BEFORE the game Besiktas fans tried to set North John Street on fire. Perhaps an early sign that if Liverpool thought they were going to have everything their own way they should think again.
Once the game had settled, it was clear the opposition were well drilled off the ball and tidy on it. They were going to take beating, and for long periods Liverpool didn’t look like they had it in them. The effort was there but the know-how not.
I think the reason Liverpool struggle, comparatively, in Europe is that the opposition don’t give us situations we thrive in. We are terrific in transition, turning defence into attack in an instant, but good European teams don’t give you the ball cheaply in good areas. Recently we have broken teams down by increasing the pressure to breaking point. What Mr Atkinson calls ‘turning the screw’. We get momentum and rhythm from waves of attacks and something comes off for us. Good European teams don’t give you waves of attacks. You attack once and then they have the ball for a bit. Then you might get to attack again.
So you’re maybe looking for a moment of magic from a player. The most likely being Coutinho, but he was off his game. Tired? Perhaps. It’s easy to assume that given all the talk of him needing a rest. Maybe he just didn’t play well. Worryingly, although he didn’t do a lot wrong, Lallana doesn’t seem to have a moment of magic in him. Ahead of them Sturridge’s touch was much better but his decision-making not. I think he needs a few goals to relax. They’ll come. You’re also maybe looking for a bit more know-how, a bit more savvy, but it’s a team, and a manager, short of European experience. I’m looking at the starting front seven and thinking that Alberto Moreno might have the most experience of European football. Which is a bit mad.
It was a first half where the most notable incident was a fella running on to the pitch and staying there FOREVER. Whatever ‘Operation Anfield Exercise’ is, it doesn’t seem to cover pitch invasions. It’s a good job he didn’t have a bomb. Although he probably had time to make one. Aside from that Mignolet saved well from Ba after a horrible moment of déjà vu in front of The Kop, and Jordan Ibe looked lively, but didn’t put a decent ball in all night. All of our play came down the right and Ibe had his man on toast, but too often it didn’t lead to a chance. The ball selection wrong, or held on to for too long. He’s young though isn’t he. Poor old Moreno didn’t see anything down the other side. His 40-yard pile driver seemed as much an attempt on goal as a cry for attention.
Second half started better and Lallana should really have scored after a defensive mix up. Then Balotelli comes on, along with Lovren, and immediately looks the best player on the pitch. His care over the ball immense. An immovable force doing loads of sensible things. He is clearly happier with another striker. He can just wander around being Mario. Giving everyone an outlet and then passing it on. Ibe gets the plaudits for winning the pen, but Balotelli does great in getting it out to him. And then there is loads of messing about before the correct penalty taker smashes it in.
I must say I don’t think Henderson comes out of the whole thing particularly well. Quite why he thinks he should be taking it, I don’t know, given the respective penalty records of the players and the fact that he’d been pretty poor all game anyway. But after that he is far too long in Mario’s ear when he’s spotted the ball and needs to be left alone. He’s then in a strop for the rest of the game, giving a daft free kick away right from the kick off, taking a rubbish free kick in stoppage time, and then storming off the pitch at full time. He has said the right things after the game so hopefully he has realised he was being a divvy. He’s meant to be club captain next year.
Anyway Mario has told us all to ‘Stop drama now’ so I will. And instead I’ll turn my ire towards the bell-ends in the Anfield Road end, who think they can sing ‘You’re not singing any more’ to a Besiktas crowd who had sung and shouted all game while their only contribution up to then had been starting the vomit-inducing ‘Stand up for the 96’ chant. Our fans make me cringe so much sometimes. The Besiktas fans weren’t cringing, they tried to rip their heads off, and a steward went on his back in the melee. My friend Callum joked that our own fans were getting them all wound up before he has to go to Turkey next week. At least I think he was joking. After that we defended just about well enough, and we won.
1-0 isn’t a bad result, all in. We’d have wanted more before the game, but you’d have taken it at 70. We should get a goal out there and we should go through. This team needs to get better at playing in Europe. But there is a big game at Southampton first.
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Really disappointed about last night. I was trying to think when I last saw such disruption to the team spirit that seems to have built up and I couldn’t think. My overriding feeling is disappointment over Sturridge. To digress slightly, we should have been one nil up after 3 minutes. Sturridge shooting from there was criminal. It’s just not the team ethic I wanna see. Someone will surely know but has Henderson ever taken a penalty before? Would anyone feel confident if he did. That wasn’t the time to try. Balotelli thought, I’ve seen your free kicks and shots mate – just give it here. I’ll score. And he did. No need for Sturridge to make a scene like that. For those at the match, the tv replayed it and Sturridge said ‘take it off him, go on take it off him’. Henderson’s embarrassment was multiplied. It’s bad news all round. One of my mates was just saying he can’t be captain now and he would never have got the ball off Gerrard. That’s going a bit far for me but it wasn’t good. I thought Henderson was hard now anyway. Why didn’t he give him the stare and get the ball back?
Something weird happened last night. When Mario came on I thought get in there! Why? I’ve never felt like that. I just thought he would offer something and he certainly did. I thought he was brilliant for 25 mins. He’s strong as ox and clever with the ball. I’m now hoping we keep him although after tonight I wonder what will come next. He should have been the hero tonight and we should all be talking about having another squad member who we can count on. Hopefully everyone will move on but I’m not heeding Mario’s advice just yet and neither are the press. I wasn’t particularly taken with Gerrards comments on it. In fact, I found it pathetic. Yes, he’s a pundit for the night but he’s the Liverpool captain. I don’t want to hear him talking on tv about what will be going on in the dressing room. Disappointing end to the game for me. Another clean sheet and another W in the form guide though.
