LIVERPOOL neither attacked nor defended nor midfielded with conviction against Bordeaux. It was frustrating to watch. There is a pleasure to be taken from the following 1-1s away from home in Europe:
a) A swashbuckling side hammer the opposition goal but their man-of-the-match goalkeeper keeps them in it and they snatch an equaliser.
b) A backs-against-the-walls performance where our keeper keeps us in it, our defenders are trojans and we break, go 0-1 up but then leak a late one.
c) Seeing a gang of young lads play some football well, wise beyond their years, free beyond our dreams, get it, give it, perhaps go nowhere a bit too much but accentuate the positive, man. 1-1, yeah!?
And we got none of the above, really. Very little pleasure. But we got the 1-1 and that will almost do.
Of course football matches exist in contexts, experiences almost always exist in contexts (the ones that don’t are either astonishing or awful), and the current context is the fume. The fume or the fume about the fume. Or the fume about the fume about the fume. Whatever. I’m tired.
It’s hard to know what was a reasonable expectation. It was hard to gauge a thing prior to this football match. Europe should be an adventure but it felt like it came not as a crucial moment, but instead interrupting our league campaign which will dictate everything. There’s no respite — a defeat would have been three on the bounce, a win would have meant nothing without beating Norwich as well.
It was a game and a performance which in context has non-plussed steaming from it. Liverpool did nothing well. Liverpool did nothing dreadfully.
Jordan Rossiter probably deserves better because he played well. He always seemed sensible — got it, gave it, knew where he was on the pitch and knew where his teammates were.
This may seem like faint praise but did you see Liverpool’s midfield three against United? There will remain concerns around his physicality, but there really should be few around his brain. Pedro Chirivella did well too, Liverpool’s midfield becoming two 18 year olds as the game wore on — the concern would be that the change that accompanied Toure’s injury led to that midfield getting more intelligent.
Some of you readers will believe that to be harsh, but this is just one man’s view and what do I know? Emre Can in the eyes of this one man remains entirely enigmatic, arguably outclassed by midfielders and defenders on both sides yet almost certainly the footballer with the highest ceiling.
He has had a ton of time on the pitch in 2015 and the answer as to what sort of footballer he will become is seemingly no closer. Emre is either going to suddenly kick on at some point in the next 18 months and make me look even more ridiculous than I tend to, or he is going to leave Liverpool and look at best a terrific Match Of The Day player elsewhere. I hope it is the former because he seems like such a nice chap.
Mamadou Sakho passed the ball well into midfield, also showing something lacking against United. Danny Ings looked good when he came on, a farm hand glistening in the evening, full of purpose and ideas. Have you seen Lady Chatterley’s Lover? Yep. Him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1krCopnd4w
Lallana’s goal was lovely, the frustration around him dwelling on the ball first half almost forgotten in the excitement. Coutinho yet again demonstrated why he needs to not be the best player in any 11 he plays in while Ibe never got himself going.
Liverpool got themselves a result while seeming pretty flat. Bordeaux had a couple of chances they should have done better with, but The Reds can say the same thing. It wasn’t a call to arms. It wasn’t something to believe it. It wasn’t a battle. It wasn’t dominance. It was some lads kicking a ball around a field without an outcome. Every season these games happen. Every season these games are determined by what happens next.
What happens next is the most interesting thing — it always is. Neither O’Driscoll nor McAllister appeared to be there, six or seven didn’t travel, Firmino didn’t get on. The point is, on paper, a good one with an eye on progression. But it’s a squad, a bench, a side which is fixated on Sunday.
And so now, there is only Sunday.
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Pics: David Rawcliffe-Propaganda-Photo
It’s one of those European games that’s forgotten about almost immediately unless we get hammered or one of our players played incredibly. None of which happened.
So what game was it again? I’ve forgotten already!
I’m only here to whine about Bordeaux.
WAHEY!
Will anyone argue Sakho shouldn’t play on Sunday? I know there are very few who thought he shouldn’t be in the team anyway, but surely if he doesn’t play that will be monumentally demotivating to players on the fringe of the team, because if our two cb’s play like Skrtel and Lovren have played, then Mama comes in and is the best player on the pitch, and he still isn’t rewarded with a start over Rodgers favourites, whats the point of the fringe players busting their balls to perform well in the europa or league cup?
