A thread for ideas

[i_rushie]

We had Jones, Kabak and Phillips who....

You know what? Ok. This is just a two month long blip, that can in no way be solved other than faithfully awaiting the return of VVD, Gomez and Fabinho.

Here we are, less than 2 years from winning the CL, and less than a year from winning the league, and all we can do is pin all our hopes on the final piece or pieces of the jigsaw to win a title finish 4th.

 

[i_rushie]

Play defenders in defence. Not matter their age or experience.

Play our best midfielders in midfield.

For once I'm pissed off with klopp.

This isn't difficult.

Our defence is fucked. Don't fuck our midfield up trying to fix it.

You might be pleased to know, this run can be explained by our players simply being tired. Or that playing 3 youngsters somehow outweighs all the talent and authority of eight others who only a season ago formed the most valuable first XI in the world.

 

[FoxForceFive]

You might be pleased to know, this run can be explained by our players simply being tired. Or that playing 3 youngsters somehow outweighs all the talent and authority of eight others who only a season ago formed the most valuable first XI in the world.

I agree somewhat.

The lack of quality players through injury is a huge issue.

But I feel the experiment of playing hendo/Fabinho in centre back to cover has failed overall.

Against City, maybe spurs, maybe even Utd, I'd understand it. The rest of the time I say we roll the dice & put the best team out that we can with stand ins at centre back. Worst case scenario we end up trying to out score the opposition. We've done that before.

That time we made the CL. So it can work to a point.

 

[Mamma Mia]

1. Win the CL

 

[Best Believe It]

Get Fabinho back in midfield. Our midfield offers no protection to the defence at the moment. Push Trent into midfield and play Neco at RB. At least then we might be able to offer cover down the right.

No idea what to do with the front three though.

 

[MaBigTip]

1. Ban Dreamie

 

[6TimesaRed]

Everytime I've seen the line up with Henderson in defence and Thickago playing in midfield with Jones, my heart sinks.. Because it obvious what the outcome will be..

Leipzig was a red herring.. As they played to our strengths..

PL teams are much more savvy it seems..

Our midfield is offering no bite, pressing or protection to defence, yet Klopp still insists on playing Henderson in defence..

No matter now he's injured.. However you can bet your bottom dollar Fabs will be thrown straight back in a CB rather than midfield in his next game..

The shape is all wrong.. Our best CB can't even get a game..

 

[Dreambeliever]

Go back to heavy metal football for the rest of this season.
Reset in the summer.

 

[tomasjj]

Two weeks back i wrote something about a 3412 with wingbacks and three centerbacks, sitting back, being patient and countering.
Still think we shouldtry something similar. Plays to our strenghts and forces other teams to rethink.

 

[Red Bird]

Maybe a 3-5-2 formation might work...Phillips, Kabak and Davies with Trent and Robbo bombing on as wingbacks...and probably drop Firmino for a while

Dropping Firmino has to be the top consideration. He's been integral to our success in the last three season. However, if he's off form, as he currently is, he's not just a passenger but he has negative impact on the output of his front three partners.

Once Klopp drops him, he will have to change the whole set-up from the seemingly doomed 4-3-3 to something more fluid such ss 4-2-3- or even the bog-standard 4-4-2. We have 8 days to try something new. After all, what could go wrong?

And trust and play Phillips in defence, FFS!

 

[tombrown]

Write off this season (not just the football, write off "life"); blank it out in a haze of alcohol or your narcotic of choice. Wake up in about 8 months and see where we're at, then reassess

 

[tomasjj]

Dropping Firmino has to be the top consideration. He's been integral to our success in the last three season. However, if he's off form, as he currently is, he's not just a passenger but he has negative impact on the output of his front three partners.

Once Klopp drops him, he will have to change the whole set-up from the seemingly doomed 4-3-3 to something more fluid such ss 4-2-3- or even the bog-standard 4-4-2. We have 8 days to try something new. After all, what could go wrong?

And trust and play Phillips in defence, FFS!

Cannot play Phillips with a high line though.

 

[Red Bird]

Cannot play Phillips with a high line though.

Maybe not. We're losing matches left, right and centre high line or not. The current set-up is not working whichever way you look at it. That's why I suggested altering bothe line-up and the formation.

 

[tomasjj]

Maybe not. We're losing matches left, right and centre high line or not. The current set-up is not working whichever way you look at it. That's why I suggested altering bothe line-up and the formation.

I agree. I actually wouldn't mind us sitting back, being more patient and compact, then countering.
It is what teams do to us at home. Away, when other teams most often attack, we are more successful.

 

[mark1975]

4. Listen to Wet WetDreambeliever

I'm loathed to defend Pat, but at least 90% of what he posts is unintentionally facepalm.

