Arofanatics Fish Talk Forums  

Go Back   Arofanatics Fish Talk Forums > The Guildhouse > Chatterbox

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 23-09-2018, 08:30 PM   #121
NI KI
Arofanatic
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 168
Default

Liverpool are only the fifth team to win their first six Premier League games

NI KI is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-09-2018, 08:32 PM   #122
NI KI
Arofanatic
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 168
Default

Next up:

NI KI is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-09-2018, 08:34 PM   #123
NI KI
Arofanatic
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 168
Default Virgil van Dijk injury update



Jürgen Klopp doesn’t believe the injury that forced Virgil van Dijk from the field in the second half of Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Southampton to be serious.

The Netherlands captain sustained a knock to an already bruised rib during the encounter with his former club and was replaced by Joe Gomez after 55 minutes.

Klopp told his post-match press conference: “He already had a bruise in the ribs before the PSG game, which is very uncomfortable and today he got another hit there.

“It’s not cool but should not be too serious.

"It should be absolutely OK, hopefully. I didn’t hear anything different.”
NI KI is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-09-2018, 08:42 PM   #124
NI KI
Arofanatic
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 168
Default

Jurgen Klopp hails 'outstanding' Xherdan Shaqiri as Liverpool star shines on full Reds debut

Jurgen Klopp praised the impact of Xherdan Shaqiri on a record-breaking afternoon for Liverpool.

The Reds extended their 100% start to the season and returned to the top of the Premier League table with a 3-0 triumph over Southampton at Anfield on Saturday.

It is the first time in their history Liverpool have won their first seven competitive games of a campaign.

Shaqiri was an impressive performer on his first start since arriving from Stoke City for £12.85million in the summer.



His shot forced an own goal from Wesley Hoedt for the opener in the 10th minute and, after Joel Matip had doubled Liverpool's lead, Shaqiri's free-kick on the stroke of half-time that struck the bar was tapped home by Mohamed Salah for the third.

Shaqiri was then surprisingly substituted at half-time as Klopp made a tactical switch, but the Reds boss was delighted with the Swiss international.

“It’s just good to have Shaq,” said the Reds boss. “You saw the free kick, it was outstanding. What a ball!

“The whole team was not used to the system today and as a new player usually you struggle most, but he didn’t.

“He tried everything, the only problem was defensive. Offensively, it was a good idea, but we have to work a bit more on that. He was good, I liked it.”

Shaqiri was replaced at the break by James Milner as Klopp reverted to a regular 4-3-3 formation.

And Southampton boss Mark Hughes, who managed Shaqiri at Stoke, believes the player will be a huge success at Liverpool.

“He created the third goal with the free-kick and I had the benefit of his ability from free-kicks for a long time,” said Hughes. “Unfortunately this time I was on the receiving end.

“I'm pleased for Shaq, he has a fantastic move, he has always seen himself as a player at a top-six club.

“I was able to convince him to come to Stoke and we had some great times together. I'm sure he will be a great success here. He is part of a great squad and is a good guy too.”
NI KI is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-09-2018, 09:01 PM   #125
NI KI
Arofanatic
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 168
Default

Liverpool setting new standards under Jurgen Klopp - and peak Salah isn't even here yet

Liverpool setting new standards

Liverpool keep on rewriting the record books this season. In more than just the obvious ways, too.

This straightforward stroll against a game but limited Southampton ensured a seventh successive victory, the Reds' best-ever start to a season.

Of course, if you don't regard the Charity Shield as a competitive match, then the class of 1990-91 remains the benchmark with 10 straight wins.

Such quibbles, though, cannot detract from the fact this Liverpool side continues to negotiate the hurdles placed in front of them.

This latest victory was more a question of attitude than anything else, Jurgen Klopp determined this wouldn't be the “forgotten” assignment in their run of seven games in 23 days.

Admittedly, Liverpool did not hit the heights here. Far from it. And nor was the atmosphere anything like the Champions League occasion the manager had ambitiously requested.

Yet by half-time the Reds were three ahead with the game effectively won. The second half was about as close to a procession as is possible. Anfield was able to relax.

That's a scary proposition for Liverpool's Premier League title rivals. It's one thing to win a game when not playing well, but it's quite another to thump opponents when not even getting out of first gear.

Southampton, despite a back five and only Shane Long up front, took the game to Klopp's side at times but the natural class of the home side was at times glaringly evident.

Liverpool are back on top of the table. And it's becoming increasingly apparent it will take a very good team to finish above them come May.



Anfield learning to love Shaq

For a player whose signing was greeted with something of a shrug from Liverpool supporters, Xherdan Shaqiri is fast becoming a crowd favourite.

Having impressed in a number of cameos from the bench this season, the Switzerland international was given his first start here.

And as with most of Jurgen Klopp's calls in recent weeks, it paid off.

Shaqiri was positioned in a central attacking midfield role as Klopp, in his 600 game as a manager, shuffled not only personnel but formation, with Mohamed Salah up top behind an attacking three.

And the Swiss brought extra creativity that helped unlock an admittedly flimsy Southampton rearguard action for whom numbers at the back were undone by a lack of organisation.

Shaqiri forced the first goal with a run into the area and shot that deflected off Shane Long and Wesley Hoedt before trickling home, and it was his excellent free-kick that struck the crossbar and allowed Salah to tap in Liverpool's third.