Agreed,
He also seems to make players around him play better,
He has presence,
We could do with a bit of that.
Seconded. Might have the timeline wrong here but I remember Rodgers losing patience with Skrtel after a poor performance at Old Trafford in his first season and bringing in a retiring Carragher. I don’t know where that Brendan’s gone who was into meritocracy and not persisting with clowns at center half for political reasons.
Other examples of the good and bad side of his selections would be bringing Henderson out the cold after trying to sell him, but then there was stuff like bringing Brad Smith on at Stamford Bridge.
It’s tricky trying to defend a manager who doesn’t look to be picking his best team for the priority games.
How Sahko isn’t the player you build your defence around is just maddening at this stage,
Would prefer him & Gomez over our current centre half pairing any day of the week,
Jordan Ross & Chiv really caught the eye, keeping it simple,
Most I’ve enjoyed watching us so far this season apart from that half hour spell v the Guns (at this stage I’m doubting that even happened).
Couldn’t agree more. Sakho and Clyne should be the first 2 defenders on the team sheet with the rest fighting it out t try to reach their level. I really like Gomez, looks a real talent but am unsure how much we can rely on an 18yr old all season long. Would like to see him take Toures place next season.
But yeah, Sakho and Clyne must be the rocks are defence is built around.
Completely bizarre how Rodgers does not see Sakhos quality and if he doesn’t we risk losing him altogether.
Maybe it’s the fact that he’s constantly picking up injuries just as he starts to play well.
He’s been uninjured all season long so far, so what’s the reason now then??? Why has yet to play a minute of league football?? Will Sturridge be kept on the bench (or not even as has been the case for Sakho) when match fit and the same excuse rolled out. I very much doubt it. That’s because Sturridge is our best attacker and we are a better team when he’s on the pitch. Same with Sakho. Play the best players in their best positions in a formation that suits the players available. Not strikers playing wing back etc etc
Good article on the match and on Sunday. i think I enjoyed the game a bit more then perhaps you did Neil. I enjoyed seeing the kids perform and was impressed by their effort, Also impressed that Rodgers didn’t succumb to fan and media pressure by playing a “stronger” squad. I’m pleased he got some youngsters a game and that he gave some of our first team players much needed minutes (Sahko, Moreno, Origi, Ings). I think one or two of those will be in contention for the weekend. Any point away from home in Europe is a good one.
I’d like to see Sakho, Moreno and Ings all start on Sunday.
Play the kids again against Carlisle next Tue and include Lovren with them.
Why is 1 point a good result when if we played a full team we couldve had 3? Why are we resting players a month into the new season? This mentality that has crept into the club that they are too good for this competition is helping to breed mediocrity, from our manager right the way through the squad
Fred, nothing wrong with a point in a European away. If you don’t know or have forgotten how often Paisley happily accepted one check out lfchistory.net. Win all our games at Anfield in the group and it’s job done.
Thought that was Moreno’s best game in a long time and Ings has the invention and speed we have been missing. I just wish three at the back meant two up top, always.
Jc its not the draw that bothers me. Its also not necessarily the fact that we played a weakened team either if there was a solid basis behind it. I just think we are showing small club mentality resting players in september. We are basically starting the season with with the intention of using the europa cup as a secondary competition. When has it become okay for LFC not to give a european competition its full attention. Not to mind we spent almost 80 million this summer. This minset that has set in of using the Europa as a run out for young / squad players is wrong. Especially when it offers a champions league place. Its not like we have been qualifying for the CL regularly enough not to take this route seriously. The weakened team at Real last year was an embarrassment, compounded by the fact that we then lost to chelsea. Do we now only play for the PL title. Personally id prefer a european cup and a champs league spot than a 4th place finish
To win the Europa you need to play 17 games. That’s half a season worth of games. We have to show the Europa the contempt it deserves or we end up with 6th-8th in the league and dumped out the Europa in the quarters because our squad is tired. I think the Europa isn’t too far off being as hard to win as the CL. It requires a dedicated approach. One that we’re not in a position to do.
