Private Jet for Mane

comment by JustYourAverageFan (U21016)
posted 3 minutes ago
Don't see why Liverpool fans or anyone else for that matter thinks that Mane holds the key. Liverpool have been poor because they are getting found out defensively by teams that come and put numbers behind the ball. Yes, Mane's pace offers a good option to run in behind in comparison to the rest but Chelsea will come and do no differently to any other side.

Liverpool regardless of who they play have to be moving the ball quicker than what they have been doing recently. Chelsea will be the toughest test so far, but it would be just like them to lose to Liverpool. But only time will tell.
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Matip has been a big loss. Our defence will improve with him back in the team.

I don't think you can say it's Matip that's the solution. Ok fair enough, he didn't play for a few games, but he's been back for the last couple of hasn't really had any influence if I'm honest. Yes, he's had a good season and you can see the difference without him, but, it's the attacking tempo and flair of Liverpool that has to change, not just defensively.

Defensively isn't the issue, it's in attack. We are struggling to score goals and confidence is low. People have already touched on it but we are dominating games but always cutting inside into a packed midfield. It's not coincidence that since Mane left we've only won one game...against Plymouth. It was the same issue we had last season also when we sold Sterling. We are easy to defend against as all our players look to play close passes and thread the needle but that's difficult to do when teams know they should come and be compact. You then need width on the outside to counter that.

Fatigue is nonsense for me. We rest players for cup games, which saw us dumped out of both, we don't have Europe and we're still covering more ground that any other team in the league.

Failure to buy a Mane type player cost us our season last season, having not replaced Sterling and failure to buy another, even as backup to Mane has cost us January and two cups as well as a shot at the league title. Fourth and a player like I mentioned lined up, at the end of the season would represent and excellent season for us.

Then of course, next year is our year.

Yes, I agree with the attacking intent. The system is wrong.

Yes it's ok saying Mane and Matip will be back, 2 influential players who have had a positive impact on the season, but these players will do nothing if the team can't supply them.

Teams now come and set up with a 4-5-1 against Liverpool. A bank of 4 defenders, 1 who protects, another bank of 4 midfielders just in front and a striker who sits in front of Henderson. Liverpool play with 3 midfielders who just play in front of that defence. Henderson always drops in between the CB's, which might force the striker to push up 5 yards, but he still can't find any passes through. The 2 CM's that play in front of Henderson never drive at the midfield, they always play in front of that bank of 5, make no runs into any space and try to find the forward 3 for Liverpool, but there is no space to do that. The full backs never bomb on, unless the space is there, there isn't enough width. The full backs never overlap round the 2 players out wide for Liverpool so the full backs are always playing in front on the 2 wide men who sit in that bank of 5, rather than pinning them back to create more space. The CF for Liverpool makes it too easy for the opposition CB's as there is nobody to mark and the 2 wide players are isolated and there isn't enough space for them either. Not to mention the passing is too slow.

This differs to the teams who sit in. They are compact, have players within 5-10 yards of each other usually and when they break, they don't always have to break using fast players, but they move the ball on quickly, one touch, two touch sort of passing which is why Liverpool always get caught on the break. Lets not forget, ball travels faster than man.

Take a look at Man U, painful as this is. Half decent manager and significant investment in players, slow start which we all enjoyed but now kicking into gear, as evidenced by today's game against Wigan with 8 changes but still resulted in an emphatic victory.

We may complain about the levels of expenditure on players but who'd say no to that offer right now.?

The only game we have lost with Matip in defence was Southampton.

comment by Firmino's Brightest Tooth (U1217)
posted 3 seconds ago

The only game we have lost with Matip in defence was Southampton.
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Yes, exactly. Which highlights my point that bringing Matip back into the side doesn't bring any different outcomes at this moment in time, because the problem currently is defensively (because that's always been an issue rather than one that urgently needs addressing), but the problem is moving the ball.

Well to be fair the goal conceded against Southampton was a sucker punch at the end of the game. We will soon be able to play the lineup that we played regularly in the first half of the season. The last time we played Mane, Lallana, Coutinho and Firmino together was November and when we can play them all together again it will make a big difference. Then in summer we need to invest in some quality for when these players are unavailable.

I agree there, it was. All I was saying was Matip's inclusion in the side won't beat no odds on the attacking threat currently.

Having all of your best players playing is crucial and as you say, Klopp needs to reinvest in some good squad players that are capable of challenging that first team or coming in and doing a job for a few games. I know he wants to develop young players, but from this season, the only one's who stand any sort of chance of making the squad alone are Stewart and Alexander-Arnold and potentially Brannagan when he's back. But that's for the squad.

I'd also say that Klopp needs to buy a recognised striker to fit his system. Possibly getting rid of Sturridge and Ings, unless Origi can start hitting 15+ a season.

I do think this time of year is a real tough one for teams.

Loads of games one after another. Its a time when you are well beyond the energetic start of the season when the players are fresh, full of running and ideas. Its nowhere near the end of the season, the finish line is way off, just trying to keep yourself in contention.

Add Chelseas relentless form and you are almost writing off the title, and its then a case of looking down, at the chasers, and its never good to be looking down.

Think this is where Spurs might have a bit of an advantage, after last seasons experience. We really got into top gear this time last year. I hope you guys take some points off chelsea, blow the thing open again.