This is one hell of a game of football!
Latest score (73 mins)
Man City 3 - 3 Monaco
Latest score (73 mins)
Man City 3 - 3 Monaco
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Chitchat The Official TCSS Thread
- Thread starter Alamaking
- Start date
Final score Man City 5 Monaco 3
Man City edge eight-goal thriller in UCL against Monaco
Manchester City overcame Monaco in an eight-goal thriller at the Etihad Stadium, coming from behind to run out 5-3 winners in their Champions League round-of-16 first leg.
Radamel Falcao's brace had looked to set Monaco on their way to a 3-2 victory after the hour-mark, but goals from Sergio Aguero -- his second of the night -- John Stones and Leroy Sane turned the game on its head.
The match got off to a lively start with both sides showing plenty of attacking intent, though the first real chance did not come until the 15th minute when Raheem Sterling attempted to round Danijel Subasic, with the loose ball falling to Aguero who tried to beat the Monaco keeper from a tight angle only to see his effort saved.
Monaco had an opportunity of their own to break the deadlock after 18 minutes when Benjamin Mendy was picked out by Kylian Mbappe, but he was unable to beat Willy Caballero at his near post.
A minute later and the visitors had another sight of goal after Yaya Toure failed to clear a corner and the ball fell to Kamil Glik at the far post, but the defender sent his header wide from close range.
City managed to open the scoring in the 26th minute through Sterling, who arrived in the box to convert Sane's cross from close range after the Germany international had linked up well with David Silva.
However, Monaco were level six minutes later as Falcao got on the end of a Fabinho cross to head home after the Brazilian had intercepted a poor Caballero clearance.
City thought they had a penalty moments later when Aguero, through on goal, went to ground after attempting to round Subasic but the striker was shown a yellow card for allegedly diving.
Mbappe had a chance to edge Monaco in front on 36 minutes when Falcao's flick-on played the ball into his path inside the box but he sent his effort just over the bar.
Mbappe did not make the same mistake four minutes later, though, when latching onto Fabinho's ball over the top that opened up the City defence, with the 18-year-old firing first time into the roof of the net to stun the home support.
It could well have been another just before the break for Monaco -- dangerous with every attack against a struggling City defence -- when Falcao found himself free with the ball inside the area but he could only strike into side netting.
Monaco started the second half as they ended the first and won a penalty just four minutes after the restart when Nicolas Otamendi was adjudged to have brought down Falcao in the area.
Falcao got back on to his feet to take the penalty, but his weak effort was comfortably saved by Caballero who guessed the right way.
City were gifted a way back into the game in the 58th minute by Subasic when Aguero, who had been played in by Sterling, fired a strike straight at him that he somehow allowed to slip through his fingers and into the back of the net.
But just two minutes later and Monaco's advantage was restored when Falcao outmuscled Stones in the box before clipping a stunning chip over Caballero.
The game continued to remain open as the second half wore on with another chance presenting itself to Mbappe on 69 minutes, but the forward's effort from a tight angle smashed into the side netting.
Two minutes later and City had levelled the game again, with Silva picking out Aguero with a cross and the Argentina international burying a volley into the far corner.
And after 77 minutes the hosts had completed the turnaround when Stones arrived at the far post to turn Toure's header into the back of the net to send the Etihad wild.
Aguero could have added another for City just a few moments later only to see his strike saved, before Sane did make it five on 82 minutes, slotting home from close range after being teed up by the Argentine.
Jamie Vardy goal throws Leicester a lifeline against Sevilla
Jamie Vardy's first Champions League strike gave Leicester a crucial away goal in a 2-1 defeat at Sevilla, giving them a foothold in a tie in which they had trailed 2-0.
Sevilla started at pace and came close to a spectacular breakthrough after only four minutes when Pablo Sarabia and curled an effort beyond the stranded Kasper Schmeichel and saw it brush the top of the net on its way over.
The outstanding Leicester keeper soon had something else to think about as he had to dive to his right to stop a back header from colleague Christian Fuchs.
Claudio Ranieri's side were struggling to settle and remained on the back foot as more crisp passing from the hosts created another chance, Samir Nasri's cross deflecting towards goal before Schmeichel clutched it.
Sevilla's early pressure looked to have paid off after 13 minutes when Wes Morgan's clumsy challenge on Joaquin Correa saw the referee point to the spot, but Schmeichel produced more heroics, diving to save and hold Correa's weak penalty.
His stop briefly galvanised the visitors, who produced their first real threat when Marc Albrighton swung in a cross that was just too high for defender Morgan who had made his way forward.
But within moments Sevilla were back on the attack and Schmiechel saved again as Sergio Escudero fired a low effort from the edge of the box.
And after 25 minutes, the hosts had the lead as Sarabia, unmarked, headed home superbly from Escudero's excellent cross.
Soon after the breakthrough Sevilla came forward again only for Vitolo to send a low shot skimming past the far post after being given far too much time.
The visitors were struggling to keep the ball and, after they had given it away in a dangerous position, Schmeichel pushed Correa's low shot past the post.
Riyad Mahrez and Vardy were both enduring yet another frustrating match, and Mahrez showed his frustration as a free kick towards the lurking Morgan was easily dealt with.
