Topic: Joël Matip (Job Joël André Matip)

[lovestospooge]

anyone remember when we were gunning for naby and all that initial hype about his underlying metrics and that "packing" one in particular? there was a tweet all over LFC internet spheres people kept sharing explaining the packing thing was essentially how effective a player is at forward penetration e.g how many opposition players he could bypass via dribbling or the right pass to create attacking phases.

i'd love to see how joel rates in there he's absolutely brilliant at it and has been for a while now.

[Abin465]

I felt he and Fabinho were the only ones displaying composure while defending. Everyone else in the midfield and defence were too frenetic and rushed causing us to lose the ball in dangerous areas once too often . When Van Dijk is there, he is the master of defending calmly and I think the team missed that in the back today.

[Carra-ton]

Van Dijk is huge, I don't know why our game has panic when Van Dijk is not there even when there is no significant threat.
No one communicates properly and organizes things when Van Dijk is not there. Matip is amazing at defending but in leadership terms he is not Van Dijk.
The midfield also loses composure when Van Dijk is not there.

[Elzar]

I love how he turns into Joel Messip once every match. He almost took it past half their team on the edge of the box last night.

[Gods_Left_Boot]

Maybe he'll be a bit disappointed with himself when he doesn't manage to clear in the buildup for their second, bit on the whole he was excellent as usual.

[scatman]

What i'm pleased with is that he seems to have lost his 50p head in the opposition box too. Was alone it felt attacking corners (normally has Firmino and Van Dijk with him as a big attacking threat) and he got his head on quite a few, got a couple on target. 5 goals this season for him incoming

[newterp]

Maybe he'll be a bit disappointed with himself when he doesn't manage to clear in the buildup for their second, bit on the whole he was excellent as usual.

yeah the ball somehow snuck by/through him

[Nick110581]

Class act.

Maybe he will be rested at weekend but you feel safe with him there.

[newterp]

Class act.

Maybe he will be rested at weekend but you feel safe with him there.

I think it would be good to rest him - that said he had no international duties.

[Welshred]

No need to play him 3 games in a week when we'll be brining Virgil back in. Gomez or Konate shod be fine for Palace, I'd rather not push Joel too much too soon.

[Bobinhood]

Read today that Joel has more touches in the attacking box and twice as many shots (8-4) as Sir Harry of Kane, 150 million pound striker and Captain of Britannia (est).

[farawayred]

No one brought this thread up, but I think Matip deserves praises for his performance today. Not just the goal-line clearance, his overall play was great, he was the better CB today.

[DelTrotter]

No one brought this thread up, but I think Matip deserves praises for his performance today. Not just the goal-line clearance, his overall play was great, he was the better CB today.

Haha, what?! He was shocking, lost battles everywhere but it happens, he's been amazing for ages so allowed a bad one.

[farawayred]

Haha, what?! He was shocking, lost battles everywhere but it happens, he's been amazing for ages so allowed a bad one.

Maybe we were watching a different game, it wasn't a bad one from Matip.

[killer-heels]

Maybe we were watching a different game, it wasn't a bad one from Matip.

It was. He lost out on the big moments. But as was said, it happens.

[farawayred]

It was. He lost out on the big moments. But as was said, it happens.

Do you mean the unsuccessful block on the first goal? I think that was fortuitous for their player. 

[killer-heels]

Do you mean the unsuccessful block on the first goal? I think that was fortuitous for their player. 

That final goal he needs to win that 50-50. Him, Fabinho and Van Dijk are incredible but they all lost out against their opponents on all three goals. Far too casual.

[farawayred]

That final goal he needs to win that 50-50. Him, Fabinho and Van Dijk are incredible but they all lost out against their opponents on all three goals. Far too casual.

I can't fully disagree. But for the first goal, a lot of people missed the ball and there were fortunate touches on their part. Maybe Matip was expected to win the 50-50, but it's harsh to judge him on that. The second was mostly down to VVD failing to properly challenge for the header, and I can't put any blame on Matip for the 3rd. Hendo and Fab were out of place leaving Trent exposed, and Salah should have tracked back to help Trent.

[killer-heels]

I can't fully disagree. But for the first goal, a lot of people missed the ball and there were fortunate touches on their part. Maybe Matip was expected to win the 50-50, but it's harsh to judge him on that. The second was mostly down to VVD failing to properly challenge for the header, and I can't put any blame on Matip for the 3rd. Hendo and Fab were out of place leaving Trent exposed, and Salah should have tracked back to help Trent.

Matip should be going all in and trying to properly win that final challenge for the third goal. It was poor and reflected our incredibly passive and casual play at the back all game.

But he wasn’t the only one. Hard to know if we were just a bit arrogant or our minds were elsewhere.

[Morgana]

Body language on both Matip and VVD  after their second was  blasé as fuck.

[Ravishing Rick Dude]

We really needed Konate to come on instead of Bobby

[afc tukrish]

Body language on both Matip and VVD  after their second was  blasé as fuck.

Were they holding their phones while playing?

[Dr Stu-Pid]

Matip should be going all in and trying to properly win that final challenge for the third goal. It was poor and reflected our incredibly passive and casual play at the back all game.

You do realise that the ball got stuck against Trent’s back and that in order to ‘win’ that challenge from the angle he was at he would have had to have kicked through his side and likely injured him in the process?  You make it sound like he pulled out of a challenge with the Brentford player because he just didn’t fancy it.

[gazzalfc]

Loved that he tried to bomb forward and take on their entire team.

Played a lovely through ball to Jota that split their defence. But I do wish he stops those floaty long balls out wide. Too easy to read and cut out.

[MonsLibpool]

Loved that he tried to bomb forward and take on their entire team.

