The Fish 8994 Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 8 hours ago, TheGingerQuiff said: Weird how Klopp managed to field his best team tonight and all the Champions League clubs will be playing their top men midweek and weekends. Load of shite. Of course he's going to play his strongest side against Hoffenheim man. Win that and they're in the Champions League Group Stages, and all the difference that can mean to a side. Also, Liverpool's squad is of sufficient quality to challenge on several fronts, ours is patently not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGingerQuiff 2412 Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 4 minutes ago, The Fish said: Of course he's going to play his strongest side against Hoffenheim man. Win that and they're in the Champions League Group Stages, and all the difference that can mean to a side. Also, Liverpool's squad is of sufficient quality to challenge on several fronts, ours is patently not. The point is he played his best players and they'll play again at the weekend and their legs won't disintegrate into sawdust because of it. We could and should have played our supposed better players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 8994 Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 3 minutes ago, TheGingerQuiff said: The point is he played his best players and they'll play again at the weekend and their legs won't disintegrate into sawdust because of it. We could and should have played our supposed better players. He's got a deep squad, he has enough of his first team to pick from that you've called them his best players, he's got points on the board, he absolutely had to field his strongest possible team to ensure qualification into the Champions League proper. Benitez has a weak squad, doesn't have his 1st 11 to pick from, (missing 1st choice centre back, left back and midfield and an unfit striker), he has no points on the board, and the League Cup is definitely not a priority this season. Had we done all our business as soon as the window opened, got a point or 2 in the league, had our best players fit and available, I've no doubt Benitez would have fielded a stronger side in the cup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGingerQuiff 2412 Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 Aye but awe had a team out last night assembled and bought mainly by Benitez at a far greater cost than that which Forest fielded. They shouldn't be that shit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewerk 26394 Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 10 minutes ago, TheGingerQuiff said: Aye but awe had a team out last night assembled and bought mainly by Benitez at a far greater cost than that which Forest fielded. They shouldn't be that shit. Four of the starting eleven were Rafa signings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGingerQuiff 2412 Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 Murphy Gamez Lazaar Hanley Hayden all started didn't they? There's £20-25m worth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 8994 Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 12 minutes ago, TheGingerQuiff said: Aye but awe had a team out last night assembled and bought mainly by Benitez at a far greater cost than that which Forest fielded. They shouldn't be that shit. Benitez didn't sign Darlow Sterry Mbemba Barlaser Saivet Aarons Mitrovic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGingerQuiff 2412 Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 Just now, The Fish said: Benitez didn't sign Darlow Sterry Mbemba Barlaser Saivet Aarons Mitrovic Aye and part of the problem is he's signed shite that can't dislodge what was already at the club. 4 shite full-backs that have left Dummet first choice when fit, for example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 8994 Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 2 minutes ago, TheGingerQuiff said: Aye and part of the problem is he's signed shite that can't dislodge what was already at the club. 4 shite full-backs that have left Dummet first choice when fit, for example. You've got to bear in mind that he's stuck with a squad of overpaid shite, so he has less wiggle room to bring in new players. We still have Haidara, Saivet, Riviere, De Jong. Four players in positions we've long been saying we need to strengthen. That's not Benitez' fault. Signing Lazaar and Gamez is his fault, but I'm not shocked he hasn't unearthed 16 gems in his scraping of the barrel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfy 12 Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 We were beaten by a better team in a cup that not too many top teams take that seriously, other than to give players a run out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGingerQuiff 2412 Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 We've played Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield. Rafa inherited a better squad than they had when he took over and has spent more than those two clubs combined since he arrived. The squad isn't good enough in terms of having game-changing Premier League players and that's Ashley's fault, but having spent what he has on fleshing out the squad then there can't be excuses when up against those two clubs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Carr's Gloves 3205 Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 Carabao cup != Champions league Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGingerQuiff 2412 Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 I agree poor