Whether it's fortuitous penalties, Suarez staying fit despite constantly being hacked, or refereeing decisions (more often than not) going the club's way, luck has played its part in Liverpool's title March this season, and lady luck may now have bestowed upon the Reds her biggest gift yet.
Earlier this afternoon, Man City captain Vincent Kompany limped out of a training session after a mid-air collision with alleged LFC target Micah Richards.
Kompany looked to be in some distress after the incident, and although it'll be a shame for him personally if he's picked up an injury, it will be a massive boost for Liverpool if the Belgian is forced to miss tomorrow's crunch game.
Suarez and Sturridge are a threat to any defence, but Kompany is arguably one of the best defenders in Europe, and he handled Suarez with relative ease during City's 2-1 win in December.
Obviously, if Kompany misses out, a Liverpool win is by no means a foregone conclusion, but every little advantage helps, and SAS will undoubtedly fancy their chances of capitalising on City's misfortune.
Having said that, there's a part of me that hopes Kompany is fit for the game. I want LFC to beat City's strongest team, and a victory in those circumstances will (IMO) be much more satisfying.
Of course, this could be some nefarious scheme to lull Liverpool into a false sense of security; a staged incident designed to disrupt LFC's preparations ;-)
Author: Jaimie K
Earlier this afternoon, Man City captain Vincent Kompany limped out of a training session after a mid-air collision with alleged LFC target Micah Richards.
Kompany looked to be in some distress after the incident, and although it'll be a shame for him personally if he's picked up an injury, it will be a massive boost for Liverpool if the Belgian is forced to miss tomorrow's crunch game.
Suarez and Sturridge are a threat to any defence, but Kompany is arguably one of the best defenders in Europe, and he handled Suarez with relative ease during City's 2-1 win in December.
Obviously, if Kompany misses out, a Liverpool win is by no means a foregone conclusion, but every little advantage helps, and SAS will undoubtedly fancy their chances of capitalising on City's misfortune.
Having said that, there's a part of me that hopes Kompany is fit for the game. I want LFC to beat City's strongest team, and a victory in those circumstances will (IMO) be much more satisfying.
Of course, this could be some nefarious scheme to lull Liverpool into a false sense of security; a staged incident designed to disrupt LFC's preparations ;-)
Author: Jaimie K
He handled Suarez easily back in December? Not from what I recall. Suarez absolutely skinned him in the build up to Sterling's offside (10 yards onside in fact) call!
ReplyDeleteThe pictures look bad for Kompany, looks like knee ligament damage, so Demichelis and Lescott at CB.......................LOL.
ReplyDeleteOne incident in 90 minutes does not define a game. Suarez didn't score; had very few genuine goalscoring chances, and LFC lost the game.; I also said 'relative' ease.
ReplyDeleteSo Suarez has to have goalscoring chances to impact a game? He also set up this sitter (from a brilliant left-footed pass), which Sterling missed:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMOENemj9KQ
On any other day, Suarez has created 2 goals which two individual pieces of magic. Wasn't meant to be unfortunately.
Can City risk him even with strained ligaments???, I don't think so.
ReplyDeleteEven if he misses still think it will be hard. Toure and aguero are massive threats, they could win the game by their own. Im afraid more of toure free kicks. We must not touch their players near the box, because its 99% a goal of toure.
ReplyDeleteSuarez only needs one usually. Borini skinned him in the cup. No one is infallible. He is in my opinion the best CB in the league.
ReplyDeleteany reason to delete my next post? nothing bad was said
ReplyDeletewe have had so many decisions go against us Jamie, southamton at home, away to everton, man city and chelsea. We would be like 10 points clear now. also man city have had alot of help from refs this season along with chelsea
ReplyDeleteI believe the player will seriously consider his WC place before willingly putting his career at risk if he is not fit to play.
ReplyDeleteWell last week we could celebrate United not being able to finish above us. Now we can scratch Spurs. With their escape of a draw today, they are mathematically unable to catch us.