Leicester then drew the first save of the night from home goalkeeper Sergio Rico, who was right behind Ndidi's well-hit volley, early in the second half.
Vitolo saw his effort from a tight angle hit the inside of the post and cannon back to safety as Leicester lived dangerously again before Sarabia fired wide moments later.
Claudio Ranieri took off the disappointing Ahmed Musa and replaced him with Demarai Gray as he tried to conjure some threat from his side.
And Gray was involved on the hour as he held the ball up before it broke to Danny Drinkwater, whose deflected effort bounced wide of the post for a corner that came to nothing.
Leicester were 2-0 down after 62 minutes as a dawdling defence from Morgan and Robert Huth allowed Stevan Jovetic to work the ball to Correa, unmarked eight yards out, and he stabbed a fine finish past Schmeichel.
The goal-scorer was taken off almost immediately to be replaced by Vicente Iborra but the home side continued to press for a third, Jovetic's low cross from the left flashing across the face of goal with no colleague able to get a touch.
But with 73 minutes on the clock, and out of nothing, Leicester got themselves back in the contest as Drinkwater's fine low cross from the left was sidefooted high into the net by Vardy.
That changed the atmosphere, and Vardy was again involved as he chased a ball on the left of the area but steered an attempted cross to close to the goalkeeper before Gray's curling strike crashed back off a defender on the edge of the Sevilla area.
With time running out, Schmeichel was swiftly off his line to thwart Vitolo as Sevilla sought a late third, but Leicester held the 2-1 scoreline despite Adil Rami's header clipping the top of the bar late on.
Jamie Vardy's first Champions League strike gave Leicester a crucial away goal in a 2-1 defeat at Sevilla, giving them a foothold in a tie in which they had trailed 2-0.
Sevilla started at pace and came close to a spectacular breakthrough after only four minutes when Pablo Sarabia and curled an effort beyond the stranded Kasper Schmeichel and saw it brush the top of the net on its way over.
The outstanding Leicester keeper soon had something else to think about as he had to dive to his right to stop a back header from colleague Christian Fuchs.
Claudio Ranieri's side were struggling to settle and remained on the back foot as more crisp passing from the hosts created another chance, Samir Nasri's cross deflecting towards goal before Schmeichel clutched it.
Sevilla's early pressure looked to have paid off after 13 minutes when Wes Morgan's clumsy challenge on Joaquin Correa saw the referee point to the spot, but Schmeichel produced more heroics, diving to save and hold Correa's weak penalty.
His stop briefly galvanised the visitors, who produced their first real threat when Marc Albrighton swung in a cross that was just too high for defender Morgan who had made his way forward.
But within moments Sevilla were back on the attack and Schmiechel saved again as Sergio Escudero fired a low effort from the edge of the box.
And after 25 minutes, the hosts had the lead as Sarabia, unmarked, headed home superbly from Escudero's excellent cross.
Soon after the breakthrough Sevilla came forward again only for Vitolo to send a low shot skimming past the far post after being given far too much time.
The visitors were struggling to keep the ball and, after they had given it away in a dangerous position, Schmeichel pushed Correa's low shot past the post.
Riyad Mahrez and Vardy were both enduring yet another frustrating match, and Mahrez showed his frustration as a free kick towards the lurking Morgan was easily dealt with.
Leicester then drew the first save of the night from home goalkeeper Sergio Rico, who was right behind Ndidi's well-hit volley, early in the second half.
Vitolo saw his effort from a tight angle hit the inside of the post and cannon back to safety as Leicester lived dangerously again before Sarabia fired wide moments later.
Claudio Ranieri took off the disappointing Ahmed Musa and replaced him with Demarai Gray as he tried to conjure some threat from his side.
And Gray was involved on the hour as he held the ball up before it broke to Danny Drinkwater, whose deflected effort bounced wide of the post for a corner that came to nothing.
Leicester were 2-0 down after 62 minutes as a dawdling defence from Morgan and Robert Huth allowed Stevan Jovetic to work the ball to Correa, unmarked eight yards out, and he stabbed a fine finish past Schmeichel.
The goal-scorer was taken off almost immediately to be replaced by Vicente Iborra but the home side continued to press for a third, Jovetic's low cross from the left flashing across the face of goal with no colleague able to get a touch.
But with 73 minutes on the clock, and out of nothing, Leicester got themselves back in the contest as Drinkwater's fine low cross from the left was sidefooted high into the net by Vardy.
That changed the atmosphere, and Vardy was again involved as he chased a ball on the left of the area but steered an attempted cross to close to the goalkeeper before Gray's curling strike crashed back off a defender on the edge of the Sevilla area.
With time running out, Schmeichel was swiftly off his line to thwart Vitolo as Sevilla sought a late third, but Leicester held the 2-1 scoreline despite Adil Rami's header clipping the top of the bar late on.
Bye Bye Claudio Ranieri.............. :(
Welcome back Roberto Mancini?
Bye Bye Claudio Ranieri.............. :(
Welcome back Roberto Mancini?
Mancini would be a bad fit for Leicester IMHO. He's more associated with high profile clubs.
On a serious note, the Thai owners have really treated Raineri like crap. I hope they are rewarded with relegation for their treachery of a decent manager.
