Match Thread: Liverpool vs Crystal Palace Carabao Cup

[Ravo19]

Expectations were undoubtedly through the roof, but that is gone now.

Slot's here, we've sourced players that are for the future (as well as "the now") and we have to prepare for the era that is coming as time won't be standing still for Alisson, Van Dijk, Robertson or Salah - much as we will all mourn the departure away from a period of joyous time at the club.

Transition into the new is coming - indeed, it's already here in some respects. I think there will be more rough to come before we get the smooth.

The good thing about Footie is how quickly things can change. Just as our recent capitulation has been awful, it doesn't take a lot to suddenly pluck 3 wins on the spin from somewhere as the season progresses.

I think the re-assessed goals for the season are as follows -

1. Ensure we qualify for next season's Champion's League
2. Reach the knockout stages of this season's Champion's League
3. Find a way to complete the above objectives without relying as heavily upon Mo's goal-scoring exploits
4. Find a functioning system that gets the best use out of as many of Kerkez, Frimpong, Wirtz Ekitike and Isak as possible whilst completing objectives 1-3.

Accomplish the above and we'll have had a good season that can set up a platform for the next lot of years. Would it be disappointing relative to what we thought we were getting when the season started? Undeniably it would - but it's where we are right now, so we need to re-align with the transition that is going to occur.

Or switch back to a 4 3 3,at least try wirtz wide or even false 9,frimpong looks decent and might be intetesting right in a midfield 3.
For me the 4 2 3 1 hasnt worked but slot has stuck with it,maybe wants to move away from klopps formation and make it his liveepool.

[Red October]

Or switch back to a 4 3 3,at least try wirtz wide or even false 9,frimpong looks decent and might be intetesting right in a midfield 3.
For me the 4 2 3 1 hasnt worked but slot has stuck with it,maybe wants to move away from klopps formation and make it his liveepool.

Or Frimpong for Salah. We need energy and tracking back. Salah's work-rate is awful right now. Bradley is very exposed. The wingers need to track back and help out. We need to set up to not get beaten right now for a few games. Get a bit of solidity. I don't have much confidence that Slot can do it....

If everyone was fit:

Alisson
Brad Konate VVD Robbo
Grav Mac
Szobo
Frimpong Ekitike Wirtz/Chiesa

[jr81]

Expectations were undoubtedly through the roof, but that is gone now.

Slot's here, we've sourced players that are for the future (as well as "the now") and we have to prepare for the era that is coming as time won't be standing still for Alisson, Van Dijk, Robertson or Salah - much as we will all mourn the departure away from a period of joyous time at the club.

Transition into the new is coming - indeed, it's already here in some respects. I think there will be more rough to come before we get the smooth.

The good thing about Footie is how quickly things can change. Just as our recent capitulation has been awful, it doesn't take a lot to suddenly pluck 3 wins on the spin from somewhere as the season progresses.

I think the re-assessed goals for the season are as follows -

1. Ensure we qualify for next season's Champion's League
2. Reach the knockout stages of this season's Champion's League
3. Find a way to complete the above objectives without relying as heavily upon Mo's goal-scoring exploits
4. Find a functioning system that gets the best use out of as many of Kerkez, Frimpong, Wirtz Ekitike and Isak as possible whilst completing objectives 1-3.

Accomplish the above and we'll have had a good season that can set up a platform for the next lot of years. Would it be disappointing relative to what we thought we were getting when the season started? Undeniably it would - but it's where we are right now, so we need to re-align with the transition that is going to occur.

Your 4 points are what I would expect now. However, it is disappointing having come into the season with higher expectations. There were some having us down to win the league and CL after the summer. As a club, we don't seem to plan long term for the squad.

We left the midfield get too old and had to do a whole revamp at once. This summer the forwards were revamped for one reason or other.

The contracts for the 3 lads last year. All dragged out.

The cb situation, how have we not signed a top cb in the last 3 years?

We never had a squad under klopp that I would call full of quality. We were always short in one area or other. And the result is a season like this. Or like our last title defence. Maybe our owners are happy with 1 league every 5 years?

[Ravo19]

Or Frimpong for Salah. We need energy and tracking back. Salah's work-rate is awful right now. Bradley is very exposed. The wingers need to track back and help out. We need to set up to not get beaten right now for a few games. Get a bit of solidity. I don't have much confidence that Slot can do it....

If everyone was fit:

Alisson
Brad Konate VVD Robbo
Grav Mac
Szobo
Frimpong Ekitike Wirtz/Chiesa

Alisson
Frimpong konate vvd kerkez
Szobo grav mac
Salah isak wirtz

Salah has to start but needs subbing off early when not working.
Frimpong can rotate with szobo for right mid.
Love ekitikie but at 130m and prem proven isak will be main man.
With 4 2 3 1 not working ,wirtz is going to have to prove himself wide or maybe false 9.
Love ekitikie but would have gone with CB,DM and wide attacker before wirtz and one from ekitikie/isak.
Chiesa could have took over the jota role from bench.

[Kev0909]

Gomez was fucking awful by the way

Wouldn't be nowhere near the team if we actually invested at CB, and he wasn't english and can play across the back

[jr81]

Gomez was fucking awful by the way

Wouldn't be nowhere near the team if we actually invested at CB, and he wasn't english and can play across the back

Yep, an indictment of how our squad has regressed.

[jozza800]

He's not kicked a ball all season.

[Kev0909]

He's not kicked a ball all season.

Yes he has.. not much but still

There's a reason for that, because every time he's shocking

[Steveo]

Gomez was fucking awful by the way

Wouldn't be nowhere near the team if we actually invested at CB, and he wasn't english and can play across the back

He was made to look awful more than was awful. He had so much to do in a side that was way out of its depth.

Look Joe was given an impossible task - as was Chiesa

[RedMagic]

Gomez has been largely poor and error prone during his time with us. He had a brief period where just like Curtis Jones he'd have a couple of good but not great games, and some people such as those in the media would heap an OTT amount of praise upon him saying things such as "Gomez is the future of England's defence", only for him to then revert back to his norm i.e. inconsistent, error prone, and simply not good enough to play more than the odd game for a team that expects to challenge for top honours every season.

[Red October]

I think he's a back-up for a reason. He's been valuable to us as he's been able to come in and cover multiple positions.

[Steveo]

Correct.. Also had a fantastic spell alongside Virgil. Injuries have also been extremely unkind to his Liverpool career.

[teesred]

You don't get ten years at Liverpool under several managers by being "largely error prone".

[sydenham red]

You don't get ten years at Liverpool under several managers by being "largely error prone".

Our longest serving player?? Cheap and versatile, but does need a run of games to get up to speed and those run of games rarely happen. I think he's a better FB than CB but only my opinion.

[RedMagic]

You don't get ten years at Liverpool under several managers by being "largely error prone".

I give you one name, Lucas Leiva. He may not have been as inconsistent or error prone or Gomez, but he wasn't exactly Rodri was he? And before anyone mentions him getting our Player of the Year award in the 10-11 season, he got the award because he like Gomez was decent at times (but not great) in a season where we were piss poor e.g. we finished 6th, went out of both the FA cup and League cup in the 3rd round, and we went out of the EL in the last 16.