Topic: Andy Robertson (Andrew Henry Robertson MBE)

[PoetryInMotion]

He's so consistently great that it has become normalised and he'll only be mentioned in despatches if he drops an assist on someone's foot/head.

Superb player, unmatched in the game at the moment. He was miles ahead of everyone in blocking their second goal; having done the hard part he just needed a team mate there to boot it away but they just hadn't kept up with him.

Agreed. He was the most assured player in defense. And he put in 2-3 dangerous crosses in the first half, kept possession well and he played the ball that got us the penalty. If that doesn't win him a MOTM, I don't know what will.

[Paisley79]

Has anyone noticed that when he's interviewed it's seemingly impossible for him not to begin his reply with "Look..."

[macmanamanaman]

Has anyone noticed that when he's interviewed it's seemingly impossible for him not to begin his reply with "Look..."

Maybe, should vary a little. 
"Listen..."

[farawayred]

Robbo nowadays does at least one good foray a game. And I wish he can keep the ball on target with his long range shots, he needs a goal.

[LallanaInPyjamas]

No one can convince me he's in our best XI right now - an immensely frustrating player in the final third and has been for some time

[mrantarctica]

No one can convince me he's in our best XI right now - an immensely frustrating player in the final third and has been for some time

I think Kostas started very brightly and has been playing well. The scrutiny goes on Robbo a lot more in those circumstances. Robbo was relatively unscrutinised when our backup option at LB was Millie, who although pretty good in every position, isn't the LB we need. Now that we have a backup, the microscope will be on Robbo to produce his best again, especially because Kostas has largely not put a foot wrong in the few games he's played this season.

[AndyMuller]

I’d start Tsimikas over him at the minute.

[So… Howard Philips]

Robbo nowadays does at least one good foray a game. And I wish he can keep the ball on target with his long range shots, he needs a goal.

His long range shooting could certainly improve. Good to see other players scoring from outside the box.

[Ghost Town]

Kostas's form, and some of the qualities he has brought to the game, is certainly shining a light on Robbo that was not there before. It's up to Robbo to use that to improve himself and his contributions. But it will take more than a few games to do that.

The ideal is that Kostas makes Robbo a better player and a better net contributor

[stonecold_jpm]

Been out of form since January really, before that he was our most consistent player. Burnt him out and now struggling to get it back. Deffo play Kostas ahead of him against City at the minute.

[TepidT2O]

Missed a bit of preseason….

Not yet in top form. 

Not really any shock. 

[LallanaInPyjamas]

Missed a bit of preseason….

Not yet in top form. 

Not really any shock.

Hmm, some could call it a lack of form, others could be less kind and call it a lack of technique, right foot, calm head etc.

Truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

[Samie]

That's just bullshit though bar the right foot.

[LallanaInPyjamas]

That's just bullshit though bar the right foot.

Do you think his technique is particularly good?

[Coolie High]

Do you think his technique is particularly good?

Yes it is.

[farawayred]

Do you think his technique is particularly good?

Not distinctly different from Bruno Fernandes' for the Villa penalty... 

[LallanaInPyjamas]

Yes it is.

He sure does strike a ball poorly with alarming regularity for someone with brilliant technique.

[Samie]

Do you think his technique is particularly good?

Yes it is.

[Coolie High]

He sure does strike a ball poorly with alarming regularity for someone with brilliant technique.

I can name a few players with good technique who aren’t particularly good strikers of the ball, a number of defensive midfielders for one.

[LallanaInPyjamas]

Are you referring to when he shoots or in general? If it’s the latter then it’s simply not true.

I mean his shooting is the absolute pits (genuinely can't believe he's still allowed to - I'd love to see how many shots he's had here for the grand sum of what is it, two goals? One of which was with his head), but for the amount of crossing positions we get him into, I expect a far better return than what we get there too. He's pretty good at crossing on the run but otherwise it's impressive if he beats the first man these days.

Confused as to when bad form suddenly consisted of nine months as well ... aside from the decent driving run or two it's not been wholly dissimilar to having a left-footed Clyne at LB for a while now. And I think the negative impact on Mane has been pretty clear to see given how more effective he's looked in tandem with Tsimikas.

EDIT: Just looked and he's scored five. Three more than I thought but I'd still fine him a weeks wages every time he shoots 

[PoetryInMotion]

So, we are questioning Robbo's crossing. He has as many/close to as many assists as Trent since he made his debut for us. Hmm.. While Trent is the best attacking defender since Alves, Robbo, who has the same number of assists, has his attacking game questioned. Wow! Some opinions in this forum recently?

Also, thought he was our best player against Milan. He had an off game against Brentford, but so did the rest of our defense and goalkeeper. He'll be fine.

9 months of off-form is just bollocks. He was playing beside a makeshift defense for most of the season and he must've burnt out playing that many games as well. He still had 7 assists last season.

