Liverpool FC Forum

I think our away form is what is currently the difference between us being a good side and a top side.
Our all out attack tactics work fantastically well at home.  The crowd is behind the team, the team is well up for the game and we always seem to get the rub of the green.  Not from refs or anything, just getting that extra bit of luck that you sometimes get at home.  We're absolutely ruthless and have destroyed many teams.  Its a joy to watch.

Its different away from home though.  We don't have the crowd behind us as much, we've played on some dodgy pitches, we often tend to miss the early chance or 2 that could change the game.  Things just don't seem to work out as well for us. 
We sometimes get away with it against the lower teams but not against the top teams. 

We've being knocked out of the carling cup away to United.  Knocked out of the FA Cup away to Arsenal.  And our title challenge or top 4 challenge would be going even much better than it is had we of drawn with City and Chelsea away over xmas. 

We played really well in those 4 games.  Possibly could have won them all or at least drawn.  Somehow we've lost them all though and its somewhat damaged our season. 

Can't really put my finger on what it is that we do wrong.  Perhaps just a bit tactically naive at times.  A fully fit defence would possibly help too.  If we can find that formula to win consistently away from home we would almost definitely be title challengers and challenging for trophies.

I think it's more to do with us having a tendency to ship soft goals away from home, against United in the league cup we conceded from a corner straight after half time when we were still half asleep, against city in the league Mingolet made a meal of that attempted lob, against Chelsea Eto'o scored that untidy, scrambled effort etc.
If there is one area of the team that doesn't seem to travel well it's our defence, we have conceded 23 away goals in just 13 away fixtures this season and that works out at a shade under 2 goals a game, that means our strikers on average have to score basically 3 goals away from home if we want the 3 points, that's asking an awful lot.
With our attacking style we are never going to be watertight at the back because we commit so many players forward but if we cut out the stupid individual errors we'd probably half that goals conceded figure.
We are the best team to watch in the country so it's not a doom and gloom thing but if we want to win the biggest prizes in the game our defence has to improve.

A keeper, two top defenders and a top centre midfielder will sort us right out.

As yakka said, we concede far to many goals.

But then that's what happens when you have players like Johnson, Skrtel, Cissokho and Mignolet in the back line.

ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Mon Feb 17, 2014 11:55 am wrote:I think it's more to do with us having a tendency to ship soft goals away from home, against United in the league cup we conceded from a corner straight after half time when we were still half asleep, against city in the league Mingolet made a meal of that attempted lob, against Chelsea Eto'o scored that untidy, scrambled effort etc.
If there is one area of the team that doesn't seem to travel well it's our defence, we have conceded 23 away goals in just 13 away fixtures this season and that works out at a shade under 2 goals a game, that means our strikers on average have to score basically 3 goals away from home if we want the 3 points, that's asking an awful lot.
With our attacking style we are never going to be watertight at the back because we commit so many players forward but if we cut out the stupid individual errors we'd probably half that goals conceded figure.
We are the best team to watch in the country so it's not a doom and gloom thing but if we want to win the biggest prizes in the game our defence has to improve.

spot on yakka.

Stu the Red » Mon Feb 17, 2014 11:01 am wrote:A keeper, two top defenders and a top centre midfielder will sort us right out.

As yakka said, we concede far to many goals.

But then that's what happens when you have players like Johnson, Skrtel, Cissokho and Mignolet in the back line.

I agree with this, if we could have a keeper, two top defenders and a top centre midfielder we will be a team that win a lot of silverware. I wish the owners can see how close we are to being a fantastic side. I don't think we have been this close to being this good since the prem started.

kazza » Mon Feb 17, 2014 11:15 am wrote:

Stu the Red » Mon Feb 17, 2014 11:01 am wrote:A keeper, two top defenders and a top centre midfielder will sort us right out.

As yakka said, we concede far to many goals.

But then that's what happens when you have players like Johnson, Skrtel, Cissokho and Mignolet in the back line.

