Topic: CL: Liverpool 1 v Napoli 1 20’ Mertens 64’ Degsy

[duvva 💅]

Are you kidding about Salzburg ? They are full of limited players... Only 1 player has potential to play top level football as Premier league in the future ... Other players are Championship level potential .

We will easily win that game ...

We’ve got both ends of the Spectrum, some seem to think they’re amazing but you’ve gone the other way. I think the truth is probably somewhere in between. They have some decent players and one striker who’s having a proper season.

However if we turn up and play to our best we win. We turn up and play like the first 35 mins tonight we could be in trouble. We know we don’t tend to make life easy so I’m expecting a nail biter, but that we’ll find a way to qualify. As Virgil says “it’s what we do”

[Son of Spion]

We've played much better against bus parking tactics than we did tonight, but too many of our players weren't at their best.

An attacking side like Salzburg suits us. Leaves spaces in behind and gaps, it's why we scored 4. Granted we conceded 3, but that was a good thing for us going into that game

Yep, from what I saw we were a bit flat tonight, with too many not playing to their normal standard.

If we play to our abilities in Austria, we go through. It's simply up to us to do our job over there.

[LallanaInPyjamas]

What’s all this Europe League hell/disaster stuff?

If the worst happens and we get beaten by Salzburg then we’ll probably be the first team to win the UEFA Cup the year after the Champions League.

Pretty sure Chelsea have already done that this decade.

[Red_Rich]

Salzburg have to win so no chance they're putting up a wall like Napoli did tonight.

Suits us down to the ground to pick them off on the break.

[duvva 💅]

Pretty sure Chelsea have already done that this decade.

Yeah they did. Someone else mentioned it a page or two back, I was trying to forget about the post.... 😉

[aggerdid]

Resting players for game 6 would have been nice but needing a point isnt exactly a bad position

[S]

Haven’t really enjoyed any part of our games against Napoli over the last year or so. In those four games combined we’ve probably put together as many good passages of play as we usually do in a single ninety minutes. Another frustrating night against them. They’re our bogey side, I really think that’s all there is to it.

Foolish to rule out a Salzburg team who caused us plenty of problems at Anfield. We have to go all out in that one now, when our first team could have been enjoying a much needed rest.

[Medellin]

71.8% possession.

15 shots to Napoli's 4
5 on target to Napoli's 1

Deserved to win no?

[Robinred]

Feels weird to say it given our position in the league but this team at times looks nowhere near the level we reached last season, defensively and offensively.

At what point does the lack of creativity or game plan beyond get it wide and cross it in become concerning? We've had quite a few last minute positive results lately, winning with penalties or set pieces but but that run was always going to come to an end when we don't seem to consistently create high quality chances in a lot of our games. Winners against Spurs and Leicester from the penalty spot, winners against Villa and Palace from corners, but we're far from our free flowing creative best this season.

Felt like tonight was predictable with the line up - beyond conservative midfield compounded by resting our most creative player (bit concerning it's a right back no?!) and instead having Gomez playing on the right wing. We were never going to create loads of chances, much like we haven't for large chunks of the season.

A result at Salzburg is far from a given as well. They gave us a massive scare at Anfield and have effectively nothing to lose at home, and have been free-scoring all season long. Got potential banana skin written all over it, particularly with our fixture pile up and given that some of our key players don't look fully fit/at the races (Salah, Robertson).

Hope Fabinho is okay. Brighton is a good game to have next up and hoping it's a much improved performance.

Difficult to disagree with any of that.

We are in an utterly incredible position in the Premiership. But in performance terms, as you rightly point out, we have been getting results by the skin of our teeth.

I think it’s time to play the likes of Keita, Shaq et al and stop being so predictable.

I’m really concerned that our two regular fullbacks are so crucial to our play.

[jckliew]

71.8% possession.

15 shots to Napoli's 4
5 on target to Napoli's 1

Deserved to win no?

Deserved means nothing.
It's goals scored which counts

[killer-heels]

I didn't get why we brought on Wijnaldum. A draw and a loss was basically the same in the context of the group so we could have been a bit more braver. Yet we went conservative with Gomez also on the field.

