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Newcastle 1 Liverpool 1 (Oct 1 2017)


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Just how much longer is this going to go on? It’s Groundhog Day. The same performance virtually every week and usually a similar outcome. We’ve drawn as many games as we’ve won now in all competitions and we’ve only kept two clean sheets all season. Yet we’re not playing badly. Until now that was at least some consolation, but not any more.
 
It’d be easier to accept if we were just shite, but we’re clearly not. We outplay the opposition in 95% of our games but often it counts for nothing because we just don't have that winning mentality and killer instinct the likes of City and United have. These players just aren’t winners. This team is mentally weak at both ends of the pitch, whether it’s not being clinical in front of goal or not being switched on at the back. 
 
I don’t know what the answer is, especially as we can’t buy anyone until January (and even then you know we won’t, it’s ‘a difficult window’ don’t forget). Klopp is 100% right when he says all they can do is just keep doing what they are doing and hope it eventually turns around, because there is literally no other viable alternative. There’s no point changing anything tactically as nobody ever outplays us. The problem is they don’t need to. Opposing sides just need to dig in and wait for the inevitable mistake. 
 
There are some things Klopp can influence, such as how the team plays and whether they can dominate games with their style of play. He’s clearly doing that well as we dominate virtually every game we play. What he can’t do is put the ball in the net for his forwards, or stop his defenders and goalkeepers from doing stupid shit that costs us goals. It’s not like he can just drop the offenders either, because they’re all fucking doing it. 
 
The most difficult thing for Klopp is that the fucking knobheads seem to be taking turns in fucking up at the back. It’s never the same player. If it’s not Lovren it’ll be Moreno. If it’s not him it’ll be Trent or Gomez. Or it will be Klavan or Matip. And if it’s none of them, it’ll be one of the fucking keepers or some soft cunt in midfield not doing his job. 
 
Klopp is responsible in so much as these are his players and he put his faith in them rather than spending money on replacing them, but in terms of fixing this on the training pitch or by changing the team around, there’s virtually nothing he can do right now other than try to keep the players confidence up and wait for it to turn around. 
 
It will turn around, but by the time it does it may be too late. Hell, for me it already is too late because we’re not making up seven points on either or both of the Manc clubs, and one chance of silverware in a cup has already gone at the first hurdle. 
 


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I have not read full article but in answer to the 'There is nothing else Klopp can really do' tone of the above (which to be fair is mostly true) there are some things that Klopp can do though....

 

Like for instance not leaving players having a fucking nightmare on the park for far too long in games ala Sturridge yesterday - what is exactly Klopp waiting for? IT ISN'T GONNA FUCKING HAPPEN FOR THE LAD HE IS FUCKED PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY....

 

Why the frigging hell is he starting and why when he is clearly having a negative impact on us as an attacking force was he left on the park? Running offside when looking across the line, falling over the ball, not anticipating things, failing to move or think quick enough...

 

He is done as a top player at the level we need - starting him is baffling, leaving him on when he is so far off the pace it is actually sad to watch given how good he was is just criminal.

 

Klopp does this leaving it too late to hook shite too often for my money with players all over the park - it is all well and good giving players a chance but you also have to change it when it clearly isn't working.

 

It is for me his biggest weakness as a manager.

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Spot on, Dave.

​Although we can beat anyone on our day, we can lose to anyone too. There are no leaders out there and they bottle it when the going gets 'ever so slightly' tough.

​Unfortunately, I really can't see this team winning any competition due to their inconsistencies and weaknesses.

​(I hope they're reading this and get upset about it.)

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Unusual report dave but entirely warranted. I know Klopp is always looking at the bigger picture and he's probably thinking Sturridge needs minutes if he is ever to rediscover his form but I just wish he would react quicker when things aren't going our way. I know Sturridge looked great last week when he came on but he looked beyond dreadful midweek. He should have been prepared for that to happen again and should have been ready and willing to hook him when his performance was obviously going in that direction.

 

He doesn't press enough, he doesn't challenge for any headers at all, he holds on to it for far too long, he's heavily one footed and now even his finishing isn't there. If he plays again it has to be in a front two. He is absolutely useless up front on his own.

 

You could see that second half coming a mile off and we waited until 70 mins before deciding to make any changes and then had the subs standing there for another 5 minutes even though the ball went out about 3 or 4 times. We need to get better at stretching teams by doubling up on the full back positions. I felt sorry for Gomez because he clearly wasn't comfortable with the task of dribbling past players on the wing and crossing balls into the box and it highlighted how unfair some of the criticism of Clyne was.

 

The substitutions did nothing to test the set up of Newcastle. We just put players of a similar standard into the same formation that was struggling to work the ball through the wall of Newcastle players.

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Klopps Plan B is basically usually Plan A but with worse players.

 

That needs to change.

 

Good point that. It seems if games are not going our way recently I'm not confident of getting a very late winner. Players looked resigned to not scoring yesterday with about 20mins to go.

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In response to an tha, Klopp is a player's manager first and foremost. He doesn't want to destroy anyone's confidence by always taking them off or not giving them a chance. Last season he didn't rotate enough and we paid the price in January. This season he's gone a bit too far the other way for me and now he's rotating keepers too, we don't look anywhere near settled enough.

