Lush Vlad

I just don’t see where decent, competent away performances and results suddenly come from though? We look no closer to figuring out how to get a result on the road. 12 league games in and we have one decent performance, one alright one at Burnley where the result was all that mattered, as we were desperate. Oh and 35 minutes last night 3 out of our 7 away games left are rough and at places we never get results. City, Arsenal and Chelsea. We should surely be targeting wins at Spurs and Palace with how they’ve been this season. But then how can you have any confidence with how we play? Forest and Fulham are the last two. Is unacceptable too strong of a word to use for our away form? I’m not sure it is? as I think the performances have been that bad. It may end up costing Howe his job come the end of the season. On the whole. We’ve just not been a good team for most of the season in the league. Bar Europe and some of the cup games. It’s been frustrating as fuck.

I think I upgraded to a 7, maybe even an 8 after the late business got done in the summer. Not changed my vote since. But it’s not showing that I’ve voted? I’ll leave it until the end of the season before reassessing. But it’s getting worse not better as the season goes on.

Van de Ven for a start Thiaw wasn’t even sprinting for a lot of it and neither was Ekitike. It seemed to play out in slow motion. The issue is whether you think he was right to leave so much space and show him wide. Or like me, if you think he was too far away and engaged too late. He could easily have cut the angle off without over-committing and then be able to close the shot sooner. I agree with others that it was more on Trippier finding himself in no man’s land. For about the 20th time since his return to the side.

This. Start of the season the list would be a lot longer. But we’ve had far too many that have under-performed this season. I’m not sure how realistic it is to expect big money for certain players to help with a squad refresh, mind. We have just spent big this summer and then we have plenty where we’ve spent in that sort of £40-60m bracket. They’ve not exactly been performing well, either. I feel like Tino will go if he comes back and can stay fit. Maybe Tonali if the right offer comes and he genuinely wants to return to Italy and it’s not just rumours/made up. I can’t see who would be in for Gordon for the money we’d want?! I highly doubt we’d be making big losses on any of the summer signings.

13 points off the bottom three and 13 off the top three. Unless we suddenly stop playing like one of the worst away sides in the league. Then even Europa seems difficult. TBH, if the away form carries on. Top half will be. I feel like the home form is going to need to be close to perfect and we’ve seen cracks appearing there. City and Villa were pretty poor looking back at them.

Oh and the tiredness/fatigue thing. Of course it’s a factor. But nothing like 23/24. As whilst we have had injuries at times across the season and it has hindered us with making changes. We have rarely been completely decimated by them like that season and the squad is a lot deeper. We had games where we had 12-13 fit senior players at best and they’d already been flogged game after game. Howe just hasn’t rotated particularly well and we’ve ended up with players that look like they need minutes to find some form who haven’t played enough. Then players who have been ran into the ground and look miles off form, too. The defence has lacked options for a lot of the season, TBF. But we’ve often had decent attacking and midfield options over the last month or two. We just don’t seem to have partnerships and players that are performing in the current setup. I don’t think it can be used as an excuse for last night anyway. I know they have better players. But they’ve rarely rotated this season. But once they got to grips with us, it was a walk in the park. Felt like at 2-1 it was a matter of time before they scored and they were just coasting at 3-1. I’d be more accepting of the usual ‘Anfield curse’ shite. If they were actually any good and if we hadn’t seen such similar, pathetic away showings all season in the league. It’s far from a one off. 2 wins out of 12 and one of those wasn’t even convincing. Got some awful looking aways left. So I don’t think it’s going to get better this season and I don’t see what suddenly changes? It’s not like we’ve been playing well on the road and we’re close to getting it right.

Nah. 2-1 massively flattered them at HT, even 1-1 seemed harsh. By the end of the game. They’d missed two one on ones when clean through and were cruising. We had 2 shots all second half. Outside the box and right on the edge of it. We barely created anything.

I wish he’d stop his first time passes. That seem to always put the other team on the attack. His passing isn’t that bad when he takes a bit more time and care. The one first half when we had 2-3 over and just pinged it straight to Konate first time from miles away. So infuriating.

I don’t see where the improvements are coming from to get the near top 6, progress further in the FA Cup/CL or even just suddenly start playing well on a more consistent basis. However, I said a month or so back. That after being so wrong last season after Brentford away. It would be daft to underestimate him again. I can’t see what changes and I’m not confident. Not in the league, anyway. As there are so many factors at play as to why I think we’ll struggle. A lot of those aren’t really even on Howe. But he has definitely, 100% got this season at least. To try and right some wrongs.

Surely even the 56 that are HOWE OUT don’t mean now? Is it an end of the season job? I’m a long way from just blindly backing him and I do think there are scenarios that would mean he’ll be on thin ice come May. But he gets at the very least, the rest of this season.

