vs Man City HOME

[RichC]

I know fans of other clubs will shout BS but the lack of fans is disproportionately hurting us more. Klopp has been clever cultivating the connection between team and fans since the first day he walked in.

Also, coming around to the idea that some players are pure performers, they need the crowd to up their game - I think Bobby falls into this category and while his game return wasn’t great last season, he’s looked well off for almost all of this.

[npinn001]

I know fans of other clubs will shout BS but the lack of fans is disproportionately hurting us more. Klopp has been clever cultivating the connection between team and fans since the first day he walked in.

Also, coming around to the idea that some players are pure performers, they need the crowd to up their game - I think Bobby falls into this category and while his game return wasn’t great last season, he’s looked well off for almost all of this.

It is exactly that. Klopp built the crowd up over time to really drive the team on. I'm sure its also Klopp that benefits from the crowd support, as much as the team, and without that I think Klopp is probably operating at a lower ebb than most years.

Its very easy to see for me. Its no surprise that many of the smaller clubs are getting results against better sides, mainly because the pressure of the crowd isnt there. And for us, its the opposite. Its not all of it for sure. We didnt win the league only because of that.

But I do think we have big game players, in so far as they were better able to deal with pressure of big games and almost rise to it. Since lockdown they have all been flat.

BUT. They are all still talented and they should be able to figure out a system to get us playing well enough to get us into the top 4 for next year.

[Rich]

Here's another thing too - prep time. We know pre-COVID that Klopp loved his prep time, talked about it A LOT in interviews. Now all clubs' prep time has been slashed, with games coming thick and fast.

Perhaps him and our coaching staff just struggle more with turning the team around between games.

And it must be **** being a player/manager right now. Yes, ok, they're still getting paid ridiculous amounts of money but their lives have been curbed even more so than us normal plebs - they were living the life. Now they're not.

I reckon that would affect someone like Klopp more than someone like Moyes.

Not looking for excuses but there's a load of reasons why our form has fallen off a cliff.

[frank the tank]

Nah that is bollocks..... i don't believe that the lack of fans impacted us disproportionately.

Take any team in the country. Any team in the world. Remove all of their first choice center backs for effectively the whole season......and they will struggle. The fact that we have lost our midfield as well is a pain in the arse too obviously. And while everyone who is saying "get Henderson and Fabinho into midfield" will have a point, then let's be totally honest, Klopp knows more than any of us. We'd be ****ed if it was a Phillips / Williams defensive partnership. Anyone who watched the Aston Villa U-12s scare the **** out of Rhys Williams in a race could tell you that. And guess what, our center backs need to be ahead of the game because our full backs are ****in wingers.

People who say Trent and Robbo are struggling this season might have a point. But lets look at it. Robertson was used to having the best CB in the world next to him.....communicating with him all the way through games.......with a great defensive midfielder in the middle keeping an eye......and a brilliant captain in the middle of the pitch keeping it tipping over too........ so he is up against it as much as the rest of the team. Same with Trent.

We were a really well drilled team......that has been smashed open and we are stuggling. But we will come back. I'm ****in sure of it.

[Kenneth]

But we lost our mojo before the VVD injury. It just made things significantly worse. Aston villa put 7 passed us with him in the side. The timing doesn't stack up. I think the evidence is clear that we were flying before the first lockdown and suspension, and we've been noticeably and quantifiably worse since the resumption. Seems like a multitude of problems are impacting us.

[wiw]

Nah that is bollocks..... i don't believe that the lack of fans impacted us disproportionately.

Take any team in the country. Any team in the world. Remove all of their first choice center backs for effectively the whole season......and they will struggle. The fact that we have lost our midfield as well is a pain in the arse too obviously. And while everyone who is saying "get Henderson and Fabinho into midfield" will have a point, then let's be totally honest, Klopp knows more than any of us. We'd be ****ed if it was a Phillips / Williams defensive partnership. Anyone who watched the Aston Villa U-12s scare the **** out of Rhys Williams in a race could tell you that. And guess what, our center backs need to be ahead of the game because our full backs are ****in wingers.

People who say Trent and Robbo are struggling this season might have a point. But lets look at it. Robertson was used to having the best CB in the world next to him.....communicating with him all the way through games.......with a great defensive midfielder in the middle keeping an eye......and a brilliant captain in the middle of the pitch keeping it tipping over too........ so he is up against it as much as the rest of the team. Same with Trent.

We were a really well drilled team......that has been smashed open and we are stuggling. But we will come back. I'm ****in sure of it.

