ECHO Comment: "Fears of Witch-hunt Against Liverpool FC" part 2

[catcherintherye]

City have just drawn at the one ground they have a problem with and even with De Bruyne injured are still top. Chelsea and them are barely out of top gear yet Liverpool are already starting to look absolutely knackered. For all the talk of a genius transfer window Klopp cannot trust any of his backups so has flogged the same 11 over 4 big games in 2 weeks and won none of them. He effectively managed the exits of Coutinho and Can and replaced them with poor players in Keita and Fabinho.

De Bruyne coming back for City is massive as well. The best player in the league. It will make a huge difference to them.

 

[Stutheblue]

On the negative side they've drawn against Chelsea and City in games that they could easily have lost. On the plus side, they've drawn two and lost two of the last four games. Momentum slowed for sure.
I still think City have the measure of them over 38 games.

 

[Saint Domingo]

I don't think he's broken, he is just reverting back to type. A lad who's best season was 14 goals in Serie A. Had a freak of a season but gone back to normal now. I think Mane will outscore him going forward.

Tbh unless one of those front three hit god like form again they’ll struggle to stay in the race. Results aside all their other stats so far are not up their with City and Chelsea. They have the goal difference and goals scored of a top 6 team but not of challengers. They might say they’re going to do a Leicester but unfortunately they’re not up against Pellegrini’s City and Mourinho’s Chelsea in 10th. They need to be perfect to beat City in the long run and unless one of their forwards starts hitting proper numbers they won’t do it as they have hardly any goals from a midfield of Milner Henderson Wijnaldum.

 

[catcherintherye]

Tbh unless one of those front three hit god like form again they’ll struggle to stay in the race. Results aside all their other stats so far are not up their with City and Chelsea. They have the goal difference and goals scored of a top 6 team but not of challengers. They might say they’re going to do a Leicester but unfortunately they’re not up against Pellegrini’s City and Mourinho’s Chelsea in 10th. They need to be perfect to beat City in the long run and unless one of their forwards starts hitting proper numbers they won’t do it as they have hardly any goals from a midfield of Milner Henderson Wijnaldum.

I think most of that is true mate. I hate to say I told you so, but I predicted a fast start from them, I also then predicted an autumn dip. It's all over this thread. I didn't one panic when they started fast. In some ways I was underwhelmed by their start and in truth this dip is not as bad as some will make out.

That squad and manager are not set up to play 2 games per week. The level of intensity needs to be there and they are now really struggling. Given we've just started October that has to be a real worry. As does the fact they blitzed Manchester City 3 times in the last 6 months and were a fair way off that.

The other difficulty for Liverpool is they are up against a number of sides, who in general get better as the season goes on. Spurs tend to start slowly and kick on 2nd half of the season. Chelsea will accumulate results and look solid and City will kick on in the 2nd half of the season when they get players like De Bruyne back. Manchester United have also traditionally been a side who do better 2nd half of the season.

They have 2 gimme games which they will win but I really fancy Arsenal against these. Then you look t their run shortly after that, from Watford a through to the new year, and given there will still be a fair bit of CL football which will go to the wire I think it gets sticky for them.

Milner's injury is difficult. Keita is being run into the ground and will break down. After a world cup season I'm not sure what the front 3 have in the tank. Watch this space.

 

[dublinbluenose]

"They (City) wasted time by keeping possession of the ball"

 

[MikeH72]

"They (City) wasted time by keeping possession of the ball"

They are the strangest set of freaks roaming the planet those fellas. Genuine 10 year olds trapped in adult bodies, and their stupid little podcasts appeal to like minded dweebs only.

 

[Saint Domingo]

They are the strangest set of freaks roaming the planet those fellas. Genuine 10 year olds trapped in adult bodies, and their stupid little podcasts appeal to like minded dweebs only.

When you haven’t won the actual game you can always win the propaganda war.

 

[PITA]

They should have won at Wolves and only didn't because of a flukey goal that should have been ruled out

Is your nose twitching?

 

[davek]

On the negative side they've drawn against Chelsea and City in games that they could easily have lost. On the plus side, they've drawn two and lost two of the last four games. Momentum slowed for sure.
I still think City have the measure of them over 38 games.

Momentum's disappeared, not slowed.

They look laboured and clueless. Klopp getting arsey with Gary Neville a couple of weeks back over his advice that the PL should be priortised over the CL this season for them underlined that he knows they cant fight on two fronts - he didn't buy well enough to do that in the summer, and I suspect he knows they need to go with a core of about 15 players for both competitions and that City have about 20-22 players of that standard.

