Topic: PL: Liverpool 4 vs Newcastle 0 - Lovren 12', Mo 48', Shaq 79', Fabinho 85'

[jckliew]

Fucking Love it. Wanted Sadio to score one towards the end but save one for Arsenal brother

Yeah
That what Radio does. Saves his goals for the bigger games.

[Sheer Magnetism]

Maybe it's the impact of those away games in the CL, but we haven't seemed that impressive this year compared to last season, and yet we're controlling games to an extent I've never seen with a Liverpool team and almost everyone* is clicking right now.

The amazing thing is that people keep pointing to our overall record, which is formidable, but our form is actually improving. In our last eight league games we've won 8, scored 22, conceded 2. I know we haven't played anyone that good in that run, but the small teams seem to have been our achilles heel so often it feels like maybe things have changed somewhat. The hope is obviously that we can ride this out and open up a big enough gap so that if we hit a sore patch we're still good.


*It's pretty undeniable Firmino's been going through an off patch lately, and he seemed a little lost for much of today too.

[classycarra]

*It's pretty undeniable Firmino's been going through an off patch lately, and he seemed a little lost for much of today too.

I think I would argue that at the moment. Last two games, he's played some great football in the first halves in particular. Some of his touches and turns first half an hour against Wolves were artistic. He was good against United too. He seems to have more fully adapted to his deeper role this season now.

He's been coming off a lot more than in previous seasons, so there's a chance he's been carrying an injury or ill. Seen nothing to suggest he's off though - for me off would suggest we should be looking at benching him.

That's just me nitpicking, but just trying to say I reckon his form is much improved

[AmanShah21]

*It's pretty undeniable Firmino's been going through an off patch lately, and he seemed a little lost for much of today too.

He really isn't though. He's playing no.10 in the 4-2-3-1 (Almost looks like a 4-2-2 in attack with Mane working so hard up and down the pitch - Another player that people can say is a bit off but his actual work output looks higher to me) so he's had to adjust for a bit but his output and attitude has been fantastic. He wins the ball plenty still but a bit deeper and plays Mane and Salah time and time again. Even today, that looped ball to Mane should have been a goal. He's not a no.9 or a false 9 in this setup so his number of goals will not be as many. His assists will eventually get much higher over the season though because he's been fantastic at linking up play between the midfield and attack.

This front 3 has all had to reinvent itself. Salah has had to adapt to playing centrally and dealing with multiple markers throughout the game. Mane has had to deal with a heavier workload on his flank to ensure that Robbo has protection when we are without the ball (and we dont play with 3 midfielders so he needs to make sure we aren't short on the left flank) and Firmino has had to play deeper and focus on linking up play for Salah and Mane. They've all done fantastic and they'll only get better as they get used to it.

So yes, if we look a bit off its because we are still adapting to our linkup play in the new formation which takes time. The expected runs are different, player positions are different. We have gotten better and better with the season though and today we were much better in the final third. The finishing is still catching up, but it'll come.

[deFacto please, you bastards]

Maybe it's the impact of those away games in the CL, but we haven't seemed that impressive this year compared to last season, and yet we're controlling games to an extent I've never seen with a Liverpool team and almost everyone* is clicking right now.

The amazing thing is that people keep pointing to our overall record, which is formidable, but our form is actually improving. In our last eight league games we've won 8, scored 22, conceded 2. I know we haven't played anyone that good in that run, but the small teams seem to have been our achilles heel so often it feels like maybe things have changed somewhat. The hope is obviously that we can ride this out and open up a big enough gap so that if we hit a sore patch we're still good.


*It's pretty undeniable Firmino's been going through an off patch lately, and he seemed a little lost for much of today too.

We are impressive in a much healthier way. We control games, we know when to pick it up when to slow it down. We had one way of playing last year, if we don't blitzkrieg the opponent and don't take our chances, the odds of us winning were low.

[Clint Eastwood]

Feed the Scousers who donate generously to the food banks in Newcastle when they travel for the away tie.

Utter bellends. Have a lot of respect for that club but their away support is full of c*nts. Makes it hard to sympathise with the fact that their club is in a shite place.

[jckliew]

Sadio was so immense in attack as well as defence.
Running up and down covering Robbo in the last 2 games. So much energy down the left side! 