You're an intelligent lad Ross, but this is just a continuation of your recent, brainless kneejerk nonsense. We've been dealt a shit hand this season, Klopp particularly has had a raw deal. But "the coaching staff haven't got a clue" and "bin Thiago" is the same idiotic trolling we read from bellends on Twitter.

The season is done, but you're barking up the wrong tree.

 

[Dirty Sanchez]

I'm loath to agree with @mark1975 for once, but I do.
Except for his incorrect use of the word "loathed". And the part about @Rosco being intelligent.
But everything else - spot on.

 

[Rosco]

21. We should all sit in a circle holding hands and pray for teams to forget how to play against us.

22. Blame the world

23. Blame VAR

 

[Rosco]

24. Be a superfan and pretend Klopp couldn't possibly do anything to improve the situation

 

[Red Astaire]

Get that assistant coach a fucking decent haircut. I’m digging the long hair but he’s not committed to it. I’m thinking dreads

 

[LeTallecWiz]

25. Ask @mark1975 for grandfather tips

 

[Rosco]

26. Ignore the fact we have 90m of shit midfielders sitting on our bench

 

[LeTallecWiz]

27. Ignore the fact @Modo is still our only poster who speaks fluent Amharic.

 

[ibromurph]

How many players in our squad can we really trust?

Out of this lot:

[xtable=border:0]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td}[xtable]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td}1{/td}
{td}Alisson{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}3{/td}
{td}Fabinho{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}4{/td}
{td}Virgil van Dijk{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}5{/td}
{td}Georginio Wijnaldum{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}6{/td}
{td}Thiago Alcântara{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}7{/td}
{td}James Milner (vice-captain)[145]{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}8{/td}
{td}Naby Keïta{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}9{/td}
{td}Roberto Firmino{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}10{/td}
{td}Sadio Mané{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}11{/td}
{td}Mohamed Salah{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}12{/td}
{td}Joe Gomez{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}13{/td}
{td}Adrián{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}14{/td}
{td}Jordan Henderson (captain)[146]{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}15{/td}
{td}Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}17{/td}
{td}Curtis Jones{/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]{/td}

{td}[xtable]
{caption} {/caption}
{tbody}
{tr}
{th=scope:col}No.{/th}
{th=scope:col}Player{/th}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}19{/td}
{td}Ozan Kabak (on loan from Schalke 04){/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}20{/td}
{td}Diogo Jota{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}21{/td}
{td}Kostas Tsimikas{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}23{/td}
{td}Xherdan Shaqiri{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}26{/td}
{td}Andrew Robertson{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}27{/td}
{td}Divock Origi{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}28{/td}
{td}Ben Davies{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}32{/td}
{td}Joël Matip{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}46{/td}
{td}Rhys Williams{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}47{/td}
{td}Nathaniel Phillips{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}58{/td}
{td}Ben Woodburn{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}62{/td}
{td}Caoimhín Kelleher{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}66{/td}
{td}Trent Alexander-Arnold{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}76{/td}
{td}Neco Williams{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}–{/td}
{td}Marcelo Pitaluga{/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]{/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]

My problem is, I only think we have 14 players right now we can trust both fitness and quality wise (at a push).

If all 14 stay fit, we are winning the league. If 3 or 4 get injured we're fucked.


Some of our players wouldn't get a starting place for Sheffield United. So why are thy still in our squad?

The drop off in quality from Trent to Neco/Milner is too big. Same for Robbo to Kostas. Same for Firmino (form aside) to Origi. Or Salah to Shaqiri.

This is where our biggest failings come from. A squad unprepared to deal with a Covid season.

 

[Hansern]

I'm loathed to defend Pat, but at least 90% of what he posts is unintentionally facepalm.

You're an intelligent lad Ross, but this is just a continuation of your recent, brainless kneejerk nonsense. We've been dealt a shit hand this season, Klopp particularly has had a raw deal. But "the coaching staff haven't got a clue" and "bin Thiago" is the same idiotic trolling we read from bellends on Twitter.

The season is done, but you're barking up the wrong tree.

It would be the best for all posters at SCM if he's banned and thrown out.
Everything is posted with a view to get a bite or create some heated shit throwing.
Imagine being such a tool that you spend your time doing that. Fucking hell what a cunt of a life that must be.

Anyway, regarding the proper discussion.
Just read that Gini has one, 1, successfull tackle in the last 16 games..
Instead of pointing towards Thiago, as the flabby melt Ross does, take a closer look at how our midfield is set up. No wonder we are so open.

We need Fabinho or Hendo back in midfield. And Gini who is about to leave on a free, might need some time on the bench.

