Liverpool 2020-2021: John Henry Walks Alone

swiftaw

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 31, 2009
3,434
Just like most clubs, some youth prospects make it, some get moved on. They can point at Trent and Curtis Jones as evidence that you can break into the first team.

I really hope Brewster does well, and that they buy him back in a couple of years.
 

Cellar-Door

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
34,463
Oh no. I don't want this to happen. Please stay in your protocols, gents.
West Ham had 2 and the manager, both players back in training after a 10 day quarantine, Moyes however is not back.
Seems like if they catch it early it's been pretty easy to contain.
 

SoxFanInCali

has the rich, deep voice of a god
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jun 3, 2005
15,568
California. Duh.
Well, hopefully that was a couple of months of bad luck all crammed into one game.

The defensive errors are getting more common, though. Something to worry about.
 

fletcherpost

sosh's feckin' poet laureate
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
12,139
Glasgow, Scotland
Well, hopefully that was a couple of months of bad luck all crammed into one game.

The defensive errors are getting more common, though. Something to worry about.
D'you think think the defensive errors have anything to do with the high defensive line Liverpool adopt. When it works it's great, but as time goes by it should become something teams look to exploit.

In the same way, more teams have figured how how best to play Man City, (easier said that done but still more doable than 2-3 years ago).
 

Mighty Joe Young

The North remembers
SoSH Member
Sep 14, 2002
8,401
Halifax, Nova Scotia , Canada
D'you think think the defensive errors have anything to do with the high defensive line Liverpool adopt. When it works it's great, but as time goes by it should become something teams look to exploit.

In the same way, more teams have figured how how best to play Man City, (easier said that done but still more doable than 2-3 years ago).
Good article in the Athletic today asking this very question .. they did an in-depth look at each goal shipped this year. The main culprit was (not surprisingly ) Joe Gomez who has been awful. A close second was lack of pressure on the guys making the long through passes .. in other words the midfield press has been lacking.

https://theathletic.com/2115942/2020/10/06/cox-liverpool-errors-11-goals/?source=user_shared_article
 

wonderland

New Member
Jul 20, 2005
525
Not saying Gomez isn’t without fault but my eye tells me van Dijk isn’t playing at the same level he was in the first year and a half after he arrived. He’s played so many minutes and can’t cover for his fellow CB like before. I think the same thing has happened to Koulibaly at Napoli.
 

Dummy Hoy

Angry Pissbum
SoSH Member
Jul 22, 2006
8,232
Falmouth
I did recently read a piece, likely the athletic, that discussed this- that Gomez looked shitty because he was the guy everyone attacked all the time, given that it's accepted wisdom not to bother going at Van Dijk.
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
SoSH Member
Jan 10, 2004
24,483
The 718
Good article in the Athletic today asking this very question .. they did an in-depth look at each goal shipped this year. The main culprit was (not surprisingly ) Joe Gomez who has been awful. A close second was lack of pressure on the guys making the long through passes .. in other words the midfield press has been lacking.

https://theathletic.com/2115942/2020/10/06/cox-liverpool-errors-11-goals/?source=user_shared_article
My impression from intermittent watching is that they’re not controlling the middle of the park as well this season. They never depended overmuch on their mids for buildup play but it was never as easy as it seems to be this season to get through the lines and have at the back four.

Also I’ve thought that VVD looks poor.
 

SoxFanInCali

has the rich, deep voice of a god
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jun 3, 2005
15,568
California. Duh.
My impression from intermittent watching is that they’re not controlling the middle of the park as well this season. They never depended overmuch on their mids for buildup play but it was never as easy as it seems to be this season to get through the lines and have at the back four.

Also I’ve thought that VVD looks poor.
For as much as people mocked the idea of Jordan Henderson getting POY consideration, they definitely don't look as solid in the midfield when he's not there. Hopefully when he and Thiago are available again, things will calm down a bit.

But in truth, I think other teams are just getting better at dealing with pressure and moving the ball quicker. It's why both Liverpool and City have been more vulnerable to quick counter-attacks lately.
 

