The Liverpool FC 'This Will Be Our Season' Thread 15/16

[Soldier_Of_Fortune]

Liverpool FC



Lastest News
Pako linked for a Return: http://metro.co.uk/2015/06/08/pako-ayestarans-return-to-liverpool-is-a-massive-boost-for-brendan-rodgers-5234031/
Liverpool dispense with backroom team of Colin Pascoe and Mike Marsh: http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11669/9876280/liverpool-assistant-manager-pascoe-to-leave-the-club

Transfers In:
James Milner: Man City - Free
Danny Ings: Burnley - Tribunal Free (to be agreed)
Adam Bogdan: Bolton - Free
Joe Gomez: Charlton - £3.5mill
Roberto Firmino: Hoffenheim - £21mill

Transfers Out:
Steven Gerrard: LA Galaxy - Free
Glen Johnson: Released
Brad Jones: Released
Jordan Lussey: Released
Marc Pelosi: Released

[Hero]

Whilst they've not been the global names you've been buying in I reckon you've done alright so far with three it's looking likely you've got, Ings has potential, 12 months ago people would call a but on Kane lunacy but he came good, with better providers he'll certainly score more, Milner is Mr Consistent and Kovacic is a very decent midfielder, preferred him in a more forward role to what he's played lately at Inter but shows he's versatile.

[Crimey]

The main thing I am glad about is that we're beating other teams to transfers, Arsenal and Manchester City wanted Milner, Tottenham wanted Ings and yet they're both on the way to Liverpool. In the last couple of years, Clint Dempsey, Sigurdsson, Willian, Alexis Sanchez and others have all been reportedly on their way to Liverpool before other teams beat us to them.

[Hero]

We still beat you to Depay though

[Soldier_Of_Fortune]

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11669/9893697/liverpool-sign-roberto-firmino-from-hoffenheim

Am pleased with this signing

[Guest]

---------------Ings-------------
---Firminho-----------Sturridge
--Henderson--Can---Milner----
Moreno--Lovren-Skrtel--Wisdom
-------------Mignolet-------------

[Soldier_Of_Fortune]

---------------Ings-------------
---Firminho-----------Sturridge
--Henderson--Can---Milner----
Moreno--Lovren-Skrtel--Wisdom
-------------Mignolet-------------

No Coutinho

Sturridge would also be unfront.

[Guest]

And Wisdom goes out when Flanno's fit!!!!!!!!!!!

[LivinginItaly]

Still need a good defender to partner skrtel, as i am far from convinced by either sakho or lovren. Would be very happy to see Can used in a central midfield position.

[Guest]

----------Sturridge--------
Firmino--Coutinho--Milner
-----Henderson--Can-----
Moreno-Skrtel-Lovren-Clyne
-----------Mignolet----------

I'd go with something like that. It's a decent side & can easily see Clyne joining to dislodge Wisdom. Still struggling to see this side scoring many goals, especially if Sturridge is injured.

[lfc91]

----------Sturridge--------
Firmino--Coutinho--Milner
-----Henderson--Can-----
Moreno-Skrtel-Lovren-Clyne
-----------Mignolet----------

I'd go with something like that. It's a decent side & can easily see Clyne joining to dislodge Wisdom. Still struggling to see this side scoring many goals, especially if Sturridge is injured.

Would rather play with 10 men than have Lovren on at CB.... Seriously though, he was awful last season. Unless he has sorted his head out and greatly improved over the summer he should be nowhere near the team. Bar that though your team probably won't be far off the mark come the first match.

[Guest]

----------Sturridge--------
Firmino--Coutinho--Milner
-----Henderson--Can-----
Moreno-Skrtel-Lovren-Clyne
-----------Mignolet----------

I'd go with something like that. It's a decent side & can easily see Clyne joining to dislodge Wisdom. Still struggling to see this side scoring many goals, especially if Sturridge is injured.

Would rather play with 10 men than have Lovren on at CB.... Seriously though, he was awful last season. Unless he has sorted his head out and greatly improved over the summer he should be nowhere near the team. Bar that though your team probably won't be far off the mark come the first match.

I wonder if Lovren has a twin brother and we managed to get the one who wasn't an assured performer in a Southampton shirt two seasons ago. Can't think of a more terrifying prospect than looking on the bench and realizing it's a choice between Sakho, Lovren and Toure. You know you must have sinned in a previous life, Brendan

Anyway, with the acquisition of Nathaniel Clyne, would it now not make sense for Liverpool just to put a bid in for St Mary's and the surrounding areas then relocate?

