Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2014 - Mod Note in OP, 1/09

garra · 22-10-2014 11:03PM

Augmerson wrote: »

You watched the whole match and your opinion is all we had was some neat passing and some chances to score? I might be wearing rose tinted glasses but you'll need to get the dust cleaned off yours if you didn't notice the closing down and pressuring. There was a real desire to get the ball back and fast and it reminded me a lot of last season.

If we had of been able to continue that for the whole match and been concentrating better at the back we would have at least a point on our hands tonight.

Ooh you got me there, I forgot to mention the closing down and pressuring for periods in the first half and when Real were 3 nil up in the second half.

QPR did a good job of closing down and pressuring last weekend. Does it mean they can get away with a toothless attack, numb-nuts defending, lack of game management/control or poor delivery from set pieces? Not really.

passremarkable · 22-10-2014 11:04PM

The sooner we replace mignolet the better
He is a terrible keeper
Flappy

LuckyLloyd · 22-10-2014 11:04PM

Tipsy McSwagger wrote: »

Worst performer this season has been the manager.

Yep.

I'm baffled what I'm reading in here tonight. Mario swapped a shirt? So ****ing what. We pressed a little bit? **** off, who cares. Real are a great team? Maybe, but Anfield on European nights has always been where great teams go to die.

We've been rubbish all season. That's the reality, like it or lump it. Our defending is atrocious and the coach is either unwilling or unable to address it. We are on course to be eliminated from the group stages of the Champions League after getting Basle and Ludograts in the draw, as good as it gets at this level essentially.

We were awful tonight. No pride, no fight. Never a contest. I'm so bitterly disappointed. I expected us to make a game of it, instead we rolled over and allowed ourselves to be tickled. Some of you misunderstand what this is supposed to be about:

Currently in fourth? We won't be at the end of the season unless there is a drastic shake up.

MD1990 · 22-10-2014 11:06PM

Mignolet was shocking for the 3rd goal. He has a major flaw as he suffered a bad facial injury a few years & has no bravery or courage to go for balls where he might be in a collision.

klose · 22-10-2014 11:08PM

Gerrard was having a laugh and a joke with ronaldo when we were one down iirc, no out cry over that though. Balo is the easiest of targets.

Liam McPoyle · 22-10-2014 11:09PM

IMO as each game goes by, BR is getting shown up more and more.

He was incredibly fortunate last year that Suarez peaked and Sturridge was fantastic too.

The sexy football going forward deflected attention from the dodginess at the back.

The Palace game being where the league was lost, 3 nil up with 10 or 15 minutes remaining, it should have been about holding steady.

His ineptness in the transfer market and his insistence this season of playing players that are past it or worthless will be his undoing.

Charlie19 · 22-10-2014 11:12PM

The thread really is spit on Mario.

While I dont like him being at Liverpool, I think he done well tonight and I'm still foolishly hoping he'll come good when Sturridge becomes available.

I've read a lot a posts about how we were undone by great first goal and I dont think anyone has laid blame at Loveren. If Loveren hadn't tried the overhead, I think he could of continued his run and just shielded or headed the ball out to safety.

billymitchell · 22-10-2014 11:24PM

Ah lads, we all expected to get beat tonight, why the fcuking meltdown when we did? We were beat by probably the best europe, its about right the result. Roll on the weekend, back to our current level

ben.schlomo · 22-10-2014 11:25PM

Charlie19 wrote: »

The thread really is spit on Mario.

While I dont like him being at Liverpool, I think he done well tonight and I'm still foolishly hoping he'll come good when Sturridge becomes available.

I've read a lot a posts about how we were undone by great first goal and I dont think anyone has laid blame at Loveren. If Loveren hadn't tried the overhead, I think he could of continued his run and just shielded or headed the ball out to safety.

Dont think anyone went that far!!

K-9 · 22-10-2014 11:26PM

Morzadec wrote: »

Balo had a couple of good moments but overall it often feels like playing with 10 on the pitch.

He is a luxury player and his moments of quality are too infrequent but ultimately (and more importantly) too ineffectual to justify his place in the team.

