It is truly amazing that ATTITUDE and CONFIDENCE are such critical factors in football too. Of course, it takes an honest and skilful manager to bring these back.

I particularly enjoyed the second goal and am so surprised that we have such good passers of the ball in Allen and Can.

If everyone stays fit, we have ample options for both midfield and attack. Only in defence we are a little thin, but if our youngsters grow in confidence, that will also not be a problem.

Great win, but as someone rightly pointed out, we have won NOTHING yet!

I think you could have read an obsolete (old) piece of news.

He's already back playing but playing time has to be carefully and gradually managed.

I just read it on 'this is anfield'. Sorry about that PPZ.

More sad for him than for Liverpool. Much too young to get such a serious "incurable" injury. Let's hope that injection he mentioned can work for him or that there is a breakthrough in sports medicine that can help players like him.

Newcastle has some good players who can suddenly 'wake from their slumber' and do a Palace on us. Moreover McClaren is already playing some psychological game by calling Liverpool "title contenders" and praising Klopp.

We travelled to play midweek and are without Can and Coutinho.

I hope our manager right down to our reserves will keep their feet firmly on the ground!

While McClaren's psychological game may not have worked on Klopp, I think it probably affected some of the players. Of course the media also played a big part by writing how Liverpool will steamroll Newcastle and how many goals the Reds will win by etc..

So when our players did not see the Newcastle players crumbling before them but instead, seemingly ran faster, tackled harder, intercepting passes and playing the way they did last night, some of our players probably just could not lift themselves. Especially the younger, more naïve ones.

Can Klopp reinforce the lessons taught through this defeat. Time will tell. We will have to wait and see.

Now on for Sion and a battle for the top spot in the group!

Players like Sturridge should perhaps be paid on a per match basis. If he can keep himself fit then he may end up getting more. That should be a good incentive! Falcao is another one that comes to mind but he is probably past his prime.

Of course, FSG may not think the same. Then again, they have already spent so much on him. It is an escalating commitment. Sell him now and they lose all their investments. Also, which top team would want to buy such a player unless he drops his wage demand drastically.

So keeping him on a piece-meal basis may work out for both club and player. Sturridge should be very thankful for that SAS season that gave him a massive increment in wages.

As for Liverpool, the damage is not irrepairable given Klopp's experience and intelligence. In fact, he may or may not need to buy in January. However, like Carragher, I expect a few important changes this summer. Not many. Emphasis should be on quality.

Not only against bus parking teams. Klopp has to also get used to fellow managers pressing the 'flatter' button like McClaren did and like Pulis has done two days ago, calling JK "fantastic".

If the manager being flattered, let it go into his head, half the battle could be lost already. Fortunately Pulis cannot press the other button that McClaren did, calling Liverpool "title contenders" and then..wham! a left hook to the chin!

Our midfield is way too crowded. For sure Coutinho and Can will play tonight. Not sure how much time Henderson will get, having played all 90 mins on Thursday. Lucas will probably be the other starter. I just hope that with Couts back, we will be a little bit more creative in getting around that bus!

Come on you Reds!

Klopp has opted for a seemingly attack-minded line-up.

Lucas is not starting. Instead Henderson is starting again along with Can, with Milner and Lallana supporting Benteke. Of course Couts has to be there, right in the hole behind the lone striker.

Got..if Origi counts. False 9 also got but Firmino is in rather poor form of late.

I think Benteke needs some talking to by the manager. He looks big and strong but he's rather soft when tackled or blocked.

But our set piece defending is really worrying. Each time we concede a corner or free kick..most of us get worried.

Each time Liverpool is expected to win, the players fail. When nothing much is expected from them, they turn up and pass with flying colours!(???)

I think they have weak mentality. Cannot perform under pressure. Who scored the deflected equalizer? Somebody from whom nothing much is expected!

A lot of it is in the mind(s).

On a more positive note, I was very happy with our first goal. More so because we have Henderson back.

Never thought I would say that of him because during his first season, he was just exasperating.

