Tottenham 4 Liverpool 1 (Oct 22 2017)

[s(k)aturation]

It's all very well for Klopp to "get ruthless" but, between now and January, what with?

And when's the last time someone decent joined us in January? Suarez, Coutinho (who was about 12 years old).  That's 4-5 years ago now.

We're 9th now and he won't be able to get ruthless til summer.

Oh, and it's the World Cup, so there's another excuse for inactivity.

Unless we start banging in at least 2 and preferably 3 on a very regular basis, starting now, who knows where we could be in May.

[Wicket]

Can only live in hope that the penny has dropped that many of this lot aren't going to get better, ignoring the fact that it should have dropped a long time ago. The immediate issue is the next 2 and a bit months and getting the most out of them in the hope that at least a good centre half can be brought in first thing in January...

 

It can't be understated how much the midfield needs Lallana back as well, it's been fucking awful all year and we shouldn't be just pinning this all on the likes of Lovren and Mig. Seeing Hendo, Can, Milner and Wijnaldum plodding around the pitch all year has been a huge part of the issue. 

[Creator Supreme]

I think we're the new Aston Villa. On a downward spiral under American owners who won't invest, a manager who's lost whatever mojo he had, and a very poor squad.

 

By the time someone buys us out, we'll already be in the Championship.

 

Nobody is too good to go down.

[Jairzinho]

I think Klopp probably realises most of this lot are shit but a combination of having penny pinching owners, realising how secure his job is due to being perfect for the owners, and having huge faith (justifiably) in his own coaching ability, has meant that he decided to give them all (well, most) a bigger chance to prove themselves than they deserve. 

 

However, we've reached the point where the scrutiny is starting to be pointed at him. It's making people question his ability as a manager. Hopefully this is the catalyst for the aforementioned night of the long knives. 

 

It should have happened a long time ago. We all knew most of this lot are shit. We've watched them be shit for several years. The combined efforts of the 10 best coaches of all time wouldn't change that. They simply are shit. Their "ceiling" isn't sufficiently high enough for one of the biggest clubs in the world, one that supposedly has some interest in winning stuff.

 

Sadly, a big clearout is extremely unlikely in January. I could see one or two of them jettisoned, and maybe we sign a £20m/£25m centreback (which in my opinion is fine, I think spending £70m on VVD is ridiculous considering how little money we will spend in total), but it'll have to be next summer when the toilet plunger comes out. Consequently, another season in the bin. This time, by October. We'll probably finish 6th, get battered in the round of 16 in the CL having scraped out of the group, and the domestic cups will have been and gone without so much as a shred of hope of a visit to wembley.

[lifetime fan]

Anyone else listen to the guardian football podcast yesterday?

 

Listening to them you wouldn’t know Lovren and Mig have been shit for years!

[Lee909]

Don't listen to any of the football ones anymore. The final straw was James Richardson leaving

[Baltar]

Spurs are an excellent side and capable of spanking anyone on their day, but we made it so easy for them it's unreal. Our defence is the worst I can remember it. Even the days of the spice boys when we were lovely to watch but hopeless in defence, our defending and goal keeping wasn't this bad. Klopp has a massive task on his hands to fix this and if he doesn't, he could be leaving sooner rather than later. There's a big Bayern sized hole to fill in the summer and Klopp could well be their number 1 target.

[johnsusername]

Do you think Bayern Munich, after watching what Klopp has done after having two years here, have thought "he's the man for us"? Genuine question.

[Hades]

Don't listen to any of the football ones anymore. The final straw was James Richardson leaving

 

James Richardson has his own podcast now. It's called The Totally Football Show. Decent replacement for the Grauniad one. 

[Lee909]

I'll check it out

Thanks

[Stickman]

Every time we get walloped we keep saying the the penny will drop for Klopp and he'll fuck some of these crabs off but will he?

We got beat at City and I know we went down to ten men but surely professional pride would have resulted in at least trying to keep the score down but there wasn't even a hint of that happening. And then the same players are picked again the same system is played with surprise surprise the same shite performances .

It just seems to have gone on far too long, the time to have changed all this shit player wise was the summer the fact it wasn't was an appalling decision from which I can't see Klopp recovering from as I don't think he'll get the time.

[Moo]

I’d say it’s an exaggeration to say there’s no-one out there better than Klopp. We’ve become this set of fans who just accept whatever shit is served up to us and only pause to ask for more. The world of football management does not begin and end with Jurgen Klopp.

