Liverpool 2017-18: Salah Days are Here

Salah with a sweet volley from a Mane cross makes it 2-0. Great work by Mane to keep the play alive and get the cross in.

And another one for Salah on a counter attack. 3-0.

Salah seals it. He is approaching Suarez levels of effectiveness (though he is obviously more pace-driven than a pure genius)

This may be the first time I'm happy to have captained a player who didn't start.

And now Charlie Adam coming on to join Crouch and Allen as ex-Liverpool players on the pitch for Stoke.

Almost blew the clean sheet but somehow Diouf blew two point blank chances within 3 seconds. One off the post and another over the bar.

Looking solid today. I'm gonna stop chasing reddit streams and get back to work.

I’m biased against Liverpool but I have no idea how that wasn’t a red card. Any reasonable explanations?

Your bias

I’m biased for Liverpool and I have no idea how that wasn’t a red card. So, none from me.

Agreed that it should have been a red. He was last man, clear goal scoring opportunity, got 0% of the ball.

Good to know. Thanks for the input.

Apparently Matip has a thigh injury and will be out until the new year.

Good thing there aren't a lot of games coming up or anything...

Wonder if Klopp will finally try out Gomez at CB and Arnold at RB for a while

PedroSpecialK said:

Wonder if Klopp will finally try out Gomez at CB and Arnold at RB for a while

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I hope so

Brace yourselves... I think Can’s at CB alongside Lovren

PedroSpecialK said:

Brace yourselves... I think Can’s at CB alongside Lovren

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Yep .. Klopp indicated Gomez was ill and Klavan hadn’t trained - due to being ill.

Mane missing as well .. keeping him rested for Moscow no doubt ..

Everton at home in the FA Cup 3rd round.

I love the Spanish espn3 feed!

Bueno!!

Mas, por favor!

FYI, there's a CL gamethread going.

7-0 final, onto the knockout stages in pot 1.

I would have started to feel badly for Spartak towards the end of that drubbing... but given that Rhian Brewster was racially abused by a Spartak player in a youth game today, and that Spartak supporters made racist chants and gestures towards Bobby Adekanye in the last youth match, I'm good with this outcome.

Possible draws:

Hope for: Basel, Shakhtar, or Porto
Will probably get: Real, Juve, or Bayern

Can't draw Sevilla because they were in our group, or Chelsea because of country protection.

I'll add a few...

Agreed with the point haul. It's frustrating to have that "what if" of the Arsenal drop.

As part of that... I'd like to dispute the Mignolet "howler" a bit. It can't be overstated how difficult it is to judge a rocket knuckling at you. I'm nowhere near the professional level and probably have never even faced a shot hit with that pace. I've had a few similar shots that have made me look absolutely foolish. It happens to professionals, too:

1. Hart against Pirlo's free kick:
Hart has become something of a punchline of late, but what would the narrative have been if that went in? The artistry of the shot or Hart's ineptitude?

2. Weidenfeller against Calhanoglu's free kick:
This illustrates what the modern ball is capable of. It does simply insane shit, and with the pace of a professional's shot if it happens late, there's nothing the keeper can do. Look how far the ball has traveled before it breaks. Watch the spin. How could you possibly predict that as a keeper? Weidenfeller isn't young here, but certainly experienced in reading the ball. What is there to read?

Enough on that...

Solanke is utterly awful. I see absolutely nothing positive. Poor workrate, dumb as a stump, hides behind defenders... Just get him off the field.

I've had a hard time believing that internal competition truly brings out the best in players at the professional level. It might be dependent on the individual whether it's seen as motivation or an insecurity. Regardless, I can't deny the change in Lovren. I'm maintaining my faith in Klopp that he won't revert to a back 3 made up of central defenders to experiment with getting more attacking talent on the pitch. I can't relive those Brendan Rodgers days...

If Lallana could stay healthy, he might be the Firmino insurance, or at least part of the policy. He's not made of Sturridge-level tissue paper, thankfully, but you certainly can't build plans around him. It'd be nice to get Bobby off the field a bit more.

The Nike website gaffe was the first indicator outside of the utterly insane media that something might happen with Coutinho this window. I can't imagine selling him now, but stranger things have happened.