[Fernando]

Only recommendation i would make is if your play Firmino outwide then it will be £29m down the drain, If played at AM then he'll be at Barca in 3 years

[TRUSSMAN66]

Apparently Liverpool have said they aren't selling Sturridge to any of the clubs they are competing with.........

Stoke and Swansea have just withdrawn offers...

[Guest]

More fool them, this season will be our season...or is it next season? Anyway, it's gonna happen

[westisbest]

Was on the cards for a while, but sad to see Benteke leave.

Hope he does well for Liverpool. Cracking player.

I wish him well(apart from when he plays the Villa).

[lfc91]

£32.5 million is probably about 12.5 million more than I would have liked to have paid for him, but a major positive is that we won't have to worry about him bully our defence every game we play villa and scoring a bundle!!

[LivinginItaly]

Balotelli could be on his way to Bologna especially given they have a new North American owner with plenty of cash to invest.

[Guest]

don't tease me....I'm in no mood

Lambert to West Brom possible...just need to offload Borini and get Sturridge back fit

What could could possibly go wrong

[lorus59]

I am amazed anyone would want Balotelli. I would think that you couldn't give him away. He is the most useless excuse for a professional footballer I have ever seen.

[lfc91]

Got to agree with lorus, I would be happy for him to leave on a free to be honest. Whatever it takes to get him out of the club.

[Crimey]

Hoping to see Emre Can start against Bournemouth, team looked a lot more balanced with him on the pitch. Both Ibe and Lallana were disappointing so either to be dropped for Can, then in the future Firminio to come in, imagine he's not fit enough right now.

[lfc91]

Well after last nights performance there must surely be changes for Arsenal! No point starting with the same team again, I mean I am all for continuity but several players last night showed why they should definatley not start! Seeing as we are away from home, I would go for a team of:

Mignolet

Clyne
Skrtle
Sahko
Gomez

Can
Milner
Henderson

Ibe
Coutinho
Benteke

Lovren/Lallana on the bench (well preferably leave Lovren out alltogether but BR would never do that). Still early obviously but Firminho looked as if he still has a lot of settling in to do before he becomes a option for starter.

[TheCultOfPersonality]

I think Can needs to start from here on. Him at the base of the midfield will provide Hendo and Milner with more freedom to get forward, Hendo especially as he's much better when driving forward making runs from midfield. I do hope his injury is only minor and he can shake it off in time for Arsenal.

Although I too prefer Sakho, I think they should just stick with the same back four. They've done a decent job these past two games, including Lovren. Firminho did look off the pace but I would still give him a starting place. I think Ibe will work better as an impact sub.

[lfc91]

In my opinion the defence has been solid IN SPITE of Lovren playing, as opposed to him contributing to the solid defence. He is to much of a liability.

[Crimey]

Is Sakho really that much better though? Remember it was Skrtel-Sakho partnership in the 6-1 defeat by Stoke. I don't think there's much between Sakho and Lovren in terms of defensive play, they both have weaknesses, not helped by the fact that Skrtel isn't really a leader of the defence. Skrtel really needs a leader next to him as he had in Carragher, rather than the shaky Lovren or Sakho. I think Sakho is marginally better at starting attacks, but at the same time he dwells on the ball and often his passes are hit with so much pace, even when they are accurate it gives the receiving player no chance. 

Like TheCultofPersonality says, better to at least stick with the back four considering Sakho is not really a big improvement. If Sakho was a big improvement it'd be worth breaking up the continuity, but in this case he isn't. I think the reason Gomez is being played at left back is because Rodgers sees him as the person he wants to take that left centre back birth. Sakho and Lovren have both failed to make the place their own, expect neither will be here in 2-3 years time and hopefully Gomez will slot in there and be there for years to come. 

I'm not confident of beating Arsenal, but neither am I hugely worried. I think the performances were decent enough, if a little uninspired. The defence didn't look really shaky, only at set pieces which shouldn't be too much of an issue with Arsenal. Coutinho has looked good going forward and whilst Ibe and Lallana are quiet, they do have the ability to change the game quite quickly, I would drop one of them for Can for Arsenal though, need more stability against a midfield-heavy Arsenal I feel.