I agree with this, if we could have a keeper, two top defenders and a top centre midfielder we will be a team that win a lot of silverware. I wish the owners can see how close we are to being a fantastic side. I don't think we have been this close to being this good since the prem started.

I think ilori and sakho have the potential to be a fantastic CB pairing

Stu the Red » Mon Feb 17, 2014 11:01 am wrote:A keeper, two top defenders and a top centre midfielder will sort us right out.

As yakka said, we concede far to many goals.

But then that's what happens when you have players like Johnson, Skrtel, Cissokho and Mignolet in the back line.

I just don't see that happening to be honest. 
We've heavily invested at CB with Sakho and Llori and in goal with Mignolet. 
Don't see us spending big in those positions again. 

Think we'll sign another fullback though.

jacdaniel » Mon Feb 17, 2014 12:54 pm wrote:

Stu the Red » Mon Feb 17, 2014 11:01 am wrote:A keeper, two top defenders and a top centre midfielder will sort us right out.

As yakka said, we concede far to many goals.

But then that's what happens when you have players like Johnson, Skrtel, Cissokho and Mignolet in the back line.

I just don't see that happening to be honest. 
We've heavily invested at CB with Sakho and Llori and in goal with Mignolet. 
Don't see us spending big in those positions again. 

Think we'll sign another fullback though.

And its safe to say Mignolet has been a major f*ck up and, Ilori hasn't even kicked a ball in a red shirt and Sahko has spent most of the season on the bench.

Sahko needs to get fit and establish himself, Ilori needs to play a game and see if he's up to it, I suspect not of he wouldn't be out on loan when Skrtel is costing us two goals a game (played a major part in both goals against yesterday AGAIN due to disgraceful positional play) and quite frankly we need to get Enrique fit and sign a right back. We've been linked with Richards, which wouldn't be a bad signing as he's quick, strong and good in the air. Just a question mark over his positional play and attitude.

Debuchy would be good though Newcastle will charge a hell lot.

Work in progress. Rodgers ideal team and philosophy is clearly not fully implemented. I'm delighted with the progress we have made under his leadership. I am really confident he will bring back success to this club.

First job is re-qualification for the CL, once those cash flows come back in - the real squad investment happens. Look what he has done with a limited budget, consider where we could be once investment levels raise.

SouthCoastShankly » Mon Feb 17, 2014 2:59 pm wrote:Work in progress. Rodgers ideal team and philosophy is clearly not fully implemented. I'm delighted with the progress we have made under his leadership. I am really confident he will bring back success to this club.

First job is re-qualification for the CL, once those cash flows come back in - the real squad investment happens. Look what he has done with a limited budget, consider where we could be once investment levels raise.

A limited budget?

Are you for real?

Allen, £15,000,000
Borini, £10,400,000
Sahko, £17,000,000
Alberto, £6,500,000
Ilori £7,000,000
Aspas £7,000,000

Hardly f*cking buttons is it?

None of those players have improved our team. Allen is a decent enough player but we could manage without him, Borini is league one standard at best and the rest, while they "might be young and need time" have so far contributed as much to our season as myself personally.

You are quite simply, one clueless mother f*cker!

Stu the Red » Mon Feb 17, 2014 3:54 pm wrote:

SouthCoastShankly » Mon Feb 17, 2014 2:59 pm wrote:Work in progress. Rodgers ideal team and philosophy is clearly not fully implemented. I'm delighted with the progress we have made under his leadership. I am really confident he will bring back success to this club.

First job is re-qualification for the CL, once those cash flows come back in - the real squad investment happens. Look what he has done with a limited budget, consider where we could be once investment levels raise.

A limited budget?

Are you for real?

Allen, £15,000,000
Borini, £10,400,000
Sahko, £17,000,000
Alberto, £6,500,000
Ilori £7,000,000
Aspas £7,000,000

Hardly f*cking buttons is it?

None of those players have improved our team. Allen is a decent enough player but we could manage without him, Borini is league one standard at best and the rest, while they "might be young and need time" have so far contributed as much to our season as myself personally.

