Liverpool Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread Summer 2014 - Mod Warning post #6893

Francie Barrett

Vanolder wrote: »

Huh?

He's being silly. You wouldn't share the duties of defensive coach between Steve Clarke and Sami Hyypia, that would just be crazy. Much better to bring in three defensive coaches I reckon. Chris Hughton was a decent defender in his day, bring him in and split the duties between all three, I say.

Rayne Wooney

You could do the exact same with Liverpool and come up with similar results in fairness

Chucky the tree

Rayne Wooney wrote: »

You could do the exact same with Liverpool and come up with similar results in fairness

I think Liverpool have a much younger spine to build on. Liverpool have

Suarez
Strurridge
Sterling
Coutinho
Henderson
Mingolet


Suarez being the oldest at 27. Not sure I'd even include Wellbeck on the United list. He's good, but no more than a squad player.

Francie Barrett

Rayne Wooney wrote: »

You could do the exact same with Liverpool and come up with similar results in fairness

We can't defend for toffee, but at least our defenders are generally pretty decent on the ball, they can be a threat from set-pieces and can play out from the back. United's defence looks in bits. Evra, their best left back even when he's been rubbish is on his way out. Vidic, the best defender by a mile is already gone. Evans is just never convincing at the highest level and is prone to errors. Smalling while being a good athlete just isn't a very good footballer. Jones may yet come good, but given his injury record, he may never be the player he should have been. Rafael should have been a key player, but I have no idea what has happened to him. The less said about Buttner, the better.

While United have tons of attacking options, I think it's pretty clear that the team looks incredibly unbalanced if you try to shoehorn them all onto the first 11. Don't think even United's cheque book is so large that it can address all the issues in that squad.

klose

murpho999 wrote: »

It's funny to see how Utd supporters think van Gaal and a big cheque book mean that they will get CL next season and we will struggle for 4th.

I really think he has a tough job and he is not a guaranteed success. Reminds me of the 80's when they also thought that big names and money was the solution. His own track record is not all success either. He's a very aggressive character who may disgruntle many players.
Also seems to be a presumption that we won't improve during the summer and also won't be better next year which is an unederestimation of how good we were this season. Utd fans seem to think we were lucky, no Injuries, European football etc.

It will be interesting to see what happens, i dont watch alot of united but their defence needs a fair over haul. Vidic and rio are gone, evens and smalling are injury prone and havent played continuously really have they? Jones i dont even know where he plays at this stage. Evra is poor, buttner meh. Rafael could be easily replaced too.
Their midfield needs a complete ofer haul almost. Attack looks great on paper but rooney/mata/kagawa all play the same position and are lesser players out wide. Nani hasent been good for about 3 years, valencia is 1 footed and average, januzaj is a talent for sure but still a kid. Welbeck is their most verstatile forward and a good one at that all things considered.
Of course you could draw large similarities between what i wrote there about us at the start of the year almost.

super_furry wrote: »

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/may/19/liverpool-new-contract-glen-johnson

It's looking good, ship him off to Spurs.

If we give him a new contract ill flip, looks like hes staying too at that which is pretty damn annoying as it is.

ciaranmac

murpho999 wrote: »

Utd fans seem to think we were lucky, no Injuries, European football etc.

Stoke for the title next season so.

Rayne Wooney

Chucky the tree wrote: »

I think Liverpool have a much younger spine to build on. Liverpool have

Suarez
Strurridge
Sterling
Coutinho
Henderson
Mingolet


Suarez being the oldest at 27. Not sure I'd even include Wellbeck on the United list. He's good, but no more than a squad player.

So an average age of 23, 24 for United and 25 if you swap Welbeck for Rooney. Hardly a massive difference.

Francie Barrett wrote: »

We can't defend for toffee, but at least our defenders are generally pretty decent on the ball, they can be a threat from set-pieces and can play out from the back. United's defence looks in bits. Evra, their best left back even when he's been rubbish is on his way out. Vidic, the best defender by a mile is already gone. Evans is just never convincing at the highest level and is prone to errors. Smalling while being a good athlete just isn't a very good footballer. Jones may yet come good, but given his injury record, he may never be the player he should have been. Rafael should have been a key player, but I have no idea what has happened to him. The less said about Buttner, the better.

While United have tons of attacking options, I think it's pretty clear that the team looks incredibly unbalanced if you try to shoehorn them all onto the first 11. Don't think even United's cheque book is so large that it can address all the issues in that squad.

