The Official Not606 Match Thread: Liverpool Vs Stoke City.

[ProudPotter]

Meanwhile, journalists quizzed Dalglish on whether he felt his side should have been awarded a penalty in the second half after substitute Andy Carroll saw appeals waved away.

"In probably every game you go through there are a couple of penalty appeals," the manager replied.

"When they (referees) speak to people in the penalty area, I don't know what they say but obviously it must be about holding people back and then it's not punished - but we probably got away with a couple as well."

Seems a very honest statement by Kenny. He wasn't whinging about penalty shouts not given and even admitted that Liverpool got away with a couple as well.

It was a good point for us to get at Anfield yesterday. We had to defend for a large proportion of the match and had about one shot on goal but fortunately for us Liverpool did not take their chances.

 

[Manciniiiiiii]

Meanwhile, journalists quizzed Dalglish on whether he felt his side should have been awarded a penalty in the second half after substitute Andy Carroll saw appeals waved away.

"In probably every game you go through there are a couple of penalty appeals," the manager replied.

"When they (referees) speak to people in the penalty area, I don't know what they say but obviously it must be about holding people back and then it's not punished - but we probably got away with a couple as well."

Seems a very honest statement by Kenny. He wasn't whinging about penalty shouts not given and even admitted that Liverpool got away with a couple as well.

It was a good point for us to get at Anfield yesterday. We had to defend for a large proportion of the match and had about one shot on goal but fortunately for us Liverpool did not take their chances.

From what I could see the end product was poor yesterday, lots of possesion in the right areas, but we did not have the player who could supply that killer through ball or a decent cross. Suarez return will help with this, but I think we need to find a player in the Modric, Silva mould, obviously rare and expensive, but that is the missing piece of the jigsaw that we need. Really like Sessegnon of Sunderland, quick and tricky with an eye for a pass.

Kuyt, what a legend, true gentleman, but for me, should be nowhere near the first team these days.....

 

[luvgonzo]

Kuyt, what a legend, true gentleman, but for me, should be nowhere near the first team these days.....

I agree and would go as far as to sell him if some money came in.

 

[Manciniiiiiii]

Yes, think it would be a good time for him to move on, will get less and less oportunity for first team football. The right side of midfield is an area where we could certainly improve.

 

[antidistinctlyminty (ADM)]

Pulis gave great credit to the referee saying he was strong and did not give in to the pressure being put on him to give liverpool penalties - who does he think he is - webb belongs to fergie not pulis

 

[Waddos_legends]

Pulis gave great credit to the referee saying he was strong and did not give in to the pressure being put on him to give liverpool penalties - who does he think he is - webb belongs to fergie not pulis

Bitter!

 

[terrifictraore]

Bitter!

Nope just truthful

 

[Chris.]

Bitter!

Prefer a lager myself...

 

[Zingy]

Pulis gave great credit to the referee saying he was strong and did not give in to the pressure being put on him to give liverpool penalties - who does he think he is - webb belongs to fergie not pulis

They were shocking decisions, Carra gave away a peno against Stoke for less. But was it as shocking as our inability to score goals?

 

[moreinjuredthanowen]

my thoughts:

1. the minute i saw the team sheet i knew the result. 0-0 was an ironed on certainty when kuyt was up front on his won with downing to support.

2. coates looked solid enough didn't he? thats positive.

3. kenny has to take full responsibility for those 2 dropped points IMO. Stoke didn't offer much, player positioning (eg johnson) was poor and i for one backed 0-0 once i saw the team

 

[Pottermouth 328]

Fair enough you felt hard done by with some of the decisions on Saturday, but read Kenny's secound sentence... we Stoke, set up for a draw.
I said before the game that Pulis would do just that, he always does away from home.

Some you get, some you don't and I have lost count the amount of times player's climb all over Crouch and we've NEVER had a penalty awarded.
Both Ryan and Carroll we're pushing/pulling the minute he came on.

The only dodgey decision was Huth holding Carroll and he went down too easily IMO. Honest oppinion and I've said this all season.
Tony P needs to have a word with Huth and quickly. Sooner or later a ref will punish us.

Good luck for the season fella's

 

[moreinjuredthanowen]

you potters need to come out of your shells to take the next step. If you come out to win away from home you'd be certs for europe next year.

crouch is a specal case though... he's well tagged by the refs and is a serial fouler and fouled upon, they'll not give him anything.

no pens that i could see that skertl doesn't give 10 times a game imo.... wishful thinking seeing we had no goal threat

bes tof luck to the best away fans of the year at anfield as per

 

[Pottermouth 328]

you potters need to come out of your shells to take the next step. If you come out to win away from home you'd be certs for europe next year.

crouch is a specal case though... he's well tagged by the refs and is a serial fouler and fouled upon, they'll not give him anything.

no pens that i could see that skertl doesn't give 10 times a game imo.... wishful thinking seeing we had no goal threat

bes tof luck to the best away fans of the year at anfield as per

We've been begging Pulis to do that for a season or more now, be more positive. WHY Pennant didn't play I do not know. We had nothing up front and is the norm.
Crouch was left stranded. Strange that Kenny didn't put another midfielder on leaving 3 to mark him was silly.
I also think Pennant would have ran at Carra which, because of those "negative tactics by Pulis" we only had one shot on target.
But, as long as we keep getting pts away simple answer is. He won't change which is a shame. No offence but I think he gave Liverpool too much respect with his selections. But, so did Kenny. He said he had no options.. he could have started with Bellamy but can he play 90 mins every week, I doubt it.
Pulis will say " We do what it takes away from home" it's boring as hell to watch which is why since last season I don't go to away games.
We just can not keep the ball, our biggest problem and again, Pulis doesn't seem too worried. But, as you said look at our squad we've got two wingers and never use both away from home. To me, that doesn't make sense and just put more pressure on our back four.

