Topic: Adam Lallana

[AaronSingh25]

Fantastic to see him back. Gave us that much needed creativity along with the hard work that brings us so much great balance.

Technique for that shot that hit the post was sublime.

Hopefully he drops back into midfield and give us that much needed creativity in the middle.

[SerbianScouser]

I was interested to see how we fare when he plays as an 8 compared to all other games he's been unavailable for or played in a different position.

As an 8 :                21 games   46 pts and 51 goals
All other games :    14 games   25 pts and 20 goals

I had to double check these numbers because it looked unbelievable, now I understand there are gazilion variables that come into play here and basically you have to take these numbers with a giant pinch of salt but even without stats to me it's perfectly clear that for us it's impossible to play good football, create good chances and score goals unless he's in the middle centrally, knitting the play and putting everything together with his ability in tight spaces.

Praying to football Gods for us to stop playing him as WF and get him in the middle so we can watch some decent footy again.

[dmorgan]

I was interested to see how we fare when he plays as an 8 compared to all other games he's been unavailable for or played in a different position.

As an 8 :                21 games   46 pts and 51 goals
All other games :    14 games   25 pts and 20 goals

I had to double check these numbers because it looked unbelievable, now I understand there are gazilion variables that come into play here and basically you have to take these numbers with a giant pinch of salt but even without stats to me it's perfectly clear that for us it's impossible to play good football, create good chances and score goals unless he's in the middle centrally, knitting the play and putting everything together with his ability in tight spaces.

Praying to football Gods for us to stop playing him as WF and get him in the middle so we can watch some decent footy again.

These are skewed stats....the reason he has been played wide is because of the absence of Mane or Coutinho from the team. Not that I am saying he isn't better as an 8 but the loss of those 2 has also been a key factor in us dropping points in those games.

[cress]

I was interested to see how we fare when he plays as an 8 compared to all other games he's been unavailable for or played in a different position.

As an 8 :                21 games   46 pts and 51 goals
All other games :    14 games   25 pts and 20 goals

I had to double check these numbers because it looked unbelievable, now I understand there are gazilion variables that come into play here and basically you have to take these numbers with a giant pinch of salt but even without stats to me it's perfectly clear that for us it's impossible to play good football, create good chances and score goals unless he's in the middle centrally, knitting the play and putting everything together with his ability in tight spaces.

Praying to football Gods for us to stop playing him as WF and get him in the middle so we can watch some decent footy again.

If we had played 7 more games with him not as an 8 and won those 7 games then it would be 46 points won in each, but without the same goals(We'd have to score on average 5 a game).

[CIDER_RED]

Good to see him back in the starting line up today. Really got at West Ham, and put them on the back foot from the off.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

He makes all the difference in the world when he plays.

Shame we couldn't get Phil,Mane,Lallana,Bob [and Hendo] on the pitch together more than we have this year. Would be much higher up the table, certainly challenging for the title

[jillcwhomever]

Great to see Adam back, he works so damn hard, and his passing is always first rate.

[Tony19:6]

Great to see him start, sets the tempo for me, something key to us playing well.

[kasperoff]

Great performance. Hit the ground running. Having him and Sturridge in the side has allowed us to have a little reshuffle and we look loads better for it.

Breath of fresh air.

[Schmidt]

He seems to just keep getting better and better, some of his instant control and shooting has been brilliant, much better than when he first arrived.

[TepidT2O]

I'm watching a program about the Masons..

His dad is quite a senior mason

[So… Howard Philips]

Great performance. Hit the ground running. Having him and Sturridge in the side has allowed us to have a little reshuffle and we look loads better for it.

Breath of fresh air.

Shows the value of having your better, more intelligent footballers available.

If only.......

[RedForeverTT]

Possibly the most intelligent player in our squad.

His passing has been more incisive this season. If you could, watch the videos of him in 2015/2016 and see him come leaps and bounds in terms of his decision making when to pass, who to pass, when to shoot and when to make runs. If I were Klopp, I will arrange for Lallana to be the room mate of Origi.