Yes, Mancini with his fashionable scarf would look out of place in a relegation battle. As for the Thai owners, they claimed recently Ranieri had their "unwavering support" and since then, the team has not played any league matches. Deserve to be relegated.
----- :oIo::oIo::oIo:------
:oIo:
Cesc Fabregas' forays forward dazzle as Chelsea earn 3-1 win vs. Swansea
By Phil Lythell
espnfc.com
Chelsea extended their lead at the top of the Premier League table to 11 points with a 3-1 win over Swansea City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
The Blues flew out of the blocks and piled the pressure on the visitors with Lukasz Fabianski forced into a string of saves. It was therefore no surprise when Cesc Fabregas broke the deadlock on 19 minutes when he finished off a lovely attacking move.
Having spurned several chances to double their advantage, Chelsea found themselves pegged back on the stoke of halftime. A soft free kick was defended casually leaving Fernando Llorente to head past Thibaut Courtois.
Chelsea's pressure continued in the second half, but just when they seemed to be running out of ideas, a blunder from Fabianski allowed a speculative shot from Pedro to squirm under his body. Diego Costa's close-range finish late on secured the victory.
Positives
The ability to scrap out a win despite a lack of cutting edge will be gratifying for Antonio Conte. Costa's return to the scoresheet was also encouraging after a brief barren spell for the striker.
Negatives
The inability to put the game out of reach in the opening half hour despite being so dominant and carving out so many chances was disappointing and was duly punished by Swansea's sucker-punch in first-half injury time.
Manager rating out of 10
8 -- Conte's decision to play Fabregas ahead of Nemanja Matic paid almost instant dividends. Likewise, the switch from 3-4-3 to 3-5-2 after going 2-1 up helped his team to three points.
Player ratings (1-10, 10=best; players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Thibaut Courtois, 7 -- Was badly let down by his defence for the goal but otherwise had nothing to do except keep out a late Gylfi Sigurdsson free kick, which he managed to do at the second attempt.
DF Cesar Azpilicueta, 8 -- Dependable as ever, he mopped up Victor Moses' solitary defensive error with an exquisitely timed challenge on Sigurdsson. Yet another solid display.
DF David Luiz, 6 -- A slightly edgy performance that was more reminiscent of his erratic first spell at Chelsea. Lost possession in a dangerous area, switched off for Swansea's goal and even his passing was a little amiss.
DF Gary Cahill 7 -- Could have done better for the goal but made up for it with a smart tackle and a brave defensive header in the second half.
MF Marcos Alonso, 8 -- Diligent in defence with some delicious touches in attack, the Spaniard impressed in all areas. Linked up with Eden Hazard particularly well.
MF Victor Moses, 7 -- Like Alonso, Moses' all-round display was excellent. Was often underused when taking up good positions and put in some decent crosses that deserved better from his teammates.
MF Cesc Fabregas, 8 -- His passing might have been off but the timing of his runs and his shooting were exceptional. Scored one, drew an implausible save from Fabianski and hit the bar in the second half.
MF N'Golo Kante, 9 -- His passing might be average and his shooting wayward, but when you can break up play as often and as well as him, none of that matters. Swansea assistant manager Claude Makelele must have been impressed.
FW Eden Hazard, 8 -- Often found himself double marked by the opposition but still wriggled free to create problems for Swansea. His jinking run and cut-back set up the third goal.
FW Pedro Rodriguez, 8 -- Had a magnificent first half that included a spectacular run from the halfway line. Quieter after the break but still scored a crucial goal.
FW Diego Costa, 7 -- Nothing quite came off for Costa despite his best best endeavours. Will have been relieved to find the back of the net once again.
Substitutes
MF Nemanja Matic, NR -- Brought on to shore up midfield but he actually did his best work going forward.
FW, Willian, NR -- Was regularly involved after his introduction but without contributing any decisive moments.
DF, Kurt Zouma NR -- Was fouled almost as soon as he came on but was otherwise untroubled.
By Phil Lythell
espnfc.com
Chelsea extended their lead at the top of the Premier League table to 11 points with a 3-1 win over Swansea City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
The Blues flew out of the blocks and piled the pressure on the visitors with Lukasz Fabianski forced into a string of saves. It was therefore no surprise when Cesc Fabregas broke the deadlock on 19 minutes when he finished off a lovely attacking move.
Having spurned several chances to double their advantage, Chelsea found themselves pegged back on the stoke of halftime. A soft free kick was defended casually leaving Fernando Llorente to head past Thibaut Courtois.
Chelsea's pressure continued in the second half, but just when they seemed to be running out of ideas, a blunder from Fabianski allowed a speculative shot from Pedro to squirm under his body. Diego Costa's close-range finish late on secured the victory.
Positives
The ability to scrap out a win despite a lack of cutting edge will be gratifying for Antonio Conte. Costa's return to the scoresheet was also encouraging after a brief barren spell for the striker.
Negatives
The inability to put the game out of reach in the opening half hour despite being so dominant and carving out so many chances was disappointing and was duly punished by Swansea's sucker-punch in first-half injury time.
Manager rating out of 10
8 -- Conte's decision to play Fabregas ahead of Nemanja Matic paid almost instant dividends. Likewise, the switch from 3-4-3 to 3-5-2 after going 2-1 up helped his team to three points.
