Consigliere Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 Yeah and those 'whipping boys' chances of getting three points are just as unlikely as their chances of getting four. This format does not make it easier. Those in pot 3 are going to be real bottom of the barrel in terms of quality. Remember, host nation is always in the top pot which could complicate things more than now in case of a weaker host nation team (which is less likely to happen with additional infrastructure needed for the new format). How so? If you have a weaker host nation there will still be all of 15 seeded spots open compared to the current 7. Stronger sides are still going to be much more spread out than in the current format. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Antony Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 6 hours ago, Calibandar said: United Liverpool this weekend. Looking forward to it. Coutinho back for Liverpool, a big boost for them. Then again they had to give up Mane to the dreaded Africa Cup. Such a big game. Not feeling confident given Uniteds form and Mane being away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Consigliere Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 Looks like Schneiderlin to Everton is a done deal. Good signing for them and I'm sure, given a proper run of games, Schneiderlin will produce the form he showed at Southampton. Sad to see him go, especially as I feel he was not given a proper chance at United. I think that if he was given more game time this season, his performances would have been better than under LVG and he could have been the natural successor to Carrick. This leaves us a bit short in midfield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rorshach Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 It's a strange world, being an Evertonian this year. Looks like we've more or less concluded three deals already - Ademola Lookman from Charlton, Schneiderlin from United and some bloke named Ishak Belfodil from Standard Liege. Now, this being Everton, I wouldn't be surprised to see one of the latter fall through on something, but we've been more active than I can recall .. ever. And Schneiderlin especially will be an addition we need, given that Barry really can't play the high pressing game and Gueye is off to AfCON. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Horse Named Stranger Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 In other news Badstuber is not joining Pep on loan. He stays in Germany and joins Schalke on loan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iskaral Pust Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 2 hours ago, Mark Antony said: Such a big game. Not feeling confident given Uniteds form and Mane being away. I'm not too confident either. Our form has waned lately as theirs waxed. I think we're a much better team but looking tired and disrupted by absences, with a much thinner bench. 1-0 down to Southampton so far despite their super negative play again. Klavan's mistake unfortunately. It hasn't helped that our attack is so disrupted by position shifts: no Hendo to recycle the ball early, Firmino and Lallana pushed wide instead of central, Sturridge still not in rhythm with the others, Can not quite on form atm. The good news is that they played fantastic football when I was hungry for football. Now that I'm feeling over-saturated anyway, I'm less bothered by the loss of form. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Consigliere Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 I don't think Southampton have been that negative. Liverpool started well but Southampton grew into the game and created the better chances. Redmond could have had a hat-trick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polishgenius Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 Yeah, Southampton have been absolutely fine. Liverpool fans need to get used to the fact that their opponents will, on occasion, want to defend. All things considered, I'm reasonably confident we can beat Liverpool at the weekend- in particular, if I was going to design a player specifically to beat their counter-press he'd probably look a lot like Mkhitaryan, so his increasingly bright form is a confidence-booster. I'm less sure about Pogba- he can play against this sort of team but I think he can also get flustered by it if he's not 100% focused, since his preference is for a little time on the ball- but all round we're in a good position at the moment for it. 18 minutes ago, Iskaral Pust said: I think we're a much better team Much better? Seriously? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iskaral Pust Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 Just now, polishgenius said: Much better? Seriously? It's only a couple of months since we were destroying all comers for fun. Our best days have been much better and our worst days have been better too. United have definitely pulled themselves back into contention with a good run of form but Spurs was the only good team they beat during this resurgence, and maybe WBA. Beating West Ham, Sunderland, Sunderland, Boro, Palace, Reading and Hull says a lot about consistency but not as much about quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Consigliere Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 Liverpool have played the better football over the course of the season thus far but we have plenty of quality in our squad. Once Mourinho found the right balance, the performances improved and we have not yet seen the full potential of this team. The game on the weekend is very much a 50/50 for me. I expect Liverpool to raise their game as they have done when facing others in the top six. I also can't see Mourinho employing similar tactics to those he used at Anfield as we are in a much better space now and those tactics would not sit well with the home crowd. ETA. Southampton are going to regret all these missed chances. They should be 3-0 up. Even if they go on to win this game, I seriously doubt 1-0 is going to be enough to take back to Anfield. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljkeane Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 I think this is the least like scoring we've looked all season, which isn't overly encouraging going into Sunday. I'm a bit concerned all the missing players plus a less than fully fit Coutinho and out of form Firmino and Can is really starting to show. To be fair Karius has been ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polishgenius Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 Can't remember the last time I saw a team as desperately in need of a striker as Southampton*. And yeah, what Consigliere said. Liverpool have had the better form, so far, but ours is improving by the game recently and player-for-player I'd put our squad up against your squad any day. Plus, you were playing well at the start of the season, you're not playing as well now. That's how form works. *Well, I guess I do - yesterday, when I watched Hull. But that's a different scenario, I'm sure you know what I mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rorshach Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 6 minutes ago, polishgenius said: *Well, I guess I do - yesterday, when I watched Hull. But that's a different scenario, I'm sure you know what I mean. Reports say that Hull are solving their problem by loaning striking sensation Oumar Niasse from Everton. The man has scored goals in the U-23s (where he was placed by Koeman after looking like sh*t in the preseason), so I fully expect Hull to be out of trouble by early February. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iskaral Pust Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 14 minutes ago, ljkeane said: I think this is the least like scoring we've looked all season, which isn't overly encouraging going into Sunday. I'm a bit concerned all the missing players plus a less than fully fit Coutinho and out of form Firmino and Can is really starting to show. To be fair Karius has been ok. Yeah, it's a big concern and really unfortunate timing as I try to look down on Utd. Can has been poor all season despite being very good last year and even scoring a couple when he first returned to the team. Lucas is an inadequate back-up. But the overall chemistry seems lacking right now. I'm not sure what's cause and effect. Coutinho, Hendo and Mane all out certainly hurt but is Firmino poor because his form dropped or because the team is out of balance? Would it better to keep Hendo, Gini and Lallana in midfield and use Ojo or Woodburn as the back-up forward instead of disrupting the midfield too? We rediscovered some zip against City and then looked exhausted and flat against Sunderland. It looked the same again tonight despite all those players rested for the Cup game at the weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Antony Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 Well Karius looked pretty good at least. Liverpool play like that this weekend I expect to lose handily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philokles Posted January 11, 2017 Share Posted January 11, 2017 3 hours ago, Notone said: In other news Badstuber is not joining Pep on loan. He stays in Germany and joins Schalke on loan. Badstuber could be a very good signing if he is fit enough to ever play, but he is not really what Schalke need right now. I do prefer Liverpool's squad to United's, but taking form and absences into account it should be a close match. I would have said 'good,' but given Mourinho is one of the managers that is pretty unlikely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Horse Named Stranger Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 Probably not. Given their injuries they probably should have looked for another forward. On the other hand a good ball moving defender is always useful. Especially since they lost that player with Matip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rorshach Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 And we've confirmed Schneiderlin. I like that. Good player, early business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polishgenius Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 So Payet's pitching a hissy and West Ham are pitching a counter-hissy and therefore Payet won't play for West Ham for a while but he won't leave either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raja Posted January 12, 2017 Share Posted January 12, 2017 Probably seeing why the bigger teams didn't go for him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.