1. Not reinforcing enough last summer.
With the aging players in our squad and replacing 3 attackers (one proven) for only one (unproven) was strange at the time for me.
I feel that the Gakpo signing should've happened last summer.
And no i hadn't forgotten about the elephant in the room, its obvious that we needed CM's.
2. Last season was just too gruelling and we played every game possible, but our hierarchy didn't seem to see that as much of an issue for some reason.
3. Again after the season we had previously, I don't know who's bright idea was to have a pre-season which overlaps the start of the season?
3. Missed pens.
There have been many dire performances from a lot of established players which includes Fab, VVD, Matip, Salah (even though he did pick up his form), Trent (again picked it up) and even add Robo to that list.
Again these underperformances were most likely exacerbated by points 1, 2 and 3.
4. The World Cup.
Historically we seldomly play well after huge breaks inbetween games.
5. Injuries.
Nunez had missed vast chunks of the season, along with Jota, Diaz, Firmino, Thiago (I know) and Bajcetic, and that's without mentioning all the other usual sicknotes.
6. Klopp and tactics.
Trent should've moved position a long time ago, as it was so evident that the system wasn't working and the RB position was targeted regularly by opposition teams.
For me even though Klopp didn't have the compliment of players which he would've hoped for, I did feel his tactics were weaker than usual this season.
Now I'm quietly confident that we won't make those mistakes next season, however if we even make 50% of these errors again, I think we could be looking at a long transitional period ahead.
Error's this season
posted on 27/5/23
comment by Two Balls, One Saka (U19684)
posted 49 minutes ago
Who would you guys want to see as Klopp's forward line next season?
With everyone fit, I'd say this should be it with Nunez getting plenty of minutes subbing in at CF or LW or possibly in place of Diaz on the left depending on form. Gakpo too could slot in but appears well suited to playing further behind. Jota seems underrated at Liverpool or maybe it's just I've not seen enough of your games but I'd have him as the CF whenever fit, like wise Diaz again fitness permitting, so:
Salah Jota Diaz
It's further back in midfield that the side is badly lacking even in the first 11 let alone depth but not having a settled front 3 this season has hurt. I'm not sure Klopp knows his best front either yet.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I really wanted to see Nunez with Salah and Diaz either side develop, as they were beginning to develop an understanding. However Gakpo somehow was converted into a Firmino and it seemed to work better for us. I'm not a big fan of Nunez on the left but it was needs must at the time with both Diaz and Jota injured.
So personally I'd stick with what worked at the end of the season, going into the new season, with Gakpo, Salah and Diaz. Jota providing cover for Diaz, Nunez for Gakpo and also have the option of Diaz playing right, Jota central etc.
So yeah I don't see any attacking changes. It will be midfield and perhaps defensive cover.
posted on 27/5/23
comment by There'sOne7-0Reds (U1721)
posted 17 minutes ago
comment by merrysupersteve (relaxed about the situation) (U1132)
posted 1 hour, 9 minutes ago
"The World Cup." You had about 5 players at that tournament and you were in poor form before it. If anything, you should have benefitted massively from it. I was shocked by how poor you were after it, given the potential advantages it presented.
Injuries were a big problem though, I'll give you that. That and ab aging midfield were the standout reasons
----------------------------------------------------------------------
We weren't in poor form before it at all. We had won five out of the six previous to it, including the last four. It was the first time in the season we had anything resembling good form.
No idea how you came up with this. Form after the World Cup was then back to beginning of the season form, not helped of course by injuries. Diaz got injured in a training camp arranged to help previously injured players not match fit get back, which can probably be added to the list of errors, to add to Jota, Firmino and Nunez. At this point we had only one attacker available in Salah with Nunez just back, hence the signing of Gakpo. Before he could play we had a strike 'force' of Ox, Salah Nunez for three games, when we lost two out of the three games Ox played.
Whilst the World Cup isn't to blame for the issues which occurred for most of the season, it came at a really bad time when form and confidence looked to be turning.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh right, my mistake. I didn't realise we were counting draws with Derby County and games Napoli were trying to make sure they didn't lose by 3 in to win the group. But yeah, I still don't think the World Cup halted your progress
posted on 27/5/23
Even then, you still lost to Leeds in that period
posted on 27/5/23
comment by merrysupersteve (relaxed about the situation) (U1132)
posted 5 hours, 18 minutes ago
comment by There'sOne7-0Reds (U1721)
posted 17 minutes ago
comment by merrysupersteve (relaxed about the situation) (U1132)
posted 1 hour, 9 minutes ago
"The World Cup." You had about 5 players at that tournament and you were in poor form before it. If anything, you should have benefitted massively from it. I was shocked by how poor you were after it, given the potential advantages it presented.