I hope that his attitude and work rate will rub off the rest of the team because our young players especially could learn a lot from him. I would also prefer that his has the captain's armband being that he is further up the field compared to Milner as we are more likely to see sparks fly when Lallana speak to referees instead of  courteous Milner.

[simbo]

Possibly the most intelligent player in our squad.

His passing has been more incisive this season. If you could, watch the videos of him in 2015/2016 and see him come leaps and bounds in terms of his decision making when to pass, who to pass, when to shoot and when to make runs. If I were Klopp, I will arrange for Lallana to be the room mate of Origi.

I hope that his attitude and work rate will rub off the rest of the team because our young players especially could learn a lot from him. I would also prefer that his has the captain's armband being that he is further up the field compared to Milner as we are more likely to see sparks fly when Lallana speak to referees instead of  courteous Milner.

Why would the armband change that?

[RedForeverTT]

Why would the armband change that?

Thought he was the captain at Southampton so he is not new to leading a team and I think he has shown leadership and role modelled this season and deserve to have the armband.

I am not a fan of goalkeeper or defenders being captains. The action happens in the middle or further up the pitch where I think Lallana's presence and leadership will be useful. When our team is being kick the shit out, I'd rather Lallana be standing up for me than Milner.

And he has smoother skin.

[newterp]

Thought he was the captain at Southampton so he is not new to leading a team and I think he has shown leadership and role modelled this season and deserve to have the armband.

I am not a fan of goalkeeper or defenders being captains. The action happens in the middle or further up the pitch where I think Lallana's presence and leadership will be useful. When our team is being kick the shit out, I'd rather Lallana be standing up for me than Milner.

And he has smoother skin.

you have definitely posted some odd thoughts in your short time here.

[lapapa]

Possibly the most intelligent player in our squad.

His passing has been more incisive this season. If you could, watch the videos of him in 2015/2016 and see him come leaps and bounds in terms of his decision making when to pass, who to pass, when to shoot and when to make runs. If I were Klopp, I will arrange for Lallana to be the room mate of Origi.

I hope that his attitude and work rate will rub off the rest of the team because our young players especially could learn a lot from him. I would also prefer that his has the captain's armband being that he is further up the field compared to Milner as we are more likely to see sparks fly when Lallana speak to referees instead of  courteous Milner.

Funny how some people think screaming at referees equate to good leadership

[mrantarctica]

Possibly the most intelligent player in our squad.

His passing has been more incisive this season. If you could, watch the videos of him in 2015/2016 and see him come leaps and bounds in terms of his decision making when to pass, who to pass, when to shoot and when to make runs. If I were Klopp, I will arrange for Lallana to be the room mate of Origi.

I hope that his attitude and work rate will rub off the rest of the team because our young players especially could learn a lot from him. I would also prefer that his has the captain's armband being that he is further up the field compared to Milner as we are more likely to see sparks fly when Lallana speak to referees instead of  courteous Milner.

Captain's speaking to referee's rarely do anything to reverse decisions. Yelling at referee's doesn't help either. I doubt Milner will remain as captain for much longer. I doubt he'll even be a starter if we get a proper LB in. I suspect someone like Lovren is more likely to be given the role in the absence of Henderson. Even Henderson I have doubts about given his injury status.

[gerrardisgod]

Rather fitting the season was signed off by a Lallana counter attack. Coutinho and Mane will/do get the plaudits, but for me Lallana's the whole key to this team and it's setup.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

Lallana is key to this side, and I hope we get another player who can provide the same thing he can in midfield. Love him as a player, always have since he played for Soton, and I knew he would fit this club.

[ToneLa]

He really has delivered, come into his own this season. Even in the half time thread he got a teensy bit of flak, but he scored, and when it really counted - to me, he has everything in his locker. The mindset and mentality is showing now, and it suits the tricksy skills and initiative he shows on the pitch.

