Official Match Thread: Premier League: Liverpool v Everton

And Skrtel and Lovren were good too, as was Coutinho for the last 30 min...

So?

What's ailing then?

 

Skrtel and Lovren (to a lesser degree) were adequate. Nothing to write home about. Coutinho? - yes of course, I simply forgot about him thinking about Markovic (as did Brod, evidently).

 

But do you catch my drift? If everyone bar Markovic for 60 mins was good or great today, how come we created only a couple of genuine open play chances?

 

Fair point. As I said, we were the least mediocre today. We slightly deserved to win, but we didn't earn it by seeing it out. Going to be a long season and I think we'll be lucky to be fighting for fourth place.

 

We're disjointed. We flatter to deceive. The whole is not greater than the sum of its parts in our case. More work is needed in training sessions to mould an incisive character, effective schemes that don't flounder when one component becomes unavailable.

 

In my opinion I think the balance of the team, without Suarez and Sturridge is 'wrong'. Last season you had Henderson, Sterling, Sturridge & Suarez making a lot of runs in behind, with Sturridge injured and Suarez sold, we only have 2 of those players, and one of them always has to hold back and be on standby to cover for our defensive midfielder who does not have the legs or ability to cover ground like he used to. So there's a lot less forward and in behind movement from the players we've currently got starting.

 

Agree, that is why I tend to promote the 4-3-3.

Suarez is probably the best FW I've ever seen in intelligently probing channels, baiting, twisting defenders in and out and hogtying them before he gets to the ball. I'm starting to think that in addition to losing Suarez's multiple contributions as a player, we've lost his tactical masterminding role for LFC too. It should be apparent to Brendan that we've lost fluidity upfront. Brendan should tell Balotelli to be more mobile laterally and forget shooting from way out. Sterling could also be morphed into a FW that swaps and zigzags side to side ala Suarez.

-------Lucas--------
-Hendo------Couts-
-Sterl-Balo-Studge

 

today summed up our problem all season. with Sturridge out we still move the ball fast out of defence, but as Balo does not play as Sturridge/Suarez do the play stutters and we reach the point were the killer ball should be played for a striker to score, and no one is there so we pass back to midfield then pass the ball around aimlessly until we lose it.

 

I'd have loved to see Sterling play right upfront and told to keep running behind the defenders. He doesn't need to constantly get the ball, but at least then making those runs it'll give the defence something to think about. At the moment we're too obvious and easy to defend against as teams can sit high knowing no one will run behind and it closes all the gaps.

 

I thought Gerrard played better today. Nothing to do with him scoring, just his general play. But then, Everton didn't try to mark him out of the game either. Plus, if they had, Hendo was alongside him and he's just as capable of finding those passes too.

Anyway, to the point... did Gerrard's post celebration actions annoy anyone? Did he really need to put his hands to his ears? He's never responded to the public before so why suddenly start doing it now?

 

Thought Lallana and Henderson were very good today. Both showed real hunger and determination to press, a factor of our game that brought success last season. I think we are missing Sturridge big time. His runs in behind the defenders are crucial. Balotelli tried to be the hero too many times today and it didn't pay off. Jury is still out for me on Balotelli, i'm just not sure he is a Brendan Rodgers sort of player.

P.S. Anybody see the images of Sahko storming out of Anfield after not making the squad? Looks like there's some rift between him and BR. Hopefully this resolves, wouldn't want to see another good CB leave the club because he doesn't get on with the gaffer!

 

.

 

http://youtu.be/wVrXveKPbnY

 

Was hoping we'd **** the blue ****es so far up the arse you'd be able to see our collective cock moving in and out in their collective throat and we'd be shooting cum out of the mouth and nostrils like air and spray out of a blue whales blow hole. Ah well, onto the next one. We're a bit **** at the moment, not total ****, but mostly ****. **** enough. Hopesfully it'll get better. Others have nailed it though, we've got no killer instinct in the final third, good momentum still from the back but we stall at the opposition box. At least we were getting in Everton's area today but the fact that our only goal was a free kick shows our lack of potency. We're missing the tricky footwork, strength/muscle, movement and nimbleness of last season's two main men. Balotelli just doesn't give you that and neither does Lambert. They don't make something out of nothing. What was so good so often last season was the directness. Now it just stalls at the key point. We look too much like a collection of individuals than the red machine we used to be where players were interchangeable and transitioned from position to position. Shouldn't have sold ****ing Suarez. ****s sake. How lacking ambition does that look now? The big clubs keep and get themselves more big players. We don't even look like a top four side currently, top eight really on a good day and we're not even in that. if we're going to try and succeed more organically and economically we need some better scouts and much better negotiators in the transfer market. The hit rate with these players we've brought in is not good.

 

Fair point but that was from opposition fans.

 

How was Barry not sent off then

first yellow correct.
Blatant handball which should have been a pen (how is having your hand above your head not in an unnatural position)

And then a blatant trip on Balotelli to stop him rushing towards goal to 30 yards out

 

Ref's a City fan

 

MOTD didn't bother to mention anything about the blatent pen / red card then....

 

Showed them, but didn't talk about them. And gave the line 'Its difficult for Refs in a game like this.'

 

Meant the pundits didn't talk about them etc.