 

That’s not to say that I think he’s done, by the way. If yesterday was a watershed moment that leads to him accepting the defence needs radical work, then he can certainly get us moving forward again. However, there is no doubt he has dug a big hole that will be difficult to get out of.

 

I’ve seen him compared to Wenger (ie stubborn refusal to accept the obvious no matter what the damage) in at least three different reports of the game and the very fact that the fans are at least asking questions makes everything significantly harder.

 

By being a dick with the fans, he’s also eroded some of the good will that could carry him through a tough situation. In short, he’s made a pretty fucking big rod for his own back.

 

I hope he gets it right, but the idea that it’s Klopp or no-one is ridiculous. 99% of managers in the world game would come here. We pay fucking loads for starters and then then there’s the fact that sorting us out is the sort of challenge most established and pretty much all up and coming managers would leap at.

I can't speak for the comments you've seen Paul about "Klopp or no-one" etc, but from my own perspective and from the comments I've seen (or noticed) it's more a sentiment of "If someone like Klopp isn't given a proper shot at it then no one will".

So then we're back to square one, hoping his replacement is nigh on perfect despite working under certain constraints.

So that's what I think when I read there's no one better than Klopp.

 

As for 99% of managers in the world game would come here, well we've heard that before. And even if they would, what's the point of he's not going to get the necessary time?

[manwiththestick]

One thing I'd noticed on Sunday but forgot about it until now was Milner walking out for the second half walking alongside the ref giving him grief over something or other. Captain nowhere to be seen. Again.

[dockers_strike]

Means nothing. Henderson was in the refs face during the game.

[manwiththestick]

Means nothing. Henderson was in the refs face during the game.

In hindsight with what transpired it's not the biggest issue of the last few days but it annoyed me at the time.

[sir roger]

One thing I'd noticed on Sunday but forgot about it until now was Milner walking out for the second half walking alongside the ref giving him grief over something or other. Captain nowhere to be seen. Again.

 

Marriner probably asked why he wasn't left back.

[m0e]

You can certainly stick a fork in Lovren, but you can stick one in the manager too.

 

When the slippery slope starts, there's no holding on, let alone climbing back up.

[Grinch]

You can certainly stick a fork in Lovren, but you can stick one in the manager too.

 

When the slippery slope starts, there's no holding on, let alone climbing back up.

Indeed.

 

Certainly not with such a self entitled fanbase anyway.

[rb14]

It's taken me until today to be prepared to visit tlw after the Spurs debacle. And last night West Ham, West fucking Ham come back from 2-0 down at half time to beat them.

 

I think I'm entitled to expect more from Liverpool.

[The Midnight Rambler]

‘FREE COUTINHO’

[dave u]

100% agree with Paul in the above. This idea there isn't anyone better out there than Klopp is exactly the same as his pig headed argument about there not being better defenders out there than what we have. Its pure nonsense. He is getting by based on what he did in germany and his image. For us to be in this state 2 years after he took over is just unfogivable. I like jurgen but I don't think he's going to change. The downward spiral toward the inevitable has begun.

 

I don't know if there are too many better than him, but I would say the odds of these owners appointing someone better than Klopp (who basically fell into their laps and was a no brainer decision) are fairly remote.

[lifetime fan]

I don't know if there are too many better than him, but I would say the odds of these owners appointing someone better than Klopp (who basically fell into their laps and was a no brainer decision) are fairly remote.

 

It’s more fucking remote than my chances of banging Kelly Brook.

[dave u]

It’s more fucking remote than my chances of banging Kelly Brook.

 

I'd say it's on a par.

 

I've been thinking the last couple of days, I don't want another season like last year where we end up scraping fourth by the seat of our pants after playing mostly shite for five months.

 

We know what most of these players are now. What we don't know is what Gomez is at centre half. Or Grujic is in midfield. Or Solanke as a number nine.

 

So, stop picking Lovren and Klavan ahead of Gomez, stop playing Can over Grujic (he's not going to be here next year anyway so whats the point picking him every week?) and give Solanke the minutes Sturridge is getting. Not suggesting all three play every game, but let's give them more playing time ahead of the wasters who are just treading water.

 

I'd rather build for next year and end up 6th than carry on with this shit just hoping to sneak into the top four.

 

The club won't see it that way though, and I doubt Klopp will either.

[lifetime fan]

I'd say it's on a par.

 

So you’re saying I have a chance???

[Guest]

I'm quite pleased to report that all is well and we definitely have some shit players again.

 

I look forward to the next false dawn when we can report that the team we support doesn't have any shit players any more.