It looks like his mind is elsewhere at times. Look at our first goal against QPR. His lack of concentration and presence in the game is criminal. Defenders get slated for these slips. Strikers should be held just as accountable. Why is Balotelli not scoring goals? You can start here. If he was fully involved in the moment he would have scored a few by now just by being in the right place.

Not sure if I'm explaining this well but there is no "flow" about him at the moment. He's going through the motions.

I would start anyone over him at the moment. We are playing with 10 at times

Apparently he was a big name signing that meant we were serious.

Unless he clicks with Sturridge he'll be gone come January

Charlie19 · 22-10-2014 11:29PM

ben.schlomo wrote: »

Dont think anyone went that far!!

Have you not read the last few pages?

ush · 22-10-2014 11:48PM

Watched the match sober. Then went out and drank. Home now.

Rodgers is either going to integrate the new players and have a fantastic 2015/2016, or we are witnessing the beginning of the end.

You can climb the Premiership with Sterling/Sturridge/Suarez running rampant. But after that you need to organise a defence. Europe requires a degree of organisation I don't think Rodgers is capable of.

I'm not going to bring it up again. I've said what I think. Hope Rodgers proves me wrong.

daithijjj · 22-10-2014 11:51PM

Balotelli isnt as bad as some make out, he just isnt for LFC.

He is an average player, who cant play on the break, cant see quick passes, doesnt appreciate whats around him, is selfish in the wrong areas to be selfish, has the capability to demoralise a unit largely full of young players and cant play on his own up front. "He was the best we could have got", he was also one of the worst imo.

I was intrigued to see what he could do for us but like many id say, that curiosity is wearing thin. I have no ill will towards him, the shirt thing is neither here nor there in the grand scheme. Its simply about talent and what he is offering. There is lots of goodwill when he plays and if he was performing the same way while bursting his bollox then many would give him some slack but he doesnt. He needs someone else to do the donkey work and him to collect the fruits of that. That simply wont work for this team. You cant be a 'team' if all XI dont pull weight together.

As for the defending, its all down to the club and its priorities or even its values. The fact we have to keep banging out the same tune is testament to an ethos within the club that does not value a tactical approach to basic defending.

I've had my say on Skrtel. Johnson is someone who i would replace asap as well. Simple decisions are beyond these players. I'd add Enrique too.

There are fundamental issues at the club. Its the actions of the decision makers that need to be ridiculed now if no changes are made in the defensive set up.

MR NINE · 23-10-2014 12:15AM

MD1990 wrote: »

Mignolet was shocking for the 3rd goal. He has a major flaw as he suffered a bad facial injury a few years & has no bravery or courage to go for balls where he might be in a collision.

I think we should try and sign begovic in jan or in the summer. If i remember right it was a toss up between those two in the first place. It seems we got it wrong. I think begovic is an excellent keeper and one of the best in england. He has no weakness as far as i can see.

T-K-O · 23-10-2014 12:36AM

MR NINE wrote: »

I think we should try and sign begovic in jan or in the summer. If i remember right it was a toss up between those two in the first place. It seems we got it wrong. I think begovic is an excellent keeper and one of the best in england. He has no weakness as far as i can see.

I coming round to this idea. However what is Begovic like with the ball at his feet? I think the passing out from the back has Migolnet on edge and his overall game suffers.

segadreamcast · 23-10-2014 12:43AM

Charlie19 wrote: »

The thread really is spit on Mario.

While I dont like him being at Liverpool, I think he done well tonight and I'm still foolishly hoping he'll come good when Sturridge becomes available.

I've read a lot a posts about how we were undone by great first goal and I dont think anyone has laid blame at Loveren. If Loveren hadn't tried the overhead, I think he could of continued his run and just shielded or headed the ball out to safety.

If that's the case, I refuse to go any further back on this thread.

I've said it since we were linked. I've said it since his first game. I've said it again and again: Mario is not it. Mario doesn't work for us. Time after time tonight his positioning was just wrong. He links up badly. He's on the wrong side of defenders. It's dreadful to look at. Subsequently, he tries to drop back and attempt long shots that don't even go past the first man.

I would've accepted LFC buying a 0.5 goal per game striker. That's average. Jermaine Defoe territory. Balotelli is on circa 0.2 goals per game now surely. That's appalling. No excuses left. Nowhere to hide. Rodgers was right to hook him. Finally.

