LIVERPOOL were not at the races. Liverpool looked at times like they had forgotten about the races. They weren’t complacent. They were off the pace all over the pitch.
There are very few whose mind and body were what they needed to be. Joe Allen, perhaps, was the only outfield starter who deserved to not be on the losing side. But he couldn’t bring his team-mates with him, each of them toiling, making poor decisions or having a poor touch.
None of them shirked. None of them stopped working. But graft isn’t enough. Quality needs to be present.
Newcastle United on the other hand were very much at the races. They were aggressive and sharp, got about Liverpool, scented blood and kept about them.
Newcastle United, arguably, played their best game of the season. Liverpool, arguably, played their worst.
This game was concerning all week. It was very much going to go one of two ways. Way one was that Liverpool would be superior and Newcastle United, team and support, would be pulled apart at the seams.
Way two was what we saw. Newcastle United remain United and grow into the game, improve and believe in their game plan as it works for them. Believe in one another. Stay alive in the game and get a scruffy one to defend.
Liverpudlians’ caps should be doffed to Newcastle United. They played muscular football. They showed the value of togetherness. They left their foot in. If they keep showing that aggression, if they retain that certainty, they will be alright.
So will Liverpool.
Before we came back from this last international break I was concerned. Lord, I was discouraged. It was a run of fixtures that were no laughs and it was intense. Are you discouraged now? Of course it is hard. It is meant to be hard. If it was easy managers wouldn’t be sacked and players wouldn’t be heroes. Do you want it to be easy? Of course you don’t.
Liverpool have learned and will keep learning. Learn from dealing with that heaviness of a pitch. Learn from dealing with this new adversity of going away from home and the opposition taking a point before kick off.
They will learn that the Christian Benteke-Roberto Firmino experiment may well need games that aren’t league games to work on.
They will learn that just because James Milner is always willing doesn’t make him the ball. They will learn that Jordon Ibe being the man most likely is a bad thing not a good thing. And furthermore it is unfair on him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyrhqrOSRqE
They will learn that Philippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana live their lives on the half turn and you tend to need one of them. And they may well learn that two up front has a lot to recommend it; perhaps for 10 minutes we could have seen the frustrating Benteke and Sturridge in tandem rather than the scything substitution however deserved it might have been.
Some doors need to be kicked down. Liverpool should be kicking doors down, not mooching through any half. The most important thing that needs to be sorted is this. A campaign depends upon it, a campaign where anything remains possible.
But the day should belong to Newcastle United. A side that scrapped for everything but also smart and forensic, made it difficult to live lives on the half turn and took their chances when they turned up. Newcastle United better than their points on the board.
No one should be discouraged. There is still so much season left.
Get goalscorers on the pitch where possible. Keep enjoying it. There are no other options.
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Pics: David Rawcliffe-Propaganda Photo
Very Hull City 2013
It’s difficult not to be discouraged when you’ve lost to the only team in the league that might be worse than Norwich when they played energetically but every bit as badly as their league position suggests. Newcastle are shite, but we managed to outshite them and underwork them, all over the pitch.
Glad to see recognition for Joe Allen having as good a game as he could considering he was playing alone. He looked outstanding in the sense that he was the only one delivering an acceptable level of performance.
Newcastle just used the beat Liverpool blueprint of get to 60 and go from there, they’re going to have to start scoring early to put teams down or there’s going to be many more fixtures like this
Benteke didn’t work hard and makes us a worse team. He scores the odd goal but Liverpool score far less with him on the pitch than without
Real lack of urgency from the start, let Newcastle grow into it. Lot of our lads technique was piss poor today. Milner in particular. Puts a shift in but was awful on the ball. Missed Can’s drive big time. Gutted
An absolute bloody nap
Well talk about after The Lord Mayors’ Show … that was the absolute antithesis of the Southampton game.
What on earth was it that made our players so hesitant, so nervous?
It was like a game under the latter days of the old regime. It’s obviously still in us and Klopp has got a harder job on his hands than he thought I bet.
I am still in shock as to how badly Lucas played today. I’ll get over it I’m sure :)
Newcastle wanted it more and they fully deserved the win.
At least Klopp can forget about the Palace game now … this kind of performance is much worse, obviously still in the locker and needs to be eradicated. It’s going to take time, but I’m sure he’s marked a few cards today …
The more likely we are to win a game, the less likely we are to win it.
