Topic: Are you enjoying it?

[Andy @ Allerton!]

I'm enjoying it. Obviously on a bit of a downer going to four games and seeing us out of cups and losing and then finally drawing at home, but if you're a football fan and you can't take a few bad results then you're a total tit.

The best thing about going through a dodgy patch is seeing how people react - seeing how the team reacts.

I genuinely like Klopp. I like what he's doing and I like that we are shaking things up. Only one of these gloryhunting knobheads would see winning 5-0 every week as a given - when you've watched the game for a few decades, shit happens.

Really looking forward to getting to the game today, getting behind the manager and the players. If we finish 7th or 10th or 15th? Not the best, but no need to chuck the toys out of the pram.

We are very much a Work in Progress. The fans need to take some of the blame as well - the atmosphere at Anfield has been largely shite - support us or fuck off.

[Sudden Death Draft Loser]

No, and I'm fucking off, to preempt those about to tell me to do one.

Football is no longer enjoyable, it affects my mood too much. 

[AaronSingh25]

First time under Klopp yesterday really messed me up. I've taken unlucky defeats, i've take it when teams are better than us, i've taken the odd freak result, but yesterday was different. Didn't enjoy that at all.

[dangerpuss]

I don't see any improvement and I have no hope that things will improve this season or next. The first bad form we had this season triggered a death spiral. I'll be waiting for the same thing to happen next season.

[redk84]

Not enjoying it at the moment, how could you?

Part of the process for Klopp and will help define his reign here.

All we can hope is that lessons are learned and actions will be taken to prevent this in the future.....we may have seen the same old thing for a while but Klopp hasn't. Top 4 and a good cup run was what I wanted this year, with 12 games to go and 36 points up for grabs, us being 4 points off 2nd means nothing is over yet.

But even if we don't get somewhere in the top 4 its fine, start again next season......of course I'll be disappointed with not getting those goals achieved but it is what it is. Tough shit! haha

I'm not expecting anything from the rest of this season now though....will just see what unfolds and hopefully see some better performances and a good summer in preparation for next season.

[martinsquirtle]

Not really. The lack of progression is worrying - I now go into games expecting nothing.

[jillcwhomever]

While it true it's a bit down heartening at the moment, I still have hope. I am sure that Klopp will learn from his mistakes, he is still learning about football after all over here. Whenever I feel really depressed I remember how we played at the start of the season. I said it before we are on a journey, this is just the early stages of it. Therefore it is obvious there will be ups and downs along the way. Hopefully after a good summer, things will turn around Klopp will have more of the team he requires, and we will progress more. We have the best possible man sitting at the manager's desk, and not for one minute do I doubt his ability or his determination to bring this club out of the cold, and back to where we all long to be. 

[Kop307]

Not even remotely any more. I loved this season until the Sunderland/United game. That day, watching the lads dead on their feet, throwing away another lead twice, knowing full well we'd be signing no one and Mane was gone, was the day my faith went. I knew we'd get good results, have the odd good game against a top side but my belief we'd win the league died that day, and that's all I'm in it for these days. We may still come top 4 (although I doubt it), but the league was there for us this season, and we decided to sit back and let it go.

Perhaps this is almost a good thing. This is Jurgens first full season as Liverpool manager, and he'll hopefully learn a lot about his squad. He doesn't seem to be learning which is infuriating, as we still can't break a team down who sit deep, and the same mistakes we saw at Burnley are still being repeated. But that Leicester game will stay with Jurgen. He won't forget the performances of some of those lads. The Christmas period fucked our entire season, but it's the first time Klopp has had to face it. I'm sure next season he'll be more willing to rotate.

It's a shame this season has gone. I miss celebrating goals. I miss celebrating wins. When we beat Spurs I was happy, but there was always that naggaing doubt in the back of my head saying "yeah but we'll go and get beat by Leicester". We may well beat Arsenal on Saturday. But then we've got  Burnley at home the week after and you'd not be shocked if we drew or got beat. It's so hard to invest your time, money, emotion and energy in a team that don't seem to give a fuck about 80% of the games, but turn up when it's a big game. It's a serious problem with this squad and it needs to be put right. Mentality in football is everything.

[BigAl24]

5 months ago, yes.

Now, no.

