How do Liverpool compare to previous 2nd place finishes?
Liverpool’s form has picked up, the team seem to be gelling, and there’s a lot of belief among the Anfield faithful that something very special could be upon us and our beloved Reds.
This I expect.
What I didn’t expect, however, was for neutrals and bookies to be quite so on board as well. Last I checked, we ranked at 5/1 for the title, second only to Manchester City and at around half the odds of Arsenal and Man Utd. …
James Milner - Right At Left-Back
At the end of the transfer window, Jurgen Klopp looked at his left back options, nodded and moved on. With Alberto Moreno throwing himself about with reckless abandon, the German gave the shirt to the 30 year old James Milner, knowing that the Yorkshireman would simply get on with it. Left back was done as far as he was concerned, though some questioned the wisdom of having a veteran player in such a demanding role.
Eyebrows were also raised at …
Observations from Liverpool's comeback win against Swansea
Four consecutive weekends now. That's how long Liverpool have resisted the urge to ruin my weekend. Life is good. I could get used to being able to watch Match of the Day safely in the knowledge we've taken 3 points away from our match. Not since 2013/14 have fans been afforded such a luxury and even then it wasn't so early on in the season. It's not like we're taking it for granted either, the win at the Liberty was …
Swansea 1 Liverpool 2: Player Ratings
Liverpool showed great character and resilience as they came back from a one goal deficit and a poor first-half performance to take all three points from the Liberty Stadium. Such wins show the mental toughness of the whole team, a trait which every champion team possess.
This is how the Reds fared.
Loris Karius (5) - Karius had far more action today than he did against Hull. His passing was not the greatest in the early part of the first-half as …
Could Klopp use Emre Can in a Centre-Back Role?
Jurgen Klopp has shown just how ruthless he can be this season with squad selection when he dropped Belgian 'keeper Simon Mignolet in favour of Loris Karius for the match against Hull City. While the general consensus seemed to be Mignolet was on borrowed time after a series of errors last season and he was only starting this season because of the injury Karius picked up in pre-season it was still a bit of a 'wow' moment when the team …
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 …
What Constitutes a Good Season for Liverpool FC?
With all the positivity around the club at the minute, and with the Reds in imperious form, I find myself strolling around all day with a cheeky little grin planted firmly on my face. The team are playing with a swagger and it's evident that every single player understands exactly what his job is at any given moment. The boss having had a full preseason with the lads is proving to be a massive bonus. His addition of Andreas Kornmayer …
Liverpool 5 Hull 1: Player Ratings
After a dynamic one-off performance on the Match Ratings column (a la Moreno) from Sam McGuire in the midweek cup game, we are back to the usual dour, weekly match ratings piece (a la Milner) from yours truly.
9 goals in 2 games at home. Conceded 2 unnecessary goals at home. Clearly we are doing things the Liverpool way.
Another breath-taking performance at home as Liverpool swatted away the challenge from Hull. There were worries pre-game if we would falter …
Has Klopp put together the best Liverpool Squad in Premier League History?
For years now Liverpool have been overly reliant on certain players. The Reds have had decent starting XI's, teams capable of beating the very best on their day, but it's hard to sustain a top 4/title challenge when your squad players aren't anywhere near the requisite level. It's corrosive to the team. The lack of ability from the players coming in eats away at the quality on show and before you realise the squad has dropped a level or two.
Jay …
Chelsea 1 Liverpool 2: Player Ratings
A game of two halves if there ever was one, as the Tricky Reds displayed multiple facets of their game as Liverpool ground out another away win at Chelsea, the second on the bounce.
Lets see how the Reds fared.
Simon Mignolet (6) - Wretched first half from Mignolet as he was his usual dithering self on the ball. He was flapping at the crosses and almost repeated the ignominy of carrying the ball beyond the touchline himself. It is quite …