Top 4 finish (four out of 6)

[BobTheCharmer]

Obviously our champions league exploits have had a significant effect on league results however we were drawing too many games earlier in the season too. Not being able to rest players as we are pretty much down to the bare bones certainly hasn't helped. It's so Liverpool to always make things hard. Just imagine we don't get 4th and lose the final, it would be a criminal waste of having the front 3 scoring so many goals. When you get someone like salah scoring the amount of goals he has you need at least one trophy to show for it or ultimately it's been for nowt. Not winning the final now would leave an empty feeling and not getting 4th would be unforgivable.

On a positive ending lets hope we win our next two games and make history. We're capable.

[The_weatherman]

Obviously our champions league exploits have had a significant effect on league results however we were drawing too many games earlier in the season too. Not being able to rest players as we are pretty much down to the bare bones certainly hasn't helped. It's so Liverpool to always make things hard. Just imagine we don't get 4th and lose the final, it would be a criminal waste of having the front 3 scoring so many goals. When you get someone like salah scoring the amount of goals he has you need at least one trophy to show for it or ultimately it's been for nowt. Not winning the final now would leave an empty feeling and not getting 4th would be unforgivable.

On a positive ending lets hope we win our next two games and make history. We're capable.

Our CL run is taking a huge toll, but we now have full week to prepare, we usually do when we have a full week between games. Then we have two full weeks, looking at the bench recently it's painfully clear that our squad is stretched too thin, like always, we are always singing the same song. So hopefully we get in four or five players who can play a bit, Solanke needs a loan and Ings needs to leave, Klavan is not good enough either.

[marcus50bucks]

Liverpool: Why Reds risk playing themselves into bad form - Jenas

By Jermaine Jenas
MOTD2 pundit

6 May 2018

In terms of the result, losing to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge will not be a major concern for Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp - but his side's performance must have been a worry.

Don't get me wrong, I totally understand how difficult it must have been for the Reds players to get their mind-set right on Sunday, after the euphoria of reaching the Champions League final in midweek.

But they were off the pace and, right through their team, the level of play we expect to see from this Liverpool side at their best just wasn't there.

Of course the Champions League final on 26 May is a distraction here, because it is staring them in the face. I don't think it is possible for their players to get that game out of their mind, because making it there was such a huge achievement for them.

Every single member of their squad is going to want to play in Kiev, and they have also had a situation where one of their star players has just suffered a major injury.

I am sure some of them looked at what happened to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and thought 'I don't want that to be me'.

Reds risk playing themselves into bad form

As a player the worst thing you can do is look at a big game in isolation when it is one or two matches away and think 'should I give 100% this weekend, because I might pick up an injury and miss it?'

If you do that, you inevitably play badly which sends you down a whole different road. Your confidence goes a little bit and, before you know it, the big match is next and you are thinking about how to get back into some form rather than staying at the top of your game.

That is the problem that Liverpool's players are facing at the moment.

What happened against Chelsea was not a one-off, either. In the Premier League, some of their results and performances in the past few weeks have been poor, which is why they have not maintained their push for second place.

Of course you can forgive them for that, because those games have been played around some enormous European ties against Manchester City and Roma, but it is something they need to be careful of because the risk is that they lose focus to the extent that they play themselves into poor form.

So, in a weird way, the fact that Liverpool are likely to be under a bit of pressure going into their final Premier League game of the season might actually help them.

It is not just about the top four for them, they have got the Champions League final coming up too. Having to concentrate on this game when Kiev is around the corner is a bit of a nightmare really, but it might allow them to find the spark that got them in this position in the first place.

When they face Brighton next Sunday, potentially requiring a win to finish in the top four, they need to get back to the way they will have to play against Real Madrid.

Has the tricky trio turned into every man for himself?

Mohamed Salah did not look that interested against Chelsea, which was odd, but I was more concerned with the way Liverpool's entire front three played at the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday.

I saw something in the second leg of their semi-final against Roma which I have not seen all season, which was Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane being selfish for the first time.

Usually, when they counter-attack, all three of them are trying to find each other and the best route to goal. Yes Salah has scored the majority, but they have been sharing the goals out, which is one of the reason things have worked so well.

This time, it seemed like it was suddenly every man for himself at the top end of the pitch - it was like they did not want to pass to each other anymore.

It was almost as if they had looked at the records books about who had scored what in the Champions League and were thinking 'I want to be the man who scores the most'.

That doesn't matter. People have been talking about this Liverpool attack as being among the best front threes we have seen in European competition, but that is on the basis of them playing together as a unit.

