Topic: Emre Can

[Funky_Gibbons]

Imagine if he adds scoring ability to his repertoire.
I remind you, he became 22 only 4 months ago folks.

I'd be happy if he continues to hold midfield together single handildly while letting the five or six players ahead of him take care of the goal scoring stuff.

[jepovic]

I'd be happy if he continues to hold midfield together single handildly while letting the five or six players ahead of him take care of the goal scoring stuff.

Yeah. One of the reasons Can has improved is that he's focusing on his strengths rather than trying to do everything.

[Redd Foxx]

Haven't followed it closely enough, but any chance he gets a bigger role with the German team for the Euros with Gundogan ruled out?

[gray19lfc]

Big fan of Can but didn't see that performance coming from him last night.  Felt like he was being rushed back into the side and thought he might not look ready but he looked like he'd never been away!  Going to be some player this lad.

[TepidT2O]

Big fan of Can but didn't see that performance coming from him last night.  Felt like he was being rushed back into the side and thought he might not look ready but he looked like he'd never been away!  Going to be some player this lad.

He didn't look fit to me...

And that puts his performance in context.... He did that whilst at about 80%

[Nessy76]

Haven't followed it closely enough, but any chance he gets a bigger role with the German team for the Euros with Gundogan ruled out?

Think he's still quite far down the pecking order there, but Loew seems to like him and has been slotting him in at RB and the like. He'll get some time in the summer, I'd expect, but he probably won't be first choice in the role he plays for us.

[rowan_d]

Can see his deployment at rightback hurting his national career more than helping it unfortunately

As great as Germany are, their options at rightback look a bit shite to be honest. Hopefully for his sake he is around the squad enough to become part of the furniture, and eventually make a midfield role his own.

[Carra-ton]

Can see his deployment at rightback hurting his national career more than helping it unfortunately

As great as Germany are, their options at rightback look a bit shite to be honest. Hopefully for his sake he is around the squad enough to become part of the furniture, and eventually make a midfield role his own.

Don't follow national teams much,  but don't they have the ultimate right back, their captain?

[Samie]

Lahm retired mate.

[Nessy76]

Can see his deployment at rightback hurting his national career more than helping it unfortunately

As great as Germany are, their options at rightback look a bit shite to be honest. Hopefully for his sake he is around the squad enough to become part of the furniture, and eventually make a midfield role his own.

It's not like they think that's his best position, though, and there's no reason he shouldn't be able to play there effectively enough in the short term. He could become a much more attractive option in the middle with thirty or forty caps to his name, wherever he picks them up.

[simbo]

It's not like they think that's his best position, though, and there's no reason he shouldn't be able to play there effectively enough in the short term. He could become a much more attractive option in the middle with thirty or forty caps to his name, wherever he picks them up.

Have Germany actually come out and said what his best position is?

[afc tukrish]

Utterly wasted.

Last line of defense.

Kolo gegenpressing Areola...

[Nessy76]

Have Germany actually come out and said what his best position is?

What, like in a referendum or something?

[simbo]

What, like in a referendum or something?

Yeah?

[Nessy76]

Yeah?

Not to my knowledge, but it would be interesting!

[rowan_d]

I assume everyone in the setup knows that he's best in CM/DM. German fans though, who knows. They might just consider him a below-standard rightback

The way Chelsea have been this season, tomorrow's game should be there for him to put his foot down on it

[BarryCrocker]

I assume everyone in the setup knows that he's best in CM/DM. German fans though, who knows. They might just consider him a below-standard rightback

The way Chelsea have been this season, tomorrow's game should be there for him to put his foot down on it

I'm more worried about a Chelsea player with nothing left to play for the season putting a foot down on him. I'm sure they'd get some great joy of making us go without a few players for a European final.

[CHOPPER]

Poo-pooed the idea of him coming straight back into the team for the Villareal game, seems like I am eating my own words now.

The lad had a great game, and never looked of the pace once - which was my biggest concern and in the same measure my biggest surprise.



Well in, you big German bastard. You're ace.

[BeautifulGame91]

I'm more worried about a Chelsea player with nothing left to play for the season putting a foot down on him. I'm sure they'd get some great joy of making us go without a few players for a European final.

Chelsea players most of them have Euros coming up .They probably are more worried about getting injured than going hard .

Only ones that would have worried me are Costa and Terry . Luckily both are injured out

[georgiejones]

Poo-pooed the idea of him coming straight back into the team for the Villareal game, seems like I am eating my own words now.

