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Thread: Contracts and Squad

  1. #181
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    Just for the sake of making people think along different lines.

    Here’s one for all of you suggesting our squad is the greatest thing since sliced bread... Brendan Rodgers - with this team - are we coming within a point of City and making back to back CL finals?


    Here’s another one.. Brendan Rodgers team - 2014 - Alisson in goal... Who wins the league....?

    Or This - same year and manager - we buy a Salah instead of him going to Chelsea... Who wins the league?

    All hypothetical but just small indicators to where I believe a little
    More could have made the difference. I could well be hopelessly wrong but I do believe that owners who were more involved and passionate we would have been that little bit less safe and perhaps might have won a 19th.

    For the record - I don’t hate FSG and I don’t believe they are evil in any way - just a bit slow and little too conservative.
    Last edited by Steveo; 18th August 2019 at 09:59 PM.

  2. #182
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    What exactly is your point? Klopp, players,FSG. All 3 contribute. Under different owners Klopp may not be doing as well. FSG are the ones whove turned the club around off the pitch, Without that theres no success on the pitch.

  3. #183
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    The point is clear tees. I think a bit more in the market at crucial times would likely have got us a 19th or at least here with Klopp sooner.

    Now with City where they are entrenched it is doubly difficult. I am talking about missed opportunity as I see it.

  4. #184
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steveo View Post
    But who is continuously improving the squad and when did that start? For me it started with the patience of Klopp in 2015.

    As for how far and fast we have come since 2015 - well - what’s the obvious major change?
    FSG are - they run the club. Obviously they modified their strategy when Klopp joined.

    Quote Originally Posted by Steveo View Post
    Best squad in 30 years is very debatable. The squad of 2009 in Klopp’s hands? Hmm I honestly don’t know - midfield was in a different class altogether. Mascherano Alonso Gerrard ...!!!! Front line was comparable - less of a dynamic cast in babel and Kuyt either side of Torres but more of an out an out striker than any we have now - very effective. Aurelio, Carra, Skrtel and Arbeloa in front of Reina... That’s a great team there.. In the hands of Klopp - I honestly do not know which squad is better but my hunch is 2009. Rated number 1 side in europe.
    The midfield was better back then, of that there is no doubt.

    But you're seriously comparing any of the rest of the starting 11? Seriously? That front three wasn't on the same planet as our current one. Torres wasn't very effective - he was often injured after his first season with us and only mustered 17 goals in 08/09, compared to Bobby's 16 last term. Nothing a manager could do about them getting injured, and Klopp doesn't really have the record to claim he's a big improvement (if at all) on Benitez at a comparable stage of their careers. Raterd number 1 in Europe... my God - the current squad is the reigning European champion ffs, after having played a second consecutive final and having never been eliminated over two legs!

    Our defence is also better - conceding seven fewer goals in the league.

    Much as I like that 08/09 squad, you're talking rubbish saying it's better than the current one.
    Etiam si omnes, ego non

  5. #185
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    City dropped two points yesterday. If that had been us, people would be saying we are already out of the title race after just 2 games. That's how ridiculous it gets at times.
    If you're not sure what to do with the ball, just put it in the net, and we'll talk about the other options later... Bob Paisley.

  6. #186
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steveo View Post
    Just for the sake of making people think along different lines.

    Here’s one for all of you suggesting our squad is the greatest thing since sliced bread... Brendan Rodgers - with this team - are we coming within a point of City and making back to back CL finals?
    Both are unlikely, but what's your point? Klopp is a better manager than Rodgers?

    Quote Originally Posted by Steveo View Post
    Here’s another one.. Brendan Rodgers team - 2014 - Alisson in goal... Who wins the league....?
    Alisson in 2014? Considering only his family had heard of him at that point, I'd go City. Mignolet was supposed to be long term solution. Turns out he wasn't. A mistake was made. Not all transfers will always come off. They learned and fixed the issue, didn't they?

    Quote Originally Posted by Steveo View Post
    Or This - same year and manager - we buy a Salah instead of him going to Chelsea... Who wins the league?
    Quite possibly still City. Salah needed his time in Spain to develop. He wasn't anything special for Chelsea at all.

    Quote Originally Posted by Steveo View Post
    All hypothetical but just small indicators to where I believe a little
    More could have made the difference. I could well be hopelessly wrong but I do believe that owners who were more involved and passionate we would have been that little bit less safe and perhaps might have won a 19th.

