What's our problem at home?

Allardyce said that was his whole philosophy last week. That's not really our kind of football tbh, and certainly not what Klopp was brought here for.

I'm afraid Migs time is up. You know when the coach starts joking about his own keeper in the press, (apres Bordeaux) his days are numbered. His howlers at home to Norwich and Palace have cost us three points of the 6 we're behind. I expect there to be a move in January to replace him.

Defensively, we're still usually letting in a goal per game, and if it's going behind at home, it usually means a long afternoon/evening in store, which we rarely recover from. We run around a lot and win the ball back often, but then appear to run out of ideas.

Benteke has done fairly well so far imo. He's scored some great goals, and holds the ball up well if isolated, while waiting for support. Firmino is hot and cold, jury is still out for me.

Interesting on Migs cause there's a lot of talk about him getting a new contract and he currently has the highest clean sheets this season(??).

Benteke hasn't really impressed much though, tends to shut himself off from the game whilst waiting for long balls or passes to him (doesn't seem to work for the ball) and I think Ibe should be used as a 'supersub' for the remainder of the season. He's decent and needs exposure but we need to win games and his lack of experience (I think) is letting us down on the wings at times though we haven't have had a decent wide midfielder/winger since Dirk Kuyt...

I Haven't had the time to post much recently but have enjoyed reading this thread where there are lots of good posts. Our home form is probably the most important thing of all right now. We've been to City, Everton, Chelsea, Spurs, Arsenal and the mancs and only been beaten once. They've all got to come to Anfield so unlocking the problems with our home form could be the difference between Europa League and a title challenge this season. Even when Brendan was still in the hot seat it looked very much as if we would be a better away side this year.

We certainly lack a creative player in The middle of the park and I'd love to see us bring in someone in the Modric mould who can set a tempo and pull some strings because we are quite functional in terms of our CMs. Can, Lucas, Milner, Henderson and Allen have bucket loads of power, fitness and work rate between them but there isn't much in the way of guile. But for me the biggest difference will be having a player like Danny Sturridge fit, if he stays fit our ability to break down teams that park the bus increases three fold. He's skilful, he has quick feet, his movement is excellent, he commits players, he can always beat the first man and of course, his finishing is superb. We need to keep him fit or find another player like him and we'll be just fine at home.

We don't have the same *emphasis on possession* as we did under BR, Klopp has us pressuring higher, and hitting hard and fast when we dispossess. The quick passing is not alien to us, and think even Klopp must be surprised at how well we've done in our away matches, with the number of goals scored, how we've exploited the space, and how clinical we've been taking chances.

So high energy in the middle and breaking fast is working great away from home. But at home, when teams sit back, when win the ball there's a lot more guys between us and the goal. Not as much space, passes need to be inch perfect, crowd groaning when the slide rule pass gets intercepted ... just need more creativity and guile. Cou is great at finding/making space out of nothing and a great pass/goal, but very dependent on him in those ordinary enough games to make something happen and lift the mood.

Still, seeing some great passes from Can and Allen in recent games that we haven't seen enough of under BR, Klopp will bring the lads on an encourage them to be more creative in the final 3rd at home. Hendo has goals in him, and should be encouraged to get forward even more and into the box often. Could do with another creative 'goal-scoring' midfielder (eg. DeBruyne/Silva/SG/Sanchez type) but when you look at how well Klopp has done with the guys in the short time he's been here, think he will improve our home performances in time too. Up front, the guy is turning water in to wine, a hat-trick from Origi - imagine what he could get out of a really top striker (no offense to Origi who has improved beyond recognition).

He'll sign players over time obviously, but given how well most of the players have done since he's come in, think just matter of time before he comes up with a formula to do better at home even with the current crop in home games. The lads have done so well, don't feel the need to start crying out for signings - just let Klopp do his work. Guys will come in, and when they do, you have to think they'll be guys who really will bring us on even more. Exciting times

Early days for Jürgen he has mad eus difficult to beat at home and away and our away form is just insane at the moment 13 goals for 3 against and then look at the opposition its like we have all be given some weird hallucinatory drug and its all just some incredible high but then you get up the next day and its true we did just beat Southampton 6-1 at their place. So as good as we have been away I think he will get us even better at home andAnfield will become a cauldron of pain for the opposition

First things first - Jürgen Klopp is doing very well.  10 games ago even the most optimistisch about our new German manager wouldn't have had us up to 6th, through to the League Cup Quarter Final and qualified out of our European group with a game to spare.

