Liverpool FC Forum

[Reg]

Herr Klopp would do well to heed the words of a journalist from The Times assessing England's performance in the World Cup:


Forgive me if I beg to differ, a little. Gareth Southgate, in his waistcoat, did the front-of-house stuff with great charm. He also inculcated a team spirit in his disparate, largely youngish squad. He reached the semi-finals — one stage further than the bottom line demanded by the FA, before our route had been eased by the removal of Brazil, Germany, Spain, Portugal and Argentina. Yet, still, he behaved with dignity and good humour. Quite what he said to his side at each half-time, mind, is a mystery, for there was a distinct pattern to England’s games: good first half, shocking second. The suspicion is he is tactically not very adept and cannot respond to change. Other sides use the interval to amend their formations, as Croatia, Sweden, Colombia and even Panama did. He never had a plan B, was incapable of reacting. And his substitutions might have been more effective had he consulted Mystic Marcus.

To state the obvious the above applied to Klopp how many times last season? Next season I'd like to see LFC play each game with evidence of pre-determined game plans for each half. The objective in the first half against Chelsea away is 'A'. If successful, at half time we make the following tactical or player changes and our objective is 'B'. If we don't achieve objective 'A' by half time we switch to plan/objective 'C'. How many times did we find ourselves in trouble last season with a bunch of kids on the bench? What is our plan to beat the park the bus teams? Why weren't we able to change the plan to beat Bournemouth, Swansea etc..?

Now we have the players, we need to use them intelligently. We need Klopp to beef up his technical team - it's the designers that win a Formula 1 race not the driver - he just executes the plan.

It's difficult to get to the top in British and European football, it also shows that once you have the winning formula, don't change it (ManU and Arsenal long term managers) and if you do for some crazy reason chop and change your manager the massive cost in reestablishing yourself at the top - Ciy, ManU, LFC etc..

Big season ahead lads... for goodness sake I hope we overspend on bringing good players in rather than under spend. 

[Ghost of Shankly]

I think we are more or less done in terms of transfers this window.. Klopp said he would be signing keita, plus "one or two more". We now have three signings, I'm only expecting us to get one more, max. Either a keeper if a suitable one can be found, or Nabil Fekir.

He may not now go for Fekir after signing Shaqiri who can fulfil a similar role in our squad, and keepers like Alisson may be too expensive. So that could be that in terms of new additions. Klopp I feel will pay big money for the right players to fit his system of high intensity football,the missing pieces of his "Jigsaw" so to speak.

After last season, where we finished 4th and got to the CL final with a thin squad, an average midfield and a poor goalkeeper, then surely this season should be a huge improvement with the additions we have made. A lot depends on how new boys keita and Fabinho take to the intensity of the Premier league.

But we could well finish second this season if everything clicks and another good run in the champions league,is what I am expecting. Hopefully we can push Man City all the way and finish above Man Utd.

[Reg]

You're probably right. But to go into the new season with an error prone goalie is like putting a mill stone round the neck of the defenders. They'd have to stay 3 yards further back than they'd like to be so it's a false economy as it would impact midfield and up front. We need to enter the season as strongly as possible.

[Ghost of Shankly]

Let's just see what happens over the next three weeks until the transfer window closes matey, I'm sure Klopp is eyeing up potential targets if anything suitable is available.

We do need to mount a serious title challenge this season though, with that I agree 100%. It's a results business and we all want to see some.

[7_Kewell]

Has been a fantastic transfer window, with some high class talent coming in through the door. The goalkeeper (and hopefully Fekir) will be the final pieces of the jigsaw. Can't remember the last time we had a squad this strong.

[eds]

Our starting XI will most likely be:


            Mane              Firmino           Salah (VC)

                                   Fekir 

                       Keita              Fabinho

Robertson         Van Dijk (C)       Matip       Clyne

                                  Allison

Subs: Mignolet, Alexander-Arnold, Lovren, Wijnaldum, Shaqiri

Extra Squad: Ox, Milner, Henderson, Lallana, Sturridge, Klavan & Gruijic (send Woodburn, Ojo, Kent and Gomez out on loans)

We need to get rid of the following: Ings, Solanke, Origi, Moreno, Chirivella, Karius, Allan and Markovic (how the f**k is he still here!)

The only extra cover we need is a attacking winger or striker, in case we lose either Mane or Bobby for an extended period of time.