    For the record - I don’t hate FSG and I don’t believe they are evil in any way - just a bit slow and little too conservative.
    Here's a few for you - Barcelona last year with Griezmann in their squad. They clearly win the treble! Their owners are such pricks!

    RM with Hazard and Jovic win the league last year. Lynch Perez I say!
    Last edited by Balinkay; 18th August 2019 at 10:26 PM.
    Etiam si omnes, ego non

  7. #187
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    Quote Originally Posted by skyebo View Post
    City dropped two points yesterday. If that had been us, people would be saying we are already out of the title race after just 2 games. That's how ridiculous it gets at times.
    Well to be fair, we kind of would be. City are the current champions and best team in the league, who managed to outdo us in that perfect storm of a season last time around.

    They are frighteningly good. Our only hope is to beat everyone below sixth place, win all our other home games and draw all the away ones. Then we stand a chance if they pick up a few injuries or go into a slump and we don't.
    Etiam si omnes, ego non

  8. #188
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    Quote Originally Posted by Balinkay View Post
    FSG are - they run the club. Obviously they modified their strategy when Klopp joined.



    The midfield was better back then, of that there is no doubt.

    But you're seriously comparing any of the rest of the starting 11? Seriously? That front three wasn't on the same planet as our current one. Torres wasn't very effective - he was often injured after his first season with us and only mustered 17 goals in 08/09, compared to Bobby's 16 last term. Nothing a manager could do about them getting injured, and Klopp doesn't really have the record to claim he's a big improvement (if at all) on Benitez at a comparable stage of their careers. Raterd number 1 in Europe... my God - the current squad is the reigning European champion ffs, after having played a second consecutive final and having never been eliminated over two legs!

    Our defence is also better - conceding seven fewer goals in the league.

    Much as I like that 08/09 squad, you're talking rubbish saying it's better than the current one.
    Benitez was far more conservative in his tactics than Klopp so it was far less likely that Torres would score a bucket load of goals - are you suggesting Bobby is a better striker than Torres was? Bali..? Seriously..?

    It was a less competitive league last season IMO - and I don’t think it’s rubbish at all. Arsenal - United - Chelsea all in transition and the rest - Spurs apart - pretty much fodder. Arsenal went on amazing winning run early season with a very ordinary team.

  9. #189
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steveo View Post
    Benitez was far more conservative in his tactics than Klopp so it was far less likely that he would score a bucket load of goals
    Benitez scored fewer and conceded more that season than we did last time. If he were more conservatinve and equally good with an equally good squad, he'd not have conceded 22% more league goals.

    Quote Originally Posted by Steveo View Post
    - are you suggesting Bobby is a better striker than Torres was? Bali..? Seriously..?
    Don't strawman me and try to weasel your way out. Torres in that season contrubited just about the same goals Bobby contributed last season. Also Bobby does a hell of a lot more other than score goals than Torres could ever dream of. Yes, in the context of that season, you're damn right Bobby was better. On his day El Niño was the best striker in the world bar none. Shame he was made of biscuits.

    Quote Originally Posted by Steveo View Post
    It was a less competitive league last season IMO - and I don’t think it’s rubbish at all. Arsenal - United - Chelsea all in transition and the rest - Spurs apart - pretty much fodder. Arsenal went on amazing winning run early season with a very ordinary team.
    Was it less competitive, or was it just less competitive for City and us? Because Arsenal were fourth in 2009 with 72 points. Spurs were fourth last time around with… drumroll… 71 points. Relegation was 34 points both times. Seems like teams picked up a similar amount of points, except the two top teams, one of which coincidentally won the CL and the other would have likely faced them in the final but for a freak VAR decision. Moreover, Spurs made it to the CL final and Arsenal and Chelsea made it to the EL final. The league is not easy. Not by a long shot, especially considering how much richer it is today than ever before. We just had an insane season.

    I'd be surprised if anyone bar City got to 90 points this year. Think we could, but we can't stay injury free for ever.
    Last edited by Balinkay; 18th August 2019 at 10:43 PM.
    Etiam si omnes, ego non

  10. #190
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    Seeing as though we seem to be talking hyperthetically. If we had the 08-09 midfield with today's team, who would come closer to winning the league with it, Benitez or Klopp ?
    If you're not sure what to do with the ball, just put it in the net, and we'll talk about the other options later... Bob Paisley.

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