Summer 2019

[Kev0909]

I'll put my hand up about Matip. I honestly can't remember a bigger turn around in one of our players in such a short space of time.
He played a huge part in us winning in Europe plus doing so well in the league.

VVD has done him a world of good (probably not a clown in goal helps too)

[skyebo]

Wonder if we'll be the club that's spent the least this window?

(and probably earned the most last year from revenue champions league etc)

Everyone being "top reds" saying we don't need to sign anyone won't be saying that after we need fresh legs and rotation after 10-20 games, or if we pick up some injury's

Oh well, Adam Lallana is the new jesus

Why bother getting a few quality players or even just one when we're in this position and for once not losing our best players anyway, who wants to win the league eh? noone obviously

We'll probably have a big window next summer because one of salah firmino and mane will leave

Why we weaken the squad (ok players that left not great but still depth) and not improve it oh well we'll win everything anyway

I answered your question the other day about needing fresh legs. If they are knackered after 10 games, they're in the wrong sport. I notice you've upped it now to between 10-20 lol.

[Kev0909]

I answered your question the other day about needing fresh legs. If they are knackered after 10 games, they're in the wrong sport. I notice you've upped it now to between 10-20 lol.

Some of them had really long summers though, it's not like we've got quality rotation options let's be honest.

Not much rest considering the long season last season, then summer... even last summer could affect some players still

[Aldo1988]

Did they? I thought matip played best he's ever done for us, trent had the odd bad game but he's young, I know Wij got a lot of hate from certain people but he was important part in my eyes

I just think we're being a bit too laid back personally, why stop now and not improve chances of winning the league if there's money there?

Who knows when one of our best players might leave? it happens often with us, why not make the most of keeping the squad together?

Baffles me but oh well

I don't think anyone really trusts our squad depth in our front 3 after a few injury's or just plain fatigued, they've had long summers too...

Trent got a whole load of stick after one possibly 2 below average games. There were even people happy that he was dropped from the Barca game and we know how that turned out!

I'm not saying we shouldn't sign anyone, just think that Jurgen knows what he's doing and if the right player is available then he will get them. I still think hell make one big signing before the window shuts, possibly a forward but not in the Mbappe range. Can't see him splashing out loads on a left back (or any other defenders) or midfield as we are well stacked. I'd like another creative midfield and forward but I'm not the manager (thank god).

[Kev0909]

I think a forward that can be a bit flexible (on the wings perhaps too?)

Would be perfect and all we'll need

a creative midfielder would be nice yeah, we tend to hope TAA and robertson comes up with that, but once again what happens after a injury? we lose a lot of creativity going forward, which is crazy to say as they're full-backs pretty sure them 2 go most assists by a mile compared to anyone else?

Look how we did without taa compared to when we did play him for example, says it all

[Aldo1988]

Go on name names

I'm not naming names, they know who they are

[Balinkay]

Go on name names

I bet the rhyme with "all in pie".

[Balinkay]

An to be fair to TAA - he's excellent going forward but nothing special defensively.

[CCTV]

Again - this is not just a simple with/without Coutinho comparison and fails to account for our best form chunking of the entire season - much of which was with Couts BTW and minus all 3 key team changes that rectified our massive defensive flaw - Mig in goal - minus Virgil as kingpin and Robertson instead of Moreno... These are huge factors to omit.

The fact is - we never got to see Coutinho play with the entirely different rear guard setup and it was a key reshuffle. Some point to what Klopp may or may not have said after losing Coutinho - I prefer to look at the fact that he played him in every minute that he could - and even stuck a captains armband on him too.... then there is the fact he tried everything under the sun to keep hold of him.

I do not believe for one second that our attacking form that season would have been what it was without Coutinho - he was the catalyst for what put the fear of god into defences - and the team benefitted from that for most of the season after he had left. I believe last season we saw his absence come to fruition in a less devastating attack. This is not purely down to Phil though but also to Klopp gradually becoming more pragmatic and les gung ho in his approach.

Few things are ever that simple. The with or without stats arent foolproof but they are interesting. I've given some critiques of Coutinho here that I think are fair. I'd also argue pre-Salah arriving and when he left he was behind both Mane and Firmino. Coutinho in centre mid is a bit of a defensive flaw himself. Hi stats did have 4 goals and 2 assists v maribor which is something for consideration though I dont like knocking off contributions based on the opposition.

That's Coutinho's burden for leaving lfc. Klopp tried his hardest to appease him and keep him here, not trying to suggest he's a poor player by any means just one with weaknesses who made a poor career choice. Would love to see us have another attacker that Klopp would use as readily. Think the armband was a bit of a joke move.

Think our drop in awesome attacking football is best placed in a changing Klopp in terms of the teams setup. The drop in pressing intensity was noticeable and one of our key playmakers itself. Klopp needed to be a bit more pragmatic.

Rather than seeing Coutinho back, I'd like to see the intensity of our attacking press return with all those who are now here behind them. Guessing we'd need to have another attacker that will get 4,000 mins across the various competitions for that to happen. Not sure we have a 4th attacker yet who'll see that many minutes if everyone is fit.

If we'd had a bad injury to our front 3 then Coutinho would have been missed. Hed provide the depth many of us would like to see up top. Like Origi and Shaqiri but it's hard not to see that Klopp doenst use them as readily as he would have Phil had he not left.

[CCTV]

I'll put my hand up about Matip. I honestly can't remember a bigger turn around in one of our players in such a short space of time.
He played a huge part in us winning in Europe plus doing so well in the league.

What you had an opinion on the internet

Thought Matip was excellent in 15/16 and always been the better player than Lovren. Great to see him back and in good health.

He was superb. I'd say that in the latter part of the season he was better than VVD. While Gomez was better than VVD early doors.
VVD a constant superb performer.
Hopefully all 3 are fit as an ox in 19/20 and injury free.