- Aug 13, 2005
- 46,680
- 104,957
Excuse my hairy, pimpled and regularly thrashed arse.
Im just about to eat my breakfast. Thanks!
Excuse my hairy, pimpled and regularly thrashed arse.
He has been rotating Milner in as cover for a fullback and utilizing his squad of midfielders for CL games. Plus obviously he played a lot of youngsters for their carabao cup games.
Also Lovren and Gomes have been filling in next to Van Dijk.
Liverpool vs Genk
View attachment 57928
Genk vs Liverpool
View attachment 57929
Liverpool vs Aston Villa
View attachment 57930
Losing two players to injury in one match is highly unlikely.
If it happens, you take off whoever is the most tired with the remaining substitution.
I’d rather we do that every game, get their fitness up quicker with more game time, and see it backfire perhaps 5% of the time, than doing what we’re doing currently - barely putting our new signings on the pitch for weeks at a time, taking an age to get their match fitness up, and seeing it backfire perhaps 70% of the time.
I have done a full analysis of Klopp's back 4 selection since the start of February this year - all PL and CL games (coinciding with the start of our own woeful run of form). The plain fact is that if his first choice back 4 are fit (Alexander-Arnold, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson) then they play, with the only exception being the recent CL games against weak opposition in Ghenk.
Milner Matip van Dijk Robertson
Milner Matip van Dijk Robertson
Alexander-Arnold Matip van Dijk Robertson (CL)
Milner Matip van Dijk Robertson
Alexander-Arnold Matip van Dijk Robertso
Alexander-Arnold Matip van Dijk Robertson
Alexander-Arnold Matip van Dijk Robertson
Alexander-Arnold Matip van Dijk Robertson (CL)
Alexander-Arnold Matip van Dijk Robertson
Alexander-Arnold Matip van Dijk Robertson
Alexander-Arnold Matip van Dijk Robertson
Alexander-Arnold Matip van Dijk Milner (CL)
Alexander-Arnold Matip van Dijk Robertson
Alexander-Arnold Matip van Dijk Robertson (CL)
Alexander-Arnold Matip van Dijk Robertson
Alexander-Arnold Lovren van Dijk Robertson
Gomez Matip van Dijk Robertson (CL)
Alexander-Arnold Lovren van Dijk Robertson
Alexander-Arnold Matip van Dijk Robertson (CL)
Alexander-Arnold Matip van Dijk Robertson
Alexander-Arnold Matip van Dijk Robertson (CL)
Alexander-Arnold Gomez van Dijk Robertson
Alexander-Arnold Matip van Dijk Robertson
Alexander-Arnold Matip van Dijk Robertson
Alexander-Arnold Matip van Dijk Robertson
Alexander-Arnold Matip van Dijk Robertson
Alexander-Arnold Matip van Dijk Robertson (CL)
Alexander-Arnold Matip van Dijk Robertson
Alexander-Arnold Matip van Dijk Robertson
Alexander-Arnold Gomez van Dijk Robertson (CL)
Alexander-Arnold Lovren van Dijk Robertson
Alexander-Arnold Matip van Dijk Robertson
Milner Lovren gav Dijk Robertson (CL vs Ghenk)
Alexander-Arnold Lovren van Dijk Robertson
Alexander-Arnold Lovren van Dijk Robertson
Alexander-Arnold Gomez van Dijk Milner (CL vs Ghenk)
Even if we lose today poch won't be going anywhere.I'll sing his name for 90 minutes, but please let this be his farewell game.
The time has come Poch, 11 months of absolute mediocrity is too long. We've adored you, supported you, and cried with you for 5 years. Do the right thing and leave with your head held high.
And this right here is the biggest fault with our club.Even if we lose today poch won't be going anywhere.
In terms of what not sacking him or that we are going nowhere.And this right here is the biggest fault with our club.
Think you have the wrong person mate I just responded to another poster by saying that he won't be leaving because he had mentioned he wanted it to be pochs last game, I'm not sure where all this shit has come from because I suggested nothing other than stating he won't be sacked.You can’t even give him the season at least to try and turn things around? We wasn’t shit against Belgrade and we already have one step in the knockock stages. What if we win today? Still Poch out? You think anyone is going to rejuvenate eriksen. I can see why Poch is playing him now. He’s obviously low on confidence and hoping he can pull through because If he does get out of this slump what an asset he will be. Do you really think eriksen wants to be this shit?
I deleted! Sorry was meant to quote @hughy but such a pain in the ass on the mobile phone to change the quote overThink you have the wrong person mate I just responded to another poster by saying that he won't be leaving because he had mentioned he wanted it to be pochs last game, do I'm not sure where all this shit has come from because I suggested nothing other than stating he won't be sacked.
Both. I have a lot of respect for Poch who has undoubtedly guided us to our best years in recent history, but it feels like we're in a doomed relationship where we're just delaying the inevitable. One good result away to a poor team in the CL, and a win against a newly promoted team at home isn't going to change that.In terms of what not sacking him or that we are going nowhere.
