Liverpool post match 1-4

[LJS]

14 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

That's 4 points out of a possible 12, with two of those being home games. However you wanna spin it, that's a poor start.

It's a reasonable start for a club our size. Last season was a one off. I don't understand how people don't see that. We'll revert to our mean soon enough which is bottom end of this league/top end of the next.

 

We all knew that when we started following this club. What happened last season was beyond the wildest dreams of any one of us. I now understand why Forest fans cling on to their successes under Clough. They are right to do so, too.

[shen]

8 hours ago, Fox 4 Life said:

Why though? Because we won the league? How about looking like we fancy defending it rather that being a flash in the pan. Yes it's 4 games but let's be honest we have looked avergae at best. 

 

Yes, because these players did the unthinkable. We've been spoilt last season and some cannot seem to handle it. We're four measly games into a long season and already the team is facing unreal criticism.

 

It's alright highlighting faults, being frustrated and suggesting improvements, but for goodness sake have some perspective!

"We shouldn't be another Blackburn", "We'll beat Chelsea's records from last season"???? ALL of us would have accepted what we got last season in exchange for 10 years of nothing.

[Fox 4 Life]

5 minutes ago, shen said:

 

Yes, because these players did the unthinkable. We've been spoilt last season and some cannot seem to handle it. We're four measly games into a long season and already the team is facing unreal criticism.

 

It's alright highlighting faults, being frustrated and suggesting improvements, but for goodness sake have some perspective!

"We shouldn't be another Blackburn", "We'll beat Chelsea's records from last season"???? ALL of us would have accepted what we got last season in exchange for 10 years of nothing.

Of course we would but it doesn't mean it's OK to just throw the towel in and live off last season. It's a defeatist attitude, we had/have a chance here to take this club to the next level. Not many teams ever get that chance.

[SpacedX]

Look on the bright side...Mignolet ended up with a bloody nose again and Ash Patel can go back to being a 'life long Liverpool fan'.

[Fox 4 Life]

What annoys me most is we are gonna be hearing "this is our year" again from all the Liverpool fans. Can't wait for them to lose to Hull in a couple of weeks 

[Guest Col city fan]

34 minutes ago, LJS said:

It's a reasonable start for a club our size. Last season was a one off. I don't understand how people don't see that. We'll revert to our mean soon enough which is bottom end of this league/top end of the next.

 

We all knew that when we started following this club. What happened last season was beyond the wildest dreams of any one of us. I now understand why Forest fans cling on to their successes under Clough. They are right to do so, too.

Christ! What a glass half empty post! Why on earth do we now have to revert to the mean?

[shen]

8 minutes ago, Fox 4 Life said:

Of course we would but it doesn't mean it's OK to just throw the towel in and live off last season. It's a defeatist attitude, we had/have a chance here to take this club to the next level. Not many teams ever get that chance.

When did anyone throw in the towel but you and the likeminded fans who come out with these statements? If anyone knows about NOT throwing in the towel, it's this team, or do you not remember 1,5 seasons back? These guys have done more than we could ever have dreamed of and you're telling me you're fast losing patience after four games? Get a grip!

[stix]

13 hours ago, Babylon said:

Our shape and effort today has been woeful, we can go on about it being all about Kante and the midfield, but we never lost a game in our first season under Pearson by more than 2 goals... Today it could have been about 8 quite easily.

 

The tight shape we held last season, the extra effort players put in compared to others has gone out the window.

 

It does come down to Kanté though, he gave the 5 other forward players around him the security knowing that even if they lost possession, he would sort it out. Eden Hazard said virtually the same thing about him the other week.

 

He was almost ALWAYS there to tidy things up. 

 

I know, it's a fact of life and we just have to get over it etc etc....but we miss him, badly. 

[LJS]

2 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

Christ! What a glass half empty post! Why on earth do we now have to revert to the mean?

Not glass half empty since I'm not bothered.

 

We don't have to revert to the mean but we will. Nothing in our history suggests otherwise.

 

Last season was a glorious one off. There is nothing about it which suggests permanent propulsion to the top table. The big clubs will return to doing what they have always done and we are not among them. We deserved our title last season but it took very particular circumstances for that to happen. It won't happen again.

[Guest Col city fan]

Just watched the highlights back on MOTD.

Goodness me! It literally could have been 6 or 7. No exaggeration. If you watch the goals closely, they were nearly all oncoming players, totally unmarked, bursting into the box...goal.

We were awful...

[lgfualol]

Just woke up. Had a nightmare we were still playing and fuchs, albrighton, simpson, morgan and kasper were still hoofing it forward to nobody.