My first true footy love is Juventus, and their pursuit of Emre Can shouldn't be dismissed. They've had an insane eye for plucking blossoming or overlooked players and turning them into world beaters. Some outlets will have you believe the deal is done, but should Liverpool do what they can to lock him up? Even with Keita coming in, you can't count on Henderson to stay on the pitch. Hell, even Can has had his issues. The central, roving midfielder is too important to be a question mark. Right now it's a massive one.

I agree Goretzka would be an intriguing - if unlikely - signing. His skillset is more or less duplicated by Keita though.

I suppose when Coutinho inevitably leaves, Keita can fill that role wih Goretzka filling Can's. I'd prefer a Henderson upgrade.

Regarding Solanke - he has looked decent when brought on late in games IMO but has been rubbish when starting - maybe nerves? Most of what I've read suggests his work rate is fine - but has lacked composure. He was awful against Burnley.

.

As of December 28, Ted DiBiase's sidekick Virgil began impersonating Virgil Van Dijk on twitter. The results are outstanding as you can imagine:

https://twitter.com/TheRealVirgil

So ..

Coutinho is gone for 143 million pounds , so what's next.

Immediate reports of Mahrez as a replacement have been quickly shot down .. I thought that unlikely (and unwise due to a lack of fit) anyways.

So what's next ?

One would think Lemar is the obvious replacement as they wanted him in the summer .. but he's going to be expensive, his form has reportedly slipped this year and Monaco will either not sell or demand a premium for a January transfer. 100m £ well spent?

Given Klopp's past willingness (stubbornness?) to wait on guys he has targeted (VVD, Keita), I'm guessing no obvious replacement comes in this window if they can't get Lemar.

IMO this is the correct way to proceed. It's a gamble as it threatens a top 4 finish. But knee jerk responses such as Mahrez or Lanzini would be marginal upgrades at best and limit options going forward.

Edit: Andy Hunter at the Guardian with a good summary

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jan/07/philippe-coutinho-transfer-barcelona-liverpool-jurgen-klopp-legacy

Don't you just love the January Transfer Window

This is promising .. the Echo (via Bild) is reporting Liverpool can bring in Naby Keita in January .. for a mere £13m (or thereabouts)

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/rb-leipzig-midfielder-naby-keita-14138844

That would certainly solve the immediate need to replace Coutinho .. and remove the possibility of any panic buys this window.

There were also reports that Thomas Lemar's reported price has dropped significantly - although a tussle with Arsenal would be inevitable.

I'm starting to get the feeling Pulisic is the ultimate summer target. Signing Lemar right now would seem to preclude Pulisic.

I tend to agree with 67Yaz .. a world class DM would seem to improve the squad more than another attacking mid.

Adding another yay to the chorus for a CDM. With Henderson made of Sturridge and Emre Can off to Juventus in the summer, now isn't an awful time to strike for a major position of need.

When you watch the team play as currently constructed, it's amazing how compact the opponents can be on defense. The threat of an accurate cross field pass connecting is so low they it's practically invited. Adding that Hollywood long ball possibility will create the space needed for the front four to operate and really help unlock some of the weaker sides.

Lots of smoke now to Leipzig relenting and letting Keïta leave for an additional fee- £17m is the rumored amount.

If Keïta leaves and Leipzig qualify for CL without him, the payment for the summer transfer would remain £53m. If he stayed and they qualified it would have risen to £66m - in essence, getting him now for £17m is an effective £4m hedge assuming RBL would qualify regardless.

If they get Keïta in this window, Coutinho stings a lot less. If they can also nab Lemar, I’d feel better about their chances than I did a week ago.

Links:

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/jan/11/liverpool-naby-keita-extra-17m-bring-forward-signing

Does anyone believe the pulisic rumors? I can see FSG doing something like this. I’m just not sure it’s what the team needs. But I’d be pumped if it worked out.

Basically would be replacement for firmino I guess

Why would Pulisic want to leave Dortmund?

Dummy Hoy said:

Why would Pulisic want to leave Dortmund?