Agree with all of this The lack of CB's is having a huge ripple effect, but I don't think we should underestimate just how important Fab and Hendo are for setting the rhythm and tempo of our play - Klopp is always banging on about rhythm and is so lacking at the moment

[frank the tank]

But we lost our mojo before the VVD injury. It just made things significantly worse. Aston villa put 7 passed us with him in the side. The timing doesn't stack up. I think the evidence is clear that we were flying before the first lockdown and suspension, and we've been noticeably and quantifiably worse since the resumption. Seems like a multitude of problems are impacting us.

Adrian was a car crash in the villa game. Plus we had an off-day. A really **** off day. It happens. Just like Watford away last season.

But we were top of the league after the Spurs home game. Since then it's been a ****in car crash. But I believe that it is just the lack of about 6 key players being available.

[Kenneth]

6 key players is a stretch.

We were the best team in the league by miles before the Covid break. We were not the best team in the league after the restart, and probably haven't been since. Personally, I think that's undeniable. Our form before the CB injuries was not even close to our title winning form. Then we add on CB injuries and theyve made us a very average side. But although we'd be competitive without the injuries, they are not the only reason that we are not a peak performance.

[fabinho]

6 key players is a stretch.

We were the best team in the league by miles before the covid break. We were not the best team in the league after the restart, and probably haven't been since. Personally, i think that's undeniable. Our form before the cb injuries was not even close to our title winning form. Then we add on cb injuries and theyve made us a very average side. But although we'd be competitive without the injuries, they are not the only reason that we are not a peak performance.

100% agree

The only way we're going to get out of this slump is to play on the front foot and take the game to the opposition. That means putting our midfield back in place and utilising the defenders we pay good money to, to actually be defenders.

Sure, we'll concede goals, but nows the time to just ****ing go for it, rip them apart, unleash the front 3 with a relentless snapping at your heels midfield.

**** them all, lets get back at it and score more goals than them, even if it means conceding a few.

[Exiled_red]

I know fans of other clubs will shout BS but the lack of fans is disproportionately hurting us more. Klopp has been clever cultivating the connection between team and fans since the first day he walked in.

Also, coming around to the idea that some players are pure performers, they need the crowd to up their game - I think Bobby falls into this category and while his game return wasn’t great last season, he’s looked well off for almost all of this.

If we believe that the fans lift the level of the players more than they do fo other clubs it stands to reason that if we don't have fans we will be disproportionately affected.

The bigger issue for me is the players who are missing, fans or no fans if you don't have any CBs the level will be low, fans might raise the level of Phillips and the like but they can't get him to VVD' s level.

[Tribute]

100% agree

The only way we're going to get out of this slump is to play on the front foot and take the game to the opposition. That means putting our midfield back in place and utilising the defenders we pay good money to, to actually be defenders.

Sure, we'll concede goals, but nows the time to just ****ing go for it, rip them apart, unleash the front 3 with a relentless snapping at your heels midfield.

**** them all, lets get back at it and score more goals than them, even if it means conceding a few.

I agree with all that... with one exception. Klopp will say we have to play slower to preserve the players fitness (too many games in a week, etc) and it's the fault of the FA and fixture bottlenecks this season trying to get everything in a shorter timeframe. I miss heavy metal football too - which is what you were advocating - but we need everyone fresh and up for it every game for that. Based on what we've seem over the last seven games... the lads can barely raise a smile, let alone a fiercely energetic and offensive gameplan.

[Pablo]

Totally irrelevant and apologies if anyone's already mentioned it but ...

So many of the City players yesterday had clearly had their hair cut! Fresh fades everywhere. At least they weren't daft enough to post it all over social media like Joelinton

[brightred]

Totally irrelevant and apologies if anyone's already mentioned it but ...

So many of the City players yesterday had clearly had their hair cut! Fresh fades everywhere. At least they weren't daft enough to post it all over social media like Joelinton

I noticed that too. City should be docked 3 points and we should be awarded them.

[Doc_Piptorious]

I noticed that too. City should be docked 3 points and we should be awarded them.

Think on current form, City would need to be docked about 20 points and those points given to us for us to stand a chance of staying ahead of them come May

[Buzzo]

Totally irrelevant and apologies if anyone's already mentioned it but ...

So many of the City players yesterday had clearly had their hair cut! Fresh fades everywhere. At least they weren't daft enough to post it all over social media like Joelinton

Skin fades all over the place that’s a once every 14 days haircut at least.