The Footie Thread

[Arthur Wedge]

Those few seconds when he was running with it for us, and we had prime Raul waiting in the middle, you could honestly feel the anticipation in the ground.

Just hope they don't do it again tonight.

He was so exciting to watch but sadly your last sentence summed it up. If only he could have sorted that out, what a player he could have been.

(I know he is now playing at Fulham but I never see them play so I have no idea how he is now. I'm guessing not much different)

Forgot they both are at Fulham now

Raul I always liked , was a very hard working striker who still chipped in with goals and prob never got the plaudits he deserved

Did find it strange that Wolves sold him to Fulham

 

[Bazz]

Forgot they both are at Fulham now

Raul I always liked , was a very hard working striker who still chipped in with goals and prob never got the plaudits he deserved

Did find it strange that Wolves sold him to Fulham

At one time he should've been considered as one of the best in Europe, the first two seasons we finished 7th. David Luiz ruined his career and he stalled at ours so we let his contract run down. Happy he's doing well again.

 

[Bazz]

When he was at Wolves, there was a time I wouldn't have minded him at Utd. Not necessarily as a starting 11 player. But, I thought he wouldn't have been crazy expensive, he wouldn't demand to be a top earner, and he could be lethal at certain moments in a game.

I also think at the time we had Dan James, so Traore seemed like a significant upgrade on that

You could've got him for nothing too, left on a free.

We're that badly run at the top we let him go to Barcelona on loan for 6 months, with no obligation to buy when he had 12 months left on his deal. Suited him and Barca and we got bugger all benefit from it.

 

[Swango1980]

You could've got him for nothing too, left on a free.

We're that badly run at the top we let him go to Barcelona on loan for 6 months, with no obligation to buy when he had 12 months left on his deal. Suited him and Barca and we got bugger all benefit from it.

It was around the time that we went for someone like Sancho instead, for pretty big money.

I know Sancho came with lots of hype, and people still rate him. However, I never saw him as a great player before Utd, was far from convinced when he was at Utd, and don't see it now while he is at Chelsea. We also had Greenwood at the time who had played on the right, albeit there was probably a desire to start playing him up front. I still believe someone like Traore would have been a much more dangerous weapon for Utd, and save them money to spend on much more critical positions around the pitch.

Not saying Traore would have been a great signing, but simply one that could be worth the risk and an interesting option in the squad. He definitely would get fans on the edge of their seat. Sancho got fans falling off their seat, as they drifted off into a deep sleep.

 

[Deleted member 21784]

To be fair, a decent one for you, even if just for the profit you will likely make from him this summer. He seems to have dropped off a bit recently, do you think he is thinking of a move away already or is it a change in style for the team that doesn't suit him?

A real combination of things LT, second season is always harder.. teams double up on players..know how to play against them more so that's one

Then j-lo made our football very very slow and meant we had a lot of the ball in midfield but slowed it all down. He played deeper to get on the ball with little outlet up tol

Then paquatas form has struggled since his allegations, so less link up with him

On top of that a 5 match ban

Someone pre arsenal posted on another forum he has 3 goals and 1 assist this season however he had hit the post 6 times and blasted one over from very close range. That's fine margins. If only 4 of those 7 chances hit the net suddenly 7 goals in that amount of games doesn't look so bad.

The entire team definitely struggled under j-lo, I was bit unsure if a change was needed so soon because things take time but so many rumours of the players not being unable to understand his methods and falling out with him for the way he treated him (Moyes was very much firm but fair but apparently j-lo would shame each player in front the whole squad and didn't go down well, fell out with kudus aswell for a few games) so the decision has been made to bring in potter which I've seen some real positives so far. Potter comes in just as Bowen is out with a broken foot. Then he loses fulkerg and Summerville long term.. real bear bones. One fit CB etc but we beat Fulham, point at villa. Should have been a point with chelsea. Then beat arsenal .. the players are returning slowly now and it's just a long pre season for him to assess the squad . Under j-lo it looked like oh we need another 150 mil but under potter it's like well we really just need 2 a midfielder and a striker (that includes if Ferguson stays) he's turned to youth a lot (to be fair j-lo did with scarles aswell) but he's tried a couple of the youth players already and has a history of that

Calling JWP was brilliant, thanks forest for letting him come back, but he is exactly a potter midfielder who blends with what he needs to achieve. Plus he is a real leader

 

[Aztecs27]

A real combination of things LT, second season is always harder.. teams double up on players..know how to play against them more so that's one

Then j-lo made our football very very slow and meant we had a lot of the ball in midfield but slowed it all down. He played deeper to get on the ball with little outlet up tol

Then paquatas form has struggled since his allegations, so less link up with him

On top of that a 5 match ban

Someone pre arsenal posted on another forum he has 3 goals and 1 assist this season however he had hit the post 6 times and blasted one over from very close range. That's fine margins. If only 4 of those 7 chances hit the net suddenly 7 goals in that amount of games doesn't look so bad.