[Tiz Lad]

While it true it's a bit down heartening at the moment, I still have hope. I am sure that Klopp will learn from his mistakes, he is still learning about football after all over here. Whenever I feel really depressed I remember how we played at the start of the season. I said it before we are on a journey, this is just the early stages of it. Therefore it is obvious there will be ups and downs along the way. Hopefully after a good summer, things will turn around Klopp will have more of the team he requires, and we will progress more. We have the best possible man sitting at the manager's desk, and not for one minute do I doubt his ability or his determination to bring this club out of the cold, and back to where we all long to be. 

Do you really think he'll get the team he requires if there's no CL?

Plus the concerning thing is that the squad couldn't cope this season with no European football

[Funky_Gibbons]

Do you really think he'll get the team he requires if there's no CL?

Plus the concerning thing is that the squad couldn't cope this season with no European football

Lallana said in an interview recently that we've been playing our own full intensity 'Champions League' games midweek on European nights.

[Dench57]

Not anymore.

[jillcwhomever]

Do you really think he'll get the team he requires if there's no CL?

Plus the concerning thing is that the squad couldn't cope this season with no European football

Thing is there are no guarantees in life, you learn that as you go on. But I think he will do everything he can, and I saw enough from earlier on this season to see if he gets even a fraction more, we will improve. I can understand people doubting but at the same time if I just gave up, what would be the point of even going anymore? We do need European football that's true, but the only way we can do it, is by trying. Even if we qualify outside the top four this season, we just need to kick on, and go for it next season. By being in Europe we can add to the squad and make it stronger, for me its a step by step project.

You don't get anything by just giving up. I just think he has a drive to this, he will do what it takes. Which is why I am prepared to be patient.

[Petadroli]

I am enjoying it! Such periods of disappointments and mistakes are part of life of a football fan. Yes, we are at the moment walking through a veritable storm, but we have a young, talented team and one of the best managers in world football (who plays an exciting brand of football!). We are competing with the best teams in the country and that without spending an absolute fortune like three competitors, without having the stability of the same manager for 20 years and without having a manager with multiple Premier League seasons under his belt. Adding to that, not one of the 5 clubs described has been able to beat us this season and last season we only had one defeat against these teams under Jürgen Klopp. Yes, absolutely, we do have our weaknesses and we have had them now for years: bad defence, questionable goalkeeping, questions about who leads the line... These problems exist, but compared to previous managers I think Klopp actively tries to do something about them, and I don't just mean getting in new players and getting rid of the ones deemed not good enough (although this is a big part of his job). He is a fantastic coach and you can see it in the notable improvements of Lallana, Henderson, Coutinho, Firmino, Clyne, to name a few. Also we are bringing through young players again and our team is seriously fit - we are the team with most ground covered in the whole league and it's not even close.

We are making progress. We can still reach the top 4, which was the goal at the beginning of the season. At the moment, we got 49 points from 26 games, last season, we had 38 points. This season we have scored 55 goals already (joint-top in the league), while last season at the same point it was 38. This is a 11-point swing and 17 goals more scored, if this isn't progress, I don't know what should be. We couldn't reach the Cup Final, but that's the way it is sometimes. We had our worst form at the worst moment of the season. But what should make us proud and happy: we are a top team again. Teams who come to play against us, get absolutely annihilated. That's why everybody just tries to sit back against us, because they know we would dominate them not only when it comes to possession and chances, but also on the scoreboard. Right now their approach has worked, most of the time because our defence just isn't up to speed, but it won't work forever. A very good patch of form is coming and I will have a great time watching us turn Arsenal over on the weekend and exposing their soft underbelly. I think it could very well be that they will get an almighty hammering from us, something along the lines of the 13/14 season. We have a tough run of games coming up and under Jürgen Klopp we have always delivered when the going got tough. This suits us better than playing relegation candidates that don't even want to have the ball.

[stockdam]

No I'm not enjoying it one bit now. I thought we were performing very well early on and now it looks like we are back at square one heading for 7th or so in the league. We really should have been able to stay in the top 4 but now that looks very unlikely.

People say that Klopp in learning in the EPL. I don't buy into that. He's been a manager long enough to know how to set up teams to play at different levels. He's been in the EPL long enough to know that there are no easy games. He should know by now how to change his tactics to suit the opposition. If he is a manager with a "winning" mentality then unfortunately this is not being demonstrated either on the pitch or in his signings so far.

