Liverpool V PSV Match Thread

[redgold]

Slot is on record admitting what I told the resident shill at the end of last season.

He picked the strongest 11 left him by Klopp.

He played them over and over and over again,

We winged it, and it worked. It wouldn’t work 9 seasons in 10..you’ll see at least 2 key injuries a season doing that most times. Never rotating - just same team. It gives you massive consistency BUT the risk is huge.

It combined well with massive and repeated key injuries to Arsenal and crucially a duck and hide City team reeling from 115… These were Klopp’s players playing as they were drilled by Jurgen. They win that title - the instant the end was in sight the mental and physical fatigue appears. Watch the game in Paris. We were smashed. kicked it 0:1 but the writing was on the wall.

Well here it is

I’m finding it very uncomfortable hearing pundits on TNT referring to the tragic Jota death as being somehow an underlying cause for the team not playing well.

It’s sickening. The rot was setting in last season and it’s carried on. The manager cannot find a way to lift the team or change anything. The training, the physicality, the mentality of this current squad is not anywhere near good enough. You cannot mention Jota when looking for excuses. Slot looks and is completely lost.

I think it's having an underlying effect though. Sure, the team was drained by the end of last season, but you would expect the break and preseason to revitalise them. Instead, they come back flat, half their mates have gone to different clubs. The atmosphere isn't there and their replacement can't pick up the vibe. Arne isn't Jürgen in the motivation department, so can't help there. On top of that, a new system that isn't working plus injuries/lack of fitness. It's the perfect storm.
Despite being angry at Arne, I have some sympathy.

[Steveo]

Agreed. and Jota.. before anyone pelts me.. you cannot underestimate the effect of that.

That is bigger than football.

[miller0863]

I did suggest in the “your team” thread we should try a 442 for more solidity and as a way of playing both Isak and Ekitike.


Could it have been any worse that what actually unfolded??

[justme]

Konate is being done up like a kipper. If he thinks Madrid will sign him in the summer.. Theres no way he will get paid the wages he thinks he'll get. Because they won't even consider him now. And he wont sign a new deal with us. Which doesn't leave him with many options at a big club. Then again he may take a lower level team as long as he gets a huge wad of wages.. anyway it turns out. hes finished at our club..his form this season has been utter drivel. Virgil ain't been far behind.

[ianlfc]

Another 2nd half collapse, awful doesn't come close.

[fiordearg]

This might sound a bit off but is Slot a manager of men? If he doesn't rate you you get dropped. Gomez and Endo could have helped when clearly Jones and MacAllister were gone. Has he helped the team heal after the Jota. Is he a motivator? Sometimes it is not systems it's about managing the lads and making sure there is unity. Right now they look lost, no leadership.

[jr81]

This might sound a bit off but is Slot a manager of men? If he doesn't rate you you get dropped. Gomez and Endo could have helped when clearly Jones and MacAllister were gone. Has he helped the team heal after the Jota. Is he a motivator? Sometimes it is not systems it's about managing the lads and making sure there is unity. Right now they look lost, no leadership.

That's one thing Steveo has mentioned on here multiple times regarding slot. He isn't a managed, he is a coach. He probably isn't one for the arm around the shoulder.

Also, last season after the 1st game, Quansah got benched. Everyone was raving about his ruthlessness. If you don't perform you are out. Yet, this season even when he had a full squad, Konate, mo and others all got swat with way below standard performances.

The camera panned to slot last night after the 3rd goal. He currently looks lost himself.

[Lorenzo]

I think this is a huge part of the problem. It is one thing being tactically proficient as a coach but its another thing being able to get the players to emotionally buy in to what you want them to achieve. Look at Benitez as an example, great tactician but the team found him distant and emotionless at times. Tough times ahead for Slot, I hope he gets through it and quickly!

[Ravo19]

At 2-1 we werent playing to bad but it did highlight the issues,we pushed hard for a equaliser but toothless in attack gapko(never rated hilm)is no diaz and salah is not the player he was.the 4 2 3 1 again left us vunerable to the counter and konate messing his challenge up it was 3-1 and are legs where gone and we fell to pieces.
2 failures in the window have come back to haunt us,allowing diaz to leave and not replace him,explains the interest in semenyo and guehi,
Looked a done deal,waiting for palace to get replacement in untill palace fucked us over last minutes of window.
Slot sticking with a 4 2 3 1 which worked last season when pushing teams back and scoring goals but with goals not coming we run out of energy and the 2 man midfield is exposed.

[jozza800]

Watch how high Grav is for their 2nd goal. He gets nowehere near winning the ball and leaves a massive space in behind him.

The lad who gets the assist could have got his deckchair out, had a mimosa and then a siesta because he had that much time before playing his pass.

But it's gone beyond tactics now. The morale is absolutely on the floor.

[teesred]

Watch how high Grav is for their 2nd goal. He gets nowehere near winning the ball and leaves a massive space in behind him.

The lad who gets the assist could have got his deckchair out, had a mimosa and then a siesta because he had that much time before playing his pass.

But it's gone beyond tactics now. The morale is absolutely on the floor.

It's really baffling why Slot hasn't gone back to a basic approach of trying to just get something from games. Just trying to be a bit more solid and hard to beat, he's just persisting with the same theme every game and it will undoubtedly cost him his job.

We've been saying the same thing for weeks and months, surely they see it too?

[teesred]

This might sound a bit off but is Slot a manager of men? If he doesn't rate you you get dropped. Gomez and Endo could have helped when clearly Jones and MacAllister were gone. Has he helped the team heal after the Jota. Is he a motivator? Sometimes it is not systems it's about managing the lads and making sure there is unity. Right now they look lost, no leadership.

It's definitely a good point and worthy of thought/discussion.
I honestly won't be shocked if there's some kind of revolt against him. It just doesn't add up how so many players are not performing.

[pob]

It's definitely a good point and worthy of thought/discussion.
I honestly won't be shocked if there's some kind of revolt against him. It just doesn't add up how so many players are not performing.

He's clearly lost the dressing room now, and that's always the last straw for a manager, regardless of how shit the players are on the pitch. He's finished.
Nearly half a billion spent in the summer, fuck me.

[sydenham red]

He's clearly lost the dressing room now, and that's always the last straw for a manager, regardless of how shit the players are on the pitch. He's finished.

When u see everybody turning to shit, even long serving club legends then u know the management is failing. Konate is the only one who is out of contract soon but any decent sort could fashion the rest into a 433, 4321 or 442. If I was slot/the next manager I'd be asking the club to withdraw the offer to konate and sell salah asap too. Gakpo must be on borrowed time too

[Ravo19]

Imo,fsg & transfer team know they messed up a bit in transfer window and will rectify that in january.slot has played down need for a CB and said endo/gravenberch can play there but did admit other areas need addressing.
For me thats a winger and midfielder although i hope we also realise the need for a CB.We will have to draw a line through this season but with 2 or 3 signings in january we can have a strong 2nd half of season and build on that in the summer.the bigger decision is if slot will be given time to work with januarys signings.