Player ratings (1-10, 10=best; players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Thibaut Courtois, 7 -- Was badly let down by his defence for the goal but otherwise had nothing to do except keep out a late Gylfi Sigurdsson free kick, which he managed to do at the second attempt.
DF Cesar Azpilicueta, 8 -- Dependable as ever, he mopped up Victor Moses' solitary defensive error with an exquisitely timed challenge on Sigurdsson. Yet another solid display.
DF David Luiz, 6 -- A slightly edgy performance that was more reminiscent of his erratic first spell at Chelsea. Lost possession in a dangerous area, switched off for Swansea's goal and even his passing was a little amiss.
DF Gary Cahill 7 -- Could have done better for the goal but made up for it with a smart tackle and a brave defensive header in the second half.
MF Marcos Alonso, 8 -- Diligent in defence with some delicious touches in attack, the Spaniard impressed in all areas. Linked up with Eden Hazard particularly well.
MF Victor Moses, 7 -- Like Alonso, Moses' all-round display was excellent. Was often underused when taking up good positions and put in some decent crosses that deserved better from his teammates.
MF Cesc Fabregas, 8 -- His passing might have been off but the timing of his runs and his shooting were exceptional. Scored one, drew an implausible save from Fabianski and hit the bar in the second half.
MF N'Golo Kante, 9 -- His passing might be average and his shooting wayward, but when you can break up play as often and as well as him, none of that matters. Swansea assistant manager Claude Makelele must have been impressed.
FW Eden Hazard, 8 -- Often found himself double marked by the opposition but still wriggled free to create problems for Swansea. His jinking run and cut-back set up the third goal.
FW Pedro Rodriguez, 8 -- Had a magnificent first half that included a spectacular run from the halfway line. Quieter after the break but still scored a crucial goal.
FW Diego Costa, 7 -- Nothing quite came off for Costa despite his best best endeavours. Will have been relieved to find the back of the net once again.
Substitutes
MF Nemanja Matic, NR -- Brought on to shore up midfield but he actually did his best work going forward.
FW, Willian, NR -- Was regularly involved after his introduction but without contributing any decisive moments.
DF, Kurt Zouma NR -- Was fouled almost as soon as he came on but was otherwise untroubled.
Jamie Vardy: 'More effort' not sole reason behind Leicester's victory
Jamie Vardy said he could not identify the reason behind Leicester City's stunning turnaround in Monday's 3-1 win over Liverpool, their first Premier League win of 2017.
Two days after issuing a denial that he and his teammates had a say in sacking Claudio Ranieri last week, Vardy was twice on target for caretaker manager Craig Shakespeare.
And the forward said that while the improved performance from a side that clawed out of the relegation zone was obvious, he said it was not a case of merely better effort.
"We've come in for a lot of unfair stick with things that have been in the press but you've seen that the lads wanted to react," Vardy told Sky Sports.
"The performance did that and we want to do it consistently. I couldn't put my finger on why we haven't been doing that regularly. We've been working hard and it's just not been happening but tonight it has all clicked.
"I wouldn't say it's a case of more effort. Shakes [Shakespeare] asked me to play higher up. I did that and I managed to get in behind quite a lot.
"I've been very frustrated with the amount of goals I've got this season but hopefully these will push me on.
"We needed to show that we've got that fight and win or lose, as long as the performance was right, we could hold our heads up high."
Danny Drinkwater, whose goal doubled Leicester's lead near the end of the first half, said a return to fundamentals helped them get back on track.
"It feels good. We need to enjoy it and build on it from here. You can call it a reaction. We've come in for a bit of stick.
"We make our game on the basics and we went back to basics -- forcing mistakes, pressing high up the pitch -- and that caused them problems and helped us."
Shakespeare did his chances of securing the job on a permanent basis, though the interim boss refused to talk up his chances of being in charge for Saturday's vital game against fellow strugglers Hull.
He said: "My remit was one game, that's what I said. Do I think I'm capable of it? Yes. Does it faze me? No.
"But I think it is in the powers-that-be, the owners who decide and do their job, their diligence to look. I am sure they will do that. It will take its course, they will sit down, and I will try to prepare the team as rightly as I can for Hull [on Saturday] unless told otherwise.
"It has been a strange few days. As an assistant manager, who has been an assistant manager for quite a number of years, to come into the press conference as I did on Friday, was a bit of a shock to see the amount, and the criticism levelled towards the players as well.
"I think, knowing Claudio, he would say 'that's football' [about the result]. He said that to me on Thursday night and reminded me of it on Friday morning."
Jamie Vardy said he could not identify the reason behind Leicester City's stunning turnaround in Monday's 3-1 win over Liverpool, their first Premier League win of 2017.
Two days after issuing a denial that he and his teammates had a say in sacking Claudio Ranieri last week, Vardy was twice on target for caretaker manager Craig Shakespeare.
And the forward said that while the improved performance from a side that clawed out of the relegation zone was obvious, he said it was not a case of merely better effort.
"We've come in for a lot of unfair stick with things that have been in the press but you've seen that the lads wanted to react," Vardy told Sky Sports.