Should be good enough to challenge City for the title though.

   

[Ghost of Shankly]

At least Klopp has addressed the issues from last season :
1. The goalkeeping position.
2. The back up for our strikers.
3. The lack of quality/ creativity in midfield.
4. The lack of strength / Depth in the overall squad.

We now have two players in every position, I'd use Sturridge and Shaqiri as back up for our strikers.

It seems we on the verge of a great season this year.

[ycsatbjywtbiastkamb]

The 2018/19 football season officially kicks off tonight with the Derby v Reading game.
Given Harry Wilson is at Derby I hope they do well this year, hard to dislike Lampard as well, I know he played for Chelsea but he's always come across as a decent level headed lad.

[Eagle]

The 2018/19 football season officially kicks off tonight with the Derby v Reading game.
Given Harry Wilson is at Derby I hope they do well this year, hard to dislike Lampard as well, I know he played for Chelsea but he's always come across as a decent level headed lad.

Apart from the gang bang sex tape and mocking american american tourists about 9/11! I do like him as a pundit though. Untested as a manger but hopefully Derby will have a good season with Wilson at the forefront.

[johnbarnes]

For all obvious reasons, the expectation will go through the roof this season.
HOWEVER - Now is the time to rally the troops around what the club has built and to keep together as a club.
Personally, I think this season is 12 months too soon.
IMO - 2019/20 is the start of a new RED DAWN... Still looking forward to this season and hope we maintain our top 4 status!
The best things come to those who what.

[ycsatbjywtbiastkamb]

The 2018/19 football season officially kicks off tonight with the Derby v Reading game.
Given Harry Wilson is at Derby I hope they do well this year, hard to dislike Lampard as well, I know he played for Chelsea but he's always come across as a decent level headed lad.

Apart from the gang bang sex tape and mocking american american tourists about 9/11! I do like him as a pundit though. Untested as a manger but hopefully Derby will have a good season with Wilson at the forefront.

9/11 was 17 years ago, he was still a kid when that all happened (20/21), he matured into a very good player and a player who said all the right things.

[parchpea]

28 years since our last title, I was age 21 and never imagined I would be here without another close to my 50th birthday. We don't talk about it really because it hurts and its embarrassing for a club like Liverpool.

Part of being a fan is dreaming but more than that this season we've invested to win it, expecting to be champions not just hoping.

We will need luck with injuries for once and Klopp must manage rotation well, keeping players fresh and hungry whilst still winning games.

We are at our best with momentum so a fast start is crucial.

[Ghost of Shankly]

I think Man Utd went 27 years without winning the title or something, as they won stuff all in the 1970s and 1980s, and our time will surely come.

I'm not expecting Man City to hit 100 points again, they just had a faultless season just like when Leicester won it. I'm expecting city to drop more points this time.

We just have to capitalise, and we have to start well, as you can't afford to drop many points along the way or draw 12 games like we did last time if you want to lift the title.

We normally finish a season strongly, the difference this time is we have to start strongly and keep pace with the leaders all the way. If we are within touching distance of top spot come around April time we have a great chance.

[ycsatbjywtbiastkamb]

I think Man Utd went 27 years without winning the title or something, as they won stuff all in the 1970s and 1980s, and our time will surely come.

I'm not expecting Man City to hit 100 points again, they just had a faultless season just like when Leicester won it. I'm expecting city to drop more points this time.

We just have to capitalise, and we have to start well, as you can't afford to drop many points along the way or draw 12 games like we did last time if you want to lift the title.

We normally finish a season strongly, the difference this time is we have to start strongly and keep pace with the leaders all the way. If we are within touching distance of top spot come around April time we have a great chance.

I tend to agree re City getting 100 points, they won a lot of games last year with last gasp goals (particularly early on in the season) and a lot of things went their way (like Mane getting sent off and Palace missing a last minute pen).
I also feel teams were genuinely frightened of them and gave them way too much respect, when we beat them at Anfield it seemed to give other teams the confidence to have a go at them, not long after we beat them United came back from 2-0 down to beat them.
They will still be the team to beat and they will probably win it but I think they'll have to work a lot harder for their points this season. I don't think teams will roll over as easily as they did last year.

[redshade]

This season will be an interesting one i also got a glitch Arsenal will push strong for a top 4 finish.