Why have we made such a slow start?

I am not sure how the injuries have impacted us apart from Thiago who only lasts 3 games anyway.
Mo is way off it and looks like hes done, sadio is gone and Bobby never set the world alight without the other 2.

So now its luis, nunez and Mo and 2 of them are playjng crap

Our cycle has ended, simple as that. All Great teams play at a high level and then need reinvestment to build a new cycle. We took the cheap and sentimental way by keeping onto players too long and it’s cost is big time this season

Keita, ox and Milner should not be in our squad, the first two have been injured more than fit and simply picking up pay cheques. Whether people like it or not, they are not good enough and it’s exposed us this season when the regulars are out and mainly Keita and ox again are happy sitting at home with niggles. Imagine if we had two quality midfield players instead of those 3 at the start of the season. We made a fatal error in not bringing in fresh younger players in cm

I believe we got awya with it last year but not this year, it’s caught up to us and now we will pay the price like we did with the cb situation a little while back when again we decided to be cheap

We are in a dog fight to finish in the top 4x in fact out of the big 6, we have made the worst start and we haven’t had a difficult start

It’s going to be a real struggle to get 4th as Arsenal and spurs are playing to their maximum already

Leaves possible one position for us, Chelsea and United

We have to go all out for 4th as we are in massive danger

I still thing we are paying for last season the amount of games all the friendly games, AFCON, the cup runs we look lethargic and leggy

Maybe an overlooked problem is we do not close down fast enough when we lose the ball.

Possession wise we have usually the second highest possession stats in the league. But compared to our main rival, we concede a lot of chances whereas they concede hardly anything. They are more drilled in pressing and winning back the ball so quickly, where with us, if Fabinho is bypassed the other team can get at us so easily.

As someone has alluded to, our cycle is coming to an end and we need to refresh and rebuild the squad. Which we have started the process but need to continue.

I still thing we are paying for last season the amount of games all the friendly games, AFCON, the cup runs we look lethargic and leggy

I get that but these lads are monitored to within an inch of their lives and any fatigue or tiredness would show. Maybe it is a hangover from last season having come so close to being the greatest ever Liverpool team only to fail by the smallest of margins.

Our cycle has ended, simple as that. All Great teams play at a high level and then need reinvestment to build a new cycle. We took the cheap and sentimental way by keeping onto players too long and it’s cost is big time this season

Keita, ox and Milner should not be in our squad, the first two have been injured more than fit and simply picking up pay cheques. Whether people like it or not, they are not good enough and it’s exposed us this season when the regulars are out and mainly Keita and ox again are happy sitting at home with niggles. Imagine if we had two quality midfield players instead of those 3 at the start of the season. We made a fatal error in not bringing in fresh younger players in cm

I believe we got awya with it last year but not this year, it’s caught up to us and now we will pay the price like we did with the cb situation a little while back when again we decided to be cheap

We are in a dog fight to finish in the top 4x in fact out of the big 6, we have made the worst start and we haven’t had a difficult start

It’s going to be a real struggle to get 4th as Arsenal and spurs are playing to their maximum already

Leaves possible one position for us, Chelsea and United

We have to go all out for 4th as we are in massive danger

you might want to look at your forum name.

you might want to look at your forum name.

It’s not about the name but being honest and expressing opinions. I believe we will achieve 3rd/4th this year as we will recover but I believe this thread is asking for opinions at what’s going on

All great teams cycle ends and needs replacing, we did it with our front line but needed to include our midfield

Villa 1 City 1

I get that but these lads are monitored to within an inch of their lives and any fatigue or tiredness would show. Maybe it is a hangover from last season having come so close to being the greatest ever Liverpool team only to fail by the smallest of margins.

Yea, with advancement in sports science and rotation, we cannot be blaming fatigue. If any, it's the players' mental fatigue rather than physical. It's how hungry you are and how much you want to win those battles on the pitch.

The set up/plans etc made during pre season stuff had been disrupted somewhat by the injuries. Then the Nunez RC so there have been mitigating circs...Mo off blob, Mane doing a runner.

Last season could've produced a bit of drag and not everybody got a serious break from the game. Other contenders are dropping points, but yes were under the cosh slightly. Players coming back to fitness, get a result in Italy then wack Wolves. That's the plan.

Looks like this season will be more bunched than previous campaigns where City and often ourselves hit 90+ points.

Even City have looked a little fragile, so I think the general standard of the division looks better.

At the moment for ourselves every fixture looks tricky. 

