[Mikus LFC]

Sean, when you’re going for the title every small detail and fault will come under the microscope because it is in the finer margins that teams win leagues and unfortunately for us, as well as we have done, we haven’t capitalised in the moments we needed to. Now yes we’re still top, but without that authority on the pitch we are struggling to pull away. This is more of an observation than a criticism.

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[Mikus LFC]

Sean, a few thoughts. Yes we were good last night. But then it begs the question, why were we poor at Old Trafford, particularly up top? Ok, they were very different games in terms of opposition and location (home/away), and you could understand us being a bit more cautious at Old Trafford, particularly in the early part of the game. But when Man Utd made all their changes, there was a big opportunity there we couldn’t take. We seemed to remain in our somewhat cautious state and nobody on the pitch seemed to identify the opportunity. So I’m more reserved and cautious about the idea that we’re now suddenly “back to our best”. All this has to be contextualised. Yes we’ve still generally had a very good season so far. But you need to be very good across the board and in all types of situations. And in quite a few of those situations, particularly away from home, we have lacked that leadership to identify the moments in a game when we need to be bolder and thus seize the opportunity.

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[Mikus LFC]

Pedro reminds me of when Liverpool bought in Maxi Rodriquez. Not a world class player but a very effective one and a great player to have in your squad.

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[Mikus LFC]

We’ll see Ed. Don’t doubt the club is still a big pull. But players are now generally attracted to the manager. And however good things look to be, and however well Solskjaer is doing, he is still unproven. Getting top 4 obviously be a big help. What would you rather have – top 4 or FA Cup? (If you couldn’t have both). Think top 4 probably more helpful.

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[Mikus LFC]

Home form continues to be very strong for Liverpool. Bigger tests lie ahead.

Another win for Man Utd even with several injuries. Getting harder to make the case against Solskjaer. But will big targets want to come and play for him in the summer?

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[Mikus LFC]

Never greatly concerned tonight regardless of the changes. Liverpool still very strong at home.

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[Mikus LFC]

Nine, I just think there was a naivety that he thought teams should worry more about his team than his team worry about the opposition. And if you had the likes of Suarez and Sturridge (and/or were playing weak opposition) that was probably true a lot of the time. But in the bigger more tactical games, you’d worry more. Let’s see if he’s learned any lessons.

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[Mikus LFC]

I think one of Rodgers strengths is his philosophy and his ability to both communicate it across and make the players believe in it. So he’s very much of the Eddie Howe ilk in that regard and he will give Leicester an identity and a belief.

Tactically is where I’d be concerned. Rodgers could no doubt get his team playing some gorgeous stuff but if you ain’t got it tactically, you ain’t going to win very much. People may point to his Scottish successes which certainly highlighted a strong and very effective philosophy. But he also got massacred in the CL by some teams. Ok Celtic didn’t have the resources but there wasn’t much adapting to the opposition going on.

So that will be his limiting factor. But if he can try and revitalise or recreate some of that Leicester spirit we saw some years ago, there should be enough residual fight left there to do well. Because he’s still a very determined guy who does get the best out of people.

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[Mikus LFC]

I think both City & Liverpool will continue to drop points that they won’t be expected to (particularly as City’s games stack up). So the race is still very open for me. I’m just frustrated that Liverpool couldn’t capitalise at times and psychologically pressure their main rival. But the loss of both Coutinho/Ox was largely overlooked at the start of the season, and that coupled with Keita taking time to settle has meant Liverpool are quite simply not the team they were up top. Should Liverpool’s front 3 be harshly criticised? I think they’ve become complacent because they have no competition and so know they are pretty much always guaranteed to start. But at the same time, that front 3 are not really designed to create, but to finish things off. Hence you quite often see Salah for example just running into people in the box and losing possession. I personally would keep trying to get Keita into the groove as although he’s not fully demonstrated his talent yet, he does at least drive and dribble from midfield and that is worth more than any creativity the other midfielders possess. Get that spark back, and Liverpool still have a very good chance this season. If not, then it’s most probably City’s title.

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[Mikus LFC]

Even if it was a misunderstanding, Sarri still came across as very weak. Why didn’t he go to Kepa on the pitch to find out exactly what was going on? Ultimately, as time dragged on and there was more pressure to make a decision whether to sub him or not, he folded and gave up. It’s a bit like a teacher backing down from ordering a misbehaving pupil to leave the classroom (or assuming he was misbehaving but giving up anyway before finding out the truth). So really the fault lies with Sarri not Kepa because Sarri failed to find out the facts, assumed something else, but folded anyway. All the PR in the world can’t mask that.

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[Mikus LFC]

Aussie, I very much hear you. It simply isn’t the game it was. I’ve switched off at several times over the last few seasons because I grow tired of the team turning up one game but not in another. I wouldn’t care a damn if we lost every game so long as we gave absolutely everything in it. And Klopp yesterday said he couldn’t fault the attitude of the players but that we just didn’t do enough flexible things in attack. It doesn’t really make sense that. And isn’t he the coach that is supposed to instruct the players on how to play it? Sometimes I wonder if they listen to these post match interviews themselves.

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[Mikus LFC]

Was it not also pretty weak from Azpilicueta, the captain? When asked after the game for his thoughts on it, he said he was on the other side of the pitch when it happened? Should the captain not be trying to keep harmony in such situations and help the manager?? Deary me.

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[Mikus LFC]

Most interesting part of the game this. Wow.

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[Mikus LFC]

A bit like Poch yesterday, I found the post match interview somewhat contradictory. Yesterday Poch said they didnt deserve to lose but were disappointed they didn’t show more. And today Klopp said he couldn’t fault the attitude of the players (which he said was always first class) yet he also said we didn’t do enough things at the top end of the pitch. As I say, I think neither manager is ruthless enough.

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[Mikus LFC]

Exactly Nine – when has a ruthless team going for a title in a game like that ever said “oh a point is a good result for us today.”

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[Mikus LFC]

Adlab, but look at the trend. Unless City have an absolute mare (unlikely) I struggle to see that trend now reversing. And I don’t really know what Klopp can do differently up top.

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[Mikus LFC]

So since the City game our lead has steadily dropped from a potential 10 points to now just 1 point. Anyone else see a pattern here? Unless Klopp can find a solution to our attack, we can forget the title.

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[Mikus LFC]

Sums up our season. Solid in defence, but very average in attack.

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[Mikus LFC]

Should have bought Keita on. He’s a dribbler and we need one.

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[Mikus LFC]

Forget possession, who ever can come up with a bit of attacking quality will win this game.

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