dockers_strike

There's always an idiot slagging off a player who gets injured and out for a while. I think Joe's great at centre back, not so good at right back but there again, he's being compared to Trent. He's had two lengthy spells out where the club fucked up in my opinion. They said give it time in both instances, that ankle injury and his broken leg before deciding he needed an op on each. Lad next to me in the SKD Upper reckons Joe had an attitude problem which was why he wasnt in the team. Why do people make up this stuff?

Good spot! I forgot about Naby!

Lad's going to this one so Im watching on tv. Irrespective who the oppos are, at this time of year with games every 3 days, it's a big ask for the boys. I thought we looked tired against Wolves and with the squad down to the bare bones, Im expecting another tough game. Shaqiri is out injured again so realistically, the only changes if Jurgen wanted to make them would be Milner for Lallana and Origi perhaps for Mo. Id be surprised if Jurgen risks Jones. Still going for the win though.

Yes. Did you think that when Watford rocked up with Pearson as manager before and after that game?

Apologies, this was the most recent Lallana thread I could find for this article. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/12/30/jurgen-klopp-resigned-losing-adam-lallana-next-summer-wants/?li_source=LI&li_medium=li-recommendation-widget Jurgen Klopp wants Adam Lallana to sign a one-year contract extension to avoid losing him on a free transfer, but the Liverpool manager is resigned to losing the midfielder at the end of the season. Lallana’s contract expires this summer, and he can discuss and agree terms with other clubs from tomorrow with a view to joining in six months. A queue is forming at home and abroad, eager to open negotiations for what will be one of the most sought-after Bosman deals of 2020. The midfielder’s inclusion – and star performance – in the 1-0 win over Wolves on Sunday underlines why Lallana will remain a pivotal member of the Liverpool squad for the rest of this campaign. The commitment he showed in that victory reaffirms why Klopp is so keen to retain the 31-year-old. However, Klopp is also realistic and respectful of the player’s predicament. He understands Lallana is too good to be a back-up player, and with competition so intense in the Liverpool squad – a situation that will only intensify with the arrival of Japan international Takumi Minamino – there is no pressure on Lallana to commit to Anfield beyond this season, nor will his contract situation impact on selection. For his part, the player feels he has three or four years left at the highest level and must decide if he wants to use that time to be a squad player at one of the world’s biggest clubs – most likely regularly competing for the highest honours – or begin afresh at a club where he will be guaranteed more starts. Liverpool owner Fenway Sports Group will back Klopp, and offer Lallana a year’s extension if he indicates he wants to stay, but the fact the contract situation has gone this far is the surest sign a mutual parting will come in May. Lallana’s Liverpool career has been blighted by injuries. Signed by Brendan Rodgers from Southampton for £25 million in the summer of 2014, Lallana suffered a knee injury in his first pre-season, and that kind of disruption has plagued his career on Merseyside. His best spell at Liverpool immediately followed Klopp’s appointment in October 2015, when he was the symbol of the high-pressing, attacking style the new manager implemented. The start of the Anfield renaissance under Klopp owed much to the tactical and technical ability of players such as Lallana, which is why he is one of the few players the German manager inherited who have remained part of the four-year journey to becoming European and world champions. England manager Gareth Southgate was similarly enthusiastic about Lallana’s ability, eager to make him a central figure before ill-timed injuries. That has been the major frustration of recent years. Despite these setbacks, Klopp has continually selected Lallana when he is fit and available, which is why he will be disappointed if – as looks likely – the player leaves. In the meantime, Lallana will continue to feature as Liverpool’s busy schedule continues with the visit of Sheffield United on Thursday, and an FA Cup third-round tie against Everton three days later. Despite preserving their 13-point lead at the top of the Premier League, the most common phrase heard at Anfield for the next few months will be “It’s not over yet”. Virgil van Dijk is the latest player to reaffirm the message. In real terms, Liverpool need to win 14 of their remaining 19 league games to secure their first title in 30 years – providing their closest challengers win every match. That is still a formidable task at the halfway stage. “Last year we saw anything can happen, and this year we just focus on the game ahead of us, and we will see at the end when it will be decided, hopefully in our favour,” said Van Dijk. The defender believes last year’s narrow failure behind Manchester City is driving the players on. “We came very close,” he said. “Unfortunately, City was just a little bit better, but that spurred us on to try even harder this year. We are halfway now, and we hope to finish the season on a high.”

If that ball had of touched van Dijk's arm, even slightly, the spin on it would have changed as well as it's direction. There's a wolves player nearby and he didnt claim handball. It's only (I think) Coady who made a big issue after the goal then other wolves players joined in. The way the papers are showing those pictures with van Dijk, you'd think it was henry playing pat a ball against the Irish in the world or Euro qualifier. Fuck 'em.

