I said we had two cbs as well. but seriously 2005... gave finnan creidt, gave hyppia and carragher proper props... but to say that team was better than our team now is not right IMO... two worldies in CM helps 2005 but the wide players and strikers were god awful compared to today and keeper was dodgy as phook. My point is if it was good enough for raf in 2005 it should be good enough for rodgers.. you said sturridge and sterling let us down too... I just think being tight worked mostly. We should have sat even deeper but i saw the goal and here was too much space for them.... we only had 4 forwards pluc lallana as options...
My reporter mate has just been on the phone. He and some of his colleagues put an official complaint in to UEFA last night. They were constantly being showered with spit, coins and rubbish. He went to a steward to tell him to get up there and stop it, but he didn't speak English. My mate said " Well look this up: 'you're a useless ****ing ****'. He then held the steward's bib number up to his face and said 'number 606. Useless ****ing ****er'". Nice bunch, those Turks. On Sterling not taking a pen. My mate asked him why off the record and Rodgers said he just wasn't up for it. He missed one against Boro in the League cup. So yeah, he did wimp out. Enter Lovren
I thought the crowd was ****. Completely mindless and at times they couldn't keep up with whether they were supposed to be whistling or cheering. Some media talked about how English clubs could learn from that atmosphere but it's just the human equivalent of a vuvuzela.
Re. penalties - we naturally assume all attackers should be taking them but it's wrong. Sterling is not a clean striker of the ball and he had missed his last one, so I don't blame him for not taking one. It's all down to practice and confidence. Apparantly Lovren does practice a lot. Will never criticise him for missing a penalty - much respect for doing so. Would have liked Toure to have taken one though - his penalty in the AFCON Final was quality.
I think you have to say in fairness rodgers could only say publically that lovern was confident. I reckon in truth rodgers looked about and had 4 he'd fiath in and then lovern. The lad stepped up you have to give him credit for doing it. where was the other 5? sterling... manquillo, skertl, toure, MORENO... didn't fancy it? at least the big mad man had a go. also Just want to change tack. Bilic deserves a mention here. His side were well organised in both ties and looked well set up if lacking really quality. I think he might be one to watch for a job in the prem in the future. some chairman might even take note seeing the matches were on itv
I've only just come back on and can't be bothered to read back far, so apologies in advance because this has probably been done to death. We were set up to nick a goal early on, then they'd need 3 and we'd have been through. It didn't happen, and we didn't adapt to the difference in the second half. The midfield pair were overrun, and the Turks were more tenacious than us. BR should have changed earlier, the fact that he didn't shows inexperience, nothing worse, imo. He's young for a manager, and it can be a steep learning curve. Many managers who have achieved far more than he in the PL have still foundered in Europe, so we need to take that into account. I feel a bit sorry for Lovren, he's had a disastrous season so far and that just put the top hat on it for him. At least he had the balls to step up, though. Europe has been a nightmare for us this time round, but at least we were in it. Let's try and make sure we are again next year.
I think some are missing the point here about Bron's tactics; nothing wrong with how we set up, or indeed the first half, except not taking any chances. Still, the onus was on them and we were still in control of the game at ht. What was obvious to everyone though, especially by about the 60min mark, was that the game had changed and our midfield was overrun as the two wing-backs were playing full-back in a back five, and Sterling was nowhere to be seen. THAT was when to make a switch (and I personally would have taken Sterling off, brought Mankiller in at rb, put Ibe rm and pulled Studge back to lm, or swapped him too with Lallana). Point is, THAT was when to make the move. Seriously, who didn't see that by the hour mark we had no midfield and that it wasn't getting any better? what is the point of THREE strikers (as sterling didn't do one iota of defending) if you can't get the ball to them?
Injuries, suspensions and new players meant at no stage could we field anything remotely close to a settled team It's nothing like what Arsenal did the last 5 seasons Next season is our season
Too right. We've said that every season haven't we? Jaffakop is right that and we know it. The point of getting into the CL and Europa is to show that we are able to compete at the highest level. A bit embarassing then to being dumped out so easily of these comps. If we managed to get into CL next season, will Rodgers do better?