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A bigger league, a huge raise, more exposure for endorsements. The real question is would he pick Liverpool over United or wait for a 3rd club

I don't think Firmino needs replacing - Joyce is saying he's in line for a new long-term deal (with Bascome hyperbolically saying Klopp wants to keep Firmino at Anfield for the rest of his career)

All I know is that all he's ever said is that he wants to get regular playing time. I don't see the rush for him to bolt Dortmund when he's pretty happy there by all accounts. He and his dad have made smart moves every step of the way, I doubt they do anything too rash now just because there's some dollars being thrown around.

There’s a post on Lovren’s IG that some are taking as indication that Can has signed a new contract

I need to eat some crow...

Ox blew me away yesterday. I’m happy he scored (on a fairly poorly placed effort, no less), but that wasn’t his biggest contribution. His work rate in the press was vital, and his disruption of Fernandinho in particular was a major key to the victory. In fact, I’m going to go pretty far with this... Liverpool don’t win that one with Coutinho in his place.

If Karius is better with the ball at his feet, it’s not by a margin that excuses his inferior shot stopping. He has no confidence at all and that’s reflected by his defense. He’s the first non-Ozil German I’ve seen that consistently has a deer in the headlights look. I said it elsewhere- we don’t see what happens in training. In this case, we don’t need to. Even if he’s vastly superior during the week, it’s absolutely not translating.

Firmino’s goal was beautiful. He needs to stop taking his shirt off. I’m sick and tired of this utterly selfish celebration. There were 30 minutes left against a superior opponent and he’s taken the tactical foul out of his pocket. He’s also going to earn a suspension at some point. Klopp needs to address this.

That was a super important win and a wonderful statement. It’ll be a fun second half, especially once VVD acclimated and Clyne finds his way back.

67YAZ said:

Helluva match. Taped it and somehow managed to avoid all news about it. Wow.

Gomez, man...the mental lapses are just killing him and the team. I'm eagerly waiting on any Clyne news.

I was wrong about Robertson. He showed off the wheels and the will to hang with City's wingers. (It helped that Sterling was pissing his pants out there.)

I don't get the Karius-Mingolet thing, either. But Klopp has some plan he's working here, I have to hope. To me, Mingolet at least has one world class skill - shot stopping - otherwise he and Karius are each a jumble of good to excellent skills, which sometimes get exposed.

@Swansea, West Brom, and @Huddersfield see out the month with Spurs coming to Anfield on Feb 4. This is a key stretch to rack up some points before the CL starts up again.

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The only way the Karius-as#1 move makes any sense is that Klopp simply wants to prove that Karius can't be what they'd hoped when they signed him. He simply hasn't had enough playing time to get a real handle on his abilities. If he's sucking because of a lack of confidence then the only remedy is lots of games and a run of success. I think the move was made before the City game because they were more likely to test him. Remember, Karius started against Arsenal early in the year too - another puzzling decision. You probably aren't going to find out much against the league's Lesser lights.

The other thing is the 'Pool defence simply doesn't give up a lot of shots. City had 4 shots on Sunday and 3 went in. That's been pretty much true for most of their games. Hopefully VVD's influence will cut down on the quality shots.

Klopp reiterated the GK situation today in his presser.

I've been trying to build a rationale for this that makes sense, at least for myself. Otherwise, every time Karius flaps at a shot I'm going to go white-hot with anger.

The tryout does make some sense, but only if the team is in its final position. Are they in a position where they can leak goals just to see if Karius is the guy? Frankly, I think it's clear he's not. It's buy now or play your best option until the summer. The CL place is too tenuous and too valuable.

The only thing I've come up with is that Klopp doesn't want to waste VVD's gelling period with Mignolet. Does he see something synergistic between Karius and VVD? Maybe a confidence boost for a keeper that's otherwise struggled?

So, once again, we’re staring at the expected three points out of six from two games. Once again, it’s grabbing the unexpected three from the powerhouse opponent and inexcusably dropping three to a Championship side. It’s absolutely infuriating.

Throwback to the old days, only channel I can find this on is Fox Deportes, with commentary en español.

And Firmino with the chip, after Salah's shot is saved!