Adam Lallana (End of contract, BHA)

Seems you are the one missing the point lad. He is one of our best players as of late which is why I'm puzzled (as are others on this forum) as to why he's not featuring, a question for Brendan that seems to be.

Everyone knows you play your best players.

Especially when youre on the brink of CL elimination and 11th in the league.

Brendan is the one that pursued him so long and so hard all summer and now making a conscious decision to not play him regularly. Logic would dictate then that he is not performing as expected by the manager. Let me reiterate I initially stated he needs to step it up and get to a level where he will be the first name on the sheet I am sure by the lad's own admission he is not quite there yet.

Everyone knows you play your best players.

Especially when youre on the brink of CL elimination and 11th in the league.

Brendan is the one that pursued him so long and so hard all summer and now making a conscious decision to not play him regularly. Logic would dictate then that he is not performing as expected by the manager. Let me reiterate I initially stated he needs to step it up and get to a level where he will be the first name on the sheet I am sure by the lad's own admission he is not quite there yet.

I know we all see the game differently at times mate but I think he has performed very well and for me has beenone of our best players when he has got the chance to play.

I have a pretty long list of players who have played worse than him this season.

I have a pretty long list of players who have pleyed worse than him this season

I bet your list of players that have played well this season is considerably shorter

I bet your list of players that have played well this season is considerably shorter

It's possibly even less than five mate.

It's possibly even less than five mate.

Can
Lucas
Toure
Lallana

Close to that?

Can
Lucas
Toure
Lallana

Close to that?

You can read minds Luke?

In all serousness there would only be a couple who I'd even think about after that and then they have only shown it in flashes.

Coutinho
Moreno
Manquillo

Everyone knows you play your best players.

Especially when youre on the brink of CL elimination and 11th in the league.

Exactly, which is why I'm not sure why he's not getting games.

Brendan is the one that pursued him so long and so hard all summer and now making a conscious decision to not play him regularly.

Exactly, which is why I'm baffled.

Logic would dictate then that he is not performing as expected by the manager.

By that same logic would you then say that those that are playing are performing as expected by the manager? Because if that's true then I think we have a problem.

Let me reiterate I initially stated he needs to step it up and get to a level where he will be the first name on the sheet I am sure by the lad's own admission he is not quite there yet.

Personally I disagree, I think he's already stepped it up since he came on and if those around him were playing up to snuff, I think he'd shine even more.

Contradiction all over your post there "best player" yet not a regular starter.

Technically it's not a contradiction on his part, would be if he was picking the match squads. What do you think to Balotelli then? He has been utter sh*te and still gets a start every game regardless of how ineffective he is. Does that means he's actually been superb and some people are just seeing things?

Lets face it, Brendan's team selections this season have been piss poor.

Technically it's not a contradiction on his part, would be if he was picking the match squads. What do you think to Balotelli then? He has been utter sh*te and still gets a start every game regardless of how ineffective he is. Does that means he's actually been superb and some people are just seeing things?

Lets face it, Brendan's team selections this season have been piss poor.

Selections almost implies he put some brainpower behind it.  His subs almost seemed like he drew names out of a hat sometimes

Adam Lallana: 'Liverpool can still finish in top four of Premier League'
“We still think we can finish in the top four and I think that would be a remarkable achievement considering we’ve been in the Champions League,” Lallana told the BBC. “But we don’t want to look that far and we want to get back to winning ways.”

For a player just coming here and on the back of 3 defeats out of 4 games in the CL I don't think this kind of comment does any favours at all.

A remarkable achievement would be getting selected regularly and us winning the league Adam, expectations are much higher than mediocrity.

Adam Lallana: 'Liverpool can still finish in top four of Premier League'
“We still think we can finish in the top four and I think that would be a remarkable achievement considering we’ve been in the Champions League,” Lallana told the BBC. “But we don’t want to look that far and we want to get back to winning ways.”

For a player just coming here and on the back of 3 defeats out of 4 games in the CL I don't think this kind of comment does any favours at all.

A remarkable achievement would be getting selected regularly and us winning the league Adam, expectations are much higher than mediocrity.

I think he's just being honest mate. Given how utter sh*t we've been this season top four would be a remarkable achievement. Also it's not his fault Brendan had lost the plot and insists on starting Balotelli while leaving Adam, who actually offers something to the team, on the bench.

Adam Lallana: 'Liverpool can still finish in top four of Premier League'
“We still think we can finish in the top four and I think that would be a remarkable achievement considering we’ve been in the Champions League,” Lallana told the BBC. “But we don’t want to look that far and we want to get back to winning ways.”

