LOLiverpooLOL - Next Season

[Sanguine]

Crikey, this is getting serious.

Quite. How they put together that 1-0 win over Madrid is as much a mystery as their poor form.

Guardian has it spot on - when Van Dijk is on form you don't notice him. Soaks up attackers like a sponge, calm, wins the ball, lays it off, strolls around like a cyborg. You very much noticed him last night - petulant whinge after conceding an obvious handball, all over the place for two of their goals, tackling was amateur.

Ten goals conceded in three games is a shambles.

xG isn't everything (or much at all on here) - but does throw up something interesting, and maybe the tiniest crumb for Slot to hold on to. Since the Palace game when Nketiah got a late winner, Liverpool's xG scored is 25, and conceded is 15. In that time they have actually scored 14, and conceded 24. They are playing poorly - but not as bad as their results suggest. They are missing chances, and they are conceding sloppy goals.

How Slot rights the ship though I don't know. He must surely make some changes in the coming week - Gomez in for Konate, Chiesa into the XI, drop Salah for a start - games at West Ham and at home to Sunderland have to be guaranteed three points. Fail to win either and incredibly I think his job is at risk, just months after winning the title.

Edit - echoes of Chelsea 2015/16. Chelsea won the league comfortably the season before. Mourinho was sacked in December after losing 9 of 16 games.

[Royal Rother]

I don't want to make excuses for them, but, being reflective...

All elite sport is about maximising fine margins, and it doesn't take much to lose them, so I do actually wonder whether Jota's tragic death has actually taken an edge off them and that somehow, in the hard moments most matches will produce, football just doesn't matter to them, and Slot, quite as much now.

I know that doesn't necessarily explain why the new players, Ekitike apart, have been poor, but a loss of passion and focus can be infectious.

[BraisingsteakRoyal]

I don't really have a dog in this fight, and totally accept that they haven't been good enough overall...but....

On the occasions i've seen them this season (mostly highlights and MOTD, admittedly...) - they've often been all over teams in the first period - hitting the bar / post / going close etc - game changing moments that haven't gone their way. Is it at all possible that they've just been REALLY unlucky....?

In - before the first response to this is just "no".

[Sutekh]

AS has to go, Liverpool’s bench yesterday included Gomez who i’be been told by reds fans is ctually carrying an injury and 2 goalkeepers

On top of that he doesn’t seem to have a plan A, let alone a plan B and don’t think he has the bottle to drop under performing players otherwise Salah and Konate wouldn’t be playing at every opportunity.

If he manages to turn it round from here he’ll be the best manager on the planet.

[Stranded]

AS has to go, Liverpool’s bench yesterday included Gomez who i’be been told by reds fans is ctually carrying an injury and 2 goalkeepers

On top of that he doesn’t seem to have a plan A, let alone a plan B and don’t think he has the bottle to drop under performing players otherwise Salah and Konate wouldn’t be playing at every opportunity.

If he manages to turn it round from here he’ll be the best manager on the planet.

I don't know if it is a rule this year but most CL match day squads have 3 GKs in it. PSV had 2 keepers on the bench, I know Eintracht did against Atalanta (could have used all 3 on the pitch to be honest).

Arsenal & Bayern also did - so 2 sub keepers is now standard, if not a rule.

[Stranded]

I don't want to make excuses for them, but, being reflective...

All elite sport is about maximising fine margins, and it doesn't take much to lose them, so I do actually wonder whether Jota's tragic death has actually taken an edge off them and that somehow, in the hard moments most matches will produce, football just doesn't matter to them, and Slot, quite as much now.

I know that doesn't necessarily explain why the new players, Ekitike apart, have been poor, but a loss of passion and focus can be infectious.

It will be seen as an excuse and of course Liverpool won't use it as one but even when they were winning, there was something off. Will losing a friend and colleague have impacted the players, absolutely - is it the only reason why things aren't going well - probably not.

Are there any other recent examples of a player passing away and how that impacted the performance of his team?

[Hendo]

AS has to go, Liverpool’s bench yesterday included Gomez who i’be been told by reds fans is ctually carrying an injury and 2 goalkeepers

On top of that he doesn’t seem to have a plan A, let alone a plan B and don’t think he has the bottle to drop under performing players otherwise Salah and Konate wouldn’t be playing at every opportunity.

