Liverpool FC Forum

[Eagle]

I thought the CL final just about summed Lallana up, the moment he came onto the pitch our performance level dropped significantly. I put him in a similar bracket to Ings and Solanke, they are all nice enough lads but when they are on the pitch our attack misses something, we just don't click.

Not sure that's quite fair. He came on for our best player. A guy who has been scoring goals for fun. The PL player of the year. There was always going to be a big drop off. He also wasn't playing in his best position.

Last season was a write off for him but the Lallana of the 16/17 season who pushed forward from a midfield position to link with the attack would be a big asset to us. He was really good that season and even got voted as England's best player of the year.

[aCe']

I thought the CL final just about summed Lallana up, the moment he came onto the pitch our performance level dropped significantly. I put him in a similar bracket to Ings and Solanke, they are all nice enough lads but when they are on the pitch our attack misses something, we just don't click.

I agree, he should never be asked to play as one of the front 3 again. In a central midfield role he can (think 2 seasons ago) prove to be a very important piece for us especially in games we expect to win. He is better on the ball than any of our other midfielders (Keita possibly the exception?), makes more attacking runs than anyone else, presses the ball with more intensity and still has the discipline to track back and support defensively. He is closer to the De Bruyne-Silva mold than Shaqiri and Keita are.

[ycsatbjywtbiastkamb]

I thought the CL final just about summed Lallana up, the moment he came onto the pitch our performance level dropped significantly. I put him in a similar bracket to Ings and Solanke, they are all nice enough lads but when they are on the pitch our attack misses something, we just don't click.

I agree, he should never be asked to play as one of the front 3 again. In a central midfield role he can (think 2 seasons ago) prove to be a very important piece for us especially in games we expect to win. He is better on the ball than any of our other midfielders (Keita possibly the exception?), makes more attacking runs than anyone else, presses the ball with more intensity and still has the discipline to track back and support defensively. He is closer to the De Bruyne-Silva mold than Shaqiri and Keita are.

You mean when he was smack bang in the middle of his prime? Even then he wasn't that good, he still fell on his @rse a lot and flattered to deceive (i.e no end product) He's 30 now, injury prone and has only played sporadically over the last 18 months, if our hopes of overhauling City rest on his shoulders we are well f**ked.
He's been at the club 4 years now and has never really nailed down a starting role in the team (even though those years coincided with his 26-30 footballing prime). That pretty much says it all.

[Fowler_E7]

I agree with Ace, Lallana is a good player playing as part of the central 3, he presses well, has vision, skill and offers a goal threat, in 2016/2017 he was one our best players after Klopp dropped him into the deeper position. I never rated him as part of the front 3 and he shouldnt be getting any minutes in that position again for us as far as im concerned but im happy to have him as a midfield option, he can take the Ox's attacking central midfield spot.

What remains to be seen though is if Lallana can rediscover his 16/17 form, he's looked way off the pace since coming back from injury last year however if he can rediscover that kind of form he will be an excellent asset to the squad.

[Ghost of Shankly]

I thought the CL final just about summed Lallana up, the moment he came onto the pitch our performance level dropped significantly. I put him in a similar bracket to Ings and Solanke, they are all nice enough lads but when they are on the pitch our attack misses something, we just don't click.

I agree, he should never be asked to play as one of the front 3 again. In a central midfield role he can (think 2 seasons ago) prove to be a very important piece for us especially in games we expect to win. He is better on the ball than any of our other midfielders (Keita possibly the exception?), makes more attacking runs than anyone else, presses the ball with more intensity and still has the discipline to track back and support defensively. He is closer to the De Bruyne-Silva mold than Shaqiri and Keita are.

You mean when he was smack bang in the middle of his prime? Even then he wasn't that good, he still fell on his @rse a lot and flattered to deceive (i.e no end product) He's 30 now, injury prone and has only played sporadically over the last 18 months, if our hopes of overhauling City rest on his shoulders we are well f**ked.
He's been at the club 4 years now and has never really nailed down a starting role in the team (even though those years coincided with his 26-30 footballing prime). That pretty much says it all.

Lallana, never been a fan of his. He does disappear in matches as well. With the Arrival of Keita and Fabinho as well,. I think he will struggle to get a regular place in the starting 11. It's only the injury to Ox that he is probably still at the club. Plus we have Hendo, Milner, Wjnaldum all vying for a starting place. Lallana at his age is on the decline and we have defo seen the best of him in the 16/17 season, as someone mentioned.

He hardly played last season, and we didn't miss him either...

If the Ox was still fit now, I think Lallana would be offloaded

A lot this season depends on our Midfield,We all know the attack and the Defense virtually picks itself, and klopps two main options are whether he decides to set it up DEFENSIVELY -With Fabinho, Keita and Milner (say versus City away), or play more ATTACKING (Versus the 'park the bus' teams like Burnley) with Keita, Shaqiri , Hendo etc etc. That will determine also how many games we draw etc.