"The performance did that and we want to do it consistently. I couldn't put my finger on why we haven't been doing that regularly. We've been working hard and it's just not been happening but tonight it has all clicked.
"I wouldn't say it's a case of more effort. Shakes [Shakespeare] asked me to play higher up. I did that and I managed to get in behind quite a lot.
"I've been very frustrated with the amount of goals I've got this season but hopefully these will push me on.
"We needed to show that we've got that fight and win or lose, as long as the performance was right, we could hold our heads up high."
Danny Drinkwater, whose goal doubled Leicester's lead near the end of the first half, said a return to fundamentals helped them get back on track.
"It feels good. We need to enjoy it and build on it from here. You can call it a reaction. We've come in for a bit of stick.
"We make our game on the basics and we went back to basics -- forcing mistakes, pressing high up the pitch -- and that caused them problems and helped us."
Shakespeare did his chances of securing the job on a permanent basis, though the interim boss refused to talk up his chances of being in charge for Saturday's vital game against fellow strugglers Hull.
He said: "My remit was one game, that's what I said. Do I think I'm capable of it? Yes. Does it faze me? No.
"But I think it is in the powers-that-be, the owners who decide and do their job, their diligence to look. I am sure they will do that. It will take its course, they will sit down, and I will try to prepare the team as rightly as I can for Hull [on Saturday] unless told otherwise.
"It has been a strange few days. As an assistant manager, who has been an assistant manager for quite a number of years, to come into the press conference as I did on Friday, was a bit of a shock to see the amount, and the criticism levelled towards the players as well.
"I think, knowing Claudio, he would say 'that's football' [about the result]. He said that to me on Thursday night and reminded me of it on Friday morning."
Where's Liverpool's Zlatan Ibrahimovic? Klopp lacks leadership
By Steven Kelly
espnfc.com
It was already a bad weekend before Liverpool's abysmal 3-1 defeat at struggling Leicester on Monday night.
The club lost sole ownership of its "most successful club in England" tag as Manchester United won their 41st major honour on Sunday.
Ten years ago the trophy count was 40-32 in Liverpool's favour. That was the year the club was taken over, first by Tom Hicks and George Gillett then by Fenway Sports Group. The spectre of how the owners operate and how much transfer money they'd given Jurgen Klopp so far arose again.
The whole team's performance at King Power on Monday evening was atrocious; breathtakingly bad even by Liverpool's 2017 standards. There was nobody on the pitch the fans could look to and truly believe in rescuing a precarious situation. Too many are in the "on their day" category.
It may have been a knee-jerk reaction but there was much talk about overhauling the squad. Every argument returns to money in the end, when ironically their bitter rivals' revival has depended largely upon a free transfer, albeit a spectacular one. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been the star man at United and unsurprisingly scored their winning goal at Wembley on Sunday.
They may have been improved by Jose Mourinho and spent £89.3 million on Paul Pogba but it is the Swede who has ignited a season which at one stage looked to be heading for disappointment. Liverpool haven't had a player like that since Luis Suarez left for Barcelona in 2014; one that made the whole team play better because he refused to settle for less and led by example.
As Liverpool fell three goals behind a team in the relegation places, they looked to Roberto Firmino -- a forward who's scored in six matches so far this season. Sadio Mane has been good so far but was the focus of some fierce Leicester attention. Had this been done to Suarez, you shudder to think of the Uruguayan's response. It would certainly not have been as submissive.
Fans complain about money and transfers but it becomes clearer, as this season limps painfully on, that character is equally important. Klopp inherited most of these players and is fighting a losing battle trying to turn base metals into gold.
Social media was awash with a spurious statistic that predecessor Brendan Rodgers won more points than Klopp in his first 55 league games. He also had Suarez, a fit and firing Daniel Sturridge and an incredible captain in Steven Gerrard. Such things make a difference, once you've scratched through the surface mockery.
Liverpool fans tend to lionise their managers too early, making their fall all the swifter as a result. Players are more important. Klopp can't perform miracles, and it's the absence of a giant figure on the field that is most telling. As United have proven, it does not necessarily have to stem from a massive transfer outlay.
Liverpool are a peculiar club. They were extremely successful in the past and remain one of the most popular clubs in the world, but each successive manager must build largely on what's gone -- and failed -- before. It was only Gerard Houllier who triggered the kind of overhaul some fans now demand. This was in a different era, when neither Chelsea nor Manchester City had their unnatural wealth -- adding to the competition for places at the top of the English game.
There is so little time for Klopp and even less patience. It's far easier for the owners to keep plodding along, make a few changes every summer and hope fans keep spending and believing. It's like putting plasters on gunshot wounds.
Minutes after the Leicester defeat, the club announced a new chief executive poached from a computer company. It was bewilderingly timed. It screamed "business before football" at the top of its lungs. So much needs to change but dismissing most of the playing staff simply will not happen.
What could help is a talismanic figure similar to what Liverpool had with Suarez. He not only brought the best out of Sturridge but Philippe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling too. The club must go all out to make a statement this summer. Pie in the sky perhaps, desperate even, but Liverpool are at a crossroads with a massive decision to make.