I know we’re hardly spoilt for choice. But seemed an odd choice starting him tonight. I said pre-game I thought he looked ropey since returning. But he was a mess tonight. He still aggressively goes after the ball and gets turned or often finds himself in no man’s land. Usually followed by flailing his arms around and blaming someone else. It’s strange that such an intelligent player who was never that quick. Keeps putting himself in these situations. The drop off is a shame. As he has been so good for us. But he was past it last season. Another year and more injuries have slowed him some more and he’s getting exposed every week. He might get away with it a bit if we play 3 CB’s or if we’re at home to someone particularly bad.

Not for me. He got hung out to dry by Trippier. But it felt like he never knew what was behind him. Like he was scared to close the angle too soon because there was maybe a cross on. He can’t have been worried about getting chopped, as he had a decent angle to close him down and hold him up. But just never seemed to want to engage him. It just seemed really weird and lethargic the way he was ambling back and like he invited Ekitike to do what he did and rushed in when it was too late. Still a top finish/toe punt, mind.

Yes and no. I’ve said on here I think he’s improved parts of his game this season. His link up, passing and winning the ball back to recycle possession after a cross, set piece or whatever. Have all been noticeable. This did feel more like the old Barnes, aye. But he’s had 2 of our 3 good quality shots and was unlucky not to score again.

He reminds me a bit of Martin Mucklowe from This Country

He seems to play in bursts. Don’t think he had a touch for 10 minutes. Then started getting on the ball and building play out from the back, turning people for fun like he does. Had another spell in the second half where he did similar. Then disappeared again. As poor as Tonali is on the ball. He is still constantly getting on it and trying to do something with getting it forward. Ramsey needs to be more aggressive in possession. Even when he gets near the box. He’ll try the odd through ball. But it always feels like it has no conviction. Like he doesn’t believe it will actually find a black and white shirt I actually really like watching him as a player. I just wish he could find a way to impose himself on games more. I hate to say it. But it feels like yet another summer signing that doesn’t quite fit into the system and he has looked at his best when we’ve changed formation. Hopefully some time here and some actual training sessions will help in that regard.

What have you done here?! I never said that. That’s slander that is. SLANDERER

Possibly. But he does put in an insane amount of sprints. So you could see why he’d get knackered.

Outstanding first half. Faded out of it in the second, but so did a lot of the team.

I thought he was good, again. Faded a bit the same as Gordon. But they were both electric first half.

I thought he was decent up until yet another howler. He’s looked better coming off his line for crosses and like he had his confidence back a bit. So I’m sure that’ll knock him and he’ll be back to punching or staying closer to his line now.

Poor game. Dominated by Szob physically as predicted. Yet still our main goal threat. Nearly another couple or crackers for the collection.

But they missed countless chances like other seasons, too? They missed two one on ones when they were clean through on goal. They had the one first half when Salah stopped for some unknown reason when Trippier is beat. Pope made a couple of decent stops and some nice takes. Not so much at the end It’s not just about the result and ignoring the performance, no. The game isn’t 35 minutes long. Yet again we get a lead and this time fully deserved and should have been more Then we concede from some decent play and loose defending. Then the same again 2 minutes later. By half time we’re hanging on. Second half what did we do that was so great? We tried more of the same. But were totally wide open and getting turned very easily. Yet we didn’t create much of note. It’s all well and good saying it was a good gameplan. But it’s not that good if it unravels after going a goal up and then we have no clue how to adjust once level again and then behind. It’s not a one off or a snap judgement from people, either. All season people on here have said how soft we are. The stats show how bad we are with a lead. We never seem to know whether to stick or twist and then do neither. Not being able to overcome adversity and a setback has become a theme with this team on the road and it’s hard to keep defending it. Because we played well for most of the first half.

The same old problems were there with our midfield 3. Easy to get behind and take them all out with one pass and you’re in on our back 4. Even factoring that in. He makes some Bramble’esque decisions. The second Ekitike goal he reminded me of Boumsong and all. He looks brilliant most the time. But the comments about him having lapses of concentration are starting to look accurate. He was let off against Villa when he failed to cut out a simple through ball and Watkins fucked up a one on one. He could probably do with a rest and for the most part he’s been great. But that was what, his 4th and 5th clangers that have led to goals this season?

He scored 44 in 45 games in all comps

Yes, give over. We had 2 shots on target, one of which was the goal and a snap shot from Barnes. Then the 25 yarder off the post. What else? Some great openings and a load of corners early on. But never made them pay. They wasted plenty and had far more of the game than us from 35-40 onwards. I’d say the last minute 2-1 loss under Howe we did better. Even the Pardew 1-1. Not that we were much good in those, either. They were better Liverpool sides from memory and compared to the gap between the two sides ability and money wise now, I’d say, as well. Playing really well for 35 minutes and then getting beat comfortably isn’t a good performance and it’s hard to keep trying to praise the same away performance every other week. Losing 4-1. The best Anfield performance in 30 years I admire your constantly positive takes in this sea of negativity. Myself included. But I can’t have that at all.