second half vs Seville and Swansea and Southampton away last term - and Watford away in the same season. WE do not have the resilience to step up and see out a game or have the confidence in our defensive ability to shut up shop.
The tactical defensive awareness within our team is sub par and as a lower ranked team in the Champions League, if indeed we qualify, I think we'll have some difficult nights.
This comes across as doom and gloom - it isn't meant to be - I left Sunday's game thinking 'How the fuck did we lose that?' We battered Palace but had nothing to show for it at the whistle. Strange game football!
 

[redk84]

Firmino, Clyne, Milner have had almost 2 seasons here.

Everybody else has had the chance to settle, go through the tough times together and should be now producing end results. I'd say its pretty fair to expect after (atleast) 3 seasons here....
We haven't won anything yet, though 2 finals last year was definitely a good thing and challenging for the title too but we didn't win. Now comes the top 4.....which to be honest, after our start should have been quite easily achievable....but due to our performances particularly in January/February that's on a knife edge.

I'm not saying these players are all shit and should be scrapped.....there's been a manager change and tactical changes etc. But the excuses are running out for a lot of these lads and the fact is that if they are replaced with better quality in the summer then I hope it forces them to step up their game.

We really need to get over this drought of trophies and terrible league positions for a club of our stature. No we have no divine right to anything but we should be doing everything possible to achieve success to try and live up to our pedigree, sometimes that means being harsh.
Klopp knows this, he's made a successful team before.
In-game management from the players and manager needs huge amounts of work. Personnel changes or further work on the training ground, whatever, get it done.

I believe Klopp will have a title winning squad in the near-future. Finishing fifth won't change my opinion of that but I do hope we get in the CL this year because it would be a nice little reward for a few of our players.

[LiamG]

We should have been out of sight long before Lovren had his moment. The lack of leadership and game intelligence after they went in front though is a more fundamental team issue. And illustrates why we are biting nails on qualification after tossing off points to the likes of Bournemouth, Hull and others.
A few seasons ago we were referred to as flat track bullies because we'd stuff the lower table teams and come unstuck against the top four/five. We've seem to have flipped that on its head.
Personally I don't think the loss of Hendo or Sahko has any bearing on it - we've been susceptible to that kind of performance for sometime - for example the second half vs Seville and Swansea and Southampton away last term - and Watford away in the same season. WE do not have the resilience to step up and see out a game or have the confidence in our defensive ability to shut up shop.
The tactical defensive awareness within our team is sub par and as a lower ranked team in the Champions League, if indeed we qualify, I think we'll have some difficult nights.
This comes across as doom and gloom - it isn't meant to be - I left Sunday's game thinking 'How the fuck did we lose that?' We battered Palace but had nothing to show for it at the whistle. Strange game football!
 

We miss stuff from the likes of Hyypia,Carragher, Alonso and so on, Like Alonso's tactical fouls to break up play for example and of course carra's leadership and organisation

[6BigCups]

I think that as well as he's done there, playing Milner at LB against the lower sides is hurting us. Between him and Coutinho, we literally have zero width coming from that side and rely on it all coming from down the right. No coincidence that we miss Mane so much.

[Treedon]

Do you know the thing that is not quite worse than losing 3 points but hurts a lot is the fact that we lost to a corrupt, disrespectful, fraudulent anti football playing cock,