Ferris_Bueller · 23-10-2014 12:47AM

Did we really play as bad as people are making out? I only got to see the first 45 minutes, but in the first half I didn't think we played that badly despite being 3-0 down. I definitely saw a lot of positives in the first 20-25 minutes, and although the defending for both Benzema's goals was terrible, outside of that I didn't see too much wrong. The first goal probably knocked the wind out of the sails a bit, but I've definitely seen us play a lot worse this season. I would be more worried with the performance against QPR than I would be with tonights, despite us winning 3-2 on Saturday and losing 3-0 tonight. Then again I only saw the first 45, but for it to finish the same scoreline how badly could we have played in the second half?

Real Madrid are a classy side, in terms of overall strength it's probably the strongest Madrid team I've ever seen. They have a great chance of retaining it this season, scary to think how good they could be if you added Bale in there tonight. Disappointing we didn't put up a better fight, it could have been a very special night at Anfield if they got a result, the atmosphere before the game sounded incredible.

Also not too impressed with Balotelli this season, but using the jersey swapping thing as a stick to beat him is harsh IMO, the media are just looking for stories about him. He would want to improve his performances though!

T-K-O · 23-10-2014 12:55AM

Ferris_Bueller wrote: »

Did we really play as bad as people are making out? I only got to see the first 45 minutes, but in the first half I didn't think we played that badly despite being 3-0 down. I definitely saw a lot of positives in the first 20-25 minutes, and although the defending for both Benzema's goals was terrible, outside of that I didn't see too much wrong. The first goal probably knocked the wind out of the sails a bit, but I've definitely seen us play a lot worse this season. I would be more worried with the performance against QPR than I would be with tonights, despite us winning 3-2 on Saturday and losing 3-0 tonight. Then again I only saw the first 45, but for it to finish the same scoreline how badly could we have played in the second half?

Real Madrid are a classy side, in terms of overall strength it's probably the strongest Madrid team I've ever seen. They have a great chance of retaining it this season, scary to think how good they could be if you added Bale in there tonight. Disappointing we didn't put up a better fight, it could have been a very special night at Anfield if they got a result, the atmosphere before the game sounded incredible.

Also not too impressed with Balotelli this season, but using the jersey swapping thing as a stick to beat him is harsh IMO, the media are just looking for stories about him. He would want to improve his performances though!

IMO, We played well for the first 15/20 mins. Once they scored the first we fell apart. Also despite then endless pages of mud slinging, Mario was decent in the first half.

Sir Gallagher · 23-10-2014 01:51AM

Forgive my ignorance of the PL outside of LFC, but wasn't Lovren supposed to be a leader, organiser, solid. Absolute spoofer so far by the looks of things, himself and Skrtle are like the chuckle brothers, throw Johnson and Enrique in there and you're looking at one of the most idiotic back lines in the league add Toure and Sakho into the mix and it's like something from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The defensive coaching seems non existent, but these lot seem genuinely brainless.

We all thought Carragher went overboard with Arbeloa a few years back, i'd love to see something like that now. This team has no character. Brendan has a big job on his hands here, i think he got a bit too far ahead of himself and he could be in danger of blowing it. On the other hand, this is a real test for him and if he gets us through it he'll be the better manager for it.

J Mysterio · 23-10-2014 02:16AM

Coutinho was at fault for the second goal, though he was probably one of the best players on the pitch. The problem with him is he always trys to start an attack no matter where he receives the ball - even if he has got it in a poor position.

That's really a double edged sword. When the play is broken up, as he likes, he can find a great pass and really make something happen. Conversely, he can really cause us problems if he loses the ball as the team arent prepared for another phase of attack.

I dont think Benzema was heading at goal - I think he was heading across goal - but that chance came about because Coutinho was trying to start a counter from the edge of our own box.

I would say that maybe that should be coached out of him but i'm not sure.

ch750536 · 23-10-2014 02:19AM

One player was dismal tonight for me, Johnson. Don't even know what he was thinking half the time.

J Mysterio · 23-10-2014 02:22AM

I don't understand all the criticism of Johnson tbh. I thought he was ok - there were far worse.players out there. He was also up against Ronaldon half the night and Ronaldo never made a proper opportunity on his side.