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I didn't hear the remarks about the players getting upset reading negative comments. That's just unbelievable stuff... I cant believe that he actually said that ,and I cant believe it could be true. You've managed to make me feel even worse than I did....... What hope have we got if that's true?Sweet Jesus....... I'm more numb than angry reading that remark. Things are worse than I thought.

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In response to an tha, Klopp is a player's manager first and foremost. He doesn't want to destroy anyone's confidence by always taking them off or not giving them a chance. Last season he didn't rotate enough and we paid the price in January. This season he's gone a bit too far the other way for me and now he's rotating keepers too, we don't look anywhere near settled enough.

His decision making in relation to team selections/changes and substitutions this season seems to be questionable this season IMO.

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Totally agree with that. The depression is compounded by the fact that our rivals all looking good. We can practically forget catching the Manc clubs and probably Chelsea. Spurs are now also playing to a level that makes me think we might not even be in a race for top 4 which is really hard to take.

 

I'm also starting to think we can't be that successful without a top striker. Someone who can turn these draws into wins.

 

Kane scored 13 goals in September - Our strikers struggle to get that in a season. I like Firmino and when it all clicks the front 3 look great but that's usually against idiots like Arsenal and Hoffenheim who play to our strengths. When teams set up to defend deep we've got the same old problems and that's when you need someone clinical feeding off scraps.

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Team needs a spine.

 

Oblak, VVD, Keita, Werner.

 

If we get two of them to add to what we already have, say VVD and Keita, it will improve a lot. It's a bit mad at the moment, as we are not scooping up the points the performances deserve. We are dominating games but currently not finishing them off. Someone is going to be on the receiving end of a hammering soon, as it will come. Frustrating in the meantime.

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Understand the frustration, Im frustrated with the results too. But Klopp hasnt become a bad manager overnight.

 

As Dave says, the attack is as culpable as the defence. Watch sturridge for that chance Dave mentions, he snatches the shot. Its almost an air shot and he just gets a slight contact at the end but, he's supposed to be lethal yet misses that.

 

And I still dont get why our back 4 was so advanced, again, late into the 2nd half. We've got both fullbacks and both CB's either well into the Newcastle half or 12 yards over the halfway line.

 

I actually thought we started this game the same as we did just over 2 years ago when they beat us 2-0. No urgency, no pressing and giving them space.

 

We cant change personel so its pretty pointless bitch about this player or that player. But, some of them need to take a long hard look at themselves. Chris on Redmen TV made a good point on Newcastle's goal. Neither Lovren or Matip put their arms up to call for offside. The lino might have kept his flag down but on a decision that close, Im expecting players like them to be calling every break like that.

 

During the game, Klopp was clearly incensed at some of the things his players were not doing so despite what he's saying in public to defend the players, he's clearly letting them know in private that he's not happy with some of their shit.

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Guest Alex_K

All the points on needing a striker are dead on. Mane & Salah had uncharacteristically quiet games yesterday (leave it to Rafa to know how to neutralise quality forwards), but regardless, you can't play in such a way that leaves just 2 players in your own half away from home and only get 1 goal to show for it. The team needs to be more clinical - but we have no focal point resembling a Lukaku/Kane/Morata. But players of that quality are easy 50 mil +(if not closer to 100 mil)

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Very frustrating time , but not getting this ' Not catching the Mancs ' stance.

 

We beat United in a fortnight & we are 4 points behind a side who have had the easiest first two months fixtures ever devised , and weren't the bookies paying out on City winning the league about this time last year.

 

They way we play we are a very 'streaky' team & I can see us getting into a groove pretty soon where we win 9 out of 10 games or suchlike.

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Very frustrating time , but not getting this ' Not catching the Mancs ' stance.

 

We beat United in a fortnight & we are 4 points behind a side who have had the easiest first two months fixtures ever devised , and weren't the bookies paying out on City winning the league about this time last year.

 

They way we play we are a very 'streaky' team & I can see us getting into a groove pretty soon where we win 9 out of 10 games or suchlike.

Its always the way. Few wins and we are right back up there. But as true as that is. If you dont get out of a slump fast enough you'll just never make up the ground.

A lot hangs on next few games after the break.

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Very frustrating time , but not getting this ' Not catching the Mancs ' stance.

 

We beat United in a fortnight & we are 4 points behind a side who have had the easiest first two months fixtures ever devised , and weren't the bookies paying out on City winning the league about this time last year.

 

They way we play we are a very 'streaky' team & I can see us getting into a groove pretty soon where we win 9 out of 10 games or suchlike.

 

Give us the same 'easy two months' as United and we'd have half as many points as they have I reckon. That's the problem, we always drop points to dogshit teams, which is why that 9 out of 10 wins won't happen unfortunately.

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Very frustrating time , but not getting this ' Not catching the Mancs ' stance.

 

We beat United in a fortnight & we are 4 points behind a side who have had the easiest first two months fixtures ever devised , and weren't the bookies paying out on City winning the league about this time last year.

 

They way we play we are a very 'streaky' team & I can see us getting into a groove pretty soon where we win 9 out of 10 games or suchlike.

 

Exactly this. Have to admit, Im not confident about beating the mancs right now but there's always hope as far as Im concerned.

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In fact, actually, apart from City and Arsenal we've had an easy run of games too, yet we've failed to beat Watford, Burnley and Newcastle, needed a penalty save to avoid dropping points to Leicester and only just managed to edge out Crystal Palace who haven't even scored all season.

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