By why were we attacking with 2 minutes to go?! It was 1-0, defend FFS, leave Balotelli and Borini up there if you want and run it into the corner. The fact our midfield was bypassed by 1 pass to the side of Gerrard and Henderson with a guy in 15 yards of space to the turn and pick out another pass is a huge worry. That's when you play 1 defensive to sweep up behind 2 normal midfielders.
Enjoy the messages from Southampton fans here http://www.not606.com/showthread.php/277645-Champions-League-Europa-League/page6
I agree, like I said earlier it's the whole teams shape and understanding that needs to improve. Some are already getting on individuals backs, well Gerrard and Mingo but Gerrard played well all game and Mingo made one mistake yes it was a terrible one but give him a break he also made a lot of good decisions.
That's the problem with being a keeper, you only need to make 1 mistake and it can cost you (nearly did for Mig, and it did for their keeper, although why the guy touched it back to him in the first place I have no idea!) Gerrard is just a strange one. I struggle to see what he adds to the team these days from open play
I thought he controlled the game well in the first half and made some important interceptions, in the 2nd half the game was more stretched and I agree that we need an option for him in these circumstances, I'm hoping that is Can.
Anyway I've got a few things to do so I'll leave my final thoughts. The problems tonight were down to systems and understanding, a team needs time to gel and we'd better bloody hurry up and do just that. Mingo was at fault for the goal and **** all else, Gerrard played well as did everyone nobody was bad tonight imo go through that team and pick out one shocker, closest I can come to is Coutinho and Lallana in the first half but both of them dug in and improved. We need to get behind this team not pick holes in it every week.
The better team won, even tho they played poorly. Which is a good thing, I still think you will go through in 2nd.
I still dont think Balotelli is as good as Sturridge or half the player Suarez is... but one thing I do know is that he is much better than Welbeck.
Credit to the opposition tonight. Rodgers despite our early season struggles will get it right and get his squad to play as a unit, have faith fellow reds.
I've been saying as much, it's playing as a unit and understanding the system that's letting us down at the moment.
That Saints thread is ripe for a barny but I'm off to bed as I'm up really early, might leave on there if anyone wants to pick it up.
Yeah,both offering plenty going forward. Like the look of Manquillo,tidy RB.Lost possession once or twice when he panicked but otherwise a decent performance.Won the pen. too,imagine Johnson showing that sort of willing. And Moreno,well,he's everywhere and becoming a crowd favourite.
Something tells me there will be bullshit spouted soon looking at the browsing list so I'm defo off. Goodnight fellas.
So much ****ing pessimism in this thread it's painful to read. Look - we have our best striker out. We have Can out, we have so many players that clearly aren't match fit (Lallana for example). We have so many players to learn Rodgers philosophy - it will take time. But we won and showed the charachter to come back and get the late goal. We're joint top (2nd on GD) and in the leaugue we've picked up more points than we did i n the exact same fixtures last season (maybe bar Villa??). Suarez leaving is a huge miss, but we have squad depth and once everyone learns Rodgers philosophy we're be smashing teams. People saying we have to play with 2 up front - when Sturridge is fit that's exactly what we're be doing .Until then I think we need to pack the midfield out as we don't have the quality strikers to play 2 up front. Our FB's were one of the major areas we needed to improve last season and we've possibly got one of the bargains of the season in Moreno. **** sake wake up everyone and realise that we're heading in the right direction, we're not going backwards - we just need to work double hard on the training field to get this group on the same wave length, as soon as they are, we'll be frightening again like last season. Even Gerrard said that we have learnt a lot from the last 2 games - which loosly translates as we need to train harder and work more as a team. **** sake support the team and manager through thich and thin, we'll get theres ooner rather than later - and I have no doubt whatsoeer we'll finish in the top 4 again.
Saints fan in peace - Lallana generally takes about six or seven games after an injury to get back to full fitness. Just at the point you really start to despair he suddenly starts to turn it on. He'll come good. Very good. Vin
Ludogarets are a much better team than people are giving them credit for (they beat Lazio and PSV in the EL and they are arguably better than Basel). They will certainly take some points off the other teams, and playing them in Bulgaria will not be easy for anyone. Basel are a strong home team, but they usually don't travel that well. Real Madrid are Real Madrid, but teams in La Liga have shown that we can worry them. All in all, I have faith that we can finish second in this group, but the next match could be key.
