Think we're going to have another season like this at least, you guys above have correctly stated - we need an overhaul in areas and that ain't going to happen quickly. What is going to hurt us is that we seem to have had overhauls for a while now. Toela, I must admit I had no faith in BRs judgement either, then he went and signed Sturridge and Coutinho and made me think again. As for all this talk about us fans saying we would get fourth, I can't remember many saying that, I think I saw one post. Most of us were thinking fifth or sixth. I'm thinking Sixth at the moment. Furthermore, this crap that we blow hot and cold with BR. He was none of our first choices. I've seen nobody say he's brilliant, and nobody calling for him to be sacked. I think we are all forming an opinion of his long term ability, and performances like this piss us off. I personally don't think he'll get us in the top 4, but I could very well be wrong and think he should be given a fair crack, would be far worse to keep chopping and changing manager.
I think we all know Brendan has made mistakes. Now the red mist form yesterday has cleared, I knew the earlier season's bad losses would not be the last. This is our 4th performance of this type, not the first. Brendan has our full support but it's worth keeping in mind we are going to be annoyed after seeing a game like that. We knew this was a long term project and if you ask me which of the last two games I would prefer to which one to lose and which one to win, I'd have chosen winning v Spurs an losing to Southampton There were tactical mistakes that were made look far worse by some awful abject performances. I have a few questions though. Was Johnson told to hold? Even though we were poor he could have caused damage by supporting Downing and Sturridge down the right, we would have had the same advantage as they did in the centre and getting at them down the right might have forced them to pull cover form the centre giving our centre and left far more room to get some joy and apply at least some pressure. Did Brendan set out to play our game absent thoughts of the opposition? We never looked like we were set up in any way to combat their best attributes, quickly applying pressure in midfield in numbers They played more like Barca than we did We looked like we were set up to play a team that feared us which makes me wonder if Brendan's believing his own press releases. Brendan knows we are weak at the back when left without midfield cover better than anyone right?. Only when we are in a mindset that we are playing dangerous players do we put in a shift there, in games where we thought we had it boxed off before kickoff we've got stung. Almost every game I would think should focus on not conceding first and scoring 2nd, any CM player would know a team that loses the ball in midfield when attacking is at their weakest at that point. Southampton are good in the middle so our shield should have been there and our sword down the flanks but Johnson and Enrique did not offer the support and we could not win the ball in midfield and use their pace down the flanks and Johnson in particular was very unwilling which takes me back to Q 1, what were his instructions. The instructions given to the players? Every time we got the ball there was no thought of what happens if we lose it, our shape and positioning and especially initiative were so poor, no one had any thought of supporting each other and instead were bent on what looked like following instructions to the letter. Southampton's players out-thought and out-fought us managerial input and tactics apart, they were just far too clever for us on the day. our players never matched them in quality and spirit. I get the feeling there was no faith in how we were set out before kickoff, it never looked like there was any positivity in us yesterday, just apathy, "I knew this would happen" sort of apathy rather than how can we fix this, the team captain has to take some blame for yesterday too!! Alas it is one game, one bad performance and nothing more, hopefully a lesson learned by all YNWA next game please
A very fair assesment (as with Campbells too). Johnson definitely look like he'd been told to hold which seems like madness looking at how Southampton play. I do wonder however if Johnson just felt he couldn't attack too much because of how often we gave the friggin ball away in midfield. I'm starting to feel sorry for Allen. He just shouldn't be playing at the moment simple as that. If he genuinely is carrying an injury then why the hell is he playing? If he isn't then why the hell is he so bad? Were we "resting" Lucas for the title run in? If he was left out for "tactical" reasons then that's even more unfathomable. A seriously bad day at the office for all concerned with the only person to take any credit was Brad Jones. Time to reflect and move on and see how they all react. We know we can play ten times better than that so all is not doom and gloom but its ****ing depressing gifting teams the chance to beat us before we've even kicked off. Villa up next and our lot owe us a performance after the Anfield game so let's see how much we learned from that game.
