‘Liverpool not dynamic v Man Utd; Keita & Lallana to make difference’

Our readers had plenty to say on Liverpool’s goalless draw with Manchester United on Saturday – here’s what’s being debated among supporters from both clubs.

Anything you’d like to add to these, or any other subjects? Join the debate here….

 

THE LIVERPOOL VIEW

 

LIVERPOOL CAN HAVE NO COMPLAINTS – WE HAD OUR CHANCES

Come on guys, I hate (and detest) ManU and Mourinho even more, but what’s this obsession with complaining about them “parking the bus” – even Klopp was at it today.

The reason we drew today was because we were not clinical enough in front of goal, not because of United parking the bus. Salah being the main culprit when he shot wide when he had an open goal in front of him.

If we get better in front of goal, there will be no more complaints about teams that just come and sit back, that is the answer

Songman

 

POSITIVES TO TAKE – BUT LALLANA AND CLYNE ARE BIG LOSSES

Positive:
Liverpool earned a point and we developed some measure of confidence back.

Negative:

Liverpool probably wish they had Man Utd’s tactical game flexibility and Man United will wish their team would aim for attacking football (always) like we expect.

We move on taking pride in the performances of many individuals especially Salah, Couts, Gomez, Ox’s impressive sub appearance (loved it when he did that “knock it and run around the post” routine (twice!)…

I think we can do well this season, as soon as Clyne and Lallana and Mane come back it’ll be like signing fresh players. Lallana especially (which I never thought I would say). Lallana’s link-up play in midfield is missed. Can, Winaldjdum and Henderson are three players from different parts of the same cloth. Their skillsets overlap too much, we lack dynamism.

If we could get Keita in January and, mix him with Lallana and (Can or Henderson) then our midfield is going to be electric. I admit I got worried early on in Lallana’s Liverpool career, but now I see the value of his play. He presses from midfield as good as the others but has a quick mind which helps to make a link between midfield and attack.

Can and Winaljdum have struggled in that effect at times and maybe our attack might actually score more because the front three won’t have to take as much responsibility for the advance/approach play somewhat, meaning they can have more energy and concentration for finishing chances, and then also add to that Lallana’s superior finishing ability too! I can’t wait 🙂

mwake

 

DRAW WAS A REALITY CHECK FOR LIVERPOOL

Anyway, back to reality. The fact is that Man U were poor and I’m sure any honest fan of theirs would admit that.

More interestingly, for us there were positives, but we seem to have lost the knack of scoring goals. Salah creates chances, but is erratic, Firminho lacks the clinical finish and with Mane out we can’t just rely on Coutinho.

Henderson, Can and Wjnaldum hardly carry any goal threat at all. It’s a severe concern. We need goals badly

Nediarb2

 

KLOPP NEEDS TO BE MORE FLEXIBLE

I think the goals will come again, however we need to be more flexible. That’s probably one of my biggest gripes with Klopp, sometimes just adjust things and maybe play a 442 or something different with 2 up top, the problem is because we play the same system game in game out, teams have sussed out how to nullify us eg sit extremely deep.

If Teams come out and play us, 8.5 times we will win but teams aren’t doing that, the sooner Klopp starts addressing that – the better. Better players will certainly help and turn some of those draws etc into wins but we need more flex in our approach sometimes.

Bob-Notts

 

 

THE MANCHESTER UNITED VIEW

 

MOURINHO DOESN’T UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE MAN UTD MANAGER

The biggest surprise is that you are all surprised with the way we set up. Said 0-0 all week it was so bleedin obvious. Jose will never learn what it means to be a Manchester United manager. You can’t go into a match and not try and win or entertain. If that’s your policy go and manage West Brom.

Manthistle

 

WIN WAS THERE FOR THE TAKING IF MAN UTD WANTED IT

Not sure why we didn’t take the game to them, they are poor and we just sat back.

A draw is a decent enough result but we could have had a much better one had we gone for it.

Mourinho has had two weeks to prepare for that!

Alfie07

 

WE ALL KNOW THAT’S WHAT YOU GET WITH MOURINHO

There’s no doubt we are lacking quality as a team when we get pressed in midfield. However, the way we set up in big away games is embarrassing at times. Can maybe understand it in a CL semi final away leg when defending a lead but against your biggest domestic rival early in the season it’s strange.

Expect the same again at the Ethiad and Stamford Bridge. I guess that’s what you get from Mourinho. I thought we were poor to a man bar De Gea but when you change your tactics and set up to be so negative I think that makes it difficult for players to play well.

It’s not that easy to switch focus from being negative and trying to stop the other team playing to attacking with real purpose and a cutting edge.

N1XER

 

IT’S A GOOD RESULT AND IT’S IMPORTANT NOT TO LOSE VS TOP SIX RIVALS

Mourinho wanted a draw. We got a draw.

Matches away to the big six are the games where the most important thing is to not lose. We did that.

Not surprised at all by the tactics or the result – this United team (without Bailly, Pogba and Fellaini) is still not a team that can go to Anfield and plan to outplay Liverpool, no matter what form they are in.

Good result in my book, now for wins against Huddersfield and Spurs and at least a draw against Chelsea away and we’re good for this patch of difficult games.

Sympathy for the Devils

 

UNITED LACKED QUALITY – POGBA AND FELLAINI COULD HAVE CHANGED RESULT

It was a shockingly bad performance by Utd but a valuable point against a strong opponent at home against United (historically). What would everybody be saying if we turned up today and went toe to toe with Liverpool, all guns blazing and gung ho and lost? Utd fans would of been unhappy we lost to a big rival and more importantly Liverpool would be only 4 points behind instead of 7. Competitive sports at any level is a results business, yes we could of played better today but rather get a point that none at all.

If United had Fellaini and Pogba, it would have been a different story. United were lacking aerial threat in midfield, someone who could win those first balls, and the passing from midfield to attack wasn’t very good in the second half, and that’s what Pogba does so well. I guarantee that United would have opened up a bit more and attacked, while Liverpool would have been more dangerous with Mane in the side. Would have been a decent game without the injuries.

Btw, the mighty Klopp took off his best players: Coutinho, Salah and Firmino for Solanke, Ox and Sturridge… LOLzz

theMartial art

 

WE’RE HALF A TEAM AWAY FROM WHERE WE NEED TO BE

You could pick any one of a thousand adjectives to describe that shower of shivering **** but not not one or even all of them put together could do it justice,so bad were we today.

It all goes to prove that as far as any sort of title challenge this year is concerned I’m afraid the emperor really does have no clothes again.As soon as I saw that useless piece of bottling,soft **** Darmian playing and Bailly was out as well I feared the worst and I’m just amazed at how crap Liverpool are not to take advantage of it.Not one of our outfield players were better than a 6/10 today and many were far worse.

The midfield was a complete wasteland with Matic having his worst game and Herrera performing like he’d been promoted from the Dog and Duck to play in that game,he was a fucking oafish disgrace both in and out of possession but he was by no means on his own.

All our forward players were also pathetic as well as both full backs and today has dispelled the myth that we are within a million miles of any of the best teams that we are going to come up against.

I give them credit for the desire to battle for a point and grind it out but that’s about it for me,we are still at least half a team away from being where we need to be.

Blacky