Liverpool Defence

[Fierce]

Real Madrid didn't play with a defensive midfield player on Wednesday using modric and kroos as their two, but they still looked very solid and well organised.

This is the way I feel about our team. People are so desperate for us to sign a typical defensive holding midfielder and that it will magically solve our problems putting Gerrard out of his misery

It isn't a personnel thing, on the face of it it's a coaching issue. Players don't play for Premiership clubs and get signed for such massive fees if they are as utterly dog**** as ours can be. It's not like a Markovic or a Balotelli whereby you can see the ability is there, its just taking its time to show itself; they can't even do what we all managed to do on Sunday mornings

[RedRum]

This is the way I feel about our team. People are so desperate for us to sign a typical defensive holding midfielder and that it will magically solve our problems putting Gerrard out of his misery

It isn't a personnel thing, on the face of it it's a coaching issue. Players don't play for Premiership clubs and get signed for such massive fees if they are as utterly dog**** as ours can be. It's not like a Markovic or a Balotelli whereby you can see the ability is there, its just taking its time to show itself; they can't even do what we all managed to do on Sunday mornings

[Norbs]

This is the way I feel about our team. People are so desperate for us to sign a typical defensive holding midfielder and that it will magically solve our problems putting Gerrard out of his misery

It isn't a personnel thing, on the face of it it's a coaching issue. Players don't play for Premiership clubs and get signed for such massive fees if they are as utterly dog**** as ours can be. It's not like a Markovic or a Balotelli whereby you can see the ability is there, its just taking its time to show itself; they can't even do what we all managed to do on Sunday mornings

And so by stating he doesn't need a defensive coach, he's putting himself in the firing line as defensive issues are due to his coaching.

He's making a mistake, imo, as he's maneuvering himself in to a proverbial corner. Like I said yesterday, this one has legs

[Mattshark]

This is the way I feel about our team. People are so desperate for us to sign a typical defensive holding midfielder and that it will magically solve our problems putting Gerrard out of his misery

It isn't a personnel thing, on the face of it it's a coaching issue. Players don't play for Premiership clubs and get signed for such massive fees if they are as utterly dog**** as ours can be. It's not like a Markovic or a Balotelli whereby you can see the ability is there, its just taking its time to show itself; they can't even do what we all managed to do on Sunday mornings

I think part of it is that our midfield is weak defensively as a unit, so a defensive minded player in their would aid the team as a whole. It would not solve all our problems by any stretch of the imagine, but it would be something that would help.

[DannyMan2006]

I think we defended well today. Bigger tests to come mind. But Rodgers got a good defensive display when he needed one.

[danperkins]

I think part of it is that our midfield is weak defensively as a unit, so a defensive minded player in their would aid the team as a whole. It would not solve all our problems by any stretch of the imagine, but it would be something that would help.

it would balance the midfield out. Good for the backline & let's us be more flexible in whom we choose ahead of him.

[danperkins]

Oliver Kay on Sunday Supplement at the moment talking about Alex Song, that he was pretty much offered around to clubs including LFC. I really wanted us to go for him in the summer & was slightly baffled when it was West Ham whom he went to.

Oliver Kay saying that he's been a revelation for West Ham. I was talking in another thread on here about how slow we are to pass the ball fro the deep positions.. Kay just saying here that Song seems to have quickened up their whole midfield, completely agree with him. For me, that's major issue in our defensive frailties, how laboured and predictable our passing is from the defence to deep lying midfield positions. Hence while we keep getting dominated by teams that defend from the front & press high in the midfield.

Would have been a perfect signing for us.

[Red_Polo]

A lot of people said so at the time, too.

[G]

We won't buy anybody in that position because we'd have to move Gerrard out of it and that clearly isn't going to happen.

[danperkins]

A lot of people said so at the time, too.

[DannyMan2006]

Song seemed like a great signing at the time. He was exceptional for Arsenal and there was nothing to suggest he'd become worse. Not getting in the Barca team is no indication of how good a player is. Not when they have Sergio Busquets who is so good they play Mascherano at CB.

[danperkins]

Song seemed like a great signing at the time. He was exceptional for Arsenal and there was nothing to suggest he'd become worse. Not getting in the Barca team is no indication of how good a player is. Not when they have Sergio Busquets who is so good they play Mascherano at CB.

Was a player we could have got but clearly we just didn't want to go for him. A loan deal was an amazing deal for anyone.

[DannyMan2006]

Was a player we could have got but clearly we just didn't want to go for him. A loan deal was an amazing deal for anyone.

My guess is that by the time we realised he was available on loan, we were well down the road with Can and on the face of it, we didn't really need an extra body in there. I would have taken him, but I'm sure we'd all have gone about the transfer window differently. If it was me, I wouldn't have signed any of the players we did, I think Moreno was the only one I'd have considered, but the Lambert one also made sense at the time.

Obviously Manquillo has done better than expected and IMO was a great deal. Moreno has shown enough to suggest he'll be a tremendous signing. I wouldn't say any of them are guaranteed failures yet. But there not ones I'd have gone for.

[danperkins]

My guess is that by the time we realised he was available on loan, we were well down the road with Can and on the face of it, we didn't really need an extra body in there. I would have taken him, but I'm sure we'd all have gone about the transfer window differently. If it was me, I wouldn't have signed any of the players we did, I think Moreno was the only one I'd have considered, but the Lambert one also made sense at the time.

Obviously Manquillo has done better than expected and IMO was a great deal. Moreno has shown enough to suggest he'll be a tremendous signing. I wouldn't say any of them are guaranteed failures yet. But there not ones I'd have gone for.

It's hard to know, maybe not being able to shift Lucas meant to couldn't get someone else in. A loan deal was a great coup though for West Ham & surely an out and out DM would have done wonders for us defensively.

We can't say anyone is a failure at the moment even Balotelli. But some have been very disappointing. I like Moreno and i think we'll see a much better player next season with that little bit more experience in the league. I like Manquillo, thought he has been good since joining & had good game yesterday.

I have no issue with buying potentials like Markovic & Can who may turn out to be fantastic ...once we also buy established quality in the first 11. By the time these potential talents develop into actual talent... we have to be still up there competing for the prizes & playing in the best competitions or sure they'll just leave. Back to square one.

After losing Suarez maybe this season wasn't the best season for buying so many young players?

[Red_Polo]

Yeah, I think realistically it didn't make sense having brought in Can unless Lucas was going. Shame though, he would have been a good fit, and would have been more starting XI ready than a lot of the signings we've made are.