It's clear that he slowed down as the game progressed and was not as aggressive. That should come with more game time and improved fitness. He is far from being a Steven Gerrard but not bad at all.

The other positive note is Coutinho. Of course this was nowhere near his best, but he is back and would probably get better!

This is a very bad day at work for Liverpool.

It goes to show that you either spend very big (40m and above) or just go for the bargains, and coach and motivate them very, very well. Just like how Pulis's 20m pound team can go to Anfield and almost beat a 200m pound team!

Barcelona just won the club world cup and look at their star players! So, FSG, you got the money to continue with this game!?

The way you guys are going on, looks like many of our squad should be sold and replaced. Similar situation to what happened to Chelsea. Not possible to sack 22 players, so...

However, in our case, our coach is still new...and much overhyped! The way he dropped Benteke (due to popular pressure?) and then bringing him on tonight (hoping he will rescue the situation?!) shows that Klopp has been super inflated to something he is absolutely not!

I am not saying he is lousy. I am just saying that all these coaches are more or less..not that great a difference lah! Special one, normal one, all the same one!

Think Guardiola is that great? Of course lah, from Barcelona, he went to manage Bayern. These are all top teams what!

So, we have to give Mr Klopp two seasons and then, after that see how much money FSG has got left!

This post has been edited by RedSiglap56: Dec 20 2015, 11:28 PM

One of the latest article on Liverpool Echo asked whether this could be a blessing in disguise?!

Btw, Skrtle's goal against City won the LFC goal of the month! That guy can come up with brilliant goals either with his head or feet. Wonder whether he started off his career trying to be a striker.

Back to the Liverpool Echo article. The writer's got a point actually. He's been very much the constant in Liverpool's defence since Carra retired, and I have never been assured of our defensive strength ever since. Especially during corners and free kicks. I remember watching Skrtle captain his Slovakia national team in one or two matches. While he played ok, he was certainly not a strong leader or a leader at all! A good defence needs leadership. It needs a Carra shouting at everyone to mark their man or stay in their zone or at the keeper to distribute the ball in a certain way. Skrtle is a quiet guy.

Klopp is hoping that Lovren can return on boxing day to partner Sakho. Apparently the Sakho/Lovren defensive statistics is not bad at all.

Skrtle to be dropped?!

I think after the dust settles in this topsy turvy season, we should still see Man City and Arsenal in the top 4. It's really difficult to predict who will take the other 2 spots although I agree that Spurs is becoming a strong contender in recent weeks.

One thing I observed : pride comes before a fall or in this case, a defeat! The moment OVERconfidence goes into the heads of either coach or players (both will be worse), they could be clobbered in the next game!

Lallana also looked squashed! My goodness!

Is there not another game in between? a capital one cup game?

Anyway, very happy that we won and kept pace with the leading teams. We all know that such games can go badly wrong for us. Well, Hendo did say that this would be a scrap and so it was!

I think the west ham game will be even tougher. Another striker has a point to prove against us! I think we will get clobbered if we just relax a little bit.

Firstly, I am relieved that none of our players were injured last night. Secondly, I am relieved that Sakho didn't hurt himself again by that somewhat ridiculous stunt.

Sorry but I think it is ridiculous for a seasoned international player to roll over and cry out like that. The game is getting more desperate and harsh these days and this type of behaviour may invite opponents to find more ways to intimidatme us. There are "Watfords" waiting out there.

Sorry if I come across as being a little harsh on Sakho. He is a rather awkward looking player and the last time he injured himself so unnecessarily and ridiculously, it made me angry.

I played the clip over a few times and each time Sakho appeared to do a half back flip after his legs were away from Lens'.

Hey guys, I understand your reaction to my opinion. He is our player after all. I probably provoked you guys by using the word "stunt". My apologies for working you up.

Perhaps I should have used the word "over-react" instead. Anyway, I am happy that he is ok. I think the Lovren-Sakho pairing is doing fine.

This is the biggest test after Watford.

Have LFC learnt important lessons? News that neither Hendo nor Sturridge is available for this game add to the tension.

To quote a line from the movie Joy Luck Club, "not expect(ing), just hope (only)".