Liverpool thread 2017/18

[Eds]

Is this year their year?

 

[paulsimpson]

Toughest game this for me:
- Historically tough place for us
- They always play at a different level against us
- very importantly, they play Fri night and then us 9 days later. In that space we play twice.

Good point but pep has been marvellous with rotating and figuring out who must definitely play in the Prem games which are the priority . It actually can work in our favour in that matches can sharpen players better than a false match at the training ground . He may play/rotate certain high profile individuals in the cup game and the Bristol match depending on their own view and fitness . I'd love Walker to be fit because marauding down that right flank would be key at Anfield. So hopeully he plays.
However i believe that it will be a van dijk premier league debut and that can go marvellously or absolutely horrendously . What a huge game for a player to come into against us eh? A bit nervy for him because the expectation will be enormous and if those around him don't perform it could be one long long afternoon for him and them against the likes of Sané, Sterling , Aguero, Silva, DeBruyne.

 

[PW]

At least if Coutinho is sold to Barca he won't be scoring his mandatory screamer against us.

 

[superseiyan]

My view FWIW is that Liverpool always look a lot better with Coutinho in the team than without, but if I was Klopp I would take the money and invest in two or three more quality defensive players - not necessarily defenders but either defenders or defensive midfielders. Van Dijk alone is not the answer to Liverpool's problems at the back, though he may be part of the answer. Liverpool's attack even without Coutinho will remain pretty damn good. Maybe the smart move is take the money now and spend it after the world cup.

I wonder if those defensive issues are how we play, Klopp, the personnel, or a combination. For sure, would be good to upgrade GK, wish we could just give Karius a run and see what he's got.

How did it work for you with this season's improvement in that regard? I suppose Fernandinho who has been around, is a true destroyer, we don't have that, we've got Henderson and Can sharing that role. Henderson's a weird player in so far as where he fits, he was a pretty good #8 i.e. an all-action box-to-box especially in that 2013-14 season, now he's some sort of weird #6, that's clumsy as he approaches the box. Strange evolution. Maybe next season Keita will be our #6, but even he seems more Pogba than Kante (in style, not saying he's good as either yet).

 

[superseiyan]

What a huge game for a player to come into against us eh? A bit nervy for him because the expectation will be enormous and if those around him don't perform it could be one long long afternoon for him and them against the likes of Sané, Sterling , Aguero, Silva, DeBruyne.

Sterling will be well up for that one won't he? He'll be up against Gomez or TAA. Good matchup, but Sterling's the most improved player in the league.

 

[Roachy]

Good point but pep has been marvellous with rotating and figuring out who must definitely play in the Prem games which are the priority . It actually can work in our favour in that matches can sharpen players better than a false match at the training ground . He may play/rotate certain high profile individuals in the cup game and the Bristol match depending on their own view and fitness . I'd love Walker to be fit because marauding down that right flank would be key at Anfield. So hopeully he plays.
However i believe that it will be a van dijk premier league debut and that can go marvellously or absolutely horrendously . What a huge game for a player to come into against us eh? A bit nervy for him because the expectation will be enormous and if those around him don't perform it could be one long long afternoon for him and them against the likes of Sané, Sterling , Aguero, Silva, DeBruyne.

Completely get where you're coming from on all the above points. They will probably be discussed on the dipper pre match thread when it appears. I guess I'm 50/50 with the play and keep sharp mantra, or the plenty of time to prepare approach. That is the beauty of having Pep running the show, nothing left to chance. Going there and beating them would be a massive statement with the current (cyclical) media love in with them. Will be tough regardless.

 

[paulsimpson]

Completely get where you're coming from on all the above points. They will probably be discussed on the dipper pre match thread when it appears. I guess I'm 50/50 with the play and keep sharp mantra, or the plenty of time to prepare approach. That is the beauty of having Pep running the show, nothing left to chance. Going there and beating them would be a massive statement with the current (cyclical) media love in with them. Will be tough regardless.

Oh what a statement it would be - we will be up for it no doubt because our players will get enough of a rest imo and also Klopperty is honest enough in the sense that he will not be afraid to attack us which does leave gaps . We really will test Van dijk .

 

[foggy1974]

Asking in peace: Honest opinions on Coutinho?

I'm not as worried as when it was Suarez or Alonso because the club is generally buying better. I don't think we'd do something dumb like replace Alonso with Aquilani or Suarez with Lambert and Balotelli.

Still would be a weird decision to let Coutinho leave now, but rumor are Lemar is coming in as a direct replacement. The 90M figure is indeed eye-watering, but French International, French champions, and a market where his fellow national Ousman Dembele (I wonder how he'll turn out) is 130M, so.....

I'm thinking Coutinho is good, really good, but for the way we play, and who we could potentially replace him with, not disastrous to lose.

The other name I've seen is Lanzini.

Meanwhile, Lallana is decent cover for #10, he's not Coutinho what we lose with magic and goals, we gain in pressing and midfield workrate/aggression.

I was under the impression that this was a done deal in the summer and covers Keita and VVD outlay.

 

[foggy1974]

If Barca really are putting together an offer of €150m that tells its own story, really. A player is worth what someone else will pay for him. Barca judge that he will make their team that much better that they are willing to part with that sort of money for him. If Liverpool were looking to buy Coutinho they just wouldn't pay that for him: so that tells me he is worth more to Barca and their team than he is to Liverpool and theirs.

My view FWIW is that Liverpool always look a lot better with Coutinho in the team than without, but if I was Klopp I would take the money and invest in two or three more quality defensive players - not necessarily defenders but either defenders or defensive midfielders. Van Dijk alone is not the answer to Liverpool's problems at the back, though he may be part of the answer. Liverpool's attack even without Coutinho will remain pretty damn good. Maybe the smart move is take the money now and spend it after the world cup.

You never know, next season could be your season ;)

wonder how much Nike and Messi are involved in this deal.

 

[foggy1974]

I wonder if those defensive issues are how we play, Klopp, the personnel, or a combination. For sure, would be good to upgrade GK, wish we could just give Karius a run and see what he's got.

How did it work for you with this season's improvement in that regard? I suppose Fernandinho who has been around, is a true destroyer, we don't have that, we've got Henderson and Can sharing that role. Henderson's a weird player in so far as where he fits, he was a pretty good #8 i.e. an all-action box-to-box especially in that 2013-14 season, now he's some sort of weird #6, that's clumsy as he approaches the box. Strange evolution. Maybe next season Keita will be our #6, but even he seems more Pogba than Kante (in style, not saying he's good as either yet).

Ederson has been major for our defence, we can now play a highline and the improvement in Stones and Otimendi has been amazing.