Arsenal are the visitors this Saturday and thoughts inevitably turn to their 5-1 thrashing on Feb. 9 2014. As the game drifted to its long-inevitable conclusion, Suarez reacted with anger merely because he didn't receive an accurate pass. It was one example of how a standout individual makes his presence felt and drags a club up by the scruff of the neck, negating the need for drastic wholesale changes.
For all the focus on Klopp, Liverpool do not have such a player. It's what separates them from other challengers and needs to be rectified if they are ever to be successful again.
By Steven Kelly
espnfc.com
It was already a bad weekend before Liverpool's abysmal 3-1 defeat at struggling Leicester on Monday night.
The club lost sole ownership of its "most successful club in England" tag as Manchester United won their 41st major honour on Sunday.
Ten years ago the trophy count was 40-32 in Liverpool's favour. That was the year the club was taken over, first by Tom Hicks and George Gillett then by Fenway Sports Group. The spectre of how the owners operate and how much transfer money they'd given Jurgen Klopp so far arose again.
The whole team's performance at King Power on Monday evening was atrocious; breathtakingly bad even by Liverpool's 2017 standards. There was nobody on the pitch the fans could look to and truly believe in rescuing a precarious situation. Too many are in the "on their day" category.
It may have been a knee-jerk reaction but there was much talk about overhauling the squad. Every argument returns to money in the end, when ironically their bitter rivals' revival has depended largely upon a free transfer, albeit a spectacular one. Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been the star man at United and unsurprisingly scored their winning goal at Wembley on Sunday.
They may have been improved by Jose Mourinho and spent £89.3 million on Paul Pogba but it is the Swede who has ignited a season which at one stage looked to be heading for disappointment. Liverpool haven't had a player like that since Luis Suarez left for Barcelona in 2014; one that made the whole team play better because he refused to settle for less and led by example.
As Liverpool fell three goals behind a team in the relegation places, they looked to Roberto Firmino -- a forward who's scored in six matches so far this season. Sadio Mane has been good so far but was the focus of some fierce Leicester attention. Had this been done to Suarez, you shudder to think of the Uruguayan's response. It would certainly not have been as submissive.
Fans complain about money and transfers but it becomes clearer, as this season limps painfully on, that character is equally important. Klopp inherited most of these players and is fighting a losing battle trying to turn base metals into gold.
Social media was awash with a spurious statistic that predecessor Brendan Rodgers won more points than Klopp in his first 55 league games. He also had Suarez, a fit and firing Daniel Sturridge and an incredible captain in Steven Gerrard. Such things make a difference, once you've scratched through the surface mockery.
Liverpool fans tend to lionise their managers too early, making their fall all the swifter as a result. Players are more important. Klopp can't perform miracles, and it's the absence of a giant figure on the field that is most telling. As United have proven, it does not necessarily have to stem from a massive transfer outlay.
Liverpool are a peculiar club. They were extremely successful in the past and remain one of the most popular clubs in the world, but each successive manager must build largely on what's gone -- and failed -- before. It was only Gerard Houllier who triggered the kind of overhaul some fans now demand. This was in a different era, when neither Chelsea nor Manchester City had their unnatural wealth -- adding to the competition for places at the top of the English game.
There is so little time for Klopp and even less patience. It's far easier for the owners to keep plodding along, make a few changes every summer and hope fans keep spending and believing. It's like putting plasters on gunshot wounds.
Minutes after the Leicester defeat, the club announced a new chief executive poached from a computer company. It was bewilderingly timed. It screamed "business before football" at the top of its lungs. So much needs to change but dismissing most of the playing staff simply will not happen.
What could help is a talismanic figure similar to what Liverpool had with Suarez. He not only brought the best out of Sturridge but Philippe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling too. The club must go all out to make a statement this summer. Pie in the sky perhaps, desperate even, but Liverpool are at a crossroads with a massive decision to make.
Arsenal are the visitors this Saturday and thoughts inevitably turn to their 5-1 thrashing on Feb. 9 2014. As the game drifted to its long-inevitable conclusion, Suarez reacted with anger merely because he didn't receive an accurate pass. It was one example of how a standout individual makes his presence felt and drags a club up by the scruff of the neck, negating the need for drastic wholesale changes.
For all the focus on Klopp, Liverpool do not have such a player. It's what separates them from other challengers and needs to be rectified if they are ever to be successful again.
Luis Enrique takes decision to leave Barcelona at exactly the right time
By Graham Hunter
espnfc.com
How many big performers know when to leave the stage? At the right time, in the right way, before their magic dissipates? In sport, politics, in life.
The answer is always: "Very few."
Luis "Lucho" Enrique did it once, as a player, and has done it again as a coach. This was the right time and staying any longer would have been damaging.
To Barcelona, with regard to trophy pretensions, forward planning in player and coaching terms, and to Luis Enrique himself.
When he was a crossover player, one of the few who choose to move from Real Madrid to Barcelona, rather than the other way around, he drove the Camp Nou fans delirious with his attitude. A great player, a great competitor, with total and utter commitment to his new club. It was as if he'd been born in Les Corts or Pedralbes rather than Gijon.
As if he was a native of those two Camp Nou neighborhoods rather than a born and bred Asturian.
He was one of the Cules. Talented as a player, successful in due course as a manager, but feeling the same sentiments as Catalans, who were desperate for heroes to take the battle to Madrid.