Something like that, anyway.
Trouble is, there are just too many games we are likely to win.
Our next 5 league games are West Brom, Watford, Leicester, Sunderland and West Ham.
*shudders*
Shame that the bubble has been so quickly burst.. So now we are all back down to earth I would like to propose we don’t all start talking title the moment we win a few games. Such bi-polar journalism and support is frankly baffling.
Bubble burst so quickly? Fuck off mate. We lost a game. Sick to death of dickheads with opinions like yours. Negative pricks who take some kind of delight in Liverpool losing so they can impose their negativity on everyone else. Today changes nothing.
Yes Robin!
Reign it in Robin, doesn’t look like he is “taking delight in Liverpool losing”, he is simply managing expectation, I agree with him that after a few wins people were going way way way over the top, making us look foolish in fact saying that we can win the league, a team that has no creativity without 1 player (Coutinho) is not going to win the league, we are close enough to the top 4 because they have massively under performed this season given their squads, but that won’t last, especially when we struggle against every single team in the bottom half of the table.
Raising expectations by jumping on board this whole “we can win the league” campaign just adds more pressure on the players, which is not gonna help, can we not just go the game and support the team win, lose or draw. This squad is not at a top 4 level. Rogers or the transfer committee have filled it with mid-table players and “potential”.
This result could actually be a good thing going into the transfer window as it has exposed a lot of flaws in the team. Hopefully Klopp already knew this however just in case the last few weeks had masked that, today was a clear reminder that we lack an abundance of not only quality but also fire! Too many players today looked like they were going through the motions.
End of the day, don’t be criticising people for having an opinion, there is a lot of delusion surrounding the team at the moment, not only the league shout, but my biggest pet hate which is people championing Lucas, talking about him like he is irreplaceable, the guy makes a few tackles here and there, end of. He doesn’t score he doesn’t assist he doesn’t build play, he does the minimum you expect from a holding player, he is completely replaceable and to build him up so much considering the centre mids we have had in the past is ridiculous and is also settling for less than we should expect.
Mate, I don’t like the patronising nature of these creatures. If I look at the table, look at the teams above us, look at the way we’re playing along with the results we’ve been getting and look at things like fixtures, managers and injuries and then decide I think we can make up the points, then that’s how I feel.
Here’s the important thing you seem to have missed though. If you don’t think that then fine. I’ve no issue with your comment except the bit ‘making us look foolish’. What I take exception to is being patronised for interpreting the situation a different way by fellow fans who think they’re some kind of guru because they’re so on the level. Say what you want about this but I’ve achieved some pretty good things in life by believing I can achieve my goal against the odds. That’s how I think and I’m certainly not looking at the City side who got demolished at Stoke yesterday or the pile of wank being served up at Old Trafford and thinking we’re too far away to challenge those. No, fuck off. I refuse to believe that. What gets on my tits most though is the way they all popped up at full time proclaiming we’re not as good as we think or our bubble has burst. Does anyone who thinks we can win this believe we’re gonna go through the season without losing. No, they don’t. We lost today. It was always gonna happen some time. It’s how we get on over the next 10 that will determine if the wheels have come off. Not a one off game.
Anyway, who are these people you’re so bothered about us looking foolish to. I’m not sure who you mean but I can pretty much guarantee I couldn’t give a monkeys. I’ve bumped into a few mates in the last week or two and it’s been good. We’ve all been buzzin about what’s happening at Liverpool at the minute. Everyone feels good about life such is the nature of Liverpool doing well. Next time I see them would you prefer we all said ‘let’s not have a laugh or be happy, just in case it doesn’t work out? It’s like 13/14. We got a minibus to Palace because a couple of weeks earlier I told my mates we’d win the league that day. We didn’t obviously, but the trip has gone down in folklore round here. It was a mental day. Where were you? At home thinking I knew we wouldn’t win it? Look, if you’ve got a different view or you have no belief then that’s fine. Each to their own but if you’re gonna try and piss on my buzz because I prefer to have hope then expect to be challenged.
Where do you get off calling other people “creatures”? I guess Ms Underdog here has got her feelings hurt because not everybody gobbles up every word written on this website like she does.
Thankfully, not all fans have followed after Neil Atkinson’s rallying cry of forgetting everything, getting carried away because we should always be going for the league (see: the Echo from a few days ago). The same person now trying to convince us that Newcastle’s had their best game of the season.