 

Awful. Definitely expect a few more thrashings if 442 continues.

[Foxy_jim]

5 minutes ago, LJS said:

Not glass half empty since I'm not bothered.

 

We don't have to revert to the mean but we will. Nothing in our history suggests otherwise.

 

Last season was a glorious one off. There is nothing about it which suggests permanent propulsion to the top table. The big clubs will return to doing what they have always done and we are not among them. We deserved our title last season but it took very particular circumstances for that to happen. It won't happen again.

Exactly my sentiment. The fans need to lower expectations massively otherwise every defeat will be like a crisis. It's a different season we won't be as good other teams will be better. 

 

What I will say is I'm amazed we strengthened the attack and wing which was already strong, and yet the defence is now marshalled by no back up right backs, a 36 year old Pole and a free transfer from Gijon.

[BlueSi13]

Some people with a bit of an inferiority complex going on here just because it was Liverpool.  Apparently they are an 'Excellent' and 'Unplayable' side who we were always going to struggle against.  

 

We finished 21 points above them in a season that ended just a few months ago.

 

We haven't been putting in performances like the one yesterday and the one against Hull City since 2012 in the Championship.  The players and manager deserve every bit of criticism they get for that.  

 

Losing games is part of football sure, and what the team achieved last season will forever be in the memory but this is a new season.  The team suddenly deciding to drop their level of application by 50-60% should not be accepted by anybody.  

 

As others have said, it could and perhaps should have been 7/8/9 yesterday and Hull City should have had 4/5.  That isn't a blip.  It's appalling.

[Fox 4 Life]

15 minutes ago, shen said:

When did anyone throw in the towel but you and the likeminded fans who come out with these statements? If anyone knows about NOT throwing in the towel, it's this team, or do you not remember 1,5 seasons back? These guys have done more than we could ever have dreamed of and you're telling me you're fast losing patience after four games? Get a grip!

Haha some sweeping assumptions there. I haven't thrown any towel in or lost patience I am simply saying we shouldn't just accept mediocrity because we had an unreal season last year. We need to kick on and this has not been a good start. I do however have every faith that we can turn it around. 

[Callabinho]

32 minutes ago, shen said:

 

Yes, because these players did the unthinkable. We've been spoilt last season and some cannot seem to handle it. We're four measly games into a long season and already the team is facing unreal criticism.

 

It's alright highlighting faults, being frustrated and suggesting improvements, but for goodness sake have some perspective!

"We shouldn't be another Blackburn", "We'll beat Chelsea's records from last season"???? ALL of us would have accepted what we got last season in exchange for 10 years of nothing.

 

People who reach the pinnacle of their profession if they're a strong person tend to strive and continue being a success, the same can be applied to businesses, organisations and sporting outfits.

 

Last season was unthinkable, we smashed the boundaries set by modern football, and turned the premier league upside down....it is then up to the club to build on it and not let it be just a one season wonder.....

 

We went through the pre-season months treading on egg shells whilst our rivals were ruthless In the market and made themselves stronger. 

 

If I was a master mechanic and turned an old beaten up Ford Fiesta into a race car, and challenged a fleet of high powered (for arguments sake) Golf GTI's and won, only to return the second time with the same car but this time greeted by a fleet of Ferrari's...the game changes.  

 

We've made minor addition but are they merely bumper stickers?

 

Hernandez doesn't so far look like he's capable of stepping up to replace Morgan or Huth.

 

Mendy unfair as a suggestion it may be, the jury is still out.

 

Musa for £16m the jury is very much still out.

 

Kapuzska seemingly seems to have found himself in the U21 set up.

 

Slimani we've yet to see, but have we significantly strengthened at all? All the other (top?) teams around us have either made a significant change or are starting to find their style and feet under new/recent management (Liverpool).

 

We've been very naive going into this season, something maybe Walsh tried to remedy but couldn't? I'm very surprised by this.....And as good as a signing it may be, there was possibly an air of panic with Slimani...especially going for Silva too.

[Cadno'r Cymoedd]

1 hour ago, LJS said:

It's a reasonable start for a club our size. Last season was a one off. I don't understand how people don't see that. We'll revert to our mean soon enough which is bottom end of this league/top end of the next.

 

We all knew that when we started following this club. What happened last season was beyond the wildest dreams of any one of us. I now understand why Forest fans cling on to their successes under Clough. They are right to do so, too.

