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Plymouth Away FA Cup match thread

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Easily pleased now, impossible to please during Premier League games. Pip pip. As for financial help, is it a football game or some kind of charitable enterprise?
 
Macca, you're being inconsistent. First you (rightly, I think) decry lack of competitive spirit in the U23 games, but now that the kids got a run out in an elimination game for the first team you are saying it's all been a waste of time. Personally I think it's great for the kids to get experience playing in this kind of game and if it was boring to watch, that's OK.

It might not be obvious from the performance, but I'm sure it meant the world for the likes of Woodburn and Ejaria to play for LFC first-team, for Harry Wilson to make his debut and for Ojo to prove a point to Klopp.
 
I don't really have much to add in terms on post match analysis, but Origi's penalty was one of the worst penalties I've ever seen, fucking awful.

Was thinking the same, I actually can't remember a tamer penalty taken, ever.
 
Macca, you're being inconsistent. First you (rightly, I think) decry lack of competitive spirit in the U23 games, but now that the kids got a run out in an elimination game for the first team you are saying it's all been a waste. Personally I think it's great for the kids to get experience playing in this kind of game and if it was boring to watch, so be it.

Not inconsistent at all. As I've said many times, the reserve league needs improving, the reserve side doesn't need to play instead of the first team. If several of them - the one's who've really earned it - play alongside a strong experienced set up, that's great, but that rarely happens because we need to rest too many of them. Yesterday's line up was a bit better, but how, say, is playing Woodburn out of position some great thing? Better to make a cup competition an under 23 tournament for the top league teams so they can play against senior players from lower leagues, but don't give me this PR puff. If it makes YOU happy, great, but don't ask me to feel the same. It's getting like a Scientologist convention on here.
 
180 minutes of largely stultifying football, there wasn't an awful lot to reflect on, or indeed be positive about. Other than progress to the next round, and an opportunity to see some of the younger players and reserves. Even though little new was learnt there.

Plymouth had impressive support, home and away, and created an endearingly gauche atmosphere, and their players, despite the huge chasm between the two clubs in every single respect, did not let themselves down, even creating a couple of chances in the home tie. So they deserved their moment in the spotlight, even as Liverpool deserved to win.

Karius (6) Clean sheet, but some horrible flappy moments. There are times when he jumps to reach a high ball, and it looks like we've dressed a mannequin in a Liverpool top and fired him out of a cannon, such is the awkward, stiff and odd trajectories he takes. Made one decent save, but wasn't overly busy until they hit a post with a splendid volley that left him rooted. Used the ball quickly and well with his feet and hands.

TT Arnold (7) Once again, by far the most accomplished and impressive youngster on show. He was occasionally a bit wild with the final ball, but he made some superb attacks and one or two vital interceptions

Lucas (7) Extra point for the great headed goal. Wasn't too troubled, apart from being left for dead on one occasion, but is so vulnerable to anyone running at him with any modicum of pace.

Gomez (6) Not afraid of a physical tussle, and used the ball confidently. Doesn't quite know where to be to get crosses out of the box and needs to work on positioning

Moreno (6) He was ragged in the first half, and Plymouth really went at him down the right, but he gave as good as he got, and was a great outlet in attack, won the penalty too, with brave, positive attacking

Stewart (5) He was mobile enough, and got some nice challenges in, but he can't pass. Limited footballer.

Ejaria (6) Not imposing, and sometimes looked for the easy ball too often, but I can't recall him giving it away, so he was quietly impressive, if not exactly eye-catching or doing much to change the game.

Coutinho (7) Working himself back into match fitness, his almost febrile football brain was ticking over, with some clever, quick passing and switching play left and right. Good to see him back.

Woodburn (6) Dreadful first half, in which he couldn't get into the game at all, waiting for things to happne, rather than making things happen. Klopp did him a favour by moving him more central in the second 45 minutes, at least giving him more chances of possession, which he used pretty well.

Sturridge (5) Did a decent amount of work, making some runs left and right, but simply never got the ball often enough, with only Coutinho looking capable of passing it more than 15 yards with any accuracy in the final third. Shooting awry also.

Origi (4) Played in three or four positions during the match, and with his physicality and willing running is an obvious Klopp favourite, the biggest issue is that he's just not very good. What the fuck he was doing taking a penalty God only knows, but it was the most predictable miss ever. Another of those players that some fans pretend is far better than reality and facts suggest.
 
Heh, easy to forget that Origi is just a kid aswell, and is still a work in progress.
Klopp rates him so he'll, sadly for some, be around for quite a while.

The penalty miss was predictable though. A player in a poor run of form and low on confidence taking a penalty, it usually ends with a miss.
 
If you watched the kids every week, as I do, you already know how they're coming along, and all you're watching in these games is them looking far worse than usual.

Of course, if we end up winning a trophy then it all has been worthwhile, but if we fall short, yet again, then that's just been a waste of time. Same goes for the league cup. We must have bored neutral fans to tears sometimes in Europe when Houllier and Rafa was in charge. We were right to not give a toss, and everyone else was right to call it shit on a stick.

But in general this FA Cup is looking like a dead horse that's been flogged (to sponsors) one too many times. Maybe they should give all lower division sides the home tie, or revamp the whole thing, but it's a really dull spectacle these days and more noticeable as a source of fixture congestion than of excitement on the pitch. I gather the FA is now banning replays from the quarter final stage onwards - what ridiculously arbitrary tinkering that is. What they need to do is stop thinking that 'the magic of the cup' can somehow be miraculously recovered merely by the straining of TV hype and actually get to grips with improving the tournament. Personally I'd happily scrap it.

Sorry mate - I do rarely watch youth games (which is why I always ask you about how youngsters are coming along and not my eyes!). However, as I don't, I really enjoy the opportunity (bar highlights) to watch the kids for 90 minutes and see what I like/don't.