Performances away from home have seen a very substantial improvement.  Seven goals smashed against City and Chelsea - two teams who would have wanted to come out and play football - sandwiched inbetween them our first European away win.  Not a goalfest but a pivotal moment in the European campaign and the first for an English club in Kazan.

At home though the games have seemed to need a bit more graft.  Two shots against a poor Swansea, needing a penalty to take the points.  Beaten by Palace.  Going behind against Bordeaux (another penalty required).  A draw against Southampton and narrowly seeing off Bournemouth in the League Cup.

Much has been made of the fact that we had a difficult start with our away games, but I think our pressing style is maybe more suited away - when the better teams are expected to try and come at us - we win it back - we find them out of position - we can score.

If we're struggling at home against the lesser sides why would we be likely to do better against the 'better sides' in the second half of the season?

The way I see it they could simply come with the same strategy as the Palace's (or Chelsea in spring 2014).  The difference being when they get their chances they will have far better forwards to convert.

So what's our tactical problem at Anfield - and can it be solved without another massive change in the playing squad?

I honestly don't think we have a problem at our home games. The problem we have is that , we still have many mediocre players who are in capable if consistency .

Jürgen is slowly putting his style and authority on the team. This will take time for a consistent pattern to emerge. Also, it will take new players that Jürgen will sign , to fit his model of play.

I honestly don't think we have a problem at our home games. The problem we have is that , we still have many mediocre players who are in capable if consistency .

Jürgen is slowly putting his style and authority on the team. This will take time for a consistent pattern to emerge. Also, it will take new players that Jürgen will sign , to fit his model of play.

The same mediocre players are playing very consistently away from home so this would suggest there is a little bit more to it than that. When we play at home we are faced with a slightly different set of problems when compared to playing away.

The same mediocre players are playing very consistently away from home so this would suggest there is a little bit more to it than that. When we play at home we are faced with a slightly different set of problems when compared to playing away.

No, we're not.  Its still about winning football matches. But when you have a majority of poor players , they are incapable of consistent performance's .

The hallmark of good players is consistency. We have neither, yet. But we do have a great manager who can ring the best out of a bad bunch.

The hallmark of good players is consistency. We have neither, yet. But we do have a great manager who can ring the best out of a bad bunch.

dya not think then that by the fact that Klopp, whilst he is bringing out the best out of a "bad bunch" that he is inadvertently making them consistent?

No, we're not.  Its still about winning football matches. But when you have a majority of poor players , they are incapable of consistent performance's .

The hallmark of good players is consistency. We have neither, yet. But we do have a great manager who can ring the best out of a bad bunch.

Do you only ever come onto the forum pissed?

The players are getting great results away from home, which most people would say  normally is more difficult than playing at home. However our results at home are opposite -  your conclusion is that the players are sh*te!

They are quite clearly not as poor as you claim otherwise a consistent team is one that is........consistent!

dya not think then that by the fact that Klopp, whilst he is bringing out the best out of a "bad bunch" that he is inadvertently making them consistent?

Yes. Jürgen is slowly getting the best he  can get , out of mediocre players. The Hallmark of a great manager. We have a few excellent players, but that is all. The majority are sh*te bog standard players. It is a testament to the manager that he is getting them to perform at an acceptable level.
Our team will be very different in 2 yrs.

Do you only ever come onto the forum pissed?

The players are getting great results away from home, which most people would say  normally is more difficult than playing at home. However our results at home are opposite -  your conclusion is that the players are sh*te!

They are quite clearly not as poor as you claim otherwise a consistent team is one that is........consistent!

Thats right, a consistent team that isn't consistent home & away? Been on the sauce mate?
We have a few excellent players, nothing more. The manager is showing his class by getting bog standard footballers to perform at an acceptable level.
Don't forget how poor our league is. But with Jürgen , we can dominate this piss poor excuse for a football division.

To the OP.

Results and the difference between confidence and belief - it's that simple. Their confidence is sky high but they don't have the inner belief that comes from sustained excellence / achievement.

It will come.

Away from home we play with more freedom and have converted the burgeoning confidence into real belief. In front of our own fans - with all that desire and knowledge - I'm not sure they (yet) fully feel worthy.