The lad had a great game, and never looked of the pace once - which was my biggest concern and in the same measure my biggest surprise.



Well in, you big German bastard. You're ace.

I had the same concerns but I honestly think the break has done him good he was looking knackered before

[SlowRap]

I had the same concerns but I honestly think the break has done him good he was looking knackered before

7 hours of recovery training 7 days a week is hardly a break

[Nessy76]

7 hours of recovery training 7 days a week is hardly a break

Could be a mental break at least.

Anyway, here's a chat from the OS with Emre.

http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/220832-emre-can-q-a-fitness-the-fans-his-best-season-and-klopp-hugs

Emre Can Q&A: Fitness, the fans, his best season and Klopp hugs

LFC

Ahead of Liverpool's final Anfield game of the season, Emre Can sat down with Liverpoolfc.com for an exclusive interview about his rapid return from injury, the feeling of reaching the Europa League final, his key moments in 2015-16 and much more...

You were looking at maybe four to six weeks out with your injury but came back in three. How difficult was it to get back that soon?

I wanted to come back very early – it was my target. I spent every day here at Melwood, for seven or eight hours. I worked really hard with the physios and fitness coaches and I’m happy that I’m back. It was a target to come back for the second leg [against Villarreal].

We saw the celebrations after getting through to the final – how did it feel at the end of that game?

We were all very happy and I think we played very, very well in that game. The atmosphere in the stadium was unbelievable – I’ve never seen something like this. Hopefully, now we will win the final as well.

You were greeted by the fans coming into the ground. Have you ever seen anything like that? Did it have a positive impact?

Of course, it was like a 12th man for us. I think Villarreal were a little bit scared from that and it was unbelievable what the fans showed in the stadium. I cannot describe it, it was just amazing.

How effective was the team’s performance against Villarreal, how quick you were to press and how intimidating you were?

I think they didn’t expect that we would press like that and play like that. They came to win the game and after the first half they were not too sure they were in the game because we played very well. It was very difficult to play against us. We have to show that in the final as well and then hopefully we will win the final.

How do you reflect on this season?

I think we had some ups and downs, but in the last few months you can see we play much better football, and we win more games and score more goals. If we keep up the good work from the last months, then hopefully we will win [trophies] next year.

Has this been your best season as a footballer so far?

Yes, I think it’s my best season. I played a lot of games and I play in the position I want to play. I’m very happy that I play there now. With Jürgen Klopp, I think I have made another step and I want to try to always give my best and I want to be better and I want to help the team. Next year I want to go again, but this year we still have three more games and they are very, very important games and we want to win them.

Player Stats — Emre Can

    General
    Attack
    Defence
    Distribution
    Discipline

    General

    Games Played
        29

    Minutes Played
        2,402

    Starts
        27

    Interceptions
        58

    Substitution On
        2

    Substitution Off
        4

    Duels Won
        52.5%
        52.5%

    Aerial duels won
        52.4%
        52.4%

You have always said you would play in any position to be in the team, but we can see how comfortable you are now…

Of course, if I can help the team then I can play in other positions as well. But in that position I feel at home and I feel very comfortable. I think that’s my position.

Looking at the Premier League season and Leicester winning the league, does that give everybody hope?

Everybody knows that Liverpool is a big club and our target has to be, always, to win the title. Leicester City deserved to win this year because they played a great, great season and they were strong as a team.

You’re often one of the first to get a hug off the manager at the end of games. What kind of things does he say to you?

It depends on the game! If I play good then he does and if I play bad then I don’t get a hug, maybe! No, I always get a hug. Of course, when we win and when I make a good game, when he gives me a hug he says funny things. It’s always different things.

Steve Nicol said of you this week: ‘He’s the guy they all feed off – he’s the first guy closing down, the first guy back, the first guy forward, he’s all over the place’…

Of course it makes me proud when people say something like that about me. I want to always give my best for the team. I am like this and I want to improve in every game and every training session.

There were lots of changes for the Watford game. Are you somebody that wants to play every minute of every game?

To be honest, I want to play every game. But sometimes it is better to rest because we are just humans and everybody needs a rest. I’m very happy for the young lads that they get the chance and that they show what they are able to do. They played well in the last game when they got their chance. When you see the game against Watford, I think we have a very, very strong squad.

On Chelsea, it must have been a big moment for you to score against them in your first season…

It was my first goal for Liverpool and hopefully I will score again! It was a very big noise and it was an unbelievable feeling for me because I hadn’t scored before at Anfield. Hopefully, in the future I will score a few more goals.

Has Chelsea’s season surprised you?

