Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2014 - Mod Warning in OP, 10/12

5starpool wrote: »

Not sure how true it is, but I saw on the ever reliable twitter that in the last 2 league games our opponents have had 8 shots on target and we have conceded 5 goals. Comical stuff.

Thanks in no small part to our pantomime keeper!

If we don't sign a keeper from SOMEWHERE in Jan, I'll be astounded.

Neto, Karius both in the last year of their contract?
I don't see Cech being allowed to join an English club.
Or how about one of the CL departing clubs - Akinfeev? Offseason in Russia...

OwaynOTT wrote: »

Isn't that how Stephen King's Gunslinger starts?
'The man with the big black bandage on his head fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.'

Looks like we've got another reader. "Whatcha readin for?!!"

garra wrote: »

Looks like we've got another reader. "Whatcha readin for?!!"

Keep on trucking mate.

RasTa wrote: »

Potential for what?

I think if Sterling, Coutinho, Henderson, Markovic, Can, Moreno, Sturridge et al reach their full potential, we might be looking at regular top 7 finishes. It's a big if.

RasTa wrote: »

Potential for what?

Top 4 is no chance at this stage could potentially win the Europa league if sturridge can get fit and a keeper can be signed. Next season challenge for top 4 if a decent striker is signed to cover sturridges inevitable injuries and Gerrard will need to be replaced. The 3 league games sturridge started was 6 pts against southampton city and spurs and things looked quite positive. Rodgers biggest mistake in the window was not getting a proven goalscorer with pace and a keeper. In general I think the squad is quite strong.

Harry Palmr wrote: »

The difference is no one thought Hogdson would or could get Liverpool out of the long ball rut he put the side in. Rodgers for all his miss-steps is adapting and looking for a way to improve things.

Rodgers has regressed back to his points total through this many games in his first season:

2010-11 = F:21 A:22 Pts:22 (finished 6th on 58)
2011-12 = F:20 A:12 Pts:30 (finished 8th on 52)
2012-13 = F:23 A:23 Pts:22 (finished 7th on 61)
2013-14 = F:42 A:19 Pts:36 (finished 2nd on 84)
2014-15 = F:21 A:24 Pts:22

People need to keep looking at the above. It points to last year being an outlier for Rodgers. What we're getting now is probably all he is long term.

Iused2likebusts wrote: »

Top 4 is no chance at this stage could potentially win the Europa league if sturridge can get fit and a keeper can be signed. Next season challenge for top 4 if a decent striker is signed to cover sturridges inevitable injuries and Gerrard will need to be replaced. The 3 league games sturridge started was 6 pts against southampton city and spurs and things looked quite positive. Rodgers biggest mistake in the window was not getting a proven goalscorer with pace and a keeper. In general I think the squad is quite strong.

I'd say it's more an outside chance than no chance, there's still a little thing called February to come.

5starpool wrote: »

Ya, given the fact that Mignolet seems to be permanently dropped, if we don't sign a new keeper before our second league game in Jan (Sunderland on the 10th) I'll be astounded. It wouldn't surprise me to see Mignolet shipped out for around 5m either. It's more than just 'taking him out of the spotlight'. If you do that for games vs Utd, Arsenal and a cup quarter final then it's just crazy.

I'd be happier with Migs as backup than Jones, as least the former has occasional good games, and might benefit from competition off the pitch to raise his game. But a really top drawer keeper is a MUST if we are serious about regular top 4 four placings...

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Rodgers has regressed back to his points total through this many games in his first season:

2010-11 = F:21 A:22 Pts:22 (finished 6th on 58)
2011-12 = F:20 A:12 Pts:30 (finished 8th on 52)
2012-13 = F:23 A:23 Pts:22 (finished 7th on 61)
2013-14 = F:42 A:19 Pts:36 (finished 2nd on 84)
2014-15 = F:21 A:24 Pts:22

People need to keep looking at the above. It points to last year being an outlier for Rodgers. What we're getting now is probably all he is long term.

Dalglish finished on 52 points and oversaw the signings of carroll, adam, downing and henderson for almost 100m. Rafa brought us to 7th place and signed aquilani, keane and johnson for roughly 60m. Why were you outraged when they were sacked? Why did you want them to be kept on and yet half a season of diappointment after the best leaue campaign in 25 years and youre baying for blood?

rarnes1 wrote: »

Hodgson had Torres.

This season we have Lambert and Ballotelli.

How anyone can properly judge this season when we've basically being playing with no strikers is beyond me.

And why do we only have Lambert & Balotelli - apart from Sturridge's injury which could have been forecasted in a worst case scenario - the buck stops with Rodgers for our mediocre strike force.

Kirby wrote: »

Because the kop don't sing songs about Hodgson and Rodgers. They never played for the club. You can be as inept as a manager as you want, if you have "hero" status, people will still support you.

But I think you knew that.

They do song songs about Rodgers tho.

Look at this stage we know the regulars who want him gone and they're the same people who got on board with him around March last year. Those who can't see that he's a young manager who will make mistakes but has shown an ability to learn from them. No he still has a big weakness (defensive coaching) that he needs to sort but outside if dreamland managerial signings he's as good as we're gonna get.

I truly believe that he has the potential to be a truly special manager. Long long way to go for him to get there but last year was a great accomplishment. And to say last year was all down to one player is the kind of thinking I expect from back page sun readers.