We won the Premier League, are in the Champions League as a result, and whilst perhaps we haven't invested quite as shrewdly as some think we should have in terms of players in, that should provide a great platform in many ways - income, following, prestige etc. - for being a consistent top half of the Prem side for some years to come not a yo-yo side. There is realism about perhaps not winning it again in view of the others strengthening but we need to be ambitious as a result not thinking we are Norwich or Burnley. 

[Mark 'expert' Lawrenson]

We'll be fine, if we beat Burnley then it's 7 points from 5 games having already played Arsenal and Liverpool, a repeat of last season was always unlikely.

Our transfer dealings were a bit odd, but we've just got to get on with it and hope we strengthen the areas that badly needed it in January.

[Guest ttfn]

We were dreadful, and this is the second time in a month we've been that bad.

 

Losing at Anfield is no disgrace but we got absolutely humiliated yesterday. In addition to the 4 we conceded Sturridge (twice) and Henderson (quelle surprise) missed when it was easier to score and the one goal we did get was absolutely gifted to us. Had we lost 7-0 we couldn't have complained.

 

I don't buy the "Klopp tactical master stroke" angle - we've played against teams who've played with fluid front lines before and let them get on with it and been untroubled. The problem yesterday was that whereas last season Huth and Morgan resolutely refused to leave the width of our penalty area (as that Troy Deeney analysis on MOTD 2 helped bring out last season), yesterday they were all over the shop, following Firmino, Sturridge and Mane out to the touch line on occasion, which led huge gaps for one of the midfield runners to come into.

 

We can still make 4-4-2 work but I'd like to see us with a different option. A switch to 3 at the back for games like this might give us the extra protection we need and allow us to play an extra, more technically proficient centre back in the form of Hernandez or Amartey. It also strikes me as a sensible way to get Vardy and Slimani in the same side without worrying about who is going to link the play with the midfield, as a 3 at the back allows the scope for us to put Mahrez in behind the front 2.

[Guest Col city fan]

7 minutes ago, ttfn said:

We were dreadful, and this is the second time in a month we've been that bad.

 

Losing at Anfield is no disgrace but we got absolutely humiliated yesterday. In addition to the 4 we conceded Sturridge (twice) and Henderson (quelle surprise) missed when it was easier to score and the one goal we did get was absolutely gifted to us. Had we lost 7-0 we couldn't have complained.

 

I don't buy the "Klopp tactical master stroke" angle - we've played against teams who've played with fluid front lines before and let them get on with it and been untroubled. The problem yesterday was that whereas last season Huth and Morgan resolutely refused to leave the width of our penalty area (as that Troy Deeney analysis on MOTD 2 helped bring out last season), yesterday they were all over the shop, following Firmino, Sturridge and Mane out to the touch line on occasion, which led huge gaps for one of the midfield runners to come into.

 

We can still make 4-4-2 work but I'd like to see us with a different option. A switch to 3 at the back for games like this might give us the extra protection we need and allow us to play an extra, more technically proficient centre back in the form of Hernandez or Amartey. It also strikes me as a sensible way to get Vardy and Slimani in the same side without worrying about who is going to link the play with the midfield, as a 3 at the back allows the scope for us to put Mahrez in behind the front 2.

Superb post. 

[Cadno'r Cymoedd]

7 minutes ago, ttfn said:

We were dreadful, and this is the second time in a month we've been that bad.

 

Losing at Anfield is no disgrace but we got absolutely humiliated yesterday. In addition to the 4 we conceded Sturridge (twice) and Henderson (quelle surprise) missed when it was easier to score and the one goal we did get was absolutely gifted to us. Had we lost 7-0 we couldn't have complained.

 

I don't buy the "Klopp tactical master stroke" angle - we've played against teams who've played with fluid front lines before and let them get on with it and been untroubled. The problem yesterday was that whereas last season Huth and Morgan resolutely refused to leave the width of our penalty area (as that Troy Deeney analysis on MOTD 2 helped bring out last season), yesterday they were all over the shop, following Firmino, Sturridge and Mane out to the touch line on occasion, which led huge gaps for one of the midfield runners to come into.

 

We can still make 4-4-2 work but I'd like to see us with a different option. A switch to 3 at the back for games like this might give us the extra protection we need and allow us to play an extra, more technically proficient centre back in the form of Hernandez or Amartey. It also strikes me as a sensible way to get Vardy and Slimani in the same side without worrying about who is going to link the play with the midfield, as a 3 at the back allows the scope for us to put Mahrez in behind the front 2.

