Liverpool FC Team Talk, Gossip, Rumours 2024/25

If the players cannot play that pressure game due to age or injuries, then it's upto the coaching staff to set the tactics accordingly.

I believe a lot of the players have had every ounce squeezed out of them mentally and physically and they haven't had adequate players to cover for them. Specifically the midfield. It has really done serious damage.

Joyce has an article in the Times today. Main points below are taken from Reddit.

- Liverpool are wide open. Conceding 51 big chances so far this season - 3 per game. 3rd worst in the prem behind Leeds and Fulham at 55 and 54 respectively. Arsenal have conceded 19

- Compared to this point last season, Liverpool have conceded 30 more big chances - the high line isnt as effective

- The press has been wound down by Klopp. Perhaps because of a belief that the team could not sustain it all season after the last campaign

- Liverpool's prem rankings for sprints, distance covered and high-speed runs are all down

- It may be a tactical choice, by pressing less, there is more space for Nunez and Salah to make runs

- Liverpool are unclinical. They have the most big chances in the league, coupled with the lowest conversion rate. Behind Everton in 19th (28% vs 27.6%)

- Klopp has misplaced trust in his midfield options (highlighted by the rant in August about how great the midfield was) with the complaint of them being injury prone and ageing ringing true

- With only Thiago signed as a permanent midfielder in 4 years, an overhaul is needed - Nunes is being tracked but for summer.

Going for Nunes in the summer for some big fee would be beyond annoying given how closely we were linked to him just before he signed for Wolves. Could've had him already in, settled, and playing if we'd just acted.

A big hatchet job on Ljinders here. The first time that a real journo has done a piece on him, after Carra spoke about him and how much influence he has on Monday night.

Some interesting points here;

• Ljinders & Klopp declined Nkunku last summer (there has been some talk of others being in the same boat as this too)
• Three of the four big signings that Liverpool have made in the past two seasons – Díaz, Darwin Núñez and now Gakpo – have been advocated by Lijnders. Matheus Nunes is another Lijnders recommendation.
• Lijnders, 39, regularly takes first-team sessions

Did Ward, and possibly Graham, leave because of how much influence Ljinders was having in terms of recruitment and style of play?

I'd say they are fishing for someone to blame.

To me it's not just anyone but quite a few. Going back to summer two years ago Klopp was saying we didn't need a midfielder, then the same again this summer. If he keeps saying it then maybe he actually believed it.

Coaching staff have to take some responsibility for the change in style of play which is exposing the shortfall in midfield, allowing the defence to be ran at far more often and taking our attackers and threat further from goal.

Medical staff and fitness staff need to do better in having players ready to play and in top condition.

Recruitment staff need to do better in convincing Klopp that the players picked as potential purchases are the correct options for the club and press the issue of needing to have adequate backups.

FSG haven't done much wrong, they've done what they've said from day one and I don't expect them to put their own money into the club to fund transfers. The ones running the club (Hogan et al) need to free up some funds if available assuming our wages haven't affected purchasing to much.

I'd also like to point out that if we hadn't signed Gakpo we'd be stuck with just Nunez and Salah until Diaz and Jota return given Bobby is breaking down more often. I have 0 issue signing him as we did actually need a body up top to help out. We have the numbers in midfield (which Klopp keeps saying) but now we need someone with quality to slot in in January as well and then another one in the summer and the following January. Those new first team starters then leave you with Thiago, New, New and that lets Fabhino rediscover his form, Henderson to be managed better, Elliot, Carvahlo and Bajcetic to develop. Milner could be kept around as a stop gap and to help young players.

Edit: obviously the players have to have a look at themselves as well considering that they have performed poorly in the main this season as well.

I think it started in the summer with the book stuff. And the irony with it being called 'Intensity' when that is now the very thing we lack.

Personally, I don't mind the book.

I do have an issue with having a major influence over recruitment. He is the assistant to the head coach. His job is coaching, not player recruitment. And I've said the same about Klopp having too much say in that area too.

Honestly we could do alot worse than Douglas Luiz of Villa. Only 24 and can cover the 6 and the 8 position, would surely be happy enough starting most games but not all unless he excels and is in his last 6 months of his contract so shouldnt take much out of the fund for another new mid in the summer.

Not to mention you can never have enough Brazilians in the team. I'd be happy enough even with him or someone of that ilk as I fear we just won't get any midfielder this window tbh.

He would’ve been a good target last summer, but just signed a new long term deal in October so he’s out as an option now I’d say.

The Pep stuff feels like such a scapegoat to me, the last time we were this bad we had journos claiming that all of our success came from Buvac and we'd never be good without him. I'm not sure how much anyone not involved with the coaching staff actually knows about how they function.

He hasn't been the same all season a spell on the side lines was needed just not being injured as the other 2 CB are injury prone

Yeah, didn't Ferguson have Kidd, Phelan and Queiroz doing the training sessions?

Would a 4-2-3-1 formation work for us? A bit more defensive cover than the 4-3-3 is providing

4 - TAA, Konate (with VVD injury), Matip, Robertson

2 - Henderson and Fabinho

3 - Salah right, Thiago middle and Gakpo on the left

1- Nunez

The 2 doesn't work anymore two much ground to cover with attacking full backs, When its 4 3 3 , the two LCM & RCM get through a hell of a lot of work closing down on the sides of the pitch that goes unnoticed, Why we are suffering at the minute as ours don't have the legs

Chelsea played a 2 man base a lot but that was with 3 CB's so one of the CB's could take up the left over spaces, which ever side it appears

Watch City on the ball they play 3 2 4 1 , Ake Akanj Stones as the 3 CB & Lewis pushes in beside Rodri ,something Zincenko used to do as the LB before , Actully since he singed for Arsenal they do it Gabreil , Saliba ,Whyte as CB's & Zincenko pushes in beside Partey , helps you outnumber sides & the 3 CB's give coverage in the wide area's

So basically in football now the double pivot won't work in front of 2 CBs if you want attacking full backs, there's two much space to cover,

Just to expand a few times we have gone with a double pivot against City but we actually played more of 4 4 2 again to help wide,