as an olive branch.... if we were talking 2007 to 09 team there would be no comparison for me but that is not the case is it. Today LFC have a rounded squad. Garcia could be compared to coutinho though coutinho is prob better player overall Baros is not a patch on sturridge nor never was and the list goes on. we defended our way under rafa.... I fail to see why trying to control an away game in europe is the wrong thing when you have a lead an no away goal... our european history going back into the 70s is littered with examples of controlling games.
What Rafa achieved in 2005 was incredible. Just getting to the final was an achievement. Tactically, at that time, he was the best in the world imo. It's no surprise to me that the only team from England (barring a minor miracle) has a coach who understands how Europe works and back then, Rafa > Jose (in Europe anyway).
Yes, we switched off second half Mayeb, the inexperienced players weren't used to the away fans atmosphere But shouldn't the captain be rallying the team on the pitch? Shouldn't Skrtel be shouting at the strikers for not coming back?
Yes it was, especially with some of the players. We were almost out in 2005 barring THAT goal. We defended hard v Juve and then V chelsea. Tactically IMO rodgers did the right thing and i was asking pregame on this thread would he set up to defend or not. In my view It's one in the positive column for rodgers that he did so. the result has more to do with 5 great pens form them (which mingolet went right way on 4 of but could not stop they were that good) and us missing a couple of chances and a few injuries too. 7 players out... i could only establish one was rested... nobody could tell me who no 8 was. IMO we gave it our best shot.... same and carling cup semi... you'll all note i wasn't too harsh on rodgers there either cos we did better than we'd a right to hope for.
I agree that we looked poor in shape and were under pressure second half. I think in general it will stand to an ibe and i'd hope give sterling a little wake up that he's not all that and to knuckle down to his work. It also shows again how much in the past 18 games how coutinho has really performed for us... for 3 month he looked poor but he's having the big season i hoped for in the summer.
Yup. I think he had the tactics spot on to start with and we should have taken one of the chances in the first half when we controlled the game. If one of those chances had gone in....game over......If I were him, I'd send DVD of the game to Sterling and ask him if he still think he's worth £130k a week!
Have to add though, that while we were controlling the game he got it right BUT he should have taken a front man off and packed the midfield as soon as it was obvious that we were under the cosh. Keeping 2 up top was a luxury in the second half So full marks for the way we were originally set up, not great marks for his game management. Same old.
Sterling and Sturridge were awful - Sterling really disappointed me because it looked like he wasn';t interested at all. Mario impressed me again, and thought it was harsh to take him off. Can and Allen did good jobs in the middle but were simply overrun. Rodgers found wanting in Europe yet again.
In the first half, he got it spot on. Where he was found wanting was failing to react to the pressure in the second half. If he was gunning for a clean sheet as he suggests, keeping Mario and Studge on was a luxury that invited pressure onto our midfield.
Players always seem better in past tense, almost like a legendary type status. Existing players are still building their legacy.
Sterling seems to go missing in high pressure games. Only thing I can think of that he's done in those situations is the goal against Man City last season but as I said at the time, I don't think he knew what to do until Hart gave him a massive gap. Also got to remember how young he and some of our other players are. They've not got that big European match experience. Not many will have experienced a atmosphere like that either.
Said it last night, but what is the point in desperately wanting to qualify for Europe when we serve up the crap we did this season. Embarrassed in the champions league and woeful in Europa, other than revenue its pointless if we play don't even try. I don't want us to be Arsenal, how they can support that every year is beyond me.
Jones? sakho, Enrique, Johnson, gerrard, Lucas, Henderson injured. Markovic suspended. Coutinho rested. Thats 7 unavailable for selection, 8 if include Jones, and one rested. Could nake ame a half decent team with those injured players as well
****ing jones.... great shout why did you not tell me that yesterday! half decent? 8+3 = 11 Jones johnson X Sahko X henderson Lucas enrique Gerrard X Coutinho the only area we had fit was all of our strikers and they failed to do anything I'd contend that half those injured were form our very best team. Gerrard not included and then johnson would have been 3 months ago... Enrique and jones not important. more than half decent. Add 3 players and thats team would have been playing for is last month
Hold on there mito, i never blamed Rodgers for not attacking enough, in fact we had no need to go on the attack, it was them needing to score not us. Sturridge's greed was a major factor we never got a goal when we where on top in the first half as was Sterling who was clumsy when in possession in or near the box(apart from when he hit his shot at the keeper), Rodgers could have played with 1 striker but started with 2, his European inexperience played a big part also. As for 2005, was more to the team/squad than just Gerrard and Alonso mate.
I think he started with two up top because we had very little options in CM. I don't think he wanted to move Can out the defence but had no choice. We weren't able to switch it around, it wasn't suitable for introducing youngsters either.
Page. We twatted them in the first half and should have had it in the bag WELL before half time. Sturridge and Sterling very, very sloppy on the finishing front. I could see where it was going soon into the second half. Why, oh why the **** did he take Balo off with the possibility of pens looming? As soon as Lovren stepped up, I knew it was all over. I think that was probably his exit ticket. ****ing ****er
Its gone now, and to be fair it would have given Spurs the same advantage the mancs have had if we'd got through, blessing in disguise we're out?
