Premier League 2020/21

[Szumi]

Pretty much spot on mate. Klopp doesn't look like he has any idea what he's doing anymore lately. Not saying he should be sacked like some are, but he should absolutely be getting hammered. He's known about the injuries for months now, and he's done nothing to get and change the way Liverpool play to improve our fortunes. It was always going to be hard with the long term injuries to VVD, Gomez, Matip, Fabinho, Thiago, Jota, and now Henderson, but when your plan for that is pretty much "keep playing like we normally would" then you deserve criticism. 

[Hobo]

*shrug*

[Adam]

Is this as bad as Liverpool have been since Roy Hodgson was in charge? I'm genuinely asking, not having a dig.

Just seems they are rudderless at the moment, and the season is in serious danger of turning into a complete disaster. Least they're still in the Champions League.

[DavidMarrio]

6 minutes ago, Adam said:

Is this as bad as Liverpool have been since Roy Hodgson was in charge? I'm genuinely asking, not having a dig.

Just seems they are rudderless at the moment, and the season is in serious danger of turning into a complete disaster. Least they're still in the Champions League.

Nothing will ever be as bad as that. Woy had us hovering over the relegation zone, played some of the worst football in the world and signed Paul Konchesky. He also made some really mad comments after we played Everton saying it was out best performance of the season (we lost). 

It's a mixture of we've been shit and had shit luck. Club were negligent to go into the season with 3 centre backs one of whom has a bad injury record. But we have been unlucky that they've all suffered season ending injuries. We've missed Fabinho/Henderson in midfield and we do miss Van Dijk at the back. We've essentially lost the spine of the team.  

Up front its confusing. Salah is top goalscorer yet there's times you're looking at matches like he doesn't look like scoring. Firmino has been woeful this season and Mane just hasn't been at it at all. 

The saving grace is that this season is bonkers. I do genuinely still feel it's not an accurate reflection of a lot of teams if it was a normal season i.e fans, covid scheduling etc as a lot of teams have been crippled with injuries which the scheduling does probably have a part in. It's easy to forget we were top in December. The table is very tight and again I don't think it'd be like this in a non pandemic season. This can work for us but I don't think we will take advantage of it. 

Some morons are saying Klopp should go which is ridiculous. But I think there's been a lot of strain on a team that had two 90+ point seasons, two European finals. Fatigue is a thing. City were shite last season.  They also couldn't celebrate the title win with the fans it must be demoralising to have all those moments and atmospheres and experiences and think we're gonna finally do it and then it's oh the fans are all at home. 

I'm ranting because it's a bit cathartic 

[Adam]

That's a good insight into your problems @DavidMarrio, it has surprised me how far you've fallen but a few factors in there would seriously knock any team.

I do want to clarify I meant since Hodgson as in, the worst you've been since he left as that was truly a diabolical 6 months and if you manage to top that at any stage you'll be in the Championship.

I don't think Klopp should realistically be challenged on his job either but this next summer transfer window is going to be crucial for him and the prospects of this team in the short(ish) term.

[DavidMarrio]

1 minute ago, Adam said:

That's a good insight into your problems @DavidMarrio, it has surprised me how far you've fallen but a few factors in there would seriously knock any team.

I do want to clarify I meant since Hodgson as in, the worst you've been since he left as that was truly a diabolical 6 months and if you manage to top that at any stage you'll be in the Championship.

I don't think Klopp should realistically be challenged on his job either but this next summer transfer window is going to be crucial for him and the prospects of this team in the short(ish) term.

The worst seasons we've had in recent memories tend to be the manager's last as in 09/10 with Rafa when Alonso left, the club was in the middle of a civil war with the owners V Rafa V the fans which set us back quite a bit. 

14/15 with Brendan was depressing. Going from bottling the title and losing Suarez and Sturridge (essentially with injuries) to Gerrard being top league scorer with 9 in his final season, Sterling being our best player and fucking off to City and replacing one of the best strikers I've seen with Rickie Lambert and Mario Balotelli. 

They're the two that come to memory the most really as in worst we've been really. We've just  unfortunately got this run coming off a back of recent seasons of a title challenge and a title win as well as a Champions League final and a Champions League win. So it looks massively out of place in a sense. Liverpool fans have been spoilt last few seasons but I think rightfully the team deserves to come under criticism for its handling of the centre back situation and performances on the pitch in terms of the players and the manager. I don't know whether we just need a change of shape to get us through the season but I don't think we'll change anything. 