Yes, it is just one game where that did not happen but it has happened this week, and it was followed by another game against Chelsea where they did not link up as well as usual.

Liverpool were laboured. They were trying to get on the ball and make things happen but from one-twos around the box to their movement, it was not quite there.

When they did get into good positions around the box, Salah had one of the worst games I think he has had in a Liverpool shirt.

He is entitled to have a bad game given the season he has had, but Liverpool need to fix this quickly because they have got two of the most important games of their whole season coming up.

When Liverpool were a well-oiled machine

Liverpool's front three did not score against Chelsea but you have to give some credit to the Blues there, because they defended very well.

You would not say the same about Liverpool, however, and that must also be a worry for Klopp.

I am not going to be overly critical of their attack-minded approach because they are in a Champions League final and what they did in the first leg against Roma, when they scored five goals in the space of 35 minutes, is the main reason they made it.

But I just feel that what they did against Manchester City over both legs of the quarter-final was a better all-round team performance in defence as well as when they went forward.

That is when the machine felt like it was well oiled in every area and I don't think Klopp will be anywhere as near as happy with what he has seen from his team since.

Beat Brighton and kick on for Kiev

I don't think focus is an issue for the forwards, because they operate on instincts in that area of the pitch.

It does make a difference in midfield and defence, though, because you need to maintain your concentration for 90 minutes and stay switched on to what everyone else is doing.

I think the reason Liverpool had been looking so strong was because, defensively, they tightened up. If you look at what has happened to them of late, then they are shipping goals again.

That has always been their Achilles heel under Klopp and they need to put it right before they face Real, who we know are a team for the big occasion because can turn it on when it matters.

Liverpool must prove to themselves they can do the same, which is why they need this game against Brighton.

They need to show they can be that well-oiled machine again and raise their game to dispose of this team and make sure they qualify for the Champions League. Then they can kick on for Kiev from there.

I think they will do it, but I am sure it is something Klopp will be talking a lot about this week to make sure they do.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44025808

[Yozza]

I didn't even begin reading when I saw the word Jenas.....

[Buzzo]

It’s actually a fairly accurate take on where we are.

[Tatterdemalion]

It’s actually a fairly accurate take on where we are.

How can we 'play ourselves into bad form' when we only have one game before the final? surely 'play **** against Brighton' would be more accurate?

[BigChief]

Losing the CL would be hard but not depressing. After all we exceeded expectations and blew teams out of the water along the way. But not finishing in CL next season would be disastrous for us and specially for my mental health.

Ergo, the game against Brighton is everything to me. The Real game is a nice back up to have but I'm invested 100% on next Sunday now. It shouldn't have been the case but here we are.

[Tatterdemalion]

Losing the CL would be hard but not depressing. After all we exceeded expectations and blew teams out of the water along the way. But not finishing in CL next season would be disastrous for us and specially for my mental health.

Ergo, the game against Brighton is everything to me. The Real game is a nice back up to have but I'm invested 100% on next Sunday now. It shouldn't have been the case but here we are.

Longevity and future impact of Klopp's tenure - I agree. Would like to get a trophy on the board though. Don't want us to atrophy

[Liverpool]

so frustrating to not have this wrapped up.

Since the Kane fake goal, his head has fell off and Spurs have got 4 from 12 and knocked out FA cup. We've got 5 from 12 looking to fed Mo rather than pick up points.

Bringing on defenders for forwards to see games out hasn't worked.

Chelsea who havent strung a run a games all season win 4 on the bounce.

We pick up a raft of injuries causing us issues with European commitments, weaker players in, odd formations, TAA in midfield hasn't worked last two.

Still if we cant beat Brighton at home with a weeks rest, you cant complain about not getting CL next season

[Liverpool]

I'd have been interested to see the results of a poll at the start of the season for our current midfield of Henderson Gini Milner or injured 3 of AOC Can Lallana. Not much in it surely?

[Nicey]

Looking forward to MOD2 later this week

[Snigger]

We seem to have a CL hangover after the mid week games - probably fatigue and struggle to get up again from the highs of CL games - no mid-week game this week - have to beat Brighton to take any additional pressure off the Madrid match

[McDermotX]

Hmm......0-0 at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea losing the head a bit at HT. Probably too much to ask, but you never know.

[Fredo]

I have a feeling if Chelsea play Hazard or Giroud long enough they will score. It's about how long Conte delays changes I think
No idea why he would rest players now unless they were knackered as a result of chasing the ball all game against us on Sunday.

[labourRed]

Yeah, i reckon Hazard in particular will change the game.

Kante is an unbelievable footballer (and annoying a steal for them), if Keita is as good as him we'll be so, so much better.