[SerbianScouser]

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/video/latest-videos#29501

Seriously the amount of times this season Lallana has dragged a defender away creating vital space for us to score from is just ridiculous. You look at the first two goals last two games and it's yet again Lallana dragging somebody away which gets fully exploited. It'll never show up in stats but the number of times he's done it this season tells you he knows exactly what he's doing as he practically mastered it.

Efficiency of this skill deserves so much more appreciation and recognition. It also explains why we score so much more goals with him on the pitch than without.

[stockdam]

Rather fitting the season was signed off by a Lallana counter attack. Coutinho and Mane will/do get the plaudits, but for me Lallana's the whole key to this team and it's setup.

He has become a lot more consistent and dangerous. He runs with the ball so well and he turns well. Maybe our best player this season overall?

[theMilkman]

Think he's had a brilliant season, and i thought he was our best player after Mane. But will be interesting to see where he plays next season. Don't think we'll be seeing him in midfield much as Coutinho looks set for a move back there, and playing both would seem a bit light weight. Don't think he's anywhere near as good on the wing. if we get the winger we so desperately need and move coutinho into the middle, does lallana drop out of first 11? or does he start there ahead of coutinho?

what does everyone think? 

[RyanBabel19]

Sublime this season, such a gifted player and he looks excellent at CM

Glad to see him getting more goals and he's tucked away some lovely goals throughout the season

[Bend It Like Aurelio]

I'm hoping that Klopp will play him and Coutinho more in CM next season. He definitely looked better coming from deep than playing upfront.  With Grujic and Wijnaldum as their deputies. Hendo and Can at the back, plus one more MF, we will be set.

[Fiasco]

10 out of 10 at the first half of the the season
5-6 out of 10 in the second half of the the season

In general, I'm happy with what he has done and i hope he will score 10-15 next season.

His goal against Middlesbrough was his first this calendar year. I know he missed some games with injury but he had a lot of credit in the bank with many from his goals and assists early on when the team was flying.

Your assessment is probably right, and on the whole his season was probably a 7/10. I still think he could have stepped up more when we needed him during our slump, but he is a valuable member of the squad. It will be interesting what happens next season; he'll play plenty of games but wont be a guaranteed starter, especially not if we get someone like Naby Keita. If we do, I think it will be Keita, Coutinho and one of Can/Henderson for the other spots, with Lallana and Gini filling in in a number of roles when needed. Those 5 players for the midfield, with perhaps Grujic getting more minutes, would be really good options.

He's not at his best on the wing but he is an option there, and his workrate and versatility appeal to Klopp. It's hard to see him drastically improving at nearly 30 but if he can give us 2 or 3 more seasons like the one he's just had (with him perhaps taking touch more responsibility in big moments) then that will be good.

[deadsetred]

Lallana's season a 7/10? Some whackos in here.

[Fiasco]

Lallana's season a 7/10? Some whackos in here.

I'll happily be called a whacko. The trouble with criticizing Lallana is that you can't ever win the argument because the 'he works hard and sets the tempo' trump card wins out with most people when that defence isn't always there for other players.

He's appeared in 17 games for us in 2017 and scored one goal (the icing on the cake in a 3-0 win at home to a relegated side). Aside from that goal on the final day he never registered a single goal or assist since Christmas 2016. Now, so many people have praised him for his early season form, saying how his numbers are proof of how good he is and how important he is. Yet when those numbers completely dry up, his hard work and pressing are suddenly the most important thing. You can't overly praise a guy for scoring and assisting, yet completely ignore that metric when the landscape changes.

He's a leader, a senior player, 29, on the back of a new contract. We played Man United, Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal, Man City, Leicester and Southampton in 2017 with him playing and he didn't score or assist in any of them (big games, not only in terms of opponent for the obvious teams but for others for what was at stake). He's been as cold in the second half of the season as he was hot in the first. In the games mentioned in this paragraph I don't deny that he played a part or had good games. But quite a few people are saying he's been our best player this season. Above Mane and Coutinho, really?