Played a lovely through ball to Jota that split their defence. But I do wish he stops those floaty long balls out wide. Too easy to read and cut out.

His ground passes are very impressive and zip along the surface. VVD is the best at playing long passes.

[Crosby Nick]

Body language on both Matip and VVD  after their second was  blasé as fuck.

Agreed. I want to see a synchronised Sammy Kuffour in that scenario in future.

[El Lobo]

His ground passes are very impressive and zip along the surface. VVD is the best at playing long passes.

Yeah he's very good at those forceful ones into the attacking third, but his lofted ones are like the ones I play in my dreams which don't go anywhere

Tremendous player though, been excellent this season. People still don't seem to want to acknowledge the damage of losing him and Gomez alongside VVD last season.

[newterp]

Yeah he's very good at those forceful ones into the attacking third, but his lofted ones are like the ones I play in my dreams which don't go anywhere

Tremendous player though, been excellent this season. People still don't seem to want to acknowledge the damage of losing him and Gomez alongside VVD last season.

you play with lofted balls in your dreams....this explains a lot everything.

[howes hound]

For me, one of the very few Liverpool players to come out of yesterday's first half with any credit. The point on lofted passes and crosses probably applies to most of our team. TAA's crosses are high-percentage because he whips them in, flat. Robbo too, although he can't get his sights set right this season. Our forwards aren't giants. It's the glanced headers from zippy crosses that work best, Jota excepted maybe.

[Spanish Al]

Not quite sure how this thread is half way down the second page.

Best centre half in the world. Has made it incredibly easy for Virgil to slot back in. No wonder he loves him!

[Dim Glas]

Not quite sure how this thread is half way down the second page.

Best centre half in the world. Has made it incredibly easy for Virgil to slot back in. No wonder he loves him!

cos we are so used to Joel just being Joel.

He is class!

[abs-ibs]

Absolutely love Joel. He never seems to panic, always tries to play forward, if he can't pass easy, he will just dribble past half the team to find the right pass lol. He's awesome!!! Feel a bit sorry for Konate and Gomez when we have Virg n Joel in the team as well.

[Dazzer23]

Most under rated player in the Prem in my opinion

[Boaty McBoatface]

Every time he does a good bit of skill the first thing I shout is "Well in Joel!" The next thing I shout is "Please just stay fit Joel!"

[Dim Glas]

Most under rated player in the Prem in my opinion

he really is.

It’s funny really, as I am sure he doesn’t care, he’s a very low key character and doesn’t seek the limelight.

But it’s also slightly ridiculous, and rather insulting, as the only compliment those on the outside want to give is to Virgil, basically because he cost a lot so they can use it for the ‘oh look Liverpool spend loads too’. But I wouldn’t swap Joel for any other centre back in the league. And it isn’t anything new, the CL season he was immense, and a big shout for man of the match in the final.

[BarryCrocker]

But it’s also slightly ridiculous, and rather insulting, as the only compliment those on the outside want to give is to Virgil, basically because he cost a lot so they can use it for the ‘oh look Liverpool spend loads too’. But I wouldn’t swap Joel for any other centre back in the league. And it isn’t anything new, the CL season he was immense, and a big shout for man of the match in the final.

So true. Man Uniteds first choice defence pair cost 100m while ours 75m.

[afc tukrish]

It’s funny really, as I am sure he doesn’t care, he’s a very low key character and doesn’t seek the limelight.

Think it was Tepid who analyzed the very camp nature of some of Joel's play and general behaviors.

He's not just on a different wavelength; Joel doesn't need common, plebian things such as wavelengths.

[Spanish Al]

cos we are so used to Joel just being Joel.

He is class!

He’s really wonderful, isn’t he? I know you will know a lot more about him and have seen a lot more of his career than most of us as I guess you saw a lot of him at Schalke as well. I really am only half joking when I call him the best centre half in the world. Even with all of the injuries, he just slots straight back in. Basically like Ledley King. But better. And funnier.

That season we won the CL he was phenomenal and it never really gets spoken about because of the seismic impact Virgil had. But for me, genuinely, Joel is alongside him at least with his performances since Virg came in. He really, really is that good.

[Dim Glas]

He’s really wonderful, isn’t he? I know you will know a lot more about him and have seen a lot more of his career than most of us as I guess you saw a lot of him at Schalke as well. I really am only half joking when I call him the best centre half in the world. Even with all of the injuries, he just slots straight back in. Basically like Ledley King. But better. And funnier.

That season we won the CL he was phenomenal and it never really gets spoken about because of the seismic impact Virgil had. But for me, genuinely, Joel is alongside him at least with his performances since Virg came in. He really, really is that good.

Thing is at Schalke, don’t think anyone really envisioned this career development.

There he started out as a midfielder, played there mostly in his first season and a half in the first team, before becoming a regular at centre back and was a permanent fixture in their team. But he was still prone to some mistakes, and maybe his sort of gangly style was seen as a being ‘funny’! But Schalke fans love him, and are genuinley really happy at how he’s now the player he is and won the biggest trophies, they are really proud of him.

But yeah that CL season he was incredible, and you are right, it sort of went unsaid a lot, because of Virg. And he’s having a superb season again so far.

[Bobinhood]

Plus out of context Joel Matip is totally hilarious. Its partially ministry of silly walks in real life. He did a great one one in training the other day when Adrian messed up a simple one-two in rondos, hilarious. im pretty sure that'll get no contexted if it isn't already. Its just really great all around.

Seriously, against watford i was thinking to myself that it was almost unfair having a guy that good on the ball playing as an advanced cb right on the half and perfectly ready and able to run with it if necessary, but rarely required because his passing is also lightning quick and precise. Virgils a little further back, all the better for the raking switches. Against an overmatched team like watford its deadly.