GWT: EPL week 29

[Savant]

I guess it makes sense. With Salah´s haircut (or lack of) even a small breeze could be rather challenging to handle - or at least it looked like it.

Oh the wind excuse is bologna, I'm not defending that. I'm saying Klopp won't criticize his players over an element.

 

[bluesfan94]

The new Jose Mourinho without the large trophy cabinet.

Nope they are nothing alike not even a little bit just ask everyone here.

 

[Savant]

Losing the league because of the wind. Tragic.

You don't really believe this, do you? These are grown men.

I think you posted while I was typing, but referring to Klopp not putting his players in the crosshairs. The wind excuse is ridiculous.

 

[YNWA14]

It was fun while it lasted.

Excited for all the choking banter.

I wish City were a more vulnerable team. What a time to put in such a great season but to fall under that machine.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

Did he whine about the ball boy too?

 

[Savant]

It was fun while it lasted.

08/09 all over again

 

[Havre]

Oh the wind excuse is bologna, I'm not defending that. I'm saying Klopp won't criticize his players over an element.

Which is completely fine of course, but there are other ways of doing it. Not sure how it helps Liverpool when Klopp looks foolish.

If he wants to divert attention he needs to add a couple of pages to his repertoire in my opinion.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

I think you posted while I was typing, but referring to Klopp not putting his players in the crosshairs. The wind excuse is ridiculous.

Right, okay. Not outwardly targeting your players in the media is completely normal.

The wind thing, which is what was being discussed, is insane and has nothing to do with protecting his players, though.

Van Dijk was the only Pool player that showed up today.

 

[Savant]

Which is completely fine of course, but there are other ways of doing it. Not sure how it helps Liverpool when Klopp looks foolish.

If he wants to divert attention he needs to add a couple of pages to his repertoire in my opinion.

Again, if the attention is on Klopp talking about the wind, the narrative isnt ln how the players are under performing, and his subs were trash. The British press will run with the wind headline, and everything else with blow over.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Lol I can't tell if he was talking shit or taking that playfully.

 

[Savant]

Right, okay. Not outwardly targeting your players in the media is completely normal.

The wind thing, which is what was being discussed, is insane and has nothing to do with protecting his players, though.

Van Dijk was the only Pool player that showed up today.

I'm not arguing any of this. I agree with most of it.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Again, if the attention is on Klopp talking about the wind, the narrative isnt ln how the players are under performing, and his subs were trash. The British press will run with the wind headline, and everything else with blow over.

In a vacuum, maybe this works. But you and I know both are being talked about right now.

 

[bluesfan94]

In a vacuum, maybe this works. But you and I know both are being talked about right now.

If you do it over and over again, it doesn't work. It didn't for Mourinho either.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

To be sure, in one way or another, I think most managers trot out some excuses after dropping points. Pellegrini whined about the penalty Bernardo got despite having like 20% possession, Benitez talked about how his team had 17 attempts yesterday and said West Had had some 'lucky' blocks, etc. When you start to blame the wind and accusing refs of bias, you're just trying too hard.

 

[Live in the Now]

The point is to make everyone talk about that instead of the performance. Yes, it does make him look like a dick. I do not think he cares as that isn't part of his job. Seemingly it worked as now everyone is talking about his comments.

I think there is a chance he was playing for a draw today, which would be totally idiotic, but look at the lineup.

 

[Chimaera]

I don’t think he was playing for a draw at the start. He has an argument that Salah should score one of those.

I think his subs look like he was willing to take a point. But I also think he doesn’t trust Keita and Shaqiri has been ineffective and hurt of late.

 

[Havre]

I don´t buy that at all longer term. a) you don´t win titles if your players are so soft that they can´t handle any attention to how they are performing b) making the manager, your leader, look like a fool is hardly beneficial longer term when it comes to having the right kind of authority c) not every time you lose points should it be necessary to make excuses for it - why not just recognise you are playing good teams?

Not saying it doesn´t work occasionally. They all do it. Ferguson did it, so even a "British hero" did the same thing, but there is a limit to how often you can do it and how stupidly it is done.

 

[Live in the Now]

I don´t buy that at all longer term. a) you don´t win titles if your players are so soft that they can´t handle any attention to how they are performing b) making the manager, your leader, look like a fool is hardly beneficial longer term when it comes to having the right kind of authority c) not every time you lose points should it be necessary to make excuses for it - why not just recognise you are playing good teams?

Not saying it doesn´t work occasionally. They all do it. Ferguson did it, so even a "British hero" did the same thing, but there is a limit to how often you can do it and how stupidly it is done.

I agree, not trying to say that he hasn't said anything stupid. But to your point C, they didn't play a good team.

All I'm trying to say is that his job is to manage that squad of players. If he thinks it works, and it did work the last time he did it and they beat Watford 5-0 a few days later, I've never been a manager so I don't know how players react to that stuff. But make no mistake he is saying stupid shit, I just don't think he's particularly worried about that part and is more worried about his squad like he should be.