I have different views on young players than most Liverpool fans. I’ve said on here recently that I don’t want to see young players in the first team before they’re ready. There’s plenty of opportunities to bed them in better. Europa, League and FA cups. There’s even the chance to bring them on in the Prem when we’re 2 goals up with 20 or 15 to play. I feel for the amount we spend we should have established players in every position. I think we’ve knocked Ibe’s confidence a bit due to the expectation fans have put on him. Last night was fairly irrelevant in relation to Sunday. We can’t jeopardise Sunday for last nights game. It’d be naive in the utmost.
“We have to show the Europa the contempt it deserves or we end up with 6th-8th in the league”
Sorry Robin, we’ve spent 290 million pound in just 3 years to build a squad capable of competing on domestic and european fronts. At this stage of “the project” the excuse you have offered won’t wash.
Hi Michael,
It’s true we’ve spent £290m. With the way the windows work that’s actually over 4 seasons as well as being true that it’s over 3 years. Bearing in mind we’ve sold £170m of talent in that time we’ve only improved our squad by £30m a season. That’s not a lot in today’s market. Of the (roughly) £120m we’ve spent in that time we have over £50m of it out on loan so you could say the squad we’re seeing now has been improved by about £17.5m a season. Questions need to be asked here but it’s a seperate argument to the Europa.
Regarding the Europa, the competition is a joke. No prestige comes from winning it. The format is ridiculous and weighted, by far, in favour of TV companies more than the teams in it. Regardless of figures we can’t expect to put a strong team out on 17 Thursday nights in places none of us have ever heard of and expect to compete in the league. It simply naive to think we can. We have to play a second string in these early rounds at a minimum. If we go out then so be it.
If we ever get back in the CL then I’d expect us to compete more. The difference is though, games are played on Tuesday and Wednesday leaving a little bit of time to recover but also it’s made up of teams from Western Europe. It’s unlikely a CL team from England will play more than 2 CL games in Eastern Europe in any season. Due to the nature of the big teams in it they’ll fly direct to within 10 miles of the ground too. The Europa simply isn’t like that. As I said earlier (somewhere), I don’t feel we have the leeway to blood players in in the Prem. This is the perfect opportunity to give them experience and it should be used as such.
Totally agree with Fred’s view on the Europa League. English clubs and fans are fools not to be taking it seriously. Especially given how close the Premier League is to dropping down to fourth in the coefficient list making it a Top 3 to qualify for CL. 2 wins, a draw and three losses in GW1. 2 out 8 teams already out of Europe. Another Juventus CL Final or a Napoli reaching the EL Final is all it takes for it to become reality or just about.
And comments like “showing it the contempt it deserves”, just wow. The only thing you can find understandable with a person making such a comment is that it’s actually coming from someone like Robin Crimes, someone who’s probably got tattoos of popular TAW opinions – one of which is “if you’re going for 4th, go for 1st, always look to win the league”.
I say, take a leaf out of Porto’s book, Atletico Madrid’s, Sevilla’s. 17 games in Europe is exactly what it sounds like. It’s 17 games in Europe, a lot of it against very good opposition. It’s experience. It’s a trophy. And one this current LFC side has a hell of a better chance of winning than the Premier League one. Only 5 games in, and I’m telling you now, we’re not catching Man City at any point this season.
A season in which we win the EL is a much better season than the one in which we just finish top 4. Even if we fall short but give winning it a good go (QF, SF…), it’s an infinitely more exciting one that the one in which we battle it out with United over who doesn’t get to be the worst good side in England, the one in which in all likeliness we finish 5th again.
On this:
“And comments like “showing it the contempt it deserves”, just wow. The only thing you can find understandable with a person making such a comment is that it’s actually coming from someone like Robin Crimes, someone who’s probably got tattoos of popular TAW opinions – one of which is “if you’re going for 4th, go for 1st, always look to win the league”.
Just give it a miss with stuff like this or you’re blocked, mate. Bored of reading you sniping.
As for prestige, I wonder why Krychowiak is now worth 10 times the price Sevilla payed for him and is being linked with clubs like Arsenal, or why Bacca was on our radar in the summer. Europa League put Falcao on the map. Atletico’s recent success and the ability to buy players like Mandzukic and Griezmann all began with taking the Europa League seriously.
Hell, it’s the only impressive thing about Hodgson’s resume. Probably why we ended up appointing him as manager.
