Exeter City 2 Liverpool 2 (Jan 8 2016)

[tlw content]

That wasn’t a bad outcome. We were able to rest everyone of any importance and we’re still in the draw for the next round. We could do without the extra game of course, but Klopp could go with a similar team at Anfield and they should be able to get the job done on a better pitch with a home crowd behind them. We might even have a player or two back from injury by then too.

I had the Radio Merseyside phone in afterwards and poor old Nick Tanner was getting caned by a few callers for being too positive about the performance of the young players and for saying it was a decent result. “It was only Exeter” “these kids should be better than that” “we’re Liverpool, we should be winning these games” etc etc

I’m not sure what people were expecting to be honest. This isn’t the class of ’96. There’s no Michael Owen, Jamie Carragher or Davie Thommo out there. Most of these lads will have careers in the lower leagues; they weren’t out there because Klopp sees them as the future of the club. They were out there because he had no choice. Hell, even half of our best under 21 players weren’t available. Jordan Williams, Lloyd Jones, Sergi Canos, Jordan Rossiter and probably others who I’ve overlooked. Many of the best prospects are still in the under 18s and not ready for this step up just yet.

This was a makeshift team, patched together at the last minute and thrown in at the deep end for a televised game on a horrible pitch with the whole country tuning in desperately hoping for an upset. Exeter were bang up for it and led twice. So on the whole, I’m pretty damn pleased with the effort they put and I’m happy we’re still in the hat for the next round. Good job lads, you did us proud. Well, most of you.

Bogdan should never have played for the club again after the Watford debacle, yet here he was, large as life and twice as shit. I don’t blame him for the goal he conceded from the corner, I blame Klopp for picking him. Mignolet doesn’t need a rest and I hate this bullshit policy of giving the back up a chance in the cups. It’s fine if your back up is a young prospect who needs games for experience (on that note, get Danny Ward back now as he’s been ace for Aberdeen and is already better than Bogdan), or if he’s a reliable veteran like a Shay Given or someone. But when your back up is Charles Itandje, Brad Jones, Adam Bogdan or most of the other jabronis we’ve had then just don’t fucking do it. The neglect we’ve shown the back up goalkeeper position over the years is nothing short of a disgrace, but it’s compounded by this nonsense of playing them in the cups.


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[jimmycase]

Bang on the money with this one for me.

 

Enrique, did well, dont understand why some have moaned. Benteke, yep, now a lost cause in my opinion. Bogdan, should never play again in the first team.

 

Thought all the young lads did well,  some better than others but this game would have been played at a faster pace than they'd be used to/ Ilori wasnt getting a game at villa and it looked like they didnt even train him while there.

 

Will Klopp play them again at Anfield, that's the big question.

[Kurt]

I agree with your assesment of Enrique. Most fans had made their mind up before the match that he just wouldnt give a fuck. Many things can be said about Enrique, but when he plays he always try his best. Even when he plays with the under 21's. His problem is more that his best usually just isnt good enough.

 

And what did people really expect from Enrique and Ilori? Enrique played his first competitive match in a year, while the last time Ilori played a match of any importance was in last summers u21 championship. Off course they would be rusty and a bit off the pace. Defensively I felt we struggled a much more at both full backs were especially Randall had a shocker. 

 

Still, you have to take into account when judging individual performances, that this team had no time to train together, players were collected from different loan clubs. It was more like a bunch of trialist put together for one trial match trying to show what they could do.

 

Before the match I actually expected us to lose. Remember how much our 1st team struggled against Wimbledon last season? These matches are never easy, even with 1st teamers in the side. So in that respect it was'nt that bad.

[goose]

Great report, as usual. Judging by Klopp's reaction when asked about the goal, I'd be very surprised if Bogdan started another game for Liverpool.

[Tj hooker]

Absolutely bang on the money

[Bamo]

Can't disagree with any of that.

 

Could Ojo be this year's Ibe? Recalled in Jan and showing good form. Hope so we need bodies fast and if we can do it without spending all the better

 

[Tony Moanero]

Load of shite.

[buster69]

I think he picked the right team and it was a good result/performance considering. Remember we played Oldham in the cup a few years ago with a better side than this and got beat. A few Liverpool careers (Robinson, Coates etc) were ended because of that game.

 

If we had picked a better side there's always a chance that the players wouldn't be giving it their all and still could get beat or embarrassed for playing badly. Look at United yesterday. They won, but morally, it was a defeat. If you play a strong team and play badly, the reaction would be worse. Whereas most of the players who played on Friday were glad of a game and motivated to play well and those who disappointed (Benteke) obviously weren't.

[TheHowieLama]

Lallana looked good,

[SammyAftershave]

Lallana looked good,

 

If you ever needed proof of the effect of those magnificent Nivea products.

[Ipplfc]

Benteke looked the weak link in this team

[rb14]

Bollocks.

 

Bogdan was fucking unlucky. Ok he shouldn't have conceded from a corner but he did. Shit happens. It's happened to far more experienced keepers than him. He's not written off in my book. His career at Liverpool should not be over. I'd give him a couple or three more games at least.

 

I agree Enrique was decent. Looked pretty solid from what I saw. What I'd expect from someone who has been out of it for a year or so.

 

Tex was very good, as was Smith, Brannagan and Ojo. Ilori should not be running out of steam at 60 minutes. What the fuck has he been doing in training? Fuck all by the looks. Fucking lazy cunt. If you can't run for 90 fucking minutes, jesus.

 

Benteke? Nah, not having it. He might not be playing at his best, but the shite that's being flung at him is bordering on rabid. He can score and he will. And yes, I know no fucker will agree with me.

 

I fear for the arrival of the Arse on Wednesday. And it's not often you hear me utter those words in a sentence.

 

PS. You've got Mignolet as keeper, dicksplash.

[Frankenhooker]

Bogdan wasn't unlucky, just incompetent. It was directly under the crossbar, fairly central. There's no way he should of been beaten, Sunday league keepers deal with shit like that. That aside, he's looked dodgy.

 

Ward couldn't do any worse.

[Red Sun Rising]

 (on that note, get Danny Ward back now as he’s been ace for Aberdeen and is already better than Bogdan)

"Liverpool have recalled the goalkeeper Danny Ward from his loan spell at Aberdeen after impressing while in Scotland. "Grauniad.

Nice to see Klopps paid up to read the match reports!

[VladimirIlyich]

Disagree with criticism of Klopp for including Bogdan. He either needed confirmation that Bogdan was shit on more than one occasion(which was confirmed) or give him a chance to get a bad game out of his system and show some ability (didnt happen!)

Anyway,we dodged a bullet and kids got a serious run out without a loss,so not half bad overall.