1. Log in now to remove adverts - no adverts at all to registered members!

The mid-season review thread

Discussion in 'Liverpool' started by moreinjuredthanowen, Dec 31, 2015.

  1. moreinjuredthanowen

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2011
    Messages:
    115,702
    Likes Received:
    27,602
    The story so far for lfc:

    Currently residing in the 7th place on 30 points Liverpool are 2 points and one place better off than last year and sit 5 point off 4th and 9 off the top but have a massively inferior goal difference. In other competitions better news for local fans came with progress in league cup and Europe league.

    This is after spending 80 odd million on players and recouping about 60, mainly on sterling.

    As a result Rodgers finally got his marching orders to join his staff he dismissed in the summer.

    The exciting news of the arrival of the highly regarded and eccentric Jurgen klopp followed this sacking so fans have a transfer window to enjoy now.

    And elsewhere?

    Chelsea and Leicester have played pass the parcel and have ended up swapping positions in the league. Leicester look like contenders while Jose mourinho gets his....

    City look poor but talented across the front line, Tottenham look like it's their time and arsenal finally look like spendingoing to go for a title as Ozil shows his class.

    Villa are toast and fat same looks like he's finally bitten off even more than his father gob can chew.

    Oh and Manchester's second club has royally screwed up

    The best players?

    For Liverpool this is not hard as they all have been poor. Sahko has been the biggest responder to Klopp while coutinho has continued to be inconsistent. Lucas has seen a mini career revival as a special mention

    Elsewhere mahrez has been the star of the show so far, aguero got 5 in one game but as usual ended up injured. Ozil has been awesome also.

    The highlight?

    Very few and far between for Liverpool but beating city 4-1 has to be it. Stonking goal scored by coutinho from firmino pass. The 6-1 in St Marys comes close but Southampton lost their heads while at city we had to fight for it for 90.

    Elsewhere arsenal trashing United has to be up there for the performance arsenal gave but Leicester have provided several amazing moments.

    The low light?

    Unquestionably losing badly at under for me but Newcastle game was worse. Watford game was poor too.

    Chelsea have served up the worst dross but there you go.

    Player ratings
    Goalkeepers

    Mignolet - B-, too many errors first me.
    Bogdán - C, bad bad game v watford. Great pen shot out was his highlight

    Defenders

    Clyne - B. Solid but I feel inhibited in final third.
    Enrique - F. Totally worthless
    Touré - D- injured in every cup game. Klopp favored lucas at cb ffs.
    Lovren - B-, too many early disasters. Decent recently.
    Gomez - B. Solid start for young man, not an lb but did OK. Unlucky injury too
    Sakho - B, solid but since coming back from injury he is taking too many risks for me.
    Moreno - B-. Marginal this, really trying after Rodgers mugged him off and he gave up. Needs better end product
    Skertl - B-. Very very deep and retreats so much.
    Flanagan -NG. Been injured needs to do something.
    Smith - one game, did OK, return from long injury. We will see.
    Randall - C+. Pretty good start for inexperienced player.

    Midfielders
    Milner - C. Hard working but flat. Not really getting it done.
    Coutinho - B. Very up and down. Some big goals and moments
    Firmino -C. Only gets a c due to two games. Otherwise has struggled to adapt
    Henderson -C. A lot of injury time off. Has not reallyet hit any high spotvyet
    Lallana -C. Trying but largely ineffective.
    Lucas - B. Having looked gone in August he has revitalised himself. Solid
    Can - B. Perhaps the guy most enjoying Klopp. Needs to calm down shouting at refs and learn to pass it faster. Would be a b+ if he'd release the ball.
    Allen -d. One or two decent cameos but otherwise....
    Brannagan. Good debut for the kid, not rating yet
    Ibe -c+. Needs to pass it faster and do more for me.
    Rossiter -c. Rated as he played a few before injury. Did OK. Inexperienced type game from him. Can get better
    Tiexteria -d. Left out of Europe so has done nothing so is likely done. Pity due to technical raw ability
    Chirivella no rating but great little start.

    Forwards

    Benteke - B. A solid b for a first season. Despite the biased abuse he's done just ok
    Sturridge - E. Really frustrating. Scored when he did play but never played.
    Origi - solid B. Good couple of games for a raw player and responded well to Klopp so far.
    Ings - C. Did OK before injury but missed a few chances which is kind of his bag. A worker but we will see.
     
    #1
  2. Jimmy Squarefoot

    Jimmy Squarefoot Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 2011
    Messages:
    29,120
    Likes Received:
    7,806
    Think Sakho, Can, Moreno and Lucas are the ones who have improved the most or best suited to Klopp's demands.

    We'll see if Lovren can continue to improve.
     
    #2
  3. FedLadSonOfAnfield

    Joined:
    Dec 27, 2013
    Messages:
    20,481
    Likes Received:
    4,935
    Lovren has looked better in his last few appearances, got to be honest. But the standard for improvement isn't exactly much since he was so dire all the fookin time under Rodgers.

    Best players for us so far this season: Lucas, Can, Coutinho (when he's on it), Clyne, (Sturridge in that one game <laugh>)
     
    #3
  4. Milk not bear jizz

    Milk not bear jizz Grasser-In-Chief

    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2013
    Messages:
    28,427
    Likes Received:
    10,110
    Club rating: should be doing better, especially since other top teams are crumbling leaving space at the top. Disappointing season so far. C-


    Managers: a lot has been said about. Rodgers last 10 games having same # of points as Klopp's first 10. It should be pointed out though that Rodgers gained 5pts due to officials making mistakes whereas Klopp has lost points. Also Klopp faced tougher teams, has been more convincing in cups, and walked into an injury ravaged side.

    Rodgers F. Klopp C+.



