Liverpool Dire yet Again

The Muppet

Liverpool played the second half against chelsea without a single shot from play on goal. In extra while 2-1 down they got 2 crosse into the box from the right wing but only Owen had made the effort to get into the box and was easily negated by chelsea defenders. The other Liverpool players must have been defending their 1 goal deficit I presume.

It would have been a travesty if Chelski had not won after some shamful homeside decisions by the officials.

Final score Chelsea 2 pool 1

smuckers

Veron was absolutely majestic he ran that midfield, Lamps was good too suprisingly Duff was quiet but we started slowly for the first 20mins Pool were on top, but then when CFC gelled boy did we gel, Kewell almost equalised but we should have gone 2 up Veron throguh ball and the poor Gudjohnsen missed.
In the second half when Diof came made a diff, Kewell did go missing in the second half and Owen was v quiet, I still don't understand why that penno had to be retaken and justice ws served when JFH scored a cracker.

UbahOne

Damn right. It shudnt have been a throw in the first place to give them the penalty. Owen shouldnt have ha da retake. No liverpool player objected when he missed. Owen put his head in his hands meaning he knew he was **** and missed. simple as that.

UbahOne

Veron was quiet in the second half though. Very good play in the first half.

The Muppet

Veron was absolutely majestic he ran that midfield,

True for the first half he even got in a few tackle which he seldom did at Utd. I tought he was quite enough for the second half.

It was a good start to the season for chelsea but i think they are going to have problems down the line keeping all their players happy. They were easily the best team on the pitch today and deserved their win.

smuckers

The little shark from Romania is still to come in. A pattern seems to be emerging 5 in mid away from home but 4-4-2 at home.

Ronan|Raven

Bah! another poor home performance, I know we were missing Hamman and Gerrard but we were very poor. Far to many long balls into nowhere. The few times they kept the ball on the deck and passed it around and out wide a few chances were created. Very fortunate with the penalty retake and a draw would have been a lucky result tbh. Chelsea look good I will say that. Terry looks like he is going to mature nicely into a good defender for them. Veron looks very comfortable althoug he did dissapear for a bit but he seems happier playing in that position. Hell even he couldnt miss an open goal

I would dearly love to see them going out the wing a bit more and keeping the longball for those moments where it will take the defense by surprise but alas what do I know Was nice to see Finnan get a run as well hopefully he can hold down a regular place. Ah well bad start one can only hope it improves..

Oh and ubahOne think before you type!

GuanYin

To be fair, I think the match said more about Liverpool than it did about Chelsea.

Liverpool were yet again one-dimensional and stagnant going forward. In the first half every ball they played forward magically gravitated towards the left corner flag. Perhaps they thought Johnson was the weak link, but the thing is when they played the ball forward there was never actually anyone there. Chelsea had 7 goal kicks and 6 throws in this same area in the first half alone.
They deserved to equalise, although as Andy Gray pointed out, that lines man didn't see a throw 5 feet away but saw Cudicini move on the goal line 1/100th of a second too early? I hope he is reviewed.

Now I know that they are missing Hamann and Gerrard, but I really can't see them making that much of a difference when Diou was the only other player on the pitch able to pass or cross with any intelligence. Kewell had an average game and I think he may have been getting frustrated with the way the game was going.


Chelsea were no great shakes. Johnson looked badly exposed when Diou came on and as much as you want to harp on about the penalty/throw the fact is, Bridge blatently controlled the ball with his hands in the penalty area moments earlier. Chelsea stuttered moments of brilliance, but were well matched in the second half and the opening 10-20 minutes. At 1-1 Chelsea responded for about 5-10 minutes but after that Liverpool looked the more likely to score (and indeed should have had they bothered to get anyone forward in support when they attacked).
Even at 2-1 up with 3 min + I.T. to go Chelsea didn't hold on to the ball with any conviction. But then, Liverpool looked like they had given up at that stage anyway.

It was a great match for a neutral to watch, but both teams will need to up their play several gears as both Arsenal and Man Utd look in the mood for it.

smuckers

The fact is Pool didn't have a single shot in the second half, they'll improve but will have to change their style of play.

smuckers

There was a swagger about CFC in the midfield kept possession well.

smuckers

I wonder if Mutu will play on the wing, they were saying on Sky that he was going to play there instead of Jesper.

StickyMcGinty

dont gimme this sh1te about the referee enforcing the rules - that is his job. since the champions league final they have gone very strict on the moving off the line before it is taken.

pity bout the result though.... chelsea played keep-ball when they were 1 nil up - the exact same thing liverpool get abused for when they do it!!


one game gone, still plenty of room for improvement. we should have brought in Le Tallac.

bring on Villa...