 

[Stray Wasp]

Rice >> Longstaff

It'd be alarming from Rice's perspective if after 18 months in the Premier League he'd been surpassed by a player whose first start at this level occurred on 12 January - a player for whom, at that juncture, I doubt the most rabid Newcastle fan would have made lofty claims.

That anyone would think to make such a comparison is a great compliment to Longstaff's rapid ascent. Hopefully the sequel won't be a rapid decline. After all, right now he's working with a proper football manager. Next season, alas, I may presume he'll be at the tender mercies of a desperate, Ashley-appointed skivvy.

If anything, yesterday Longstaff arguably shouldn't have been required to start a third game in eight days. But with Shelvey injured, it was either Longstaff, Diame, who hasn't started a game in two months, and whose general form has been typically erratic, and Ki, likewise a rusty returnee from injury.

Indeed, it was another game to emphasise NUFC's overall lack of depth. But a newspaper story today suggests Ashley is ready to buckle down his demands for a cheap, cheerful glorified under-25 team next season. So it continues to be likeliest any change will be for the worse.

 

[Havre]

I agree, not trying to say that he hasn't said anything stupid. But to your point C, they didn't play a good team.

All I'm trying to say is that his job is to manage that squad of players. If he thinks it works, and it did work the last time he did it and they beat Watford 5-0 a few days later, I've never been a manager so I don't know how players react to that stuff. But make no mistake he is saying stupid ****, I just don't think he's particularly worried about that part and is more worried about his squad like he should be.

"Good team". They played a team that has paid 40m for a player. Of course Everton are a good team. But that is how it goes these days. I see the same with Spurs-fans. If you don´t win there is something "wrong" because anyone outside of top 6 aren´t good (and many here would argue the top 6 aren´t good even - maybe only City). Then fans start to question everything just because the team drew or lost a game. Not sure if that is beneficial longer term either for the team.

And now Klopp just builds up under that.

 

[Live in the Now]

"Good team". They played a team that has paid 40m for a player. Of course Everton are a good team. But that is how it goes these days. I see the same with Spurs-fans. If you don´t win there is something "wrong" because anyone outside of top 6 aren´t good (and many here would argue the top 6 aren´t good even - maybe only City). Then fans start to question everything just because the team drew or lost a game. Not sure if that is beneficial longer term either for the team.

And now Klopp just builds up under that.

Everton is 10th in the league on 37 points with a 0 GD. They're not a good team and Liverpool bottled it.

 

[Havre]

All about how you define "good". I find that a ridiculous statement, but who am I to say.

They are not as good as Liverpool, but it is not like Liverpool should win these games 10 out of 10. And it is not "bottling" it not winning away to Everton - especially not for Liverpool considering the derby-effect.

 

[robertmac43]

I second the notion that Klopp may have been playing for a draw. A loss @ Everton could have really shaken the confidence in the room; not that it is any reason to go for a draw.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

It'd be alarming from Rice's perspective if after 18 months in the Premier League he'd been surpassed by a player whose first start at this level occurred on 12 January - a player for whom, at that juncture, I doubt the most rabid Newcastle fan would have made lofty claims.

That anyone would think to make such a comparison is a great compliment to Longstaff's rapid ascent. Hopefully the sequel won't be a rapid decline. After all, right now he's working with a proper football manager. Next season, alas, I may presume he'll be at the tender mercies of a desperate, Ashley-appointed skivvy.

If anything, yesterday Longstaff arguably shouldn't have been required to start a third game in eight days. But with Shelvey injured, it was either Longstaff, Diame, who hasn't started a game in two months, and whose general form has been typically erratic, and Ki, likewise a rusty returnee from injury.

Indeed, it was another game to emphasise NUFC's overall lack of depth. But a newspaper story today suggests Ashley is ready to buckle down his demands for a cheap, cheerful glorified under-25 team next season. So it continues to be likeliest any change will be for the worse.

I agree, it's an absurd comparison, as Longstaff is nowhere near Rice's level today. And yet...a not-so-insignificant number of Newcastle supporters felt fit to make the claim. I'd say it's certainly pretty telling that Rice, a year plus Longstaff's junior, has been getting PL appearances for a year and a half, while Longstaff has just made the jump on a thinner Newcastle side a month ago.

To be fair to those Newcastle fans, Martin Keown, a man never to be confused with the smartest person in the room, made the original comparison and they just ran with it.

 

[bluesfan94]

The point is to make everyone talk about that instead of the performance. Yes, it does make him look like a dick. I do not think he cares as that isn't part of his job. Seemingly it worked as now everyone is talking about his comments.

I think there is a chance he was playing for a draw today, which would be totally idiotic, but look at the lineup.

But then everyone talks about how he's doing it to distract from the poor play and we're back to talking about the poor play.