SocrManiac

Tommy Seebach’s mustache
SoSH Member
Apr 15, 2006
8,634
Somers, CT
Normally at the start of a season you’d be sprinkling in talk of rust as a contributing factor. This year, exhaustion might be partially to blame. Liverpool’s system demands a ton of energy. We’re seeing less and less effective pressing already. If that continues to get worse, they could be badly exposed.

I’m all aboard the Fabinho CB train. I think he’s going to be good for a few conceded penalties that a natural CB would avoid and possibly a dismissal or two, but that’ll still be a net positive over Gomez.

Alisson is so damn good that no backup is going to feel effective. Adrian can steal a match as easily as he can give one away. The confidence the defensive line can play with knowing Alisson is behind them is nontrivial. It’s easy to forget the immediate impact both Van Dijk and Alisson made on their debuts. The reverse is true: if either is out, something substantial is lost in the side. It might be even worse than before their signings since the team hadn’t gelled with the reliance on the rocks at the back. To this point Virgil has been made out of solid unobtainium, but that can change in a flash. Alisson has always been a little more fragile but he’s been pretty reliable. Let’s hope they both stay on the pitch.
 

67YAZ

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 1, 2000
8,730
Good article in the Athletic today asking this very question .. they did an in-depth look at each goal shipped this year. The main culprit was (not surprisingly ) Joe Gomez who has been awful. A close second was lack of pressure on the guys making the long through passes .. in other words the midfield press has been lacking.

https://theathletic.com/2115942/2020/10/06/cox-liverpool-errors-11-goals/?source=user_shared_article
Sobering read. I have been bullish on Gomez because I think he has stretches where he plays at a very high level next to VVD. I’m not sure why he’s regressing. Maybe VVD is tired, maybe Alisson’s absence weighs heavily, and that midfield press needs to improve.

After a 5 goal drubbing is not time to panic. Take the break, watch a shit ton of video, and get back to the practice pitch. Next up is Everton and 4 days later Ajax...no pressure, Kloppo.
 

SocrManiac

Tommy Seebach’s mustache
SoSH Member
Apr 15, 2006
8,634
Somers, CT
That ends any reasonable hope of a title challenge. We said upthread he’s irreplaceable. Nothing I saw today dissuades me of that fact.

Of course, his closest replacement, Fabinho, will be needed in Thiago’s spot, and Henderson is made of tissue paper as well.

Klopp has his work cut out. It’s going to be difficult maintain an effective midfield rotation during the congested periods. Glad I’m not the manager.
 

Mighty Joe Young

The North remembers
SoSH Member
Sep 14, 2002
8,401
Halifax, Nova Scotia , Canada
Thankfully the top of the league is looking weaker this year. Still, a minor miracle if Klopp pulls it off. Pickford just moved to the top of my most hated players list.

And of course this happens a day after the domestic window closes.
 

SocrManiac

Tommy Seebach’s mustache
SoSH Member
Apr 15, 2006
8,634
Somers, CT
Hating Pickford is like hating a tree for shedding its leaves in the fall. It is what it is. That’s just what they do. There’s no malice, they’re just inept at holding things.

Richarlison is a piece of shit of the highest order. I don’t care how talented he is, anybody from the Diego Costa mold needs to be stamped out of the game. He’s going to become more and more of an asshole with every match he’s allowed to practice his bullshit dark art craft. Fuck him to the end of the universe.
 

Mighty Joe Young

The North remembers
SoSH Member
Sep 14, 2002
8,401
Halifax, Nova Scotia , Canada
So the centre back depth chart is now

Gomez
Matip

Sigh


Fabinho is going to have play every single minute of every single game.

The academy is going to have to step up big time .. from what I saw in preseason none of the younguns‘s appeared ready for the first team. I liked Koumetio but I don’t know if he’s eligible.

Klopp has repeated City’s mistake in not signing a Lovren replacement.

Edit: it was sooooo nice not being terrified of every single corner
 
Last edited:

swiftaw

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 31, 2009
3,434
The academy is going to have to step up big time .. from what I saw in preseason none of the younguns‘s appeared ready for the first team. I liked Koumetio but I don’t know if he’s eligible.
He would be automatically eligible for the PL (all under 21's are). He wouldn't be automatically eligible for the Champions League (this applies only to anyone under 21 who has been at the club at least 3 years).
 