[LallanaInPyjamas]

I never want to see Henderson and Gomez down the right flank together ever again.

Completely fine with Klopp resting Trent. He's got to get one at some point and the league takes priority for me - and clearly Klopp, too. But you can't play Henderson down that side with Gomez. There's zero creativity, zero dribbling ability, little there. It's just poor cross after poor cross, coupled with sideways pass after sideways pass. Mo being in a bit of an injury-induced funk doesn't help things.

The bizarre part is we played the same way we always do - as if Trent was playing. Maybe Napoli were clever and funneled us that way but I'm not so sure. We seem geared to play towards that side - a lack of left-footers in the team doesn't help in that regard - and tonight was no different. But the tool in Trent's right foot wasn't there. Instead we had Gomez and Henderson play twelve crosses combined and none of them hit a Liverpool head.

We should have been more adaptable. Robertson playing like Moreno every time we play Napoli doesn't help, of course.

A really poor performance all round to be honest. Firmino didn't show for the ball anywhere near enough around the edge of the box - when he did he was super dangerous - hence the crosses. If Keita or Lallana can't get on the pitch against an incredibly well-drilled low-block like that...then we need to sign a replacement for them ASAP.

[RideTheWalrus]

That video I took outside the stadium of the Italians went viral hah.

Played sloppy, can't be too disappointed with the draw even if they played like shite.

Vile club, vile fans, the absolute worst.

[S]

I didn't get why we brought on Wijnaldum. A draw and a loss was basically the same in the context of the group so we could have been a bit more braver. Yet we went conservative with Gomez also on the field.

It was weird how obvious it became that the score would remain 1-1 once we equalised. I never got the sense we were going all in to win it. Bet Napoli loved those endless floated balls into the box.

[Six Beardy]

In some ways tonight's match was a testament to how far we've come - a few seasons ago that would have been a massive must-win match with the crowd in overdrive thrusting the team forward like our lives depended on it. It's all felt  bit too easy recently almost like there's a sense of complacency creeping in to all of us ( fans and players), so hopefully tonight was a bit of a wake-up call that results don't come easy - even the great teams of the 70's and 80's needed that reminder now and again; you can't just keep sleepwalking your way to victory, no matter how superior you are to the opposition.

[Son of Spion]

That video I took outside the stadium of the Italians went viral hah.

Played sloppy, can't be too disappointed with the draw even if they played like shite.

Vile club, vile fans, the absolute worst.

Is your video up on this site?

I do agree. Horrible club with utterly vile and disgusting morons following them.

[HeartAndSoul]

Without the likes of chamberlain lallana and keita playing in front of fabinho, our threat by trying to play between the lines is non existent. We just get the ball wide to the full back and hope they put inch perfect crosses in. Played right in napoli hands today with the way we played. Their 3 at the back just cleared everything with ease. We always found out what we already knew and that if we’re going to play 3 workman in the middle 3 then joe Gomez isn’t who you want on the flanks trying to create. Seeing him and hendo on the right trying to link up was painful.

We never make it easy for ourselves and looks like we’ll have to go to Salzburg and play a full strength team there. Really don’t understand why we didn’t go full XI today and rotate at the weekend

[jillcwhomever]

Difficult to disagree with any of that.

We are in an utterly incredible position in the Premiership. But in performance terms, as you rightly point out, we have been getting results by the skin of our teeth.

I think it’s time to play the likes of Keita, Shaq et al and stop being so predictable.

I’m really concerned that our two regular fullbacks are so crucial to our play.

I have to respectfully disagree. It's also disappointing how many of our fans are falling for the agenda being driven by certain critics of the team. As for winning by the skin of the teeth how many games have the opposition had more shots and more possession than we've had overall? It's been a stop-start beginning to the season due to the crazy number of international breaks we've had this season. This has certainly affected the flow of the team so far, but with more time available to the manager to actually work with the players it will improve. If there are two things that are not concerning me it's the state of play with our two brilliant full backs.

[harleydanger]

Haven’t really enjoyed any part of our games against Napoli over the last year or so. In those four games combined we’ve probably put together as many good passages of play as we usually do in a single ninety minutes. Another frustrating night against them. They’re our bogey side, I really think that’s all there is to it.

