no thread on this lad If he is any kind of player, he should play next week. 5 goals conceded in 2 games is a joke.
Harsh on Klavan.I'm making these comments under the assumption none of us watched him much in Germany.He's been very solid preseason,played well last week and a poor game on a day when we left him badly exposed and almost everybody was shit sees a clamour for him to be replaced by a guy who I'm also assuming none of us have seen much of?I have a feeling that we've still a few dodgy days to come as a defensive unit.We dumped Moreno for last week,want to dump Klavan for this week,that's 2 changes before the 3rd league game.Let's say Matip has a poor game in that one,I'm assuming people will question his place in the side,which considering we're calling for Klavan to be dropped on the back of one bad game is a fair assumption.I can't help feeling that we need continuity to become a more solid unit and we'll have to put up with some bad individual performances in the mean time,it's unlikely we'll chop and change and eventually stumble into defensive solidity.If Matip is in Klopps mind,the man he sees as the best fit to partner Lovren,then fair enough.Put him in and give him the time he needs to settle but personally I'd rather see Klavan given the opportunity to make up for last week,his displays against Barca and Arsenal means he deserve that chance for me.
Hi Babbs, IMHO, whether Klavin deserves another chance or not is one thing, but whether he should play in the next game or not is something entirely different imho... We've a problem, we've let in 5 goals in the past two games and Klavin was one part of the defensive unit responsible. Ideally, I'd change more than just him, but you know the score on the LB position in terms of our options so to be honest, I'm tempted to give Milner a second game there before reverting to Moreno (or possibly even then trying Balotelli, the way things are looking for the LB role). I also want to see Can back in the starting eleven next game.. I'm struggling massively with Hendo as you probably know, but putting that aside for a moment I think Can in midfield can help support the back four on occassion. If need be, lets play Hendo and Can, drop Wjndlum next game also and see if we can get a clean sheet and thereafter, maybe even two.... Matip was brought in long before Klavin so there's a reason for that and personally, I'm hoping its because he's better.
Our defensive problems are systemic and changing Klavan for Matip isn't going to solve those problems.The whole unit becoming more cohesive is what's going to change it.Continuity where possible is the sensible way to go when trying to find cohesiveness and I'd want to be pretty sure Matip is a better player before I'd advocate dropping Klavan for him because there's a good chance you take a step back when integrating a new player.Can on the other hand I'd put straight back in because I'm sure he's better than Henderson in that role and I'm sure Henderson is better than Wijnaldum in his role.I want Klopp to put our best players in their best positions (that includes playing Sturridge as a striker not where he played him yesterday)and if Matip is one of our best players,fine but most people shouting for that change have no idea if he is or not.
Hey, I've no idea for fact if Matip is better than Klavin or not for fact, but what I do know is we went after Matip long before Klavin and that tells me he was further up the list of options, if nothing else. My hunch is that Matip is the better player. Our current defensive arrangments ain't working so I'm all for change in an attempt to find a better combination - rather than put the same lads out again and just hope they make a better show of it next time around. You mention that our problems are systemic, so do you think we would be better with a different defensive set up (3 at the back for example) ? Personally I think if we are sticking with current arrangements then it's as much about getting the right players playing together, as getting the actual system we play to perfected - some will naturally be better than others and I'm ready to try alternatives to Klavin as a starting point.
Wasn't listening to Today FM, however Brian Kerr was slating Klavan on Saturday. Said when he was in charge of Faroes, they scored three goals against Estonia and Klavan was very poor. See it is in Indo as well http://www.independent.ie/sport/soc...l-defender-after-dismal-display-34981512.html
The head of the EstonianFA has already responded saying that Kerr was completely wrong! They only conceded 2 goals to the Faroes and Klaven didn't play at all in the match!
Not mentioned in the Indo article either. They are a tabloid though so I don't expect them to do any actual journalism like fact check and stuff. Thing is they would have had a better story if they did.
Faroe Islands v Estonia, 07 June 2011 Score 2-0 to Faroe Islands Referee Antti Munukka Competition UEFA European Championship Group C Venue Svangaskard Stadium, Toftir Attendance 1,715 View Faroe Islands v Estonia head to head 2 Faroe Islands Manager: Brian Kerr 0 Estonia Manager: Tarmo Ruutli Goals: Frodi Benjaminsen penalty 43 Arnbjorn Hansen 47 Goals: Starting lineup: Goalkeeper Jakup Mikkelsen Defender Atli Danielsen Defender Hjalgrim Elttor Defender Atli Gregersen Defender Einar Hansen Defender Pol Johannus Justinussen Defender Jonas Thor Naes Midfielder Rogvi Baldvinsson Midfielder Frodi Benjaminsen (captain) Midfielder/Forward Arnbjorn Hansen Forward Christian Lamhauge Holst Starting lineup: Goalkeeper Sergei Pareiko Defender Enar Jaager Defender Dmitri Kruglov Defender Raio Piiroja (captain) Midfielder Sander Puri Midfielder Taavi Rahn Midfielder Konstantin Vassiljev Forward Jarmo Ahjupera Forward Tarmo Kink Forward Kaimar Saag Forward Sergei Zenjov Substitutions: Simun Samuelsen for Arnbjorn Hansen 69 Christian Mouritsen for Christian Lamhauge Holst 85 Suni Olsen for Hjalgrim Elttor 90 Substitutions: Gert Kams for Jarmo Ahjupera 66 Sergei Mosnikov for Kaimar Saag 82 Cards: Pol Johannus Justinussen 75 Y Pol Johannus Justinussen 89 Y Pol Johannus Justinussen 89 R Cards: Sander Puri 42 Y Sergei Zenjov 46 Y Sander Puri 57 Y Sander Puri 57 R Sergei Pareiko 75 Y On the bench: Goalkeeper Rene Torgard Midfielder Bogi Lokin Midfielder Suni Olsen Midfielder Simun Samuelsen Forward Christian Mouritsen On the bench: Goalkeeper Artur Kotenko Defender Andrei Stepanov Midfielder Gert Kams Midfielder Sergei Mosnikov Midfielder Taijo Teniste Forward Andrei Sidorenkov
I know the oppostition was'nt great last nite but i was impressed by Joel last nite, for such a tall man he played with the style & composure of a much slighter man. He's ball playing espicelly out of defence was calm with rarely picking the wrong pass. Compare he's style to Sakho who is a similar height he looks alot easier on the nerves.
I seen a couple of things that would concern me. For a man of his stature he gets knock about very easily. He approaches challenges almost in a timid way. Hopefully it was just nerves but between last night and the few preseason games I seen I have seen enough to be worried.
When did Matip actually join the club - 1st July ? I appreciate that there was a deal done sometime before that, but I'm just thinking about how long he's actually been at the club... he doesn't seem to have been on the radar much, for a fella thats been with us a while (longer than most of our other summer signings, infact).
He got injured in a pre season game i think it was a back problem so had to be minded a bit coming back to game time. One thing i would say about him he badly needs a bit of muscle looks a bit miserable for the PL.