[A-Bomb]

Our right hand side has certainly been more effective so far this season going forward, the numbers (goals / assists) show this clearly.

With Gini having left, a familiar cog in the team has been vacated, Mane's performances being somewhat shy of what they were 2 or 3 years ago probably go someway to explain that. Robbo is the least of our concerns on that side of the pitch however.

[El Lobo]

A left sided Clyne Jesus wept

[LallanaInPyjamas]

So, we are questioning Robbo's crossing. He has as many/close to as many assists as Trent since he made his debut for us. Hmm.. While Trent is the best attacking defender since Alves, Robbo, who has the same number of assists, has his attacking game questioned. Wow! Some opinions in this forum recently?

Also, thought he was our best player against Milan. He had an off game against Brentford, but so did the rest of our defense and goalkeeper. He'll be fine.

9 months of off-form is just bollocks. He was playing beside a makeshift defense for most of the season and he must've burnt out playing that many games as well. He still had 7 assists last season.

He was one of our best players in the first half of last season - and one of our worst in the second half. Only assist I can recall from him during the run in was an inside pass to Oxlade v Burnley. I don't think his form particularly recovered at all.

As for A-Bomb's assertion that he's the "least of our concerns," hmm, interesting that Mane can dip yet still produce quality output and receive constant shit for his performances, while our LB throws stinkers in every other week with nothing said about it. It's almost like the two could be related, but I think I know who is more likely to drag the other down given their capabilities.

I ecall people saying similar - "we have far bigger issues" etc -.about Clyne. Probably myself included. Then he got replaced by a better footballer and people saw the upside and how far Clyne had been dragging us down on the ball. There was a moment late on in the game the other night when Mane played Robertson the ball and made a brilliant run for the one-two. Yet again he did not receive it as Robertson could not even control the ball with his right foot and gave it away leading to a dangerous counter. There are far too many moments like that from him at the moment. In our system, our full-backs need to be on it. While we've got someone performing better in his position, I think he needs a break from the first team to come back stronger.

[tubby]

His technique is fine, he's a bit one-footed, but so are a lot of fullbacks.

[Funky_Gibbons]

Fuck me there's some absolute shite in this thread. Comparing him to Clyne and saying he has a lack of technique is absolute bullshit.

He's almost matching Trent for assists since he's got into the team, nothign wrong with him going forward whatsever.

As usual people looking at the wrong people to take a bad result out onto.

[killer-heels]

He was one of our best players in the first half of last season - and one of our worst in the second half. Only assist I can recall from him during the run in was an inside pass to Oxlade v Burnley. I don't think his form particularly recovered at all.

As for A-Bomb's assertion that he's the "least of our concerns," hmm, interesting that Mane can dip yet still produce quality output and receive constant shit for his performances, while our LB throws stinkers in every other week with nothing said about it.

I ecall people saying similar.about Clyne. Probably myself included. Then he got replaced by a better footballer and people saw the upside and how far Clyne had been dragging us down on the ball. There was a moment late on in the game the other night when Mane played Robertson the ball and made a brilliant run for the one-two. Yet again he did not receive it as Robertson could not even control the ball with his right foot and gave it away leading to a dangerous counter. There are far too many moments like that from him at the moment. In our system, our full-backs need to be on it.

To be fair though Clyne never ever produced the levels that Robertson reached. Clyne was always a solid but unproductive full back in an attacking sense. Its hard to move on from a full back who has shown to be the most productive in the country and just find someone who is more so.

[LallanaInPyjamas]

To be fair though Clyne never ever produced the levels that Robertson reached. Clyne was always a solid but unproductive full back in an attacking sense. Its hard to move on from a full back who has shown to be the most productive in the country and just find someone who is more so.

Robertson is obviously a better footballer than Clyne. But I'm not having it that it's "bullshit" to question his form this calendar year while the other guy down his side of the pitch gets questioned every single week during that time frame despite producing far more moments of quality. Its a small sample size but he's looked energised and freed up playing in front of Tsimikas - so let's see it more often

[Coolie High]

Robertson is obviously a better footballer than Clyne. But I'm not having it that it's "bullshit" to question his form this calendar year while the other guy down his side of the pitch gets questioned every single week during that time frame despite producing far more moments of quality. Its a small sample size but he's looked energised and freed up playing in front of Tsimikas - so let's see it more often

Why even bring up Clyne, Robertson is still one of the most creative full backs in the world, a bit of an overreaction from you there.

[El Lobo]

Robertson is obviously a better footballer than Clyne. But I'm not having it that it's "bullshit" to question his form this calendar year while the other guy down his side of the pitch gets questioned every single week during that time frame despite producing far more moments of quality. Its a small sample size but he's looked energised and freed up playing in front of Tsimikas - so let's see it more often

Right....but Mane getting questioned is also ridiculous.

