10 out of 15 points, why is it so important to me?
For anyone who follows my Twitter account, (@mrmarksimpson) or coming across me on the EPL podcast, you will have heard me banging on about how important it is for Liverpool to break the season down into 5-game blocks, aiming for 10 points every block. A lot of the time, replies I get are, “Why? What’s the point?” Well, I think it is time to put it down in writing and explain the methodology behind this.
Firstly, the math:
10 points …
Why Ball-Playing Centre-Backs are Needed in a Klopp System
There was a lot of talk over the summer surrounding the value, the importance and the need of ball-playing centre-backs in the modern game. It was the fear of the unknown and like anything, the British media appeared to quash the idea labelling it too risky, unnecessary and just asking for trouble while asking the question - why don't they just clear their lines like Stuart Pearce and Tony Adams did back in the day, it did those guys no …
Statistical Reasoning Behind the Calls for Karius
I’m excited people. Very excited. The last time I was this excited about a Liverpool squad was, believe it or not, pre-Suarez/Sturridge/Sterling. Back in the day, the spine of Reina, Carra, Mascherano, Alonso, Gerrard and Torres was the strongest I’ve seen at Anfield, and a wonderful foundation to build a side on from front to back. But on the bench? The likes of Ngog, Kyrgiakos and Josemi hardly gave the stars of the team reason to fear and fight for …
The Importance of Victory for Liverpool Against Hull
With the exception of the 2013/14 season Liverpool have made a habit of slipping up when they're clear favourites for a match. There are no easy matches in football but there are those that if you play to your full capability then victory should be a formality. The big teams, those who regularly finish in Champions League places, seem to be able to dispatch of the teams in the bottom half of the table with fairly relative ease.
Not only is it …
Klopp's Liverpool Shed Their Reliance on Coutinho
Last weekend, a Coutinho-less Liverpool pulled the pants down of the Premier League Champions Leicester, bagging four goals (and missing buckets of chances) against a defence that hadn’t conceded more than 2 goals away from home even once last season. Coutinho had been afforded a rest given his intensive travel commitments over the international break with Brazil, but the main concern for Liverpool fans before the game was that the Senegalese Sadio Mane was fit enough to start, rather than …
Analysing the Benefits of Liverpool Not Being in Europe
Suffering from the mid-week hump? Had it up to your oven-mitts with Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood? Stuck for something to do after work? Wonder no more football fans, for we have been blessed with the return of the greatest and most corporate competitions of them all, the UEFA Champions League and Europa League.
You know what that means for Liverpool fans though, don’t you? That’s right – some free time watch Bake Off and catch up on Andrew’s rocking …
Georginio Wijnaldum: Slow Starter or Solid Signing?
Georginio Wijnaldum was signed from a relegated Newcastle United this summer in a transfer that was, to most, unexpected. The Netherlands international, who signed for Newcastle only last summer from Eredevisie outfit PSV, carried with him a reputation for drifting in and out of games a long with a price tag exceeding the 20 million pound mark. It was this, understandingly, that underlined many Liverpool fans' hesitation towards the transfer and, three league and three league starts into Wijnaldum's Liverpool …
James Milner Can't be the Long-Term Left-Back at LFC
"Milly can play there, especially in the style of play we think we should play. Full-back is not only a winger in the offence situations. It’s a really good position for Milly."
Jurgen Klopp's comments in the post match Spurs press conference didn't go down too well with fans who had hoped the German manager would bring in a left-back before the transfer window shut on Wednesday evening. After selling Brad Smith, the only natural left-back the club have on the books …
Klopp's Reluctance To Play a Striker May Cost Liverpool
The Reds have now played their three Premier League games before the International break. It's been a mixed bag. In the opening game against Arsenal they put on a 20 minute second half masterclass which completely blew the home side away as Klopp's side won a seven goal thriller. Next up was the trip to Turf Moor which saw a Liverpool side without the energetic Sadio Mane put in a lacklustre performance in a 2-0 defeat. Then the trip to …
Jurgen Klopp's System May Have No Place for Daniel Sturridge
For the first time in over a decade, Liverpool boast a vast array of striking options. Gone are the days where the likes of David N'gog, Iago Aspas or Andriy Voronin would be forced to deputise in the absence of Liverpool's first choice striker - currently, Liverpool have four strikers capable of leading the attacking line, and doing it well.
Roberto Firmino, Divock Origi, Danny Ings and Daniel Sturridge have all been used to spearhead Jurgen Klopp's 4-3-3 and, …