‘Klopp is like the German version of Kevin Keegan at Newcastle’

Oli Fisher

Manchester United fans berate their team’s performance in Basel, while our Chelsea readers discuss Conte’s substitutions and Emre Can’s future is also discussed in Your Says of the Day.

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Complacency lets United down

Complacency ruled here. We were very obviously better than Basel and Mourinho took Pogba off which changed the game. Understandably, Pogba needs to be worked in to the side to build his fitness.

Tonight feels very empty because I am certain we will still win this group with ease when CSKA Moskow come to Old Trafford but it feels like our players have gone out there and wasted time and energy.

Lukaku, Lingard, Blind, Darmian, Herrera, and Martial were all rubbish for me. Mourinho got it wrong with his substitutions by going too conservative again but I reckon the players lost concentration at the crucial moment.

Rojo was immense for me along with Pogba. In any case, it’s not a train smash that we have lost this game – more of an annoyance really. I am certain we will turn on the style again against Brighton at Old Trafford on the weekend. We cannot realistically win the Champions League with our squad, We are flat track bullies.

Hatters

Five headers each which should have hit the target. Rojo and Martial unlucky with efforts on goal. At that point Basel had not had a shot on target. If any of those efforts had gone in I believe we would have won in a canter. However the LVG legacy still exists. Sideways and back passing has no place in the United DNA. If Smalling wishes to get back his England place he must abandon his poncey passing and go forward. Many times when a player made a positive run, the ball still ended back from whence it came. Lingard and Herrera were particularly culpable. The quality of crosses was dreadful throughout. They should take a look at City and the way they slide passes across the box.

Big K

Nothing complacent about that performance. It happens far too often to be considered complacent. It doesn’t matter who plays it’s always the same sh*t. Apart from pogba nobody else is missed. It’s actually better for most of the lads to not play as they somehow become better than what they really are.

Fatrooney

Not that bothered about the result, to be honest because we’re still pretty much guaranteed to go through. What bothered me the most, however, was the complete lack of ideas and desire. This is not the first time I can say that, which is obviously totally unacceptable at this club. Even in a semi-dead rubber game like this we’re nowhere near good enough to consider showing as much as a hint of complacency. The January transfer window won’t change a thing as there’s no way the top players we need will want to move then, especially with this being a World Cup year. There’s plenty of excruciatingly dull football to come from this lot until the end of the season and I just hope they can at least grind out results along the way to give us some platform for the next one.

Roygbiv

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Chelsea get the job done

This was first game all season I couldnt watch live because of early kick off, expected win so the main plus points for me upon reading report was moratas rest and the early substitution of 2 others that are vital in hazard and alonso. Willian bagging brace is a welcome bonus too.

The early withdrawals of hazard, cesc and kante against WBA along with this show Conte is adapting fast to life as coach of top english team competing home and abroad. Massive game against pool and Conte has done all he can to optimise our chances of winning it while winning the first 2 games of the week!

Luckydestiny

Seems we could draw Bayern, Juve, Real or Seville….thats our reward for topping the group lol. Huuuuge game on Saturday…wont be easy at all. To have any chance of catching City…we need all three points. That’s our reality. We can probably only afford to lose 1 more game. Anyway we seem to be back in form. Well played Willian.

Stuilse

Have to say that while both penalties were contentious (we would have been up in arms if given against us) they were to the letter of the law and the official was consistent

Not sure if anyone else feels the same but it seems to me that when he does not get games, Pedro’s confidence seems to evaporate very quickly whereas Willian just keeps plodding on. I thought Willian was excellent last night with goals and general all round play, however, while Pedro huffed and puffed he really did not get into the game at all

Just mentioning it as there is another thread about selling Willian and although the economics may be good he showed last night why he can still be a regular starter or a brilliant replacement off the bench

Good win plus the added bonus of being able to rest a few and for those on the pitch the last 15 was like a training exercise anyway. Sets us up nicely for the last group game but you can be sure that AM will come at us all guns blazing as the need nothing less that 3 points (and then hope that Roma stumble which I think is unlikely but feasibly nevertheless). KTBFFH

CFC1905

 

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Is Klopp the new Keegan?

Klopp is like the successful German version of Newcastle’s Kevin Keegan (who also was a charismatic character). Fortunately, the keyword is successful because unlike Keegan, Klopp has won things.

But nonetheless, I agree we gotta stop this well score one more than you type of mentality and get some balance in the squad.

If Liverpool was a house, and the players were objects, and it was burgled by robbers they would take Mane, Coutinho, Salah, Firminio, and leave the rest as it would be considered average or junk. We should have midfield and defence to be proud of just as we are proud of our attack. I love Klopp and I believe well get there and then the ride will be less of a rollercoaster and more of a thrill!

Mwake

 

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Does football have a problem?

Interesting debate on the debate show last night with Craig Bellamy and Liam Rosenior, about the possibility of a professional footballer openly admitting in the public that they are gay. It amazes me that this still hasn’t happened but at the same time it doesn’t surprise me.

Starting with the negative, isn’t no wonder why a player hasn’t openly admitted to being gay? Like many of us, I’ve been to many football matches whether that be watching or working and everyone knows at every club there’s those fans that can’t quite help themselves. Now imagine that person who sits near to you at the games & then imagine the type of things that would come out of their mouths, if a gay player was on the opposite team or even their team. I have been to football matches and heard racial abuse from fans towards their own players. So these idiots who can quite help themselves will at some stage chant homophobic abuse. Players and fans a like have seen and heard their players/colleagues being racially abused. So if a gay player has witnessed this then it may stop them from openly admitting they are gay at the fear of the abuse from the stands.

On a positive I think craig bellamy and liam rosenior demonstrated last night that players need not fear about openly admitting they are gay to their colleagues and fellow professionals. Which in this day and age, there shouldn’t be an issue. I wonder how many players have told their colleagues/fellow professionals?

In short for me I hope a player does at some point in the not to distance future openly comes out as gay. However, I feel what’s holding these guys back is the fear of what some sections of the crowd will say and do.

Chelsea_Lee

 

Time to let Can go?

It doesn’t matter what you think the value of money is, it matters what the club can afford to pay without putting us in any precarious situations. If that’s what the current owners can pay then until new owners come in who will invest a lot of there own money – we are where we are …

And your argument goes both ways, if I was Salah, Couthino, Mane etc. and I saw Can suddenly paid £150k I’d be like wtf. What has he actually done. Is injured a fair bit, form isn’t consistent (and has never been). Good match then poor / goes missing. For you to think otherwise is naive at best ….

As for Can, when he delivers what Sturridge has in terms of end result regularly (that means consistent performances as a minimum) he can have £150k. If we want to get rid of Sturridge in summer already said no issues with that and add to that a whole other list of players eg Moreno, Klavan, Lovren etc. Until his performances improve he can continue running down his contract and leave – there’s commitment for you ….

As for the recruitment team, Klopp is the significant element of that so if you are criticising them no issues with that from me but Klopp needs to be criticised as well (so far you have conveniently absolved him of any blame / responsibility).

 

Saving his best?

Dele seems to reserve his best for the Champions League games- super in the Second half against Dortmund- but still a bit over elaborate in the EPL and getting caught in possession. Winksie, though, is coming along by leaps and bounds. So proud of our home grow/home developed young players. So much more gratifying than buying a bunch of greedy mercenaries.

scoff23

Considering our club is named after the infamous Harry Hotspur, I think it’s quite poetic that our best two homegrown players are also both called Harry… do we have any more Harry’s coming through?

Banjo_chuckers

 

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