[Eagle]

Lallana struggled to make an impact in his first two seasons which were the final full season under Rodgers were we finished 6th and the season when Rodgers got sacked and Klopp took over and we were hit and miss. But in the 16/17 season he was pushed back into midfield by Klopp and managed 8 goals and 7 assists in 27 league starts and 4 sub appearances. Only Firmino, Mane and Coutinho managed more goals and only Wijnaldum managed more assists. He was also one of the best at "gegenpressing" and often led it from midfield. He was a key part of us reaching the top 4 that season. If he's over his injuries he could be a real asset as a midfield option for us and I think he's numbers would improve further in a side which is much stronger than the 16/17 side.

[redshade]

Yup Lallana was instrumental under Klopp when he flourished. He was pivotal to our pressing system and did start to notch in goals.

His been off for a while so it depends if he can get back to his best or struggle. We will find out this season.

[Ghost of Shankly]

We will find out this season.

I don't think he will get much game Time this season matey. There are also still rumours circulating that we are about to land Fekir.

[damjan193]

Agreed about Lallana, useless in the front 3 but can do a job in midfield when in form. Deserves another crack in midfield IMO and the third midfield spot (the most attacking of the 3) is open for grabs for all non-new arrivals (if Chamberlain wasn't injured he would have been a no-brainer first pick, but now the position is open for everyone).

If it doesn't work out for Lallana, we still have Gini/Milner/Hendo, surely one of them will be capable of doing a good job. After all, we did reach the CL final with those 3 as starters.

[aCe']

I dont understand the negativity regarding Lallana. Surely everybody recognizes what he brought to the side before his injury. He was the perfect embodiment of Klopp's style and we missed him in the league last season imo. A midfield 3 of Henderson/Fabinho-Keita-Lallana is something I am looking forward to big time !

[ycsatbjywtbiastkamb]

I dont understand the negativity regarding Lallana. Surely everybody recognizes what he brought to the side before his injury. He was the perfect embodiment of Klopp's style and we missed him in the league last season imo. A midfield 3 of Henderson/Fabinho-Keita-Lallana is something I am looking forward to big time !

Lallana is a nearly man, he looks the part with his silky turns and flicks but there's no end product, he's been here 4 years and people point to one little spell where he was half decent (but not outstanding).
That spell of form was when he was 28 and slap bang in the middle of his footballing prime, he's over 30 now, injury prone and has barely played any footy over the last 18 months.
At no point in his Liverpool career has he made a shirt his own in the same way Luis, Phil, Sadio, Mo, Bobby and even the likes of Hendo and Skrtel did.
I hate slagging him off because he's a well spoken decent lad but he hasn't got it, we need players with attitude, you know when Bailly had hold of Shaquiri the other day and Shaquiri said 'f[uc]king 'geroff' and shoved him out the way? That's what we need, Lallana would have just flopped to the floor and stayed there.

[kazza]

I dont understand the negativity regarding Lallana. Surely everybody recognizes what he brought to the side before his injury. He was the perfect embodiment of Klopp's style and we missed him in the league last season imo. A midfield 3 of Henderson/Fabinho-Keita-Lallana is something I am looking forward to big time !

Lallana is a nearly man, he looks the part with his silky turns and flicks but there's no end product, he's been here 4 years and people point to one little spell where he was half decent (but not outstanding).
That spell of form was when he was 28 and slap bang in the middle of his footballing prime, he's over 30 now, injury prone and has barely played any footy over the last 18 months.
At no point in his Liverpool career has he made a shirt his own in the same way Luis, Phil, Sadio, Mo, Bobby and even the likes of Hendo and Skrtel did.
I hate slagging him off because he's a well spoken decent lad but he hasn't got it, we need players with attitude, you know when Bailly had hold of Shaquiri the other day and Shaquiri said 'f[uc]king 'geroff' and shoved him out the way? That's what we need, Lallana would have just flopped to the floor and stayed there.

Agreed and " Nearly Man" is a good way to put it. He has a great engine and puts more km than most on the pitch but I think now we need runners that offer a little more end product. Good lad as you said but we need more bite from our players if we want to win the league.

[Ghost of Shankly]

Any predictions folks of who Klopp will start with versus West Ham a week today, bearing in mind the great pre-season Shaqiri and Sturridge are having..

I expect West ham to park the bus a bit, so I'd go with....

                        Alisson
    TAA     Lovren      VVD     Robertson
                 
              Keita        Henderson
                   
                    Shaqiri

  Salah         Firmino        Mane


If it's not working after 65 mins or so, Bring Sturridge on For Firmino. If we are 3-0 up, Bring Fabinho on to tighten up at the back.

[UvS xR4GEx]

I can't see him playing Henderson as he's just come back today.. I think he'll play that team but with Fabinho instead of Jordan.

[ycsatbjywtbiastkamb]

I don't think he'll play Henderson or Lovren, they've only just come back off their hols. Might be a bit too soon for Firmino as well, Saturday was his first run out since the World Cup.