Liverpool v City

[Le Chef]

the Salah chance at 1-0, then they go up and score

[BootRoom]

I am sure Klopp will come out with the same old ****.

Have to agree, bar the keeper you could argue they all need dropping.

I thought Gakpo had a respectable game. I think he'll turn out to be a very good player for us.

[Le Chef]

I thought Gakpo had a respectable game. I think he'll turn out to be a very good player for us.

I think him and Nunez next season will be frightening, just need to find a third.

[Buzzo]

the Salah chance at 1-0, then they go up and score

When he tried to square to Jota? Yeah that was a big moment.

[BootRoom]

Thing is that next season will be the transistion one if that is the one in which we bed in new players, change playing styles, change coaching methods, change recovery/med procedures and what not.

We're now in a season of decline.

[Kenneth]

When he tried to square to Jota? Yeah that was a big moment.

It was, but the way the game changed after HT, I don’t think being 2 up would have been enough to get something out of it. They are so far ahead of us in terms of possession play, control of the football, movement, passing etc, it’s unreal. Same as against Real, it’s like we’re not in the same league.

[Harv]

Utter dog ****e again, as expected.

Henderson and Fab are an absolute joke. Had rings run around them all game by KDB and Gundogan.

Robbo's was sunday league standard with the ball. Atrocious.

Salah (apart from his tap in), was anonymous and you can see his speed is on the wane big time with that chance he ****ed up. Less said about Jota the better. Awful.

Not a hope in hell this lot get top 4. They looked like they didnt give a **** at all after City hit the front.

[Phoenix07]

I'm more concerned about the mentality of this team.

Will Bellingham, Mount, Nunes make a transformative difference to the side next season, if they're the 3 midfielders we sign?

Trent is 24, but his effort has been terrible. Either that, or his legs have gone, and that's a massive worry. Everyone looks like they've tucked into a buffet before each game, and trying to hold off from doing a big dump. No pace, no energy, no agility. City looked like spring chickens, with an extra yard to them.

My worry is we think signing midfielders will be the answer, when there might be deeper issues at play. I'm probably overreacting, but the way we just respond, whether it's short breaks or long breaks, it's just the same now.

[kemm1]

Yeah sure but when it comes to last line of defence or one-on-ones, he's far from the player he was.

Correct, no longer the best in the world but still very good. VVD is by far the least of our problems.

[kemm1]

Utter dog ****e again, as expected.

Henderson and Fab are an absolute joke. Had rings run around them all game by KDB and Gundogan.

Robbo's was sunday league standard with the ball. Atrocious.

Salah (apart from his tap in), was anonymous and you can see his speed is on the wane big time with that chance he ****ed up. Less said about Jota the better. Awful.

Not a hope in hell this lot get top 4. They looked like they didnt give a **** at all after City hit the front.

Spot on...

[Doc_Piptorious]

I'm more concerned about the mentality of this team.

Will Bellingham, Mount, Nunes make a transformative difference to the side next season, if they're the 3 midfielders we sign?

Trent is 24, but his effort has been terrible. Either that, or his legs have gone, and that's a massive worry. Everyone looks like they've tucked into a buffet before each game, and trying to hold off from doing a big dump. No pace, no energy, no agility. City looked like spring chickens, with an extra yard to them.

My worry is we think signing midfielders will be the answer, when there might be deeper issues at play. I'm probably overreacting, but the way we just respond, whether it's short breaks or long breaks, it's just the same now.

I think if we had three mobile, aggressive, physical midfielders playing today then we would have seen improvements at the front and back ends of the team.

No making excuses for some of the tripe that gets served up, especially by the usual suspects amongst the back four, but having a midfield in front of them that fights and defends hard would reduce some of the pressure on the back line.

By the same token, the front three would also benefit fr4om having such a midfield behind them as we would keep the ball more and get it to the attackers more.

Though that saiud I totally agree that our issues are not as simple as just bringing in three good midfielders.

Right back is a serious issue now and there is a big Dele Alli whiff from Trent. Might need an actual starting RB as well as cover for that position.

We need another CB that is durable and of course good enough to challenge for a starting spot. Especially if Matip is off this summer. Gvardiol would be a dream signing, but N'Dicka in on a free would be really good too.

A right sided attacker I would love to see come in, a certain Dortmund winger/wide forward would be my choice and I still think Salah may go to PSG this summer.

[kemm1]

I'm more concerned about the mentality of this team.

Will Bellingham, Mount, Nunes make a transformative difference to the side next season, if they're the 3 midfielders we sign?

Trent is 24, but his effort has been terrible. Either that, or his legs have gone, and that's a massive worry. Everyone looks like they've tucked into a buffet before each game, and trying to hold off from doing a big dump. No pace, no energy, no agility. City looked like spring chickens, with an extra yard to them.

My worry is we think signing midfielders will be the answer, when there might be deeper issues at play. I'm probably overreacting, but the way we just respond, whether it's short breaks or long breaks, it's just the same now.