Good luck for the rest and I'm sure if Suarez had played we would have lost that game.

 

[moreinjuredthanowen]

Pulis needs a mindset change and the only thing that might do that is a cup win. You've enough resources to mount a serious go at the carling or fa cups.

kenny was stuggling a little for players. Why not carroll nobody can answer cos he's 23 and should be able to play the games but isn't too pushed to work. bellamy started the last two i think (or came on) so we have to protect him and if we get a half hour of good play out of him its good.

Nobody knows where maxi is or why...

The philosophy you have is a very structured direct game, so in the end if you isolate the guy who's up fornt you're never going to win.

anyway I'd take a bet with you that if suarez was playing we might still draw cos we are seeing him being a second man not a line leader and sadly for every genius moment he scuffs 3 wide and so can be frustrating. We have to just wait for the moent he does something and appreciate that. He needs far more aorund him to make him effective.

 

[Pottermouth 328]

Re FA Cups etc?
Well, we battered Bolton at Wembley last season because we went for it, played without fear. On that form I'm sure we could give most teams a decent game.
As for the final v Citeh again instead of just having a right go we IMO just didn't turn up. I blame T.P. for that cos end of the day. We only lost 1-0.
Why we didn't just attack and see what happened we're all baffled as to why that was. Had we lost by three or four goals so what? It was out best chance ever to win a cup although Citeh have a great squad, it doesn't mean you can't TRY and win it.

Take Swansea yesterday v Arsenal fantastic game and all the Gunners can say is, we were ****. That for me is giving Swansea Zero credit.
Swansea play without worring I hope it pays off and they stay here for a long time.

 

[Enricky.]

Re FA Cups etc?
Well, we battered Bolton at Wembley last season because we went for it, played without fear. On that form I'm sure we could give most teams a decent game.
As for the final v Citeh again instead of just having a right go we IMO just didn't turn up. I blame T.P. for that cos end of the day. We only lost 1-0.
Why we didn't just attack and see what happened we're all baffled as to why that was. Had we lost by three or four goals so what? It was out best chance ever to win a cup although Citeh have a great squad, it doesn't mean you can't TRY and win it.

Take Swansea yesterday v Arsenal fantastic game and all the Gunners can say is, we were ****. That for me is giving Swansea Zero credit.
Swansea play without worring I hope it pays off and they stay here for a long time.

Me too, really like Swansea, they're a decent team with decent players. Wish them and you luck for the rest of the season

 

[Chris.]

Jose's Anfield frustration.

Jose Enrique couldn't hide his frustration after seeing Liverpool held to a goalless draw by Stoke City at Anfield on Saturday and insists the home form must improve if the Reds are to achieve a top-four finish this season. It was the seventh top-flight draw on home turf for Kenny Dalglish's charges this season, and despite enjoying the majority of the second half possession they just couldn't break down a stubborn Stoke rearguard.

"We lost two points again and we have to improve our home form, because we have lost too many points at Anfield this season," Enrique told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"It has been a similar story all season at home and it is frustrating, as we are creating chances but not taking them. I don't think Stoke deserved a point because we had all of the ball, especially in the second half, and we created two or three really good chances but we just couldn't score.

"We just have to stay positive. I think, maybe the Swansea game aside, we have deserved to win the other games we have drawn at home. The most important thing is the three points. If we start to take our chances then we can be in the top-four, but if we don't then we will make it more difficult for ourselves."

Liverpool now have a week's break before their next fixture away at Bolton Wanderers next Saturday, and Enrique insists the players will continue to work hard on the training ground as they bid for their first top-flight win of 2012 at the Reebok Stadium.

"I think it's good we have a break now so we can prepare for Bolton," said Enrique.

"Away from home at the moment we are getting better results than at home, so hopefully we can get the three points next Saturday."

 

[Chris.]

Revealed: Man of the match versus Stoke.

Glen Johnson was Liverpool's star man during our goalless draw with Stoke City, according to fans who voted in our online poll. The No.2 picked up 26 per cent of the total votes cast to finish ahead of Martin Skrtel, who came second with 18 per cent, and Steven Gerrard who was third with 16 per cent.

Meanwhile, Skrtel was named as the Liverpoolfc.tv journalists' man of the match.

 

[Eds]

Scouse Matters Match Report: http://www.the-scousers.com/finish-what-you-started/

 

[Chris.]

Scouse Matters Match Report: http://www.the-scousers.com/finish-what-you-started/

Good article Eds!