I'm hoping the glaring and obvious angry with himself Brendan learns from yesterday. He is in management as Allen is in playing, both capable of good displays and both capable of looking out of their depth occasionally. Allen's confidence has taken a huge it, it has to have had so he needs a spell of pressure relief by not playing for a few games and to dissect his own performances to identify his weaknesses as they are not being addressed. He made so many passes for the sake of the pass when there was nothing on. Keeping possession was paramount but attacking right away far too eagerly seems to infect a lot of them yesterday without a thought for how losing the ball would affect us. A Tom Cleverly would have been more useful yesterday than Allen as he'd have just kept shifting the ball back and forth with easy passes to retain the ball and keep momentum going, will wash my mouth after than comment I hope Brendan can see his own failings yesterday and whilst lettings the players have it also admitting to them he let them down also, the best way forward for the spirit of all concerned, Basically tell them, Lads, we were all **** yesterday, lets fix this. No finger pointing Re Johnson, this is what I am talking about when I mention initiative. He could see Downing waiting for the overlap that never came, was that some attempt by BR to pull defenders out wide and deliver it into the area to Sturridge and Suarez with Coutinho and Enrique stretching Southampton on the left. We never stretched them in any way, their manager deserves a lot of credit but ours deserves some discredit at the same time. Southampton amassed force at weak spots and drive through our light midfield very nicely indeed, in fact I expected that from us. Had Johnson drove on and got behind them and drove the ball across the 6 yard box they'd have had a lot of trouble dealing with it, look at our goal, they would have been outclassed in that area yesterday and that area alone. Not so cool headed in their own area with the ball pinging about. Lastly, there was a complete lack of discipline yesterday, That I think is inexcusable!
Can't agree with Johnson being told to hold. He went forward a fair bit still, why was Enrique bombing forward on the other side and where the hell was Downing if he had that side to himself? Johnson showed clear signs of laziness/disinterest during the game yesterday and I think it was a big off day for him (when he has them, he has them!). He's not been in great form for the last couple games but we usually still get a 5/6 out of ten from him, he was 100% **** yesterday (I usually stand up for Glen)
Any player being lazy which I don't accept, should be shown the door. he got forward but never beyond Downing, essentially what they did to us in the middle Johnson and Downing could have done on the right
Have to agree. We all know Gerrard hasn't got the legs to defend and attack and Allen cannot do either - thus you need Lucas or Henderson in. You could see it happening. His love affair with Allen is crazy. One minute you think Rodgers is doing well and then he does that
Can't tolerate lazy players (by which I mean they don't attempt regain possession after THEY have lost it) and IMO two of the biggest culcprits in our team are two of the more senior and influencial players...Johnson and Gerrard! Not fighting on a Sunday
A gripe I have had lately ( and I know all managers have favorites) is a bit with this. Allen and Shelvey still get chances here and there even when they haven't done well. Sterling and Suso have just been papped out and not even had a game to see if they have got their heads on right. Plus, recently them two have been playing well. Ah well, St. Paddy's day time for Jameson and bad decisions.
Was just a reference to paddy's day the Irish and lots of booze I'd let it go I really would but the fists, they have a terrible temper and they've been drinking all day
I think we need to get back to the formation that we played when Sturridge first got into the team. Henderson playing as a wide midfielder who can tuck in and help the midfield. That allows us to still play 2 upfront without being outnumbered in midfield. I can understand why Rodgers is reluctant to drop any one of Coutinho, Sturridge, Suarez & Downing but for the sake of the team we simply can't play 4 of them in the same team. Suarez is undroppable so Rodgers has to make a decision on which two out of the other three he is going to start.
I'd say Suarez and Sturridge are undroppable, the latter because he is our only striker. Coutinho vs Downing is a no contest
Personally I think Suarez, Sturridge and Downing for the next game. Coutinho to come on, or maybe in place of Sturridge. Downing does well to track back and defend.
Yes, I agree. Villa away is quite a tough game physically so I think Downing would be more suited to that one. Long term Coutinho will hopefully be ready to play 90 minutes every week at any ground, but he's only young for now and it would be wise to ease him slowly into the league, as I feel he struggled a little bit with the physicality and pace of Clyne yesterday. Clyne got past him too easily at times yesterday for my liking. He can always come on later on in the game if we are in need of a goal anyway, and a 30 minute cameo might suit him better at present than 60/70 minutes against a physical team like Villa. We know relegation teams like to go in hard and put themselves about a bit so we have to manage Coutinho with stuff like this in mind. Might sound crazy considering the amount of assists/goals Coutinho is getting in every game he plays but I'd drop Coutinho for the tough, physical away games and have Downing in there. He is more of an outlet with his pace and more suited to tracking back (as Zingy says) when these teams inevitably put us under pressure.
Yep, fully agree. Southampton didn't give us any time on the ball yesterday, typical relegation dog fight performance. Coutinho struggled in the middle of the park as you said, due to the physicality. I was impressed with his movement off the ball though. Think it was just before the goal, he read the game and knew the ball was going to be headed back across goal. Henderson must start, can't see Allen being forced to play with the injury anymore.
Talk about knee-jerk and going overboard over one game with you takes the biscuit. Why did you not see all this and make this post last week when you beat Spurs?