He's had a good season on the whole. Great for half of it, not so great for the other half. He hasn't been outstanding or off the charts.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

He's had a very good season, he struggled after coming back from injury, but so did the entire team. 8 goals ,7 assists from midfield, and missed several matches, could have been in double digits.

Very important to our midfield and attacking third.

[Fruity]

I'll happily be called a whacko. The trouble with criticizing Lallana is that you can't ever win the argument because the 'he works hard and sets the tempo' trump card wins out with most people when that defence isn't always there for other players.

He's appeared in 17 games for us in 2017 and scored one goal (the icing on the cake in a 3-0 win at home to a relegated side). Aside from that goal on the final day he never registered a single goal or assist since Christmas 2016. Now, so many people have praised him for his early season form, saying how his numbers are proof of how good he is and how important he is. Yet when those numbers completely dry up, his hard work and pressing are suddenly the most important thing. You can't overly praise a guy for scoring and assisting, yet completely ignore that metric when the landscape changes.

He's a leader, a senior player, 29, on the back of a new contract. We played Man United, Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal, Man City, Leicester and Southampton in 2017 with him playing and he didn't score or assist in any of them (big games, not only in terms of opponent for the obvious teams but for others for what was at stake). He's been as cold in the second half of the season as he was hot in the first. In the games mentioned in this paragraph I don't deny that he played a part or had good games. But quite a few people are saying he's been our best player this season. Above Mane and Coutinho, really?

He's had a good season on the whole. Great for half of it, not so great for the other half. He hasn't been outstanding or off the charts.

I have to agree. At the start of the season he looked like he had reached his potential with us. Starting to look like the player we paid all that money for. 2nd half of the season he went back to the player that we saw under Brendan Rodgers. There is no doubt injuries played a part. I am pretty sure there were confidence issues as well. He was playing well for us and England until he got the first injury and then dropped off when he returned.

He needs to maintain the early season form throughout a season to be considered one of our top players. There is no doubt he has the potential and technical ability but he needs to be consistent.

[PoetryInMotion]

Just a whisker between a sensational volley and a moment of nothingness (referring to his moment of genius against Watford). There's this baseless impression that any player from midfield has to score or assist a good number throughout to be considered as consistent. A player like Xavi didn't really score that many did he? But he ran games. And this is an analogy, not a comparison. Lallana was similarly very important to us in terms of running our games in our style even in the second half of the season. To paint his second half of the season to near average based on his scoring rate is bollocks.

[Captain Kos]

In lallana defense, he suffered from a change of position in the 2nd half of the season. Especially with the midfield 3 of lucas can and wijlnaldum, lallana became a lot less effective. He no longer had Mane's legs. To make up of new phrase, he's a perfect false 10.

[Frizzo]

And this is an analogy, not a comparison.

analogy

əˈnalədʒi/

noun

a comparison between one thing and another, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification.

[PoetryInMotion]

analogy

əˈnalədʒi/

noun

a comparison between one thing and another, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification.

when I mentioned not a comparison, it was meant that it was not a comparison between the players themselves (so often these analogies have been mistaken for. For example - when Firmino and Suarez are discussed, people more often bring up stats and everything to bring out the difference in quality. But those two are discussed together not in direct comparison with each other as players). The comparison that is mentioned above is more between the two scenarios where Xavi ran games without actually scoring much and Lallana ran games for us similarly and not a comparison between the two players. If that explains. English is not my first language.

Without directing the below at you,

Coming to the actual point on Lallana, it stands. He's been close to our best player this season. When we lost Coutinho against Sunderland at Home, he steadied the ship for sometime when we won games against Everton, Middlesbrough and City. Only from Swansea at Home, where we were without Mane, with Coutinho who just got back from injury and was rusty for a number of games since and without one of our main Central Defenders in tandem for most games, did we really start to struggle. We soon lost Henderson as well who integral in the first half of the season. Lallana was also moved wide for quite a few games in the last 19. Now, if we're going to push the agenda and put all these on Lallana, Good Luck. But the difference when he played and when he did not was extremely noticeable in how well we moved the ball even during the slump and anytime this season.

