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Shaq

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rurikbird

Part of the Furniture
Honorary Member
I didn't want Shaqiri, but now that he's a Liverpool player all of it is in the past – I'll support and root for him like every other player. His past behavior was often the opposite of the team-first mentality instituted here by Klopp, but it looks like the club has decided it's a gamble that can afford to make, especially with him coming here not as some kind of "savior," but with a point to prove after bouncing around clubs and last season's relegation. And in terms of money this is not a gamble at all – even if he does absolutely nothing next season he will fetch significantly more than £13M should we decide to sell him next summer, simply due to the absence of the release clause. Given Ox's season-long injury (announced only after Shaq was signed), this now looks like a shrewd move from LFC.






In football terms, his debut was absolute perfection – OK, the overhead kick goal was great and important for his confidence (not that he's lacking in that department), but the way he played and integrated into the team reminisced of Shaqiri of his best Bayern days when he looked like he could become a real star under Guardiola's tutelage. In these 45 minutes there was almost no moment when he tried to do too much – there were several potential opportunities to shoot or dribble which he passed up in favor of moving the game along with simple, but highly effective passing and movement. His movement was honestly a joy to watch – he always made the extra few steps to receive the ball in space, if a defender got close he easily held it up using his strong frame, and he popped up everywhere from deep central midfield to both flanks to making a few darting runs beyond the defensive line, like the one that led to the assist to Sturridge. His role in Klopp's system in this game actually reminded me of Gotze, a player who makes the game tick with his constant movement and ability to hold up the ball, but also picks his moments to run beyond the defensive line.

If there is one small flaw I noticed is that when he drifts to the left flank he seems unsure what to do with the ball on his naturally strong left foot – a few times that resulted in a tame floated cross when another player (think of Mane for example) might have found something far more dangerous there. He can't quite stretch beyond a defender to properly wrap his foot around the ball and isn't comfortable cutting in on his weaker side. All in all, this was a 10/10 debut and I think the real test for Shaqiri will be whether at some point he will slip into becoming overconfident and selfish again – it's very early, but so far he seems determined to get on Klopp's good side and play and sound every bit like a team player.
 
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"Positional intelligence during build-up is something seemingly not even 90% of footballers have, that's when you come across someone who's as good as Shaqiri, it just stands out, even when it looks basics. Most players who were coached by Guardiola have this ability, obviously."

Wise words from Jan Riha, I'm certainly convinced.

I was very intrigued by his "compact blocks, layed out in a narrow line" also, as his thoughts mirror mine exactly about obtaining an edge by "taking few steps back and receiving behind players' peripheral vision".

I'd quite like to beat him to death
 
I said if Klopp wanted him I wanted him.

I think he'll do well at 13m and competition of Solanke, Ings and Woodburn the bar is pretty low.

Hopefully he smashes it early doors
 
"Positional intelligence during build-up is something seemingly not even 90% of footballers have, that's when you come across someone who's as good as Shaqiri, it just stands out, even when it looks basics. Most players who were coached by Guardiola have this ability, obviously."

Wise words from Jan Riha, I'm certainly convinced.

I was very intrigued by his "compact blocks, layed out in a narrow line" also, as his thoughts mirror mine exactly about obtaining an edge by "taking few steps back and receiving behind players' peripheral vision".

I'd quite like to beat him to death

Keep in mind that this guy is not a native English speaker. So if it sounds unnecessarily technical, it's probably not because he's trying to sound like a professor.
 
What's not to get about Rurik's attitude? Didn't want him but willing to get behind him now he's ours. Seems perfectly clear to me.

How it might all turn out is a different question. Was talking to a Stoke supporter recently who's a fan of the player Shaqiri but not of the person - reckons he downed tools and couldn't be @rsed as last season went on, though he's easily good enough to have contributed a lot more and possibly helped them stay up. Still, if it's a risk Klopp's willing to take, I'm in too.
 
I'm starting to think more and more than Klopp sees him playing in the midfield three, rather than rotating with Mane, Firmino & Salah - although on occasions he could do that but I hope to see him charging through the middle.
 
Keep in mind that this guy is not a native English speaker. So if it sounds unnecessarily technical, it's probably not because he's trying to sound like a professor.

It's more that it sounds unnecessarily fucking bollocks.
As for being coached by Guardiola, that didn't really work out because as soon as Guardiola arrived, Shaqiri was benched and then sold.

Still, he has many basic qualities that I enjoy in an attacking footballer: fast, can score goals, decent shot.
 
What's not to get about Rurik's attitude? Didn't want him but willing to get behind him now he's ours. Seems perfectly clear to me.

