Post Match West Ham (H) 2-1 Sunday 13th April
- Thread starter dee
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Jones can get in the bin. He’s not good enough.
He's not consistent enough.
Respectfully, it's an open forum not a private conversation between you and your colleague.
Ahh, we are all Liverpool fans and I don't mean to come across as antsi. I've been on the forum for ages but rarely post. Just struggling to see the negativity but I will stick to silent again. We are gonna win the league again!
And therein lies where you completely miss the point with myopic, everything is perfect, backward thinking bollocks.
It's most definitely a first world problem when we've got the league wrapped up so early we can argue with each other about how we should be best preparing for next year's title run.
So, to be clear: I'm thrilled for this season (and the three points today) but preemptively irate about our prep for next season until proven otherwise.
So, to be clear: I'm thrilled for this season (and the three points today) but preemptively irate about our prep for next season until proven otherwise.
You're absolutely right and you're welcome to join in at any time. Genuinely.
My point is that you jumped onto one post of mine that was part of a pages long back and forth with one particular bloke, and reacted to it without understanding the context of the entire conversation. I didn't just post "Everything is shite, 'coz everybody is knackered!" - I was making a larger point, that you missed completely.
Ironically, I'm actually very anti-negativity myself, too - We're pissing the league, for goodness sake! But I do agree with the point several lads have made that we should be rotating more, now that the league is basically won, and many of the regularly starters look worn out. That's the convo that you caught the tail end of...
What? Why? Please expand on this..?
There’s probably a part of this that revolves around other teams figuring out a better way of playing against us that at the start of the season.
I certainly feel like we’ve been up against more “low block” types of teams, or to be more specific, teams that have copied the “Forest Method” of getting a result against us.
Also, I know he’s pretty close to being Public Enemy No. 1, but we miss Trent’s creativity from time to time.
We just seem flat - like last season, partly fatigue, partly it feels like we lose a bit of belief when we start to drop out of competitions - or a bit of heart or even we get “the fear” so stop playing as expansively and go into a sort of safety reset mode.
Feels like teams know that if they keep it tight for 65 minutes, we’ll drop off or let frustration get the better of us.
Whatever… it feels like it all stems from the 9 & 10 positions offering very little - Jota, Darwin, Dom - from either a creative city, linking or scoring point of view.
Complacency is the other word I’d use - like we’re being professional and all that, but the players know the leagues been won for weeks but there’s fuck all else to play for.
I mean, effectively we’re the same as last season, in that we’ve just continually found ways to win matches when we are dominating - until we didn’t and even the matches we’ve lost, we weren’t that far off taking something out of those games.
Also - it’s not a new thing - feels like it’s been an ongoing problem for years.
That saying, I don’t see why we can’t be in the mix next season as one of only a few teams capable of hitting the 80+ points mark that gives you a shout if winning a league.
We need additional players - but not loads and more importantly we need players Slot wants to use.
I certainly feel like we’ve been up against more “low block” types of teams, or to be more specific, teams that have copied the “Forest Method” of getting a result against us.
Also, I know he’s pretty close to being Public Enemy No. 1, but we miss Trent’s creativity from time to time.
We just seem flat - like last season, partly fatigue, partly it feels like we lose a bit of belief when we start to drop out of competitions - or a bit of heart or even we get “the fear” so stop playing as expansively and go into a sort of safety reset mode.
Feels like teams know that if they keep it tight for 65 minutes, we’ll drop off or let frustration get the better of us.
Whatever… it feels like it all stems from the 9 & 10 positions offering very little - Jota, Darwin, Dom - from either a creative city, linking or scoring point of view.
Complacency is the other word I’d use - like we’re being professional and all that, but the players know the leagues been won for weeks but there’s fuck all else to play for.
I mean, effectively we’re the same as last season, in that we’ve just continually found ways to win matches when we are dominating - until we didn’t and even the matches we’ve lost, we weren’t that far off taking something out of those games.
Also - it’s not a new thing - feels like it’s been an ongoing problem for years.
That saying, I don’t see why we can’t be in the mix next season as one of only a few teams capable of hitting the 80+ points mark that gives you a shout if winning a league.
We need additional players - but not loads and more importantly we need players Slot wants to use.
Well not too silent I hope. You have some pertinent and logical observations.
I don’t understand the level to which a couple players have been excluded. It is one of the things that concerns me most about Slot.
As a club we invest in players for a few seasons and can’t / won’t chop and change every summer if things don’t work out exactly right.
With Klopp “making it work” or holding on to players went to one extreme, I hope we are not at the other now where players are essentially ostracized.
Gravy, for example, has had a mediocre second half to the season and Endo could’ve been given a few more opportunities. Elliot could’ve been utilized as a sub more, particularly when you consider some of the stinkers Szobo has phoned in. Robbo has not deserved his preferential status and Tsimi could’ve been rotated in more in the latter stages of season.
Minor complaints perhaps given where we are and maybe Endo and Elliot are simply the exception to the rule for whatever reason… we will know more next season. Hopefully not an issue.
As a club we invest in players for a few seasons and can’t / won’t chop and change every summer if things don’t work out exactly right.
