Caporegime
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Boateng is pretty crap on FM too. Even shipped him out my Gelsenkirchen game.
Summer Transfer Window 2017/18 - Rumours & Signings
- Thread starter BaZ87
- Start date
Some media (from Spain so take with an appropriate pinch of salt) saying that Barca are bidding 118m for Coutinho. Could see that amount being accepted. If it is then we should release a statement to say something like , "we wanted to keep hold of him and did all we could to talk him around but professionally speaking we have a duty to our players and we must factor in their wishes when their minds are unavoidably made up" or something of that ilk, just to see if it has any effect on Southampton letting VVD come to us. Doubt it would though.
Not getting someone of command to organise the defence would be a big mistake. We need a leader at the back, all the best defences have a Terry or a Carra or an Adams. Someone who takes charge. But then I wouldnt be surprised if we end up getting nobody for the defence, I said right at the start of the window how slow we are in getting transfers organised and so on, was poo-pooed for a lack of faith/belief, but it wasnt negativity on my part, it was just being realistic based on past experience.
Our attack is great but if we dont get someone in who can better organise and command the defence then we will leak goals all season again nullifying any attacking impotus.
Blame your manager not your owners.
Just saw this. I thought Liverpool weren't selling him...?
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/spor...hilippe-coutinho-transfer-close-says-13488223
I'd guess Segura's comments might have had something to do with Real handing Barca their arse on a plate and him trying to appease a mob. Barca have of course been briefing their press that a deal was hours away for the past 2 weeks now.
We have had poor transfer windows under the last three managers. Crap defence under the last three also.
Yet your manager has been unable to identify any targets other than one to improve your defence when the whole world can see 4 goats with 3 legs would be better than the utter **** you pedal as a back line. So because this one player has seemingly fallen through you have no other back ups?
He's just another Wenger, if he doesn't get the one he wants he will muddle through. He's had more than enough transfer window time to get better defenders in, to find targets for the board, but he doesn't and at the end of the season you will be 5th or 6th with another year treading water or falling backwards. What do you expect the board to do if German Wenger can't give them more than one target.
He's just another Wenger, if he doesn't get the one he wants he will muddle through. He's had more than enough transfer window time to get better defenders in, to find targets for the board, but he doesn't and at the end of the season you will be 5th or 6th with another year treading water or falling backwards. What do you expect the board to do if German Wenger can't give them more than one target.
The whole world could see that Lovren was going to improve our defence too. He was equally as impressive at Southampton as VvD has been and we still have the same defensive issues. As I've kept saying and Jamie Carragher said on Sky the other day (presumably he reads my posts) - our defensive problems are more to do with the way we play than our actual defenders. It does not matter who you have playing CB, if you keep leaving your CB's totally exposed on their own, you're going to struggle. Klopp isn't stupid and we're not defending like that for no reason. We set up in a way where we want to dominate possession and press teams and defend higher up the pitch - a consequence of that is that when teams beat the press or we lose possession, we're always going to be open at the back. Klopp's decided that the benefits of playing this way outweigh the risks.
Of course there are CB's that can come into our side and improve us but it's not as straight forward as some like to think though. There would be no point signing a 27 year old John Terry for example - Terry was as good a CB as there's been in the past 20 years but he's not remotely suited to playing in our system nor are a lot of other CB's. We need a CB with very specific qualities - we don't defend on the edge of our 18 yard box, our CB's defend on the half way line.
Danny is right when he says you can't blame our owners if we don't sign a CB. All they can do is provide the funds to make signings and they've done that.
Of course there are CB's that can come into our side and improve us but it's not as straight forward as some like to think though. There would be no point signing a 27 year old John Terry for example - Terry was as good a CB as there's been in the past 20 years but he's not remotely suited to playing in our system nor are a lot of other CB's. We need a CB with very specific qualities - we don't defend on the edge of our 18 yard box, our CB's defend on the half way line.
Danny is right when he says you can't blame our owners if we don't sign a CB. All they can do is provide the funds to make signings and they've done that.
Soldato
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Whilst I agree with some of the above, the team have consistent struggled to protect a 1 or 2 goal advantage for 3-4 seasons now. When we take a lead, the pressure drops off and you always get the distinct impression we will concede. This can't simply be down to the tactics or system.
A top team needs to able to sit back and soak up pressure. It's not possible to attack for 90 minutes. Especially in the CL.
You saw this last season. After christmas when the legs are starting to tire, and the attack isn't as sharp, we dropped a lot of points conceding stupid goals.
A top team needs to able to sit back and soak up pressure. It's not possible to attack for 90 minutes. Especially in the CL.
You saw this last season. After christmas when the legs are starting to tire, and the attack isn't as sharp, we dropped a lot of points conceding stupid goals.
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I agree with what you're saying but it is linked to our system imo. In those situations we're neither smart enough nor horrible enough and that's a result of who we're playing and where we're playing them. Look at Bournemouth away last season - how many sides get caught on the counter attack when leading by 2 goals and there being just 15 minutes to go? I don't believe for a moment that Klopp wanted us to be over committing in those positions and I can recall several occasions over the last 2 years where Klopp's been screaming at the likes of Moreno or Can for being caught up field at stupid times. But Henderson isn't going to suddenly become Mascherano with 15 minutes to go and neither is Milner going to become Arbeloa - there's going to be times where their natural instinct to get forward will override their brains.
I say this more in hope than expectation but after a season of playing in new positions, hopefully players like Henderson, Wijnaldum and Lallana might be able to play with more discipline more often. If you look back to the games vs the biggest sides we often defended better than against the lesser sides so they are capable of doing it. It's just those dips in concentration and discipline maybe when they're not 100% focused.
I know Klopp hates it but I really wish we were more cynical at times too. How many times on Tuesday was Mane or Firmino hacked down when we were threatening to break? In years gone by we'd have had Arbeloa, Carra or Masch doing the same, taking players out on the half way line. Now we almost wave them through on goal.
Klopp and our style of play ultimately got us into the top 4 last season but it's a really high risk way of playing and addressing the weaknesses of the system isn't easy - we require a very specific type of player and there aren't many that fit the bill. In normal circumstances I'd have been against paying over £50m on a CB that's been injured for 5 months but VvD ticked all the boxes for us. Same story with Keita, at least in theory as I can't pretend to have seen him play week in week out.
If Liverpool can't line up a very good replacement for Coutinho they shouldn't let him leave. They were not good against Hoffenheim without him and the defence was a massive liability as always. Against a better attacking side Liverpool would have been taken apart. The problem for Coutinho is that this is realistically a now or never move. He is a very good player but his value is entirely based on Liverpool not wanting to sell and Barca having a huge amount to spend. I think they will sign someone else this summer or just move onto a different target next summer if he doesn't come so from Coutinhos point of view if he wants to go he needs to try and force the move.
Klopp doesn't strike me as the sort of manager to keep a player when they want to go so I don't know whether Coutinho has spoken to him. I don't believe Barca when they say any deal is close and the selling club is denying it. They have just had their pants pulled down over Neymar and their team is in serious need of an overhaul in light of RMs current dominance. The management structure at Barca has always been "interesting" so god knows whats actually happening there at the moment.
Klopp doesn't strike me as the sort of manager to keep a player when they want to go so I don't know whether Coutinho has spoken to him. I don't believe Barca when they say any deal is close and the selling club is denying it. They have just had their pants pulled down over Neymar and their team is in serious need of an overhaul in light of RMs current dominance. The management structure at Barca has always been "interesting" so god knows whats actually happening there at the moment.
Soldato
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Right, so personnel is at least part of the problem. I don't see us making up the 17 point deficit last season without scope for tactical tightening at the back within the squad.
There's nothing I've seen which suggests this season will any different to every other season season since we lost Suarez. Lots of goals conceded, lots of points dropped from being ahead, and a demoralised defence and goal keeper.
I do feel we're missing an authoritative CB from the Hyypia ilk, and a holding midfielder as minimum if we're going to progress as a team.
I agree with both of those, IF Can was further along in his development then we could possibly do without the holding midfielder but as it stands he is currently still too hit and miss.
The authoritative CB I think is an absolute necessity. I understand what some people are saying that one player cannot single handedly stop us conceding but what one single defender (of the right make up) can do is galvanise the defence which will help. There isnt really anybody galvanising the defence or taking command back there and (combined with Mignolets apparent lack of defence command) its adding to the lack of organisation and situational control.