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Thread: Contracts and Squad

  1. #201
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    Quote Originally Posted by Balinkay View Post
    I don't necessarily disagree, but what do you base that on? And yes, that midfield with our attack and defense would construct one of the greatest sides since the turn of the century.
    Good question - and Benitez was superb at Valencia prior to coming to us - almost as superb as Klopp was at Dortmund....but he inherited an already superb (CL finalists) side at Valencia left by Héctor Cúper too. I guess I base my judgement purely on the belief that Klopp can get more out of a player. It is purely subjective though and there is no way of actually knowing - Benitez was one of the best coaches around - but for me Klopp is simply the best..

  2. #202
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    Quote Originally Posted by Steveo View Post
    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.
    We lost one game last season. Theres no guarantees that if that extra had bern spent it would have been different.
    We are competing against a side who are doping in a unprecedented level.
    In 09 that squad was as good as it could have been, lost only 2 games. Ronaldo was the difference and hes one of the greatest ever.
    Sometimes you come second and its simply out of your hands. Last season could be seen as a missed opputtunity but then again who expected us to go as far as we did in the league and win the European cup? Not many I'd say so the squad performed above and beyond.

  3. #203
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    Quote Originally Posted by southernboy View Post
    Whilst we’re all being hypothetical, stick Steven Gerrard at his peak into our current team, and we’d walk the league and CL. It’s such a mouthwatering thought that it actually leaves me feeling quite depressed.
    True mate. I'd bet he watches this side and aches to be part of it. He would have loved playing under Klopp.

  4. #204
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    De bruyne at rcm would be the icing on this team.

  5. #205
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    Quote Originally Posted by eggy81 View Post
    De bruyne at rcm would be the icing on this team.
    Spot on.
    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. #206
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    Quote Originally Posted by teesred View Post
    We lost one game last season. Theres no guarantees that if that extra had bern spent it would have been different.
    We are competing against a side who are doping in a unprecedented level.
    In 09 that squad was as good as it could have been, lost only 2 games. Ronaldo was the difference and hes one of the greatest ever.
    Sometimes you come second and its simply out of your hands. Last season could be seen as a missed opputtunity but then again who expected us to go as far as we did in the league and win the European cup? Not many I'd say so the squad performed above and beyond.
    Fair points...

  7. #207
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    At either end of the pitch we at least match City but their middle three look after the ball so much better than ours. It’s why they dominate virtually every game, they are far less careless with the ball.

  8. #208
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    Quote Originally Posted by miller0863 View Post
    At either end of the pitch we at least match City but their middle three look after the ball so much better than ours. It’s why they dominate virtually every game, they are far less careless with the ball.
    Whilst I dont disagree that we could look after the ball better (with Matip and TTA are the most culpable), we play in a very direct manner. It's not quite route one, but it goes from A to B very quickly. The midfield's job is simple. To get the ball back as quickly as possible and get it to our attacking players as soon as possible.

    City are a little bit more measured in their build up play.
    Something, Something, Something, Dark Side

  9. #209
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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.
    Quote Originally Posted by Balinkay View Post
    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.

    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.
    Torres, I recall, had no fitness/injury issues until the Spanish national side started calling him up.
    From what I remember, almost every time he went away with them, he'd come back injured to us.
    Conspiracy theorists might wonder if it was because we were so good in Europe around that time.
    There's too much confusion, I can't get no relief

  10. #210
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    The Ox is signed up until 2023. Good news indeed...

    https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/49442173
    Offender Of The Offended...!!

    It`s Better To Reign In Hell, Than Serve In Heaven!

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