When Luis Enrique did this before, in 2003-04, his declining athletic powers almost exactly matched his declining physical powers and psychological burn out now. Both come from giving absolutely everything, every hour of every day. Intensity in mind, body and soul.
When that took a toll physically, when his Achilles injury was robbing him of form and athletic intensity, he decided to stop. He was 34 and, if not for the specific problem which was stripping him of his best level, he had a mentality and training regime that could easily have seen him play four more years.
Luis Enrique saw, with clear eyes, exactly what most top players don't see: That his ultimate level was gone and it wasn't coming back.
No romance, no regrets. Out the door.
And that is the choice he has made once again. His behaviour, his actions, his players' mood, the way in which the team was playing -- all of those combined to suggest that the toll of coaching this "burnout" club had taken enough out of him.
When Lucho signed on to coach the club that he's grown to love still more than the Sporting Gijon, who gave him his "local hero" debut, he said: "It's like the sun is shining a bit brighter outside my house this morning. It's like being in Disneyland."
I'd guess that, over this winter, there have been mornings when another ride to Disneyland, another burning hot sunny day, seemed the furthest thing from his mind.
It's not quite that familiarity breeds contempt but that this Barcelona squad is full of hard-nosed, world-class winners used to perpetual success. If not checked, there is a natural -- and this is not a criticism -- tendency for the players to believe that they are the GPS for success.
They are the orchestra which, every now and again, needs to be convinced, or taught, that they do need a conductor. The soloists are great, they all read music, they all know how they want to sound individually and they all reckon that, if you assemble a huge array of great talent, then the music will come out beautifully and enough to please the gods.
That's what they reckon.
But you can see, right now, that the timpani aren't following the wind section, the strings are a little too capriccio and the flutist ... well he's just going way, way too glissando. The conductor isn't having the effect he should and the orchestra think that they are running the show.
Luis Enrique should be lauded. One of Barcelona's mainstays, Gerard Pique, last week used the most basic of terms to succintly describe the impact that his manager had once upon taking over: "We were in the s--- before he came and then we won the treble."
There's a chance Luis Enrique finishes with 11 trophies in three seasons -- eight for the moment isn't bad -- but some would argue, and I'd have to say that I'm among them, that it might prove to be a pyrrhic victory overall.
The next coach's fundamental problem won't be whether he can win La Liga or the Champions League, but whether he can reinstate the possession-position-pressing DNA that made the most recent Barcelona generation discernible from everyone around them.
A DNA which, I'd argue, made them the best in the world.
Luis Enrique, in trying to reboot Barcelona and in trying to make them less easy to predict and less easy to close down, found new ways of playing that were (very) successful, but which seem to have withered the very essence of what the club's team play was about.
When, in recent weeks, Pique, Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta offered public support to the coach, but repeatedly argued that the team needed to return to an "identifiable" playing style and that they needed "footballing" solutions to their current problems, it was clear that they were hoping that there would be a natural break at the end of Luis Enrique's current contract.
Overall there's no question that Luis Enrique has been a winning coach, that he's brought important landmarks to Barcelona and that he's kept them hungry in attitude and competitive on the pitch.
However, I find it very hard not to conclude that there was another factor.
Luis Enrique had intimated to the club that he'd prefer to resolve matters, one way or another, in April. Given his record he was entitled to ask for that, even if it was detrimental to the club's forward planning.
But Lionel Messi's current contract expires in the summer of 2018, which means he will be free to sign for another club on Jan. 1, just 10 months from now. Before he chooses to either leave or re-commit -- the latter still being more likely -- there's no question that the greatest player in Barcelona's history would need to know who was going to coach him next season, which players would be signing and which ones would leave.
Until Luis Enrique showed his hand, it was impossible for the club to guarantee any of those things.
Until these matters were made clear, Messi's contract would continue to edge towards that remarkable status where the most valuable player in the world might leave for free. Messi's father Jorge was in Catalunya recently but went home to Argentina without any major advancements in the negotiations.
So whether there was a degree of a "push" to encourage Luis Enrique to fast-forward his announcement or not, the fact remains that the coach has taken the right decision at the right time and facilitated the club moving forward.
Expect there to be a reaction in the team's play. Expect that the fans will be more vocal in their support for an already popular coach. Expect that the Messi negotiations move forward more positively and more quickly.
But hopefully there is also recognition that what Luis Enrique has done isn't easy. To walk away from your dream job when the previous years have been packed with success is not easy. It's a decision which Pep Guardiola failed to make at the right time. His fourth year was too tiring, he was too burnt out.
This has been a decision made by a man who could, feasibly, have insisted on staying. But, instead, Luis Enrique has chosen the right option and the right time to announce it.
Congratulations "Lucho." It's been quite a ride.
By Graham Hunter
espnfc.com
How many big performers know when to leave the stage? At the right time, in the right way, before their magic dissipates? In sport, politics, in life.
The answer is always: "Very few."
Luis "Lucho" Enrique did it once, as a player, and has done it again as a coach. This was the right time and staying any longer would have been damaging.
To Barcelona, with regard to trophy pretensions, forward planning in player and coaching terms, and to Luis Enrique himself.