If he manages to turn it round from here he’ll be the best manager on the planet.

I don't know if it is a rule this year but most CL match day squads have 3 GKs in it. PSV had 2 keepers on the bench, I know Eintracht did against Atalanta (could have used all 3 on the pitch to be honest).

Arsenal & Bayern also did - so 2 sub keepers is now standard, if not a rule.

Think this is correct, same as with International tournament games.

[Sutekh]

AS has to go, Liverpool’s bench yesterday included Gomez who i’be been told by reds fans is ctually carrying an injury and 2 goalkeepers

On top of that he doesn’t seem to have a plan A, let alone a plan B and don’t think he has the bottle to drop under performing players otherwise Salah and Konate wouldn’t be playing at every opportunity.

If he manages to turn it round from here he’ll be the best manager on the planet.

I don't know if it is a rule this year but most CL match day squads have 3 GKs in it. PSV had 2 keepers on the bench, I know Eintracht did against Atalanta (could have used all 3 on the pitch to be honest).

Arsenal & Bayern also did - so 2 sub keepers is now standard, if not a rule.

Odd. There is no stipulation that requires competing clubs to name x number of players in a particular position amongst the substitutes. Of course clubs can choose to do so if they wish. The only regulations I know of are those around each club having to name an up to 25 man squad for the league phase of which 8 MUST be “locally trained” (Squad A). In addition a club maintains a rolling squad (Squad B) of academy youngsters (an unlimited number of players if they are born on or after 1st January 2004 (for this season)) which they can use to augment the main squad should they wish. The only “must have” as regards playing position is that the main squad must include at least 2 keepers rising to at least 3 keepers when squads A and B are combined.

For the knockout phases clubs are allowed to reregister their main 25 man squad.

I can only presume Arne was perhaps trying to make a point to FSG that he doesn’t have a large enough squad of players to compete effectively

[Dirk Gently]

Bad taste, but I found it genuinely funny.

[South Coast Royal]

If you had to pick a team to play against when you were desperate for a win and needed to get your season back what team would you choose?
Yes , those fancy dans from the East End.

A boring game but a handy 3 points for the ex-champions for whom Wirtz started to show what he is all about.

[Royal Rother]

If you had to pick a team to play against when you were desperate for a win and needed to get your season back what team would you choose?
Yes , those fancy dans from the East End.

A boring game but a handy 3 points for the ex-champions for whom Wirtz started to show what he is all about.

Worst game I've watched for a long time, matched by the almost complete apathy of the crowd.

Playing against a team clearly lacking belief West Ham were pathetic, and Liverpool looked like a team very happy to do the bare minimum to eek out a victory.

Wirtz couldn't have wished for more passive opponents to play a bit of football against.

[Sanguine]

Bad taste, but I found it genuinely funny.

Yeah I mean, the guy ran over kids, so.

[South Coast Royal]

If you had to pick a team to play against when you were desperate for a win and needed to get your season back what team would you choose?
Yes , those fancy dans from the East End.

A boring game but a handy 3 points for the ex-champions for whom Wirtz started to show what he is all about.

Worst game I've watched for a long time, matched by the almost complete apathy of the crowd.

Playing against a team clearly lacking belief West Ham were pathetic, and Liverpool looked like a team very happy to do the bare minimum to eek out a victory.

Wirtz couldn't have wished for more passive opponents to play a bit of football against.

Yes, despite somehow beating poor travellers Newcastle recently and getting a point at Bournemouth (the home team missed countless chances in a completely one-sided second half) West Ham look to be a spineless rabble with Bowen as ever their one top grade player.

Having just checked, they have now gone slightly odds on for relegation and I can see Burnley and Leeds giving enough effort to finish above them and Forest have enough ability along with Fulham not to get sucked into the relegation places.
West Ham look doomed.

[Whore Jackie]

What happened to the home supporter in the disabled section who abused Semenyo?

[Sanguine]

What happened to the home supporter in the disabled section who abused Semenyo?

Man is on bail having been arrested in August, no charges yet. He's got a nationwide stadium ban, as part of his bail conditions, he can't go within a mile of a football stadium.

[South Coast Royal]

After the first half showing last night v Sunderland I was wondering if the Liverpool players had been drugged-the play was so slow and ponderous.

Some time ago I suggested that Slot wanted to play a more considered style of play rather than the Klopp style full on attacking approach.
I now think he has gone too far with players not playing the pressing game even at the level of post-Klopp last season.