Mane - yes he has improved the first team
Wijnaldum - good at times but is he better than Joe Allen? He has improved the squad and possibly the first team but only just
Matip - too early to really say but is he really any better than Skrtel? Possibly and so he marginally has improved the first team
Grujic - looked a good player but he hasn't played enough to make any judgement.
Karius - maybe one for the future but he isn't ready to displace Simon
Klavan - when a midfielder plays your position then it says a lot..........unless something changes then he has been a poor buy
I won't discuss the other Klopp buys as they weren't really brought in to improve the main squad

So of the above only Mane and possibly Gini and Matip have been bought to improve the first team. The rest are possibly no better than what we had and none are threatening to displace anyone on the first team.

So being ruthless, only Mane stands out as being a "top 4" buy.

That to me says a lot. FSG bring in a world class manager and then they do the usual thing of scraping around looking for "value" that really is no better than the players who have left. We started of this season at a great pace and then when we needed to push forwards in January we did nothing. We showed absolutely no desire as a club to compete and break into the top 4.

Next season will be more of the same. We'll buy one decent player, get rid of 10 and replace them with similar players.

Why bring in a good manager and waste his time? If Klopp thinks he's going to compete for 1st place with the squad that he has then he is deluding himself. FSG could have brought in a "decent" manager and would have ended up in 7th spot. Klopp ain't going to consistently improve on this without a major change in investment.

[Cid]

Not enjoying it at all at the moment.  It's been a pattern for a few years now.  Get to January with a few chances of glory still alive, see no support from the owners whatsoever to fill gaping weaknesses in the squad and our season collapses from that point onward.

The almost total refusal to do business in January puts us at a tactical disadvantage to our rivals, but it also takes the wind of out of our sails from pitch to crowd.  It's a terrible message to send and it spells out the owners true motivation, value and profit trump competitiveness any day.

[stockdam]

Not enjoying it at all at the moment.  It's been a pattern for a few years now.  Get to January with a few chances of glory still alive, see no support from the owners whatsoever to fill gaping weaknesses in the squad and our season collapses from that point onward.

The almost total refusal to do business in January puts us at a tactical disadvantage to our rivals, but it also takes the wind of out of our sails from pitch to crowd.  It's a terrible message to send and it spells out the owners true motivation, value and profit trump competitiveness any day.

To be fair, not many teams do much business in January. However the other squads that we are competing against are all better than ours and the opportunity was there to "have a go" by investing.....but we didn't.

[Mighty_Red]

Lallana said in an interview recently that we've been playing our own full intensity 'Champions League' games midweek on European nights.

That's great prep work and hopefully it will stand us in good stead next season, but at the moment the evidence still points to a horrific lowering of standards whenever we have players missing for whatever reason. We have gaps in the squad but I do not believe that we have a "weak" squad - the players we have outside the main XI are mainly good enough to come into the side and do a job. I still believe that our overall squad is still better than the one we had in 13/14 which was skewed by a Suarez who only missed the first few games and was a monster for the rest - think what we had in reserve at the time.

For some reason Klopp has been unable to get decent performances out of the other players - Sturridge has fallen off a cliff, Origi scored in a few games but since gone downhill. Can has regressed massively.

We all expected that there would be Burnley-like bad days during this season but what has happened since Jan 1st has stopped everyone's enjoyment. It seems that there is not a single player in the squad who has any sort of form and we do not seem to have the grit and determination to try and pull through. The win against Spurs looks like an exceptional result rather than a recovery.

The attitude has been the worst aspect in all this. We have players who are great when things are great, but are terrible when faced with even a small fight. We need some leadership in the team and I guess that the biggest mistake Klopp has made is not trying to rectify this.

We literally only have 1 objective left and that's 4th place and even though we are still in it mathematically we need a huge change in mindset to achieve this. We were 11 points ahead of a shite Utd FFS and we could be behind this weekend.

[killer-heels]

That's great prep work and hopefully it will stand us in good stead next season, but at the moment the evidence still points to a horrific lowering of standards whenever we have players missing for whatever reason. We have gaps in the squad but I do not believe that we have a "weak" squad - the players we have outside the main XI are mainly good enough to come into the side and do a job. I still believe that our overall squad is still better than the one we had in 13/14 which was skewed by a Suarez who only missed the first few games and was a monster for the rest - think what we had in reserve at the time.

For some reason Klopp has been unable to get decent performances out of the other players - Sturridge has fallen off a cliff, Origi scored in a few games but since gone downhill. Can has regressed massively.