ReplyDeleteWhat does it matter. Liverpool can beat anyone, cos the crowds going to help......yeah.......lets wait and see.......over when its over....hype is just talk
ReplyDeleteAgree...one match, one half, one possession, one pass, one shot at a time.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, happens to me too.
ReplyDeleteThat's where you're wrong. Suarez created an unmissable chance for Sterling: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMOENemj9KQ
ReplyDeleteSo there were in fact, two incidents in the game which would've been goals on another day. Two incidents, from Suarez magic, that may well have defined the game. Wasn't meant to be..
Keep Silva and Toure quiet and the match is ours.
ReplyDeleteYour post wasn't deleted. If it contains links/videos etc, it will be held for moderation. This is to stop spam etc.
ReplyDeleteGoing to be one hell of a match!
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of defenders. Coates played for Nacional in the Libertadores yesterday, and Ilori is having a good game right now against Barca.
ReplyDeleteYeah just having a look at the Granada Barca game now. Ilori looks confident i himself. Kept pace with Neymar a couple of times and been reading the game well. Looks like he has been doing a bit in the gym too. Looks like he is filling out a bit.
ReplyDeleteGranada win and after a lot of pressure from Barca. Ilori making some very necessary clearances and keeping Neymar quiet.
ReplyDeleteJaimie may want to wait before deciding this lad is a waste of money. I have paid off a holiday a while ago, I'm not going until the end of the month. Did I waste that money because I haven't been on holiday yet? In fact I have had relaxing time without being in Italy. What has that money given to my relaxation up to now? Must have been a waste then. But perhaps I'll know for sure at the end of the month.
Definitely got some Skrtelian stats, 10 Clearances, 3 interceptions, 3 Blocked shots, and a clearance off the line to boot. Seems to have a good read on the game - and contributing to clean sheet against Barca, definetely an accomplishment
ReplyDeleteYet again, you don't seem to grasp the nuances of my argument. Why is this so hard? When I state the likes of Ilori/Aspas/Alberto as a 'waste of money', I'm talking principally about loss of utility. Take Ilori, for example:
ReplyDelete* Cost approx £7m
* Hasn't made a single appearance for LFC.
* Is out on loan, helping another team.
* LFC are getting zero return on that 7m investment.
Ilori is, therefore, a waste of money because LFC are not getting any benefit from that £7m outlay. It's a self-evident fact; it's not my opinion.
With LFC's centre-back situation, it's highly unlikely that Ilori will suddenly return to Anfield next season and be first choice. Sakho will still be at the club, as will Skrtel, and possibly even Agger. If the Dane leaves, Rodgers will sign yet another centre-back, and Ilori will be back in the same situation he was in prior to his move, i.e. unhealthy competition.
Yes, it's possible that he'll become a superstar for LFC, but the odds on that are slim.
At this moment, Ilori is - like Aspas, Alberto, Borini, Assaidi, Moses etc - a massive waste of money.
Clearly the nuance of my holiday analogy was lost on you.
ReplyDeleteYou say the odds are slim based on not seeing him play much. Yet we will "likely sign another CB" based on what? Paper talk?
Your holiday analogy isn't relevant.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's likely LFC will sign another CB because Rodgers himself has hinted at that several times in various press conferences. He's stated that LFC need to improve defensively; Agger may be on his way out etc. Paper talk has nothing to do with it.
Not everything in life is literal; experience, and reading between the lines is important, and on that basis, it's (IMO) blindingly obvious that LFC will sign another CB this summer.
Wasn't relevant. Spending money for something for the future is exactly the point you seem unwilling to get on board with.
ReplyDeleteHow recent were these press conferences? Should we read between the lines and see them as kicks up the current CBs bums? If you think your place in the team is at stake do you try harder? This is what some of us talked about when we argued against the "Rodgers is too matey" article. He uses different means to motivate his players. He shouldn't have been happy with his defence it was leaking too many goals. But recently this has lessened.
This argument can be continued when the summer window closes and all players are registered.
The problem with your argument is that you totally ignore LFC's transfer history over the last 25-30 years, and are hellbent on only thinking about the now.
