Liverpool Post Match Thread

[Legend_in_blue]

Agree with the above, but it still took two gifts from that numpty Oliver to give them a two goal cushion. 

[RowlattsFox]

We've tried to go head to head in shape against 2 of the best teams in the world and failed miserably. Barely getting s touch of the ball in the process, midfield absolutely dominated physically and the spare ball seemed to always fall to a Liverpool player, they have everything covered. 

 

As a team and a fan base we need to forget these two games and focus on being the best of the rest. We were never good enough to challenge Liverpool, as been proven. If we can do that we will have had an amazing year, then we can build to be better against the best. 

 

Rodgers has been shown up a little bit, still doing a great job but this is his next development step. remember he got dogs abuse for playing 2 defensive midfielders earlier in the season and the last 2 games have shown us why. The fixture list didn't fall to kindly to play them both so quickly and I hope it hasn't lost us too much. 

 

As annoying as last night was, this is still a good team. Young as well in crucial area of the pitch. Let's keep positive, last thing we want is negative match atmospheres again. 

[teblin]

9 hours ago, Corky said:

Kasper, that is absolute bollocks. It wasn't a game at any point.

For 5 minutes after barnes went off, we had a little spell. Then the penalty killed that off. But we were not at the races.

[adam95581]

Some thoughts, the day after the night before:

 

- we still can’t play Madders on the wing. It doesn’t work as we look so unbalanced. This was proven by the fact that TAA got two assists and a goal, as he had so

much time and space

 

 - we need more bite in the middle if we’re going to compete in these sorts of games. For me, on current form, this means that Tielemans drops out for either Choudhury or Praet, as he is a bit of a passenger at the moment 

 

 - we’ve played the top two 3 times and lost 3 times, but we’re still 2nd in the league (albeit probably for a short while unless Wolves get a result). Off the top of my head, the remaining fixtures against the ‘big 6’ are:

 - Man City (H)

 - Chelsea (H)

 - Man Utd (H)

 - Arsenal (A)

 - Tottenham (A)

 

At home, I fancy us against those teams, and we’re still good enough to be picking off the teams below the ‘big 6’ so we are still in a good position. We’ll also undoubtedly spend some money in the transfer window which will inject some freshness into the team. Be positive. 

[Jonezy]

1 hour ago, Matt said:

Stiil seething.

Me too. Sleep didn't help.

[Flappit]

8 hours ago, splinterdream said:

it wasn't passing out from the back that beat us though was it, it was our lack of an organised press giving them so much time on the ball as well as our lack of movement off the ball creating space for ourselves. We just had no intensity or desire

We did try and (half-heartedly) press them a couple of times and they passed it through us like it was a training game. The press only works if the team is committed to it and we clearly weren't. 

 

They were pressing us virtually in our penalty area meaning there HAD to be space elsewhere but getting to that space required us to either hit a fast, accurate pass from Schmeichel or somehow getting a move together to pass through their press. History shows that Schmeichel couldn't make those kicks and they smothered us 95% of the time before we could get near the halfway line. 

 

Fact is, we're vulnerable to a team that forces us wide in our own half as it cuts off any ball other than rolling it back to the centre backs. For us to break out of that situation requires a shitload of movement and fast accurate passing and we seem to have forgotten how to do that at the moment, sadly. 

[UniFox21]

They deserved to win, brilliant team. 

 

Michael Oliver didn't help us with decisions and a fair few 50/50s, but he isn't the reason we lost. I did get incredibly annoyed at him doing absolutely nothing on their time wasting all game though. 

[Reg Vardy]

We were well beaten, but I certainly thought to get in one down at half time meant we were still in the game, and possibly capable of getting something. Agree I was surprised no changes at half time, but as already said, we had5 minutes where the players were winning ball and the crowd stirred into action....the penalty killed the game, and it was hand ball.
If we hadn’t conceded that goal, our drive could have continued, we will never know, it didn’t. The penalty actually lifted them and killed us off....

I think the next two games won’t be easy, we would so well to get 4 points, 2 points or more a decent return.....realism is difficult in disappointment, but do we not understand the disappointment felt by the squad, management & owners is far far greater than ours.

Been a supporter for 55 years, been a great season, still could be, losing to the top 2 teams in the country isn’t the disaster we are making it, Chelsea, Norwich,West Ham fans will all vouch for that today.....

[l444ry]

A bit perplexed as to why Brendan decided to set up with the idea that *we can play through you from the back better than you can press from the front*. Think we need a whole new game plan when coming up against the elite. Going head to head against teams like Liverpool and Man City seems borderline suicidal to me. 

[foxinsocks]

We didn't have the tools....

Three of points. 

There were two occasions in first half where lino flagged them for offside yet ee had the ball... by giving the kick it then allowed liverpool to get back and reset... what ever happened to play on?

Had they watched man city put two players down chillys side.... 

Barnes is the future... but right now he is not as good as albrighton.

 

 

[CosbehFox]

As disappointing as the last two games have been, it’s very notable how the opposition has been ‘up for it’ and also playing their full strength eleven (albeit for injuries/suspensions). This at the very least suggests that Klopp and Guardiola were concerned by our performances this season 

[SheppyFox]

9 hours ago, splinterdream said:

There's loads of points, try reading my posts and replying to them instead of just shrugging your shoulders and expect everyone to just shrug their shoulders. We weren't beaten, we were thrashed badly because of players looking out of form, unfit and Rodgers making tactical errors. Hopefully he'll put it right but there are matters for concern

If we’d have played Bayern Munich we’d have looked out of form too.

[Ricey]

I still can’t get my head around what our game plan was last night, or against Man City for that matter.

