Liverpool Thread - Premier League Champions* 2019/20

Check out an update here. Last updated in late march I think.

LFC Loan Updates

Rumours that Butland is on his way.....unsure how I feel about that

WEllI'm sure how I feel- bugger, if true. Whilst Karius isn't the keeper who will will win the EPL, he has improved significantly over the year. To the extent ( and only IMO) that Butland would not be s significant step up. There are other ares that need improving, Like Leighbo, I think a new CB would be a starter. Whilst big Virg and Loren look like a great combo , a 3rd world class option would be nice. Injuries have shown we're high in midfield ( especially now I expect Can to be munching pasta for the next 5 years). And we do need more back up at the pointy. end. I'd send Ings on loan just to get some game time. Solanke may be fine but still a work in progress. SO keeper- if Oblak or Allison becomes available then fine ( not 100% convinced on Allison, mind). But if that AC Milan kid were available, then he'd be OK too :-) Butland- sideways step , not a big step up in quality.

What happened to Matip?

A few injuries, inconsistent form. Shame, he did look very good when he first arrived but I wonder if he’s physically suited to the league. On form, a languid, relaxed player but I think VVD and Lovren are a better match. Funny, when VVD arrived I was thinking that he and Matip might be the business. Can’t see it now, unfortunately. He may be better off moving, we keep KLavan as a back up . LOng term, I do see Gomez as a CB option.

Just friggen win the final !!

Wedding pressie to me from the new wife. Seating from the demolished main stand at Anfield.

^keeper

Wow that's really awesome

Not sure I agree re Butland. Karius is clearly first choice at the moment with little threat from Mingolet.  Butland is a quality keeper that has been playing in a poor side at Stoke.  I reckon he would have been first choice for England at Euro 16 if he had not been injured in a warm up game.  With better coaching and a decent team in front of him I believe he would be a step up.  Clearly better than Mingolet who would go.  At the very least the equal of the current Karius.  Could possibly see him imprive as well with decent competition for the spot

Totally agree that Mignolet is clearly second choice- for his career and the club, best move him on. I don’t think Butland is a bad keeper, far from it. But, my point is do we need to spend on someone who is the equal of KArius? Why not aim for a bit better? Anyhow, not a major issue I guess. Keeper for us has for a long time been a weakish spot ( since early and in prime Reina).

Two sleeps to go!!!

Fekir signing? 

You guys are looking good if you can add him to Keita as your major signings for the season, imo. 

If true.....I’d be stoked. A great addition to our attack. 

Wow, not long to go now!!!! Enjoy the game everyone! Crazy nervous and excited! Can't wait to watch in a packed out 4 Kings tomorrow! 

We are Liverpool tra la la la la!!!!

Real figured out how to stop Salah. Apparently you just blatantly fudgeing injure him

Karius WTF

Karius has to go. He's cost us this game

karius not up to a-league standard, 2 dreadful errors, but hope faded when Salah was forced off.

We were pinned back from that point on, and it still took 2 howlers and a worldy to beat us.   

But on the plus side, Ronaldo didn't score.

Top keeper you've got lads.

Thought that was deliberate and disgusting from ramos. May have put salah out of the world cup.

These two don't agree.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-...

What a crock of sharke Ramos pulled him down sure, but he's holding a different arm to the one Salah eventually injures!

How's it any different to Lovren trying to put a hit on Ronaldo early right in the back.

Anyway, hard to blame Karius. Yes two poor mistakes but in a weird way you may have technically lost due to those mistakes but he wasn't the reason you didn't win. Real Madrid on another level for all but maybe the first 10 minutes.

That's a tough pill to swallow team. Cracking game though. Hope Salah is OK.

Felt bad for Karius having been a keeper myself, but how does that first one even happen? He threw it straight at his foot in front of the goal.

Bale's goal probably beats Zidane's CL Final goal too. Surely Puskas Award for this year.

So your saying that Ramos pulled him down - which caused salah to fall awkwardly and hurt his shoulder - but are freeing him of any blame because he touched a different part of the body?? Regardless of where he touched him, he still intentionally locked his arm and dragged him down causing Salah to injure himself.

His arm lock itself did not injure Salah, but it 100% placed Salahs body in position where it was vulnerable 

People are running around like Ramos went out to break Salah which is ridiculous. This kind of "arm pull" happens every Saturday at your local pitch!

As I said, no different to Lovren putting an early hit right into Ronaldo's back. Many more examples with him.

I'm simply downplaying scouse idiots running around pretending they've been robbed. Hard luck. Feel bad for Salah. Hopefully he makes the world cup.

Hope he makes the WC. One of my favourite players in the EPL and a great guy.

Come on Karius, even Gobbalar made it look more genuine when he did the same thing. Two of those goals should never have been scored.

He did the same thing to Alves last year and he elbows Karius in the face off of the ball. Regardless of the effect on the outcome and I'm not sure it would have made much of a difference, he got away with 2 blatant fouls and a dive that got Mane a yellow. He doesn't just hook arms, once the arms are entangled he locks Salah's in place, again, same as he did against Alves in the final last week.

And anyone who thinks Ramos didn’t go out to deliberately hurt Salah is a naive fool. Ramos has history, he’s a cynical, dirty player. Who happens to be a world class player as well. It was a deliberate act to take Liverpool’s main attacking threat out of the game. No other intention. It’s always bemused me how so called pro players think nothing of deliberately injuring fellow players. Did it affect the resul? We;ll never know. Not only did we lose Salah, but Firmino visibly slumped after that. 

One of the main differences was bench depth. We lose Salah, bring on a player who had played very little in the last while due to injury. Real can bring on Bale, whose first goal was an absolute belter.

As much as I wanted then to lose and am glad they did I still feel for Karius as a fellow keeper. Obviously not on that sort or stage or under that sort of pressure, but in terms of fudgeng up and costing your team the match and having everyone blame you, I've been there. See him and his family have been getting death threats which is going too far. It's going to take a long time to get over without having to deal with that kind of thing too.

I agree about Ramos and Salah but then blaming that for Firmino's game is a bit of a stretch. He let you guys down I thought, just wasn't at the races. Mane was pretty good I thought, gave them a heap of trouble.

Also as much as I agree on Ramos being a piece of work, that wasn't a dive. It was a cynical piece of play where he waited and waited for Mane to go in on the tackle, but it wasn't a dive, he passed it and was then hit. Clever, calculated, yes, but legitimate. 

Liverpool sign Fabinho. Darn, would have loved him at United.

Firmino was pretty good until Salah left . Then did nothing of note. Regardless of whether or not Salah leaving did that , we both agree he was pretty poor after that.Mane was very good, given his form all year has been a bit patchy but he did step up.

Robertson and Lovren were also very good. I think Gini really struggled - carried the ball too long, tried to run the ball into the box. Even though he's been a bit "special" lately, I thought brining Can on for Gini would have worked better and I also wonder if Moreno would have done a better job than Lallana on the wing due to his speed and pressing.

Or at Arsenal ;-). Great signing that.

I didn't even see a rumour until yesterday - happened damn fast and a decent way to beat the CL blues (somewhat)

Speaking of rumours, I read that Mo Salah is off to Real Madrid. Apparently it was a hard decision to leave but Sergio Ramos twisted his arm

I actually lol’ed. Very good!