When was Fistian's last activity? Has he bought himself a Thesaurus yet to look up another pejorative word other than '******'?
The times aren't changing with regard to United - they have changed. Today it was us supporters who were living in the past and not the team. Myself included, I didn't want to admit it, we were apprehensive about what was about to transpire. Those little voices kept saying that we were playing United and they could rise to the occasion. But the truth was there for all to see. If we are honest, we didn't play that well in terms of our attack but we were the only team on the pitch and were far too good for them. It was a complete reversal of what our position has been for too long -ie we could win IF we were at the top of our form and our few truly good players played out of their skin. It's now up to us to ensure that we never return to that former position. United are a poor side and the spirit has gone out of them. It's going to take a lot of money and more than a few seasons to put that right. It's our duty to ourselves to ensure that the club maintins the new staus quo for as long as possible. Don't get me wrong, I don't see them battling relegation next season. But I can see them being on a par with say Spurs and Southampton.
I wasn't, dave. I said in the build-up we had no reason to fear them and encouraged the "bad feeling" people to be more positive. I thought Utd might be up for the game, but so would we, and if they really came at us we would hit them with the pace of our attack. The game played out a bit differently to how I expected, but not the result.
I was very confident that we should smash them before the game - in theory at least but as we know, football is played on grass and theories, stats, form and any logical form of thinking goes out the window. As Dave said, we weren't that good. Had we hit 2nd/3rd gear then it would have been a whole lot worse. SAS were a mixed bag today - they got into good positions and linked up but their touch and final shot was just lacking. Even though they were 'poor' at times, they had a hand in all 3 goals which shows you just how dangerous they really are. I don't think there were any outstanding performances in our team today - I feel everyone was a 7/10. No weak links, minimal errors, efficient.
Thought Gerrard provided an excellent shield for our back four, kept the ball moving very well and of course placed the pressure penalties nicely away. What a season he's having, every time people start to write him off he comes back in fantastic style. Is that now double assists and goals for him? Albeit most were penalties. I hope we go on to win the title just for him, he deserves it.
Yeah thought he was very good. I think he won the ball backs the most times yesterday I still question his ability in open play but his set pieces and penalties have been world class this season. Last season, I remember thinking we were awful at set pieces and Gerrard struggled to beat the first man a majority of the time. And he also went through a small phase when his penalties weren't that great. This season, they've been perfect. His penalties (bar the last one) have been so accurate, it's unreal. Not only that, he carries so much influence in games and it's a big advantage when dealing with refs. It's a small (maybe unfair) advantage but all of the big teams have characters who can 'influence' the ref at times.
Thankfully we now have plenty of mobility and creativity ahead of him which reduces the need for him to be the jack of all trades in midfield. He's carrying out his duties now very effectively, his positioning is second to none and his passing range from deep has been close to flawless in recent months. He's a new man and now showing why him starting is fully justified. Credit to Rodgers for having the balls and the intelligence to try him in the new role, and keeping him in there after a shaky start.
OMG the #meltdown is #epic [video=youtube;PkWVyvxv4rQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkWVyvxv4rQ[/video] [video=youtube;A6ZtAkx9hRE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6ZtAkx9hRE[/video] [video=youtube;GaMt2iXTse8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaMt2iXTse8[/video] [video=youtube;RXPLPchCBWA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXPLPchCBWA[/video] [video=youtube;Khlz7Kwkoz8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Khlz7Kwkoz8[/video] [video=youtube;reUlSlMc2XU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reUlSlMc2XU[/video] [video=youtube;PrJ57WutHjY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrJ57WutHjY[/video] [video=youtube;63UTtyatWe0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63UTtyatWe0[/video] [video=youtube;pk51g0BeAn4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pk51g0BeAn4[/video]
Allen and Hendo were brilliant yesterday, they just hounded the Utd players constantly. On paper some might question our midfield but they compliment each other, the collective 3 work and that can be more effective than 3 great individuals.