How it might all turn out is a different question. Was talking to a Stoke supporter recently who's a fan of the player Shaqiri but not of the person - reckons he downed tools and couldn't be @rsed as last season went on, though he's easily good enough to have contributed a lot more and possibly helped them stay up. Still, if it's a risk Klopp's willing to take, I'm in too.
What's not to get? It echos my feelings entirely. I didn't particularly want him. Now he's here, he has a clean slate from me and I want him to do well.
Jesus H.Christ
 
It's more that it sounds unnecessarily fucking bollocks.
As for being coached by Guardiola, that didn't really work out because as soon as Guardiola arrived, Shaqiri was benched and then sold.

Not quite like that – Guardiola did try to integrate him into his ways, but I suspect in the end it was again the attitude. Shaqiri probably reminded him too much of Ibrahimovic :)
 
Modo is joking as he has history of not supporting a player he originally didn't want us to sign.
 
I think you guys should start a campfire here and discuss my joke methodology.
 
I get what Jan Riha is trying to say.

I've been coaching for over 6 years now. I'm UEFA B level with adults/kids/GKs, looking to eventually do UEFA A. So yeah, that's a roundabout way of me saying, I appreciate all that attempted jargon from him.

Anyways, like I said in the other thread. I was very impressed with Shaqiri. I actually didn't know he was that good (first touch, appreciation of space, combinations). I have never really watched him closely before. Technically he looks superb. In the same bracket as Bobby, Mo and Sadio. I was pleasantly surprised.

But then I also appreciate he was trying to impress on his debut and the problem with players like Shaqiri (and what makes them average players) isn't always ability, it's mindset. He could be world class one week, and then jogging around uninterested the next. The really top players do it week in, week out and set expectation of their own performance no matter the circumstance.

I kind of fear that a player like Shaqiri will be amazing in his first season, but then when everyone agrees he's a top player, he'll rest on his laurels and become a lazy shit. But right now he has a point to prove. Hopefully that will mean he'll take us to a title or so, before he reverts to type.
 
I get what Jan Riha is trying to say.

I've been coaching for over 6 years now. I'm UEFA B level with adults/kids/GKs, looking to eventually do UEFA A. So yeah, that's a roundabout way of me saying, I appreciate all that attempted jargon from him.

Anyways, like I said in the other thread. I was very impressed with Shaqiri. I actually didn't know he was that good (first touch, appreciation of space, combinations). I have never really watched him closely before. Technically he looks superb. In the same bracket as Bobby, Mo and Sadio. I was pleasantly surprised.

But then I also appreciate he was trying to impress on his debut and the problem with players like Shaqiri (and what makes them average players) isn't always ability, it's mindset. He could be world class one week, and then jogging around uninterested the next. The really top players do it week in, week out and set expectation of their own performance no matter the circumstance.

I kind of fear that a player like Shaqiri will be amazing in his first season, but then when everyone agrees he's a top player, he'll rest on his laurels and become a lazy shit. But right now he has a point to prove. Hopefully that will mean he'll take us to a title or so, before he reverts to type.

Hmmm. This was certainly aimed in his direction by some players and fans at Stoke, but can it be what happened at Inter or Bayern? He was never the best player there, and won't be at Liverpool either.
 
I don't watch Stoke, but I imagine he was their main man. I remember hearing about him going there, a few years ago, and thought at the time that he was a player we'd been watching for a couple of years. Charlie Adams has had a few unflattering things to say about him and it seems that Shaq may have upset more than a few players and fans with his attitude, though I can imagine the Stoke dressing room to be quite cliquey so maybe the lad's face simply didn't fit. He may, of course, be one of those annoying Billy-Big-Bollocks types with a Napoleon complex but you've got to expect that Klopp et al have had his personal and social make-up vetted. Anyway, like it or not, he's here now and he's a £13m player surrounded by players worth much, much more. That's got to be a quite humbling experience, and it's up to him to prove he's deserving of playing time. The weight of expectation isn't on him and he should free to show what he's capable of. I have high hopes.
 
But then I also appreciate he was trying to impress on his debut and the problem with players like Shaqiri (and what makes them average players) isn't always ability, it's mindset. He could be world class one week, and then jogging around uninterested the next. The really top players do it week in, week out and set expectation of their own performance no matter the circumstance.

I kind of fear that a player like Shaqiri will be amazing in his first season, but then when everyone agrees he's a top player, he'll rest on his laurels and become a lazy shit. But right now he has a point to prove. Hopefully that will mean he'll take us to a title or so, before he reverts to type.

We should sell him for 50M then and buy Pulisic. Ox will recover by that time too.
 
I see a few suggesting him as a number 10. Which is fine, but . . . we're really horribly short on options to back up the front 3.

Other than Shaqiri it's Woodburn, Solanke, Ings and Origi.

I would've been tempted to keep Wilson, who at least seems to have an eye for goal.
 
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