When he was a crossover player, one of the few who choose to move from Real Madrid to Barcelona, rather than the other way around, he drove the Camp Nou fans delirious with his attitude. A great player, a great competitor, with total and utter commitment to his new club. It was as if he'd been born in Les Corts or Pedralbes rather than Gijon.
As if he was a native of those two Camp Nou neighborhoods rather than a born and bred Asturian.
He was one of the Cules. Talented as a player, successful in due course as a manager, but feeling the same sentiments as Catalans, who were desperate for heroes to take the battle to Madrid.
When Luis Enrique did this before, in 2003-04, his declining athletic powers almost exactly matched his declining physical powers and psychological burn out now. Both come from giving absolutely everything, every hour of every day. Intensity in mind, body and soul.
When that took a toll physically, when his Achilles injury was robbing him of form and athletic intensity, he decided to stop. He was 34 and, if not for the specific problem which was stripping him of his best level, he had a mentality and training regime that could easily have seen him play four more years.
Luis Enrique saw, with clear eyes, exactly what most top players don't see: That his ultimate level was gone and it wasn't coming back.
No romance, no regrets. Out the door.
And that is the choice he has made once again. His behaviour, his actions, his players' mood, the way in which the team was playing -- all of those combined to suggest that the toll of coaching this "burnout" club had taken enough out of him.
When Lucho signed on to coach the club that he's grown to love still more than the Sporting Gijon, who gave him his "local hero" debut, he said: "It's like the sun is shining a bit brighter outside my house this morning. It's like being in Disneyland."
I'd guess that, over this winter, there have been mornings when another ride to Disneyland, another burning hot sunny day, seemed the furthest thing from his mind.
It's not quite that familiarity breeds contempt but that this Barcelona squad is full of hard-nosed, world-class winners used to perpetual success. If not checked, there is a natural -- and this is not a criticism -- tendency for the players to believe that they are the GPS for success.
They are the orchestra which, every now and again, needs to be convinced, or taught, that they do need a conductor. The soloists are great, they all read music, they all know how they want to sound individually and they all reckon that, if you assemble a huge array of great talent, then the music will come out beautifully and enough to please the gods.
That's what they reckon.
But you can see, right now, that the timpani aren't following the wind section, the strings are a little too capriccio and the flutist ... well he's just going way, way too glissando. The conductor isn't having the effect he should and the orchestra think that they are running the show.
Luis Enrique should be lauded. One of Barcelona's mainstays, Gerard Pique, last week used the most basic of terms to succintly describe the impact that his manager had once upon taking over: "We were in the s--- before he came and then we won the treble."
There's a chance Luis Enrique finishes with 11 trophies in three seasons -- eight for the moment isn't bad -- but some would argue, and I'd have to say that I'm among them, that it might prove to be a pyrrhic victory overall.
The next coach's fundamental problem won't be whether he can win La Liga or the Champions League, but whether he can reinstate the possession-position-pressing DNA that made the most recent Barcelona generation discernible from everyone around them.
A DNA which, I'd argue, made them the best in the world.
Luis Enrique, in trying to reboot Barcelona and in trying to make them less easy to predict and less easy to close down, found new ways of playing that were (very) successful, but which seem to have withered the very essence of what the club's team play was about.
When, in recent weeks, Pique, Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta offered public support to the coach, but repeatedly argued that the team needed to return to an "identifiable" playing style and that they needed "footballing" solutions to their current problems, it was clear that they were hoping that there would be a natural break at the end of Luis Enrique's current contract.
Overall there's no question that Luis Enrique has been a winning coach, that he's brought important landmarks to Barcelona and that he's kept them hungry in attitude and competitive on the pitch.
However, I find it very hard not to conclude that there was another factor.
Luis Enrique had intimated to the club that he'd prefer to resolve matters, one way or another, in April. Given his record he was entitled to ask for that, even if it was detrimental to the club's forward planning.
But Lionel Messi's current contract expires in the summer of 2018, which means he will be free to sign for another club on Jan. 1, just 10 months from now. Before he chooses to either leave or re-commit -- the latter still being more likely -- there's no question that the greatest player in Barcelona's history would need to know who was going to coach him next season, which players would be signing and which ones would leave.
Until Luis Enrique showed his hand, it was impossible for the club to guarantee any of those things.
Until these matters were made clear, Messi's contract would continue to edge towards that remarkable status where the most valuable player in the world might leave for free. Messi's father Jorge was in Catalunya recently but went home to Argentina without any major advancements in the negotiations.
So whether there was a degree of a "push" to encourage Luis Enrique to fast-forward his announcement or not, the fact remains that the coach has taken the right decision at the right time and facilitated the club moving forward.
Expect there to be a reaction in the team's play. Expect that the fans will be more vocal in their support for an already popular coach. Expect that the Messi negotiations move forward more positively and more quickly.
But hopefully there is also recognition that what Luis Enrique has done isn't easy. To walk away from your dream job when the previous years have been packed with success is not easy. It's a decision which Pep Guardiola failed to make at the right time. His fourth year was too tiring, he was too burnt out.
This has been a decision made by a man who could, feasibly, have insisted on staying. But, instead, Luis Enrique has chosen the right option and the right time to announce it.
Congratulations "Lucho." It's been quite a ride.
Sydney win....Wah lan
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