We all expected that there would be Burnley-like bad days during this season but what has happened since Jan 1st has stopped everyone's enjoyment. It seems that there is not a single player in the squad who has any sort of form and we do not seem to have the grit and determination to try and pull through. The win against Spurs looks like an exceptional result rather than a recovery.

The attitude has been the worst aspect in all this. We have players who are great when things are great, but are terrible when faced with even a small fight. We need some leadership in the team and I guess that the biggest mistake Klopp has made is not trying to rectify this.

We literally only have 1 objective left and that's 4th place and even though we are still in it mathematically we need a huge change in mindset to achieve this. We were 11 points ahead of a shite Utd FFS and we could be behind this weekend.

I cannot see us finishing top four now. The players have illustrated that they don't have the mentality needed to beat the crap teams regularly and after the next 4 games, the final 8 are all against crap teams.

[Tiz Lad]

Lallana said in an interview recently that we've been playing our own full intensity 'Champions League' games midweek on European nights.

Well if that's the case then, there is a reason why they've looked lethargic for weeks then

[darragh85]

top 4? forget about it. Not with some of the losers we are carrying at present. Klopp has a big job in summer to weed these mental weaklings out and replace them with people that have some balls. I dont want to get into criticising certain players but there are some in this squad that make me sick to my stomach and they have no business at this club. we have one who somehow has been here for the past 10 years and has the audacity to complain about being made a scapegoat and over not being first choice. He should thank his lucky stars he has been here for 10 years.

[cornelius]

top 4? forget about it. Not with some of the losers we are carrying at present.

That's the spirit!

Look this season is really burning us right now but we shouldn't give up on top 4 and nor should the players. A win at the weekend would still leave us well placed to have a go. Monday night was shocking but the previous game against Spurs we looked back to our best. Whilst initially it looks like a waste of time, I can't believe that two week break won't have done us some good as we go into the final stretch. We can end the season on a high and sort out some of the longer term problems in the summer.

[liversaint]

Being a bit old school, i enjoy the  build up to the game, a few beers before/after, watch the game and end up happy or deflated accordingly, but am not spending weeks in a depression about it. i also think one day as a liverpool fan than a lifetime supporting united or the plastics is preferable.

[Mighty_Red]

I cannot see us finishing top four now. The players have illustrated that they don't have the mentality needed to beat the crap teams regularly and after the next 4 games, the final 8 are all against crap teams.

That's the thing, before December we were beating the crap teams on a regular basis (apart from the odd result). We even found enough strength to come back after going behind (Arsenal, Swansea) or getting pulled back (Palace). We haven't seen any of that in the last 2 months, it's like midnight on NYE came and ripped out the balls from the entire squad

[Jonsi]

I haven't been enjoying it since December. Yes, we still got the results back then (although bottling it against Bournemouth and drawing with West Ham wasn't optimal either), but we stopped looking like the team from the beginning of the season. The only really good game in that three month period was away to Middlesborough (and Spurs, almost forgot about that), apart from that it was very dull or we got lucky. The victories against Everton and City were massive, but we you couldn'say that we played particularly well in either game apart from the fact that we didn't allow them many chances. Even after the 4-1 against Stoke I felt that we were quite lucky because they gifted us the goals.

But these performances were still much better than what we've been seeing after New Year's Day. Getting one (1!!!) point out of four games vs. Sunderland, Swansea, Hull and Leicester is atrocious, especially since you can't really say that we got really unlucky in any of those. We were pretty much shit in all of them.

I don't know what the reason of the decline is. I actually believe that the players really aren't that good. Firmino, Coutinho, Lallana and Mane are all very good players, but apart from that I don't see much quality around the squad. Our three midfield options are Henderson, Can and Wijnaldum. And while Jordan has developed to become an important member of the squad, the other two probably aren't good enough to play in a team that wants to compete for Top4. Wijnaldum has had some pretty decent games, but has declined massively since his winner against City and Can is not good enough to play for Liverpool yet.
Throw in a defence that hasn't showed great stability even when we were flying and you can maybe understand why it's going downhill.

It just seems like once the team is unable to work as a unit our lack of individual quality becomes obvious.

[Kop307]

Not enjoying it at all at the moment.  It's been a pattern for a few years now.  Get to January with a few chances of glory still alive, see no support from the owners whatsoever to fill gaping weaknesses in the squad and our season collapses from that point onward.