Last season Robbo got a goal and seven assists. Luke Shaw got a goal and five assists. Joao Cancelo got two goals and three assists. One of them apparently had a stinker and two of them were apparently so good that they were in the PFA Team of the Year.

I know its a novel idea for you, but you dont HAVE to criticise anyone. Like....if Mane is getting stupid stick, you don't HAVE to provide balance by doing the same with Robbo. If Mo is ridiculously getting criticised for missing a chance, people don't HAVE to find examples to also ridiculously beat Jota with. If people start stupidly criticising VVD, others dont HAVE to balance it out with criticism of Matip and Gomez. We get enough shit in the media without our own fans balancing shit opinions on one player with shit opinions on another. We've got two of the best full backs in the world, who have proven that over the last 3/4 years. We also have hopefully a tremendous back-up in Kostas who hopefully puts pressure on Robbo with his own performances, and maybe another superb youngster at RB in Connor Bradley. There's no need for anything but pride that we've put that together for a pittance when clubs like City have spent £200 million in the same time and still got nothing close to what we have there.

[LallanaInPyjamas]

Right....but Mane getting questioned is also ridiculous.

Last season Robbo got a goal and seven assists. Luke Shaw got a goal and five assists. Joao Cancelo got two goals and three assists. One of them apparently had a stinker and two of them were apparently so good that they were in the PFA Team of the Year.

I know its a novel idea for you, but you dont HAVE to criticise anyone. Like....if Mane is getting stupid stick, you don't HAVE to provide balance by doing the same with Robbo. If Mo is ridiculously getting criticised for missing a chance, people don't HAVE to find examples to also ridiculously beat Jota with. If people start stupidly criticising VVD, others dont HAVE to balance it out with criticism of Matip and Gomez. We get enough shit in the media without our own fans balancing shit opinions on one player with shit opinions on another. We've got two of the best full backs in the world, who have proven that over the last 3/4 years. We also have hopefully a tremendous back-up in Kostas who hopefully puts pressure on Robbo with his own performances, and maybe another superb youngster at RB in Connor Bradley. There's no need for anything but pride that we've put that together for a pittance when clubs like City have spent £200 million in the same time and still got nothing close to what we have there.

We aren't talking about last season though, we're talking about this calendar year. Robertson was arguably in the form of his life this time last year.

There's really nothing else which needs to be said unless you can bring something to counter the points I have made. It's a fair point that his output still remains better than Clyne (who by the way seems to have suddenly turned into a liability on this forum - he wasn't that bad), but I find it interesting how he seems to be untouchable on here. For me he's been our worst player by a distance this calendar year. If others don't agree that's fine but I think there's a touch of outdated "he's only a full back" stuff going on here.

[LallanaInPyjamas]

Like I have said in a previous post, I do believe that Robertson is somewhat overrated by Liverpool supporters, but I also think this idea that he has been poor is wrong. Even if his usual performance levels have dropped, you must be able to understand why people are willing to give the benefit of the doubt to a player who has contributed as much as he has?

Of course, I'm not writing him off either, but personally I think nine months (six months if you remove the summer to be fairer as another poster pointed out) goes beyond "form". Our left side is pretty broken and everyone seems to be pointing the finger at Mane for that. Personally I know who I'd rather persevere with and try something new out of the two, but the good thing is we have options now. I wouldn't even bother making these posts if Tsimikas hadn't shown some brilliant form because what would be the point. Likewise Jota is probably at his best from the left flank.

[Magix]

Whether it's down to Mane's downturn in form or Robbo's - or probably a combination of the two - the left side, once a potent source of offense and solid in defense, is suspect on both ends now. Perhaps a change in partnerships and personnel on the left is due, to mix things up a little.

[killer-heels]

To be fair to Robertson and Mane, they are compared to Trent and Salah, who are the two best players in the world in their position.

[Funky_Gibbons]

I'm struggling to think of a goal we conceded on Saturday that can be attirbuted to Robertson.

[El Lobo]

We aren't talking about last season though, we're talking about this calendar year. Robertson was arguably in the form of his life this time last year.

There's really nothing else which needs to be said unless you can bring something to counter the points I have made. It's a fair point that his output still remains better than Clyne (who by the way seems to have suddenly turned into a liability on this forum - he wasn't that bad), but I find it interesting how he seems to be untouchable on here. For me he's been our worst player by a distance this calendar year.

The points you have made are monumentally stupid though

But I can have a go at a few if you'd like?

I mean his shooting is the absolute pits (genuinely can't believe he's still allowed to...

This was a cracker right off the bat. Like we should tell a player that he's 'not allowed to shoot anymore'

aside from the decent driving run or two it's not been wholly dissimilar to having a left-footed Clyne at LB for a while now.