It's not a great trophy to win if it costs us the league. OK, we've a healthy lead now, in fact, a lead beyond my wildest dreams. But we still have to play West Ham away with a new manager twice, everton away with the only manager to beat us so far this season, Spurs away with a manager who'd love to beat us. Then there's the gimp at old trafford and his clowns who turn up when they feel like it. They'd love to spoil our party. We still have to play Watford away with a new manager, never a good place for us. Chelsea at home and arsenal away. Oh and let's not forget city away either. Sure, it may seem beyond reason we wouldnt lose all those games but I'll tell you what, if we lose one at home, just watch the nerves in the crowd ramp up. And what fillip would that give the next couple of teams we play? city lost a couple of games in quick succession last season. If we lose two, people will really be shitting themselves.

Wow! everton being linked with Rabiot, Jaimes Rodriguez. Are the half season ticket renewals due or something!?

We should sing 'Li VAR Poooool, Li VAR Poooool!' when we play at the emptihad. It'll get right up their fucking noses.

Oh well, it could be worse, I guess. Fuck VAR! Soz about the formatting, BBC Sport for you https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/50935795 The game was played at Abingdon United's Northcourt Road ground Imagine the scene - your team are 8-0 up at half-time against your big cross-town rivals in the highlight of your festive fixture list. But, rather than battle it out, your opponents decide they would rather go home than come out for the second half. Well, that is exactly what happened in Abingdon on Saturday as the Oxfordshire town's big game between Abingdon United and Abingdon Town ended in bizarre circumstances. Town, who are bottom of Hellenic League Division One East and won just twice all season, travelled to second-placed United. "In my 30 years of football I've never known anything like that to happen," United secretary John Blackmore told BBC Sport. Download and listen to the latest Football Daily podcast The hosts took the lead after four minutes and were 4-0 up inside quarter of an hour. After missing a chance for a fifth goal from a couple of yards out, United went to town in the final 15 minutes of the half - and, as it proved, the match - as they hit four more. Town's players, who ply their trade in the 10th tier of English football, decided they had had enough and refused to come out for the second period. "The game started off fine, there was no nastiness or anything like that, but we were 8-0 up at half-time and then their manager and players didn't come out for the second half," added Blackmore. "There was a reasonable crowd there of about 160 people and they were as gobsmacked as anybody else. "We want to win a game, but not in this sort of fashion." It is understood Town's players left their kit behind in the changing rooms upon departing the ground at half-time. "After all the problems we had last year we hoped we had turned a corner and could stabilise the club," said Brian Kirk, the club's chairman and secretary, who was not at the game. "This is incredibly disappointing to hear, but I can't make too many more comments until I can get hold of the manager." The Hellenic League told BBC Sport it would review the match report and decide if any action needs to be taken against Abingdon Town as a result of the game.

The fans are just a bunch of self entitled moaning twats. The club is owned by a fucking bunch who demand absolute rule in their own country. This is why they are always firing off letters to the football authorities (and Merseyside Police) saying why is this happening, how has no one been arrested etc, etc. Upholders of 'sporting integrity'? Dont make me laugh.

Depends what we each consider constitutes a clear chance. If you consider a clear chance is a virtual 1 on 1 with the keeper, no they didnt have one. They did have 3 clear opportunities to score (in my humble opinion) late on that they blazed over the bar.

Most of this. I dont agree we were 'lucky' though. In fact, Id say wolves were lucky we missed two gilt edge chances before we did score. Leaving aside the VAR decisions, which we all now know were correct, wolves could be said to have deserved a point. That said, when they had 3 very good and clear chances in the last 5 minutes, they blasted every one of them high and wide. But Im getting seriously hacked off now with all these media types and oppo fans bellyaching about us getting all the VAR decisions. That's clearly bullshit. We've had goals chalked offside for marginal calls and, accidental ball striking hand. We've had at least one of our oppos, Villa, having a goal allowed to stand with a similar marginal offside \ onside call. We've had united having a goal allowed to stand despite a clear and obvious foul on origi. We havent had the most penalties this season. It's all tainting what will be an incredible season for the club. Of course there will always be the conspiracy theorist but this latest stuff now about van Dijk handled the ball is just the last straw for me. When you look at the vid, there's at least 1 wolves player close to him but no one appealled for hand ball. Even the vid is inconclusive whether it actually touches him. It's said VAR is looking for excuses to chalk off goals. I think some in football are just looking for excuses to talk us down, fuck knows why though. Listening to the radio last night there was some posh bird talking to robbie savage. Although a leicester fan, she was hoping city win the league ahead of us if Leicester couldnt. The fuck? I was made up for Leicester when they won it a few years back.

To encourage fans to take a minute to consider mental health issues.

Not in isolation, I agree. But, we could end up with a replay. If we get through, some will say play a strong side in the 4th round and so on.