The almost total refusal to do business in January puts us at a tactical disadvantage to our rivals, but it also takes the wind of out of our sails from pitch to crowd.  It's a terrible message to send and it spells out the owners true motivation, value and profit trump competitiveness any day.

This, 1,000 times yes.

[Grobbelrevell]

No.

There will always be peaks and troughs in football, you need to accept that. That doesn't mean you enjoy the troughs when they come, though.

Right now it feels like the light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming train.

[Purple Red]

Being a football fan is generally torturous. I often wonder if the amazing highs are worth the crushing lows and I usually come to the conclusion that they are. It's getting to the stage of the season though that Liverpool are bringing me such consistent disappointment that I can't enjoy any of the remainder of the season because I know what's around the corner. Even during our great spell I was always on edge worried what would happen if things went wrong. I now have my answer. Football is like an addictive substance. You know it isn't good for you but you can't help yourself.

[Solomon Grundy]

I can't enjoy this. I can't enjoy watching players who represent the club I love throw away another season again. Another season without a trophy. Another season without a title challenge. Another season that could yet again potentially end with us not qualifying for the CL.  I'm sorry, I just can't.

[Caston]

I was

[Malcolm Night]

Not enjoying this at all anymore, we're a shambles. Hoping there's light at the end of the tunnel for us and we rescue top 4 though.

[jillcwhomever]

That's the spirit!

Look this season is really burning us right now but we shouldn't give up on top 4 and nor should the players. A win at the weekend would still leave us well placed to have a go. Monday night was shocking but the previous game against Spurs we looked back to our best. Whilst initially it looks like a waste of time, I can't believe that two week break won't have done us some good as we go into the final stretch. We can end the season on a high and sort out some of the longer term problems in the summer.

Exactly, good points in there.

[harrythedog]

Not enjoying it at all at the moment.  It's been a pattern for a few years now.  Get to January with a few chances of glory still alive, see no support from the owners whatsoever to fill gaping weaknesses in the squad and our season collapses from that point onward.

The almost total refusal to do business in January puts us at a tactical disadvantage to our rivals, but it also takes the wind of out of our sails from pitch to crowd.  It's a terrible message to send and it spells out the owners true motivation, value and profit trump competitiveness any day.

This completely. I hardly ever post. Too long in the tooth to comment on the politics, but we will never compete under FSG. A close friend is a professional acquaintance of Hogan. FSG view us as part of their business portfolio, nothing more, nothing less. The level of investment required to maintain a constant competitiveness in the PL and Europe is beyond that of FSGs capabilities or desire. From their business model why would they!? They still get the same financial returns whilst, as GS has indicated, their capital growth increases in line with their forecasts. 😏

[rob1966]

Not at the minute, but that's how footy goes. You have to take the highs with the lows. Knew Klopp had a big job on his hands, thought we started the better than we could expect and still have faith that the team will get its shit together and start producing results again.

[cornelius]

Win our next two home games and everyone will be enjoying it again.

[plura]

No not really. But all might change to a much more positive outlook of things on Saturday of course. And there's everything (bar the title) to play for.

[bird_lfc]

Lallana said in an interview recently that we've been playing our own full intensity 'Champions League' games midweek on European nights.

Like fuck they have. They look like they can't be arsed against the 'lower' teams in official games so I doubt there is much intensity playing on the training ground against each other

[Upinsmoke]

We've still got top four to play for, but you wouldn't know it. These past two months have literally kicked the shit out of us and despite still having a good chance to finish the season on a real positive it feels like there is nothing left to enjoy. I know that's wrong and far from the truth but I literally can't see past that. Just my own personal glass half empty emotions here..

If we were getting beat and at least trying week in week I'd kind of take some satisfaction out of it but we aren't

[Anfield89]

We've still got top four to play for, but you wouldn't know it. These past two months have literally kicked the shit out of us and despite still having a good chance to finish the season on a real positive it feels like there is nothing left to enjoy. I know that's wrong and far from the truth but I literally can't see past that. Just my own personal glass half empty emotions here..

If we were getting beat and at least trying week in week I'd kind of take some satisfaction out of it but we aren't

I wouldn't say it's wrong, getting in the Champions league is obviously the goal but it won't be cause for celebration a massive improvement is needed.

[Redsnappa]

Like fuck they have. They look like they can't be arsed against the 'lower' teams in official games so I doubt there is much intensity playing on the training ground against each other

Well, apart from the 'intensity' that sees our team of wimps being all big and hard in training injuring each other and then bottling it in actual games.