ES Soccer Thread

[FanboyOf91]

finally found his level, lol

[DC9]

On 7/26/2017 at 10:05 PM, Gibbs Hog Heaven said:

 

Liverpool midfielder Pedro Chirivella returns to Eredivisie - Liverpool Echo

Yeah, I'd presume that's it for the young Spaniard at ours. They've had another good look this pre-season and decided again against keeping him around. 

My one thing with him was he always looked a little too lightweight for the English game as technically sound and quick thinking as he is. But the domestic friendlies this year he'd looked to of bulked up and stood out the middle. But then I'm not privy to watching him on a daily basis. 

Who knows, another season of competitive football might do him the World of good? But I'm not expecting a Chirivella Anfield career now.

 

Hail. 

 

No way he's done.  He looked pretty good this preseason, MUCH better than last.  He needs reps.  He is lite in the ass, though.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

1 hour ago, DC9 said:

 

.....

 

 

Deary me RLB seriously need to keep Rangnick away from a microphone. 

 

His explanation today on his, let's say 'ill advised' phrasing, to be polite, on Guinea yesterday, just dug himself an even bigger hole. 

 

I can't see how you won't be getting your dream wish signing man. They're in enough of a PR disaster without turning us down again. 

 

Hail. 

[DC9]

Well that's us ending interest for the summer in Keita (according to Dom King) which for us normally means Dortmund will sign him next summer (or in this case Bayern probably).

 

Time to look at the next best option. Need to lock up Emre, keep Phil, sign VVD, and grab another CM.  If we have time do Luan on a permanant as well.

 

But we need to hurry the **** up.

[FrFan]

Midfield autogoal by Kondogbia !

 

 

[DC9]

Really decent first half from a couple of players.

 

Obviously Solanke looks like he's going to be a player now.  What a goal.

 

By far the performers of the 1st half for me were Lallana and Gomez.  Gomez was absolute **** his first game at Fullback against Wigan.  Last two games he's giving Jurgen something to think about.

 

I already think Alexander-Arnold is better than Clyne, hopefully we get to see him the 2nd half.

[DC9]

How good is Mo Salah?  What a finish and what a ball from Phil.

 

Gonna be a tough rest of the week.  Still need a CB, another wide player, and a CM for this team to have a chance at the league, but we've certainly got plenty of weapons.  So much fun to watch these Reds.

[DC9]

Turn thee, Benvolio...and look upon thy death

 

 

[FanboyOf91]

lol!

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

On 28/07/2017 at 4:46 PM, DC9 said:

Well that's us ending interest for the summer in Keita (according to Dom King) which for us normally means Dortmund will sign him next summer (or in this case Bayern probably).

 

Time to look at the next best option. Need to lock up Emre, keep Phil, sign VVD, and grab another CM.  If we have time do Luan on a permanant as well.

 

But we need to hurry the **** up.

2

 

I personally don't think either Keita or van Dijk are anywhere near dead. Still fully expecting van Dijk before the windows done. And as difficult as it looks, I don't think for one minute we've walked away from the Keita deal. It's just part of the process. 

 

FWIW lil' bro', as regards L'pool, I'm sat happy right now that the squad is significantly stronger than last year by virtue of both new additions and returning injured players who weren't available last year. Don't get me wrong, there's still work to be done. But we have a group to compete with anything with still more than a month of the window to go IMHO. 

 

Salah looks, to press, the bargain and most exciting player of the entire window. Robertson adds a much needed natural LB. Who, unlike the continued brain-dead Alby, can be trusted to spell Milner. As Trent, another year on in his development, can Clyne. Having that reliable depth to rest both Clyne and Milner and not have their legs dropping off in February through having to play every game (no two players the entire league did more running and over lapping last year than that pair) should improve both over the course of the season. Having a fully healthy Joe Gomez back in the mix and not having to rely on Klaven as your immediate centre half depth is an internal upgrade right there. The same Klopp's first signing, Marko Grujic, in midfield who was unavailable through injury most all last year. He's like a completely new signing right there. As is, talking midfield, Phil dropping back there. Who's fixing to be POTY potential devastating from deeper. 