Liverpool have now scored 23 unanswered league goals at Anfield, their longest such sequence since they matched that tally between March and August 1986.

Shaqiri was substituted at half-time as Klopp looked to see out the match by reverting to a 4-3-3 formation.

Those 45 minutes, though, were enough to underline what he will bring this term.
NI KI is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-09-2018, 09:12 PM   #126
NI KI
Arofanatic
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 168
Default

Salah rediscovers scoring touch

The bemused smile on the face of Mohamed Salah said it all.

The Egyptian had just seen an impudent, improvised backheel roll agonisingly across the face of goal and wide of the far post.

Salah had already been denied by a brilliant challenge from Cedric Soares as he readied to convert a one-two with Roberto Firmino, having also earlier been stopped converting a free header by the lanky six foot six frame of Southampton centre-back Jannik Vestergaard.

Just like against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night, it was in danger of being another one of those games for the Liverpool man, his form yet to reach the heights of last season.



Jurgen Klopp, though, hasn't been worried. He knows if Salah keeps getting into the right positions, the goals will come.

The Reds boss didn't have to wait long, Salah following in to tap home the loose ball after Xherdan Shaqiri's free-kick had struck the underside of the crossbar on the stroke of half-time.

That's 30 in 31 Anfield appearances for the forward, and 47 in 59 overall for Liverpool. Astonishing.

Having started up top, Salah was back on the right for the second half.

And a familiar free-running performance down the flank underlined that if there had been any cloud hanging over him then it wasn't showing, only a debatable offside flag chalking off a second goal late on.

Peak Salah isn't quite there yet. But even below his best, he again demonstrated why he's one of the first names on Klopp's teamsheet.

Van stalls but Matip matters again

Even in a team dripping talent, there's always one player whose absence is felt more keenly than any others.

For Barcelona, it's Lionel Messi. At Chelsea, Eden Hazard is the man. And the travails of Tottenham Hotspur underline how important a fully fit and firing Harry Kane is to their cause.

Last season, many would have said Mohamed Salah was Liverpool's most important figure.

But since his arrival in January, Virgil van Dijk has delivered a compelling case he is the player Liverpool can least do without.



So there was a collective intake of breath around Anfield when the Dutchman, already showing signs of discomfort in the previous few minutes, gingerly dropped to the turf. His race was run.

Van Dijk was unlikely to feature in Wednesday's Carabao Cup tie against Chelsea, but will now surely be wrapped in cotton wool ahead of next weekend's Premier League trip to Stamford Bridge.

Timely, then, that Jurgen Klopp had already rotated his centre-back resources with Joel Matip making his first start since March alongside Van Dijk.

He did well, too, a solid enough defensive performance capped with a thumping header for Liverpool's second.

The Reds, though, will be grateful Van Dijk's injury seems nothing serious. Those important games keep on coming.
NI KI is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-09-2018, 09:17 PM   #127
NI KI
Arofanatic
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 168
Default

Jurgen Klopp takes a leaf from Bill Shankly's Liverpool book as well-oiled Reds roll on

All the focus was on the changes Jurgen Klopp made after his Rolls Royce Reds cruised to their sixth Premier League win on the spin - after all, the men he brought in, Xherdan Shaqiri and Joel Matip, played major roles in this latest success.

But it’s the eight players he retained in the starting line-up who proved more significant.

Liverpool are running like a well-oiled machine this season.

The players know each other’s games inside out.

And the same players are producing the same results.

That shouldn’t have come as any surprise.

Bill Shankly famously used just 14 players in Liverpool’s title-winning 1965/66 campaign.

If it ain't broke don’t fix it was his maxim that season, and Liverpool didn’t need to fix anything.

It’s a saying which has proved just as apt throughout more recent Reds history.



The last time Liverpool enjoyed a start as impressive as this one, in 1990 when they won their first eight league games, they used just 15 players in those opening eight matches.

It was when Kenny Dalglish started to mix and match, with the introduction of new names Jimmy Carter and David Speedie, that it started to unravel.

Liverpool ultimately came second.

In 1978/79 Liverpool won their opening six league games of the season.



Bob Paisley changed nothing - Liverpool ended the season using just 16 players - and they romped to the most dominant title triumph they have ever enjoyed.

Klopp has also said same again several times this season.

Fabinho’s last-minute introduction against PSG on Tuesday was only the 17th player Klopp has used this campaign.

That may all change on Wednesday in the Carabao Cup, when Chelsea visit Merseyside.

But for now, familiarity is breeding contentment at Anfield.
NI KI is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-09-2018, 09:40 PM   #128
NI KI
Arofanatic
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 168
Default

NI KI is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 23-09-2018, 11:56 PM   #129
NI KI
Arofanatic
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 168
Default

WWWWWW

Liverpool are the only team left in the Premier League with a perfect record


NI KI is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-09-2018, 12:36 PM   #130
elimmel
Senior Dragon
 
elimmel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 4,576
Default

The next few games will truly test our title credentials.
Chelsea and Man City, exciting times ahead
elimmel is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +9. The time now is 09:12 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright © 2000-2008 Arofanatics.com (Since 30th August 2000)