Manchester United 2-1 Liverpool: In game and Post Match discussion

So the midfield squad is not good enough.

Hendo: 32. Holding/playmaker/attacking support. Club captain, Still has plenty to offer but can't sustain 2 games a week. Not on the slide but approaching it. Wouldn't be that much of an issue if the rest of the Mid squad was strong.

Fabinho: 28.  Holding. Solid if a little predictable, sits in, tends to play the safe ball. Bit in the Hamann mode, reliable if unspectacular.

Thiago: 31.  Playmaker/attacking support. 31. Good passing range,can dictate the tempo, probing , not overly mobile, odd loose pass, won't score a screamer but can pop up for the odd goal.

Elliott: 19 . Attacking wide midfield. Still learning, energetic obviously, busy, not overly technical, quick but no lighting pace. Stronger on his left peg. Question mark over his ability to kick on to become a true LFC player.

Jones:21. Attacking midfield. Has come of age. Right footed, caught the imagination early on but hasn't backed it up. Very average performances, not enough impact to warrant a regular place. Bit of an enigma. Player in there somewhere, but has't surfaced just yet.

Naby Keita 27. Attacking midfield. Should be in his prime but it just hasn't happened. Promised a lot but injury/illness has dented his impact. Last year of a disappointing contract. Frustrated the fans and probably the Boss. Boss said he lacks confidence in himself and maybe the job was just too much for him.

The Ox:29. Attacking midfielder.  Again another who should be in his prime but in reality he just isn't a top player, average first touch, bit of pace, not overly skillful, injuries played a part but he hasn't in truth ever captured the imagination and has never commandeered a regular place.

Milner 36. Utility player. Fantastic professional, dedicated, can do a job anywhere, mostly midfield, solid right footed player, not overly technical or tricky close control. Coming to the end of his time here and has been a great signing.

Carvalho: 19. Attacking mid/forward. New kid on the block, great potential, very early days. Got a trick or 3. The future.

That's more or less the height of it. No KDB is there. Just looks a bit stale. One or two..poss 3 shouldn't really be here. Not getting any younger and the younger ones haven't as yet set the pace. Needs some serious surgery, not fatal but if it's left it could get worse. Won't say it looks a bit mid tableish but some might say it's going that way.

On paper it looks like a great midfield squad.
Some older heads that when on form are the best in their position,
a couple of mid to late twenty players that should be in their prime
and a few Starboys that can learn from the best as they bed in to the squad.

Issue is that the two mid to late twenty players are a busted flush now
and it's created a large hole in the squad where neither the 30+ players
or the kids should be carrying the minutes that they now have to.

If Jude Bellingham is the guy LFC want they don't have the luxury of waiting
a season to get it done.

If they do it's going to be a long season, where the only highlight will
be watching the youngsters grow into the squad and challenge for CL places.

“There was only one player who tried to block it, let me say it like this. I saw Millie try. There was not a lot of help around.” Klopp

If Jude Bellingham is the guy LFC want they don't have the luxury of waiting
a season to get it done.

But what can you do when Dortmund say they don't want to sell him, now? Next season they'll probably have to. But right now they hold all the cards.

But what can you do when Dortmund say they don't want to sell him, now? Next season they'll probably have to. But right now they hold all the cards.

Bellingham is probably the best around for his age and would  cost in the region of 100 million. I’m hoping United also in the hunt but pretty sure this is Klopps No 1 target next year.

On paper it looks like a great midfield squad.
Some older heads that when on form are the best in their position,
a couple of mid to late twenty players that should be in their prime
and a few Starboys that can learn from the best as they bed in to the squad.

Issue is that the two mid to late twenty players are a busted flush now
and it's created a large hole in the squad where neither the 30+ players
or the kids should be carrying the minutes that they now have to.

If Jude Bellingham is the guy LFC want they don't have the luxury of waiting
a season to get it done.

If they do it's going to be a long season, where the only highlight will
be watching the youngsters grow into the squad and challenge for CL places.

People are not realising our midfield isn't that good that only one player in the world (Bellingham) gets in to it.

There's many many players that walk in to our midfield

Bizarre post this.

If you don’t rate Trent, fine. But you’re not his dad mate, he doesn’t need ‘challenging’. The boy has won everything in the game. Some going for a lazy cocky c**t who can’t be arsed eh?

You called him a cocky 'c*nt' ... not me.

I'm not arsed about the past ... you live there if you want. His attitude isn't right and it's the job of the senior players to bring him down a peg or 2 and remind him even the best put the work in week in week out season in and season out. His attitude isn't right.

If you think he's a competent defender go for it. He clearly isn't.  As a defender he's getting worse ... not better and like I say his attacking isn't up to much either.

Sick of him standing and watching and jogging about like he can't be arsed.

But what can you do when Dortmund say they don't want to sell him, now? Next season they'll probably have to. But right now they hold all the cards.

I'm saying there is more than one players needed and LFC don't have the luxury of waiting a season for one player.
There problems are there for all to see now. The midfield is being outplayed.
Gambled when there was a CB problem and got away with it.
Can't afford to gamble again now there is a CM problem.

If the solution is Henderson and Milner then another player needs to be signed and not necessarily Jude Bellingham.