    Playerratings
    Goalkeepers

    Mignolet - C. Sometimes good sometimes bad. Can stop a shot
    Bogdán - D. Looks like there is talent there somewhere but he's pretty shaky at times.

    Defenders

    Clyne - B+ : a good signing. Done all that is asked.
    Enrique : unfair to judge
    Touré - D. : his time has passed
    Lovren- C- : recent improvements but still shaken.
    Gomez - B. : good start. Shame he is injured.
    Sakho - B. : looks awkward but performs well.
    Moreno - C+ : decent if unspectacular. Occassional has defensive woes.
    Skertl - C+ : generally solid but makes some changers.
    Flanagan. : unfair to judge. Probably seen last of him.
    Smith. :unfair to judge
    Randall. : unfair to judge

    Midfielders
    Milner - B- : Lacks end product but is a bulldog retrieving ball .
    Coutinho - B- : very inconsistent. Frequently anonymous occasionally world class.
    Firmino- D. : Terrible start. Shown glimpses of what he can do but usually poor.
    Henderson - C-: nothing spectacular this season
    Lallana - C: after a very poor start is improving.
    Lucas - C: sometimes solid. Sometimes weak. Has an affinity for cards of yellow colouration.
    Can - B. : potential to be great but inconsistent at the moment.
    Allen. C- : seen little of him post Rodgers. He has a beard.
    Brannagan. : unfair to judge.
    Ibe. D+ : pains me to give him such a low grade but he has been sloppy this season.
    Rossiter. : unfair to judge
    Tiexteria. : unfair to judge
    Chirivella. : unfair to judge

    Forwards

    Benteke - C- : scores goals under the right circumstances which is a huge plus but he is dreadfull elsewhere.
    Sturridge - : I'm not giving a grade. He's been amazing when fit but I'm not sure how much of his injuries are real.
    Origi - C- : had two good games but been dire the rest of the time. Seems to be improving rapidly though.
    Ings - A- : I'm glad I get to finish on an A. Ings, the only player deserving of an A. Shame about his injury but whilst fit looked fantastic even when the rest of the squad looked awful.
     
    #4
    Last edited: Dec 31, 2015
  5. moreinjuredthanowen

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2011
    Messages:
    115,702
    Likes Received:
    27,602
    Jeez I thought people wanted this after last game cos I'd not have bothered <laugh> if I thought I'd have gotten away with not doing it
     
    #5
  6. InBiscanWeTrust

    InBiscanWeTrust Rome, London, Paris, Rome, Istanbul, Madrid
    Forum Moderator

    Joined:
    May 22, 2011
    Messages:
    69,227
    Likes Received:
    24,835
    All the 'big' teams have been poor or shall we say inconsistent, while the 'smaller' teams have managed to take advantage of that.

    I I think the money in the league has helped the smaller teams, no longer are they having to sell their best players when the big clubs come in, meaning they are either spending more money on foreign players which is riskier and putting extra pressure on.

    I think come the end of the season the top 7 will have a more familiar look to it, however someone like Spurs won't get a better chance at making a real attempt at the title this year and teams like Leicester Watford palace won't have a better chance of getting Europe.

    For us, we've just been as inconsistent as the rest. Klopp came in and steadied the ship at the back and after the initial lift the team got, we've gone back to previous results albeit looking slightly more threatening up top.

    Player wise, probably been unlucky with injuries to key players like Hendo and Sturridge who would form part of our best spine to a team and the replacements haven't quite lived up to expectations.

    despite this, because the league has been so 'average' in terms of real quality at the top, the gap isn't huge and you can see what 4/5 good or bad results can do, easily moving someone from mid table to top 4 challenger or title challenge to mid table in uniteds case.

    If we can get key players back and keep them fit, with all the big teams having to come to anfield we certainly have it in our own hands to push on and put in a proper challenge for top 4.

    As as with everyone, we just need consistency. Consistency in the team selection as well as the standard of play. Beating city 4-1 then losing 3-0 and 2-0 to Watford and Newcastle isn't good enough.

    As as klopp says, when we are average we get beat. To be a top team, when you are average you need to be winning scrappy or at least drawing and maybe we've done that the lastly couple of games.

    Annoyingly I think this season is possibly a learning curve for klopp while he puts his ideas across, but it's also our best chance of top 4 with Chelsea nearly out of it and United struggling.
     
    #6
  7. astro

    astro Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 2, 2012
    Messages:
    46,798
    Likes Received:
    15,891
    The only problem with the last couple of seasons is there's so blatantly a handful of absolute ****e clubs that the likes of Everton and Chelsea never need to actually fear relegation despite how long they spend down that end of the table

    Even now with half the season left 2/3 of the relegated clubs looks to be decided unless there's a #greatescape
     
    #7
  8. moreinjuredthanowen

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2011
    Messages:
    115,702
    Likes Received:
    27,602
    Right now I agree there is onlying a small relative gap between the top and the rest of the clubs.

    The league itself is barely third best in Europe but awash with cash. You are right in that this is why it's close.

    It seems to me if any team are not right on it in this league they can get a thumping. We've seen teams get beat after Europe with regularity and teams struggling to rest anyone to actually play in Europe while their opponents can due to their own leagues being far less competitive.

    Liverpool have to turn up ready to go not just half able to go.

    For this reason if a team has a day extra preparation time or like Leicester no midweek games at all they've got a huge advantage don't they.

    I reckon lfc will get beat by West ham this week as a result.
     
    #8
  9. Only saw you and Frank talk about it lol
     
    #9
  10. moreinjuredthanowen

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2011
    Messages:
    115,702
    Likes Received:
    27,602
    Thought he represented the class acts round here
     
    #10
    Super G Ted'inho likes this.

  11. No
     
    #11

Share This Page