 

Then you've Sturridge having a proper pre-season for the first time in years, and looking in the best shape he has in a long time, along with Dom Solanke who as I type I'd venture is now ahead of Origi in the pecking order and a serious PL bench option at the least adding to our attacking depth. Why Chelsea didn't involve him to the point he walked is a complete mystery as he's just a natural goal scorer with a cracking looking future. I get the Harry Kane potential comparisons from Chelsea fans/ coaches having watched him this pre-season. 

 

So that's 3 bought additions, and two returning players to improve the squad depth without losing anyone outside of Lucas who was a 5th choice centre half/ 3rd/4th choice #6 going into the season. With at least van Dijk more than likely to be added and possibly Keita too. 

We're not set yet with a month to go the window but we look a heck of a lot stronger to me already. No need to panic. 

 

And then there was Berlin .....

 

Well that was a boss way to have a little break the summer. As much as I love Germany, I'm putting Berlin up there with Munich as must visit places and the best in a brilliant Country. Banging place. I've yet to experience Hamburg but if it's got better options to have a great time than Berlin it must be some City. And as always, the ridiculous amount of European Reds there over the weekend brings home just how gigantic a club this is. Not every day you get to visit such a culturally historic stadium either. All in all a fantastic few days.

So, my first 'live' impressions of watching the Reds this year: 

This is now most definitely a Jürgen Klopp team. All 22 of them (who played Berlin) know exactly what's expected and what each other's roles are within the intricacies of the system and it's way more fluid than it was this time last pre-season. With a noticeable difference in we're pressing even higher up the pitch than we have been and the lack of a genuine, DM/ Klopp 6 is getting less and less with the fluid interchanging. At times Can and Henderson, who started deeper, were the most advanced midfielders. With Coutinho finding himself the deepest in spells as he dropped in. And heck knows how many different formations we went through but it appeared to be switching multiple times through the game. All whilst being a heck of a lot more compact the back with a greater understanding of seeing the game out. 

Thought Joe Gomez was absolutely terrific again. Both at RB and the last 15 or so when he moved back inside. Gonna' be real interesting to see who starts RB at Watford between him and Trent given his pre-season. (Surely Clyne has no chance with the hammy setting him back to date?). 

Robertson looks boss going forward. Needs work defensively. Pretty much as advertised. Real good prospect to develop. 

Sadio back for his first game since April and he never missed a beat. Mainly off the right but he was supporting Solanke a fair bit in a 2. 

Talking of, man it's gonna' be fun watching Dom Solanke's career. We could quietly have a heck of a striking find on our hands here. Aside from his natural finishing and movement/ instinct, which added another real good goal, his work rate and pressing look tailor made for Klopp. As exemplified by him winning the ball on Gini's goal. (Gini Wijnaldum. Scoring. AWAY from home. Hell really has frozen over!). 

And as for Mo Salah and THAT goal ..... Honestly, in 37 years going the match I don't think I've ever seen a quicker footballer in Red having seen him live for the first time. Owen was rapid. McManaman was even quicker running with the ball than without. Sadio is a burner and then some. But this lad .... Man alive. Like sh*t off a shovel fast. And the goal he scored ..... The inch perfect weight on the 60 yard ball from Phill is mad enough. But when you see the wide shot, he's giving both centre backs a 5-yard start and still burning clean past them. And then the finish at the end of it ..... 

THAT goal alone was worth staying the full game and not returning to enjoy the delights of East Berlin: 
 

 

Seriously, to all PL defences this year, with Salah, Mané, whoever is in the middle, Lallana off those and Coutinho orchestrating from deep with the interchange and understanding they have already, along with <maybe> Keita..... May God go with you trying to stop that!

