Are we making progress??

You have to look at what was inherited and the style of play that Klopp wanted to play. Before making any acquisitions we had to sell those that didn't fit. On top of that, we went and blew our chance of CL football with a Moreno horror show in the EL final. I truly believe that set us back more than we care to mention.

Having said all of that, with a positive net spend and a relatively small squad hit by injuries, we outperformed some very big spenders in the league, racking up 16 more points. So yes, we have progressed.

However, if you break this down into attack and defence, it tells a different story. Our defence is shocking. it doesn't matter if it's the system or personnel it is awful in both open play and set pieces. If we don't fix that, forget the title and definitely forget progressing in the CL too far as keeping a clean sheet is critical in that competition.

Attacking wise, we have progressed well...but need more. A 20+goal a season striker should be bought.

So on balance an improvement but let's not get carried away; BIG changes are required to really improve and challenge.

 

Agree with you about the Europa final. Its impact has been significant although no one including Klopp wanted to spend time going over it. We lost participation in a major competition. Never mind the revenue. It is the type of player we can recruit. It is now a great opportunity to reinforce with good players. The philosophy of getting players with potential only works if mixed with players of quality who can delivery now not in a couple of years.

 

I didn't think of that.

 

should have graphed this

 

I feel as though klopp missed an option or three... when he moved coutinho recently the reality was he only moved him to a position where he already went in half those games where sides sit deep. However when he was meant to be LW but playing deep we lost any option wide left

suddenly klopp sticks two up and we score 7 in 2 games with 0 against (but teams were on hols)

In fairness at times we have had no options to change anyone but we needed that player up front to replace coutinho if he was sitting deep.

 

TBF a lot of the problems were related to injuries and the constant changing of defence (and GK)

Matip kept 9 cleans sheets, that's more than twice as many as Stones in the most expensive defence ever

5 of our last 6 games have been clean sheets

Mignolet had a great season too

 

Shouldn't underestimate the impact Sturridge had as well - he can play off the last man or deep in the box. Defenders are scared of him.

 

That is true but i would argue Klopps only had 1 year of upwards trajectory in he past year and ninie months. Last year they were stagnant. This year they have improved.

 

Top 4
2 cup finals last season
Improved starting XI
Main stand increased
Developing training facilities to bring youth teams and first team together

Progress

 

some progress yes.

my wish list would be

michael edwards fired
Anfield road end redevelopment begins to deliver 63k stadium
LFc spend 150mil
win something (anything will do)
retain CL place.

It'd be nice to see that lot over 12 months

I'd take the first 2 and last one though...

 

lol let's judge Edwards after a few windows first ...

 

MITO are you sure you don't secretly love Edwards. You always seem to have a massive hard on for the bloke like Jimmy does for Lovren

 

I must admit at times I wonder how we actually got forth.

It feels like we just haven't performed since New Years.

Yet we got loads of points at the end of the day!

United dropping out was a real bonus as was Wenger grinding Arsenal down.

I look at our squad and it looks significantly weaker than Chelsea, Spurs, City and United and Arsenal have a real star striker.

Our defense is pretty poor and our forward options, although good, are thin on the ground.

For the lads to get over the line with this in mind I think is quite impressive.

We must however invest as next year United will be competing for the title.

City and Chelsea will too and I expect Spurs and Arsenal to be fighting with us for 4th with squads at least if not better than ours.

We must capitalise on this year.

 

Sincerely I was thinking that we are going to do better than fourth, but the curse of January let us down.

 

I have done so already #balowanky #nomark-ovic

 

Fit Sturridge would be fighting for the Golden Boot every year. Can you get him fit?.

 

Henderson: Top four is a step forward, but we want more

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Jordan Henderson insists Liverpool's squad are hungry to challenge for trophies after they secured a fourth-place finish on the final day of the Premier League season.
The Reds sealed their berth in the 2017-18 Champions League qualification play-off round with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Middlesbrough at Anfield on Sunday.
That win meant Jürgen Klopp’s first full campaign in charge finished with Liverpool accruing an impressive 76 points - a 16-point advancement on their final tally in 2015-16.
But while acknowledging the progress they have made this term, Henderson was quick to point out that Klopp’s players want to accomplish more in the years ahead.
“It is a good end to the season. Getting top four is a good achievement and the right step in our development, definitely. It’s a step forward and I feel as though we’re going in the right direction,” the captain told Liverpoolfc.com following the win over Boro.
“But, at the same time, we’ve still got a lot to improve on and we want more. We want to keep winning. We want silverware. And we want to be the best team. It’s a good step but it’s not finished yet.”
Liverpool lost just one of their final 12 Premier League games of the season to claim their spot in the top four.
A difficult period during January and February, which featured a congested fixture schedule and absences of key players, ultimately put paid to any hopes the Reds had of winning the title.
But Henderson - whose involvement was ended prematurely by a foot injury - believes his teammates deserve great credit for their performances throughout the campaign.
“Over the last few weeks I think a lot of the lads have had knocks and niggles and had to just sort of get on with it. But they’ve been fantastic. Over the course of the season they’ve been brilliant,” the skipper, who hopes to be fit for the start of pre-season, said.
“We’ve had our ups and downs but we stuck together as a group. We’re a close group and hopefully that’ll be the biggest thing about our success going forward. It’s been a good season and a tough season. We can’t wait to get started on the next one.”

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LFCTV GO: Hendo on top four, his fitness and more
Henderson also explained how the feeling of togetherness within the Reds’ dressing room has helped this term.
“We’re very close as a group, maybe the closest I’ve worked with. That transcends onto the pitch when you can see each other fighting for each other all over the pitch. It’s brilliant [and] that’s what we’ve based our success on,” he noted.
“In terms of going forward, that’s what we want to be about. It’s not about individuals, it’s about everybody together. If we can show that going forward, I’m sure we’ll have a good future.”
Philippe Coutinho - once again deployed in a deeper, more central role by Klopp - shone against Boro, scoring Liverpool’s crucial second goal with a trademark long-range free-kick.
However, Henderson, who watched on from the stands, felt the Reds’ all-round team display was laudable in such pressure circumstances.
“Phil was brilliant again. He scored a couple of good goals last week. Again, his free-kick was brilliant, [but] not only him, you can’t pick one or two,” the midfielder added.
“The whole team were brilliant from start to finish. It could have been tense, but I felt we kept the composure, stayed confident and in the end it was very comfortable.”
http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/fir...n-top-four-is-a-step-forward-but-we-want-more

 

Imo certain things are progress and certain things are same old same old.

The main stand opening was good. Thats a genuine change for the better.

We all hope its followed up in the anfield road end.

The back of the kop is being squared off to add more seats to componsate for wheelchair increased access. Good for all this.

New training facility moving very quickly along.

Ayre leaves and new ceo is appointed. We will see what ego comes there. He seems a business man not a guy who will pick players from ego.

Then the not so good.

Michael edwards head of recruitment. Jesus wept.

Negative net spend. No winter a tity and small squad.

No closer to winning a trophy.

Banned from signing academy players.


It seems to me as a project the on the results will need to follow getting off the field right. It doesnt quite look like weve everything in place off the field.

 

The difference between us this year and last, our progress can be described in 1 word:

Mané.


To me it's that simple. Yeah, we've improved in a few areas and regressed in a few others. A few players nearer to prime and a few players further past it. Everything else tends to cancel out.

The one big change is Mané, with him we're a much better team than without. Seeing as he picks up a few injuries, it would be wise to pick up a second player with similar qualities. We need a powerful pacey Mané like player to carry on performing when he's out. We're dull and listless without him.