Both were inconsistent on the ball but their contribution goes far beyond any metric/stat can ever tell you. Their positioning, intelligence, movement and pressing are crucial to our style of play. And whilst Allen has many critics, he is one of our best players off the ball.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/spor...ts/manchester-united-0-3-liverpool-fc-6839474 The giant banner in the away end before kick-off read ‘Make us dream’. By the end the 3,000 delirious Kopites were rubbing their eyes in disbelief. Liverpool fans have enjoyed many days to treasure during a season of thrilling promise but this topped the lot. Statements of intent don’t come much bigger. Brendan Rodgers’ side proved they are serious contenders for the Premier League crown by humiliating Manchester United in their own backyard. The only disappointment was that the margin of victory failed to adequately reflect Liverpool’s total dominance. A fifth successive league victory lifted the Reds back above Manchester City and into second place – just four points adrift of leaders Chelsea with a game in hand. The shockwaves will have been felt both at Stamford Bridge and the Etihad Stadium. Liverpool have momentum on their side and belief is blossoming both in the dressing room and among supporters. ‘We’re going to win the league’, crowed the travelling Kop before delivering a deafening rendition of the club’s famous anthem which echoed around Old Trafford. There was pride and delight in equal measure as the five-year wait to taste victory down the East Lancs Road was ended in scintillating style. A pivotal afternoon for the two heavyweights of English football only served to underline that they are heading in opposite directions. After enduring two decades of sustained United dominance, this triumph confirmed the dawn of a new era in an age-old rivalry. Having finished 28 points behind them last season, Liverpool currently sit 14 points better off. The Reds’ stunning resurgence under Rodgers has been accompanied by United’s shocking decline. A sullen-faced Alex Ferguson sat in stunned silence in the directors box as Liverpool provided damning evidence that the empire the Scot built has now crumbled to dust. The Reds’ return to Europe’s elite next term will coincide with United’s absence from the Champions League for the time since 1995. The balance of power has quickly shifted. Liverpool have made a mockery of Ferguson’s claims in his autobiography that they “needed eight players to come up to title-winning standard”. It’s increasingly clear that his judgement was also poor when it came to picking his successor. The Stretford End need to change that banner from ‘The Chosen One’ to ‘The Beleaguered One’. The contrast between the two managers at Old Trafford was vast. Rodgers watched on from the touchline with relish as his players carried out his instructions to perfection. This was another tactical masterplan for the Northern Irishman’s growing collection as the midfield diamond he employed ensured the Reds wrestled control of proceedings from start to finish. Liverpool are a slick, cohesive unit playing an eye-catching brand of attacking football. There is a heady mix of valuable experience and youthful exuberance. Led by an inspirational captain, they just keep raising the bar. Steven Gerrard scored two penalties and only the woodwork denied him the honour of being the first Liverpool player to score a hat-trick at Old Trafford since Fred Howe in 1936. The outstanding 33-year-old knows he won’t ever get a better chance than this to clinch the one major honour which has always eluded him. Gerrard played like his life depended on the outcome and brought out the best in those around him. As players and staff celebrated together in front of the away end after the final whistle, the spirit and unity Rodgers has fostered shone through. The manager’s name was sung with vigour – Kopites have taken him to their hearts. As Rodgers applauded them for their support, David Moyes slipped away staring at the turf. Even when Liverpool struggled during the early days of last season, you could see what Rodgers was trying to achieve. There was a plan, a style of play he was battling to install. The same can’t be said of Moyes’ United. Disjointed and lifeless, they were abject in all departments. His pre-match admission that Liverpool were favourites was akin to raising the white flag. There are echoes of Roy Hodgson’s Anfield reign about Moyes’ tenure – a manager clearly out of his depth desperately trying to dampen expectation levels. Moyes’ complaints about referee Mark Clattenburg cut no ice. Yes, the third penalty was generous with Nemanja Vidic unfortunate to see red against Liverpool for the fourth time in his career after Daniel Sturridge hurdled his challenge. However, by then the outcome had already been decided and United got lucky with numerous other decisions as Clattenburg took pity on them. The Reds should have had a spot-kick inside five minutes with Marouane Fellaini twice clipping Luis Suarez in the box. When Clattenburg finally awarded a penalty 11 minutes before the break he failed to issue Rafael with the second yellow card his blatant handball demanded. Gerrard stepped up to ensure Liverpool got the breakthrough the quality of their performance deserved. Jon Flanagan had set the tone with crunching tackles on Juan Mata and Robin van Persie in the opening exchanges. The composed young full-back is fearless and his display of total commitment was replicated by his team-mates. Raheem Sterling, flourishing at the tip of Rodgers’ diamond, brushed off the attentions of Fellaini like he was an irritating fly. Jordan Henderson showed Ferguson that his gait is just fine as he ran himself into the ground, while Joe Allen was similarly effective – constantly breaking up play and using the ball intelligently. United had no answer to the sheer energy and mobility of Gerrard, Allen, Henderson and Sterling, who provided the ammunition for Suarez and Sturridge to run riot. Sturridge wasted two decent chances before providing the cross field pass to Suarez which enabled the Uruguayan to induce panic and earn the first penalty. Simon Mignolet acrobatically thwarted Wayne Rooney but it was the Belgian’s only save of the afternoon with centre- backs Martin Skrtel and Daniel Agger expertly shackling the ineffective Van Persie. Just seconds into the second half the Reds doubled their tally. Phil Jones needlessly barged Allen in the back and Gerrard coolly fired beyond David de Gea before racing over to plant a smacker on the camera. It was Gerrard’s ninth goal against United and his fifth in his last six league visits to Old Trafford. A third penalty went begging after the captain rifled against the upright but Liverpool finished with a flourish. De Gea clawed one strike from Suarez behind but he was beaten with six minutes to go when the striker clinically dispatched his 25th league goal of the campaign. The dream of ending that 24-year drought is a significant step closer to becoming reality.