For a player just coming here and on the back of 3 defeats out of 4 games in the CL I don't think this kind of comment does any favours at all.

A remarkable achievement would be getting selected regularly and us winning the league Adam, expectations are much higher than mediocrity.

He said 4th would be a remarkable achievement and he's absolutely right the way we've been playing. Getting a bit nitpicky calling out players for being honest.

He said 4th would be a remarkable achievement and he's absolutely right the way we've been playing. Getting a bit nitpicky calling out players for being honest.

No he's a player that's just joined and you're tempering his statement with "the way we've been playing" so have also tempered your expectations.

So either we accept we're a mid table team who would consider 4th a remarkable achievement or we accept we're a top 4 team and 4th would be the minimum expected standard this season. Can't stand all this crap, we endured it in Brendan's first year "anything above 7th would be a fantastic achievement".

Players who have been bought into a team that finished 2nd the year before should not have the mentality that 4th is remarkable, it's a huge backwards step.

No he's a player that's just joined and you're tempering his statement with "the way we've been playing" so have also tempered your expectations.

So either we accept we're a mid table team who would consider 4th a remarkable achievement or we accept we're a top 4 team and 4th would be the minimum expected standard this season. Can't stand all this crap, we endured it in Brendan's first year "anything above 7th would be a fantastic achievement".

Players who have been bought into a team that finished 2nd the year before should not have the mentality that 4th is remarkable, it's a huge backwards step.

You're getting a bit ahead of yourself mate we overachieved last season we haven't been a regular top 4 side for years. No one expected us to finish second last season top 4 would have been a great achievement in itself. And that was with no europeon football or big cup matches to deal with. And of course we had a certain Mr Suarez. This season is entirely different. We have no Suarez and way more games. We are still not a regular top 4 side and won't be unless we achieve it consistently over the next few seasons. So Adam got it spot on when he said it wound be a remarkable achievement considering we lost one of the top world footballers and are playing a lot more games.

No he's a player that's just joined and you're tempering his statement with "the way we've been playing" so have also tempered your expectations.

So either we accept we're a mid table team who would consider 4th a remarkable achievement or we accept we're a top 4 team and 4th would be the minimum expected standard this season. Can't stand all this crap, we endured it in Brendan's first year "anything above 7th would be a fantastic achievement".

Players who have been bought into a team that finished 2nd the year before should not have the mentality that 4th is remarkable, it's a huge backwards step.

I'm really not sure what you are on about Luke. Those two things you mentioned aren't mutually exclusive. We can look at the reality and say that at this point in time, it would be remarkable if we end up in the top 4 (didn't see that he said where in the top 4 either, you are assuming he meant 4th?) because frankly we are playing like a mid table club and for us to finish in the top 4 after the start we've had would be remarkable. But that doesn't mean that we should't have higher expectations.

You are being a bit obtuse mate.

I just think it is the word "remarkable" that grates a little. Makes it seem as if we are a small team. Winning the CL is a remarkable achievement not 4th place.

Move on...Nothing to see here.

I don't think we over achieved at all last season we had the best strike partnership in Europe.
Its another example of dumbing down expectations.

I don't think we over achieved at all last season we had the best strike partnership in Europe.
Its another example of dumbing down expectations.

So going into last season you thought we would be competing for the title?

Adam, you are a naughty boy you have just joined our club and tempered expectations. 

lot of revisionist history going on 'round these parts....

Anyone here not liking Lallana playing slightly deeper in the midfield role left of diamond? Didn't think he looked comfortable for England and for us when played in that position. I just feel he needs to play higher up, more like a 2nd striker.

I'm still not 100% convinced on Lallana and think we have better in Coutinho & Sterling. In saying that, he has been one of our better players when played, but from what I seen, I don't think he's the standard expected from a marquee signing. Maybe he just needs to be played regularly in the right position?

I have a hard time understanding how people don't see his class and what he offers when he plays for us. He's by far the best of our signings and one that should be featured in every single game.

Anyone here not liking Lallana playing slightly deeper in the midfield role left of diamond? Didn't think he looked comfortable for England and for us when played in that position. I just feel he needs to play higher up, more like a 2nd striker.

I'm still not 100% convinced on Lallana and think we have better in Coutinho & Sterling. In saying that, he has been one of our better players when played, but from what I seen, I don't think he's the standard expected from a marquee signing. Maybe he just needs to be played regularly in the right position?

I agree to get the best out of him he needs to be played higher as he just doesn't have the pace to get past people further back in midfield.
A big issue in our midfield at the moment - lack of pace.