[SingFongFC]

Feed the Scousers who donate generously to the food banks in Newcastle when they travel for the away tie.

Utter bellends. Have a lot of respect for that club but their away support is full of c*nts. Makes it hard to sympathise with the fact that their club is in a shite place.

Yep. Actually thought we were going to get through a game without that shite when it didn’t get sung for quite a while, but then they just couldn’t resist.

They don’t deserve Rafa. 

[King Kenny 7]

Is it not clear to folks that Firminio's role has changed since Coutinho left the club . . . ?


Klopp is asking something different from him, something that suits the team, His defensive skills are needed in the middle of the pitch meaning he is always gonna be less than the striking presence he was before.

If Fab continues to develop then the old Firmino will re-appear once again, till then he is doing a great job were he is.

[Magz50]

Gotta love Agent Rafa. Definitely gave us that one on a platter lol.

[Sheer Magnetism]

I think I would argue that at the moment. Last two games, he's played some great football in the first halves in particular. Some of his touches and turns first half an hour against Wolves were artistic. He was good against United too. He seems to have more fully adapted to his deeper role this season now.

He's been coming off a lot more than in previous seasons, so there's a chance he's been carrying an injury or ill. Seen nothing to suggest he's off though - for me off would suggest we should be looking at benching him.

That's just me nitpicking, but just trying to say I reckon his form is much improved

For me, he doesn't seem to have the same precision he had last season in terms of getting to balls, getting shots off and getting them on target. He also seemed to keep wandering into offside positions and taking an age to move out of them. Obviously, it's a minor issue considering our form and the fact a below par Firmino is still better than most forwards in the league, but something does seem a little off compared to last year. Maybe it is just a matter of adapting to a new role.

[idontknow]

Not saying anything, not saying anything, buuuuuuut ... no, still too too too early buuuuuuut ....

[BrandoLFC]

For me, he doesn't seem to have the same precision he had last season in terms of getting to balls, getting shots off and getting them on target. He also seemed to keep wandering into offside positions and taking an age to move out of them. Obviously, it's a minor issue considering our form and the fact a below par Firmino is still better than most forwards in the league, but something does seem a little off compared to last year. Maybe it is just a matter of adapting to a new role.

[S]

Feed the Scousers who donate generously to the food banks in Newcastle when they travel for the away tie.

Utter bellends. Have a lot of respect for that club but their away support is full of c*nts. Makes it hard to sympathise with the fact that their club is in a shite place.

Really didn’t think Newcastle fans would join in with that.

[NarutoReds]

+ BBC Pundits blast Liverpool's Mo Salah as he dives to win penalty against Newcastle United

Kevin Kilbane and Dion Dublin have blasted Liverpool's Mo Salah for diving in the game against Newcastle United - and subsequently wining a penalty.

With just a minute of the second half under-way, Salah raced into the United box and fell to ground after Paul Dummett tugged at his shoulder.

Referee Graham Scott immediately pointed to the spot, and Salah got up to make the score 2-0.

But BBC Final Score pundits Kilbane and Dublin were left far from impressed by Salah's antics - claiming that the Egyptian 'dived' and 'conned' the referee.

- https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/bbc-pundits-blast-livepools-mo-15597978

[NarutoReds]

+ Sport Bible: Liverpool's Mohamed Salah Branded A Cheat For Shocking Dive

Liverpool were awarded a very, very soft penalty against Newcastle United.

Needless to say, Newcastle fans are furious.

In the second-half, Mohamed Salah was running down the wing - as he does - until he got clipped inside the box
under what appeared to be little contact from Paul Dummett.

But Graham Scott wasted no time in pointing to the spot.



- http://www.sportbible.com/football/news-reactions-liverpools-mohamed-salah-branded-a-cheat-for-shocking-dive-20181226

[him_15]

Bring it on!

[NarutoReds]

As usual, I have spent time this morning in office, generating Fabinho GIF goal from (is it exaggerating?)
our best corner in this season from my Android apps, as image below...
Hope you all are going to like it.    Merry Christmas. Love you Fabinho. **Fap!! Fap!! Fap!! Fap!!

[Phatz]

I know I shouldn't but bluemoon is soooo pissed off.

