Match Thread: Galatasaray v Liverpool

[teesred]

1. He needs to be benched to start the Chelsea game. Not as an indictment on him or his performance, but we need to go with a strong starting lineup that works for how we play and our best midfield three is Grav, Macca and Szobo. But also leaving him on the bench (and maybe bringing him on later during the game) might help take him out of the firing line of criticism he's receiving. It was always going to be hard going for him with his price tag that he came carrying - both him and Isak - which hang around their necks like lead albatrosses.

2. I honestly don't know what to do with him, but I'm open to starting a couple of games with Gomez partnering Virg ......again....just for stability. I know Gomez also has his moments, and is an injury-risk situation, but the Konate situation is just driving me straight up the wall I'd even be willing to see Endo or Nyoni back there instead of him.

3. Again,....Slot needs to pick one and stick with it. Szobo was a great stop-gap, but I'm not a fan of playing players out of position, and playing him there deprives us of what he gives us in the midfield.
Go with Conor - I realize he can get a bit too eager with the tackles and put himself at risk of getting carded early, but have a word, and have Frimpong available to step in if need be. Or Gomez.

But play defenders in defensive positions, first and foremost.

4. I'd also suggest starting Robbo in place of Kerkez as well on the other flank.
Again,....I'm just looking for stability and going with what we know works. Kerkez has improved a lot since his first couple of nightmare games, but there are just situations where we seem to be missing that little attacking thrust that Robbo still offers.


But we really need to knuckle down and get control of that midfield and that backline first and foremost.

And then worry about how we're going to cope with having to go without Ekitike for a while depending on how bad his injury was.

100% agree with all of that.

[Steveo]

anyone know what happend to Ekitoke - how bad is the injury?

[Kev0909]

anyone know what happend to Ekitoke - how bad is the injury?

James Pearce
@JamesPearceLFC
·
18m
Hugo Ekitike confident he only had cramp in his hamstring rather than anything more serious.

Isak had FOUR touches in 37 mins... and one was within like 10 seconds of coming on?

tactics working as intended

[Steveo]

That’s a huge positive if true - will 100% need him for the Chelsea game

[Kev0909]

"This says a lot about the team not Isak. poor tactics, poor team selection. this reminds of a Man U performance, 11 highly paid individuals who are counting there coin" someone said this regarding the four touches for isak thing

Not just me who thinks it was like watching man utd then

Another post on X

"When you think about it, have you enjoyed any game this season? Like genuinely sat there and had a good time?" - ?

That's my point we've scraped results but have we played well all season??? we did well against everton, for a while..... it's been indivdiual quality don't look anything like a good attacking team, and let's not even mention the defending

[Crimson Dynasty]

100% agree with all of that.

I missed one.

5. Enough of the "Jones in the starting lineup" crap.
He's crap as a starter and I don't know why we keep persisting on seeing if he's the answer to that position when he keeps getting countless chances to show us just how invisible he can be.
Plus he slows the game down terribly. Everytime he gets the ball, his instict is to turn back and try to pass back or some ridiculous flick that ultimately costs us possession while his teammates are opening up for a pass.
I'd suggest to him to work on a possible role as an impact sub, because him as a starter just aint it.

I've never really rated him, but was open to him getting the chances to prove me and other doubters wrong, but I feel he's fast run out of chances and we can't afford to keep trying a failed experiment.
He'd be lucky to be moved on to a club like the Cherries or Villa at the end of the season because I just don't envision building out future midfield around a limited player like him.

[Kev0909]

maybe we need to face it transitional season.... then again we still need a CB, CDM, LW, and probably a salah replacement sooner or later so........ money well spent yeah

we look totally clueless and have no ideas in attack, no pace, no service nothing.... rather worrying.

[justme]

some say we miss Trent. he did piss all last season.. so not really missing him... our main issue is transition of play.. its to slow now. Not wanting be constantly harsh with Wirtz.. But hes slowing our attacks.. I always thought Szoboszlai was our best attacking option in a 3. Hes been at right back most of the current season. even this evening he played there and was Frimpong on the up on the right.. So we know whos gonna be playing there when Salah goes to the African Nations.