@TheAnfieldWrap That’s your prerogative, but thanks for the warning, mate. Just FYI, hers was the first snipe, though I guess everything goes when you’re on the “right” side of the debate. Just like it’s perfectly OK on here to call other supporters the vilest of names so long as they have a negative opinion of the manager. But good to know, and I will take your advice and give it a miss in the future, definitely.
It’s not OK. It’s one person moderating a site with more to do than moderate a site. With that in mind, I’m just blocking from now on when I see trolling, abuse, name calling and the rest. And it will have nothing to do with the manager.
Hi Velimir
I’ll be honest, I don’t really understand what your problem is with me. Ok, I have an opinion you don’t agree with. Ok, I write long comments and yeah, I’m the first to admit I talk a lot of shit. If there was the ability to delete comments on here then I’d probably have deleted over 50 this year. Do what I do though, I see the name and skip the comment. Some people’s comments don’t interest me.
Regarding how I form an opinion I find it interesting in many ways. Firstly because, in my circle of friends I’m known for being very opinionated and forthright with my views. I rarely agree with people but that’s part of life. Respecting other people’s views is an important part of life. That doesn’t mean I won’t challenge them – I nearly always do but I try and stick to the argument.
I’m not happy about this sniping either, truth be known, I don’t actually like confrontation but I’ve got a mechanism that will always make me stand my ground. I’m 43. I don’t need to be having childish arguments as a by product of coming on a site I enjoy.
While on that subject, what I don’t understand is your animosity towards me liking TAW. For a start, I’ve been writing comments on here since it began and one thing I’ve never deviated from is my opinion that Liverpool need to progress properly with foundations. For me, that’s getting back in the CL every year. Nothing else matters to me. You may not like that view and you’re welcome to discuss it but I certainly don’t buy into the idea of going for first place. If we’re in a that position after Christmas I very much doubt Brendan would say, try not to win today because we’re going for 4th not 1st.
Secondly, again, I’ll be honest. I don’t really follow the way you think. Surely, judging by how much time we spend on here we all like the TAW site. I want to hear people talking about the match. The TAW lads provide that service. I like the fact they do. Obviously, in life, the more we hear from different people the more our views are shaped. Learning is good and I make no apology for that. Sometimes, they say things I don’t agree with and I say so (comment so). I think regular readers know my thoughts on whether Suarez got us second or on Joe Allen. I bang on about them so often, yet not many of TAW share those views.
Finally mate, let’s just say I was a bit weird and because TAW’s views differed from mine I came on here and started saying they were all a bunch of knobheads and I hated them all, well, I often see various TAW people at the match. I’ve seen them in the town. I’ve been to a few TAW events because I’m at a stage where I’d rather go and have a beer and listen to talk about Liverpool than go for a beer and talk to my mates about Liverpool because I know what they’ll say to any given subject of the club. I don’t wanna be ducking my head in shame trying to avoid people. I’m happier saying ‘hiya mate, been enjoying the shows’. Surely that’s a better way to be in life. So, I make no apology for enjoying the shows or the site. I make no apologies for not verbally attacking people who are trying their best to put on a good buzz for everyone and I make no apology for not being able to comprehend why someone would really enjoy a service and website but feel compelled to attack the people running it because their views differ. I find it really odd mate.
Look, please, if you don’t like my views just skip the comment, plenty of others do. Don’t try and wind me up because I always bite and it’s embarrassing for me. You’ll often see me attacking opinions, I enjoy that kind of thing. We’ve always done that on here but to a degree most people try and stick to debate rather than getting personal. That’s all changed in the last 6 months. We all know why it is (can I make it clear it’s not because you’ve been coming on more regularly in that time). It’s because the team is wank and we’re all feeling it. I can’t appeal to anyone else but from my point of view I’m gonna try and respect those values of just arguing about footy. I’m sick of it all too.
Thanks
Hi TAW, can I just point this out?
http://www.theanfieldwrap.com/2015/09/the-sack-brendan-rodgers-fund-and-what-it-says-about-liverpool-fans/
Matt
15 September 2015 at 11:10 pm
you are a piece of shit.
What kind of low down scumbag drags someone’s personal life into an argument about whether he can manage or not. God people like you make me question my fanship.