[Frizzo]

when I mentioned not a comparison, it was meant that it was not a comparison between the players themselves (so often these analogies have been mistaken for. For example - when Firmino and Suarez are discussed, people more often bring up stats and everything to bring out the difference in quality. But those two are discussed together not in direct comparison with each other as players). The comparison that is mentioned above is more between the two scenarios where Xavi ran games without actually scoring much and Lallana ran games for us similarly and not a comparison between the two players. If that explains. English is not my first language.

Without directing the below at you,

Coming to the actual point on Lallana, it stands. He's been close to our best player this season. When we lost Coutinho against Sunderland at Home, he steadied the ship for sometime when we won games against Everton, Middlesbrough and City. Only from Swansea at Home, where we were without Mane, with Coutinho who just got back from injury and was rusty for a number of games since and without one of our main Central Defenders in tandem for most games, did we really start to struggle. We soon lost Henderson as well who integral in the first half of the season. Lallana was also moved wide for quite a few games in the last 19. Now, if we're going to push the agenda and put all these on Lallana, Good Luck. But the difference when he played and when he did not was extremely noticeable in how well we moved the ball even during the slump and anytime this season.

I sincerely apologise.

I was just being a dick, I completely knew what you meant.

And your English is excellent 👍

[deadsetred]

I'll happily be called a whacko. The trouble with criticizing Lallana is that you can't ever win the argument because the 'he works hard and sets the tempo' trump card wins out with most people when that defence isn't always there for other players.

He's appeared in 17 games for us in 2017 and scored one goal (the icing on the cake in a 3-0 win at home to a relegated side). Aside from that goal on the final day he never registered a single goal or assist since Christmas 2016. Now, so many people have praised him for his early season form, saying how his numbers are proof of how good he is and how important he is. Yet when those numbers completely dry up, his hard work and pressing are suddenly the most important thing. You can't overly praise a guy for scoring and assisting, yet completely ignore that metric when the landscape changes.

He's a leader, a senior player, 29, on the back of a new contract. We played Man United, Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal, Man City, Leicester and Southampton in 2017 with him playing and he didn't score or assist in any of them (big games, not only in terms of opponent for the obvious teams but for others for what was at stake). He's been as cold in the second half of the season as he was hot in the first. In the games mentioned in this paragraph I don't deny that he played a part or had good games. But quite a few people are saying he's been our best player this season. Above Mane and Coutinho, really?

He's had a good season on the whole. Great for half of it, not so great for the other half. He hasn't been outstanding or off the charts.

Even in the second half of the season, when he was on the pitch and not returning from injury he was at least a 7/10 on average. That's based purely on watching him play; not looking at his goal/assist output, or any stats for that matter, but seeing what he contributed to the team. Safe to say that his pre-injury form was a 9/10, so you work out the average.

This is a frivolous argument, and sorry for coming across as harsh..I do feel though that people just love being contrary on this forum for the sake of it.

[Fitzy.]

Even in the second half of the season, when he was on the pitch and not returning from injury he was at least a 7/10 on average. That's based purely on watching him play; not looking at his goal/assist output, or any stats for that matter, but seeing what he contributed to the team. Safe to say that his pre-injury form was a 9/10, so you work out the average.

This is a frivolous argument, and sorry for coming across as harsh..I do feel though that people just love being contrary on this forum for the sake of it.

I disagree. I loathe being contrary.

[Anfield Ed]

Just a whisker between a sensational volley and a moment of nothingness (referring to his moment of genius against Watford). There's this baseless impression that any player from midfield has to score or assist a good number throughout to be considered as consistent. A player like Xavi didn't really score that many did he? But he ran games. And this is an analogy, not a comparison. Lallana was similarly very important to us in terms of running our games in our style even in the second half of the season. To paint his second half of the season to near average based on his scoring rate is bollocks.

THIS.

[PoetryInMotion]

I sincerely apologise.

I was just being a dick, I completely knew what you meant.

And your English is excellent 👍

Accepted mate. Cheers