Evans is very good, I'd question how much you've seen of him tbh. Judging any United player on last season alone is fairly pointless, Rafael was vital in the title winning season just the year before

United need 4 players, a left back, a centre back and two midfielders. Get those 4 players of good quality and things look a hell of a lot different. We've been playing without a proper midfield for years remember. You'd trust Van Gaal to get them in, it will take time for him to get them playing his system so we might not see top 4 next season, but Liverpool should be wary.

Rodgers can't afford to mess this window up and he will need to sort the defending out, not a huge amount of pressure on Van Gaal and no Europe could prove dangerous.

OwaynOTT

Pilsbury Doughboy wrote: »

What's Wenger doing sending Walcott on that early?

I love those Hammers.

mosstin

niallo27 wrote: »

Agger says he won't play 2nd fiddle to no one in the Danish media apparently.

I'd be pretty pissed myself if someone from the Danish media took my place in the team.

Blatter

mike65 wrote: »

Breaking my own rule here but I'm going to talk Utd by listing the players I'd keep if I were Van (it could be a long) Haul

RvP (Captain!)
Kagawa
Welbeck
Mata
Young Belgian chappie
De Gea

and er that's it. The rest of them are clearly not anything to build upon or around - most of them are also dangerously old - Fletcher/Rooney/Carrick/Young/Valencia all late 20s to early 30s while the younger ones - Cleverly, Jones, Evans, Smalling, Hernández etc are mediocre really.

Very 'lazy minded' analysis there, Mike.

Augmerson

michael999999 wrote: »

I'd love to see him as our defense coach!

This!!!!

Jesus Wept

I'm happy for enricky, he hasn't got many games this season for us and hopefully will get many opportunities as new Barca manager to take his shirt off.

Agent Coulson

Yaya Toure want's out of City because on one wished him a happy birthday:eek::pac:

Quick Brendan we know you read this get a card and get all the squad to sign it and give it to Kolo to give to Yaya

DailyFail

hefferboi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNDl5CRL0CQ

Sappy404

We need to throw Kolo a MASSIVE birthday party and invite his whole family. Even if we're 2 months late.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/upset-toure-may-leave-city-as-club-forgot-his-birthday-30288934.html

GotTheTshirt

Sappy404 wrote: »

http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/upset-toure-may-leave-city-as-club-forgot-his-birthday-30288934.html

He added: "They don't know that money can't buy relationships – no Sheikh can buy a relationship. This isn't about money or a new contract – it's about human relationships and City have shown they don't respect him. I repeat, this is not about money.

Last summer the agent also said Toure felt mistreated, before the Ivorian signed a four-year contract later that month.

:pac:

asdfgh86

mike65

Please God let Liverpool sign someone today, Danish Media defenders, Kolos birthday snub, Man Utd squad deficiencies, make it stop! :pac:

RainMaker

mike65 wrote: »

Please God let Liverpool sign someone today, Danish Media defenders, Kolos birthday snub, Man Utd squad deficiencies, make it stop! :pac:

In all fairness, nobody has been defending the Danish Media

Luckycharms_74

Luckycharms_74

http://tomkinstimes.com/2014/05/10-reasons-for-liverpool-fans-to-be-cheerful/

By Neil Mundy (TTT Subscriber NeilM).

So it didn’t quite happen after all. 7th to 1st in one season was just that bit too much of a stretch for the sporting scriptwriters. A mere two points (and 14 goals of goal difference) separated Brendan’s nascent Reds from their oil-rich FFP flaunting sky blue counterparts. Still, Reds fans, to quote one of 2013’s favourite memes, ‘there is no need to be upset.’ Here are ten reasons to be very cheerful indeed about the epic opus of a season we’ve just enjoyed:

1 – Champions League Qualification

Amongst the earth-shattering, exuberant joy of the Reds’ attacking play this season, and the shuddering disappointment of falling just short of a first league title in 24 years, it’s easy to forget that the target Rodgers and FSG set at the beginning of the season was precisely this. In fact, it wasn’t even that, rather to challenge for a Champions League position. In the previous four seasons, when aiming for this goal Liverpool have either floundered around the upper echelons of the table for a few months before falling away and drastically missing the target, or started poorly and left themselves with too much ground to make up. This time round, they started well. Then improved on that. They seemed to figure that rather than making 4th a target (*ahem* Arsenal) they would go for top spot, and falling just short would offer the luxury consolation of a guaranteed place at Europe’s top table next season. Result? Champions League football assured with three games to go. If the Reds apply the same rationale in that very competition next season, Anfield is going to be a great place to be midweek.