You are quite simply, one clueless mother f*cker!

Blimey, is it your time of the month or something? Talk about bi-polar.

Since when did "limited budget" mean "buttons", as you put it?

Since Rodgers arrived, if you compare our spend to our rivals only Arsenal have spent less. Man City, Chelsea and Man Utd have spent far more. Our transfer budget is clearly being limited, and as such we have a LIMITED BUDGET. Get it?

jacdaniel » Mon Feb 17, 2014 10:07 am wrote:I think our away form is what is currently the difference between us being a good side and a top side.
Our all out attack tactics work fantastically well at home.  The crowd is behind the team, the team is well up for the game and we always seem to get the rub of the green.  Not from refs or anything, just getting that extra bit of luck that you sometimes get at home.  We're absolutely ruthless and have destroyed many teams.  Its a joy to watch.

Its different away from home though.  We don't have the crowd behind us as much, we've played on some dodgy pitches, we often tend to miss the early chance or 2 that could change the game.  Things just don't seem to work out as well for us. 
We sometimes get away with it against the lower teams but not against the top teams. 

We've being knocked out of the carling cup away to United.  Knocked out of the FA Cup away to Arsenal.  And our title challenge or top 4 challenge would be going even much better than it is had we of drawn with City and Chelsea away over xmas. 

We played really well in those 4 games.  Possibly could have won them all or at least drawn.  Somehow we've lost them all though and its somewhat damaged our season. 

Can't really put my finger on what it is that we do wrong.  Perhaps just a bit tactically naive at times.  A fully fit defence would possibly help too.  If we can find that formula to win consistently away from home we would almost definitely be title challengers and challenging for trophies.

Chelsea City Arsenal all down to defensive and refereeing deficiencies. United just downright bad luck!

LFC spent just over £60m during the last two seasons. City spent £90m this season. I really don't know what else you can call our transfer budget other than limited. We paid £42m for Borini Sakho and Allen. Arsenal paid £42m for Ozil. I agree it is not peanuts but we aren't exactly shopping at Harrods but on the other hand we haven't limited ourselves to Aldi either. With a bit of luck if we get CL for next season we might just venture into Harvey Nichs 

There's no way BR and his team can use the excuse of not having enough money to spend. We've got players like Borini, Ilori, Aspas and Alberto who are either on loan or not getting playing time. I' believe that a purchase should be better than what the squad already has but clearly Liverpool doesn't follow logic. We've got Suso on loan, and Joao Carlos who gets sent on against Fulham while we're seeking the winner instead of Aspas. Says a lot about how that transfer has turned out. Not forgetting, the strange case of Assaidi. If Alberto and Aspas aren't gonna be used much, give that playing opportunities to Suso, Ibe and Joao Carlos. Use the money elsewhere where it's needed (defensive midfielder/right back).

A positive person may think that FSG is simply awaiting ECL qualification before letting the money loose but that's honestly stupid. We've got the best chance at top 4 in a long while, hence all the more we should get solid players who could walk into the first eleven such as Debuchy to enhance our chances! I do have to say though, I find it so ironic that the most heavily invested on area is actually the worse in our team - the defense.

Lest we forget, we have perhaps the most incompetent management in England. From Rick Parry to Purslow and now Ayre. What kind of idiot leaves negotiations to the last day of the window when one is dealing with a notoriously difficult owner from Dnipro? Only Liverpool does that. The list is long, from Vidic to Cristiano Ronaldo and the numerous players Spurs had gotten off us. Not forgetting how Chelsea simply did the Salah deal within a day or two. He may be a poor purchase eventually but that's not the point, the point is, those in charge of negotiations aren't good enough seeing that they took 2 months to have fruitless negotiations.

I don't think it's the away form that's holding us back that much compared to the amateurish transfer committee we have. The team is really good and we should be really thankful players like Sterling and Flanagan are playing some superb football. On our day, we can beat anyone. Everyone knows that.