Ambitions for the new season
Posted: Mon Aug 07, 2017 10:31 pm
So, quite a few people seem to be relatively sure that we'll struggle next season if we dont bring in 2 or 3 new players to improve on what we have.
To be honest, I think it's over exaggerated how far off we are from being a regular top4 side. Realistically, that's all we'll hope to be (same with Tottenham, Arsneal, and 14 other clubs in the league) unless we get billionaire owners who want to throw money at the club. Given the objective, I think what we're doing makes sense.
Our main issue last season was that we struggled to dominate and beat sides that are close to the bottom of the league. We did brilliantly against the top sides, undefeated against the top 8. Only one loss in 20 games against the top11, 6 defeats the entire season. In fact, even the 10 games we drew we probably should have gotten more from them.
Heres some facts people could probably do with remembering:
- Bournemouth are the only top10 side to score 2 or more goals against us in a game last season
- Our problems against the smaller sides were as much in attack as they were in defense. We dominated almost all the games we lost and missed significantly more chances than the opposition. See end of the post for more on this.
- We only lost one game when Matip & Lovren started in defense. Most of the goals we conceded were either counter attacks or crosses (Lovren imo is a very good CB and there arent many I'd take ahead of him, Van Dijk would be a huge addition for us mainly because of how dominant he is aerially).
- We only lost 2 games when both Mane and Coutinho have played some part. Some of our worst performances have come when one or both have missed the game, Salah should improve on that.
Bottom line is this, if we keep Coutinho and add Van Dijk and Salah, we'd have improved significantly from last season imo. Moreno is a year older and no one sees more of him than Klopp does. If he thinks he's improved over the past 12 months and is ready for a starting spot then I'd take his word for it. He's quick and can defend when hes on form. His problems where always with his concentration and defensive awareness (both things that can be improved on by managers, Danny Rose is a good example). We also have Sturridge and Henderson back so that should add to the competition for places in the side. Some are saying the squad is thin ? I think we need to trim it down.
Starting 11:
Mignolet
Clyne
VVD
Matip
Moreno
Henderson
Wijnaldum
Lallana
Coutinho
Mane
Firmino
2nd 11:
Karius
TAA
Lovren
Sakho
Robertson
Can
Milner
Woodburn
Salah
Sturridge
Origi
Others:
Ward
J.Gomez
Klavan
Flanagan
Grujic
Markovic
Kent
Solanke
Ings
Ojo
Brannagan
Ejaria
Allan
Burnley (away) 2-0
- No Mane
- Klavan at CB, no Matip
- 80%+ possession, 26 shots (burnley 3), 5 on target (burnley 2)
Bournemouth (away) 4-3
- Mane subbed off at 69mins with us winning 1-3
- Lucas at CB, no Matip
- No Lallana, no Coutinho
-They scored 3 in last 15mins
- 60%+ possession, 2 clearcut chances missed -0 to Bournemouth
West Ham (home) 2-2
- No Coutinho
- 67%+ possession, 19 shots (West Ham 8)
Sunderland (away) 2-2
- No Coutinho
- Klavan at CB, no Matip
- conceded from 2 penalties (equalizer in 84th min) after taking forward off and bringing Lucas on
- 70%+ possession, 21 shots (Sunderland 10), 15 on target (Sunderland 5), 2 clearcut chances missed -0 to Sunderland
Swansea (away) 3-2
- No Mane
- Klavan at CB, no Matip
- 73%+ possession, 16 shots (Swans 6), 5 on target (Swans 3)
Hull (away) 2-0
- Lucas at CB, no Lovren
- 72%+ possession, 22 shots (Hull 7)
- Terrible game for us going forward, caught on counter twice
Leicester (away) 3-1
- Lucas at CB, no Lovren
- 70% possession, 17 shots (Leicester 14)
- Poor down both ends of the pitch
Bournemouth (home) 2-2
- No Mane
- Klavan at CB, no Matip to start
- No Lallana
-Coutinho subbed off for Matip at 69 mins at 2-1 - they scored equalizer in 87th minute
- 66%+ possession, 20 shots (Bournemouth 8), 8 on target (Bournemouth 2), 3 clearcut chances missed - 2 to Bournemouth
Crystal Palace(home) 1-2
- No Mane
- 3 at the back
- No Lallana
-Subs only made in last 10mins, terrible bench
- Conceded both goals from crosses
- 72%+ possession, 14 shots (CP 7)
To be honest, I think it's over exaggerated how far off we are from being a regular top4 side. Realistically, that's all we'll hope to be (same with Tottenham, Arsneal, and 14 other clubs in the league) unless we get billionaire owners who want to throw money at the club. Given the objective, I think what we're doing makes sense.