I think it's a combination of new players still fitting in to the system, and the psychology of putting in such a massive effort last season but missing out on the 2 big prizes we wanted. in the PL, we are looking at City and thinking they were already shading us, and now they've signed a total goal machine. Deep down, it is no surprise if we are doubting whether can win the PL this year.

Important thing is just to hang in there. City are massive favourites but a lot can happen over a season. Hopefully a few more teams can do us a favour like Villa did tonight, and then we hit form while we are still in touch. I think we will hit form sooner or later. Just need City to still be in range when we do.

Agree with Sore Monad, today we were given a lifeline. Our season starts at Napoli on Wednesday, clean slate and just go about our business like we have since 2018.

We can only improve and that should happen as players come back into the squad.  My only doubt is Nunez, doesn't really look like a £80m player, more a £15m but I know it's early days.

Anyway, we can only go one way, take the Bournemouth game out, we've played about 10 good minutes at Fulham, 25 v Palace, 15 v Utd, 45 v Newcastle and Everton was a bit of a made up shambles. Onwards and upwards.

The season we won the league we were relentless and hungry. Every game you could see the lads desire and appetite to win and drive towards the title.

It was like losing the CL final against Madrid drove us on to a new level and they refused to accept anything else, I’d never seen a team like it. We will never get the credit we deserve for that season because covid came in, but up until the lockdown we were as good as any team the league had seen.

Now though we seem to battle and be stodgy and it feels like that hunger has gone and I don’t think that just comes back without big changes. Maybe I’m wrong, but you don’t go from being a quadruple chasing team to what we’ve shown in a few months, it’s a mental thing and I think a refresh is needed. These lads have given everything over the last 5 years, maybe there’s just nothing left to give and it’s that simple.

https://twitter.com/LFC/status/1566342804414124032

Now majority of injured lads are back and were playing a game every 3/4 games I'm sure we will start getting more rhythm and play better consistently.

All the stats are showing we have been out worked and run by every team we have faced so far in the league.
And there in lies one of our major issues is it the injuries or by design in that pre season seems to have killed most of our players.

Either way something gone badly wrong this season.

I think there's a lot of mental fatigue in the squad. Twice we've come back from major setbacks - losing in Kiev and then losing out to City for the title the following year. Both times we responded and won the respective competition the next season but this time the hammer blow of missing out on both major trophies a week apart seems to have just knocked us for six.

We hear that intensity is our identity and at the moment that being missing is our biggest problem. It leaves us looking a bit aimless on the pitch and playing what I can only really describe as quite boring football. The last minute goal at Newcastle papered over what has really been two shocking performances on the back of a 9-0 win that really should have got us back in the mood.

I think we will find our mojo again later this season but it's a question of how much damage will be done by then. Hopefully we will be in touch with the top four and find a way out of that CL group and we can kick on after the World Cup.

Heard somewhere in every game this season we have been outsprinted by every team we have played

Heard somewhere in every game this season we have been outsprinted by every team we have played

Yes…the km covered is apparently way down. We really need to snap out of this bad form and start harassing and chasing down the opposition the way this team became famous for. The harder you work the luckier you get.

Still too early to be talking about title races and top four contention. We are SIX points off the top…

We just need to to get back to enjoying football because I get the feeling everyone’s on edge. Even the Anfield crowd don’t appear to be as loud unless an early goal goes in.

As we say in my part of the world…”Keep the Faith”

Heard somewhere in every game this season we have been outsprinted by every team we have played

Perhaps with the continuing injuries we have, plus the slight change in tactics to accommodate Nunez, Klopp has instructed the lads to wind it down a bit to save players fitness. 🤷‍♂️ Just a thought.

Perhaps with the continuing injuries we have, plus the slight change in tactics to accommodate Nunez, Klopp has instructed the lads to wind it down a bit to save players fitness. 🤷‍♂️ Just a thought.

I don't agree.  Pep L himself said one of the objectives this year is to be able to press the other team 90 minutes or more!
I simply think their bodies and minds are a bit tired. Pre-season did not help, for me.  And I always said Klopp has no plan B, and it's a bet. Unfortunately, it does not pay every time.

It's clear that our team does not know how to break defences and keep possession. We're better when we are counter attacking. Like ManU, but teams like Arsenal and ourselves, still make the mistake of playing too high against them. We don't get that any more. It's clear that to beat us, you need to stay low and be compact.

The is far less movement from the whole team. The full backs look tired the midfield are old and the forwards are reciving no service. Just look at Diaz compared to Elliot