17 minutes ago, SFL82 said:

So Henderson over Havertz, firminho over Werner? 

He is their captain and was selected as player of the season. Firminho is a seasoned Prem player. Firminho - Werner is close one have to agree. 

The only problem I see with Liverpool is their secondary centerback, Fabinho and lack of squad depth. Otherwise they are a brilliant side. 

30 minutes ago, evissy said:

He is their captain and was selected as player of the season. Firminho is a seasoned Prem player. Firminho - Werner is close one have to agree. 

The only problem I see with Liverpool is their secondary centerback, Fabinho and lack of squad depth. Otherwise they are a brilliant side. 

Clearly they are good, but it’s more the system and manager than having a team of superstars, take that team before they won the CL on paper nothing special at all, man to man mani and Salah before Liverpool decent players but far from ever considered world class, Firminho completely unheard of,  Robertson a championship fullback previously of Dundee Utd, Trent a youth player, Henderson the most average all rounder in the country who would be bang average at best in a different team...

Point is klopp took players that were not even in anyoneA conversation, not rated at all, in other teams would go unnoticed and turned them into world beaters, now we are calling the players world class. 
 

Fact is take those players out and put them in different teams you would see how average they are, but it solidifies the point it’s not just about spending it’s about the manager and the system and getting a balanced team, and Liverpool have all that, brilliant individuals, no VVD and Alison are their only world class players 

22 hours ago, SFL82 said:

Clearly they are good, but it’s more the system and manager than having a team of superstars, take that team before they won the CL on paper nothing special at all, man to man mani and Salah before Liverpool decent players but far from ever considered world class, Firminho completely unheard of,  Robertson a championship fullback previously of Dundee Utd, Trent a youth player, Henderson the most average all rounder in the country who would be bang average at best in a different team...

Point is klopp took players that were not even in anyoneA conversation, not rated at all, in other teams would go unnoticed and turned them into world beaters, now we are calling the players world class. 
 

Fact is take those players out and put them in different teams you would see how average they are, but it solidifies the point it’s not just about spending it’s about the manager and the system and getting a balanced team, and Liverpool have all that, brilliant individuals, no VVD and Alison are their only world class players 

Good team makes good players. Fitting players for fitting system makes everyone look good or vice versa. Mane and Salah are world class as is probably Alexander-Arnold in my book. I agree Klopp has really made them a team. 

23 hours ago, SFL82 said:

So Henderson over Havertz, firminho over Werner? 

 

Personally I'd see Werner as more of an analogue for Salah/Mané and wouldn't currently choose him over either. (Nor did Klopp for what it's worth). 

Obviously in terms of future potential (or long-term squad value) you'd pick a 21-year-old with world class prospects over an injury-prone 30-year-old Englishman who has been playing regular top-flight football for 11 years. In terms of fitting into a gameplan or immediate ability... not necessarily. 

 

1 hour ago, PloKoon13 said:

 

Personally I'd see Werner as more of an analogue for Salah/Mané and wouldn't currently choose him over either. (Nor did Klopp for what it's worth). 

Obviously in terms of future potential (or long-term squad value) you'd pick a 21-year-old with world class prospects over an injury-prone 30-year-old Englishman who has been playing regular top-flight football for 11 years. In terms of fitting into a gameplan or immediate ability... not necessarily. 

 

I think even last year every time we met Liverpool we kept pace or outplayed them. 
 

I honestly see them diminishing this term and I think by the end of the season we will be regarded as a better team. 
 

lots of variables of course but on paper I think we have a better squad apart from our defence. 

1 hour ago, evissy said:

Good team makes good players. Fitting players for fitting system makes everyone look good or vice versa. Mane and Salah are world class as is probably Alexander-Arnold in my book. I agree Klopp has really made them a team. 

Go back on this forum and look what people were saying about salah when Liverpool bought him, I personally always rated him, he did well everywhere expect with us, right now they look worldclass and I almost agree putting TAA in that bracket but if they Are world class they have only become so in the last 2 years.

Question I’d say Real Madrid bought them would they be the same, hazard hasn’t looked much for them at all, I believe some players performances contrast so much depending on their team, but for me a true World class player looks so in any team, you put Ronaldo in Stoke he will still shine. 

I'm more worried about everton this season than I am Liverpool

We will be battling for 4th again, but against who I don't know 

We have too big a squad and we desperately need to trim it down.. if players become surplus and are not registered in the UCL and EPL it will be really disruptive  for dressing room and team spirit. 

10th? ?

49 minutes ago, Floyd25 said:

10th? ?

Someone said in a thread we would be outside for the title I laughed reading that 

I hope today's performances by Leicester and Liverpool make some people question their assessment of what we achieved against West Brom

On 29/09/2020 at 23:53, Brutos said:

Someone said in a thread we would be outside for the title I laughed reading that 

Do you still laugh at that after this weekends round of matches ?

I can now see a way for us to actually challenge for the title this season. It just depends on the last day of the window if any of the NW clubs get anyone else or if that's them done with new players until the new year.

Our defence is sorted. Rudiger and Kepa nowhere near the team, Christensen gone AWOL, I think Silva can do a VVD for our defence. Swapping Chillwell for Alonso, thats like literally 2 players for one.