Our main issue last season was that we struggled to dominate and beat sides that are close to the bottom of the league. We did brilliantly against the top sides, undefeated against the top 8. Only one loss in 20 games against the top11, 6 defeats the entire season. In fact, even the 10 games we drew we probably should have gotten more from them.
Heres some facts people could probably do with remembering:
- Bournemouth are the only top10 side to score 2 or more goals against us in a game last season
- Our problems against the smaller sides were as much in attack as they were in defense. We dominated almost all the games we lost and missed significantly more chances than the opposition. See end of the post for more on this.
- We only lost one game when Matip & Lovren started in defense. Most of the goals we conceded were either counter attacks or crosses (Lovren imo is a very good CB and there arent many I'd take ahead of him, Van Dijk would be a huge addition for us mainly because of how dominant he is aerially).
- We only lost 2 games when both Mane and Coutinho have played some part. Some of our worst performances have come when one or both have missed the game, Salah should improve on that.
Bottom line is this, if we keep Coutinho and add Van Dijk and Salah, we'd have improved significantly from last season imo. Moreno is a year older and no one sees more of him than Klopp does. If he thinks he's improved over the past 12 months and is ready for a starting spot then I'd take his word for it. He's quick and can defend when hes on form. His problems where always with his concentration and defensive awareness (both things that can be improved on by managers, Danny Rose is a good example). We also have Sturridge and Henderson back so that should add to the competition for places in the side. Some are saying the squad is thin ? I think we need to trim it down.
Starting 11:
Mignolet
Clyne
VVD
Matip
Moreno
Henderson
Wijnaldum
Lallana
Coutinho
Mane
Firmino
2nd 11:
Karius
TAA
Lovren
Sakho
Robertson
Can
Milner
Woodburn
Salah
Sturridge
Origi
Others:
Ward
J.Gomez
Klavan
Flanagan
Grujic
Markovic
Kent
Solanke
Ings
Ojo
Brannagan
Ejaria
Allan
Burnley (away) 2-0
- No Mane
- Klavan at CB, no Matip
- 80%+ possession, 26 shots (burnley 3), 5 on target (burnley 2)
Bournemouth (away) 4-3
- Mane subbed off at 69mins with us winning 1-3
- Lucas at CB, no Matip
- No Lallana, no Coutinho
-They scored 3 in last 15mins
- 60%+ possession, 2 clearcut chances missed -0 to Bournemouth
West Ham (home) 2-2
- No Coutinho
- 67%+ possession, 19 shots (West Ham 8)
Sunderland (away) 2-2
- No Coutinho
- Klavan at CB, no Matip
- conceded from 2 penalties (equalizer in 84th min) after taking forward off and bringing Lucas on
- 70%+ possession, 21 shots (Sunderland 10), 15 on target (Sunderland 5), 2 clearcut chances missed -0 to Sunderland
Swansea (away) 3-2
- No Mane
- Klavan at CB, no Matip
- 73%+ possession, 16 shots (Swans 6), 5 on target (Swans 3)
Hull (away) 2-0
- Lucas at CB, no Lovren
- 72%+ possession, 22 shots (Hull 7)
- Terrible game for us going forward, caught on counter twice
Leicester (away) 3-1
- Lucas at CB, no Lovren
- 70% possession, 17 shots (Leicester 14)
- Poor down both ends of the pitch
Bournemouth (home) 2-2
- No Mane
- Klavan at CB, no Matip to start
- No Lallana
-Coutinho subbed off for Matip at 69 mins at 2-1 - they scored equalizer in 87th minute
- 66%+ possession, 20 shots (Bournemouth 8), 8 on target (Bournemouth 2), 3 clearcut chances missed - 2 to Bournemouth
Crystal Palace(home) 1-2
- No Mane
- 3 at the back
- No Lallana
-Subs only made in last 10mins, terrible bench
- Conceded both goals from crosses
- 72%+ possession, 14 shots (CP 7)