UbahOne

Liverpool are poor. Despite Carraghers good ball in the attacking play in the first 20 minutes...they were not good. 5 striker on second half and no shots. shudnt have been a retake. And if you look at the footage, it shud have been a ****en chelsea ball in the first place so **** that.

The Muppet

dont gimme this sh1te about the referee enforcing the rules

Be honest If Owen had scored the first pen and been made to retake and missed would you be saying that. I have never seen a decision like that before. How do you explain the lineman not seeing the ball go out of the liverpool player at 5 yards away and yet clearly saw the keeper move a foot of his line on the pen pool should not have had. It was a blatent home side decision and one of the worst i have seen.

The only saving grace was that chelsea got the win they deserved.

UbahOne

Yes exactly. How could he NOT see it was a chelsea ball?

filthy deciison.

StickyMcGinty

Originally posted by The Muppet
Be honest If Owen had scored the first pen and been made to retake and missed would you be saying that.

thats called giving advantage to the team to whom the foul was against. think man think!!
i'm still pis$ed off after the game!!!

UbahOne

so you should...they dont look impressive at all.

kamobe

Igor Biscan.

m0o|Dino

should be shot

Shred

oh man, I'm depressed

as for the peno, cudicini was about two feet off his line (thank god:rolleyes: )

cournioni

Originally posted by kamobe
Igor Biscan.

Did I read somewhere that Gerard Houllier thought that Biscan could grow into a world class defender? (I think I saw it on Sky Sports News).

UbahOne

as for the peno, cudicini was about two feet off his line

Half a foot. Bull**** decision.

marct

TBH I think the officials set a very dangerous precedent. If they try to enforce this rule as stringently as in yesterdays game there could be trouble ahead. We can all blame AC Milan's Dida for this:rolleyes: Anyway, from a Pool perspective there are some positives to be taken from yesterday. Biscan and Cheyrou have had their respective chances- enough already! Diouf was very effective when he came on. Kewell showed touches of class but he needs more time. They didnt have the majority of the posession but were very threatening (in the first half). As for Carra going into the centre instead of Henchoz- I reckon that was the last time we will see that!!:mad:

p.pete

Twas a strange decision to take Carragher off for Henchoz - was there an injury or just GH and his whacky ideas?

In defence of Carragher he got further forward than I have ever seen him before - and not a trace of blood coming out of his nose. He still did a lot of pointless long balls as you would expect from him but did produce some attacking play which was encouraging (despite the lack of somebody up front to give the final ball to). Still - don't think he will be stopping Finnan from getting his game:D

Biscan would be more at home in a freak show - unless that is the direction Liverpool are intending to go I'm not sure what use he is. Djiouf was useful when he came on but if it hadn't have been for Bridge pulling him down it wouldn't of made any real impact.

The Chelsea back four will be amazing when they gel. They were helped by having an extra line on front of them though. A lot of the time (more in the second half though) when they broke from defence there would only be one or two chelsea players in our half. The proof of this is that as soon as there was an equaliser they were flooding forward again. This isn't a criticism - I'd expect Liverpool to do the same.

Overall I expected more from Chelsea but when they did pull things together Liverpool were no match for them. Should be interesting to see them develop.

GuanYin

I thought Djiouf was liverpools best (and often only) attacking option in the whole game.

As regards Carragher, I've seen it suggested by pool fans (incl. Bannor) more than once on these boards that Carragher can act as cover for the centre now that Finnan arrived.

Biscan and Murphy were appalling. Chelsea had an extraordinary amount of unchallanged free space in front of Liverpool's penalty area.

The difference between Chelsea's defensive mode and Liverpools is that Chelsea retained possession and passed it. Liverpool seem to just let the opponents have the ball and punt it long at every opportunity.

marct

I must say that I thought Carra would be a decent punt for cover at CB but he didnt look too clever yesterday. Henchoz would not have let that happen. Diouf definitely looks up for the new season and gave Johnson a torrid time. Himself and Kewell were the only Pool midfielders who were even at the races. TBH, Chelsea were far from sensational and werent much of a creative force themselves. Both Riise and Cheyrou in the 1st half were guilty of looking for the hackneyed long ball to Owen far too often. Diouf, Kewell, Hamann and Gerrard are a far tougher proposition IMHO.

p.pete

Originally posted by sykeirl
Chelsea had an extraordinary amount of unchallanged free space in front of Liverpool's penalty area.

A refreshing change I would have thought? Some people are never happy - I'd start a thread on how crappy Forest were at the weekend but nobody would be interested (at least ye have an honest manager I suppose).