Mighty Joe Young

The North remembers
SoSH Member
Sep 14, 2002
8,401
Halifax, Nova Scotia , Canada
He would be automatically eligible for the PL (all under 21's are). He wouldn't be automatically eligible for the Champions League (this applies only to anyone under 21 who has been at the club at least 3 years).
Thanks .. in a perfect world they can repeat AA taking advantage of Clyne‘s long term injury to break into the first team.
 

PedroSpecialK

Comes at you like a tornado of hair and the NHL sa
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2004
27,164
Cambridge, MA
Injuring van Dijk and Alcantara while being quite literally gifted another home derby draw sounds positively DVD-worthy for the ‘ev. I’m surprised Richarlison didn’t kiss the badge after costing his team the match but for a not-actually-offside offside goal.

They’ll soon be out of serious title contention, but so too will Liverpool if VVD is out much longer than beyond ~January. Best case scenario is a ‘18-‘19-esque goal-scoring explosion to try and secure a top-four spot, defensive cover be damned.
 

OCST

Sunny von Bulow
SoSH Member
Jan 10, 2004
24,483
The 718
Hating Pickford is like hating a tree for shedding its leaves in the fall. It is what it is. That’s just what they do. There’s no malice, they’re just inept at holding things.

Richarlison is a piece of shit of the highest order. I don’t care how talented he is, anybody from the Diego Costa mold needs to be stamped out of the game. He’s going to become more and more of an asshole with every match he’s allowed to practice his bullshit dark art craft. Fuck him to the end of the universe.
Agree to disagree I suppose. No defense for his tackle and I’ll agree for the sake of argument that he’s a preening twat and a flopper and this leaves a very bad taste. But I have watched every minute of every Everton game since we got him and I just don’t see it.

min not being a homer either. If you want to burn Pickford at the stake in the town square I’ll be there selling marshmallows.
 

Rwillh11

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 23, 2010
225
Agree to disagree I suppose. No defense for his tackle and I’ll agree for the sake of argument that he’s a preening twat and a flopper and this leaves a very bad taste. But I have watched every minute of every Everton game since we got him and I just don’t see it.

min not being a homer either. If you want to burn Pickford at the stake in the town square I’ll be there selling marshmallows.
100% cosign on both points. Richarlison definitely goes down easily sometimes (although he's not on someone like Neymar's level). He also is someone who takes defending seriously and is absolutely willing to put in a tackle and try to win the ball. Pretty clear that he was out of control at the end of a hard fought game - it was an awful tackle but he's not trying to injure. Like OCST said, occasionally he puts in an irresponsible tackle but he's absolutely not, in general, a dirty player.

Pickford, on the other hand....I almost wish he had been sent off so we wouldn't have to see him for a month.
 

candylandriots

unkempt
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Mar 30, 2004
12,327
Berlin
FWIW - I thought Richarlison deserved the reputation he has in this thread from his play at Watford - which was quintessentially Watfordish.

Edit: I need to retract this statement - and offer my apology to @OCST. I was confusing Richarlison with Troy Deeney.
 
Last edited:

67YAZ

Member
SoSH Member
Dec 1, 2000
8,730
In the matches I’ve seen, Richarlison is a tough sob - gets stuck in, fights through a lot of tackles - but isn’t dirty. But the tackle on Thiago was reckless as hell.

but a day later, it’s still the Pickford tackle that makes my blood boil. That was a straight red in real time, didn’t need a replay to see a keeper throw his entire body into the planted leg of an attacker. That shit starts fights in Sunday leagues and for good reason.