Agree on Firminio that he looks a little raw but that is to be expected, he looks very eager and a player to excite which is promising. Benteke has looked decent, glad his talents are actually being used, against Bournemouth we weren't as bad at hoofing it up to him at every opportunity either. Coutinho has linked up with him nicely. It'll be interesting to see what happens if Sturridge comes back and actually stays fit for an extended period. Rodgers might go back to the diamond with Coutinho at the tip, or possibly Firminio at the top.

[lfc91]

I'm just worried Lovren will stay there putting in shaky performances until he finally runs out of luck, has a complete mare (similar to the many he had last year), and concedes several goals! Rather take him out personally, but I'm starting to think I'm in the minority in thinking he is the worst defender To be seen at Liverpool in recent years, haven't had such a low opinion of a defender since Djimi Traore!

[Soldier_Of_Fortune]

Gareth Roberts Article. The Anfield Way
Frak brilliant article

Take a bow son

JURGEN KLOPP AND LIVERPOOL: FLICKING THE VS TO THE REST OF FOOTBALL

THE well-worn script has been shoved down our throats so many times that you know the lines off by heart when it’s regurgitated for public consumption once again.

Liverpool are finished. Liverpool are a relic. Liverpool are living in the past; a famous name but an average club followed by deluded fans who can’t accept the status quo of the modern game.

Look at the history, they say. Liverpool can’t win the league, they haven’t won it for 25 years. Look at the finances, they’re out-muscled by the clubs they are desperate to overthrow, stranded in a Northern city where no superstar wants to play.

That’s what they say. But frankly, who the Frak are they? Liverpool the city, the people and the club have been at their best when they offer an aggressively displayed two fingers to the naysayers, the doubters and the deriders. There’s a swagger and a fight about Scouse at its finest and that should be the ruling emotion, not the one of subservient resignation dictated from afar.

We’re living in the past, they say, feeding off former glories and tied up in our own self-importance. We got it all so badly wrong — with the ground, with owners, with managers, with transfers – that now it’s locked in forever, we’re too far gone; no way back. The rich men have won and we may as well just accept our fate.

Even Jamie Carragher, one of our own, warned on Sky in the wake of Brendan Rodgers’ sacking that the club is morphing into a Tottenham Hotspur, becoming a perennial also-ran; a club that the ‘big’ clubs don’t care about and don’t see as genuine contenders.
“At this moment we’re becoming a team who think we’re a big club but we’re not,” said Carragher before the appointment of Jurgen Klopp.

Facts play a part, and the facts are that since the last title in 1990, the closest the Reds have come to ending the wait for number 19 are four second-placed finishes — 1991, 2002, 2009 and 2014 — with 2009’s 86 points the best total achieved.

In the seasons that have followed the last league title the Reds have finished: 2, 6, 6, 8, 4, 3, 4, 3, 7, 4, 3, 2, 5, 4, 5, 3, 3, 4, 2, 7, 6, 8, 7, 2 and 6.

The modern barometer — Champions League football — doesn’t show a much warmer picture. Since losing to Fiorentina in December 2009, the club has contested just six games in the competition.

Three potless years have followed the 2012 League Cup win, with the FA Cup of 2006 the last trophy to grace Anfield before that.

So everyone’s right…right? Well, no. No, they’re not.

History says what it says. But while the successful part of Liverpool’s history shouldn’t be discussed outside of Anfield, neither should the unsuccessful part of it be discussed in it.

Liverpool are outmuscled financially by four clubs in the Premier League and the advantage of beefier wages and transfer fees is well documented. But why talk about “par” when you can aspire to more? Semi finals and sixth place? No thanks, we can beat the system. We can fight for better. All of us. Let’s forge a spirit around that idea, not one that acquiesces to the so-called norm. Let’s make fists not shrug shoulders.

When Brendan Rodgers introduced “par” to Liverpool fans and the wider world it was another sign that his time was up. He’d grown tired and weary and his mouth had ran away with itself again. A charge that could be added to a crime list numbering the farce in Real Madrid, the embarrassment of Aston Villa and the Stoke surrender.

There are plenty filing through the turnstiles every other week at Anfield who have watched the Reds win every title there is to win. It’s harder now, everything might point to Liverpool being underdogs, also-rans and worse, but underdogs can still win. And they have. Wearing red.