Salah is a cheating cnut.
That ref was on our payroll.
Dippers are creaming themselves...  Etc.  Etc.  Etc.

We are boiling their piss.  And I for one,  LOVE IT.

Bring on the 3rd, ain't afraid of those entitled plastics.

Up the Mighty Reds...

 

[-HH-]

https://twitter.com/MarkBallard4/status/1078055483741745160?s=19

For those who are getting annoyed at the Salah cheating and diving nonsense - giz a retweet. Would like to hear Halsey respond.

[Roger Federer]

Another solid, comfortable win. We look incredible right now, the most balanced team that I can remember us having and our defense is exceptional. Off the top of my head, I can only remember one shot on goal for Newcastle.

It’s unbelievable that after 19 games we’ve conceded 2 fewer than Mourinho’s Chelsea side. But when you see Van Dijk and yesterday Lovren, as well as the whole team, you come to expect another clean sheet. Van Dijk in particular is a really special player. Highlight of the game - along with Mane’s ridiculous touch from Lovren’s pass - was his perfect clearance to Robertson while some Newcastle player looked like he tried to wrestle him to the ground.

[John C]

https://twitter.com/MarkBallard4/status/1078055483741745160?s=19

For those who are getting annoyed at the Salah cheating and diving nonsense - giz a retweet. Would like to hear Halsey respond.

Great stuff Mark. We also remember Coutinho not being award a pen when he was constantly kicked in the box.

When Alan Shearer started his punditry on motd his firm stance was "if you are touched in the box you every right to go down". That may seem to encourage diving which we don't want to see, but the pull was a blatant foul on Salah which is an act of cheating and had to be punished.

What's frustrating is that Salah didn't even invite the foul, he was pulled back.

[RogerTheRed]

He's our centre half
He's our number six
Watch him defend
He's as hard as bricks
He can bang one in
Every now and then
He's Dejan Lovren
Big Degsy Lovren.

LOL. He deserves his own version 😀

[12C]

Great stuff Mark. We also remember Coutinho not being award a pen when he was constantly kicked in the box.

When Alan Shearer started his punditry on motd his firm stance was "if you are touched in the box you every right to go down". That may seem to encourage diving which we don't want to see, but the pull was a blatant foul on Salah which is an act of cheating and had to be punished.

What's frustrating is that Salah didn't even invite the foul, he was pulled back.

There was a far worse incident in the Arsenal game where a player actually dived, right in front of a referee.
Manchester’s Anthony Taylor correctly waved play on, indicating he thought it was a dive, yet failed to book the player for simulation.

[Phatz]

Gotta love Agent Rafa. Definitely gave us that one on a platter lol.

FACT.

[redk84]

Maybe it's the impact of those away games in the CL, but we haven't seemed that impressive this year compared to last season, and yet we're controlling games to an extent I've never seen with a Liverpool team and almost everyone* is clicking right now.

what I reckon is that we haven't looked as great going forwards as we have at times last season....in flashes but not for as many long periods during games or sequences of games. The CL has been a mixed bag but it was a tough group and we did what we needed to.....im more than happy to take that considering what we're doing in the league

In the last month we have shown a bit more maturity in the way we have played and we are seeing our ability to overcome tough situations. Better in play and managing the whole game..

I enjoy watching us play at the moment as much as I have for a long time. The excitement is in what we are achieving while we are being relentless in our approach.

But long way to go still and a lot of different challenges come with leading from the front, 19 games is a lot of points

[vicar]

https://twitter.com/MarkBallard4/status/1078055483741745160?s=19

For those who are getting annoyed at the Salah cheating and diving nonsense - giz a retweet. Would like to hear Halsey respond.

Nicely put. Given some of the penalties given over the last 12 months its astonishing that this is being called diving. There were a couple of pens given at Anfield that pundits seem to think were clear penalties, Calvert-Lewin as an example, where evidently you risk that if you put your hands on a player - why does that argument not apply here? Lamella, also deliberately moving into virgil and hitting the ground like he was shot was evidently clearly a pen.