2 – 101 goals

Can you remember them? There’s just been so many great strikes this season. Suarez, Sturridge, Sterling, Skrtel, the captain showing deadly precision from the spot. That’s 101 joyous cheers this season, 101 times the opposition fans have been silenced, forced to acknowledge the ever-growing truth: these Reds are really quite good at sticking the ball in the back of the net you know. As for next season, we’ve got more competitions to score ridiculous amounts of goals in. If we don’t hit 150, I’ll be a bit disappointed.

3 – The Rise of Raheem

I find it hard to remember seeing a player grow so substantially in such a short period of time. If Liverpool’s 2013-14 season was a film, Sterling’s story would be the main character arc. He was struggling at times during the first part of the season, and many (this observer included) felt he might benefit from going out on loan. The nadir was the ludicrous Hull defeat, in which he bounced off the home side’s monstrous players so often it vaguely resembled a helium balloon thwacking repeatedly against multiple Easter Island statues. It could have killed lesser young players’ careers stone dead. Raheem picked himself up, scored in the next game against Norwich, and never looked back. Suddenly, the little boy lost had acquired the strength of a Hulkbuster, the speed of a roadrunner, and the decision-making of a chess grandmaster. He was simply unstoppable in the second half of the season, tearing through defences at the top and bottom of the division alike, his meteoric rise summed up by a sublime bisection of the eventual league champions’ defence. Not a dark word was muttered when Sterling’s name was announced in the England squad, yet six months ago Portman Road would have seemed a more likely destination than Rio. Another incredible story of an incredible season.

4 – Suarez and Sturridge

No getting away from these lads this season, was there? They contributed 53 of those aforementioned goals (working out at, erm, 52%). What was impressive about both was the way they determinedly got on with the business of goalscoring; Suarez, out for six games at the beginning of the season, came back and scored two immediately, striking six times before the end of October. Similarly, Sturridge, coming back from injury in January, promptly netted for Liverpool in his next seven league matches. Yes, they both had off days, and Suarez looked tired towards the end of the season. But they struck goals at a rate no other Liverpool partnership could match since the sixties. What’s more, both have, to various degrees, previously had question marks over their perceived ‘characters’; yet they appeared to be delighted to be at Anfield this season. There really was nowhere else they’d rather be as the crazy red goal machine rolled on.


5 – Rival Fans’ Schadenfreude

Of course, it hurt that we ended up missing the title; that a slip by our totemic leader, a man who had carried us through so many fires, was seen as pivotal to Liverpool ending the season empty- handed. But the level of sheer gloating from fans of the likes of United, Chelsea and Everton reminded us of one thing; We’re important again. Those fans feared our relentless march towards the title so much that when events took a different turn, relief was the one thing they had to fall back on. The fact that United fans paid to flay a plane over Anfield baiting our captain is simply hilarious [as if comparing a 100+ year old football club with a current playing individual is anything but completely pointless, as well as absurdly childish, like comparing apples with pencils. It was the organisers not the target who were made to look laughable and obsessive, not least because neither us nor the organisers were watching it - Ed]. Gerrard not winning a league title was the biggest thing that decorated club had to celebrate this year. This leads us nicely onto the next point…

6 – Our Schadenfreude

Admit it; whilst us doing well has definitely been the priority this excellent season, there’s been a certain amount of satisfaction to be gained from others’ misery. The travails of Manchester United and David Moyes (PL record against LFC this season: P2 W0 D0 L2 F0 A4) have been an absolute joy to watch, as Ferguson’s evil empire was brought to its knees in a matter of months. Of course, we knew Moyes couldn’t last, and they’ll likely be back, but this just made the crowing all the sweeter, as we know we have to make the most of it. For many red Mancs, Moyes’ death stare, like Hodgson’s face rubbing when in charge of our own team, will serve as a reminder of a time best forgotten. Meanwhile, Everton got themselves a new playing style, a likeable manager, battled for the CL and still managed to get crushed at Anfield (more on that later). Chelsea, meanwhile, managed to double both sides who finished above them but their season was marred by ugly football, bizarre outbursts by their manager and a distinct lack of trophies. None of these sides can claim to have had a more enjoyable time or better season than Liverpool. And as for Spurs…well, this brings me aptly onto the next point.