Again i hope am wrong and Wirtz comes good. But personally i'd rather we swapped him for Olise at Bayern.. We'd have cover for Salah then.. At this present time. I don't see how Wirtz is gonna be a constant scorer or having assists..
I hope i'm proved 100% wrong. and I don't usually write off players so early.. I just look at how he plays its to slow.. and often loses the ball. makes our play stop start.. If we can get him closer to goal in the false 9 roll then maybe he can get his fair share of goals and assists.. Right now he shouldn't be starting..

[jimmyliver]

I missed one.

5. Enough of the "Jones in the starting lineup" crap.
He's crap as a starter and I don't know why we keep persisting on seeing if he's the answer to that position when he keeps getting countless chances to show us just how invisible he can be.
Plus he slows the game down terribly. Everytime he gets the ball, his instict is to turn back and try to pass back or some ridiculous flick that ultimately costs us possession while his teammates are opening up for a pass.
I'd suggest to him to work on a possible role as an impact sub, because him as a starter just aint it.

I've never really rated him, but was open to him getting the chances to prove me and other doubters wrong, but I feel he's fast run out of chances and we can't afford to keep trying a failed experiment.
He'd be lucky to be moved on to a club like the Cherries or Villa at the end of the season because I just don't envision building out future midfield around a limited player like him.

Mate it’s crazy we have been saying that for 5 years , he’s never been good enough , he is absolutely garbage , the only thing that fries my brain is how switched on klopp and a lot are and they haven’t got rid of him and start him , if he went to a side like villa he would be anonymous as he’s so limited

[justme]

Guess we keep Jones cause we need the home grown quota. Another with no real position, hes not a DM or a number 8,hes not an attacking midfielder.. so don't know what he is.. He's not pushed on at all. It took his face bouncing off the grass for his performance to improve a bit in the second half..

Anyway some good news. Apparently the injury to Hugo is just cramp. so something positive

[justme]

The likes of Carragher saying we "aren't a great team" Christ we are allowed to lose games. no team in history wins all their fixtures. Apart from that carry on idiot.

[justincredible]

Good to see we're getting our blip this season in early....
Onwards and upwards....

[Steveo]

I generally take pundit commentary, including Jamie Carragher's (never liked him), with a grain of salt, but his assessment is spot-on: this isn't a great team, and last season's wasn't either. What we had last term was a very strong starting 11 with the tenacity of Rocky Balboa.

Last season's success, in my view, was clearly due to several converging factors. We flew under the radar early on, while Arsenal were still finding their rhythm yet were very much in the title hunt.
Manchester City seemed mentally distracted by their 115 charges and Rodri's injury woes. Our own form was exceptional, continuing even as Arsenal began to suffer injuries. Ultimately, they lost momentum when injuries decimated their core squad - they were pragmatic and prioritised the CL.

We finished with 84 points, a great tally (not enough in the previous decade) , but it came at a cost: the starting 11 was overworked, leading to disappointing results in the cups, like the fisrt knockout in CL v PSG - where we were largely schooled.., and the Carabao Cup final defeat to Newcastle where we were simply overpowered in all areas.

Achieving all that though with a squad built by his predecessor was a fantastic feat for Arne Slot in his first season - but it doesn't make it a great team.

This summer, with the breaking up of Klopp's core, the results were great, yet the general play was poor. Now, with results declining and injuries inevitably mounting, reality is starting to bite.

We've finally spent a fortune - more even than the funds generated by the Coutinho sale - but, so far, it's hard to see anything but a clear regression. As we know Spending for spending sake isn’t the answer - you need to identify what is needed - go out and land it AND have the manager who can make it work.

[Steveo]

Good to see we're getting our blip this season in early....
Onwards and upwards....

Yep - it could be a blip or just the initial complications of adding so many new faces and losing so many old ones

[justme]

regarding losing to PSG they won the final FIVE nil.. and losing to Newcastle.. we are allowed to lose games.
We lost to a very good Palace side and Galatasaray is not always easy. we've lost games away like that for many a year has have a lot of English teams .The likes of Salah need to improve.. we rely on him a lot and hes not been at the races so far.
Just need to get Macca match fit.. that'll come.. our team will play better.. i don't get the ultra negative mind set.