Match Thread: Galatasaray v Liverpool

[justme]

Mentioning Frimpong... He started games then got injured then started again up on the right. he needs game time.. Its not easy just coming in and being outstanding from the first minute. I think with Frimpong being right footed on the right he should be able to get closer to the by-line and get a cross in. Hopefully that will suit the likes of Isak.. who i think prefers the ball to be in the box. rather than he being forced to run off play and away from goal

[jimmyliver]

I just listened to carragher on that UCL programme , I don’t always agree with him but the last two times I’ve heard him speak about the situation he’s been spot on , we haven’t been good since the start of the season , on the first day of the season when we played Bournemouth , I watched with the old man I said we didn’t play well but got the win , I’ll take that , and to be honest that line could be used every game we have won this season . We are not playing well, and when you start losing a couple it creates a bit of panic, if we were losing but having chance after chance I’d feel better but we don’t seem to be creating a great deal ,
We are disjointed , there is no quick transition in our play any more , and the defence looks a shambles . Chiesa has to start for me next game he’s just a much much better all around footballer than gakpo. Slot has some work to do in the next few weeks , crucial period

[Steveo]

Champions often win their opening games - and often without being great…. It’s the normal way of things tbh…

Some of that is due to teams paying them too much respect AND some of it is the natural confidence being champions and in flow state.

We have been wearing that too thin for too long and the inevitable has happened.

Let’s hope as Justin suggests it’s just a blip and we can refocus. Big games coming up.

[justme]

maybe its because teams are allowed to play well against us?? the facts remain we are 2 points clear in the league. if we win on Saturday we will go into the international break at the top of the table.. we have just as much right as Arsenal to challenge for the league...we are not guaranteed to win anything in football and that goes for any other team. Unless you're Celtic in Scotland or Bayern in Germany

[teesred]

I just listened to carragher on that UCL programme , I don’t always agree with him but the last two times I’ve heard him speak about the situation he’s been spot on , we haven’t been good since the start of the season , on the first day of the season when we played Bournemouth , I watched with the old man I said we didn’t play well but got the win , I’ll take that , and to be honest that line could be used every game we have won this season . We are not playing well, and when you start losing a couple it creates a bit of panic, if we were losing but having chance after chance I’d feel better but we don’t seem to be creating a great deal ,
We are disjointed , there is no quick transition in our play any more , and the defence looks a shambles . Chiesa has to start for me next game he’s just a much much better all around footballer than gakpo. Slot has some work to do in the next few weeks , crucial period

Totally agree on your point regarding Carragher's analysis.
He's correct. The team is a mess right now, the current version of this team can't and won't win the league or the CL. We are too easy to score against and are giving teams way too many chances to get behind our defence.
Every team we play is causing us big problems, even Burnley had a few opportunities and we made very hard work of it. In the opening few games the attack was ok, looked like it would bail us out but even that's fell flat the last few games.

[miller0863]

Lost count last night of how many times I found myself shaking my head and saying this is a total mess.

Too many personnel changes combined with a big tactical change.

Looking like a transitional season, just finish top four, bring in the three players needed to complete the squad and go again 2026/27.

Not because we have lost a couple of games but because of how we have looked in every game so far.

And one or two of our new faces probably won’t make it, which wouldn’t be a surprise considering the number we brought in

[Red October]

Hey guys, let's spare a thought for the Galatasaray kit man!! He's got to get those grass stains out!
Never seen a team want to roll around on the ground so much. Did they actually spend much time on their feet second half?

It's not an excuse but is frustrating. I agree with Slot's analysis in part. We're not as bad as it looks. It's a tough place to go and we did some good things. Mainly first half.

Some positives:
Frimpong looked decent. Ekitike was a threat. Kerkez has looked better the past couple of games by and large. even Wirtz had some nice moments. We've got Grav and VVD functioning fairly well and Alison till the injury.

Areas to improve: probably wouldn't play Szobo right back again even though he looked good there before. He was a bit out of his depth. Get Frimpong back there or if you want Frimpong in attack, it has to be Bradley back there. Get Szobo back in midfield where we need his energy. I think Wirtz could work with Szobo and Grav behind him. Especially with Macca being out of form.

I think the peno was soft too. I can understand why it was given but the Gala players were just looking for any contact at all.

Overall, we knew that it would take time to bed in the new players. We're in a chicken and egg situation. We can't stick with last year's team as some of them have gone. So we need to get these players settled as quickly as possible but there's going to be pain while that happens. Some are starting to look better, like Kerkez. Ekitike has hit the ground running which really helps. Isak looks like he will start scoring soon as he's got that poacher instinct. For now it's not clicking. Also, teams want to take our scalp so will do their utmost to frustrate us.

[justme]

I can see Macca going next summer if he don't improve his fitness. Theres always the rumours of Madrid in the back ground. And i doubt we'll let him do a trent and possibly Konate.. Bringing in Wharton will make up for it. Grav is good enough to play an 8 as well 6 (imo).

[justme]

On my last post. Don't get me wrong.. I love Mac allister. we are missing him big time..we need him back up to speed soon

[Red October]

As is well-documented, Konate is probably our biggest liability. Should we try Gomez there for a bit? I wouldn't mind trying that. Gomez is not exactly Mr Stability either.

[Kev0909]

As is well-documented, Konate is probably our biggest liability. Should we try Gomez there for a bit? I wouldn't mind trying that. Gomez is not exactly Mr Stability either.

didn't exactly impress v southampton

£446m spent, still no good backup for grav/maca.. still no good CB with VVD... and now we have no pace in attack.

[Kev0909]

The numbers suggest Liverpool have only been statistically better than their opponent in two of their six Premier League games so far this season, with newly-promoted Sunderland the only side in the division to have overperformed by a higher margin.

Ouch

Only West Ham, Leeds and Nottingham Forest have conceded more set-piece goals than Liverpool in the Premier League this season. A closer look at the numbers shows the Reds are allowing significantly more shots and expected goals from set-pieces than last term.

Underlying performance data suggests Liverpool are fortunate to be top. In fact, the Sky Sports expected table, which is based on our xG formula, has the champions seventh, on nine points, behind struggling Manchester United on expected goal difference.

[Red October]

I can well believe that but as we know stats don't always tell the whole story. We have often found ways to win under both Slot and Klopp in recent years despite not being as good as we might have been. I'd rather we kept the league ticking over for now at least till November and by then you'd hope the new players would be finding their feet. In the next month we have Chelsea away, Man U at home and Brentford away. You'd hope we could get 6 points out of that or 7.

Arsenal have West ham home, Fulham away and Palace home. They could take all 9 points but you never know. Maybe Palace could get something there. So we might be neck and neck by the end of this month but one month closer to integrating those players. Isak maybe to improve and get a goal or two.

[Steveo]

Never liked him.. but he nails it for me does Carra

[Red October]

Yeah. He's probably right. I do think it's a product of the constant over-analysis that we have these days. It's not rocket science that 4/5 new starters in the team would take time to bed in. Unfortunately if a team loses a few games it's a crisis these days. Had Liverpool scraped the draw with Palace (unjustified) and equalised last night, we'd probably be saying "yeah they're not playing great but they're getting the results".

I agree with him that Slot is going to earn his money now. He needs to create an identity for the team. Are we moving away from the workman-like midfields that Klopp liked? If so, will we be too open as a result? He needs a plan.