These are some outstanding attacking players on their day but everything is just too sluggish and with most teams having packed defences things have to be done that bit quicker when attacking, not giving the opposition time to become organised.

Sunderland are a fair side having already won away at Chelsea but a Liverpool side with so much talent shouldn't be coming so close to losing to them.

Next up it is Leeds away (fresh from beating Chelsea last night) but IMHO they might suit Liverpool as they will come on to them and give Liverpool the chance to hit them on the break if they can find the energy to move up a gear.

Only a couple of points off the top 4 despite not yet having played that well in any game so the term "crisis" may be overstated but they really do need to liven up.

[Winston Biscuit]

obv their title chances are gone and this is not the season they thought they would have, but there is only 5 points between 4th and 14th. anyone in there can go from having a disastrous season to a pretty reasonable one in the space of 7-10 days

[BRO_BOT]

After the first half showing last night v Sunderland I was wondering if the Liverpool players had been drugged-the play was so slow and ponderous.

Some time ago I suggested that Slot wanted to play a more considered style of play rather than the Klopp style full on attacking approach.
I now think he has gone too far with players not playing the pressing game even at the level of post-Klopp last season.

These are some outstanding attacking players on their day but everything is just too sluggish and with most teams having packed defences things have to be done that bit quicker when attacking, not giving the opposition time to become organised.

Sunderland are a fair side having already won away at Chelsea but a Liverpool side with so much talent shouldn't be coming so close to losing to them.

Next up it is Leeds away (fresh from beating Chelsea last night) but IMHO they might suit Liverpool as they will come on to them and give Liverpool the chance to hit them on the break if they can find the energy to move up a gear.

Only a couple of points off the top 4 despite not yet having played that well in any game so the term "crisis" may be overstated but they really do need to liven up.

Chiesa saved Slot's job last night. One of the few players who put a shift in for you, noticeably the bit where he tracked the run from the corner and blocked it from an easy goal

I feel that if you put an average LFC fan in charge for a few games, they would probably get better results. Sacrafice a longer-term vision and put players in more suited positions e.g. not play Szobozlai (sp?) at RB etc. Same could be said for Utd tbf

[Sutekh]

After the first half showing last night v Sunderland I was wondering if the Liverpool players had been drugged-the play was so slow and ponderous.

Some time ago I suggested that Slot wanted to play a more considered style of play rather than the Klopp style full on attacking approach.
I now think he has gone too far with players not playing the pressing game even at the level of post-Klopp last season.

These are some outstanding attacking players on their day but everything is just too sluggish and with most teams having packed defences things have to be done that bit quicker when attacking, not giving the opposition time to become organised.

Sunderland are a fair side having already won away at Chelsea but a Liverpool side with so much talent shouldn't be coming so close to losing to them.

Next up it is Leeds away (fresh from beating Chelsea last night) but IMHO they might suit Liverpool as they will come on to them and give Liverpool the chance to hit them on the break if they can find the energy to move up a gear.

Only a couple of points off the top 4 despite not yet having played that well in any game so the term "crisis" may be overstated but they really do need to liven up.

Chiesa saved Slot's job last night. One of the few players who put a shift in for you, noticeably the bit where he tracked the run from the corner and blocked it from an easy goal

I feel that if you put an average LFC fan in charge for a few games, they would probably get better results. Sacrafice a longer-term vision and put players in more suited positions e.g. not play Szobozlai (sp?) at RB etc. Same could be said for Utd tbf

Watching it last night it was striking how much Sunderland knew their roles and were organised and disciplined while Liverpool looked uncoached, clueless, no seeming game plan, keeping the pitch narrow, still no ideas how to get the best out of Isak and worst of all for reds fans no passion or tempo to the game, just seemed happy to sit and wait for Szboszlai to find a long ranger reminded me of Stam at Reading particularly in the second season so this sort of malaise must be a Dutch thing.

Their season has been destroyed by Slot’s poor decisions and seeming agendas for and against certain players. There does not seem to have been any thought or plan behind the players that they brought in, so did they bring them in just because they could?

They need to move on from Slot asap but can’t see it happening as there’s not likely to be anyone available to take the job on until the summer and I can’t see them persuading Klopp or someone to come and fill in just for the rest of the season.