Much more concerned by Lovren and Skrtel. As bad as Skrtel was, Lovren was worse. Fucķing shocking, particularly for the third goal. How the fucķ did he miss that clearance? He was watching the ball all the way. Fucķing flop.

Sir Gallagher · 23-10-2014 02:59AM

J Mysterio wrote: »

I don't understand all the criticism of Johnson tbh. I thought he was ok - there were far worse.players out there. He was also up against Ronaldon half the night and Ronaldo never made a proper opportunity on his side.

Much more concerned by Lovren and Skrtel. As bad as Skrtel was, Lovren was worse. Fucķing shocking, particularly for the third goal. How the fucķ did he miss that clearance? He was watching the ball all the way. Fucķing flop.

There was a moment in the game where Johnson got the ball in their half and like so many times before was in dreamland, dawdling on the ball like a thick and was dispossesed.

I've seen him do it time and time again against all sorts of opposition, the level of stupidity and brainlessness is honestly something to behold. He comes a very close second in the braindead stakes to Enrique. Moreno and Manquillo look much better than this pair and they're only 20 odd.

Zak Flaps · 23-10-2014 03:22AM

K4t wrote: »

If tonight proved anything, it's that Rodgers needs to build the team around Coutinho, Can and Sterling.

What? Seriously....what?
Coutinho has mostly been very poor this season.
Can hasn't done enough yet to prove he is a player worth building a team around.

~Rebel~ · 23-10-2014 03:29AM

J Mysterio wrote: »

I have a massive problem with it and I think others do, or should. You shouldn't be pally with the opposition anyway but particularly after they've just handed your ass to you.

I think about Roy Keane saying 'It amazes me to see players talking to the opposition in the tunnel - we're going to war' (paraphrased).

I believe that Rodgers subbed Balotelli at half time for the shirt swap. I can see no other reason for subbing him. He was probably Liverpool's best player in the first half.

I was actually raging when I saw he was substituted. I thought Rodgers had thrown him under the bus i.e. was subbing him to blame him in someway for the performance (scapegoating). It only made sense when I saw the shirt swapping.

Still probably poor man management from Rodgers as Balotelli will totally shut down now.

Rodgers was told about the shirt swap after the game live on air and said it was the first he'd heard of it, and would look into it, so no, it's not the reason he was taken off.

kingshankly · 23-10-2014 05:42AM

klose wrote: »

Gerrard was having a laugh and a joke with ronaldo when we were one down iirc, no out cry over that though. Balo is the easiest of targets.

Jesus clutching a bit there did you not see after the game when arbeloa asked him to swap and he said not here in the dressing room

Oranage2 · 23-10-2014 06:16AM

~Rebel~ wrote: »

Rodgers was told about the shirt swap after the game live on air and said it was the first he'd heard of it, and would look into it, so no, it's not the reason he was taken off.

Rodgers could be lying

monkey9 · 23-10-2014 06:19AM

Business Cat wrote: »

IMO as each game goes by, BR is getting shown up more and more.

He was incredibly fortunate last year that Suarez peaked and Sturridge was fantastic too.

The sexy football going forward deflected attention from the dodginess at the back.

The Palace game being where the league was lost, 3 nil up with 10 or 15 minutes remaining, it should have been about holding steady.

His ineptness in the transfer market and his insistence this season of playing players that are past it or worthless will be his undoing.

The league was lost by not taking anything from the Chelsea match. Even a point in that game and we'd be champions now. What happened at Palace was a direct consequence of losing to Chelsea.

Gbear · 23-10-2014 07:08AM

monkey9 wrote: »

The league was lost by not taking anything from the Chelsea match. Even a point in that game and we'd be champions now. What happened at Palace was a direct consequence of losing to Chelsea.

The league was lost when we dropped 13 more points in the first half of the season.

You can't expect to make 0 mistakes in the 2nd half of the season and win every single game.

Turtyturd · 23-10-2014 07:12AM

monkey9 wrote: »

The league was lost by not taking anything from the Chelsea match. Even a point in that game and we'd be champions now. What happened at Palace was a direct consequence of losing to Chelsea.

Fairly sure we were 6 points ahead of City at the start of that game and 1 behind at the end due to our 'collapse'.

Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2014 - Mod Note in OP, 1/09

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