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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 8,564
1st Team Squad
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1st Team Squad
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 8,564 |
Clyne has been very impressive so far, great buy.
Gomez... at 18 looks like he could be immense, and he's not even a left back?
Coutinho looks like he's still improving, Firminio looks settled already.
Not sure how we'll accomadate Sturrige too, probably drop Benteke. I'm sure DS will offer a few more injuries.
Still not sure what people are seeing in Ibe, apart from potential. He shouldn't start and I'd like to see Marko given a chance further forward. Hope he doesn't become another player isolated from the team.
Squad as a whole is looking pretty solid though. No more overhauls please!
2 tough away fixtures out the way.
I kind of agree with you on Ibe. He looked really good last season but seems to have regressed? Where I disagree, is replacing him with Markovic.....the guy looks utterly useless and has had many more chances than Ibe to impress. Neither Ibe, Markovic, Lallana or Origi should be anywhere near the starting eleven. Everyone said this about Sterling's second season. Defenders have figured him out and he's no longer an unknown. It's going to take a little while to adjust. As for Markovic, I disagree. He has something about him, and despite playing most of last season as wingback (which is daft), he had periods where he looked one of the best on the pitch. He's quick as lightning, and he's direct. Against Tottenham, he looked unplayable. He also got 10 goals in all comps (5 in the league cup and 3 in the FA Cup). He deserves more time. I don't like playing Moreno at wing over him. I've read that about him, but he looks very average in the pace department. As for being the best on the pitch at times.......are you sure??????? He's very fast. I don't see how that wouldn't be easily observable, but he hasn't played very often. His biggest problem is he's so starved for minutes, when he does finally get a game, he tries to do too much. He needs some time. And yes, I am sure. In the Basel game before that bizarre red card, against Tottenham, against Sunderland, and in the latter two his goals were the difference between a win and a draw. His 8 cup goals were also instrumental of getting us to the semifinals in both domestic cups.
Last edited by redordead13; 25/08/15 03:46 PM.
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,813
Under 23 Player
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Under 23 Player
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,813 |
[quote=Darcus][quote=RedJohn]
He's very fast. I don't see how that wouldn't be easily observable, but he hasn't played very often. His biggest problem is he's so starved for minutes, when he does finally get a game, he tries to do too much. He needs some time.
And yes, I am sure. In the Basel game before that bizarre red card, against Tottenham, against Sunderland, and in the latter two his goals were the difference between a win and a draw. His 8 cup goals were also instrumental of getting us to the semifinals in both domestic cups.
???8 cup goals??? You must be talking about a different Lazar Markovic to me then! The one I'm thinking of, who plays for Liverpool FC, certainly didn't score 8 cup goals last season!
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,542
Under 23 Player
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Under 23 Player
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,542 |
He's had game time but mostly at wing back. The guy here who seemed to know him, ninja, said he was a left winger I think.. Right wingback is quite out of position.
Agree about Lallana too. I'd just rather see Marrko at least get a few games at left wing/attacking so we can justify BR casting him out the team. Put Coutinho middle, Firminio right. Hopefully he will in the Europa or cups.
Maybe BR sees something in training that's stopping him getting a few starts. £20m+, there must be more to him than we've seen...
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 5,205
1st Team Squad
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1st Team Squad
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 5,205 |
Everyone said this about Sterling's second season. Defenders have figured him out and he's no longer an unknown. It's going to take a little while to adjust.
As for Markovic, I disagree. He has something about him, and despite playing most of last season as wingback (which is daft), he had periods where he looked one of the best on the pitch. He's quick as lightning, and he's direct. Against Tottenham, he looked unplayable. He also got 10 goals in all comps (5 in the league cup and 3 in the FA Cup). He deserves more time. I don't like playing Moreno at wing over him. I swear I had to make sure I hadn't written this myself - agree entirely pal!
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,813
Under 23 Player
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Under 23 Player
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,813 |
Everyone said this about Sterling's second season. Defenders have figured him out and he's no longer an unknown. It's going to take a little while to adjust.
As for Markovic, I disagree. He has something about him, and despite playing most of last season as wingback (which is daft), he had periods where he looked one of the best on the pitch. He's quick as lightning, and he's direct. Against Tottenham, he looked unplayable. He also got 10 goals in all comps (5 in the league cup and 3 in the FA Cup). He deserves more time. I don't like playing Moreno at wing over him. I swear I had to make sure I hadn't written this myself - agree entirely pal! You'd have been wrong about his goals as well then! 