 

[bluebell]

I would play Davies and Kabak in defence. Fab Kieta, Thiago and Shaq in Mf and the attack would consist of Mane and Salah. LB and RB the usual pair

 

[ibromurph]

It would be the best for all posters at SCM if he's banned and thrown out.
Everything is posted with a view to get a bite or create some heated shit throwing.
Imagine being such a tool that you spend your time doing that. Fucking hell what a cunt of a life that must be.

Anyway, regarding the proper discussion.
Just read that Gini has one, 1, successfull tackle in the last 16 games..
Instead of pointing towards Thiago, as the flabby melt Ross does, take a closer look at how our midfield is set up. No wonder we are so open.

We need Fabinho or Hendo back in midfield. And Gini who is about to leave on a free, might need some time on the bench.

Yeah.

Rosco has turned into a complete internet troll lately. Not sure what's happened to him but he's become like a bitter, less entertaining version of Dantes (who I find quite entertaining). I think something about that Trump thread has got to him, or maybe it's something in his personal life and this forum is just a release for him to vent. I just ignore the wind up, agenda-driven portions of his posts and concentrate on the issues that are relevant. Namely, we're shit right now and Klopp's solutions (midfielders at the back) has not worked.

 

[tomasjj]

Covid isolation is making everyone more tense and weird these days. We should all try to be more forgiving with each other.

 

[Hansern]

Keita Thiago Fabinho

That would be my midfield against Sheff Ute.

Kabak Phillips at CB.

 

[Rosco]

Covid isolation is making everyone more tense and weird these days. We should all try to be more forgiving with each other.

True. I forgive Hansern for being so terminally dumb that we have to close the forum to spare us having to listen to him.

 

[the count]

How many players in our squad can we really trust?

Out of this lot:

[xtable=skin1|border:0]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td}[xtable=skin1]
{tbody}
{tr}
{td}1{/td}
{td}Alisson{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}3{/td}
{td}Fabinho{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}4{/td}
{td}Virgil van Dijk{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}5{/td}
{td}Georginio Wijnaldum{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}6{/td}
{td}Thiago Alcântara{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}7{/td}
{td}James Milner (vice-captain)[145]{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}8{/td}
{td}Naby Keïta{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}9{/td}
{td}Roberto Firmino{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}10{/td}
{td}Sadio Mané{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}11{/td}
{td}Mohamed Salah{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}12{/td}
{td}Joe Gomez{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}13{/td}
{td}Adrián{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}14{/td}
{td}Jordan Henderson (captain)[146]{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}15{/td}
{td}Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}17{/td}
{td}Curtis Jones{/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]{/td}

{td}[xtable=skin1]
{caption} {/caption}
{tbody}
{tr}
{th}No.{/th}
{th}Player{/th}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}19{/td}
{td}Ozan Kabak (on loan from Schalke 04){/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}20{/td}
{td}Diogo Jota{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}21{/td}
{td}Kostas Tsimikas{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}23{/td}
{td}Xherdan Shaqiri{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}26{/td}
{td}Andrew Robertson{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}27{/td}
{td}Divock Origi{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}28{/td}
{td}Ben Davies{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}32{/td}
{td}Joël Matip{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}46{/td}
{td}Rhys Williams{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}47{/td}
{td}Nathaniel Phillips{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}58{/td}
{td}Ben Woodburn{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}62{/td}
{td}Caoimhín Kelleher{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}66{/td}
{td}Trent Alexander-Arnold{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}76{/td}
{td}Neco Williams{/td}
{/tr}
{tr}
{td}–{/td}
{td}Marcelo Pitaluga{/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]{/td}
{/tr}
{/tbody}
[/xtable]
My problem is, I only think we have 14 players right now we can trust both fitness and quality wise (at a push).

If all 14 stay fit, we are winning the league. If 3 or 4 get injured we're fucked.


Some of our players wouldn't get a starting place for Sheffield United. So why are thy still in our squad?

The drop off in quality from Trent to Neco/Milner is too big. Same for Robbo to Kostas. Same for Firmino (form aside) to Origi. Or Salah to Shaqiri.

This is where our biggest failings come from. A squad unprepared to deal with a Covid season.

I think there is definitely an argument to be made, that the squad hasn't got enough depth to compete. I also think there is a further argument to be made that even as it stands, the squad wasn't utilised enough this season. We all know that the standards drop when Neco comes in for Trent , Kostas for Robbo, Origi for Bobby, etc
But by using the same core players repeatedly, especially in such a gruelling congested fixture schedule, we have seen their standards, individually and collectively, drop off hugely. I really think that this would not be the case if they had all been rested more during the season so far. By doing this we probably would have forfeited our place as pace setters for the first third of the season but I suspect we now wouldn't be in a position where we are looking down the barrel of failing to qualify for the Champions league next season.