I didn’t think that they would play the first half [of the season] like that, but they have a very, very strong team and they came back now. Everybody knows that Chelsea are a very strong team, they won the title last year and I think they will play for the title next year as well.

It’s the final game of the season at Anfield – what will be the strongest memory that you take from this campaign at home?

The game against Dortmund maybe. Because I’ve never seen something like that and it was a game for history. After they scored the third goal, it was unbelievable. I cannot describe it, because we came back. I think not too many people believed in us after that, and then we scored three more goals and we won the game. It was unbelievable.

[bravoco]

^ Great read, thanks for that! Really pleased that Emre is enjoying his football - he's made himself essential to the team and deserves the plaudits he's getting.

[redgriffin73]

Emre is on Football Focus this morning.

[Redinho]

When I grow up, I want to be like Emre Can.  The problem is though, I've already grown up.

[Snail]

Emre is on Football Focus this morning.

He looked lovely.

[Gerry Attrick]

He looked lovely.

Tell us something we don't know! 

[amir87]

He didn't look fit to me...

So you're honestly saying you wouldn't..?

[elsewhere]

The sight of him crying for minutes was heartbreaking, the kid has a lot of heart.
Don't worry Emre, you will lead this team to many championships as a captain.

[JustDan]

The sight of him crying for minutes was heartbreaking, the kid has a lot of heart.
Don't worry Emre, you will lead this team to many championships as a captain.

Yeah, hated seeing that, as if I wasn't feeling bad enough... shows how much it means to him though, which is great to see.

[killer-heels]

Fell apart in the second half. Passing all over the place.

[SMASHerano]

Disappointing how he disappeared in the second half, but then again, the whole team went missing so it's unfair to single him out.

[shanklygirl]

Disappointing how he disappeared in the second half, but then again, the whole team went missing so it's unfair to single him out.

Yeah, unfair.

But, the second half made me long for Lucas.

Can to me, along with Origi, has been the bright sparks of this season.

But, 22, not ready and it is understandable.

[Sammy5IsAlive]

Sadly his injury caught up with him second half - he really struggled to get around the pitch to plug the holes that were opening up. Was brilliant first half though and I think he'll be one of the first names on the team sheet next season.

[OOS]

Yeah, unfair.

But, the second half made me long for Lucas.

Can to me, along with Origi, has been the bright sparks of this season.

But, 22, not ready and it is understandable.

They would have ran rings around Lucas last night. 29 year old in the body of a 35 year old. Can was fucked, but he would have been allot better than what Allen and  Lucas would have offered at the deepest role.

Can is the future and it's a miracle he came back from injury so quick. We won't miss Allen and Lucas, as I think Klopp is already trying to bring in his own players.

[Funky_Gibbons]

The second half reminded me of the Chelsea game a couple of weeks ago, as soon as Can and Milner are pressed they cannot hold possession or beat the press with a quick pass or turn. We desperately needed to shake things up after their first goal.

[Smellytrabs]

They would have ran rings around Lucas last night. 29 year old in the body of a 35 year old. Can was fucked, but he would have been allot better than what Allen and  Lucas would have offered at the deepest role.

Can is the future and it's a miracle he came back from injury so quick. We won't miss Allen and Lucas, as I think Klopp is already trying to bring in his own players.

Had Allen or Lucas played in the centre of the park last night, I really don't think we would have lost. Lucas would have offered a wall in front of defence breaking up the oppositions game, Allen would have been a constant presence in the middle, passing, moving, keeping possession. Last night, Can did neither of these things. No real protection of the defence, no real presence in the middle. Allen and Lucas may not be the future, but at the moment they are the better options. I really don't think Can is the future either.

[Cpt_Reina]

Far from being alone in it, but he didnt turn up last night.

Anyone saying anything other than starting him was the right choice is kidding themselves though, nobody was leaving Can out pre-game for Lucas, nobody.

His lack of a performance and the hindsight of the result doesnt change that.

[Red-Soldier]

The second half reminded me of the Chelsea game a couple of weeks ago, as soon as Can and Milner are pressed they cannot hold possession or beat the press with a quick pass or turn. We desperately needed to shake things up after their first goal.

This was a glaring error.

Allen or Lucas should have came on to plug the midfield

[Funky_Gibbons]

This was a glaring error.

Allen or Lucas should have came on to plug the midfield

It reminded me of the Southampton game, go in ahead at half time but come out in the second half to an opposition who have changed shape and mentality and we don't/can't react, either from the bench or on the pitch, until it's too late.