Away from home we play with more freedom and have converted the burgeoning confidence into real belief. In front of our own fans - with all that desire and knowledge - I'm not sure they (yet) fully feel worthy.

I don't necessarily agree with you but I think we will find out a lot more this month.  I personally think we lack the quality to break teams down who are playing for a draw.  Southampton was a fine result (helped by them taking a defender out) second half but it's worth pointing out that we had 7 shots on target and scored 6 times. 

I've seen us have games with about 20 shots and not score so I think scoring 6 goals out of 7 goalbound shots may well be an exception!

I think it is our weight and demand that is a little burden on the players at home.

The fans in the stadium are thinking that we will blow away team but it will not be every game that we blow them apart. We need to be patient and supportive.

We need to be as loud as possible for the opposite team to feel afraid and the other way round.

I don't necessarily agree with you but I think we will find out a lot more this month.  I personally think we lack the quality to break teams down who are playing for a draw.  Southampton was a fine result (helped by them taking a defender out) second half but it's worth pointing out that we had 7 shots on target and scored 6 times. 

I've seen us have games with about 20 shots and not score so I think scoring 6 goals out of 7 goalbound shots may well be an exception!

Some truth there JD no doubt - I do think that it is easier to play like a commando squad away because the opposition are obliged to come out leaving space when we win the ball back.

I think Hendo's return adds a lot in terms of both stability and creativity both directly and indirectly.

That said - I do still think that the 18 months of torpid football has affected both players and fans at home. There's zero implied or inferred criticism of the crowd there - it's understandable on both counts.

A couple of results and that will turn.

Good topic JD, I think most of the reasons have been dealt with very well. I agree with Mick's point that we just don't have enough of a goal threat from our mid field. We've been spoiled for so many years with Gerrard taking so much pressure off the front men and those around him in terms of goals, now it is very much up to 3/4 players to contribute 80%+ of our goals. And add that in to how teams comes to play at Anfield sitting deep, the space and chances are going to fall to deeper players when we're all so high up the pitch. Swansea was prime example, in those blistering first 25 mins the only time you felt a shot could get off was with Milner, Can and Lallana. None of which carry a goal threat at the moment. So it's easier for these teams to look at a Can or a Lucas on the edge of the area and say, well he's not as big of a threat as this lad (Coutinho, Sturridge etc.) so he can have the space for the shot because he wants the pass. And therefore we can never get those key passes in the final third. At our best in 13/14 it was a nightmare for defences, Suarez, Sturridge, Gerrard, Sterling, Coutinho, Henderson all had goals and movement in them (as well as Skrtels regular contribution), it was impossible to keep out. Whereas now I think we're a better defensive unit but get tight to the key men and we run out of options.

I think Henderson returning will be a boost, especially with Lucas in such rich form, I hope Klopp will give him more license to get up and attack. There's no doubting his engine or work rate to get back in support when necessary. We also have to keep in mind the type of teams that have been to Anfield so far, a draw was a good result for every one of them. We still have to play a team that wants to come and play, that will look to attack us, therefore giving us better space and opportunities. We still have Arsenal, Man United, Man City, Everton, Chelsea and Spurs to come to Anfield. Plus Newcastle and Watford at the end of the season who will need points, a darw won't be enough for them at that stage.

As well as Henderson returning, I know it is stating the obvious but Sturridge will be a big bonus too. He showed on Wednesday he can make a goal out of nothing. His first touch for the first goal was dreadful, kept his composure, stood his man up and put it away calmly. A player like that can turn games single handed. I know fittness is an issue, but even if he can help boost the confidence at home the way we have away then everyone else might start stepping up.

We're far from a perfect team, no one in this league is. We're going to have tough days and invariably they will be at home. But those tough days will always be worth it when we can see the improvement in the performance, when we dog out three points like we did at Swansea and when we take that experience and go put a team to the sword like we did on Wednesday.

We're still playing a bit Brendanesque, Give Jürgen a bit more time and he'll have a solution and formation that will overcome sides parking the bus and relying on the long ball counter.
I'm sure he's as disappointed as anyone, and will be working on it daily.
Only a matter of time before Anfield becomes a 'fortress of invincibility' again.     

Our problem at home is that the wife (our fans) is always nagging us