This is when I invite to people to watch the other matches where he’s not in a Liverpool shirt, namely for The Netherlands.
VVD
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See this is where I keep coming back to the coaching staff being partly culpable. Oxlade Chamberlain and Keita with their injury history and unreliability, at the very minimum, should have been released last summer. I’ll warrant that there would have been no discernible drop off even if they had not been replaced.
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Yeah, i saw their game against France, and again all the comments were about VVD, when realistically he could have possibly done better in just 1 of the goals. And the main culprits were others in all of the goals.
He's not as good as VVD though
He deserves another season based on what he’s achieved with us previously but the highline in the current setup is incompaitable with players we have. It’s like when AVD tried it with Terry when he first got there.
Rebalance the midfield and then reassess next season but all depends on whether Klopp and management desire to make those changes.
Thought Ibou was shite yesterday too.
Rebalance the midfield and then reassess next season but all depends on whether Klopp and management desire to make those changes.
Thought Ibou was shite yesterday too.
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no, but there isn´t much in it now in our current form
He's not the same player is he? I don't know if we should sell him, we can't sell everyone. But what is clear and obvious is he is not the player he once was.
You can't sell everyone in one season and then get their replacement in, expect everyone to gel in, and win the title. Integrating new players isn't as easy as you think... There's a lot of effort, new place, people, weather, food, culture etc... It takes time to adjust and requires more effort from management. One just needs to look at Chelsea. Remember when we bought 7 players with the Suarez money, it cost Rodgers his job?
Id like Gomez and CJ gone next season but I wouldn't be too upset to see them stay, as long as we get players that keeps them out of the team.
We can't keep moaning about player signings until the window opens up. I am very much Klopp in, but he needs to adapt style and formation to a more defensive type. I really don't care he has 6 attackers, even if we play 4-5-1, and we have one attacker, it gives our MF a chance to control a game
I dont think he was to blame for the first goal (Robbo kamikaze styled out of position and suddenly the whole left side was wide open), and its the usual scapegoating to single out him in a bad season for just about everyone bar Alisson.
Fix the midfield and VVD will look back to his best. As will Mo Salah.
We have much bigger fires to put out then sorting out the futures of those two just yet.
Fix the midfield and VVD will look back to his best. As will Mo Salah.
We have much bigger fires to put out then sorting out the futures of those two just yet.
He's still in his shell, which I find bizarre. He used to be so calm and confident on the ball, strolling out from the back and often pinging cross field balls to the wings/ full backs.
He now makes 99% of his passes about 3 yards across the backline. He now invites pressure on us rather than starts our own launching of pressure.
I hope he finds whatever he needs to get this back, but he's well on his way to falling off the "guaranteed starter" position he has this summer once we hit the transfer market.
He now makes 99% of his passes about 3 yards across the backline. He now invites pressure on us rather than starts our own launching of pressure.
I hope he finds whatever he needs to get this back, but he's well on his way to falling off the "guaranteed starter" position he has this summer once we hit the transfer market.
It's difficult to tell how well individuals in the defence are doing (or at least more difficult than normal) because as a unit we're defending really badly, and the midfield is barely providing any protection. Additionally both full backs haven't been great this year. Dunno whether any of these issues are temporary or a permanent decline; if we had unlimited cash I would sign alternatives to VVD and Robertson. Not sure whether we'll do both. But I think VVD, Robbo and Trent are all mentally exhausted and need good enough competition next year. For Trent, hopefully Ramsey or Bradley can provide it. For VVD and Robbo I suspect we'd need new signings.
He's in the top percentile when it comes to passing, 99 in all categories. He's also top for challenges won in the Premier league.
His cross field pinged balls leads to about 2-3 attacks per game.
Virgil isnt the fire that needs to be put out this summer. He needs a break (as do the rest of the team), but we need a new midfield to stop our defence from looking so extremely exposed.
His cross field pinged balls leads to about 2-3 attacks per game.
Virgil isnt the fire that needs to be put out this summer. He needs a break (as do the rest of the team), but we need a new midfield to stop our defence from looking so extremely exposed.
He’s done about one cross field pass all season.
Oh how I long for the days earlier in the season when we adapted to the mediocre midfield, one that could not press nor protect the defense like before.
Just sit back, compact and counter ffs. We did it so well before the world cup.