comparison. If anything a Champions League tie would be even more tiring Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 8994 Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 3 hours ago, TheGingerQuiff said: We've played Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield. Rafa inherited a better squad than they had when he took over and has spent more than those two clubs combined since he arrived. The squad isn't good enough in terms of having game-changing Premier League players and that's Ashley's fault, but having spent what he has on fleshing out the squad then there can't be excuses when up against those two clubs Course there can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anorthernsoul 1221 Posted August 24, 2017 Author Share Posted August 24, 2017 Even last night he has played 1 up front again. We are so predictable it'd scary. It'll be the same in every game for the rest of the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 8994 Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 3 hours ago, Anorthernsoul said: Even last night he has played 1 up front again. We are so predictable it'd scary. It'll be the same in every game for the rest of the season. How often do managers change up their formation? I mean sure, they'll maybe swap roles and personnel to change things around a bit, but they tend to stick with the horse what brung 'em, don't they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trooper 940 Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 (edited) i think we'll get found out by a lot of teams this season. One up top against Man City, Man Utd, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal etc is a daunting task Edited August 24, 2017 by trooper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strawb 3660 Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 Name me a team that plays a proper 2 up front? Not a 1 behind a 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ewerk 26394 Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 I'll wait. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howmanheyman 26877 Posted August 24, 2017 Share Posted August 24, 2017 3 minutes ago, ewerk said: I'll wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anorthernsoul 1221 Posted August 25, 2017 Author Share Posted August 25, 2017 8 hours ago, strawb said: Name me a team that plays a proper 2 up front? Not a 1 behind a 1. Absolutely void point as other teams have players that thrive in that system, we clearly don't. You play the system that benefits the team, you don't just fit your players into a system that clearly isn't working. How is that so hard to understand? You adapt when needed, Rafa's like a stubborn old war veteran that refuses to watch any other TV channel other than 1-4 because that's all he has ever done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Carr's Gloves 3205 Posted August 25, 2017 Share Posted August 25, 2017 I've got to say (not necessarily Rafa btw) but some managers seem to embody the definition of madness i.e. "performing the same task over and over again and expecting different results". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfy 12 Posted August 25, 2017 Share Posted August 25, 2017 7 minutes ago, Anorthernsoul said: Absolutely void point as other teams have players that thrive in that system, we clearly don't. You play the system that benefits the team, you don't just fit your players into a system that clearly isn't working. How is that so hard to understand? You adapt when needed, Rafa's like a stubborn old war veteran that refuses to watch any other TV channel other than 1-4 because that's all he has ever done. Basically, this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 8994 Posted August 25, 2017 Share Posted August 25, 2017 50 minutes ago, Anorthernsoul said: Absolutely void point as other teams have players that thrive in that system, we clearly don't. You play the system that benefits the team, you don't just fit your players into a system that clearly isn't working. How is that so hard to understand? You adapt when needed, Rafa's like a stubborn old war veteran that refuses to watch any other TV channel other than 1-4 because that's all he has ever done. We do have the players to play the 4-2-3-1 formation. We won the Championship with that formation and imo, with a couple of players we'd be able to play that formation in the top flight. We weren't miles away from points against Spurs, and it was missing players+poor performances+good saves that stopped us getting points at Huddersfield. We don't have the players to play 4-4-2 at this level. Too many teams play formations that overload the midfield meaning our centre would be overrun, most teams can hurt you on the counter attack and 4-4-2 would expose us to that. 4-2-3-1 is flexible, pragmatic and plays to our players' strengths. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom 13861 Posted August 25, 2017 Share Posted August 25, 2017 It's going to be interesting to see who they scrape from the barrel once Rafa walks. The players simply aren't good enough and he hasn't been backed. He got his championship squad off the back off massive player sales and this year the club have given him nowt unless he sells that bunch of players nobody wants. Also we're the only club I can remember arguing about the bonus sheet (twice!). If you can't spot the common denominator in 10 years of Mike Ashley's ownership there's really no helping you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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