TAW contributors with quickfire talking points straight from the ground as Liverpool slumped to a third home defeat in a week at the hands of Championship side Wolves.
No Cutting Edge
Was far too easy for them to create chances and far too difficult for us. Players look unwilling and unable to try a killer pass. @johngibbonsblog
What I can’t get my head around is why we’re seeing the same performances on repeat. Too many players are passing the buck — beat a man, try a long pass, do something different. It was too easy for Wolves. They’ll have harder games than that in the Championship. @robbohuyton
I think too many of our players are worried about their pass completion stats. @johngibbonsblog
Experienced Heads
Young players not the issue. It’s the older reserves. Ragnar Klavan, Lucas Leiva and Connor Randall not good enough to do a job for us. They don’t even look Championship standard. @johngibbonsblog
These games are a chance for Klopp to show the fans they shouldn’t worry about the depth of the squad and that’s now another poor performance from some of those lads. @jsexton24
Not Up For The Fight
There’s absolutely no fight in Liverpool right now. That’s the third game running when players are running for 30 and 40 yards without a meaningful challenge going in. It felt like Wolves won almost every 50-50 which says it all. @robbohuyton
The Cool Kids
Very hard to be talking about bright spots when you’ve fucked your season up in three games but thought both Ben Woodburn and Ovie Ejaria showed great spirit and actually attempted to make things happen much more than some of the supposedly more seasoned players around them. @robbohuyton
Hooking Ejaria was mad. Gini Wijnaldum was shite. @johngibbonsblog
Burning Brightly
Problem Woodburn had was that when the other team give you that much time on the ball what else can you do but try and cross — nobody even there to get on the end of it, either. @jsexton24
Looks a good footballer Woodburn, though. Not phased. Releases the ball at the right time and makes intelligent runs. @robbohuyton
Missing Matip
Certainly think we should have gone stronger at the back. We’ve moaned like fuck about not being able to pick Matip. Then we rest him after one game?! @johngibbonsblog
Gaffer’s Gaff
Think Klopp gets it wrong today as well. It was vital for our confidence, mindset and general vibe that we won today; stop the rot. Give us something to smile about. Instead nine changes — a weak starting side and we’re out the cup. Should have started strong and subbed off later. How do you pick everyone off the floor for Chelsea now? @robbohuyton
Shit Or Bust
Chelsea is now shit or bust, which loads would have said it was anyway, but now the season is resting on the shoulders of lads who look shorn of belief playing against a team that have been playing with an arrogant swagger all season. @jsexton24
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Pics: David Rawcliffe-Propaganda Photo
Abysmal.
Pathetic.
No trophies again this season.
Best thing we can hope for now is top 4.
It’s not even Feb yet.
Goes to show all that blowing smoke up our arses about having such a promising U23s etc was just vacuous bollocks. Absolutely no depth in this squad. We’ve probably got 14 players who you could class as being decent on their day. Klopps spoken of blooding the youth and not buying when there’s prospects in the U23 squad. But January goes to show it pretty much bollocks.
We had a really excellent chance at making a real go for the league this season. Next season will be a totally different prospect. Klopp admitted we needed a winger in Dec. Yet no one came in. We’ve got Ojo but he’s not getting a look in…..probably cos he’s a bit shite. We need pace, penetration and players who’ve got the bollocks to take a man on. Instead we’ve become a bunch of useless sideways fucking merchants. Where to from here?
What’s so infuriating for me, is that since 2nd Jan (Sunderland away), teams have just been allowed to almost completely bypass our midfield, either with long throws (including stealing metres), long balls, corners and free-kicks (often conceded stupidly), and the opposition look unbelievably dangerous whenever they do it. Not so long ago, that was us doing it to teams – wtaf has happened?
Then look at the numbness of the transfer window, I mean, I don’t suppose we can say that one signing would have changed everything, but it’s undoubtedly an opportunity, another one to go begging.
Gomez been completely off it since he’s come back. Never been a fan of Randall. Lucas should be playing in the Serie A. Origi literally can’t pass other than backwards. Firmino, at times, looks like he is the only one up for a fight. Having said that, I don’t agree with the tory brexiter Lineker about Klopp showing a lack of respect for “English football,” by fielding the team he did. Rather, I think today Klopp found out about the tools which he has at his disposal. Totally entitled to do that, if not against Wolves, when? This shit-show, particularly of January, has not been about personnel. The issues have persisted independent of who we’ve played/who has been wearing red – or that repulsive toxic blunder kit. There is something deeper here. Something systemic, or perhaps even psychological, which is leading the lads not to believe in the way of playing, that was so successful until Watford. We need to stop fucking crossing the ball and we need to learn to defend counter-attacks. Particularly some of the defending has been absolutely pathetic of late.
Up the shit-at-the-moment-Reds.
People might say it’s crisis
But I say really it’s just the sizzling one touch “pass and move” dynamics are gone. It’s just not happening and shows against teams outside the top 7. And has for the most part been like that all season. There was a touch up of Watford and the 4-1 with Stoke. 5-1 early on with Hull. But the rest of the games versus the bottom 13 weren’t straight forward at all really
Losing the irrepressible vertically probing attacking football has a two fold effect. An effect that carries over to the defence in that Liverpool aren’t terrifying the opponent into not offering any threat.
We do know what’s possible I guess. The best results are bizarrely against the top sides. Chelsea, Gunners and Spurs the next 3 visitors in the league
The plan seems to be simple now and it’s just a race to the top 4
And from now to the beginning of next season, Liverpool will need to look at solutions to breaking down narrow and well coordinated defences. That’s both in a strategic sense and with transfers.
It’s simply something that we haven’t quite got a handle on. Even earlier on in the best part of our season, there were ongoing cases of points being dropped v bottom 13. And in that sense it’s a weakness for the manager and the club.
Against the teams in the top 6 or 7, we know that there will be more room in some senses. If anything just due to them endeavouring to spend regular time high up the pitch while in possession
Just don’t seem to be even trying the one touch, vertical dynamic one/ two pass and moves much. And making this all sustainable over the course of a season. You can talk it up either way you like it, but it’s that part that’s missing. There will be a blend of potential solutions to the problem
Ejaria, what a player, composed and all round talents. Holds his head up high and leaves me genuinely excited for the future with him. Calmness and strength on the ball. Moving with the ball as if doing everything in the motion of one stride. Comes across and classy and in control
Alex, it was Piers Morgan who said that on Twitter, Lineker was replying to him and disagreeing with what he had said.
‘ I don’t agree with the tory brexiter Lineker about Klopp showing a lack of respect for “English football,” by fielding the team he did. ‘
Me? I’m grateful.
This has been a horrendous week – ten days. My blood pressure has risen. The cat is avoiding me. My kids — all grown up, and more than capable of supporting themselves, are offering me condolences and love. My wife? That’s another story.
Me? I’m grateful.
I could be an Everton supporter.
YNWA