Blew me away this morning too seeing Klopp saying that was, in effect, our 4th training session of the day yesterday! They'd had their usual hard three-a-day before the game. Then played to that intensity and looked a whole bunch fitter than Hertha. Ready to hit the ground running already. 

Gutting me that I had to fly home today and not get on what looks a boss train ride down to Nuremberg with friends and then onto Munich later in the week (damn you lack of holidays!), but a fantastic start to the season regardless. 

Up the Rapid Reds!

 

Hail. 

Edited July 30, 2017 by Gibbs Hog Heaven

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Having read a good few pages of a Southampton fan forum the last hour or so (a lad on there caused a stir Friday by claiming he'd been told van Dijk to L'pool was all but done), they can go F-themselves. I get the dislike of Liverpool raiding them of their best talent, but after reading post after post stooping to the absolute lowest depths of personally attacking Liverpudlians and the City, not least with the 'always the victims' sh*te, whilst compounding it by claiming it isn't Hillsborough related ...... 

Seriously, Southampton and their sh*thouse fans can now go F-themselves!

 

Hail. 

[SkinssRvA]

The overhaul of Mourinho stalwarts at Stamford Bridge is almost complete.  Matic likely signing for Manure today or tomorrow for 40m or so.  Good bit of business, I must say, but outside of Hazard Matic will be the last remaining Jose Mourinho player.  Costa, Matic, Oscar, Mikel, Ramires, Terry (kind of), all gone.  Fabregas demoted.  Oh, Cahill....I guess Cahill is actually Mourinho's last (again, kinda).  Fond memories of Matic and is a really good defensive player shielding the back four on his day.  However in 2015 and 2016 seasons he really dipped in form often...he was asked to do too much and be a box-to-box.  Under Mou he will probably sit back deep in a midfield 3 where he is best and allow Pogba to get more free and attacking.  We'll truly see this year if Pogba was worth his price.

 

Conte isn't happy, moaning about how he needs more players and setting relatively low expectations.  I don't necessarily disagree, but you can't just sell everyone off and not expect teams to know you are desperate to buy and inflate prices.  Roman is trying his mightiest to run the club like a business now (more or less), and not like a fun little football manager game where you just buy all the players you want with no repercussions.   Add on to that our two most creative players Hazard and Pedro are injured, we play four of the top 7 teams in our first 7 games, and things may be rocky in the early going.  So, here are my way too early top 6 predictions for the PL:

 

1. Man City*

2. Man Utd*

3. Liverpool*

4. Chelsea*

5. Tottenham*

6. Arsenal*

 

I almost put spuds at 4 ahead of chels but I just couldn't do it, f them.  

 

*I reserve the right to change these at any time up until the start of the season

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

https://www.thisisanfield.com/2017/07/liverpool-supporters-overwhelmingly-vote-support-rail-seating/

A significant step forward to coming discussions. Which is a major step forward in itself that this is now on the agenda Nationwide and is being properly discussed. As naturally emotive as this still is here, with the support of some of the family's allied to a positive speaking out from the majority of Reds from a fair and democratic process, having the voice of the SOS on this going forward can't be anything but good. Both locally and on a National level with other supporters groups. 

Standing on a terrace didn't nearly cost me my life 28 years ago last April 15. A ground with no safety certificate sanctioned by the clueless FA and the complete incompetence of the authorities on the day did.

 

Hail. 

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

11 minutes ago, SkinssRvA said:

 ......  So, here are my way too early top 6 predictions for the PL:

 

1. Man City*

2. Man Utd*

3. Liverpool*

4. Chelsea*

5. Tottenham*

6. Arsenal*

.....

 

 

WAY too early and there's little to split the top 6 if truth be told. (Although City look by far and away the most frightening of the other 5 from L'pool's POV to overcome.). 

 

But if you held a gun to my head right now I'd swap 2 through 6. 