ReplyDeleteWhen examining the club's transfer history, patterns and trends are easy to discern, and one of those is spending money on so-called 'future prospects', and history shows that very few of these prospects actually make it, especially if they go out on loan in their first couple of seasons at the club.
There is a reason that Raheem Sterling has not gone out on loan. He is good enough to force himself into the team *now*, and stay there. If Ilori was good enough, he'd be in the team now. Age is not the issue.
The same argument about coming good in the future was made about Coates, Shelvey, Barragan, Roque, Hobbs, Idrijaz, Palletta, El Zhar, Nemeth, Leto, Dalla Valle, Ayala, Cheyrou, Le Tallec, and many more, and none of them made it; and it was obvious from very early on that none the above would have long-term futures at Anfield.
The same applies to Ilori - he will not be at the club in the long term; neither will Suso; or Coates; or Yesil. I was right about all of the aforementioned players (as well as lots of other substantial signings), and I feel sure that I will be proven right about Ilori.
It's not about having special insight into players; it's simply about accepting the obvious clues, reading between the lines, and discerning the patterns and trends of the past that often inform the future.
Oh those players mentioned who was signed for a significant fee and sent on loan quickly? Some argue Coates could still have a future. I disagree. What could have happened or what money could we have gained if we had loaned Palletta out instead of selling him straight off. When did we have a transfer committee like we do now? Where players can be signed outside of the wants of the manager? History plays no part when the systems have changed.
ReplyDeleteRodgers opting for more experienced players ahead of a new Keeper is not surprising. Whatever patterns you think you see are pretty much sh!t on if Ilori shines at Granada. He has had few games but has done very well each time he has played. I made the points about Coutois and Lukaku. Why are they not better examples than the names you mentioned? For all intense and purposes (New manager, new owners, new scouting and recruitment team, etc) this is a club. How we now do things in this new market with FFP seemingly being taken serious by the league this is a new way of doing things.
All I see from what you say is you know best. We will have to see.
Win-Win situation for Liverpool. If Kompany doesn't play that's good for us. If he does, it goes to show Manchester City's doubtful mentality going into the game.
ReplyDeleteI seem to remember Everton trying to pull the same trick before their trip to Anfield....
One thing that I cannot abide in this world, is the prevention of free speech, especially under the guise of censorship, which you seem to perform very well; protecting your own position from criticism.
ReplyDeleteIf this is true it'll be a massive boost. Is there a better centre back in the world right now than kompany? Not many anyway. Can't remember the last time I was this excited about a game
ReplyDeleteLots to be excited about Llori though just played in a Granada side that kept Barca scoreless and got given Messis shirt.
ReplyDeleteTo me definitely not money wasted yet especially as the club are in a rebuilding phase.
He is only one player for heavens sake! Get a grip! They've got a Massive squad, ok?!
ReplyDeleteIf/when we win this game it won't be because 'his majesty' Kompany is injured! He's not god you know! It will be because we worked harder, played better and wanted it more than City. Ok!?
So Kompany or no Kompany, who gives a toss!!?
WE ARE LIVERPOOL!
YNWA!!
Maybe he would of cost us three times that much (£21 Mill) if we waited and wanted to buy him after 12 months when Illori fulfils his potential.
ReplyDeleteSo really we have SAVED £14 Million quid!
Thankyou!
YNWA
Regardless of December, Kompany is the best CB in the league imo. All that said, Suarez and Sturridge are the best strikers in the league. Forget combination, individually too. They have a strong team and that's why they're up there but we can beat anyone, including City. This is not the time to start worrying about other teams. We need to be out in full force today. Inside the stadium and in front of every telly on the flippin planet. The lads need to know that we believe in them and we know they will win it for us.
ReplyDeleteLady Luck has shone down on Liverpool but nothings gone against us ? You make it sound like no other team gets any luck and it goes all our way. Man city get no luck ? Or you've just failed to mention that bit ? I seem to remember drawing 2-2 at the etihad but sterling scored a winner but even though he was at least a metre on side he was flagged for offside so I'd say that was a bit of luck for man city holding into the draw there dont you ? And I'm pretty sure during the last week or 2 man city scored a goal when the player was offside .
ReplyDelete