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Y.N.W.A Thread III: Enter 'The Normal One'

saint.nick

Coach
Messages
19,401
I didn't write Grujic off, I just said he couldn't do a season in the first team. He needs a loan spell. And he is a god awful defender.
He may be competent in a 3 man midfield, but heaven help us if he plays in a midfield 2.
We needed to blow a chunk of money on a Nemanja Matic type player.
Just a prick who stands back, shields the back 4, drops into the defensive line and control the tempo.

Good luck to teams when they play him and Kante. You can spend all the money in the world on flashy players but if you can't break down a team you don't stand much chance.

65% first half possession and 1 shot. Completely dominated them in possession, field position, and still came away with a loss.
Klopp sees Grujic as a major contender for the first team, he needed to guarantee lots of playing time to help land Grujic a work permit. So already declaring he can't do a full season in the first team is IMO writing him off, at least for this season. He had a ineffective game, but just one game. On the other hand, players such as Voronin and Aspas tore pre-seasons apart.

We can lament over Liverpool's shit game, but Chelsea were no more impressive than we were. It was just two, half strength rusty teams trying to get some fitness levels up. United are tipped as title contenders yet got whomped 4-1 by Dortmund. Liverpool played a lot better than that in the latter half of last season, and I expect our performances to be better than what we dished up against Chelsea today.
 
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13,935
It was a pre-season friendly. CB$, you are entitled to your opinion, but mate, relax. If you base all form on pre-season games then you will be forever disappointed as I've seen plenty of teams look like champs in the pre-season who turned out to be chumps in the regular season.

As to Grujic,he is in hospital as he suffered concussion during that game. Klopp has said that Grujic can't remember anything about the game or the head clash which saw him taken off.

EPSNFC are reporting Liverpool are looking into signing Jordy Gaspar from Lyon. He's only 19 but can play at either CB, LB or RB.
 
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13,935
If Klopp was 100% committed to winning that game, then he wouldn't have taken off Ejaria.

Exactly. Knowing he was playing against better quality opposition, I'm sure he would have chucked on different combinations so he can see what he has to work with talent wise in his squad. Doing that would give him better insight than using the same 11 for the whole game.
 

saint.nick

Coach
Messages
19,401
Exactly. Knowing he was playing against better quality opposition, I'm sure he would have chucked on different combinations so he can see what he has to work with talent wise in his squad. Doing that would give him better insight than using the same 11 for the whole game.
He also wouldn't have put the team through a training session on the day of the match if he really, really wanted to win. You could clearly tell that they were tired.
 

thorson1987

Coach
Messages
16,907
Exactly. Knowing he was playing against better quality opposition, I'm sure he would have chucked on different combinations so he can see what he has to work with talent wise in his squad. Doing that would give him better insight than using the same 11 for the whole game.

Also our first pre season game against decent opposition.
 

cb4

First Grade
Messages
9,576
Quick, someone show CB4 footage of the game against AC Milan :D
Watched it. Still wasn't impressed.
Our midfield will get bullied by aggressive teams and our centre backs will crumble with pressure put on them.
Heading into a round 1 game with Lovren and Moreno in the team may fill you guys with excitement, but they haven't improved and are still liabilities.
Add that with Mignolet and we are looking the same as last season.
 
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saint.nick

Coach
Messages
19,401
I think you're very harsh Chris, we completely dominated that game. That being said, just another pre-season match, and I won't look too much into it. That being said, I didn't see such signs of the midfield showing susceptibility to being over-powered.
 

Jack_Napier

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
3,622
All that matters is when we are playing for 3 points. Couldn't care less if we get thrashed 5-0 in every pre season friendly, as long as Klopp has them firing come day 1 of the season.

Get the match fitness into the legs and get ready for the opening day and try to avoid injuries is more important than clinical performances. Some senior players are only just starting to feature so it's stupid to expect complete cohesion just yet.
 

Jack_Napier

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
3,622
Don't think I've seen anyone get excited by Moreno starting as well. We need a new LB, screwed both Leicester and Villa around for our 2 targets and who knows now what Klopp and the recruitment team will come up with. Should've just paid the extra few million for Chilwell and be done with it.
 

saint.nick

Coach
Messages
19,401
We killed two birds with one stone. Our f**king around with Leicester also f**ked around Villa, leaving us with no one. f**k it, just go and get Hector. *Somebody*...
 

Jack_Napier

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
3,622
We killed two birds with one stone. Our f**king around with Leicester also f**ked around Villa, leaving us with no one. f**k it, just go and get Hector. *Somebody*...
It'll be just like LFC to screw around on the top targets then go and pay double what we could've to eventually land someone.

Hector sounds like an actual defensive LB as opposed to just about every other LB in the world that is good going forward but suck big time at defending. Seems Fullbacks need to have a better cross/pass than actual positional sense.
 

saint.nick

Coach
Messages
19,401
It'll be just like LFC to screw around on the top targets then go and pay double what we could've to eventually land someone.

Hector sounds like an actual defensive LB as opposed to just about every other LB in the world that is good going forward but suck big time at defending. Seems Fullbacks need to have a better cross/pass than actual positional sense.
Which explains why Klopp had Chilwell as his first choice, virtually no other fullback out there who can actually defend.

I'm still happy with the recruitment on the whole though
 

Jack_Napier

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
3,622
Which explains why Klopp had Chilwell as his first choice, virtually no other fullback out there who can actually defend.

I'm still happy with the recruitment on the whole though
Yeah agree mate, I'm pretty happy so far. Would be a lot more pleased if we saw more outgoings. It's still a bloated squad and need reducing.
 
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