Injuries were a big problem though, I'll give you that. That and ab aging midfield were the standout reasons
----------------------------------------------------------------------
We weren't in poor form before it at all. We had won five out of the six previous to it, including the last four. It was the first time in the season we had anything resembling good form.
No idea how you came up with this. Form after the World Cup was then back to beginning of the season form, not helped of course by injuries. Diaz got injured in a training camp arranged to help previously injured players not match fit get back, which can probably be added to the list of errors, to add to Jota, Firmino and Nunez. At this point we had only one attacker available in Salah with Nunez just back, hence the signing of Gakpo. Before he could play we had a strike 'force' of Ox, Salah Nunez for three games, when we lost two out of the three games Ox played.
Whilst the World Cup isn't to blame for the issues which occurred for most of the season, it came at a really bad time when form and confidence looked to be turning.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh right, my mistake. I didn't realise we were counting draws with Derby County and games Napoli were trying to make sure they didn't lose by 3 in to win the group. But yeah, I still don't think the World Cup halted your progress
----------------------------------------------------------------------
We were counting five wins out of six, including the last four. You can dress that up whichever way you like but that doesn't change the fact Liverpool were in good form, leading into the World Cup, which is the complete opposite to tour statement.
And yes, the World Cup came at a bad time for Liverpool as they entered into their first period of good form of the season and had actually began to play well and look confident.
You can't just rewrite history because you don't like it. Worse is doubling down on your opinion when you're shown you're wrong.
posted on 27/5/23
comment by merrysupersteve (relaxed about the situation) (U1132)
posted 5 hours, 22 minutes ago
Even then, you still lost to Leeds in that period
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes. I didn't say we were perfect, gonna win the league, tearing everyone apart. I said we won five out of the last six, including the last four before the World Cup, the first period of good form of the season and were beginning to look confident. The World Cup came at a bad time.
posted on 27/5/23
comment by There'sOne7-0Reds (U1721)
posted 55 minutes ago
comment by merrysupersteve (relaxed about the situation) (U1132)
posted 5 hours, 22 minutes ago
Even then, you still lost to Leeds in that period
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes. I didn't say we were perfect, gonna win the league, tearing everyone apart. I said we won five out of the last six, including the last four before the World Cup, the first period of good form of the season and were beginning to look confident. The World Cup came at a bad time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
He’s not very bright TOOR I’d leave it.
posted on 27/5/23
Nah don't think it's that. Probably downed a 12 pack of Harp then came on talking nonsense. I do it all the time. 😆
posted on 27/5/23
comment by Boy F7-0m The South (U3979)
posted 1 hour, 14 minutes ago
comment by There'sOne7-0Reds (U1721)
posted 55 minutes ago
comment by merrysupersteve (relaxed about the situation) (U1132)
posted 5 hours, 22 minutes ago
Even then, you still lost to Leeds in that period
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes. I didn't say we were perfect, gonna win the league, tearing everyone apart. I said we won five out of the last six, including the last four before the World Cup, the first period of good form of the season and were beginning to look confident. The World Cup came at a bad time.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
He’s not very bright TOOR I’d leave it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Look, if you boys want to count draws with Derby County as a sign of a run of good form, that's up to you. I personally wouldn't. That is one of your 4 "wins" in a row to show how good your form was.
The point I made to begin with though was that saying that Liverpool played better this season when they had regular games and no rest was just total bollix. You clearly played better when you got a week's rest between games. That's quite normal tbf, I'm just not sure why the OP thought otherwise. Nor why scousers felt the need to leap to his defence.
The World Cup did not hinder Liverpool, but even if it had done, to claim Liverpool are worse after long breaks flies in the face of any actual evidence
posted on 27/5/23
comment by There'sOne7-0Reds (U1721)
posted 53 minutes ago
Nah don't think it's that. Probably downed a 12 pack of Harp then came on talking nonsense. I do it all the time. 😆
----------------------------------------------------------------------
There may have been drink consumed tbf
posted on 27/5/23
We played better when injured players came back and when the system changed to allow us to control midfield. Was nothing to do with a week's rest, which they rarely got anyhow.
After the world cup week's rest before Brighton, we lost 3-0. Six days rest after thrashing United, lost 1-0 to Bournemouth. Two weeks rest before City, lost 4-1. Week rest before Leeds won 6-1. Week rest before Leicester won 3-0. Week rest before Villa drew 1-1. So we won two, lost two and drew one when we had a week or more rest. Average rest outside of those games would be between 3-4 days.
Anyhow as I said it was nothing to do with rest. It was injured players back, a change of system and confidence building. Incidentally these were also the three factors which occurred in our good run of form before the World Cup. Although Gakpo signing obviously also helped early part of the second half of the season when we had Jota, Firmino, Diaz and Nunez out for periods.
I believe if the World Cup had not paused the season, we would have had an earlier run of form than the one we had which came to late. Of course every club can obviously make that claim.