7 – Thrashings

Two seasons ago, Kenny Dalglish’s Reds lost 4-0 at White Hart Lane to a vastly superior Spurs side. This season, Brendan Rodgers’ side recorded a comprehensive 5-0 victory at the same venue which precipitated the sacking of his opposite number. And, it turned out, they were far from finished sacking good sides. A 4-0 drubbing of Everton in the Anfield derby followed, and just in case you thought Liverpool were done with the goals, they went and stuffed Arsenal 5-1 in the next home game. Three goal wins against Southampton and United in March duly followed, before a 4-0 win against –who else? – Tottenham concluded the thrashings. Needless to say, this has been a bumper year for seeing Liverpool score lots of goals against very good opposition. Opposition that previously enjoyed a smug sense of superiority – ‘we’re better than these’ – were suddenly looking at trips to L4 with a great deal of trepidation and this leads nicely onto…

8 – Fortress Anfield

The second best home record in the country. W16 D1 L2. Only Manchester City can claim to have done better at home this season. (Chelsea’s record is slightly worse, with more draws). Again, two seasons ago Liverpool only won six Premier League games at Anfield. This year, they’ve won almost three times as many and only bogey side Villa, well organised Chelsea and Southampton have left the red half of Merseyside with anything. This has made for a very happy Kop, and of late, the away record has improved, too.

9 – Jordan Henderson

He’s just great, isn’t he? To put it in Scouse terms…Hendo is boss.

10- Brendan Rodgers

The manager has been superb this season. He always appeared to talk the talk of being Liverpool manager; now this season has shown that he walks the walk. He’ll know there are still areas for improvement within his own performance, yet taking a side that finished a muddling 7th last season and hauling them to 2nd, a win away from the title, is an achievement almost without parallel in the Premier League era. He’s done it without the money of City and Chelsea; he’s done it whilst coaching and improving the young players, and teaching some of the older ones new tricks. Importantly, he’s also come across as humble and dignified enough to be an ambassador for Liverpool, and a man that the players place a deep trust in. Under Rodgers, Liverpool evolved from a shaky tiki-taka lite side to a rapier-like Red machine which roared up the Premier League and announced its rebirth. The exciting part is that he gives the impression of a man who’s only just begun on his mission to regenerate Liverpool. If he’s able to fulfil his promise, these next few years could really be something.

Honourable mentions must go to: Jon Flanagan, the full-back who captured a Brazilian legend’s heart; FSG and John Henry, for holding firm over Suarez and being steady in their support; Kolo Toure, for his enthusiasm (though possibly not his boots which appear to be the shape of Toblerones); Martin Skrtel, for adopting his Iron Man persona this season; Phil Coutinho, for wowing us with sumptuous through-balls on occasion; Simon Mignolet for being great at one on ones, and lastly but certainly not leastly:

and 11 – Gerrard

OK, this is cheating; an eleventh reason – but hasn’t Stevie looked happy this season? When was the last time he truly did? He’s spent almost his entire career proving people (including me) wrong. We said he wasn’t suited to the right. It worked. We didn’t think he’d be deadly enough as an attacking midfielder. He scored a hatful. We predicted he’d struggle as a DM. Right now, he’s almost single-handedly reinventing the position. Yes, he slipped. But Steve Gerrard will deal with it. The way he dealt with all those penalty pressure moments. The way he whips in those glorious free-kicks and corners. The man is a force of nature, and as his career approaches its autumnal years, this season we saw that there’s still plenty of fight and desire left in our captain. And with this side behind him, a couple more years yet to claim the one major trophy which has eluded him. To put it in the words of the man himself: after the season he’s had, if you fancy standing in between Steven Gerrard and more glory, all the best.

Vicxas

Luckycharms_74 wrote: »

Ive noticed that,


Usually we've a row or something.......

Knex*

Vicxas wrote: »

Ive noticed that,


Usually we've a row or something.......

No we fucking don't.

Vicxas

Knex. wrote: »

No we fucking don't.

Ill burn your House down to the wheels!

also, Another reason why I hate LOI managers:

42000 Morons go see the Liverpool reserves

Knex*

Vicxas wrote: »

Ill burn your House down to the wheels!

Bastard! :pac:

Nuri Sahin

To keep things on topic, this cat is err.. Kolo's cat, yes Kolo.

Kimbot

Vicxas wrote: »

Ill burn your House down to the wheels!

also, Another reason why I hate LOI managers:

42000 Morons go see the Liverpool reserves

Yeah I watched it last night, he was some fool.

One of the panelists said "Are you mocking Irish football fans" he replied saying "No, but they are Morons for paying to watch a reserve team", thankfully the timer on my TV kicked in and turned it off haha

Knex*

Jesus, that's shocking from Dermot Kelly. Would have loved the chance to debate his thoughts on that one.

upstairs for coffee

Ashley Cole at left back would allow Flanagan to revert to right back. Cole would be a great signing.

x43r0

Vicxas wrote: »

Ill burn your House down to the wheels!

also, Another reason why I hate LOI managers:

42000 Morons go see the Liverpool reserves

Replay here: http://www.rte.ie/player/gb/show/10284873/

Edit: I think I posted the UK link but it's on there anyway