GuanYin

Originally posted by p.pete
A refreshing change I would have thought? Some people are never happy - I'd start a thread on how crappy Forest were at the weekend but nobody would be interested (at least ye have an honest manager I suppose).

Yeah, its a pity they can't find a happy medium. They either camp out infront of the penalty area or go awol altogether.

Well I didn't see the Forest highlights yet, but by all accounts they needn't have bothered turning up.

p.pete

Originally posted by sykeirl
Well I didn't see the Forest highlights yet, but by all accounts they needn't have bothered turning up.

In fairness I don't think there was too many of them available to turn up - that whole strength and depth issue obviously makes an impact in div1 also.

GuanYin

Originally posted by p.pete
In fairness I don't think there was too many of them available to turn up - that whole strength and depth issue obviously makes an impact in div1 also.

Not quite as much as the impact of being 26 million in debt and having a wage cap of 6K

p.pete

Originally posted by sykeirl
Not quite as much as the impact of being 26 million in debt and having a wage cap of 6K

LOL:D that's harsh!

Thanx 4 The Fish

Originally posted by UbahOne
Half a foot. Bull**** decision.

Well there is one every season. :rolleyes:

If you break the rules, you break the rules. If he was only half a foot off the line he was half a foot more than he should have been and may as well have been 2 foot off it. Some positives for liverpool, finnan looked good, Kewell played nowhere near his potential, and Owen was getting into space. Unfortunately people didn't bother looking up and Kewell seemed more interested in scoring on his premiership debut than winning dishing it off to Owen. Cudicini was class again, Chelsea will be a tough challenge for anybody this season.

Final verdict, the best is yet to come for both teams...

Ping Chow Chi

Well I didn't see the Forest highlights yet, but by all accounts they needn't have bothered turning up. [/B]

the forest hightlight show against reading would be a very very short show indeed, I was listening to it on the radio and forest where very poor.

both jonno and PH had a right moan about the lack of cash and new players before the match, god knows how they felt after.

I guess PH is still vexed with Bopp with him not having a run again

I thought that the debt is down to 20'ish now

jonno

Originally posted by Thanx 4 The Fish
Well there is one every season. :rolleyes:

If you break the rules, you break the rules. If he was only half a foot off the line he was half a foot more than he should have been and may as well have been 2 foot off it. Some positives for liverpool, finnan looked good, Kewell played nowhere near his potential, and Owen was getting into space. Unfortunately people didn't bother looking up and Kewell seemed more interested in scoring on his premiership debut than winning dishing it off to Owen. Cudicini was class again, Chelsea will be a tough challenge for anybody this season.

Final verdict, the best is yet to come for both teams...

The first post I agree with so far on this thread.

Cudichini broke the rules and so was penalised. If Dudek had done it I would feel the same just in case any of ye jump to the default conclusion that because I support Pool I am been biased.

Also I'd say both teams didn't play to their full potential yesterday. And only when they start doing so will you be able to judge them realistically. It was the first game of the season for both teams so nothing much can be read into it that could allow one to judge the season.

p.pete

Originally posted by Ping Chow Chi
the forest hightlight show against reading would be a very very short show indeed, I was listening to it on the radio and forest where very poor.

both jonno and PH had a right moan about the lack of cash and new players before the match, god knows how they felt after.

Reading had 3 goals and a missed penalty - the highlights shouldn't be that short, should they?

PH was fairly critical of the team after. Worst performance from the team that he had seen etc.

smemon

the referee was an absolute disgrace, clearly a liverpool fan. what idiot would make someone re-take a missed penalty because the keeper in 2inches of his line??

BORING BORING liverpool havnt changed from last season. kewell is played out of position and forced into defensive duties. houllier must go. even the stadium announcer guy has the most boring voice. the whole club is a bore to anyone outside liverpool.

liverpool played their traditional 8 at the back. houllier shocked me by playing 2 upfront, 8 backs. usually its 1 upfront, 9 backs. he must be getting more adventurous. and for the first time ever, i saw carragher in the opponenets half! its a miricle!!

serves liverpool right for losing, there a pathetic side under houllier and going nowhere. you wouldnt know the difference between the new and old players, they all play the same way. the boring lacklustre hoof it up the pitch to heskey style.

talk about arsenal being fined, liverpool should be fined for poor performances.

uRbaN

hate to say it, but its the same old story. I am a liverpool fan, but i never expected them to beat chelsea. There hasnt been enuff change in the team to indicate any difference than last year...i mean staff wise....
its early yet to be gloomy, but i think its a long winter ahead of hanging on to one goal margins against wolves and the like:rolleyes:

PiE

[OT]Why are Man U fans obsessed with commenting on Liverpool performances? They probably know more about our team than their own (that wouldn't be hard mind you.)[/OT]

To be fair, without Gerrard & Hamann in midfield and Henchoz not starting, Liverpool were always gonna struggle. I think it's completely unfair to draw conclusions of either team after one match.

p.pete

PiE, I pressume your talking about Finnan not Henchoz not starting?

