I was gobsmacked that Sterling stayed on the pitch when we made our first change, how he played ninety minutes is beyond me, especially when you look at how Suso been subbed during in the first half before
And no, that is not me jumping on the lads back. He simply shouldn't be playing every game and if he is struggling in a match (like today) he should be taken off!
Me too, the amount of times he was second best down the wing was ridiculous (was at the game and the entire stand had had enough of him) and when he did end up with the ball it was just passed to nobody or a Latics player, just like most of our midfield play today.
I think a major problem is the lack of physical presence some of our players have, and that is just emphasised playing in a cup tie like this were a side of big players like Latics have will be up for it and just knock a lightweight to the ground. Joe Allen for example, he's so tiny and skinny, yeah he has pace and skills but he could fill out a bit without compromising that.
So much was wrong about today, the second Latics goal came after Sterling had been knocked over, was really a 50/50, but he just lay there looking for a foul with two other of our players looking on for the same whilst Latics romped the ball in. Most of our side just didn't turn up until after Gerrard and Downing came on. In the last 20 our tactics - i.e. pass it around, look for the angles, thread it through - started to work because Oldham were tiring and Stevie brought a bit of steel into the mid.
Most of the first half we weren't even looking to close the ball down, just standing off standing off. At times we literally looked like we didn't know where to play the ball, Brad Jones dallying over getting the ball out after dead balls for example. It just looked, nervy, toothless.
Sorry, that was all a bit orderless.
I haven't finished with you on the Gerrard thread yet....don't get started on Skrtel as well
