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

Suarezistheman wrote: »

"Was he playing centre half?” or words to this effect were what Rodgers said this week after the Madrid match. It's easy for you to state certain things and forget others just to fit your anti-Rodgers propaganda. Rodgers has publicly slated his defence and said they need to do better. I don't see how this is making Ballotelli the scapegoat?

Balotelli by your own admission was a disgrace last weekend. His lack of effort & attitiude on Wednesday were poor as well. If Ballotelli is a scapegoat it's his own doing. Every 'top' forward is in line for criticism especially someone as controversial as Ballotelli.

Now don't get me wrong, the level of the performance from Ballo against was Madrid was still nowhere near the required level, but I actually thought it was his best 45 mins for us yet! He was linking up with Sterling well, nice ball in for Allen etc. It seemed he was trying more to play a team role!

whatawaster wrote: »

I think some of the criticism levelled at the manager is unwarranted.

We were playing pretty poorly at this stage last season too

Quite frankly considering performances this season & the fact there is no sign;

1) the manager is actually addressing the issues we're having

2) that we're improving in any way

...Rodgers is probably deserving of more criticism than he has gotten to date.

The fact you think the relatively limited criticism he has gotten has been unwarranted is borderline embarrassing.

Suarezistheman wrote: »

"Was he playing centre half?” or words to this effect were what Rodgers said this week after the Madrid match. It's easy for you to state certain things and forget others just to fit your anti-Rodgers propaganda. Rodgers has publicly slated his defence and said they need to do better. I don't see how this is making Ballotelli the scapegoat?

Balotelli by your own admission was a disgrace last weekend. His lack of effort & attitiude on Wednesday were poor as well. If Ballotelli is a scapegoat it's his own doing. Every 'top' forward is in line for criticism especially someone as controversial as Ballotelli.

Have you seen Rodgers comments to the media about Ballotelli's signing? You seen anything similar from him about Lovren or Sakho?

I presume you're aware yesterday that he scoffed at the notion of bringing in a defensive coach saying it wasn't needed, all that was required was some coaching but that he didn't have the time with CL commitments :rolleyes:

Turtyturd wrote: »

It will be ok, we lost against Hull last season.

Not at home we didn't.

Soft Falling Rain wrote: »

Tactically it's not happening and Rodgers has to take it on the chin. He'll turn it around though, I'm sure of that.

The players as a unit are not playing the same intensity and aggressiveness as last season. Maybe it's down to confidence but I'll say this; Stevie G and Johnson laughing and joking with Ronaldo at 1-0 really pissed me off, and it makes me think they all just need a kick up in the hole. Dropping some heads would be a start.

Stevie g and Johnson laughing and joking is a non event it means nothing.

whatawaster wrote: »

That doesn't excuse our defensive frailties, but our biggest problems this season have been at the other end of the pitch.

Just to clarify, you don't think our defence has been our biggest issue this year?

whatawaster wrote: »

Our attack has been at least as bad and has cost us at least as many points, probably more. Given how bad our defense has been, that's saying something.

There is massive room for improvement in all areas of the pitch.

This is like how last season you were convinced the defence was fine & it was more fire power that was needed :rolleyes:

Needless to say, you were wrong then & you're wrong now. Getting our defence right needs to be a priority.

Mr Alan wrote: »

This is like how last season you were convinced the defence was fine & it was more fire power that was needed :rolleyes:

Needless to say, you were wrong then & you're wrong now. Getting our defence right needs to be a priority.

How was I wrong?

I said last season and I say now that scoring goals, and lots of goals is the one surefire way to finish in the top places in the league. It's an approach that United used successfully for years, its an approach we used last season. Attack is more important than defense in my opinion.

Having said that, I don't think the defense is fine and I doubt I said that last season either. Rodgers has to get the defense right with the personnel he has though, so I wouldn't be buying new defenders in January or anything like that. Lovren and Sakho are good defenders and if he can't create a functioning (not necessarily a great defense, just a functioning one) defense out of them then you'd wonder if he ever will.

whatawaster wrote: »

How was I wrong?

You were wrong because our defence cost us the league title last year. Our goal scoring was fine, but a lack of solidity at the back undid us in the end.

whatawaster wrote:

I said last season and I say now that scoring goals, and lots of goals is the one surefire way to finish in the top places in the league. It's an approach that United used successfully for years, its an approach we used last season. Attack is more important than defense in my opinion.

Utd's league success has been built of solid foundations. Solid defences. Solid midfields. Ferguson & everyone involved at Utd over the years have said as much. Goals win games, defences win titles is his regular catchphrase I believe.

Attack being more important than defence is your opinion solely because goals are the glamorous part of the game & you're fickle like that.

whatawaster wrote: »

If our attack does work then those draws and defeats are turned into wins, even if we concede

3 points for a win vs 1 point for a draw. It's much more important to attack well

Both are important. But for 2 years our defence has been shambolic & throughout that time you've said our focus should be on getting more from our attack. Silliness.

RollieFingers wrote: »

Very harsh to say Gerrard cost us the title! What about Kolo's brain fart against WBA? Hendo's red card against City? The loss to Hull? To blame one individual for costing us the league is wrong!

Not blaming Gerrard. He was one of our best players last season and proved a lot of people, myself included, wrong

Devilman40k wrote: »

Sorry but no.... 1 incident did not cost the title

If that's the case

Mignolet v Man City,Kolo v WBA, the team v Hull , Rodgers 1st half tactical naivety v Villa. Those last 10 mins v Palace

should all be pointed to

If the defence that leaked 50 goals last season had held in those games the Chelsea result would not have mattered

Losing to Chelsea cost us the league, end of story. It was in our hands and within our grasp

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Rodgers tactical naivety has to be called into question in that game big time along with plenty of other games.

Then you can look at Gerrards slip the sloppy defending etc etc.

Not really sure how we could have played that game differently to be honest. We weren't gung ho and I think sitting back and inviting pressure would have been asking for trouble