Match Day Thread PL: Liverpool v AFC Bournemouth

Even Skirtle uses man cream

 

I'll give you a serious answer before you get called out for taking the piss.

He has direction when on the ball. He will take it and run with it, beating players with power and strength as well as very good ball control. He's composed and offers a lot of steel in the midfield as cliche as that sounds. He also has an eye for a forward pass and isn't likely to pass sideways without doing much a la Lallana. Definitely steps up to take charge when he's motivated. Now, he has his off days where he's not as effective and we don't think he's the next Gerrard, but he's the midfielder that I and many fans want to see most on the pitch, next to Henderson.

 

Is Pelle's beard good enough to fit in

 

1 He always looks nervous to me when pressed/not given time on the ball
2 That bit would worry me lots

Thanks for the considered answer though danilo. I would not decry the lad at all, he looks a decent player. The only reason I ask the question is because I see nothing more than a decent midfielder yet some rave about him.

 

Well I see what you mean about the whole nervous thing, it may seem that way but I think it's more of, he's so good with running with the ball that he'll often run past 3/4 players then let the ball drift away from him, which causes him to rashly run into the ball/tackle and seem nervous. He just needs to learn to release it a little earlier and that nervous look will go away.

And as for motivated, I mean more as it, he's very young. He's going to have days where he's not at his best and like all young players he'll get discouraged. Especially if he's shoehorned into some weird CB/RB position. But yes, remember he's 21.

 

3 points, but unconvincing win, have to play better against the gooners.
Last years pattern, playing better away from home.

 

Good to get 3 points on the board.
At Arsenal we have to attack, high tempo, big work rate all over the pitch we cannot let them settle and dictate the play.

 

So the cold light of day should see us focusing on the areas we need to improve.

1. coutinho position. He was negated quite a lot where he was put. He had his main goal threat eliminated before ever kicking a ball

2. CM. .. we were not good. We cannot play this way v arsenal or we will lose 4 or 5. Can has to come on and lallana drop out.

3. Width and support for gomez. Ibe offered little imo. I would again be putting him wide right to partner Clyne. I'd look to coutinho to team with gomez v arsenal and be asking for a disciplined display we know he can give...

4. Formation. 451 imo. Milner to be told to chase about. Benteke to plough a very lonely furrow up top.

5. Henderson injury. We just don't know. Bruised foot? Blister? Something more serious?

 

Yeah.....

 

I feel adeer seeing this that greez was right. Firmino won't play for several weeks and we can't have him wondering how to fit in v arsenal.

 

He's not ready to play in such a high tempo game and if there are changes I'd put the work rate of Ings or the physical presence of Origi in.

 

For me can must start and henderson must recover too. Then ibe has to play wide right and work hard but we need coutinho wide left playing like we know he can if we ask him to.

Take one for the team.

My subs v arsenal would be

Moreno after his display of effort, lallana for ibe on 75mins and Ings for benteke late.

 

Wow - that was painful to watch! But thankfully, we got the win somehow.

Performance - nice in patches but overall really poor. We should have had a goal against us and our goal shouldn't have stood - very lucky but glad to be on the right side of those calls.

I thought Migs was very solid - couple of nervy moments but overall looks more confident.

Clyne is fast becoming one of my favourite players. I'm still expecting more from him from an attacking perspective but cannot fault him defensively.

Skrtel on the other hand was poor again. I have zero confidence when he's attacked or when he's on the ball. Scuffed clearances, poor on the ball and there was one moment when Lovren did well to win the ball and Skrtel should have cleared up but was caught on his heels.

Lovren was awful to begin with but got better - easily beaten on one occasion and regardless of whether or not it was a foul, it was poor defending and poor positioning.

Gomez was pretty solid for the first half but really struggled in the second half - caught out of position a number of times and offers little threat down the left side. Think he will struggle against Arsenal but hopefully I'm wrong. (Moreno was refreshing to see - tenacious cameo and was very good defensively and going forward. Still my number 1 choice for LB).

Milner and Henderson - the pairing just doesn't work. They don't offer enough protection for the defence, Bournemouth bypassed our midfield with so much ease during the initial stages, and they don't offer enough going forward. Put them in wide positions, they certainly put a good ball in. They will run all game long which is great to see but we need so much more. Get Can in behind them and it changes the dynamics. (Can continues to show a lot of promise and his ability to carry the ball is a joy to see at times. Still raw and goes in for challenges but very positive).

Lallana is just a waste of space in an attacking position. Offers very little bar work rate. Got more involved when he moved deeper but again, only noticed him because he was working hard. May sound harsh but he will carry some value and I'll look to sell him now.

Ibe was better today and showed promise but still very raw. A lot of fans thought he would replace Sterling this season - he's nowhere near Sterling's class yet.

Coutinho still the star of the show - what a player he is. Lallana started off centrally and Coutinho was out on the right which was a ridiculous decision. Coutinho moved centrally and changed the game in the first half. Love watching him play.

Benteke was anonymous for the first 30 odd mins - that wasn't his fault, it was the system which isolated him. But he did well to get the goal and was very positive for the rest of the game. Very surprised but he does seem like he's trying to change his game - hopefully it comes off. Should have scored the second which really p*ssed me off because he's in my FF team and Clyne as well (who would have got the assist!!).

If Henderson is injured, then we're f*cked against Arsenal. Lucas isn't up to it, Allen is injured and we cannot play a 2 man midfield. Hopefully we're still in the market for 1 more mid.

 

Tbf, that rating fits in with all the others #harshonthewholeteam

 

You've spent an age on here telling us all that we need to defend first and attack second. Grind out boring results in aid of winning trophies over exciting football. We just did that twice and what do you say?

" Wow - that was painful to watch!"

#becarefulwhatyouwishfor

 

Anyone get the introductory 4/1 on lfc win from bet fair. ...

I am not on it so was severely tempted to put 500 on.

Of course I did not

Tobes got 3/1 on benteke though... nice.

 

Agreed.

The only thing Jimmy can say is he's talked about control and once henderson went off we had lallana digging in so have had zero control.

 

Which most of said before the season started; can, hendo or milner in a pair won't be great but as a trio they'll be good.

 

Yeah... but that doesn't mean Jimmy didn't say it too.

I'm just getting very annoyed with positioning of lallana and coutinho.... everytime lallana did anything he was in an area coutinho would have done better

 

I don't get the debate there's no way their goal should have stood, it wasn't that their player climbed up and rose above to head in a goal while taking a ride on the player, something that happens often and is allowed, he held him down by the shoulders and nodded it in not a goal no debate imo. Ours should also have been chalked off.