For some reason Klopp thought they were all rested and he could go back to his relentless draining and pressing tactics with the high line.
He is a stubborn mofo.
Just sit back, compact and counter ffs. We did it so well before the world cup.
For some reason Klopp thought they were all rested and he could go back to his relentless draining and pressing tactics with the high line.
He is a stubborn mofo.
They haven't integrated ChatGPT4 into their data science model yet. That's why they're still using ancient tactics.
Fix the midfield and VVD will look a lot better. He is not going back to his imperial colossal best though. He cannot play the high line near the center line anymore.
Not saying VVD and Salah are bad players. It is a value for money question. We are paying them like they are the best in their positions. Which they are not and will not be for the next few years.
We dont know that yet. Lets see next season.
He's done at least one per half in every game I reckon. Probably more.
They’ll never reach those peaks again. Father Time has spoken.
You’d be wrong.
In all comps when started together this season with Virgil (given that Virgil has missed all the games in the EFL & FA cup along with a handful of league games)
Virgil + Ibou - P9 W5 D0 L4
Virgil + Matip - P9 W5 D3 L1
Virgil + Gomez - P14 W8 D1 L5
We’ve had some really really bad results when Virgil hasn’t played, both 3-0 losses to Brighton & Wolves…the 2-1 loss to Brighton in FA cup, the 2-2 at home to Wolves.
Virgil when started, 32 games 18 wins 4 draws 9 losses.
Still not great but fact remains we're better with him than not.
Virgil + Ibou - P9 W5 D0 L4
Virgil + Matip - P9 W5 D3 L1
Virgil + Gomez - P14 W8 D1 L5
We’ve had some really really bad results when Virgil hasn’t played, both 3-0 losses to Brighton & Wolves…the 2-1 loss to Brighton in FA cup, the 2-2 at home to Wolves.
Virgil when started, 32 games 18 wins 4 draws 9 losses.
Still not great but fact remains we're better with him than not.
I suppose the point is, although Virgil's not the most pressing of problems, we do need to accept that he's not the superhuman CB we first signed. That version was transformational/generational. The current one is very good. He no longer has the pace or the agility to monster over attacking players with easy and has to adjust his game as a result. He needs to find some love of completing the dirty work, completing blocks, getting in tackles, etc. At the moment I feel he's still playing in his head as if he was still VVD from 2019, and wondering why it's not working. He's going to what he is now physically capable of, and that may well be a tough thing for a professional athlete to come to terms with, but it is what it is.
Nope
He's also playing (like the rest of the defence) like they have the midfield from 2019-2022 infront of them. Which they obviously dont have this season.
The high line isnt working because the press game and the team as unit arent working. You cant play that high line when there is zero pressure from midfield and the opposition have all the time in the World to either pass the ball or walk right through it. Any defence would look like a shambles with those working conditions. Blaming the defenders is the easy way out when they are constantly getting set up for failure.
You could see that quite clearly against City. The press game working ok in the first half and we look alright. Completely off in the second and we are just hanging on to save our lives.
Fix the midfield and Virgil will look like the boss he is next season.
This summer we should be spending most of our kitty on the midfield. Replacing Fabinho as the spine and link between midfield and defence must be the priority, and add 2 more midfielders to set us up with the energy and drive that we need.
We're currently playing Klopp football but with maybe 7 or 8 Klopp type players of the 11 starting.
2022 was the year that broke everyone's backs. Not literally, but i think when you've come so close to winning it all, and then fall flat, a part of you just wanna pack it in and go on a very long vacation far, far away.
I just don't see it any more. He's got a bad case of the Owens - too scared to go full pelt any more.
At city he was passive and backed off. Yes, thats bad, but thats not where my concerns lie. He cannot deal with pace any more, and our high line allows that to be exploited horribly. Against bournemouth he was caught out again and again by pace from Outtara. Against Forest he was flat footed. Leeds he was on the back foot against Gnonto and Harrison.
His pace has gone, and the sooner we acknowledge that we need to either 1) change our defensive style, or 2) Aim to replace VVD within 2 years, the better position we will be in.
100% this. He's still our best defender but he's no longer infallible and increasingly passive.
If we're not trying to recruit his successor in the next two windows, I don't know what we're doing other than not learning lessons.
And if someone were to knock our doors off with a huge offer, we should be strongly considering it.
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