Weathering the Storm.

[Steveo]

We are going to really struggle for top 4 or even close to it - based on our current away form results wise and performances all season.

Things will need to change and fast

[Insidious]

They absolutely did not accept losing out on champions league places to have bedding in season.

No, likely not.

Saying that, 2 points off 3rd spot despite having lost 5 League games already.

If we were to finish 3rd/4th whilst bedding in the newer signings and get towards constructing the post-Salah Liverpool, whilst maybe reaching the last 16 or last 8 of the Champion's League and getting off to something resembling a decent start in the 26/27, then they'll absolutely take the fresh shoots of a somewhat new-look squad.

We've bought in the hope that the incoming players will be able to contribute over a 5-year spell. That's 190 League games.

Hopefully there's League titles or a Champion's League or two out of some of these lads. Slot undeniably has some big calls to make in terms of getting that project started and it's a shame we have spluttered a bit with trying to get a consistent XI but fingers and toes tightly crossed that this is a period of teething problems rather than something deeper.

We're certainly not going to be as good as Arsenal or Man City this season, but if we can be better than Chelsea/Tottenham/Man United/Aston Villa/Newcastle etc whilst "at our worst" under Slot we'll probably do okay over the years to come, though sadly we can't hop in the Time Machine and reflect on it.

Feels a bit like Houllier/early Benitez Liverpool at the moment, so hopefully patience pays off.

[jr81]

They accepted it because of who Klopp was. Slott is no Jurgen.

I do hope you're right though. But I think Slot is gone by the end of the season.

OK, but they did accept it though?

[Insidious]

If we miss cl I’d say you’re right. If we get cl he’ll probably be kept on.

Games will come thick and fast now, so before we know it we'll have 19 League games under our belt - will be interesting (and possibly alarming) to see how far away the Champion's League places are by that stage.

[Ravo19]

Under klopp we set up with a false 9 and 2 inverted attackers in sadio & salah with robertson and arnold providing the width.
Gapko and salah still cut inside but no arnold or robbo providing width,nunez,isak and at times eritikie have struggled with supply.
Maybe to make the 4 2 3 1 work and get wirtz into game as a 10 we need at least one winger supplying width and getting crosses in for isak/eritikie and allowing wirtz to get into the box,

[Insidious]

Under klopp we set up with a false 9 and 2 inverted attackers in sadio & salah with robertson and arnold providing the width.
Gapko and salah still cut inside but no arnold or robbo providing width,nunez,isak and at times eritikie have struggled with supply.
Maybe to make the 4 2 3 1 work and get wirtz into game as a 10 we need at least one winger supplying width and getting crosses in for isak/eritikie and allowing wirtz to get into the box,

I think Kerkez is perfectly capable of providing width, but he doesn't seem to have quite the license to do so (tactics, instructions) as someone like Robbo would have done under Klopp - not to mention that Gakpo fails to find him time after time.

One of those percentage gains that badly needs addressing. Kerkez hasn't had a great season, but he does have serious quality from crosses and if allowed more freedom (more protection from midfield/tactical instruction) and was given the ball more by Cody, it would be another tool in the attacking tool-kit.

On the subject of the attack - Mo Salah......wow. He has apparently lost possession 215 times in the League this season (only Minteh and Porro are worse and it's marginally) but his dribble completion percentage is at 25.6% which is the second-worst in the League, with only Ouattara doing worse.

I know Slot comes under huge scrutiny if we play a Salah-less game and we lose (or fail to score) but Mo is having an absolute shocker so far. A stint out of the team would be best all-round.

[Kev0909]

At least we got lucky start of the season and some dramatic late goals otherwise we'd be in the relegation zone

let that sink in

[redebreck]

At least we got lucky start of the season and some dramatic late goals otherwise we'd be in the relegation zone

let that sink in

At the moment, we are THREE POINTS off fourth place.

[Kev0909]

At the moment, we are THREE POINTS off fourth place.

Yeah it's good everyone is dropping pts apart from Arsenal

[Steveo]

Think we'll be ok from a relegation point of view Kev..

At least I hope..

IF ..and it's a big IF ..but IF we can get our act together soon - integrate the new lads far better than we have to date, get big Virgil Macca, Grav and Salah back to some semblance of fitness and or mental focus, (they all look shattered imo).. then we CAN still make that top 4 berth. I don't see too many sides putting long winning streaks together.. Isak cannot be as invisible as he has been for long...surely?

IF we do that and manage to do well in the CL.. The season is not a right off..