It’s that deluded attitude that gets managers the sack, or possibly in Klopp’s case, given all of his pressers and encounters with the media, get him to call it quits on his own.
We, the creatures, just want Klopp to get on with his business, if we’re lucky, maybe win us a League Cup or something and get to building for a bright future. Ride you minibuses and sing your songs someplace else.
Funny you say that, my view is Klopp would prefer people to be positive and see one defeat for what it is rather than declaring the bubble has burst and we’re back to being shit. He doesn’t strike me as a man who would welcome that nonsense.
None of my mates listen to TAW so they wouldn’t know who Neil is. They formed their views on their own as did I.
“Ride you minibuses and sing your songs someplace else.” Ha, think you’ve lost it a bit here mate.
I think you are getting mixed up with someone pissing on your buzz and someone having an opinion, you are the person who took issue with someone else’s opinion, not the other way around.
I understand that some people are realists and some people are fantasists, but you need to respect both opinions, I took issue with your dismissal of another persons opinion.
There’s support, and then there’s talking football, when I go the match I give everything for the team, I would support them through thick and thin, however if I’m talking football with the lads from work I’m not gonna be the donkey Liverpool fan who is saying we’re gonna win the league just because we won a few games, that’s ridiculous. I have no idea which Liverpool team is gonna turn up week from week and I don’t think Klopp does either, he basically said that in his press conference yesterday, if the manager doesn’t know how we are gonna play from one week to the next, how can we believe we are gonna win the league, it’s nonsense, especially with our squad, this is just being realistic.
In 13/14 we were a machine! We had the best player in the world at that time in our team in Suarez, and Sturridge wasn’t bad either, not to mention Coutinho and sterling, I was confident going into every game because we all knew how we played and that Suarez and Sturridge would get goals no matter what, don’t compare that season to this one, it is nowhere near the same scenario.
Of course you can meet up with your mates and have a laugh, we all can, I agree there is s buzz about the place with Klopp and the latest results etc, but you can still do that without harping on about us winning the league like mindless fans, Jesus, these days we are either gonna win the league, or the manger has to go, it’s ridiculous. We can just enjoy the season and all get on board with the team without all this league talk. If you want to go on about the league then fine but if you wanna knock someone for being realistic then don’t start crying when someone has a go at you back for being unrealistic.
We’ve put up with A LOT of shit over the last few years (apart from 1 season) so I think it is fair for people to not get carried away with another bunch of average players. Voicing that on a message board seems perfectly acceptable to me.
Mate, I’ll reiterate, opinions are good.
“I would like to propose we don’t all start talking title the moment we win a few games”
That’s my issue. I’ll do what I want and challenge anyone who tells me how to think.
thanks Neil, I was looking for the nearest bridge to throw myself off but then read I this. Also good point raised on Johns match ratings article, Klopps record reads:
P12 W7 D3 L2 F21 A10.
Good to keep things in perspective!
haha. I was on a bridge when I read your comment. No, I wasnt planning to jump off. just walking home. cheers
*I
When the Reds lose, we all lose.
It was a disappointing result. No doubt. And quite a disappointing performance by the whole team (apart from Joe Allen and probably Lovren too; and Ming had nothing to do whole match).
However, putting things in perspective, we all know that this type of ‘bubble’ or ‘correction’ would happen once in a while, but so long as the overall upward trend continues, we will achieve great things with this team lead by Klopp. I BELIEVE.
In addition, I believe the players (just like us fans) started to be over confident about themselves, and probably they thought they just needed to show up and result would be handed to them on a plate.
It is a good lessen. I would rather such lessons are learned before midway, and at a place like Newcastle (compared to at other bigger rivals for the top 4).
We go again!!!!
Usual BS happen – everybody start worrying about winning the league / Top 4 and what have you not. Until we get back to the Liverpool: “The next game is the most important and the only one that matters” then we will keep having a glorious past. Who came out in the press this week: Milner, Firmino and Ibe and guess what they all hugely under performed (along with a fair few others) – Very disappointing.
Liverpool losing to a poor Newcastle side is nothing new. I was in the Leazes End when we lost 1-0 to George Reilly header in 85. Worse of all we got a shooing after the match by a mob of lads in trainees and leather jackets who we had assumed were our lot but the Geordies had swiftly graduated over the summer from skinhead to scal chic!!
