Liverpool v Sunderland build up....

[Rigadon]

Massive game

From the prediction thread...

'a win' would set us up nicely for the 4 huge games (that will go a long way to defining our season) coming up after this one

Agree with this

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Liverpool have won their last three meetings with Sunderland and have lost just one of the last nine.
• Sunderland have not won at Anfield since October 1983, a run of 15 games (D7, L8)

Liverpool

• Liverpool are aiming to win three Premier League matches in a row for the first time this season.
• The Reds have kept just three clean sheets this season.
• Their current tally of 20 points after 14 games is seven fewer than they had at this stage last season.
• Liverpool's last five Premier League goals have been scored by five different Englishmen.

Sunderland

• Sunderland are without a win in their last four league games - and have only won one of the last seven.
• Two of their three wins this season in all competitions have come away from home.
• Lee Cattermole has been booked in five of his last six Premier League appearances.

BBC

[Doc_Piptorious]

Liverpool did lose £50 million in each of the last 2 seasons did they not?

The thing the club should be trying to do is put a team on the field that should be strong enough to beat the teams in the Premier League that are below us in terms of spending power. That should be everyone except Chelsea, City, United and maybe Arsenal (although I think we're more or less on a par with the Gunners).

If we did that we should be getting between 24 and 27 league wins per season regardless of how we do against the teams already mentioned. That number of wins will almost certainly guarantee top 4 finishes that will improve the club's financial position going forward into the future.

A step-by-step approach that I think John Henry has in mind for the club

I agree with this, but in my view the owners have given the managers under them the financial resources to do exactly that. The reason that has not happened on a regular basis is down to the calibre of players chosen by the managers/committee/tea lady and down to how the managers under FSG used the player at their disposal.


Cannot disagree with your comment about JH having a step by step approach either. From this supporter's pov it does appear that he is trying to get the club to run something along the lines of a cross between Arsenal/Spurs and some of the German clubs.

[Kenneth]

The quantity not quality approach, coupled with the reluctance to buy older established players, is holding us back in relaion to our peers.

[Doc_Piptorious]

The quantity not quality approach, coupled with the reluctance to buy older established players, is holding us back in relaion to our peers.

Agreed. But if we accept that there are three clubs in the league that can outspend us easily when it comes to buying quality, then it still comes back to the manager/committee etc., when asking why the money we spend does not see us bring in the quality that other clubs on our level or below seem to be able to bring in.

[Kenneth]

I agree, although the age thing could be a policy decision by FSG.

[DeanoUK]

@LFC: Confirmed #LFC team to face Sunderland: Mignolet, Johnson, Moreno, Toure, Skrtel, Lucas, Henderson, Coutinho, Sterling, Lallana, Lambert.

@LFC: Confirmed #LFC substitutes for the clash with Sunderland: Jones, Enrique, Lovren, Gerrard, Can, Allen, Markovic.

[ChrisDR1968]

@LFC: Confirmed #LFC team to face Sunderland: Mignolet, Johnson, Moreno, Toure, Skrtel, Lucas, Henderson, Coutinho, Sterling, Lallana, Lambert.

@LFC: Confirmed #LFC substitutes for the clash with Sunderland: Jones, Enrique, Lovren, Gerrard, Can, Allen, Markovic.

Toure and Lucas have suddenly become undroppable.

Who would have guessed that would happen at the start of the season?

[Doc_Piptorious]

I agree, although the age thing could be a policy decision by FSG.

True, and if that were to be the case then I would be shifting some of the responsibility in their direction.