I'm saying there is more than one players needed and LFC don't have the luxury of waiting a season for one player.
There problems are there for all to see now. The midfield is being outplayed.
Gambled when there was a CB problem and got away with it.
Can't afford to gamble again now there is a CM problem.

If the solution is Henderson and Milner then another player needs to be signed and not necessarily Jude Bellingham.

I’m guessing just like with VVD they don’t want anyone else and will wait for Bellingham but I don’t know if there are any other options around to also come in ?

I'm saying there is more than one players needed and LFC don't have the luxury of waiting a season for one player.
There problems are there for all to see now. The midfield is being outplayed.
Gambled when there was a CB problem and got away with it.
Can't afford to gamble again now there is a CM problem.

If the solution is Henderson and Milner then another player needs to be signed and not necessarily Jude Bellingham.

We didn't really get away with gambling on 3 centre backs because 2 were down in October and matip was done by December ... last game was at Fulham I think.

I guess you could say we got away with in the sense we scraped a CL place.

We've gambled on the injury prone players in midfield ... thiago lasted 1/2 game and the other 3 who arnt even good enough are yet to make a squad.

It's too late now. We've done nothing all summer. I can't see anyone wanting to sell to us now unless it's at an extremely high premium because then they need to replace that player.

I've accepted nothing with change over the end phase of the window.

I’m guessing just like with VVD they don’t want anyone else and will wait for Bellingham but I don’t know if there are any other options around to also come in ?

Wasn't Mané 2nd choice when he signed.
The team doesn't work without Thiago in there and
he needs another player that can do the job when he's out.

That player is none of Ox, Keita, Henderson or Milner.

I guess you could say we got away with in the sense we scraped a CL place.

Well yes. We got away with it by climbing back to 3rd right at the end.
I don't fancy having to do that again this season.
Not with how strong Arsenal and Spurs look.

First rule of good defending is probably to stay on your feet.  It's what van Dijk always does.

I don't think van Dijk expected Milner to go sliding into thin air expecting the first shot.  I think the reason Milner had a go at him was because he was embarrassed he'd been done.

Nah Milner had a go at him cos VVD has been dogshit for the last two games.

Wasn't Mané 2nd choice when he signed.
The team doesn't work without Thiago in there and
he needs another player that can do the job when he's out.

That player is none of Ox, Keita, Henderson or Milner.

I didn’t think he was ?

Agree that we need someone to come in for Thiago - i don’t know who is out there though ?

Nah Milner had a go at him cos VVD has been dogshit for the last two games.

I agree, very below par for three matches. He does not want to block, he's too elegant at times.

Firmino is finished. Milner is oldy, just good for the last 15mins to see the match out. Hendo is Hendo with all his limitations.

Completely agree on the CB issue from a couple of seasons ago. We didn't get away with it. We were top of the league in December that year.

We only bought Diaz in January because spurs were after him otherwise we would have waited again.

We have become a reactionary club rather than a proactive one. Midfield really needs to be addressed.

I didn’t think he was ?

Agree that we need someone to come in for Thiago - i don’t know who is out there though ?

Gavi's contract is up next season and Barca are a mess.
I'd throw the house at him if we can't get Bellingham now (Which we we've already been told is the case).

We are going to struggle this season. Get used to it. Thought we were treading water 10 games from end of last season, how we won most of them staggers me. It’s someone else’s turn to chase city this season. We go again next year when we have some new quality players.

Gavi's contract is up next season and Barca are a mess.
I'd throw the house at him if we can't get Bellingham now (Which we we've already been told is the case).

Not seen him play but seen the name bandied around l?

Not seen him play but seen the name bandied around l?

I'm just venting tbh.
No way Barca would sell Gavi or Pedri, they're the future for that midfield.

It's negligent to have the issue in midfield now, through injury or ageing
and think we'll wait for a player again.

I'm just venting tbh.
No way Barca would sell Gavi or Pedri, they're the future for that midfield.

It's negligent to have the issue in midfield now, through injury or ageing
and think we'll wait for a player again.

And only wait for one player when we need three. We'll be in the exact same problem next summer

I think you’re over reacting a bit.

Probably.

This start to the season and last night still a bit raw.

Our midfielders are all old in football terms now, Mane going has definitely affected us but we do have such talent up front, especially when Jota comes back.
Thiago is great sure, he could have changed some stuff but we seriously need a powerful box to box who gets goals and everyone has wanted one for ages, that only addresses that one part, I don't get what's going on at the back, our defense looks ragged and easy to attack and get chances, going from extremely solid impenetrable to that the last however many games is surprising me more than anything.
 Man utd themselves actually played really well against us but with a squishy midfield then the attack and defense suffers and that definitely is a huge oversight. Come on man we are made up that Milner can start for us? How old is he ffs? It's not about his fitness running laps in a lactose test or whatever that is, he's a clumsy player with no finesse, so is Henderson, two clumsy clunky players. Not very good football to watch all this clumping it forward or give it only to Trent for his cross.

I'm just venting tbh.
No way Barca would sell Gavi or Pedri, they're the future for that midfield.

It's negligent to have the issue in midfield now, through injury or ageing
and think we'll wait for a player again.

There will be other players they will be looking at - we have seen how the work when it comes to getting the players in

It's not the draws and the loss that worries me, but the performances. We should be doing better and I trust JK to fix it.

We just need to back the team, and give them the chance to get into winning ways again. This team has earned our full support.