Liverpool FC Forum

[ycsatbjywtbiastkamb]

To be fair the writing was on the wall in the Blackburn and Swansea games, we've been on a fantastic run but we have been noticeably running out of momentum as well.
First twenty minutes we were awful, as bad as we've been for months but we did look like we were starting to get a bit of a foothold in the game just before half time, once Gerrard went off though the game was as good as over.
Credit to the lads for the second half performance, they ran themselves into the ground but United always looked in control.
This is a sickner of a result though and I think top 4 might have gone, United have just hit form at the right time and we've got a tough game next up.

[Doeboy]

We were really poor up until the sending off.  After that started to look much better. This was a very winnable game as Utd were not great.
Moment of madness from Stevie. Gutted

[devaney]

Anybody actually sensible enough to notice that United played quite well !! Give the fkg cnts some credit ffs !!!

[only me]

Anybody actually sensible enough to notice that United played quite well !! Give the fkg cnts some credit ffs !!!

They played great Swansea played great where the fck was the fire in our a$$ in the most important game of the season???

[ycsatbjywtbiastkamb]

Anybody actually sensible enough to notice that United played quite well !! Give the fkg cnts some credit ffs !!!

They were helped by how poor we were though, especially early on. We couldn't string two passes together and we were second to every ball. We couldn't even clear our lines properly, we kept on scuffing clearances either straight to United players or slicing them wildly into touch.
To be fair it was a similar story last Monday, we were lucky not to be 2 or 3 down against Swansea after our first half performance there.
When you look at their starting XI they were very beatable, that's the disappointing thing.

[Soupyzrx]

Anybody actually sensible enough to notice that United played quite well !! Give the fkg cnts some credit ffs !!!

Yeah, I agree with that. I can understand the rivalry and hatred for the manc cnuts, and also the (sometimes blind) optimism of avid fans (me included), but the b'stards looked pretty good at times. Given that I work with a couple of ManUre fans, I am dreading going to work tomorrow. Might take a sickie.
Still, on the upside, at least that brain-dead baldy tosspot Rooney failed to score at Anfield yet again.

[parchpea]

What a load of shyte that was.

Gerrard taking the bait hook line and sinker and out battled and out played in every department. Bench
him indefinitely until he departs for LA. Disgraceful.

Sterlings heads up his own backside as well.

We look shot and completely out of gas at this point.

Fuming 

[maguskwt]

Anybody actually sensible enough to notice that United played quite well !! Give the fkg cnts some credit ffs !!!

I think LVG probably watched our Swansea game and followed the same strategy as Monk. We were being pressed high. This system doesn't seem to work too well with Henderson and Allen in the middle.

Stupid stupid thing for Gerrard to do... instead of helping the team fight back he lost it in a moment of madness. But credit to him for owning it up after the game.

Balotelli was stupid as usual as well. I only see Sturridge trying to press in the 2nd half among the 2 of them. Balotelli was involving in unnecessary scuffles. I think only Coutinho came out of that game with any praise and maybe Sturridge for taking his goal well. I can't believe the players were playing so scared in the 1st half.

[ycsatbjywtbiastkamb]

Anybody actually sensible enough to notice that United played quite well !! Give the fkg cnts some credit ffs !!!

I think LVG probably watched our Swansea game and followed the same strategy as Monk. We were being pressed high. This system doesn't seem to work too well with Henderson and Allen in the middle.

Stupid stupid thing for Gerrard to do... instead of helping the team fight back he lost it in a moment of madness. But credit to him for owning it up after the game.

Balotelli was stupid as usual as well. I only see Sturridge trying to press in the 2nd half among the 2 of them. Balotelli was involving in unnecessary scuffles. I think only Coutinho came out of that game with any praise and maybe Sturridge for taking his goal well. I can't believe the players were playing so scared in the 1st half.

I thought Sakho was outstanding, especially when we went down to 10.

[Boocity]

I am pig sick, I don't think we have played well lately except against City but I thought the would be right up for this. LGV tactically out thought BR early on and SG just stupidly made the result even harder to achieve. After the Swansea game I can't believe BR didn't think LVG wasn't going to play similar tactics and didn't try and counter act it by going at them from the off. TBH they looked like the home side in the first half, we just weren't in the game.

[Boocity]

Anybody actually sensible enough to notice that United played quite well !! Give the fkg cnts some credit ffs !!!

I think LVG probably watched our Swansea game and followed the same strategy as Monk. We were being pressed high. This system doesn't seem to work too well with Henderson and Allen in the middle.

Stupid stupid thing for Gerrard to do... instead of helping the team fight back he lost it in a moment of madness. But credit to him for owning it up after the game.

Balotelli was stupid as usual as well. I only see Sturridge trying to press in the 2nd half among the 2 of them. Balotelli was involving in unnecessary scuffles. I think only Coutinho came out of that game with any praise and maybe Sturridge for taking his goal well. I can't believe the players were playing so scared in the 1st half.

No way would I credit SG at all, he was bang to rights and had no option, he acted like a raw 20 year old instead of a mature captain of the club, let us down really badly.