When Liverpool were losing at Bolton, drawing at Blackburn, losing to Birmingham City at Anfield and away at Middlesbrough, who was betting on the Reds to lift a fifth European Cup having overcome Bayer Leverkusen, Juventus, Chelsea and AC Milan with a squad containing Djimi Traore, Igor Biscan, Josemi, Antonio Nunez and Milan Baros just six months later?

Who had Liverpool down as title contenders after losing to Southampton at home and Hull away before ending the season 30 goals and 23 points up compared to the previous season and leaping from seventh to second in the rollercoaster of 2013-14?

The answer to both must be no-one beyond the outrageously optimistic and there lies a lesson. Those Liverpool teams forgot the facts, ditched the financials and put history to one side. They come out swinging, we all loved it and look where it got us.

That’s what Liverpool must do again. Fight. Work harder. Make sure that those torturous surrenders of last season are never seen again. When a team comes swaggering to town with big money stars trip them up. Poke their eyes out. Flatten them. Don’t roll out the red carpet, give up with a whimper or, if you’re the manager, save your best players for another day. Scrap, battle, go to war — give the Frak hell. Tell them this is a place to fear.

Liverpool — more than any other team in the country — have it within the club, the city and the support, to aim higher than history says it should be allowed to. The Reds can leap financial high bars. It’s not easy, but it can happen. And why? Because when fans, players and manager are on the same side it is something special at this club. Something that despite all that is said and written, remains a source of envy for many football fans up and down the country.

The very things we are derided for — the ‘delusion’ (hope), the absolute belief we can beat anyone (passion) and the idea of us being different (pride) are our strengths, and strengths that should be the foundation to aim higher.

I’ve witnessed fans of other clubs mock the times when Anfield Road was full of supporters singing and supporting a team that was smashing the odds to compete for the title. We made the players feel ten foot tall. And we enjoyed doing it. It’s you who’s doing it wrong, not us.

I’ve read — including on this site — fans of other teams who claim that by backing Jurgen Klopp — a manager described by World Soccer this month as “Football’s most wanted man”– and pitching him as a statement of intent, a fresh start and a chance of competing again, that we are just showing why Liverpool fans are laughed at everywhere else. Sorry, what?

The Liverpool message should be simple. Frak them. Frak rules, “par”, financial leagues and players that want to play in London. Frak defeatist attitudes. Frak watching matches with your arms folded and brows furrowed. Frak it all. Because we are different. And when Anfield is alight with atmosphere, there is no better place. We can, should and will again, come out fighting against anyone. We’re ‘deluded’ because we’ve seen it happen before, felt it happen before and now we think it will come again. It just needs the spark. It’s early days, and we haven’t even seen the man take charge of a Liverpool match yet. But it’s really hard to believe that Jurgen Klopp isn’t that spark.

And if we hope, pray and urge him to be the catalyst? Well isn’t that the point?

Liverpool can’t go out and pick a ready-made squad from the most expensive shelf, we know that. But the squad at the very least can be organised into something that can fight, that can compete and that can upset. Something that can pour everything into a game, and make every effort to win it, by fair means or foul.

Jamie Carragher’s words should sting. Because he understands what it takes. Because he displayed that very spirit time and again in a red shirt. And look where it took us. We can do that again, we just need to strip out the nonsense. Stop talking ourselves out of it. Stop listening to people who don’t matter. Get in there, make a noise, shout, scream and tell the bastards they won’t grind us down. Liverpool’s a city that dares to fight. That flicks two fingers to those that say we can’t. We can. We have. And we will.
Klopp wants believers not doubters. So let’s talk the talk.

If you’re still doubting that the big German with the steel and the smile can’t revive the Reds, have another read of the quotes that follow this from his press conference. That there what he’s describing? That’s a team we can get behind. That’s a manager we can back. That’s a style that Liverpool will love; that has the spirit of the city sewn into it.
“We will conquer the ball, yeah, each Frak time! We will chase the ball, we will run more, fight more [jabs finger on table].

“We will work better together. We will have better organisation in defence than the other teams. We have to find our own way to play.

“Our performances have to be enjoyable for ourselves. I don’t want to tackle too rough but if there is a tackle that is legal, a good tackle that gets the ball, it’s like a goal, if you want?

“Yeeaaah! [punches air] The players have to get the feeling that, I don’t know, they can dive into the game. What I want is to be a real special team.”

Do you think Klopp cares that people say his methods won’t translate or that a team can’t press like his Dortmund side did in a league without a winter break?

Do you think Klopp will fight both his corner with his paymasters and press and our corner with everyone else? Shouldn’t he wear a suit for his first press conference?

Should he really be describing the club’s executives as “cool” or virtually getting them in a headlock in front of the watching world?

He doesn’t give a Frak. And neither should we.

Jurgen Klopp is bringing Liverpool’s ‘Frak you’ back. And I can’t wait.

[Guest]

Joe Gomez out for the season with cruciate knee injury

[lfc91]

The rumours this morning look to be true, sturridge injured again! Leaves Origi as our only fit senior striker (unless you count Sinclair, I don't).

If nothing else it's a huge opportunity for Origi, because with Ings, Sturridge, Benteke fit you have to think he wouldn't be anywhere near the starting line up! Time to see what he's made of.

[Hero]

This is the weirdest feeling in the world, being excited to watch Liverpool, why Klopp why?

[Guest]

Jurgen Klopp: notices how the English FA treats its young players & speaks out.  He refers to horses but I think he means donkeys:if you treat your players like donkeys, you get donkeys

1) Liverpool midfielder Jordan Rossiter, 18, injured on international duty after playing for the full 90 minutes in each of three European Championship under-19 qualifying games in six days.  He is out until mid-November.
Made his Premier League debut as substitute at Arsenal in August & has played in each of the side's Europa League games so far this season, has a hamstring injury.

2) Liverpool lost defender Joe Gomez, 18, on Klopp's first day at Anfield after the full-back suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in England U21s' 3-0 win over Kazakhstan this month.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34597544

[lfc91]

Liverpool do seem to have had a serious amount of injuries assosiated with players playing for the England national team at all levels. To me seems much more than the norm. Although this could be due to me paying more attention to when Liverpool players pick up injuries than I do to other sides. Could well just be the average amount in relation to other teams. Would be interested in the views of a few fans of other clubs, put some perspective on it.

[Crimey]

Liverpool have joint most players at the Euros (12) and that's even after Lovren and Sakho don't make it when they probably should have done, so let's keep fingers crossed there are no injuries!

[Guest]

As England are likely to be home after a fortnight, I wouldn't worry too much about players being injured...even though they do seem to have a flagrant disregard for the fact Sturridge has a dedicated training plan that's worked a treat for the last four months

[lfc91]

Getting over to Anfield tomorrow for the match. Haven't been able to get to a game since I was 19 so to say I am excited would be an understatement!!

Hoping to see a goal fest!

[Guest]

I'd be disappointed if we didn't bag at least 3. Have a good one, buddy

[lfc91]

I'd be disappointed if we didn't bag at least 3. Have a good one, buddy

To be honest I won't care just as long as we score 1 more than they do...

[Crimey]

How'd you get the ticket?

They're so ridiculously difficult to get a hold of, unless you pay tons for touted tickets or the hospitality packages.

[lfc91]

We got them through a friend who has access to season tickets through the club he is a part off. It's pretty much the only way I have ever got to the games to be honest, renting a season ticket! Would be over a lot more if it was easier to get tickets.

Seats were incredible too, 5 rows back in the Anfield road end (to bad we didn't actually score at that end).

[Hero]

Shows the difference between some of the 'bigger' clubs, Utd are impossible to get for most games (crappy league cup excluding) yet City ones I have no problems getting them for. Taken my lads to watch City several times and we're all Utd fans!

[Crimey]

The Season Ticket waiting list for Liverpool is closed and I believe that it's likely to be 20-30 years before the people at the very end every get one.

I love Anfield and the expansion is great, but it's clear that without a move and building a huge stadium I'll never get a season ticket in my lifetime.

[Marky]

Good news for Liverpool fans: Phillipe Coutinho signs a new contract.

Bad news for Liverpool fans: Luis Suarez did the same 6 months before he went to Barcelona...

[Crimey]

No release clause this time and by all accounts Barcelona haven't shown any serious interest in Coutinho. They also signed two players who would like play where Coutinho could play last summer. 

I would be very surprised if that happened.

[Afro]

Suarez was and is a much better player than Coutinho.

Where Suarez was always likely to be a starter for Barca straight away, that's not the case with Coutinho

[Crimey]

[Afro]

Don't be so hard on yourself Crimey

My point is though that a new contract that makes Coutinho more expensive is more likely to deter Barca than it did when Suarez signed his.

So you can't compare the two

[Sponsored content]