Now there’s some real bad blood between the sides. The next derby should be wild, though hopefully less destructive to the health of Liverpool players.
 

teddykgb

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 16, 2005
11,016
Chelmsford, MA
I felt this way when Laporte went down last year so I get it but City are not great and aside from Everton everyone looks vulnerable. IMO this pulls you back into the pack but this mostly just stops the league from being a runaway. I’ve watched everyone at this point and nobody stands out at all. It’s going to be a war of attrition to the end I think
 

PedroSpecialK

Comes at you like a tornado of hair and the NHL sa
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2004
27,164
Cambridge, MA
Looking ahead to Ajax on Wednesday, looks like it'll be a Gomez-Fabinho CB pairing - and seems like Robertson & Alexander-Arnold will be run into the ground much like last season. Not expecting Thiago or Allison either, and isn't exactly a must-win at this point of the campaign - envisioning a lineup something like:

Adrian
TAA - Gomez - Fabinho - Robertson
Wijnaldum - Milner - Keita
Salah - Minamino - Origi

I am terrified at the prospect of using Billy Koumetio and/or Nat Phillips at CB in important matches, but seems that's unavoidable at this stage. Perhaps we'll sooner see Wijnaldum/Henderson as CBs again.
 

Mighty Joe Young

The North remembers
SoSH Member
Sep 14, 2002
8,401
Halifax, Nova Scotia , Canada
Looking ahead to Ajax on Wednesday, looks like it'll be a Gomez-Fabinho CB pairing - and seems like Robertson & Alexander-Arnold will be run into the ground much like last season. Not expecting Thiago or Allison either, and isn't exactly a must-win at this point of the campaign - envisioning a lineup something like:

Adrian
TAA - Gomez - Fabinho - Robertson
Wijnaldum - Milner - Keita
Salah - Minamino - Origi

I am terrified at the prospect of using Billy Koumetio and/or Nat Phillips at CB in important matches, but seems that's unavoidable at this stage. Perhaps we'll sooner see Wijnaldum/Henderson as CBs again.
No real quibbles .. but I’m expecting a front three of Salah, Minamino and Jota.

Actually, now that I think of it .. wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the A team. So ..

Adrian
TAA, Fabinho, Gomez, Robertson
Wijnaldum, Henderson, Keita
Salah, Firmino, Mane

This game should give an indication as to Klopp’s priorities this year .. UCL or PL
 
Last edited:

PedroSpecialK

Comes at you like a tornado of hair and the NHL sa
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2004
27,164
Cambridge, MA
Forgot about Jota, good call. Home v. Sheffield at the weekend, would be surprised if he went with the full strength front three in both matches, but if he goes for it in any given match it'll likely be v. Ajax.
 

Mighty Joe Young

The North remembers
SoSH Member
Sep 14, 2002
8,401
Halifax, Nova Scotia , Canada
They left VVD off of the PR eligible list as well.

Team news is in for the Ajax game -

Adrian
TAA, Fabinho, Gomez, Robertson
Wijnaldum, Jones, Milner
Salah, Firmino, Mane

Very interesting midfield selection - big day for Curtis Jones
 

Pesky Pole

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 31, 2001
2,465
Phoenixville, PA
They left VVD off of the PR eligible list as well.

Team news is in for the Ajax game -

Adrian
TAA, Fabinho, Gomez, Robertson
Wijnaldum, Jones, Milner
Salah, Firmino, Mane

Very interesting midfield selection - big day for Curtis Jones
No Keita, no Ox, no Thiago and Fabinho in the back means Hendo is essentially the only other midfield option. With him recovering still , they probably didn't want him playing again. He could also be the first sub at CB.

Substitutes: Kelleher, Jaros, R.Williams, N.Williams, Henderson, Cain, Jota, Minamino, Shaqiri, Origi
 

PedroSpecialK

Comes at you like a tornado of hair and the NHL sa
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2004
27,164
Cambridge, MA
From driving down property values around Anfield in order to snap it up for expansion, to furloughing employees just after COVID broke out, to the shambolic proposition of Project Big Picture, it's clear FSG have never grasped the socialist roots of LFC's past - using the term as a positive, rather than the four-letter-word connotation that regressives here in the US assign to it.

With that in mind, another disturbingly out-of-touch allegation against our net spend champions... LFC staff reliant on charities to survive lockdown. As an LFC member for over a decade... not feeling too hot about the decision to renew this year.
 
Last edited: