OK, so far we're not very good. What are the reasons and how do we fix it?

Did we actually train to play to the strengths of Lallana and Lambert. BR needs no reminding that during their Southampton days, upon regaining possession, both moved very switfly up the pitch and left the opposition midfield stranded and defence disarray.

If we don't get the ball to Lallana and Lambert fast enough, opposition defence will have an off day, and we'll be trying all evening trying to break them down and Balo coming off the pitch without a drop of sweat on his jersey. I'd say, shift Moreno to midfield as a stop-gap  DM and Enrique as left back. Surely, it can't get any worse than now by having Stevie playing as a DM, and move Stevie further up the pitch.

We don't do anything, we trust BR and the players work hard and turn things around. All we do is sing loud and support the boys for 90 minutes!!

Our problems in defense and attack are linked to our weak defensive midfield.

When defending, we are ran over as Gerrard does not have anymore the stamina nor the legs to keep up with the high tempo of the EPL. The truth is that the Gerrard that started this campaing is nowhere near a Top 4 club. It is the current reality. When attacking, the opponents mark Gerrard which takes him out of the game due to his current lack of mobility. F***ing Downing took Gerrard out of the game on Saturday; who would have thought that would ever happen...

I do not understand how, when so much is on the line for our club, we would look to change the team so Gerrard can play. This is utterly absurd.

As pointed out by a poster, how BR manages Gerrard playing time (or lack of) will define his legacy at Liverpool. Gerrard is a proud competitor and will fight (as he should) for his starting place. He also without a doubt has a huge influence on the club and his teammates who look up to him.

So it will be up to BR to show his managerial skills to ensure that Gerrard influence remains positive in spite of a future/potential lack of playing time.

Balls. Nothing to do with stamina. He maybe 34, BUT he is still a professional athlete. He is just showing his age, which has probably hit earlier than normal due to past injuries. Pace wise, he can't live with the youngsters in the PL but stamina is fine. Although it doesn't change the fact he can't deliver a killer pass as regularly  as before. Even his corners/free kicks barely beat the first man these days. I still think je should be used as a game changer with 20-30 minutes to go.

I'm fed up with Brendan, how many years does he need to sort out the defence, i'm not going with the popular opinion that losing Suarez is the reason why we are so sh*te. The defence was also sh*te with or without Suarez, the reason why we lost the title. Brendan is f**king blind or not competent enough to sort out our defensive strategy, the main thing that matters when you want to build a title-winning team.

Also, his signings don't work, Sturridge and maybe Coutinho aside, he signed the following : Sahin, Assaidi, Borini, Allen, Aspas, Luis Alberto, Cissokho, Moses, Sakho, Mignolet ==> all flops, there were better options instead of these, like Begovic, Bony, Caulker etc.

Also he chooses to sell Agger, and brings in Lovren, who isn't by no means an improvement on the Dane, and for 20 mil pounds.

Why didnt we use the money received on Suarez, when we had the example of Spurs, for buying 3 major players who can improve our team that fighted for the title until the end, it's not like we needed a major overhaul, just some important additions, instead we bought in 7 players, making a mess of our style of play and flow from last season.

We should have signed Hummels, Reus, Schneiderlin/Fabregas and Moreno (who is our best buy this year).

Can you think of a few more threads to post that sh*te in George?

Don't think we've got the message just yet.

All 3 threads were the right place of posting what i said, sorry if i caused any incovenience.

The problem is JD, as far as I can see, is that both Lucas and Gerrard are so immobile theses days they both want to sit in front of the back four and virtually play the same game in the same positions but actually offer very little of the extra cover you'd expect to get from having two there.

I honestly don't think Gerrard can play anywhere else these days which is why I disagree with Mick on him playing on the right of the diamond as I don't think he has the legs to play there. We'd see zero pressing and gaping holes if he played there.

I agree mate, I also believe Brendan wont move Gerrard from that position as it's his baby, his creation and he's proud of it.

Agree or disagree with him on this but if Lucas is in the side no way should Gerrard be playing the defensive role of the 3, as JD said, it's not rocket science. Gerrard, for now, is immovable and for what he is currently bringing to the side that's an issue.

 there were better options instead of these, like  Bony, Caulker etc.

 

First thing I'd do is keep Sakho out of the team
2nd thing I'd do is drop Henderson & Lucas
Our midfield at the mo is non existent.

Get Allen & Can in the side.
I also think we should be making a concerted effort to get the ball to Mario.
He may not be the most mobile but he makes things happen.
He is our most gifted player & we need to make the best of him & quickly.

@hscred1 Why are you laughing ?

Bony is 5 times the player Lambert is, and i don't think Balotelli is much better finisher than him, Bony suits our style, he is more dinamic than Lambert and i think with our players around he would have scored more goals than he did at Swansea.

Swansea forced him to stay and it shows this season how unhappy he is at them, his form dropped dramatically.

Expanding a little on my "Gerrard on the right of the diamond/right side of midfield" idea.

Make a good argument Mick, for using both Hendo and SG, and looking at how things are shaping up, BR might really need to think more outside the box. But can't see him making that particular change, though remains to be seen. For one, BRs preference for pacy wingers, fast breaking forward, but also covering back, could put him off as wouldn't see SG having the legs to get up and down. And also not sure BR would want to change an aspect of play to one where we swing balls into the box, would go against his philosophy, and also considering a) we've hardly anyone in the box much of the time and b) we can't even win headers from set pieces when piling guys in for corners and set-pieces. Also don't think Stevie would want to play there at this stage, but he probably would if BR asked him to, and nobody should be above being asked to do a different job.

'...how to fix it' is deffo the hard part. In fairness BR has been trying different things. For the next game, I'd bring back Coutinho for Lucas, stick SG and Hendo in the middle, then Sterling and Lallana (for Borini), and Mario up front. And hope the rest has done Coutinho good. More of a tinker, than a radical change. With the injuries, and many players lack of form, it's not going to be easy, so no quick soln (though Studgy back would be BIG help)

Get Jamie Carragher off of F***ing sky and working at Melwood with our so called defenders. BRs tactical genius is restricted to going one way.

@hscred1 Why are you laughing ?

Bony is 5 times the player Lambert is, and i don't think Balotelli is much better finisher than him, Bony suits our style, he is more dinamic than Lambert and i think with our players around he would have scored more goals than he did at Swansea.

Swansea forced him to stay and it shows this season how unhappy he is at them, his form dropped dramatically.

Even in Swansea's good start to the season, has he scored yet? And, if he's in a huff, that's not a good sign either (Luis knuckled down, sign of a top player).
Also, not sure he's 5 times better than Lambert.  Why 5?!

I think we bought well in the summer but the players we bought just aren't used to each other yet and they are young and eager to please as individuals ,Couthino for me would be the midfield maestro if he had more patience to deliver the killer ball , Stevie needs resting for a month to make him want to play to a good standard again,we have the necessary players I'm certain all they  need is coaching and belief

@hscred1 Why are you laughing ?

Bony is 5 times the player Lambert is, and i don't think Balotelli is much better finisher than him, Bony suits our style, he is more dinamic than Lambert and i think with our players around he would have scored more goals than he did at Swansea.

Swansea forced him to stay and it shows this season how unhappy he is at them, his form dropped dramatically.

If you think Bony suits our style, he is even less mobile than Balotelli. I'm not going to bother to say anymore.

This thread has turned into the "we need to talk about Gerrard" part 2.

One if the most fundamental errors we are making is our inability to retain possession. When we lose the ball quite often it's when our players have bombed forward and it obviously leaves us very vulnerable to the counter. Any defence in that circumstance is going to have trouble.
Not sure if it's a confidence thing but the number of times I noticed possession being lost so easily against West Ham was shocking for a BR team. His mantra always used to be if the opposition does not have the ball they can't score.

Back to basics is what we need.

This thread has turned into the "we need to talk about Gerrard" part 2.


Back to basics is what we need.

Yep, and it looks like the majority have thrown their cards all over the table. The general consensus seems to be that he is an over the hill old man who has now become a bit of a liability but still good for the odd 30 minutes here and there. Well I've still got a suspicion that the skipper has a fair bit to offer as the season progresses and assuming we can get Studge back and the gaffer can straighten things out a little he will prove a good few people wrong. I'm actually amazed at how quickly the tide of opinion has turned.

I don't think people realise just how much of a gap Luis has left. Not in the conventional sense in the goals he scored and his sensational ability, but by his desire and determination he gave in every game. That alone must have given the rest of the team/squad an enormous boost. Minus that spark and it's easy to see why morale/desire/pace etc seem way off.

Yep, and it looks like the majority have thrown their cards all over the table. The general consensus seems to be that he is an over the hill old man who has now become a bit of a liability but still good for the odd 30 minutes here and there. Well I've still got a suspicion that the skipper has a fair bit to offer as the season progresses and assuming we can get Studge back and the gaffer can straighten things out a little he will prove a good few people wrong. I'm actually amazed at how quickly the tide of opinion has turned.

Not at all. Everyone knows how pivotal Stevie's form was even last season. But it's clear to see he is struggling. Whether that is age or legs or lack of faith in the defence and keeper is anyone's guess. At the moment, I personally feel he would be more of a threat further forward, but not for the full 90 minutes. But that's my opinion based on current standings.

Very simple really, score more goals & concede less goals.

Fix it?

We need to identify an identity, a formation, a system.. And stick with it..

Our summers business suggests we were going to play a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1, with the likes of Lallana,Markovic,Can and target men types in Lambert and Balotelli.. So I'd prefer we work at that and stick to it rather than trying to be too clever with the systems.. Because if we play more with the diamond then the likes of Markovic and Lallana look slightly redundant with the formation and especially coming from the bench to make an impact.

That being said the injuries we have suffered this season already has hurt us, Sturridge is a massive player for us, Can hasn't been allowed to get going, Allen is a more senior figure in midfield now in terms of time at the club.. The international break really cost us.. We went into it with our best performance and came out of it with a few key injuries.
We have to be brave and stick with the plan in the summer of recruitment and use them in the formation we play.

Time and ultimately bravery and we will be fine.. Getting the injuries back and finding some confidence.. A win in the derby and the next 4 are easy on paper.. Things could look a lot different in a months time

Stick to your thought process and beliefs to replace Luis gaffer and we will be fine

Sort the keeper out too.. He's starting to look a lost cause, the back four don't trust him

Very simple really, score more goals & concede less goals.

or score more goals than we concede?

Was listening to the anfield wrap yesterday and they conceded the fact that Mignolet is the main cause for concern. "A rotten tooth that needs to be pulled out", bit harsh but their premise for the reasoning was sound. He lacks confidence, doesnt command his 6yard box, which is where we concede most of our goals (those that can be avoided) from, and the players dont seem to listen or have any confidence in him.

Jones for number 1 slot tonight.

Rotten tooth aside, I dont think Valdez offers much better in the way of commanding his box.