 

1. City. 

2. Liverpool. 

3. Chelsea. 

4. Arsenal. 

5. Utd. 

6. Tottenham. 

 

I'll revisit this before the opening game. 

 

 

 

Just because I like the gif:

 

 

Hail. 

Edited July 31, 2017 by Gibbs Hog Heaven

[SkinssRvA]

True very early for predictions, but still fun.  Sounds like Liverpool are still doing business in the market, and Chelsea certainly are (err.....have to) so definitely moving parts.  I also expect City may splurge on another full back or three 

[FanboyOf91]

 

Nothing new here.

[DC9]

It's simple for me... we get van Dijk AND Keita and we win the league and probably make the quarters of CL.

 

If we get van Dijk, can't see past City and it's probably the knockouts.

 

If we get neither, it's probably 3rd and we'll see what happens with CL depending on the group.

 

Plenty of time in the window.  Would still like to make a run at the Ox, too.  Haven't kept up with that one all that much but it's been difficult because we're just hearing everyone's opinion on VVD and Keita the last month plus.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

1 hour ago, DC9 said:

It's simple for me... we get van Dijk AND Keita and we win the league and probably make the quarters of CL.

.....

1

 

IF we get him, Keita better be as good as you've built him up to be and as big a difference maker as Klopp is willing to drop so much on. 

 

Or else I'mma kick your ass all over! And boycott any and all German beers to show him too! 

 

Hail. 

[FrFan]

 

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Wonder if we'll see all our Bayern 'friends' tomorrow?

 

Or will that depend on the result of the game?  .

 

Hail. 

[DC9]

2 hours ago, Gibbs Hog Heaven said:

 

IF we get him, Keita better be as good as you've built him up to be and as big a difference maker as Klopp is willing to drop so much on. 

 

Or else I'mma kick your ass all over! And boycott any and all German beers to show him too! 

 

Hail. 

 

He's great.

 

I do like Sanches... color me shocked that Carlo all of a sudden wants to loan him to Jurgen for a year instead of selling him to us.

 

Didn't I say a page or two back that he's old and lazy now?

 

What the **** are we going to do with a 19 year old for one year?  If we take a loan on him we better have the right to buy with a pre-determined price.

 

**** outta here with that weak ****, Carlo...

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

6 minutes ago, DC9 said:

.....

 

**** outta here with that weak ****, Carlo...

 

 

Kloppo can tell him that in person tomorrow when he's consoling him after his side's loss to the mighty Reds! 

 

Hail. 

 

*Edit* I might be calling him Kloppo for a while again after hearing what seemed every German in Berlin wanting to know how the mighty Kloppo was doing at Liverpool. Just so we're aware. 

Edited July 31, 2017 by Gibbs Hog Heaven

[DC9]

Just now, Gibbs Hog Heaven said:

 

Kloppo can tell him that in person tomorrow when he's consoling him after his side's loss to the mighty Reds! 

 

Hail. 

 

LOL.

 

Well, it's the perfect time to do some business over there.

 

Weren't we also looking at a winger from Atletico?

 

Angel Correra or something?  They're in town, too. 

 

Knock both of those out and bring them home in time to pick up VVD on the way to Dublin.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

7 minutes ago, DC9 said:

.....

 

Knock both of those out and bring them home in time to pick up VVD on the way to Dublin.

 

 

With Stevie Gerrard! Who/s going by the name Keita now apparently.

 

Hail. 

Edited July 31, 2017 by Gibbs Hog Heaven

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

8 minutes ago, DC9 said:

.....

 

Weren't we also looking at a winger from Atletico?

 

Angel Correra or something?  They're in town, too. 

 

.....

 

 

You know who else plays for them? Nando. That'd be nice for him to play us Wednesday. 

 

 

Meanwhile, elsewhere in Europe this week Everton will be trying to progress in the Europa league against MFK Ruzomberok. 

 

If you've never heard of them, they're a small team in Liverpool. 

 

Hail.