You’re an embarrassment to what I liverpool fan is, shame the fuck on you
Reply
Velimir
16 September 2015 at 12:45 pm
For anyone who has read or replied to my comments posted here since the beginning of the season, this here from Matt is exactly what I’ve been complaining about. Let’s see if anyone from TAW deems it worthy of their time to reply to him for the ridiculously abusive language and attitude shown towards another supporter and a reader of theirs.
Reply
Why was it ok for Matt to use language like that but Velimir, who didn’t resort to such language, gets a warning?
Can I point out that one person moderates this site? And it shouldn’t be an industry in itself to babysit people posting. Maybe we should just turn the comments off? Because the constant abuse, snide comments, allegations of agendas and the rest is really really tiresome. Make points about what is written, about Liverpool and the rest but keep it civil. Any more personal stuff, abuse, and so on you’re blocked. That applies all round. Literally had enough of it now.
Don’t worry about him Robin, he is only here to wind us up. Best to just ignore him rather than try to rationalise his actions.
FWIW, I always enjoy seeing your posts on here (although I don’t always get to the end of the really long ones ;). Reckon you have plenty of good things to say and your passion for LFC shines through, which what is all about at the end of the day.
Let the haters hate, they’re the ones that have to live with themselves every minute of the day.
I know there are more pressing issues at the moment but when do we start to worry about Ibe? Didn’t get going tonight (although no one in white really got out of second gear) and hasn’t done much as a sub either, minus his shot last weekend. I wasn’t in the “he’ll be better than Raheem” camp but I thought he’d be a bit more of a threat than he has shown thus far
And when he scores a goal, which he inevitably will this season, you’ll swing by that camp once more, probably throw a party in there too. He’s a 19 year old player (going on 20) getting the experience of playing for Liverpool and at this level. I’m not starting to worry about him for the next 2 or 3 years or so. I’ll worry about the state of our club if during that period we’re looking at Ibe to win us games. It’s that kind of thinking that gets Markovic sent out on loan to Turkey after a year of playing wing-back.
Its criminal to see what the Europa cup has been reduced to. One month into the new season and we send half a team to Bordeaux to negotiate a tie that our full strength squad should overcome comfortably. Why not go and win your first four group games, qualify and then look to start leaving players out. Have English teams including ourselves become too good for this competition? West Ham threw their chance of qualifying for the Europa cup proper by fielding a weakened side. For what so they can concentrate on finishing in a league placing that will gain them entry into the next seasons EUROPA cup.
I understand we are juggling 4 competitions and the Europa is an arduous task to win but you cant consistently pick and choose which games you want your players to get motivated for. Winning breaths confidence. Had we gone away and dismantled Bordeaux with our first team we would then be gunning for Norwich. Instead we put in an insipid performance that has told us very little. It has however indicated to the players we left at home that they are too good to be playing in Europes second rate competition when most of them are bereft of any form. Thats not a healthy winning attitude.
As for the game it didnt exactly inspire. With or without our full team we could be any average team in Europe right now. Thats probably because we are any average team in Europe. We’re at the point where lessons aren’t being learned, change doesn’t appear to be happening on the pitch no matter what we are hearing off it. Its a constant state of transition with too many so called internationals failing to make the grade. Theres something fundamentally wrong at the club but it looks like its going to be some time before somebody does something worthwhile about it.
For the next few weeks the games come thick and fast with 2 a week. That, coupled with the fact that we have several injuries and I can understand why we put out such a young, inexperienced team. We should canter through this group finishing top quite easily without having to risk our most important players. However, come the knockout stages and we are still putting out massively inexperienced teams like last night, then I’ll be concerned. I believe we need to take this competition semi seriously as it is another avenue to CL qualification. Plus Rogers and these players need experience of European football.
Mentioned the Can conundrum the other day- how do you fit him into an EPL side in a way that allows his qualities to shine but doesn’t expose his weaknesses?
He certainly isn’t a defender, can’t be arsed to do that bit where you actually defend.
Looks magnificent when powering forward like a panzer.other times he looks ponderous, slow and dim-witted.Hope to eat these words very soon.
He also tends to go ball chasing.
Its hard to see what position fits
You have to admire his confidence/arrogance and you wouldn’t want to take it away from him otherwise you end up with a player with nothing, but he needs to play with a lot more desperation/fear (think Carra) when he is defending. Also needs to spend his training sessions doing shuttles between 5 yard cones until he gets better at changing direction.