Up front were sound with so many attacking talents to choose from.

Wouldn't be surprised to see us and Everton battling it out fore first place.

Yes i have had a few drinks tonight.

 

 

 

After today I would say all things remaining equal and Lampard keeps a settled team so we can build consistency we have a good a chance as city and Liverpool and if Lampard doesn't  see that and take advantage of it then I don't know what to say 

27 minutes ago, Brutos said:

After today I would say all things remaining equal and Lampard keeps a settled team so we can build consistency we have a good a chance as city and Liverpool and if Lampard doesn't  see that and take advantage of it then I don't know what to say 

It's surprising how things can turn around so quickly. Remember when we we got stuffed at Arsenal and then went on that unbeaten run to the title, lets hope the WBA game has the same affect.

We have a good shot at top 3. Provided we keep a consistent lineup and not chop change anymore.

With a full squad, we may have been able to beat West Brom and Liverpool

I think we will end up in 4th, I was hoping for an upgrade in DM and we didn't get one.

Still with the players we have now I think we are one season from getting a title challenging squad. 

I am so capable of getting carried away with the spend amount without necessarily looking at what we got for the £200 million that I realise I need to take a step back to properly consider  the squad notwithstanding who’s gone and who remains now that the window has shut.

It’s too early to say what the German boys will bring, average ratings for Werner and slightly better for Havertz from the forum, seen some glimpses but nothing to get too excited about yet and definitely nothing so far (IMO) to justify the £120 million that they cost, but it is very early days so hopefully they gel, find their best positions in the team and come good.

Thiago Silva  - I didn’t see the game live on Saturday, so it’s difficult to judge , but forum members give a good account of his performance , so that's a positive, but he is 36, will he play the whole season? - hope so, but FL may need to pick the battles that he plays in and nurture Christensen and Tomori for the future ? Anyone know anything about Sarr and Mbuyamba ?

Ben Chilwell, MoM on Saturday and something of a known commodity having played for a while in the PL and he’s still young at 23,  don’t have any concerns with regards to his ability or attitude.

Ziyech, apart from the friendly against Brighton , I haven’t seen him play, but he did look like he was lively in that game and he was good for Ajax v us in the CL - but too early to tell how he will assimilate into the team?

Mendy - well he couldn’t do any worse than poor Kepa, I feel for him, it’s not his fault that some fool at CFC sanctioned the £70+ million that he cost and Bilbao musta had some party once the contracts were signed - given the choice I would have forced him out, on his ability alone he wouldn’t get a sniff near the squad but factor in what was paid for him I suspect FL is under upstairs pressure to continue with him ?

What’s left is the “team” from last year minus whoever has been sold or loaned, the trick is to select an eleven that can play together and in a formation that works.

As I said in an earlier post, it’s a funny old season so far and when you consider, but for WBA’s early Christmas presents from us, Kepa’s personal Christmas gift to the micky’s and Jorginho’s penalty miss, we would be 4 points further up the table than we are now.

Are the newbies enough to make a difference between 4th and achieving better ? PL winners ? I don’t see it but who knows what a 10 or so unbeaten run will do for us !!!! think I saw FL get his excuses in early by reminding that Klopp’s “success” was over a 4 year time frame - he’s almost certainly right, I don’t yet see the quality of players from positions 1 through 11 to sustain a winning PL campaign.

That said, I’m excited about this year and really hopeful that we will give a decent account of ourselves - realistically, top 4, probably at 4 for me this season.

We seem to be in a very unique position in relation to our squad, we have one of the strongest squads in the league yet I would say our first 11 is arguably the 5th strongest behind Liverpool, City, Spurs & Arsenal.

Hopefully once the new players have a seasons experience under their belts we would climb that ladder but at the moment I would call our starting 11 a little undercooked.

ON current form/results its so hard to tell. I don't know if everyone has got worse, or everyone has become better; however, I don't think we are going to see the winner of this years premiership be anywhere near the 95-100 points this year.  I think Leeds, Sheffield Utd, BHA, etc are going to play well this season and steal points against the "big 6."  Even that term is open for debate because I feel Liverpool and City are the only real clear names I'd put in there, and 3-6 could be interchangeable with any of: Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs, Utd, Everton, Wolves.  I actually think Everton and Spurs are going to be higher than United this year as it seems all United have done is added Cavanni, whereas everyone else has strengthened 

On 05/09/2020 at 03:53, bluesfan said:

1. MCI
2. Loserpool
3. Chelsea
4. VARchester

If we are in the title race until the last 5-6 rounds that would be a success. Next year, push for the title!

What’s VARchester

it is new team in league ?

???

On 07/10/2020 at 05:52, Talal said:

What’s VARchester

it is new team in league ?

???

I am guessing it is the side that uses VAR a lot to get goals for Bruno Fernandes. 

On 08/10/2020 at 07:13, evissy said:

I am guessing it is the side that uses VAR a lot to get goals for Bruno Fernandes. 

You mean Manchester United 

On 09/10/2020 at 09:45, Talal said:

You mean Manchester United 

Not a lot gets past you fella.. 

Going by our start, I am dreaming of top 4 now. 

Edited October 17, 20205 yr by MayosNoun!
Mistake