Agree about your FA Cup analysis ... not sure I'd scrap it but a few changes could do it the world of good.
 
Not inconsistent at all. As I've said many times, the reserve league needs improving, the reserve side doesn't need to play instead of the first team. If several of them play alongside a strong experienced set up, that's great, but that rarely happens because we need to rest too many of them. Yesterday's line up was a bit better, but how, say, is playing Woodburn out of position some great thing? Better to make a cup competition an under 23 tournament for the top league teams so they can play against senior players from lower leagues, but don't give me this PR puff. If it makes YOU happy, great, but don'y ask me to feel the same.

No, you can feel as grumpy as you want – that's up to you. I'm just pointing out that the kids did play against senior players from a lower league yesterday and played alongside a few senior pros as well. Maybe the balance between senior and youth players wasn't perfect (I pointed out earlier that they seemed to give the ball to Coutinho and wait for him to do something for most of the game and only relaxed and started playing their game in the last 20 minutes), but it was the right balance for us to progress in the cup while making the game competitive.
 
Sorry mate - I do rarely watch youth games (which is why I always ask you about how youngsters are coming along and not my eyes!). However, as I don't, I really enjoy the opportunity (bar highlights) to watch the kids for 90 minutes and see what I like/don't.

.

Great. I think some headwums assume I've posted in a bid to achieve or demand a consensus rather than - blimey, on a forum, who'd've thought it - merely expressed a personal view. It's great if some love it. I don't. Leave it alone.
 
Heh, easy to forget that Origi is just a kid aswell, and is still a work in progress.
Klopp rates him so he'll, sadly for some, be around for quite a while.

The penalty miss was predictable though. A player in a poor run of form and low on confidence taking a penalty, it usually ends with a miss.

He missed almost all his pennos in France too.

It's almost as if he isn't actually a very good or confident finisher.
 
He missed almost all his pennos in France too.

It's almost as if he isn't actually a very good or confident finisher.

He's missed 4 penalties and scored 4. 50% record, which isnt all most all through his very short career. 3 of those misses were in that awful 14/15 season were he was booed by his own fans while loaned back to Lille and had no confidence whatsoever.

That said, does not being good at taking penalties automatically mean you're not a very good finisher?

Several top strikers that arent very good at taking penalties.
One of our own, natural gifted finishers as you said once, is a good example of that.

All I'm saying is that Origi is a young kid and will make some mistakes along the way.
 
Oh you hopeless dreamer!

A win, a clean sheet, into the next round.

Not overly great, but we were the better team

Yeah - merely jesting - good workout for the kids - bit of match practice to get/keep some players match fit.

A win is a win.
 
I am not suprised that the game went as it went. You often see that experienced players are capable of handling Young raw talent even if it is an obvious gap in talent between them.

I also see it as Klopp never have had the time to prepare his team properly for this game (or the last one). He is obviously to busy preparing the first team for League and Semi Final, and thats a good priority. Hence this game becomes a little bit of accomodating some players to positions they are used too, and build the team around that. You could clearly see that Gomez and AA was comfortable, as they normally fill those positions, while others just tried to do the best of where they was positioned without the team having a throughout plan neither for pressing nor for building attacks. It was a little bit like give it to Phil and he will try to unleash Origi or Sturridge. Some Points for me:

Stewart was sloppy. Gave the ball away, gave free kicks away and didn't look Sharp or focused. Strange as I thought it was an important scene for him.
Ejara again tried to make Things easy, didn't give it away but hardly played With any risk either.
Woodburn looked like a winger sometimes and a midfielder other times. DIdn't make himself visible until late in the game, whne he got some of his normal "friends" out there. I buy into that Studge and Origi as established first teamers never tried to play him good.
Studge and Origi both looked uncomfortable of being there. They have different issues related to form and injuries, but none of them lifted the teamspirit yesterday. They should have led the line, and instead they looked irritated that they were picked With the youngsters. Origi has probably lost a bit of momentum after being dropped after scoring 4-5 games in a row. Studge has been in and out of injuries and obviously doesn't get all what Klopp is all about. Tried hard to Close Down yesterday, but yesterday was a game when the rest of the team wasn't prepared for a pressure game.
Moreno was at his worst in first half yesterday. Pretty alone he managed to cross it in the ass of a poor fullback a few times. Imporved in second half, but is frustrating poor form in addition to other issues he has. At the moment i am scared to use him in PL. Maybe Gomez can fill in there?
 
Moreno was at his worst in first half yesterday. Pretty alone he managed to cross it in the ass of a poor fullback a few times. Imporved in second half, but is frustrating poor form in addition to other issues he has. At the moment i am scared to use him in PL. Maybe Gomez can fill in there?

We've just sold the reserves LB, Joe Maguire, so there's even less competition for Moreno, who seems to be aiming to emulate Enrique as the squad's permanently grinning layabout.
 
We've just sold the reserves LB, Joe Maguire, so there's even less competition for Moreno, who seems to be aiming to emulate Enrique as the squad's permanently grinning layabout.
We brought Hart back from Barnsley, I think, and we also have Juanma.
But Moreno is better than both of them.
 
I love Moreno's attacking attitude when he goes forward, but the problem with him is that he tends to neglect his defensive duties and isn't bright enough to read the game. I would prefer a left back who is a solid defender to one who has an attacking dimension to his game.
 
Great. I think some headwums assume I've posted in a bid to achieve or demand a consensus rather than - blimey, on a forum, who'd've thought it - merely expressed a personal view. It's great if some love it. I don't. Leave it alone.

I also merely expressed my personal view ... Hope all is well.
 
I thought Lucas was going to take the pen. Almost knew that Origi would miss.
 
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