Good point on Morgan and Huth. Last year we played a rigid system at the back inviting teams to an extent to try to go round us rather than through us. We could play like that because Kante and Drinkwater cut out all/much of the danger infield. This season so far Morgan and to a lesser extent Huth have come forward more and our back four as a whole has been less disciplined allowing sides to play around us. Time for Claudio to develop a new system in light of the current team we have. Having Albrighton and Mahrez staying wide means that teams like Liverpool with a fluid 4 in midfield are effectively running us ragged. 

[tsintskaro]

What annoys me most is "we all know that coming" comments from fans

no desire to play beter,to win more

to be satisfied  with last season,to think that last season was enough and after this whole life living with that one winning season

i dont want them to be something like Swansea or West brom,they are not relegated but dont have any ambitions and stay 11-12-13 everytime

club had a lot resource and should be ready for new season much better,with better mentality,tactics and signings 

[KingKante]

Chelsea did us over at £32 mil for Kante, we should have kept him for Atleast one more season! I hope Mendy comes back and shows us why we wanted him more than Kante in the first place! And if we aren't gonna be able to replace him we need a new system which suits the players we do have! Losing to that score line does nothing for confidence and last season we were all about confidence! Tinkerman now is the time to tinker!!

[Sol thewall Bamba]

50 minutes ago, Foxy_jim said:

The fans need to lower expectations massively otherwise every defeat will be like a crisis.

You've nailed it there. People who went into this season thinking "well we won it last year why can't we win it again?!" need to have their heads checked. We will not win the league again and will most likely lose 10, 12 maybe even 15 games this season. Like you say people need to manage their expectations much better. 

We've gone straight from being the underdog team from the underdog city to the entitled, arrogant set of fans that we laughed in the face of all last season. 

[Moksky]

I was dead central right behind the goal yesterday. It gives a good perspective of the shape of the side, and movement. 

 

From my perspective, we had a good first 10 minutes without penetrating we saw lots of the ball. A key moment was when Amartey got booked, he had to be careful from that moment on. Their first goal the ball came across too easily and we just were not tight enough to our players. That lifted Liverpool had a good spell and deservedly scored their second. In between the goals, City tried to combat the fact that we starting to get overrun in midfield , swapping Albrighton and Mahrez, but it still didn't stop their second goal. Confidence had gone and we Couldn't string 3-4 passes together and when we did, it ended up in a hoof upfield which Matip dealt with. We were given a lifeline with Vardys goal. So on the balance of the first half, they were deservedly in front , but we had a foothold in the game. The substitution was correct and Musa caused problems, could have shot on one occasion when trying to thread through. I thought we really back in the game and the next goal was crucial. I thought the introduction of Ulloa was a bit premature, as we lost the threat and additional speed of Musa playing centrally who had caused problems. In the end with confidence down, there were a lot of misplaced passes as Drinkwater joined in giving the ball away, they ran out easy winners.

 

I think we looked a yard short, something going back to the Hull game, not every player but certainly our defence , who allowed players to receive the ball and let players come off them to easily. Liverpools midfield movement off the ball was good, and we didn't deal with, so we were outnumbered. We seemed to get our season going during the 2nd half v Arsenal, in terms of tempo. This was a step backwards. We lacked some energy and organisation.

 

I find it it embassaring listening and reading on the radio or social media , To those who dig in and  really criticise Ranieri and lay into individual players, as collectively we were not great, yes we didn't play well, and the confidence dipped during the match, particularly at one nil and when Amartey got booked, but teams like Liverpool will have phases in matches when they will have a spell of possession, it's how we deal with. I have to switch off.

 

Belief and confidence and being 'streetwise' during a game , which is experience during the phases of a match is key. If you start swapping and changing too many players and shape, it will not allow any pattern, understanding to develop and therefore confidence to grow.

 

We we don't require wholesale changes, no need to panic, just get back to playing at a higher tempo, get a little closer to the opposition without diving in and giving silly free kicks away. We seemed to lack a little sharpness again. I don't think the break did us any favours. 

 

I would introduce Slimani at some stage fairly soon though, you don't spend £30m to keep him on the bench. I think if he works hard and drops back into midfield when required he will add some additional threat in the air. 

 

Disappointed , but not worried. Personally can still see a top 8 finish , sticking my neck out a little there though.

 

On a side note, i thought the Anfield home support was shocking, really really disappointing , particularly for first home game. It was deadly silent. Credit to City fans at home matches. 

 

[KingKante]

This season could be 'the great escape - part 2!' Id be happy to go back to Nigel pearsons escape plan and play 352 again which worked wonders for us before Kante arrived