Liverpool FC Forum

[Mannyk]

Is it just me or does it seam that we play ordinary football against lesser teams and yet when it is time to play the bigger clubs and big games we come out firing.
Then again most of us would consider this a big game.

[LFC #1]

Just got back from the game, superb result.

Firstly about banning every Evertonian that comes on here, well I've been on here for a while now, never posted anything bad, gave opinions and joined in with the banter. I don't think I should be banned just because of the result today.

About the game, Liverpool just didn't get the breaks today, and thats football. Football is 90% quality, which Liverpool had today. Some of the football played was good but you just didn't have that 10% of luck you need in these types of games. On another day the result may have been different. Carragher shouldn't have played today, but it was probably himself that told Benitez he was fit for the game. These games are massive for the scouse players, especially when they are playing for the team they support!

The Risse injury looked nasty, is it the same ankle he done against Sheff United? Yes he was late in the challenge, didn't look a bad tackle from where I was sitting. I wish him all the best in his recovery and that the injury isn't that bad. Crouch had an off day, it happens to all players, and I thought Fowler played well and gave our defence a hard time.

The team that Benitez baffled me. Auerlio sp? looked out of sorts in this game. I think it was a bit harsh on throwing him right into the deepend on his first derby. Alonso surprised me today, from what I've seen of him in the past, he looked a total different player on that pitch. Garcia was busy, but he kept drifting out of the game, where in these derby game, you can't do that. Why Bellamy wasn't in the sqaud even more so the team today I couldn't understand. I was dreading him facing us today. He has everything that our defense dont handle so well. He gets into good positions and his pace is electrifying. I'm glad he didn't play today. Also Pennant. We had Naysmith at left back, no pace and no tackle, so I was glad to see Pennant on the bench.

We had the luck today. The first goal could have been disallowed. Osman seemed to block Finnan to let the ball slip through to Cahill. Also the second goal, the play could have been stopped for the tussle between Alonso and Cahill. But it doesn't take away the fact of the woeful defending for that goal between Hyypia and Carragher. Hyypia tried to block AJ but his pace got him past Hyppia and I don't know why Carragher just didn't hoof the ball into the stand. The third goal was the fault of Reina. I thought he could have caught or at least pushed the ball over the bar. As soon as he pushed it into the air he was in trouble. That goal reminded me of a Garcia goal at Anfield not so long ago. End of the day, thats football. Some games you get the decisions, some days you don't.

We battled hard today and seemed to want it more, but the main factor of today was that we had the luck we got the breaks. Poll was a disgrace today, and the FA should have told him he wasn't needed no-more after the World Cup. He is most probably the worse referee in the Premiership.

These are my honest opinions and no doubt I will be slated by some fans and most probably some people will ask for me to be banned.

I've read some comments on here since the game has finised. Yobo shouldn't have been on the field?? Why, because on the tackle on Gerrard? The ball was there to be won, Gerrard was a bit quicker nicked the ball away and Yobo caught him high. Yes it was a foul no it didn't warrant a red card.

Anyway I hope you respect my opinions and that I'm not slated too much for them!

Good post mate, best thing written in here so far probably about the game.

[onizukaeikichi]

should reina be dropped? he has done so many mistakes nowadays that i think dudek should be given a chance back.

F*ck off.

Drop Carragher aswell, eh?

You stupid a*se. 

just shut up will ya, thinking of yourself so highly everytime you post, . Just being sensible, Reina has done pretty damn a lot of mistakes a few matches already and drop him a game or so will do him all the goods, ok maybe after the PSV and Chelsea games. The minor games we can just leave it to Dudek to see whos the better man.

[Ciggy]

Liverpool possession 72 Everton 28
Liverpool shots on goal 21 Everton 4

[112-1077774096]

Liverpool possession 72 Everton 28
Liverpool shots on goal 21 Everton 4

morning cigs

[Owzat]

It's not how much possession or how many shots but what you do with it. With 72% possession and 21 shots we managed no goals, with 28% possession and 4 shots Everton managed 3 goals.

I felt Carra shouldn't have been risked, Agger played well previously, and maybe it's time we said thankyou to Sami and parted company. The lack of pace will cost us and 4 points from 9 with Chelsea away next is not boding well. As for comments on the internationals, Gerrard, Alonso and Crouch all played as I'm pretty sure one or two others would have. Leaving Bellamy out me off, he's in my fantasy team but also he is due a goal. From playing fantasy cricket I know picking the form player seems the right choice but form usually precedes dips in form and vice versa. I wouldn't have played Fowler and Crouch together and certainly would have two strikers on the bench most games

[J*o*n*D*o*e]

I read somewhere today that Rafa had a big bustup with Bellamy about him playing for Wales against Brazil midweek. Probably the usually load of b*llocks, but may be a possible reason?

ive heard this aswell but not read it anywhere, lets hope its just people speculating, must admit i was a bit mystified that he wasnt even on the bench yesterday.

lets hope if there is any truth to it that he takes his medicine because there will only be one winner otherwise.

[bigmick]

Unfortunately, history is in severe danger of repeating itself this season and most of our misdemeanors are of our own making. Last season we started with endless rotations and changes in formation which left us mid-table after ten games. This was followed by a period of a fairly constant line-up which saw us climb up the table, win the FA Cup and in the main have a good season.

I can't help thinking that we have fallen into the same trap this season. From the pre-season games through the champions league qualifiers into the league opening we have chopped and changed the personel and the tactics with the result being that our football lacks cohesion both in attack and defence.