I was at the other end of the ground and in real time could easily see that he pulled him back, not strongly but enough to put him off. You could tell by the quick and unnatural change of body shape as he grabbed him. Therefore a foul, the fact that he goes to ground means the ref has to make a decision. if he had tried to carry on then it would have been easy for the ref to play on. Even if he stopped and complained he is unlikely to have been given it.
VAR would have supported the decision.

[Red Beret]

Seems like there are some in the media who are desperate to paint Salah as a Suarez Mark 2.

Problem is we have no "bad boys" in the squad right now. They're all thoroughly decent people on and off the pitch, so it's a narrative that doesn't really wash.

But I'll echo my Caligula comment from the chasing pack thread: let them hate us, as long as they fear us.

[BobPaisley3]

Ironic thing is, in the same fixture last season, Salah wasn’t awarded the most blatant penalty I think I’ve ever seen. Karma.

[Red Beret]

https://twitter.com/MarkBallard4/status/1078055483741745160?s=19

For those who are getting annoyed at the Salah cheating and diving nonsense - giz a retweet. Would like to hear Halsey respond.

Chuckled at how the very first response was, "I agree with everything you said - but Salah still dived and should be banned".

I know it smacks of whataboutism, but when you consider the serial diving and antics of other players, responses like this beggar belief.

[Robert_B]

Seems like there are some in the media who are desperate to paint Salah as a Suarez Mark 2.

Problem is we have no "bad boys" in the squad right now. They're all thoroughly decent people on and off the pitch, so it's a narrative that doesn't really wash.

But I'll echo my Caligula comment from the chasing pack thread: let them hate us, as long as they fear us.

Hopefully we don't share much in common with Caligula...

[Giono]

I think the biggest difference between this and previous challenging seasons is how easy we seem to be making it look.  We're in the lead at a canter so far.  No gut busting, no straining; no panicking over injured players and thinking it could derail our season.

In the past there has always been an anxiety, a gnawing doubt, a worry about what we might do to mess it up or what could go wrong.  I'm not thinking like that now.  I'm a believer!

I just hope this starts to permeate the rest of the league so our opponents start wilting early on.  They've seen if they fight City they can get something; with us, they fight and still lose, so maybe they'll start saving their energy for other matches. 

I agree. This squad is diferent class. Rafa's didn't have the depth. Rodgers' didn't have the defence.

I can see the rest of the league start to lose in the tunnel to us. It's the defence that they can't see themselves overcoming. That's what makes them think, "We aren't good enough".

[۩ Imperator ۩]

Seems like there are some in the media who are desperate to paint Salah as a Suarez Mark 2.

Problem is we have no "bad boys" in the squad right now. They're all thoroughly decent people on and off the pitch, so it's a narrative that doesn't really wash.

But I'll echo my Caligula comment from the chasing pack thread: let them hate us, as long as they fear us.

It wasn't Caligula's quote. It was the tragic poet and playwright Lucius Accius being quoted by Caligula (oderint dum metuant). Tiberius's variation (oderint dum probent, as attributed to him by Suetonius) was original to him though.

[CHOPPER]

You're all wrong, I've watched Caligula loads of times and I never heard any of that stuff.

[Bobinhood]

"He can bang one in
Every now and then"

  


The actual Caligula quote is "There is no question as to who her father is, then. Where's that fucking horse got to."   

[Sweeney94]

Thought Firmino was our best player. Some of his touches were out of this world.

[Zlen]

Thought Firmino was our best player. Some of his touches were out of this world.

Some of them were bloody terrible also.
He's often oscillating wildly these days - but still, his contribution is nearly impossible to replace.

[wige]

We concentrate on Arsenal. Because they're the next opponent.

Is right

[exilescouse]

Feed the Scousers who donate generously to the food banks in Newcastle when they travel for the away tie.

Utter bellends. Have a lot of respect for that club but their away support is full of c*nts. Makes it hard to sympathise with the fact that their club is in a shite place.

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/liverpool-everton-news-result-fans-sign-on-chant-latest-standings-watch-video-goals-a8700481.html

Decent article in The Independent on this subject today. Worth a read.

[CHOPPER]

Feed the Scousers who donate generously to the food banks in Newcastle when they travel for the away tie.

Utter bellends. Have a lot of respect for that club but their away support is full of c*nts. Makes it hard to sympathise with the fact that their club is in a shite place.

But thats why they are called Newcastle.