With Klopp “making it work” or holding on to players went to one extreme, I hope we are not at the other now where players are essentially ostracized.
Gravy, for example, has had a mediocre second half to the season and Endo could’ve been given a few more opportunities. Elliot could’ve been utilized as a sub more, particularly when you consider some of the stinkers Szobo has phoned in. Robbo has not deserved his preferential status and Tsimi could’ve been rotated in more in the latter stages of season.
Minor complaints perhaps given where we are and maybe Endo and Elliot are simply the exception to the rule for whatever reason… we will know more next season. Hopefully not an issue.
Yes. But Trent's creativity is more about those raking passes on the break so not so sure how much his stats show he much he can help beat a low block. FKs aside and there's not many of them (and Mac is just as good).
I think that has a lot to do with it. We've been moving away from Arsenal and the CL exit has definitely affected us. Some of the heart has gone. New players will help us recover that.
Some of this is on Slot. Nunez may have been a PITA at times but he scored and importantly assisted Salah. That said the G per min and A per min are almost identical in every respect for Diaz, Gakpo and Nunez with Jota a (very little) ahead in both. Nunez has lost heart too - early season he was full of energy, now he knows he's on his way.
I think Szobo was just going through a purple patch - he's now reverted to the norm and he's never going to be a prolific scorer for us.
Hopefully Jota and Nunez will be sold and two replacements could rejuvenate the front line.
I came across and interesting stat the other day : the average points required to win the PL is 89.5 however that includes all of 115's and without them it is much lower. This season we'll be around the 90 points mark - far more than what would be required without 115.
Looking to next season, I'd be surprised if we couldn't match this season (85-90 points) with reinforcements in the LB, RB and front line. City will improve but they aren't going to be at heyday levels and Arsenal have a lot of work to do to add 10 pts to their total this season (last 5 seasons : max 81 pts this, 89, 84, 69, & 61) to get up to 85-90 (they've hit 90 points once, ever, and all of their highest points totals were in the early 2000s, 90, 87, 84x2 etc).
We could and should be in the mix again next season ... and it'll be those 3 teams again.
I can understand his view as it's the same as mine. This is the time we should start rotating and resting players so knocks aren't picked up, which could impact next season. Arguably we should be playing some of our maligned players to try and force them to either 1) impress slot, or 2) impress potential suitors. Hard to get top dollar for the cobweb covered tat you hide in the corner.
Ultimately the ease of which this titles been won has probably led some (like myself) to focus more on how we can prepare ourselves for a title defence, and also focus on the part aof our play that I'd like to be cut out, or additions to it.
When was the last time you saw one of our midfielders play this kind of pass?
View: https://x.com/TheAnfieldWrap/status/1910996322804457750
View: https://x.com/TheAnfieldWrap/status/1910996322804457750
Below bar team performance, but 3 points meant everything! Slot second half substitutions were not positive and useless, especially Gakpo, and Szobo, and the latter has never touched a ball! The new contract Salah was very bad! The outstanding players were Jones, Daiz, Mecca, and Ali.
The whole players looked so tired, bad passing, ball control, no team play!, We just hope they could get us over the line and win the league. Good Luck
The whole players looked so tired, bad passing, ball control, no team play!, We just hope they could get us over the line and win the league. Good Luck
We need a creative midfielder
I’m not entirely convinced that Slot plays with the sort of creative midfielder you’d like.
I don’t know enough about the Dutch league and players there - but I don’t think I’m seeing Slot teams built round individual creative brilliance.
Which would suggest the reason as to why Harvey hasn’t had a look in.
I'm not even after someone who offers creativity and nothing else. I want someone who at least has it in their locker. Closest we've got is Macca and he's deeper than I'd like.
Macca should be playing in that 10 role, he has terrific vision and has a knack of ghosting into the box. Look at what he has achieved for Argentina there. Sure, he's not as naturally quick and fit like Szob, but it's April and Macca is still delivering the goods while Szob has been invisible for a couple of months now. Pair Gravenburch up with another physical midfield presence like Thuram and we'd be purring next season.
StevieM doesn’t ever think we are knackered.
Which is better than hoping we get beat, I suppose.
I’m glad we have one of the two big trophies this season vs going close and ultimately coming up short again like other seasons.
Gonna be some celebration.
Exactly this.
"Irate" was mostly tongue in cheek but I'd like us to freshen things up, as I feel the performances will actually improve.
Plus we'll reduce wear and tear on our key players and find out if our bench players can actually contribute or put them in the shop window.
I just don't see what the benefit is in attritionally grinding away with the same players when they're no longer as effective and when it's all but a mathematical certainty we're going to win the title.
I think we need to win the title asap. I know it's virtually certain but if it goes beyond the Spurs game it suddenly becomes slightly iffy, because Chelsea away and Arsenal at Anfield are two tough games in a row. Just get it done. I can't handle it dragging on to the last 2 games.
No disagreement. But I'm not sure we're any less likely to do it while giving some minutes to other players, based on how a few folks are playing at the moment.
Hes gone from a manager loving him, and leaving saying "I wish I played him more", to a manager borderline refusing to acknowledge his presence.
Poor kid deserves better