My point is simply this, we lost to Palace, leathered City, plodded against Bordeaux and Swansea, battered Southampton after a pretty woeful first 20 minutes. Giddiness overtakes the Anfield Wrap barrio and lo and behold we serve up a hard working but ultimately lumpen display, get caught by an own goal and a last minute sucker punch
Plus ca change
Today was terrible, OK we lost and didnt play well but for the whole match i sat next to a 55 year old main stand season ticket holder and he slagged every member of the team from the first minute, then for the last 20 a lad started commentating on the game via his mobile to his mate, so you had this vitriole in stereo by these two nobheads, you would never think we were on the crest of a wave before kick off. Hopefully our normal pub will be open next week
No comment yet from anyone about missing Emre… He’s created a few of goals of late, gives the team energy and runs everywhere. Looks good too. We’ll bounce back and smash West Brom at home and then we can all start dreaming again.
I made mention of Can’s absence in my comment above, for the record
Noted!
Haha
He usually covers Moreno’s defensive space whenever Moreno goes forward..
good news is Can will be back for next match!! Hendo too..
Was weirdly fucking zen sitting there for the Chelsea 0-2 where we get had off for the league. Properly fucking gutted right now getting bevvied over that. They’re fucking shite bar one player and he did the damage getting free in the box twice.
I wasn’t gonna post this but fuck it I’m leathered: I fucking hate the way we play with Benteke up top on his own. The lack of movement is Carroll/balotelliesque. Hate it. Can’t stress it enough.
Just read that back and soz an that. It’s not Benteke’s fault (he’s the player he is that we vort an he twat it in rather putting in row z like your man balotelli) but if we could spend £30+million on a centre forward who isn’t a target man (your lizard Carroll an Christian) we might win the fucking league rather than be in a race for 4th or something boring an in the grand scheme of things pointless like that.
Fucking hell I’m fuming.
I agree with ya mate. He needs to play in a 2 or not at all. A lot being unfair to him today – it’s the system not the lad – he’s got some boss goals in him if we play him right.
It is worrying though. In fairness we don’t fully know how he’ll be used under Klopp but what we are seeing is how he shouldn’t be used. Klopp’s new to the job. The only way he can see what options are available to him is to play them in different formations. Let’s hope we don’t see that one again too soon. Maybe the whole thing breaks down if we don’t press from the front although I think it was more a case of the wrong team dynamic today. Benteke’s definitely a brilliant finisher but the jury is out as to how much he benefits the team. I suppose the fears everyone had when we bought him have not been quelled.The fact that he is a good player means we have to have days like today. We have to give him and Klopp a chance to try and work it out and if we decide he’s not for us then so be it. I said to a mate half way through I’d love to see Ings out there but then would he have faired any better on his own? I think he would have.
Ings would have opened up loads of space for attacking teammates (and also for himself) with his non-stop running throughout the match.
To be fair to benteke, today we didn’t play to his strength…and we shouldn’t expect benteke to be another Suarez with his movement. as you said above, at least we all learn how Benteke should.not be used.
we had serious lack of pace in the middle yesterday: benteke, Bobby, Allen, Milner, Lucas…so I guess it was made easier for Newcastle to defend against us.
Benteke was sub par but to be honest i struggle to think of a single decent ball to him that he could do anything with. yet he gets it in the neck. Ibe flattered to deceive with good runs but not a single decent ball, Firmino was not interested.
Still we were bound to have a game like this and i think we have the best manager to put it right.
Hey Steve, spot on about having the best manager to put it right. JK is a world class manager, no doubt. His.post match interview was very sharp as always. He jokingly mentioned the Moreno ‘goal’. he didn’t give any excuses.
He knew the team didn’t play well. More importantly, he knew the team can play much better and he would analyse and fix the issues.
The 9 minute press conference by Juergen is top notch.
Knew we were absolute shite, will analyze it and rectify it.
No bullshit excuses.
This fella knows the score – both with his team and the media.
A few cards will have been marked, as has been said.
Onwards and upwards.
In Klopp we believe
I love the fella to death but putting Skrtel up front on 85ish(?) was desperate. Mourinho did it with Huth in the champs league semi and they pissed the league that year so maybe there’ll be something in that by May.
*gets optimistic clutching at his straws*
Their crowd cheered that one in for them after watching dross all season. Something to ponder that.