Now before some people jump up and down I am well aware that some of the changes, most even have been forced by injuries but certainly not all. Equally, with the notable exceptions of Garcia (in current form and wide left) and Fowler (now we have bought both Kuyt and Bellamy), Saturdays team was probably our strongest one available. It just doesn't work for me though, it never has and it never will. Injuries and suspensions will provide natural rotation anyway, so why chop and change willy-nilly when there's simply no need for it?

Had I been in Rafa's shoes I would have looked at the season as Sheffield United away being an absolute cast-iron MUST win (I notice those who said there was an overreaction in the immediate aftermath of that game are choosing not to revisit the point), West Ham at home as the same, with Everton and Chelsea away as very difficult fixtures which could go either way. So play the team in the pre-season friendlies. Sure give other players a go but Diao, Hobbs and Traore? Not for me I'm afraid.

I love rafa and think he's a brilliant manager but I think he's wrong on this policy of his. If we win the title this year I'll still think he's wrong (because without rotations we would have won it by two more points as we would have beaten Sheffield United away).

If Kuyt and Bellamy is your top striker pairing then play them. If it's 0-0 with twenty minutes to go, bring Crouchie on. If he scores and does well, he starts next game and one of the other two gets his erse on the bench. That's my kind of rotation. As it is, the players know that even if they play sh!te it will be their "turn" again soon so there's no selection induced pressure to perform. I've followed football all my life and like everything else it has fashions. Like everything else, some of the fashions are misguided and silly. Rotation is to football fashion what wearing your jeans down the bottom of your erse crack is to streetwear.

[account deleted by request]

I still think its the whole squad thats not playing well, and its not Rafa is making wrong team selections. There are very few Liverpool players who I would say have played to their usual standard so far this season.

I agree that the changes and injuries havent helped but the teams we have put out including the one against Sheff U, should/could/ would be good enough, if they were playing well for us to be sitting pretty with 9 points and a game in hand.

The team (whoever was selected) for whatever reason havent performed. Whether due to the long season, the World Cup, Rafa's rotation, training, BAD LUCK,or because they havent been eating all their greens. All we can hope is that the players find some form, Rafa picks the right team and they start eating all their string beans. We desperately need to win a few matches, get some confidence back, and then maybe we can start to string a few good runs together.

Winning ugly against PSV and Chelsea would be a great way to start.

I agree completely with you BigMick about preseason BTW.I just dont understand why he played players who wernt going to figure in his plans(shop window my ). Its probably the worst preseason (given the opposition) that I can remember, and unfortunately it has carried over into our season.

[112-1077774096]

agree 100% mick, lets emember the 70s and 80s before rotation, every player played out of his skin for us, if he didnt he knew he would be dropped and may never get back in the team. now even if a player has a blinder he may still be dropped next game, there is no incentive anymore, play good and keep your place, now its play good and i will drop you anyway

[J*o*n*D*o*e]

lets not forget that pre-season was also disrupted due to the fact the players who where involved in the world cup where given extra time off.

whilst most on here where happy with the signings Rafa made and the optimism we all had for the coming season we havnt taken into account how Rafa would fit the new signing into the current squad and the disruption it might cause, now im by no means throwing in the towel but we might find the first few months of the season abit up and down whilst the new players bed in and the players who took part in the world cup find some form.

also it doesnt help when your only  3 league games into the season and  you`ve already had 3 internationals

[48-1119859832]

Oh FFS.

You are basically assuming that chelsea andunited will go on and win their next 33 games. They won't win all their games. They have to drop points at some time. You were one of those who was going "Oh we'll never catch chelsea now" after the sheff utd game. Then what happened? They lost to Boro.

I'm not happy with our results in our last 3 premiership games but we can't be all doom and gloom. We are Liverpool football club FFS. You stick through the thick and the thin. I remember this line I saw somewhere.

You're putting words into my mouth, I never once said that Chelsea and Man Utd won't drop points. Don't patronise me, I've been watching football for years and I know what could happen. However we shouldn't rely on teams like Man Utd and Chelsea dropping points to aid our title charge. You can comfort yourself in the this fact, but it doesn't change or cover up the fact that we've dropped 5 points out of 12 and lost in the biggest derby in this country.

You obviously can't read I said that drawing to Sheff Utd will no doubt be costly come the end of the season. I never once said we were out of the title race. However a few more results like this one and we'll be challenging for 3rd or 4th again.

I am sticking by Liverpool through thick and thin, but it doesn't mean I have to be happy by the start we've made this season and 8 points adrift already is quite a disadvantage.

[stmichael]

Some good posts in here by Lando and Peewee.

On another day the decisions and run of the ball would have gone our way and we could easily have won 3-0. Then everyone on here would be saying that it was a brilliant performance and team selection even though the actual level of performance would have been the same as yesterday.

Lets face it... All football fans are fickle! It doesn't surprise me in the slightest that some idiots are now calling for Reina to be dropped, whilst the "Alonso sould be dropped" bandwagon also rolls on. Whilst I admit that he's nowhere near his best, I thought he did ok yesterday. He was nowhere near our worst player anyway.

We should all now let this defeat go, take the sh#t when we get to work tomorrow and look forward to the next two games with confidence that we still have the squad and manager to win them both... I know I do.

[112-1077774096]

i wont take any sh1t in work mike, there are no bitters out here   

[stmichael]

i wont take any sh1t in work mike, there are no bitters out here   

nah there's thousands of them around your neck of the woods peewee.

surely in every sports shop you go to peewee, all the everton shirts are sold out?