Another cracker. Clyne was a hugely limited player. Decent enough, probably in the Wan-Bissaka mould of decent defensively and fuck all use going forward. But frankly I'm not sure you even deserve a 'counter' to comparing someone who had 2 goals and 5 assists in 103 games for us to someone who has 5 goals and 38 assists in 182 (and was integral to all of our successes)....

(who by the way seems to have suddenly turned into a liability on this forum - he wasn't that bad)

So why the fuck did you bring him up as a stick to beat Robbo with?!

 

while our LB throws stinkers in every other week with nothing said about it

He doesn't 'throw in stinkers every other week' though. He played well against Chelsea before an injury (which frankly ended up a shit load better than it looked). Came back, played well against Leeds, probably our best player against AC Milan and then poor at the weekend when the whole defence was.

But look, in the nicest way possible this is your whole mindset. You're a famously negative poster, I'm sure you'd admit that yourself. And you've entrenched yourself in this position now about Robbo because you need a scapegoat, thats all. Your whole 'this calendar year' thing is just tremendous. This calendar year he's not been near his best? Can you think of any possible reason he might not have been at his best 'this calendar year'? No? How about some stats? He's played 43 games 'this calendar year'. Virg has played 8. Matip has played 8. Gomez has played 2 (and one of those was a minute). Fabinho has played 29. Hendo has played 23.

If you can't be arsed to provide the slightest bit of context to your 'points' then don't be surprised when people call you out on it. He's had a calendar year playing alongside Rhys Williams, or Nat Phillips, or Henderson at CB, or Fabinho at CB, or Shaqiri in front of him in CM, or Gini as a DM. Now we've got VVD back, Fabinho back in his proper position, Henderson back in his proper position, Matip back, Gomez back, Konate here, Mane in better form....and his first poor performance of the season, in a game where every other defender was as bad if not worse, you want him bombing out of the team

Does that counter your points?

[LallanaInPyjamas]

I'm struggling to think of a goal we conceded on Saturday that can be attirbuted to Robertson.

When have I ever claimed that? Just because he's a defender doesn't mean he doesn't harm us offensively. As I said, outdated way of looking at things.

[DonkeyWan]

I'm struggling to think of a goal we conceded on Saturday that can be attirbuted to Robertson.

Indeed, Robertson is not a problem in the side. LB is not a problem in the side. The problem on Saturday was RB and the pedestrian midfield. One was because a player was coming back from illness and the other was due to injury. Though teams are incresingly targetting TAA, so I expect Klopp will shift things around a little to give him more cover. But Robertson is completely under appreciated by some, his ability to both get forward and get back is sensational. Tsimikas can't match that, which is why Robertson is first choice, though Tsimikas looks an excellent backup.

[LallanaInPyjamas]

This was a cracker right off the bat. Like we should tell a player that he's 'not allowed to shoot anymore'

A manager can do whatever the fuck he wants. If you don't think our manager has been increasingly restricting our players shooting from distance or stupid angles during his time here then you haven't been paying attention. Lijnders talks about creating better quality chances all of the time. Robertson blazing one over every game is unhelpful. He should know his limitations.

Another cracker. Clyne was a hugely limited player. Decent enough, probably in the Wan-Bissaka mould of decent defensively and fuck all use going forward. But frankly I'm not sure you even deserve a 'counter' to comparing someone who had 2 goals and 5 assists in 103 games for us to someone who has 5 goals and 38 assists in 182 (and was integral to all of our successes)....

So why the fuck did you bring him up as a stick to beat Robbo with?!

Again, I'm comparing them over a nine month period. Robertson is clearly a better footballer than Clyne. Do I think he's been very good offensively for us this calendar year however? No. Do I think he's been disastrous either? No. Therefore Clyne. A steady eddie footballer who was rarely beaten 1v1.
 

He doesn't 'throw in stinkers every other week' though. He played well against Chelsea before an injury (which frankly ended up a shit load better than it looked). Came back, played well against Leeds, probably our best player against AC Milan and then poor at the weekend when the whole defence was.

If you think he was good against Chelsea then I can't help you. He was the worst player on the pitch by a distance.

Your personal attack which I have no time for from a Leicester City season ticket holder, who frankly matters not a jot to Liverpool Football Club because you don't go the game and and actively feed another Premier League club, and context stuff following it, goes for every single one of our players, who don't seem to be immune from criticism in the same way.

[Funky_Gibbons]

When have I ever claimed that? Just because he's a defender doesn't mean he doesn't harm us offensively. As I said, outdated way of looking at things.

I didn't say you did say that did I? There was a post above saying the left hand side is now hurting us at both ends of the pitch.

But he's also not harming us offensively. Apparantly you think Tmiskas has shown brilliant form this season while Robertson has been compared to Clyne, yet they're almost identical on key passes and expected assists.