I keep saying "so-called" first team when referring to the players missing. I don't think we played a weaker team bar upfront. Coutinho, Sterling and Studge are the only ones that we actually missed.
I don't like "expecting" to lose, but that was my (most fans too I assume) thinking before going into the game. We did lose, so in that sense it's not a great result, but from the performance there were a fair few positives. Agree, Sterling in the Borini role would have given their two CBs a bit more cause for concern (not much mind, after they way they handled a front three of Messi, Neymar and Suarez).. I don't want to be "clever" after the event but I wasn't too upset with that team, yes up front we were limited due to Mario being pants and Sturridge being injured. But most of us have been asking for Lucas to return, the one decent DM we have, Can came with high hopes and equitted himself very well, the back four is the best we have right now due to injuries and form. Lallana and Markovic and 20M players (are they worth it is another question for another day) both full internationals too. I think if Rodgers was a bit more "bold" in the pre-match interview and said players not playing today aren't being rested they've been dropped due to the poor recent form, I don't think there would have been as much hoppla before kickoff!
I would agree with that. Rodgers could have been bold and said this is our strong side that we think will give Real problems. No one would have dared say anything. If that what was behind his selection it would have been better for him to come out and said it. Although to drop 6 of your regulars in one go for a high profile match like this would have taken some convincing. But he wanted to hedge his bets as he could not be sure how they would have performed. They could have been thrashed in which case he would blasetd for being stupid. But no matter what, I think the players "dropped" will not have been happy (why should they if dropped). Big players like Gerrard want to play in big matches. He now needs to learn from the match. Some clearly could be given a run in the team. Would Toure, Borini, Markovic, Can be given their chance against Chelsea? or would Rodgers use the plausible excuse of tiredness after a big CL match to bring his favorite regulars back?
I agree in principal but having dropped six players, three of which have very big reputations and egos (Gerrard, Johnson and Balotelli), that could have been a very dangerous game to play. Its one thing telling them they're dropped (which could upset the anyway) but to do it publicly and humiliate them as well could have lost him the respect in dressing room. If players lose respect then he may as well walk.
Proud, really? You should be questioning either the managers ability to motivate his players for a winnable game against Newcastle or his disregard to the thousands who travelled to Madrid to see a weakened side perform better than his first team at the weekend!
Or praising the manager for finally dropping the **** performers (bar Sterling and Coutinho) from the team. We wouldn't have come away just 1-0 down the so-called first team been playing. I guess we'll find out what it was come Chelsea...
I was proud too. Goes without saying we wanted a win but if you're not proud of your team in a fighting defeat [as opposed to a defeat while giving an awful performance] then you might as well give up! ''If you can't support us when we lose or draw , don't support us when we win'' - Bill Shankly
OP should stick to warty cheese or cheesy warts. We offered nothing going forward last night. Absolutely nothing. Jack-f*cking-all. We were just lucky that Ronalda finally decided to wear shoes matching her eyebrows.
We nullified the most potent strike force in Europe right now.....but Livtor is right, at what cost. We had, what, one shot on goal in 90 minutes? Was more relieved than proud. Can't believe that we spent all that money and offered nothing going forward. Origi is the answer though it seems. BR is staking everything on him. God help us all!!
True but we had our 3 best attackers out of the game - Sturridge, Sterling and Coutinho. We got the ball into some good positions but Lallana, Markovic and Borini couldn't do anything with it. I'm certainly proud of the team because we finally showed leadership, organisation - it was unified effort. But then you can see that cohesion going as soon as Stevie came on.
We carried the ball well from the back and through the midfield, we just don't have any edge in and around the box or a striker who can finish. We didn't get in behind Madrid in their area and there was never a striker centrally placed in front of goal for finishes, tap ins and so forth. Borini spent a lot of time outside the area going wide, dropping a bit deep so whenever the ball went central and near goal we had no player there.
Agreed. Don't get me wrong, the team put out yesterday beat my expectations comfortably. Just sad that we've spent a lot of money and have very little to show for it. The three players you mentioned were already here last year!
Borini moved more in the first 10 minutes of this game than Mario has in his entire LFC career. He's no lone striker though....so that begs the question, who the feck is???
There were two chances that I remember when we could have got in if the man with the ball had been a bit more adventurous. One when Manquillo had it out on the right and Borini was free in the box, but Manq just played a safe ball. The other when Borini had it himself on the left, Markovic was unMarkoviched in the box, waving his arms around like a windmill, but Borini didn't get his head up in time. I wouldn't claim to be proud, as such. Just pleased to see that we can at least put in a performance of sorts, after that awful display on Saturday.
This Proud? NO. Relieved? yes! Most of all BR will be relieved by the result. This would have been most unexpected by him as he could well have expected a severe beating that could have affected morale for the Chelsea game. I understand his thinking although I wouldn't have done it this way. Not initially saying we are fielding a weakened side by resting our regulars therefore giving the press a field day. Then when the result was a favourable one to us, he said the players had been dropped. But that seems being wise after the event. He had already given up on the match before the start and it is now difficult for him to row back.
Said exactly the same in the match thread. Borini should be ahead of Balotelli now. And after all the **** we gave him in summer.