[RED BEERGOGGLES]

Totally outmanoeuvred and what's more disconcerting is United done it with a swagger they came to Anfield and compressed our play and they negated the threat of
any supply to Sturridge who was once again isolated as the only spearhead to our attack,and Henderson's usual influence was quelled significantly by United making both him and Allen defend for practically the first 45 mins...Tactically speaking it was flawless from Van Gaal he ensured his team pressed and squeezed the life out of our midfield ,Herrera was afforded far too much space to ping his passes about the pitch ,and Valencia and Young tormented the bejesus out of our WB's.

As for Gerrard I expect the he is already aware of the damage he inflicted on our hopes of a comeback ,I also expect some obstinate polemics from the media and pundits alike trying to somehow excuse his actions ,but for the fans gathered inside Anfield (myself included ) he let us down immensely.

I think I mentioned in a post I made prior to the game in the Lucas thread how important I felt the inclusion of Lucas was ,for me when Allen is paired with Henderson the two seem miles apart in terms of understanding who should go forward and who should sit in front of the back three.

Balotelli should have came on earlier to replace Lallana and the alarming dip in form that he's experiencing of late ,Mario had United at odds with attack and defending deep as soon as his introduction ,some of the lads cross field balls with the outside of his foot showed genuine class. I think for me the biggest disappointment was the exclusion of a player of Markovics pace and direct running not even on the bench.

I said this encounter would come down to the managers tactics and I was proved right ,step forward the old Dutch master against possibly the most tactically naive manager in 'important fixtures'  I have seen at Liverpool since Hodgson darkened the Shankly Gates.

United thoroughly deserved the points and we merited Nada !

[only me]

Totally outmanoeuvred and what's more disconcerting is United done it with a swagger they came to Anfield and compressed our play and they negated the threat of
any supply to Sturridge who was once again isolated as the only spearhead to our attack,and Henderson's usual influence was quelled significantly by United making both him and Allen defend for practically the first 45 mins...Tactically speaking it was flawless from Van Gaal he ensured his team pressed and squeezed the life out of our midfield ,Herrera was afforded far too much space to ping his passes about the pitch ,and Valencia and Young tormented the bejesus out of our WB's.

As for Gerrard I expect the he is already aware of the damage he inflicted on our hopes of a comeback ,I also expect some obstinate polemics from the media and pundits alike trying to somehow excuse his actions ,but for the fans gathered inside Anfield (myself included ) he let us down immensely.

I think I mentioned in a post I made prior to the game in the Lucas thread how important I felt the inclusion of Lucas was ,for me when Allen is paired with Henderson the two seem miles apart in terms of understanding who should go forward and who should sit in front of the back three.

Balotelli should have came on earlier to replace Lallana and the alarming dip in form that he's experiencing of late ,Mario had United at odds with attack and defending deep as soon as his introduction ,some of the lads cross field balls with the outside of his foot showed genuine class. I think for me the biggest disappointment was the exclusion of a player of Markovics pace and direct running not even on the bench.

I said this encounter would come down to the managers tactics and I was proved right ,step forward the old Dutch master against possibly the most tactically naive manager in 'important fixtures'  I have seen at Liverpool since Hodgson darkened the Shankly Gates.

United thoroughly deserved the points and we merited Nada !

Not sure i noticed significant tactics advantage by LVG ,i did see a very confident Mancs team passing the ball uninterrupted and pressing very high when we had it that's it. The way i see it we weren't mentally prepared (BR anyone?) ,we had no leadership (Hendo anyone? ) and we were manhandled like school yard boys. Moreno looked the most frightened ,but Hendo ,Sterling ,Lallana were soon to follow...Daniel didn't look bothered and the rest couldn't withhold the attacking shiites...That's it ,not much about tactics a lot about guts and glory.

[Kash_Mountain]

It's the same kind of tactics that Allardyce used at Bolton (hoof it long...rubbish)-  BR should have figured that out in the first 5mins. BR could see that Can was struggling as was Allen etc and should have changed things then and there instead of half time. AS for SG, stupid thing to do, and deserved the red.

BR should have realised that teams have worked out LFC's system and should have tweaked it a little to better suit todays game, but from what I could see, he made the wingbacks drop deeper as fullbacks and that is hurting LFC now.

As a defensive unit, LFC had nothing of the sort, it was non existent.  Can is uncomfortable when under pressure defensively, Moreno was asleep, and  Skittles  drop off when there is really no need to do so.

BR has to ensure the team moves further up the pitch and press and attack if this system is to be continued with, as it certainly is not set up to defend that’s for sure.

BR should have brought Lucas on for Allen, as Allen was just nott in it today.

[ycsatbjywtbiastkamb]

The bottom line is that we just didn't play well enough, in the first half hour Moreno and Skrtel probably had a better passing average for United than Carrick and Herrera, literally every time they touched the ball it went to a white shirt.
Sterling didn't look interested, he actually looked like a player with one eye on the exit door, Allen and Hendo looked leaden footed and for all the talk of Balotelli being lazy Danny wasn't exactly busting a gut to close down their back 4.
In fact bar Sakho and Phil everyone else had below par games.
When you get so many players having an off day you are in trouble and when you are playing a decent side on one of their good days then you are in even more trouble.
That was the story of today, not tactics or formations.