coldfish wrote: Liverpool isn't inconsistent. They are incredibly consistent.
When they play their best XI, they win. When they rotate in their bench, they lose or draw. Since October, I think the full squad is 22-5-2. 71 points of 87.
Here's my problem with this: So we rotated out our best players 14-16 games this year? If this statistic is so glaringly obvious.....why does Klopp continue to "rest" these guys against the lesser competition? Seems like the game against WB was a chance for us to seal our ticket to next years CL. We played Salah all game....so who we resting? And why? If this is really this obvious....it's equally a ding on Klopp for refusing to see the writing right in front of him.
coldfish wrote:Last year, their horrible stretch in January coincided with Mane and Coutinho being out. This year, their draws against WB, Everton x 2, etc. all were games where Klopp rotated in the bench to rest starters. I bet if you were to look at the points per game when the best XI play, they are better than Man City.
The problem is and has been that the team is shallow. The bench sucks, so when injuries invariably happen or players need rest, Danny Ings comes in and does nothing, Sturridge limps around or Alberto Moreno effectively plays for the other team.
When you look at Man City and Man United, they have great depth. Particularly Man City brings on world class players when they rotate in. If Liverpool wants to make a title run while still competing in multiple competitions, they need to add several good players.
So the last couple pages on this board really make me look like the 'anti-Klopp' guy. I actually completely agree with everything you wrote. I think it was a damn shame we didn't shore up defense. Our defense last year was brutal. But no fixes. Ownership can certainly take fair share. You don't have to go back and look...but trust me that I have stated many times that our team rely on every single one of our better players being out there....and the second anything goes sideways, we're screwed. I get it 100%
But this team got a full season last year to recognize everything you just wrote. It also has enjoyed a pretty darn injury-free season. Lallana has been gone, but thats been for the good and the bad this year. <------- So why has absolutely nothing changed?
And if this is just "our fate" as a team with X-amount of $$ to spend....then I guess it doesn't really matter who coaches, or if I rate him poorly, or any of that...does it? We all agree that we're not gonna go injury free....so we'll just never win a title until we're 2-deep....is that it? There's no facet of this situation that can be improved on?
I just don't agree. We seem to be able to get healthy and play full strength against the top 7-8 teams in the PL to muster up quite a respectable record the last couple years. So this stinks of attitude, and respect for opposition more than health.
We're 20-wins 11-Draws 4-losses. So 15 out of 35 games have been losses or draws. That about 40% right? We haven't been injured 40% of the season....so what gives? He's just resting guys because he thinks we should beat them? You read his interview after WB right? He seemed genuinely irritated, and shocked that they bothered to come play. If this really is all about our rotations....then its his lack of respect that's leading to these rotations, is it not?
There are many, many things I like about Klopp. But his Liverpool team is particularly bad about playing 'lesser talent'. And I'm not gonna let him off the hook for it. I think this team does have the talent. Yes....we could definitely use a little shoring up here, a little shoring up there......but we shouldn't be some 20 or so points behind MC.
And lastly...I'm not asking for perfection. MC has a deep super-team. I get it. If we come in 29-6-3 next yeaer with a couple losses, and a handful of draws with top-10 teams....hey, I get it. Big improvement, and it is what it is. We may not beat MC for the title.
But that's not what's going on, is it?