Foolish to rule out a Salzburg team who caused us plenty of problems at Anfield. We have to go all out in that one now, when our first team could have been enjoying a much needed rest.

Ancelotti is one of the great all time managers, he probably understands better than 95% of managers what Klopp is trying to do and knows how to set up a team better than 95% of managers.

Plus I think he takes Liverpool games personally after Istanbul

[RideTheWalrus]

Is your video up on this site?

I do agree. Horrible club with utterly vile and disgusting morons following them.

This one the Echo used
https://twitter.com/OneInchWalrus/status/1199767321599983616?s=19

[LallanaInPyjamas]

Ancelotti is one of the great all time managers, he probably understands better than 95% of managers what Klopp is trying to do and knows how to set up a team better than 95% of managers.

Plus I think he takes Liverpool games personally after Istanbul

Very true.

It's not something I even want to think about but I've seen and heard plenty of people discussing it - and I'm always amazed by the lack of mention Ancelotti gets as Klopp's successor. He's tactically brilliant, he has unfinished business in England and his style of football translates well to the English game.

Anyway...we'll park that one for at least a few years.

[stueya]

Am I right in saying the Salzburg would need to win by two goals due to the tie breaker rules?
Article 17 Equality of points – group stage
17.01 If two or more teams are equal on points on completion of the group matches,
the following criteria are applied in the order given to determine their rankings:
a. higher number of points obtained in the group matches played among the teams in question;
b. superior goal difference from the group matches played among the teams in question;
c. higher number of goals scored in the group matches played among the teams in question;
d. higher number of away goals scored in the group matches played among the teams in question;

From that we get the nod if they win either 1-0, 2-1 or 3-2, if it’s 4-3 they go through on overall group goal difference and if it’s 5-4 they go through, sure it’s similar to the Olympiakos game in 05

[dudleyred]

Am I right in saying the Salzburg would need to win by two goals due to the tie breaker rules?
Article 17 Equality of points – group stage
17.01 If two or more teams are equal on points on completion of the group matches,
the following criteria are applied in the order given to determine their rankings:
a. higher number of points obtained in the group matches played among the teams in question;
b. superior goal difference from the group matches played among the teams in question;
c. higher number of goals scored in the group matches played among the teams in question;
d. higher number of away goals scored in the group matches played among the teams in question;

From that we get the nod if they win either 1-0, 2-1 or 3-2, if it’s 4-3 they go through on overall group goal difference and if it’s 5-4 they go through, sure it’s similar to the Olympiakos game in 05

No as essentially they have three away goals

We’d need to score four at which point a one goal defeat is fine for us

Criteria A, B and C would all be equal so comes down to the away goals first

[harleydanger]

Very true.

It's not something I even want to think about but I've seen and heard plenty of people discussing it - and I'm always amazed by the lack of mention Ancelotti gets as Klopp's successor. He's tactically brilliant, he has unfinished business in England and his style of football translates well to the English game.

Anyway...we'll park that one for at least a few years.

It was between him and Klopp for this job. The story goes he came in saying 'we need to sign this player and that player' and Klopp came in and said 'I like this squad, llet's go from there'

[Son of Spion]

This one the Echo used
https://twitter.com/OneInchWalrus/status/1199767321599983616?s=19

Thanks.

They really need banning from Anfield, as do Roma. Vile scumbags.

[LallanaInPyjamas]

Am I right in saying the Salzburg would need to win by two goals due to the tie breaker rules?
Article 17 Equality of points – group stage
17.01 If two or more teams are equal on points on completion of the group matches,
the following criteria are applied in the order given to determine their rankings:
a. higher number of points obtained in the group matches played among the teams in question;
b. superior goal difference from the group matches played among the teams in question;
c. higher number of goals scored in the group matches played among the teams in question;
d. higher number of away goals scored in the group matches played among the teams in question;

From that we get the nod if they win either 1-0, 2-1 or 3-2, if it’s 4-3 they go through on overall group goal difference and if it’s 5-4 they go through, sure it’s similar to the Olympiakos game in 05

It's the reverse. If they beat us by one goal then we'd have equal amount of goals scored - meaning d) comes into the equation. We'd only go through by losing 4-3 or 5-4.