Window doesnt open until 1st january but the FA say he cannot be registered in time to play on 2nd and therefore the FA Cup 3rd Round! Bizarre.

Told by whom mate? Today at 8:01 PM Sergio Silva A few people in the media. Today at 8:19 PM MegaBlue I've always suspected this, very interesting. Oh, this never get injuries bollocks again. Alisson, Lovren, Matip, Robertson, Fabino Oxlaide Chamberlane to name a few must have pulled sickies this season, the malingering twats!

Fuck, it's like a choice of would you rather lose your left or right testicle! I think they're both Liverpool haters so fuck em, they're both very, very bad.

Well I hope that game makes those who recently said 'now let's go big in the FA Cup this season' think again. That was one tough game, pretty much as I expected. Yes, they had 24 hours(?) less than us to recover but it didnt look like it, did it? I thought they played really well and the 5 at the back really frustrated us. Add in some very careless balls by us plus, too many of our players looking for the extra touch on the ball didnt help us. It's hard being critical on the boys after all the effort they have put in and results they have got but I guess it comes with the territory. I thought we put extra effort in against Leicester because we'd had 5 days or thereabouts after the world cup. Today looked like that exertion caught up with us a little. The game looked like it was going to take a mistake or flash of brilliance to open the scoring, have I said anthony taylor is a fucking manc twat yet? The brilliance was Lallana dragging the ball out of the air from a lofted van Dijk ball and threading it through to Sadio who deftly finished when, to be frank, he'd looked poor all game. But, the favourite manc twat in black couldnt wait to rub it out and he blew the whistle. Now, although the goal was right in front of me, without tv, I wouldnt know whether the ball hit Lallana's hand, arm or what. Thankfully, we now have VAR which is able to resolve these issues. Only problem is, it now takes an age to resolve and no one in the stadium, you know, the actual paying customers, have a clue what's going on. Mike Riley needs shooting because surely, all Taylor should have had to do was take a look on the pitchside monitor I can see in the tunnel from my seat. Eventually, the goal was given but Im still none the wiser where it hit Lallana although it seems it was the shoulder. So how can a ref get it so wrong then? The incident spurred wolves on and once again, we fannied around over 2 of their quickly taken corners. It didnt surprise me when they 'equalised.' This time, with the goal down the Kop end, I had no idea why VAR was looking at it. Another long delay and it's given offside. Apparently, it's offside by the margin of Bobby's armpit. If that's the case, I can sympathise with Wolves and the FA really should be kicking mike riley's arse into fucking touch because these decisions are shit. It is almost pure luck whether you get the decision or your oppos does. The 2nd half was pretty much like the first, lots of huff and puff, one touch too many wanted and Trent pinging a ball at his own keeper. It's a good job we have a Brasilian in nets who's good with his feet. Even Virgil tried to get in on the act fannying around from a short goal kick and getting robbed just outside the box. Wolves threw on their 3 forwards who damaged city. Traore was giving a clearly tired Trent a ragging, so much so he even followed him onto the other wing when he and Robbo switched sides late on. Wolves knew they were running out of time and adopted a shoot on sight policy. Ive never seen so many shots end up in the Annie Road End upper tier. Thank fuck! So 2019 ends with yet another win a clean sheet, just, and 3 more points. It's been a phenomenal year with us being World and European Champions. We are Premier League Champions elect and sorry to mention that song but, 30 years of hurt never stopped me dreaming. It would top the season off for me if we could go through the 2nd half of the season unbeaten as well. But the boys do look tired and Spurs away looks massive. Minamino cannot become available soon enough and we need Fab, Lovren and Matip back end of January. Did I say anthony taylor's a twat?

Escaped relegation for another year now. Oh well, there's always next season, I suppose!

Oh that's nothing. They claim van Dijk should have had a penalty against him for stamping on an everton player in the derby and sent off. Almost every week we have stone wall pens against us turned away by the ref and VAR and how we finish each game with 11 men is beyond comprehension. Gomez should have seen a straight red against Leicester for the tackle where he got a yellow despite maddison getting off scot free for his two hacks on Keita. We've had at least 5 more penalties than any other club so far this season. They're now picking up on the everton fans claim that our players are juicing on something because we run further and harder than any team in the league despite the stats showing we arent running as far in games now compared to 18 months ago. Fucking loons.

I think they do at most PL grounds and we do at Anfield. They knew what they were doing cutting down where our fans were and getting in the players way. A bit small time in my opinion.

Im expecting a tough game. They will be bouyed by the result against city and will be looking to spoil our party. Still expect us to win though.

Well he has form. The other day, was trying to say his badminton trophy was as cherished as his world club championship one!

I can only say Id expect a pen for us in the circumstances. I did think Norwich had as strong a shout for a foul and free kick near the halfway line on that Spurs break away though. Also think Pukki was onside for his goal as well. On the whole, it's been a good game to watch.