Also GH was critical of the number of long balls, I think it is something they are trying to change (hopefully).

The Muppet

posted by pie

Why are Man U fans obsessed with commenting on Liverpool performances?

If we post about utd we get hassle for the amount of utd posts and call for a dedicated utd forum. When we join in discuussion on football in general we get comments like this.

Utd fans are not obsessed with liverpool. We are just pointing out the obvious which according to some posts from liverpool fans lately is also obvious to them. I think it just the blinkered few diehards who would rather shoot the messanger than concede the well documented problems that exist at Anfield.

p.pete

Originally posted by The Muppet
If we post about utd we get hassle for the amount of utd posts and call for a dedicated utd forum. When we join in discuussion on football in general we get comments like this.

LOL, unloved and unwanted:D

Thanx 4 The Fish

Muppet by name etc...

First game of the season is nothing to judge a team on, the team that startes ond Sunday will not be the team that starts next week for either side. I agree that liverpool have been a bit one dimensional but with Kewell and Finnan providing more attacking options, there will be alot more goals. Would like to see Pongolle and Le Tallec get a run in the side too.

Smemon. If you break the rules you break the rules, it has gone from 2ft to half a foot to 2 inches on this thread and still if you are off your line by any of these distances then you have broken the rules. There is to be a crackdown on this as a result of the CL final and the refs have been told that it will not be tolerated. If it had happened to Liverpool I prob would have been pissed off but only as pissed off as I would have been if dudek fouled the last man and got sent off. The rules are there for a reason. Once the keepers learn that coming off the line is not to be tolerated, they will stop doing it.

Originally posted by Smemon

liverpool should be fined for poor performances.

:rolleyes:

UbahOne

Well i suppose it is true not to look at first game of the season. Look at Utd the last couple of seasons with the terrible starts they had.

Anyway, Liverpool were still **** to watch and did not play well yesterday. Such a boring team.

p.pete

Originally posted by UbahOne
Anyway, Liverpool were still **** to watch and did not play well yesterday. Such a boring team.

Damn people at Sky brainwashing me into thinking that it was an exciting game from the neutrals point of view. Last time I listen to their exuberance.

Thanx 4 The Fish

Funny, I got a similar impression pete, some good football, end to end stuff, Kewell making some good runs, Diouf creating space and attacking, a couple of Liverpool penalty appeals turned down. Good game to watch for the neutral I thought, probably a dreadful game through the blinkered eyes of a ne'er do well Man U supporter...*































*Not all Man U fans, most actually enjoy football aswell as supporting their team

UbahOne

The game itself was exciting especially when Chelsea countered...but the possession Chelsea had even if it was in their own half...they ate you up!!!

GuanYin

Personally, I....

A) Don't support Man Utd.

Enjoyed the game.

C) Didn't think Chelsea were anything special

D) Thought Liverpool played very badly (they were far better in the last game V. Chelsea last season)

E) Didn't see any change in Liverpools approach or players that makes me think that they will mount any more serious a title challenge than last year. (thats not to say I'm judging their season on this game, I'm just saying i saw no change).

F) Didn't see anything that makes me think that chelsea will catch up with Utd or Arsenal

G) Think Houllier should go.

Thanx 4 The Fish

Ate me up ??? WTF I have never played for Liverpool, I will never play for Liverpool. Liverpool were all over Chelsea for the first half an hour and could have taken a couple of goals into the break, so could Chelsea as they dominated the last twenty and alot of the rest of the game in all honesty. Saying that liverpool had around 20 shots on goal and Cudicini did very well for them to keep liverpool from netting twice in the first five minutes.

UbahOne

Call me stupid, but I assumed that Harry Kewell was being bought as a wide player and yet we saw him play everywhere but on the wing. And when El Hadji Diouf did come on in that position they looked far more dangerous and that's where the goal eventually came from. Unless they start playing with some width they are really going to struggle. Michael Owen and Emile Heskey will get no space at all if the back four are not being stretched across the whole pitch. The kind of balls that the Liverpool midfield are delivering will be dealt with easily by most centre-halves.

Andy Gray.

Im with him entirely. You were ****.

However this is just on that match. Im not saying thats how they will be. Time will tell...

Thanx 4 The Fish

You certainly are a very smart guy, do you wanna borrow any more opinions from other people or are you gonna form any of your own ??

UbahOne

Well the opinions on liverpools performance yesterday dont need individualism cos everyone knows they were ****.