[LallanaInPyjamas]

It was between him and Klopp for this job. The story goes he came in saying 'we need to sign this player and that player' and Klopp came in and said 'I like this squad, llet's go from there'

Yeah, but I think the fact he's taken the Napoli job and - to my knowledge - not spent an awful lot of dough shows that perhaps he's changed / accepted perhaps his days of hopping between the elite jobs are gone.

[MNAA]

Ancelotti is one of the great all time managers, he probably understands better than 95% of managers what Klopp is trying to do and knows how to set up a team better than 95% of managers.

Plus I think he takes Liverpool games personally after Istanbul

Agree with this. Ancelotti is a great manager. Every time against Napoli, he set them up to frustrate us. Defending tight. Defending deep. Look for the opportunity to throw a sucker punch. Play snidely too

[Fordy]

Thought Lallana would of come on for Fab. The game was set up for an Lallana or Keita kind of player.

Gomez at RB is starting to become a no no. I would of subbed Milner for Shaq.

It's a shame that we can't rest our 1st team squad and let the youth team play the last CL match but let's go there and win.

[Six Beardy]

This one the Echo used
https://twitter.com/OneInchWalrus/status/1199767321599983616?s=19

There's really no need for any of that shit and after what happened to poor Sean Cox the worry is understandable - but ffs there's nothing to see there, all that happened was a traffic cone being knocked over. I hate to sound like a 'back in my day' arl arse - but back in my day when I wasn't an arl arse that kind of running and chasing happened at every single match, not that it's an excuse mind but this kind of nothingness 'traffic cone gets knocked over' is  classed as a news story now ?

[bornandbRED]

We were in the same shoes last year, the year before and 2005.

Number 7. It is written.

[Beninger]

Salzburg is in a much form than us. I think we will be massive underdogs to get a result there.

[Robinred]

I have to respectfully disagree. It's also disappointing how many of our fans are falling for the agenda being driven by certain critics of the team. As for winning by the skin of the teeth how many games have the opposition had more shots and more possession than we've had overall? It's been a stop-start beginning to the season due to the crazy number of international breaks we've had this season. This has certainly affected the flow of the team so far, but with more time available to the manager to actually work with the players it will improve. If there are two things that are not concerning me it's the state of play with our two brilliant full backs.

Jill, I think you are more often than not the voice of reason. But allow me to respectfully disagree with you.

Our regular full backs are, frankly, knackered. And only a third of the season gone.

We have, whichever way you paint it, been winning narrowly. You might want to bring up statistics to suggest our dominance, but I’d prefer to stick with “skin of our teeth” - it seems to me much more honest and authentic.

There was a chart somewhere which attempted to rationalise our team’s performance on a month by month basis. We don’t, under Klopp, do as well in winter months as in autumn and spring. And given the schedule and squad, I’m not convinced the upcoming month will be any different.

That’s not undue negativity on my part. It’s more an acceptance that in certain, key positions, we are light. Full back is exactly such a position - both sides.

That’s just my honest appraisal.

[Son of Spion]

There's really no need for any of that shit and after what happened to poor Sean Cox the worry is understandable - but ffs there's nothing to see there, all that happened was a traffic cone being knocked over. I hate to sound like a 'back in my day' arl arse - but back in my day when I wasn't an arl arse that kind of running and chasing happened at every single match, not that it's an excuse mind but this kind of nothingness 'traffic cone gets knocked over' is  classed as a news story now ?

I was assuming it was all 'belts off' again from them like it always is.

Of course, compared to the old days that was a kiddies tea party, but times have moved on. Someone needs to tell these morons that we are almost 20 years into a new century now.

I think that particularly after Sean Cox, Italian cowards wading in, mobbed up attacking passers-by is news. Personally, I'm glad it's not been brushed under the carpet and these imbeciles are getting outed for what they are.