The entire team definitely struggled under j-lo, I was bit unsure if a change was needed so soon because things take time but so many rumours of the players not being unable to understand his methods and falling out with him for the way he treated him (Moyes was very much firm but fair but apparently j-lo would shame each player in front the whole squad and didn't go down well, fell out with kudus aswell for a few games) so the decision has been made to bring in potter which I've seen some real positives so far. Potter comes in just as Bowen is out with a broken foot. Then he loses fulkerg and Summerville long term.. real bear bones. One fit CB etc but we beat Fulham, point at villa. Should have been a point with chelsea. Then beat arsenal .. the players are returning slowly now and it's just a long pre season for him to assess the squad . Under j-lo it looked like oh we need another 150 mil but under potter it's like well we really just need 2 a midfielder and a striker (that includes if Ferguson stays) he's turned to youth a lot (to be fair j-lo did with scarles aswell) but he's tried a couple of the youth players already and has a history of that

Calling JWP was brilliant, thanks forest for letting him come back, but he is exactly a potter midfielder who blends with what he needs to achieve. Plus he is a real leader

He was superb at Anfield in our win against 'pewl earlier in the season and sacrificed himself getting sent off against Chelsea. Was sad to see him go as he's a proper pro. But we've got so many midfielders now that he wouldn't have got a lot of minutes, so it was nice to see the club do the right thing.

 

[clubchamp98]

I'd say the central defenders probably did their job in stopping his crosses, or tackling him after Doku decided to take on other players after TAA?

It may be unfair on the other Liverpool players for crediting TAA for their good work

That’s exactly the way it is supposed to work.
The CB covers for him when he gets caught out of position and trying to get back.

 

[Swango1980]

That’s exactly the way it is supposed to work.
The CB covers for him when he gets caught out of position and trying to get back.

Yeah, that is exactly how it is supposed to work for the centre backs. I wasn't being critical of them.

It isn't how it is meant to work for the right-back. I'm not sure any right back is instructed to allow the opponents to dribble past them at will, so that the centre backs can play the hero?

 

[clubchamp98]

Don’t rate him as a defender but his right foot is a gift from god.

The best right back you could sign is AWB. He’d fit your system perfectly. He’s the best tackler in the prem and he isn’t as bad going forward as people say/

Agree he’s a great FB.
I also like Spence on the left.

 

[Orikoru]

In fairness, Doku does have the most dribbles per 90 mins of anyone in the league, with 3.6 (next highest is 3). So I'm sure he's skinned better defenders than Trent.

 

[clubchamp98]

Yeah, that is exactly how it is supposed to work for the centre backs. I wasn't being critical of them.

It isn't how it is meant to work for the right-back. I'm not sure any right back is instructed to allow the opponents to dribble past them at will, so that the centre backs can play the hero?

He dosnt play like a FB though.
We’ve had this debate countless times.
He’s allowed to push on and any defensive frailties are taken care of by the CBs.

Good enough for Klopp and Slot and we’re not doing to bad playing like that

 

[Swango1980]

He dosnt play like a FB though.
We’ve had this debate countless times.
He’s allowed to push on and any defensive frailties are taken care of by the CBs.

Good enough for Klopp and Slot and we’re not doing to bad playing like that

Which is fine. I keep saying, he has excellent qualities that can be used by a good side.

His defensive capabilities are a huge weakness though, that is all that was said. If he was a very good defender, I'm pretty sure he'd have close to 100 England caps by now

 

[clubchamp98]

Which is fine. I keep saying, he has excellent qualities that can be used by a good side.

His defensive capabilities are a huge weakness though, that is all that was said. If he was a very good defender, I'm pretty sure he'd have close to 100 England caps by now

One or two wingers have had good games against him.
But the teams set up to accommodate this.
His forward play outweighs his defensive frailties.

It might be a weakness but not many teams have capitalised on it unless they have a speed merchant who can’t cross his own legs!

His biggest weakness imo is in the air at the far post!

 

[Bunkermagnet]

One or two wingers have had good games against him.
But the teams set up to accommodate this.
His forward play outweighs his defensive frailties.

It might be a weakness but not many teams have capitalised on it unless they have a speed merchant who can’t cross his own legs!

His biggest weakness imo is in the air at the far post!

I think the team play so much more as a team under Slot, not that Klopp's didnt but they do seem really connected this season. I am happy with Trent, his defending has improved under Slot (not that it was hard to I agree) but his ball movement going forward has as well.
If he goes, then good luck to him. Bradley is goign to be awesome and dont forget he is still very young.

 

[Tashyboy]

What was his end product though? How many chances did he create?

My thoughts at the time
Were it wasn’t down to him. We just didn’t get players in the box. It was pitiful to see. 7/8 Liverpool defenders and two city players in the box.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1894453529646899631

 

[Tashyboy]

 

[Tashyboy]

 

[Tashyboy]

I think everyones far too dramatic when it comes to Trent, he's a better player than 99% of other RB's in the world. Done it on the biggest stages in the biggest moments.

City player dribbles past him 11 times, fails to produce anything of use and you think all of that is down to the CB's and nothing to do with TAA.

Did you watch the game?

Drama has nothing to do with it. TAA he was shocking. , what was equally shocking is that once Doku was past him not once did any of the supporting City players give Doku an option. That’s not rose tinted glasses re City being toothless in attack. Once Doku was past TAA time and time again he ran into a red wall of Liverpool players. That’s not rose was good defending. TAA defending was not good.

 

[4LEX]

I think whenever TAA has a bad game it gets whipped upto silly levels. I thought he was poor against Man Utd but that was more to do with him being caught cold and not expecting Dalot to be the main outlet. Against City he was beaten in one on ones many times but that was more down to his lack of pace.

He's a top class right back and has been for years. Obviously he's not perfect but you don't play at that level for years and get chased by Real unless you're something special.

If he had played his career as a wing back he would be appreciated more.