This wont be remotley close, imo. City will finish about 10 points better off than Liverpool, and Chelsea will get second.

 

[PITA]

I think most of that is true mate. I hate to say I told you so, but I predicted a fast start from them, I also then predicted an autumn dip. It's all over this thread. I didn't one panic when they started fast. In some ways I was underwhelmed by their start and in truth this dip is not as bad as some will make out.

That squad and manager are not set up to play 2 games per week. The level of intensity needs to be there and they are now really struggling. Given we've just started October that has to be a real worry. As does the fact they blitzed Manchester City 3 times in the last 6 months and were a fair way off that.

The other difficulty for Liverpool is they are up against a number of sides, who in general get better as the season goes on. Spurs tend to start slowly and kick on 2nd half of the season. Chelsea will accumulate results and look solid and City will kick on in the 2nd half of the season when they get players like De Bruyne back. Manchester United have also traditionally been a side who do better 2nd half of the season.

They have 2 gimme games which they will win but I really fancy Arsenal against these. Then you look t their run shortly after that, from Watford a through to the new year, and given there will still be a fair bit of CL football which will go to the wire I think it gets sticky for them.

Milner's injury is difficult. Keita is being run into the ground and will break down. After a world cup season I'm not sure what the front 3 have in the tank. Watch this space.

Steve0 agrees but prefers the word 'shame' rather than 'worry'.

 

[Steve0]

Steve0 agrees but prefers the word 'shame' rather than 'worry'.

Definitely a shame.

Thing is, they're not creating chances like last year, a LOT has to 'click' if they want to arrest this slide. Two games a week after the break, and no games like last year where they can switch off mentally and go easy physically, it's going to drain their small, limited squad big time.

Can and Coutinho for Keita and Fabinho has to be the biggest downgrade of any midfield ever. Which is a shame as they cost nearly £100m between them, they could've got Richarlison, Bernard and Gylfi for that money.

 

[lesbattersby]

Tbh unless one of those front three hit god like form again they’ll struggle to stay in the race. Results aside all their other stats so far are not up their with City and Chelsea. They have the goal difference and goals scored of a top 6 team but not of challengers. They might say they’re going to do a Leicester but unfortunately they’re not up against Pellegrini’s City and Mourinho’s Chelsea in 10th. They need to be perfect to beat City in the long run and unless one of their forwards starts hitting proper numbers they won’t do it as they have hardly any goals from a midfield of Milner Henderson Wijnaldum.

You are forgetting about the dual Ballon d'Or winners, Naby Neville and the other one thats been seen less than shergar. Bossing the league, one of their fans even came on here, to tell us how good they were before they even played a game.

 

[Steve0]

Combined XI

GK: Pickford - Close but gone with Jordan due to his World Cup heroics and distribution.
Lb: Digne - This is locked and loaded. No disputing this.
CB: VVD - A limited chap, very much the Dutch Harry Maguire but knows his limitations and sticks to them doggedly.
CB: Mina - Could be anyone but can't pick another of theirs really, Lovren? Gomez? Matip? Nah.
RB: Coleman - Another close call but the Irishman gets the nod.
LW: Bernard - Speedy Mo has lost his Mojo unfortunately, a shame as he's just had his wages doubled, Mane has a shout but Bernie gets the nod.
CM: Gomes - On his day he'll be first choice, different quality to anyone else
CM: Keita lol only joking. Milner? A real hobson's choice this one...don't really like any choices.
RW: Mane, good player who looks like he wants to leave. Will be seeking wage parity with the curly haired speedster and that weird looking Brazilian. the 'wrong' wing but can't put him above the Brazilian magician.
False 9 - Richarlison
CF: Sturridge, This glass man would work well in this team, injury permitting. Should put a cheeky January bid in to strengthen our top 4 push.

 

[Saint Domingo]

Definitely a shame.

Thing is, they're not creating chances like last year, a LOT has to 'click' if they want to arrest this slide. Two games a week after the break, and no games like last year where they can switch off mentally and go easy physically, it's going to drain their small, limited squad big time.

Can and Coutinho for Keita and Fabinho has to be the biggest downgrade of any midfield ever. Which is a shame as they cost nearly £100m between them, they could've got Richarlison, Bernard and Gylfi for that money.

They lost a guy that is pulling the strings for Barcelona and Brazil and tried to downplay it as nothing. ‘The front three aren’t quite as fluent’ no kidding Kopites, they’ve lost the service of one of the best attacking mids in the world and instead have Keita strolling around. Missing out on Fekir was huge.

 

[blueconverse]

Mane looks unhappy. Head turned maybe?