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 27,628
Liverpool Legend
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Liverpool Legend
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 27,628 |
The first time I saw him was sub against Man city last season at the game I watched him closely thought he was very good since then nothing
IF YOU WANT TO BE HEARD SPEAK SOFTLY - BOB PAISLEY
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 5,205
1st Team Squad
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1st Team Squad
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 5,205 |
[quote=Darcus][quote=RedJohn]
He's very fast. I don't see how that wouldn't be easily observable, but he hasn't played very often. His biggest problem is he's so starved for minutes, when he does finally get a game, he tries to do too much. He needs some time.
And yes, I am sure. In the Basel game before that bizarre red card, against Tottenham, against Sunderland, and in the latter two his goals were the difference between a win and a draw. His 8 cup goals were also instrumental of getting us to the semifinals in both domestic cups.
???8 cup goals??? You must be talking about a different Lazar Markovic to me then! The one I'm thinking of, who plays for Liverpool FC, certainly didn't score 8 cup goals last season! He got 3 goals in 31 matches total from what I can see - not entirely bad for a bit part player, more so a winger playing at wingback... Think he would have been better than Sterling as a striker last season - easily as fast and has a much better shot on him. Hope he gets a run on the wing this season.
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Joined: May 2012
Posts: 5,205
1st Team Squad
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1st Team Squad
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 5,205 |
Everyone said this about Sterling's second season. Defenders have figured him out and he's no longer an unknown. It's going to take a little while to adjust.
As for Markovic, I disagree. He has something about him, and despite playing most of last season as wingback (which is daft), he had periods where he looked one of the best on the pitch. He's quick as lightning, and he's direct. Against Tottenham, he looked unplayable. He also got 10 goals in all comps (5 in the league cup and 3 in the FA Cup). He deserves more time. I don't like playing Moreno at wing over him. I swear I had to make sure I hadn't written this myself - agree entirely pal! Hahaa.. just saw this 
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 8,595
1st Team Squad
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1st Team Squad
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 8,595 |
I think Flames states opinions that I can, sadly, fully understand. We've beaten Bournemouth and Stoke 1-0. Then we've kept out Arsenal - who swamped us second half. We're nowhere near what we were when we had Suarez, Sterling and a fit Sturridge.
Something good has been done in regard to our defence, that's for sure, but, as things stand, we're miles away from being able to compete. I see LVG is in for Nejmar - at £140M. It's a lot of money but LVG knows he needs game changing players - just as Fergie realised when he brought in Van P.
We've been shorn of our two most dangerous players (whatever one thinks about Sterling) in successive seasons. If, to observe that, and feel discontented, is some sort of crime, it's a sad state of affairs.
I'm confident that had we kept Sterling and bought either Lacazette or Berahino, the pace we would then have had would force teams into a more defensive minded posture so that instead of being constantly under attack, as we were last night, we could adopt a more consistently pressing style. I was pleased when we went in for Firmino because he appears to have some of the skills that Suarez brought but he doesn't look like an obvious foil for Benteke (hope I'm wrong).
If we could sell Ings and Origi (both of whom will struggle for game time) and buy one of the above, we'd be better placed and I can't understand why that isn't self evident to the people running LFC. All of this is just my opinion, of course - but I'm more worried than elated by what I'm seeing, overall.
What I take from the last two years is that we could have won the league if we'd attended to the defence - as we now appear to be doing. It's mightily frustrating - and that is not being said to wind anybody up.
To go back to the OP - I'm not really impressed with where we've now arrived - in relation to where we could have been - even without Suarez.
I think it's a bit too early to be either overly optimistic or overly pessimistic. Most sensible fans are quietly pleased on 7 points but waiting to see what things look like at 10 games. So while the koptalk extremes are Faz and Flamey - most fall somewhere in between and rightly so. I think it's ok to be encouraged by our improved and more steady defence - but at the same time slightly concerned that our final third play is still a bit dodgy despite our all our spending on forward players. But the team is still developing chemistry and needs a few games to get into a rhythm. It's premature to be writing off players like Origi and Ings when they haven't even played a competitive game - and downright unproductive to be listing players we have no hope of signing as their replacements. Chill for a bit - see how this plays out for a few games. Only one top team has found its stride. yes I fully agree with you Kop, I am delighted with the start and last nights performance in particular. Everyone here would've taken a draw before the game if offered, and to take it with such manifest improvement in all areas is very encouraging. However three swallows will not make a summer, so it's still far too early to be going to the extremes one way or the other. Personally I'm still in hopeful mode
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 27,628
Liverpool Legend
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Liverpool Legend
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 27,628 |
Apart from let's say not bad performances from Liverpool our other advantage is the rest of the clubs other than city don't look to be in good shape top four we dare to hope
IF YOU WANT TO BE HEARD SPEAK SOFTLY - BOB PAISLEY
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