When is a Europa cup away game any different? A point’s ok.
These are the kind of games I want to see these young players to see what they can do. I certainly don’t want to see them in the league. Worried for a few though.
Sakho is the main talking point from the game. It’s hard not to wonder about Rodgers thinking in relation to him. It’s probably a good job Lallana scored or we’d be asking questions. Forget Origi, he’s not a Liverpool player. Did someone say he looked good in the World Cup. From what I’ve seen I don’t think he has the attitude. Ings does. Really warming to him. What I liked about Rossiter was he appeared to want it. Looked slightly manic at times in the eyes though calm. Just pray he’s more Gerrard than Spearing.
The game left me thinking a lot of these players that we look at as full of potential aren’t that good.
The Twitter fume that followed was unjustified. Agenda driven. One of those games that’s a no win situation. Expect more games like this in the Europa Cup. Whoever the manager they’ve never been any different.
We’ll know what kind of result this was after Sunday. It’s wrong to moan about a lack of idea’s or cohesion though but right to point it out.
Verdict: Wank, worrying but ok.
Origi is shockingly poor. Did he have a nasty injury after the club bought him? He doesn’t even look like a real player, just a fit guy trying to kick a ball.
Obviously, it’s early days and he’s probably about 90 mins into his Liverpool career but seeing him last night made me think of the reports coming out of France when he stayed last season. As per, we made all the excuses. He’s not scoring because Lille are poor. His heart is at Anfield etc etc. It’s unfair and stupid to write him off but sometimes I get a gut feeling and I’ve got one now. Let’s pray he proves us wrong.
Re Origi, couldn’t agree more. He looks shite.
A poorer version of Ngog.
Who scouts these players????
Surely he wasn’t bought just from 1 or 2 decent games in the WC.
Wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened. Do you remember when Senegal beat France in the World Cup opener and we ended up with half their team. I do because I had £200 on France to beat them.
A draw was perfectly acceptable, although it’s obviously disappointing that we didn’t hold on for the win. Delighted that the young lads played well, and my only disappointment was Teixeira wasn’t out there to get a game as well. Maybe next time for him. The lack of cohesion was understandable given the changed team and the enforced change at the back once Kolo was injured.
Surely to God we’ll see Sakho now given a game this weekend, Moreno to give us a bit of pace and Ings a bit of desire, see i’m looking forward to the weekend game already!
And, most of all, we didn’t lose, so we’re not quite as soft as feared, although i’d imagine, Norwich would beat Bordeaux ?
Texeira hasn’t even been included in the Europa squad given into UEFA so I don’t know when we’ll see him. Another decision I find bizarre alongside not starting Sakho in the league and loaning out Ilori and Markovic.
Sakho apparently played well, so that’ll be him dropped for Norwich, then.
Isn’t anyone getting enormously fucked off with have far we’ve dropped as a club, happy to walk away with a point in the 2nd Tier of European football against a mid table french side. Whoopee Fkin Doo.
Is this the squad Rodgers has been allowed to build over 4 years. Think it’s criminal to see how far down the ladder we’ve come as a club now.
I always thought the job for any Liverpool manager was to compete on at least two fronts, the League and Europe. Certainly not be scratching around for excuses on why we shouldn’t be.
The level of the players representing the club now at 1st & 2nd team has fallen through the floor. With the exception of Sturridge and Phil non of this lot would get in the 08/09 side
And before anyone asks me to put it into context. The context is:
This where we are in his 4th year at the club, this is what he’s built.
Didn’t Rodgers say judge me after 3 years, well after 3 years he couldn’t motivate a wank.
For me Can is a defensive midfielder.
Have him in front of the 2 cb’s and just get him to hunt the ball.
From that position if he sees the opportunity to gallop forward then he can do it.
That is just an added bonus.
For me Sahko and Gomez at cb looks like the best we have at the moment.
Skertel and Lovren have been given loads of chances and have not come up to scratch so leave them out…
It is that simple really.
I enjoyed the game because we tried to keep possession, a marked improvement on the United game.
Moreno did ok as well.
I would go with Migs,Clyne,Gomez,Sahko and Moreno at the weekend.