[RideTheWalrus]

There's really no need for any of that shit and after what happened to poor Sean Cox the worry is understandable - but ffs there's nothing to see there, all that happened was a traffic cone being knocked over. I hate to sound like a 'back in my day' arl arse - but back in my day when I wasn't an arl arse that kind of running and chasing happened at every single match, not that it's an excuse mind but this kind of nothingness 'traffic cone gets knocked over' is  classed as a news story now ?

There was a couple of other kick offs at the other end some lad said. Few got arrested at least

[decosabute]

Our performances haven't been very good as of late and maybe we've had the rub of the green with some VAR decisions too and today showed exactly that, except this time it went against us. It could have been a foul on Van Dijk leading up to their goal. Some referees might pull it back and some give the goal like the refs tonight. Just look at the Courtois decision in the Real Madrid game yesterday to see how subjective these things really are. We're just going to have to drastically improve our performances. We've been leaky in defense and our front three have taken turns being poor from one match to the next. Tonight all three were extremely poor. We can't keep relying on sheer mental fortitude to get us through games, especially with this insane holiday period coming up. I think Klopp and even Robbo said as much mid-week; we need to start playing better and put games away early without all the unnecessary drama.

Fuck off with this shite. So many decisions have gone against us/not been acted upon with VAR this season. Peddling the awful media narrative here. Of course we could play better, but Napoli have been fucking gifted goals both games against us. That's nothing other than rank fucking incompetence in the officiating.

[jillcwhomever]

Jill, I think you are more often than not the voice of reason. But allow me to respectfully disagree with you.

Our regular full backs are, frankly, knackered. And only a third of the season gone.

We have, whichever way you paint it, been winning narrowly. You might want to bring up statistics to suggest our dominance, but I’d prefer to stick with “skin of our teeth” - it seems to me much more honest and authentic.

There was a chart somewhere which attempted to rationalise our team’s performance on a month by month basis. We don’t, under Klopp, do as well in winter months as in autumn and spring. And given the schedule and squad, I’m not convinced the upcoming month will be any different.

That’s not undue negativity on my part. It’s more an acceptance that in certain, key positions, we are light. Full back is exactly such a position - both sides.

That’s just my honest appraisal.

Full backs, Robbo is currently struggling with an injury which has a lot to do with his current up-down performances in recent games. Trent has been ill as well as travelling and playing in two internationals. So for him too there are reasons for in his “inconsistent “ form for some games. I would prefer Milner to play right back when Trent is missing. Joe is not a full back and is also struggling with his rhythm too. As for the rest of the team, we need to find an adjustment as at times we are being caught by teams and conceding. My point is though it can only be sorted on the training field with a run of uninterrupted games. We are coming into that time now, hopefully Klopp will be able to adjust our shape

The thing is you are going to get games like these, but we still only drew and have every chance to go through. It’s a set back that’s all. I just thought the other post was overly negative it’s not that I can’t understand people having concerns, but not to that degree. 😀

[Big Dirk]

Difficult to disagree with any of that.

We are in an utterly incredible position in the Premiership. But in performance terms, as you rightly point out, we have been getting results by the skin of our teeth.

I think it’s time to play the likes of Keita, Shaq et al and stop being so predictable.

I’m really concerned that our two regular fullbacks are so crucial to our play.

I've been saying this all season that our Full Backs are the most important part of our team if they don't turn up then generally the team don't turn up...the Gomez option at RB simply doesn't work we wouldn't dream of playing any of our other CBs there so why him?The biggest worry is our lack of proper cover for either Full Back position.

[Robinred]

Fuck off with this shite. So many decisions have gone against us/not been acted upon with VAR this season. Peddling the awful media narrative here. Of course we could play better, but Napoli have been fucking gifted goals both games against us. That's nothing other than rank fucking incompetence in the officiating.

I think, on balance, I prefer Caligula’s analysis. And that’s not to underestimate the poor overall performance of tonight’s ref.

[arbiarbi]

We missed Trent so much today against this double decker ... With him in starting 11 we would win this game but everything is in our hands for the next round and first place so I am sure we will easily win in Salzburg....
In the game like this where we must get result, where concentration will be 100% and motivation I am sure we will get result.