[gunnar hendershow]

Saw a breakdown that Liverpool has had players miss over 1000 days combined due to injury this season which is almost 200 more than the next unluckiest club. It's truthfully one of the most snakebitten seasons I've seen from a club. 

[FLiam]

Liverpool are closer to the relegation zone than 1st place.

[Benjamin]

I woke up at 5.15am and saw we were down 1-0 and went back to bed. This truly has been an utter mad 2021, I can't believe how it felt like everything was falling into place (Leicester and Man Utd drawing, West Ham losing) for us to close the gap only for us to bottle it so fucking hard. From what I read of what happened in the game, we were fucking woeful, too. We didn't have a single shot on goal? What the fuck?

Also, FFS, just take Fabinho out of the back line. He's not exactly been such a rock that we haven't been losing games when he plays there, just put him back where he belongs. I don't understand what our direction even is, except to play the same predictable shit. 

[Kyle]

Not to continue to rain on the ol' parade or anything but...

 

[DavidMarrio]

44 minutes ago, Kyle. said:

Not to continue to rain on the ol' parade or anything but...

 

We're unbeaten at Budapest though so there is that...

[The Lusophone]

One of things I've noticed the few times I've seen Liverpool this season is that they look tired a lot of the time. It's a tough season and Klopp's style is particularly stamina intensive over multiple seasons. He says a big rebuild isn't needed in the summer but I think it's clear more than just one signing is needed.

[Jimmy]

15 hours ago, Lineker said:

Ndombele will probably have to be more withdrawn. That's the downside.

Ndombele is best deeper. He's the only one on our team who, from deeper positions, can resist the press, break lines and take players out of the game. We've just needed one of Dele or Gio to then link the play to our attack. 

Fulham's goal last night should've stood - ridiculous rule and ridiculous call. We look a lot worse without dynamic full backs, that's for sure. Was great to see those 4 attacking players finally playing together though. And there was a really nice bit at the end of the game where Lamela briefly turned into Messi and I loved it obvs. 

[Hobo]

6 hours ago, Benjamin said:

Also, FFS, just take Fabinho out of the back line. He's not exactly been such a rock that we haven't been losing games when he plays there, just put him back where he belongs.

Who do you propose plays centre back in his place?

The remaining options are some kids and a guy who has never played Premier league football. Like it or not he is the most experienced top flight player  we have right now who can play in CB.

It is a problem. I don't necessarily think its poor defending that's the cause of Liverpools poor form.

It's that the entire balance of the team is off due to the absolute nightmarish amount of injuries.

[Szumi]

Yeah, it's just a complete disaster of everything that can go wrong, has gone wrong. All the injuries, the massively compressed schedule, no fans in the stadium to boost the team on and/or get on them when they're shit, the players being run into the ground from the combination of this season + the past 3 seasons of total nonstop pressing, the options off the bench being so inadequate that they make no difference when they play, and those bench options being so bad it has allowed multiple first team players to become complacent and plateau/drop off because they have no one challenging their place. Add all of that, plus a manager who refuses to make any tactical changes to how Liverpool play, and this is all going to happen.

We're best off just missing out on Europe altogether at this point, and seeing what we can do in the summer to rebuild.

[Hobo]

Kabak is now injured too!

[Tigerstyle]

If taking a year out of Europe is all that’s needed and Liverpool don’t lose more than Wijnaldum and one forward or lose out on both Mbappe and Haaland because of it, then it is what it is.

I think at this point, not being in the Europa League is pretty key, they need to rest and play the 38 league games with the core group, not another 10+ midweek games, usually in some far flung places compared to CL Football.

And having an extra 200 days injury over any other team is telling. Yes everyone has injuries but that’s an extra 7 months of injuries there than any other team.

[The Lusophone]

You weren't getting Mbappe or Haaland anyway lol.

[Adam]

An extra 7 months of injuries? Is that how that works?

Getting real "if hitting the crossbar was a goal we'd win the league" vibes off this one.

[DFF]

I think he's referring to this table: 

 

I think you'll find its approx 5.6 months more than the next nearest club...