He's had 10 months to turn it around. It's incredible just how much the CL run of last season papered over the cracks for some fans.You can’t even give him the season at least to try and turn things around? We wasn’t shit against Belgrade and we already have one step in the knockock stages. What if we win today? Still Poch out? You think anyone is going to rejuvenate eriksen. I can see why Poch is playing him now. He’s obviously low on confidence and hoping he can pull through because If he does get out of this slump what an asset he will be. Do you really think eriksen wants to be this shit?
He's had 10 months to turn it around. It's incredible just how much the CL run of last season papered over the cracks for some fans.
You can’t even give him the season at least to try and turn things around? We wasn’t shit against Belgrade and we already have one step in the knockock stages. What if we win today? Still Poch out? You think anyone is going to rejuvenate eriksen. I can see why Poch is playing him now. He’s obviously low on confidence and hoping he can pull through because If he does get out of this slump what an asset he will be. Do you really think eriksen wants to be this shit?
I get the frustration I think we all do but I just can't see levy getting rid of him partly because he is also Responsible for the mess and who else will come in and work with their hands tied probably very few certainly not the top managers.Both. I have a lot of respect for Poch who has undoubtedly guided us to our best years in recent history, but it feels like we're in a doomed relationship where we're just delaying the inevitable. One good result away to a poor team in the CL, and a win against a newly promoted team at home isn't going to change that.
There isn't going to be a miraculous revival under Poch. Even in the event that he turns things around in the short term he isn't the man to guide us through to the next chapter. He knows that, we know that, Levy knows that.
This season isn't a write off, top 4 is very much still achievable, but we need new ideas, a new intensity and new belief. We won't get that under Poch.
Interesting reading. Thanks for putting that together. It would certainly make sense that he is rotating players when he can (in games against weaker opposition in the CL) and playing his best team at all times during a period when they couldn't afford to lose a game (Feb to end of the year)
Let me ask you a question though. Who is our best/first choice back 4? Clearly liverpool have not had the injuries, suspensions or loss of form/ability to play two games in a week (Rose) that we have had.
Our back 4 in the league this season. Looking at it, is the changing around of the defense causing the problems or trying to fix problems?
KWP TA DS DR
KWP TA DS DR
KWP TA DS DR
DS TA JV DR - Vs Arsenal Vertonghen comes back in (plenty are happy with that) Sanchez moves to RB (plenty are not)
SA TA JV DR - We then take our Sanchez, experiment gone wrong, Aurier comes in
SA TA JV DR
SA TA JV DR
MS TA JV BD - Aurier missing after being sent off, Rose rested after Bayern Midweek game
SA DS TA JV DR - back five, top 5 defenders playing
SA TA DS DR - Vertonghen injured?
SA TA DS BD - Rose rested/out of form.
I agree with the general jist of number 1 but it's much harder to put into practice. Why? Wages and team morale.That is a good question, and one that is indicative of the way Poch's reign has gone awry. He clearly doesn't know what his best back 4 is - in his 5th season with us. To be fair to him, we have had a few injuries this season, especially at RB (KWP tore his hamstring and Foyth, who was believed to be his first choice for RB this season had a fairly serious ankle injury in pre-season).
However, if I was in charge I would make clear and bold decisions.
1. I would not pick players who are looking to leave next summer.
I would have made it clear to all first team players at the end of last season that they commit their futures or will be sold or frozen out. This would mean I would not pick Toby this season. If the club and Jan did not agree a next contract quickly (his age counts against him) I would not pick him either. This clearly shows what a poor transfer strategy we had in the summer (and last summer). This would also count for Eriksen further up the pitch too.
2. I would not pick players who regularly have defensive lapses.
This rules out Rose and Aurier. Rose has been responsible for quite a few goals conceded this season, and befoe mid-week had offered very little going forwards as well. Aurier publicly wanted out last summer and did not get his move, and regularly has lapses resulting in goals, penalties or red cards. This would count against Lloris too (if he wasn't injured) as he has made a lot of mistakes in the last 18 months and has becoming increasingly inconsistent.
So my back 4 (in front of Gazzaniga) would be:
Foyth Sanchez Dier Davies
My emphasis would be on no silly mistakes and stop taking risks at the back. Play a higher line to help the team press higher. We have a front 5 who will score goals against anyone, anywhere. And I would play that back 4 every game if they are fit. I would ask Levy to urgently get me a top drawer CB (aged 27-30) in the January window (if he is serious about CL qualification this season), and FBs who are aggressive, athletic and offer something at both ends of the pitch, and a top drawer DCM, in the summer (to turn us back into title challengers).
Overall my team would look like this most weeks this season:
Gazza
Foyth Sanchez Dier Davies
Sissoko Ndombele
Lo Celso Lamela/Dele Son
Kane
Subs: Vorm, KWP, Sessegnon, Winks, Skipp, Lamela/Dele, Moura
Lloris, Aurier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose - which is a much stronger back 5 on paper - would all be surplus to requirements, along with Wanyama and Eriksen. Personally I feel most of those should have been offloaded either last summer or the summer before, and failing to do so has resulted in a very stale squad with players going through the motions.