Tough this without being too critical. I put our problems into two categories: Unavoidable: Suarez leaving, Injuries to key players; especially Sturridge (unavoidable for LFC anyway!!), Lallana and Skerts......but Allen was in form and Can was finding his feet. This has been combined with a lack of form to Coutinho. Also unavoidable was Borini refusing to move on....I do believe that this has had implications on our transfer policy. Avoidable: Signing Balotelli and Lambert only and not a striker that fit's our system better. Signing too many young talents 'for the future'....we need top four here and now (this is only really an issue due to the injuries we've had though, isn't it?), Not signing a quality GK - we knew Migs was weak....Reina was a better option, surely!? Not signing a quality holding midfielder and finally, totally avoidable is how we have been sent out to play; Lucas and Gerrard, double pivots......whatever, last season, the defensive cover from midfield frustrated me no end......it's still there, we leave acres of space in front of our back four and this year, we can't score one more than them. So it's a combination of all of this that is our problem. There are some positives but not many. This season very much reminds me of BR's first. I hated that year but with hindsight, accept that we were transitioning......as we are now. I just hope that we don't take as long to transition or we'll be way to far off top four for it to matter.
feels a bit like we are back where we started, if we had brought the players in we have done in the window with luis still here, i dont think the issues would be as bad as they are now, probably because we was always capable of scoring more than the opo most of the time, now we cant score in a ****ing brothel, and space seems to be non existent for players, capable, good enough? of dragging defenders away. too many new faces and a defence that looks like it has no confidence in its keeper. so even though its not all migs fault, i am blaming him any way i do feel our fortunes would be better with a decent goalie though, the fact that it was said yesterday he would be in top 10 goalie in the prem says it all. there are some teams who have better reserve goalies than we do first lol, that's not ****ing right for starters. anyone know what clemence is doing these days? he would hopefully sort this ****e out.
It feels like it because it is like it!! Lot's of sideways passing, little to no penetration, very few chances created, totally exposed defence.....and so on..... Migs imo, is not the problem alone, although he does need replacing. I think that being critical of his shot stopping though is a little much, it's the best part of his game and we have benefited from it.
I said before the season started that the players we bought were not good enough or would not fit in. I also said we would struggle with Studges hamstrings being brittle....and we have. A lot disagreed with me but its proven right. I would rather play Suso than Markovic but he will be off soon. I would rather have had Bony than Ballo. Rodgers has made a big mistake with Balli and Lambert and I seriously question his management.
Studge has torn his thigh as far as I know; Hodgson still doing his best to f**k us up. His hamstrings are fine.
From what I've seen of you, mostly the Champions league game and the game against us, you seem to be suffering from a lack of leadership in defence. Whether that's Mignolet of the centre backs, I'm not entirely sure. Maybe it's both. Might be a bit Captain Obvious, but it's an outsider's viewpoint.
Blaming injuries is a bit much after you've just brought in 8 additions. Especially, an injury to Sturridge is known to be a given. You don't prepare for it by going "alright, Fabio, put your dummy back"
I agree- top 4 is a certainty! and with a slight bit of luck- we won't just finish top 4 in our Champions League group- we'll finish top 4 in the premier league too!
Mig hasn't disappointed yet in my eyes. fat ratboy is wholly out of line in laying any of the blame for Jagielkas goal at his feet. I'd before blame Lambert for not getting to Jagielka... Absurd. I'd rather pass on Valdes. It stinks a little of glittery wannabism. There's plenty of eager talented young keepers out there to provide longterm completion to Migs. Bottom line: FSG needs to sack some of our stinking scouts, and serve a bollocking to the rest. BR has to feel some of that sting too.
I think Neville's analysis is interesting and while it looked like he was doing it off the cuff and hadn't done an in=depth analysis, he had found a couple of other examples of the crouching stance were goals could have been saved, so the Jagielka one wasn't a one-off. He maybe didn't take speed/distance and the fact it was bullet-like thus harder to get to, into account but I think he makes a valid observation, just hope Carra passes on the message. As for young talented keepers that's what we bought in Mignolet isn't it? I think he would benefit from having a veteran for competition and Valdes fits the bill here. Be interesting to see if he is as good as his medals say he is.
we want to hope so, as i don't see top 4 with migs in goal now we have lost what we had upfront to cover up mistakes at the back in games.
we are 6 points after 5. thats right now 4 off the pace for 4th... thats all. we need to realise its from now til jan 1 that we have to find the way to get 10/15 points in 5 game blocks, survive in cups and see what occurs then... rodgers first year 7th was locked due to terribly poor chance making up to january when sturridge arrived. end of... we then saw saurez bite ivnoivc from pure wanting to get out.... the prick if we can do a bit better and play with the mythical intensity and hold even a couple clean sheets somehow we've a chance.
I think Valdes could be just what we need. Competition for the spot, plus a keeper who's been there, done it several times, a ready made keeping coach if you like. I honestly don't see it as he got lucky for so long having a great defence in front of him. Nice to see the return of fanboy mito Good win tonight will do wonders.
Valdes is an interesting keeper. I never rated him to be honest but his last season at Barca was arguably his best and he really stood out as one of the best keepers in the world (for that season alone). His style of keeping is quite similar to Migs in that he's a good shot stopper but not particularly commanding. But ... and this is a big but, he plays a sweeper keeper. So he will naturally push the back line higher which is what we need. Not only that, his passing and distribution are definitely a lot better. Overall - he's a good short term option but we really should be looking for a long term replacement.