 

Against most teams we are tenacious, we press high and we impose ourselves. Against the big teams we sit off, give them lots of time on the ball and lack any sort of tenacity or fight.

 

Playing Maddison out wide was baffling and I can’t believe it wasn’t changed at half time. He offered no creative threat, caused us to be too narrow when we had the ball and allowed TAA to run the show.

 

I hate to say it but Rodgers has got the system and game plan wrong these last three matches. Two up top was odd against Norwich and it was changed before HT, the backing off against Man City caused us to be torn apart and then a similar story last night.

 

It’s also concerning how tired and leggy we look. We are struggling to track runs and we seem a second behind play at all times.

 

Luckily we have two matches in quick succession to make amends, but I think we need fresh legs in there to dig us out of this rut.

[ARM1968]

THE game plan against teams like this is to remain compact, draw them on and counter - as we did in our title winning year. No shame in allowing the opposition more possession if we then spring the counter attack. We aren’t good enough to go toe to toe yet and certainly if we don’t press and harass as a team.  

[Fridgechef]

Tielemans needed taking off at half time, he had a dreadful game, and i think he desperately needs a rest. We just didnt press them, we were not active enough, too passive in possession with no impetus to move into space to move the ball forwards well, very static.

[David Hankey]

Never at the races. As an ex-goalkeeper myself approaching my 70th I could have saved Alisson the bother and played in my slippers!!

 

Leicester City's woeful display has handed the title to Liverpool. So congratulations to them and welcome to the elite club of EPL winners.

[David Hankey]

Just now, Fridgechef said:

Tielemans needed taking off at half time, he had a dreadful game, and i think he desperately needs a rest. We just didnt press them, we were not active enough, too passive in possession with no impetus to move into space to move the ball forwards well, very static.

And we're told he's ****ing dynamite!! Bollocks.

[Ricey]

2 minutes ago, ARM1968 said:

THE game plan against teams like this is to remain compact, draw them on and counter - as we did in our title winning year. No shame in allowing the opposition more possession if we then spring the counter attack. We aren’t good enough to go toe to toe yet and certainly if we don’t press and harass as a team.  

If we are going to do that we still have to put them under more pressure when they have the ball and work harder to keep the shape. It’s not as simple as remaining compact, as teams like Man City and Liverpool will have a field day if you give them plenty of time on the ball.

 

You also don’t play your flair player out wide against the opponents most creative threat.

[Fridgechef]

Just now, David Hankey said:

And we're told he's ****ing dynamite!! Bollocks.

He can be, but he has looked lethargic for a while now.

It is not all down to him though, there were other issues at play, chillwell for example; but also Liverpool being flippin brilliant!

[pazzerfox]

24 minutes ago, l444ry said:

A bit perplexed as to why Brendan decided to set up with the idea that *we can play through you from the back better than you can press from the front*. Think we need a whole new game plan when coming up against the elite. Going head to head against teams like Liverpool and Man City seems borderline suicidal to me. 

Agree.  If Man City can't play through Liverpool, how the heck are we supposed to!!

[Chocolate Teapot]

13 minutes ago, Ricey said:

I still can’t get my head around what our game plan was last night, or against Man City for that matter.

 

Against most teams we are tenacious, we press high and we impose ourselves. Against the big teams we sit off, give them lots of time on the ball and lack any sort of tenacity or fight.

 

Playing Maddison out wide was baffling and I can’t believe it wasn’t changed at half time. He offered no creative threat, caused us to be too narrow when we had the ball and allowed TAA to run the show.

 

I hate to say it but Rodgers has got the system and game plan wrong these last three matches. Two up top was odd against Norwich and it was changed before HT, the backing off against Man City caused us to be torn apart and then a similar story last night.

 

It’s also concerning how tired and leggy we look. We are struggling to track runs and we seem a second behind play at all times.

 

Luckily we have two matches in quick succession to make amends, but I think we need fresh legs in there to dig us out of this rut.

We looked physically bullied i thought. They were stronger, quicker and had much more time than us. Similar to Man City, we're quite a small team and it's become incredibly apparent in the last couple of games.

[Fridgechef]

4 minutes ago, pazzerfox said:

Agree.  If Man City can't play through Liverpool, how the heck are we supposed to!!

He wrongly assumed they would be tired from the CWC i reckon. I think he underestimated them, badly.

[whetstonefox]

Liverpool were very strong physically, I’ve never seen us lose the ball or tackled so easily. Defensively Liverpool are outstanding but not just defending, their attacks seemed to start from their defence , which having watched them live I can understand why their midfield is perhaps their weak  point but not weak enough to stop them winning games. The front 3 and the back 4 are class, if they signed a quality midfielder they could walk away with the league next season as well. Man City are better to watch but look weaker at the back. I dare say Pep will try and rectify that in January or the summer. I just hope this doesn’t hit our confidence too much , West Ham is very winnable given the pressure Pelligrini is under but we need to be aggressive, I’d imagine Hamza will start.

[Foxhateram]

Never a pen. How's he supposed to move his arm out the way? His arm is behind his back, he has even attempted to move his arm away, rather than towards. 

 

Oliver is an awful ref. Always looking to give the big teams anything. Some of the 50/50s he gave their way we're quite laughable. Not mentioning that their player was the last man when Vardy was drawing in on goal. We all know Vardy doesn't miss those. 

 

Penalty killed what was a decent battle. VAR is supposed to eradicate controversial decisions. Pool fans would be furious if it'd been given against them. 

 

We looked like we might catch them on the counter in the spell before the pen. 

 

 

[lcfcdotell]

Rodgers has gotten it wrong the last 3 games. For the first team in his time here I feel like he has some questions to answer. Win our next 2 and all is forgotten really. Won’t be easy but need a reaction