Can and Milner in midfield (we don’t need a holding midfielder at home) with Lallan and Coutinho supplying Benteke.
Origi and Ibe will come good.
They are both trying too hard rather than just doing the basics.
Whoever plays upfront needs to be told to just work the width of the penalty area so we always have a focal point in attack and look to get in behind where possible.
I felt better after watching that rather than feeling worse.
Every cloud!!
It all seemed a bit regression. Back to the 3-4-3 which was utterly undone in England last season. Can back to the backline. Rodgers resorting to a 3-4-3 was utterly predictable. In America, you see American football fans ask why don’t they just run a 2 minute offense the whole game or why don’t they throw Hail Mary’s on every down. This must be the chorus in Rodgers’ head sometimes.
Rodgers had so much wrong to start the season in the back. Then he had made it worse in his display of petulance loaning out Markovic and Ilori. Say what you want to about their level of play, but trying to close out a game against in the group stage where you stand to get 3 points on the road and your bench is Cameron Brannigan. No Ilori, no Markovic, no Milner, no Skrtel? I understand you’re resting them for Sunday, but you’re talking 15 minutes on a Thursday. The travel? To Bordeaux? It’s Hen’s night.
As was the team looked hodge podge. Rodgers still has no concept how to use a lone striker in attacker. The passing in the central of midfield was inept. The inability to sign Illaramendi who many people doubted we needed was a mistake as he’s obviously needed. When we do get the ball out of the back and with Sakho or Can back there we just might be able to now and then, the ball hits the midfield and it’s becomes a comedy show. Granted we had teenagers running the engine room but honestly it’s not looked much different than any other game so far. Henderson can pull off an amazing pass here and there but he has no consistency. Milner is more effort than finesse. Illaremendi looked the right choice.
What if we played our strongest team and Clyne, Benteke or Milner got injured we could still have drawn the game and left ourselves with Saturday as our only full day to prepare for Norwich. Theyve had all week working on how to fustrate us and stop us scoring (which doesnt look that hard at the minute). Lets see where we’re at after Sunday. As has been said a point away in Europe with a young side is decent anything other than a win Sunday is another nail in the coffin.
Exactly Liam, no matter what decision was made of how to approach this game there would have been people complaining. We’ve got matches coming think and fast at the min. I think we need to take the Europa League semi seriously as it is a path to the CL. We have several important players injured and if they weren’t I’d assume we’d have seen a stronger side go to France. As it stands we’ve an away draw, many fringe/youth players got game time and Milner, Clyne, Benteke, Firmino etc will be fresh for a must win home game
Liverpool travel to France and get a 1-1 victory. That is, Sakho’s representatives walk into Anfield the next day ready to hash out a 5-year contract for the 25-year-old beast.
Now if we could just return to the effing diamond, all would be right with the world (well, a little bit closer).
I don’t think we’re giving Lallana enough credit for that performance in the second half. Most of it seems to be: well he scored a goal so he was better than the rest and that’s it.
He didn’t have a particularly good 1st half, just like everyone else. I’d go as far as to even say that we were shit for the 1st 55-60 minutes of that game, and the only thing that makes it a somewhat harsh statement in my mind is the fact we haven’t conceded a goal in that period. He also had that moment in the 1st 45 when he was basically through on goal (or had a clear path to it) and was slow and mucked it up.
But, in the second half, he was magnificent. Three moments of brilliance altogether: one, when he receives the ball on the edge of the box and does that little turn of his all while using his back-heel to control the receiving pass and then shoots straight at the keeper; two, obviously, the goal; and three, the would-be assist to Danny Ings had it not been for the fact that the keeper pretty much conceded the exact same goal before, scored by Lallana.
Anybody else fancy Sakho for the defensive midfielder role?
Brendan seems to be reluctant to split Lovren and Skrtel and Henderson’s injury leaves us looking very thin in midfield.
With his athleticism and passing ability I reckon Sakho could be for us what Desailly was at Milan.
Now there’s something I hadn’t considered! Our best DM, is Lucas, primarily because he’s good in the air, and loves to break play up. Sakho, all over those things !
Does he have any experience playing DM ?
So, Can is a defensive midfielder, then? On the basis of what evidence?
What have you seen him that leads you to conclude that DM is the ideal or best position from him?