There is no evidence of "deeper issues at play" in my view. The root in my opinion is squad mismanagement going back three years has caught up with us. Some of the key players are simply not good enough. We have some very good pieces and huge drop off in other areas.

[Phoenix07]

I think if we had three mobile, aggressive, physical midfielders playing today then we would have seen improvements at the front and back ends of the team.

No making excuses for some of the tripe that gets served up, especially by the usual suspects amongst the back four, but having a midfield in front of them that fights and defends hard would reduce some of the pressure on the back line.

By the same token, the front three would also benefit fr4om having such a midfield behind them as we would keep the ball more and get it to the attackers more.

Though that saiud I totally agree that our issues are not as simple as just bringing in three good midfielders.

Right back is a serious issue now and there is a big Dele Alli whiff from Trent. Might need an actual starting RB as well as cover for that position.

We need another CB that is durable and of course good enough to challenge for a starting spot. Especially if Matip is off this summer. Gvardiol would be a dream signing, but N'Dicka in on a free would be really good too.

A right sided attacker I would love to see come in, a certain Dortmund winger/wide forward would be my choice and I still think Salah may go to PSG this summer.

I totally agree. A more "functional" midfield would've improved our performance.

Trent is the big alarm bell for me. I know we've all talked out an ageing squad, and they're looking old and legs going and so on, but Trent's 24, and he's playing like Fabinho, Robertson, Henderson, VVD in that he looks done. Is that because of our fitness planning for the season? If so, that can be rectified in the summer. If not, and it's a result of wear and tear over 4-5 years, then what will happen to the likes of Elliott, or Bellingham in 5 years if we sign them? Will they suddenly find themselves in a situation where their legs go at the age of 24-25?

I'm also not sure about our attacking set-up, and how we intend to line up with Nunez, Salah, Gakpo, and Diaz. I have a sneaky feeling Salah will leave too.

There is no evidence of "deeper issues at play" in my view. The root in my opinion is squad mismanagement going back three years has caught up with us. Some of the key players are simply not good enough. We have some very good pieces and huge drop off in other areas.

I agree with what you've said. By deeper issues, I mean out fitness levels, as I've just mentioned above about my concerns with Trent.

[calvoboy]

I think if we had three mobile, aggressive, physical midfielders playing today then we would have seen improvements at the front and back ends of the team.

No making excuses for some of the tripe that gets served up, especially by the usual suspects amongst the back four, but having a midfield in front of them that fights and defends hard would reduce some of the pressure on the back line.

By the same token, the front three would also benefit fr4om having such a midfield behind them as we would keep the ball more and get it to the attackers more.

Though that saiud I totally agree that our issues are not as simple as just bringing in three good midfielders.

Right back is a serious issue now and there is a big Dele Alli whiff from Trent. Might need an actual starting RB as well as cover for that position.

We need another CB that is durable and of course good enough to challenge for a starting spot. Especially if Matip is off this summer. Gvardiol would be a dream signing, but N'Dicka in on a free would be really good too.

A right sided attacker I would love to see come in, a certain Dortmund winger/wide forward would be my choice and I still think Salah may go to PSG this summer.

Although if Salah stays, I don't think there's much wrong up top. If we've got Jota, Diaz, Nunez, Gakpo, Salah, with Elliot, Carvalho and Doak coming through then I think that's more than enough. Would help if they all stayed fit for a few months at the same time, but we look pretty balanced there.

In an ideal world an extra CB and experienced RB to put genuine pressure on TAA would be nice, but we've got to go all out to sort out the midfield this summer. Staggering how **** we've allowed it to become. Not replacing Wijnaldum was the start of the rot setting in.

[Doc_Piptorious]

Although if Salah stays, I don't think there's much wrong up top. If we've got Jota, Diaz, Nunez, Gakpo, Salah, with Elliot, Carvalho and Doak coming through then I think that's more than enough. Would help if they all stayed fit for a few months at the same time, but we look pretty balanced there.

In an ideal world an extra CB and experienced RB to put genuine pressure on TAA would be nice, but we've got to go all out to sort out the midfield this summer. Staggering how **** we've allowed it to become. Not replacing Wijnaldum was the start of the rot setting in.

I think we would still need a right sided attacker to come in even if he stays.

For balance as most of our attackers are at their best on the left or left of centre and to give Salah both competition and natural cover if out of form/tired.

The only right sided attacker with pace and drive that we have other than Salah is Doak and he looks exciting but far too early to put too much pressure on the kid.

Elliot can play as a right attacker but has far less pace than current Salah let alone peak Salah and does not have the same sort of phytical strength.

Adeyemi would be my choice for a right sided attacker (would have been Saka prior to him signing a new contract and him then having a break out season this one) as he is strong, quick, tricky, works hard enough for a wide man and looks like he could be something special at times whilst in the here and now he does not look out of place at CL level. Plus only turned 21 this year.

Whether Dortmund would be open to selling him is another question though, especially if they sold Bellingham this summer.