Spot on, Robin. Agreed one hundred percent. It’s been a bizarre twenty-four hours.
First there was the completely unnecessary penalty row. Then there was the reporting that Hendo looked to Brendan for clarification only for the gaffer to look away (true or not, I don’t know – the footage shown by the Fox Sports channel doesn’t ever turn to the manager). Then there were Brendan’s comments – that Balotelli WAS, in fact, the designated penalty kicker in Gerrard’s absence – that make the whole incident even *more* perplexing. If he was the appointed man, then why would Hendo even try to take it? And why would Sturridge try to get him to take the ball back? What are the odds that TWO players would forget a supposedly pre-established routine?
My personal conspiracy theory? I think it *wasn’t* quite clear who the penalty kicker was, but Brendan decided it looked would have looked far worse for Mario to have simply taken the the ball from Hendo of his own accord than for the latter to simply look a little silly by ignoring the manager’s instructions. He couldn’t just let Mario think he got away with one, though, so he blasted him on the pretext that he didn’t work hard enough for the last few minutes.
I sincerely hope Brendan sat down with Dan, Jordan, and Mario, and cleared the air. There simply cannot be a feud going on between the two starting strikers. There can’t be a situation where Sturridge and Balotelli can’t co-exist if another striker is needed on the pitch. And, barring a miraculous reversal, Mario cannot thrive on his own in this squad. This club has come to far since the nadir of November for its push to the top four and Europa to collapse on account of ego.
Agree about Hendo and the peno, no idea why he thinks he should be taking it – especially ahead of Balotelli (even if it was decided before the game). Thought Sturridge handled the situation very well though. If Henderson is to be the new captain next year, perhaps Sturridge could be the perfect man to be vice captain.
Also Gerrard needs to have a word with himself from his comments after the game.
On the Hendo/Balo thing, Gerrard seemed to indicate that Hendo had been given the responsibility of taking penos when he wasn’t there. I don’t know if this situation is meant to change if/when Balo is on the pitch but if the manager gives an order it’s not up to individual players to change that when it suits them otherwise, as Strachan pointed out, things can defend into a farce ie at corners, free kicks etc.
I fully appreciate Balo has the superior peno taking record and it makes sense him being 2nd choice peno taker if he’s on and Gerrards not but, as Gerrard seemed to indicate, if the manager has decided otherwise it’s not up to Balo or any other player to go against that. It hints at once again of Balo playing for himself and not the team….. The “I know better” scenario.
Get real, Henderson was having a shite game, his free kicks are rubbish. He should be glad Mario did the right thing and not meekly give in. Could you really see Henderson blasting it passed the keeper or would put put money on a soft shot being saved. Be honest with yourself. Mario did the right thing, and Rodgers is wrong if he thinks Henderson is above him for spot kicks.
What do I need to “get real” about Paul in my post??
If it was down to me, when Balo is on the pitch and Gerrards not Balo should be taking the penos. His record speaks for itself but it’s not down to me. It’s down to the manager and if the manager appoints a peno taker, free kick taker, corner taker, someone to mark the front post at opposition penos then it’s not down to any individual player to change that direction of their own bat otherwise chaos ensues.
If you have a problem with Hendo being designated peno taker, fair enough but it’s not up to you or Balo to change who is the designated peno taker and especially not during the course of a match.
*opposition corners
blimey, I agree with my lad! I hate chants directed at other fans, especially when they’re providing all the atmosphere. ‘Going down’ is up there and the worst is the Chelsea history rant, particularly when we aren’t playing them! Henderson was a plant pot.
Yeah, I watched on tv thinking the £28 I got for my ticket would come in handy but then no sooner had the lad paid me than my kids came in wanting money and I was left with none. Should have gone. Anyway, the ‘your not singing anymore’ chant was the only one we heard all night apart from the Besiktas chanting all through the game. I was really embarrassed for us when I heard it and I’m sure non Liverpool fans watching would have thought the same.
If Henderson takes the pen and misses everyone will be shouting why didn’t mario take it.
What I didn’t like about the whole thing is coming home from the match to find out Gerrard has had a little go at Balotelli live on ITV. If the manager chooses a pen taker then that person takes the pen for that match no matter what the situation is. Gerrard has twice let Sturridge take pens, once against Swansea where he scored in Rodgers’ first season and again last season when he missed against Everton, fair enough both those pens where when the game was already won, but Gerrard was down on the list as the pen taker so why is Sturridge taking the pen over him ok, but not Mario taking off Henderson?
Anyway we won the match and that’s the most important thing.
Up da pool!
“you’re not signing anymore” is a suspension worthy offense. Like we are fucking underdogs or something.
well said Gibbo.
Our fans……….I was in the paddock singing mainly on my own until the “your not singing anymore” honesne to some of the best fans I remember at Anfield. I did not join in, much to the annoyance of the dickheads next to me that spent the 1st half discussing work at equal decibels to the Besiktas fans without once looking towards the pitch.
Same fans…..a win….a Mario goal…..back to the Ataturk!
Mario taking penalties in Gerrard’s absence is a no-brainer isn’t it? If that wasn’t made clear before the match then the manager needs to look at himself. Skipper didn’t help either. I’m always uncomfortable when I see current players commenting on their own team: it’s never going to end well, is it?
I blame everyone and feel for everyone.
You’re right it ought to be a no-brainer that Mario is on pens when SG is not there. To my mind it’s a clear case of Rodgers giving responsibility to Hendo and then not considering what should happen when Mario comes on. I feel for Henderson as having been given the responsibility he can’t be seen to shirk it when a pen is awarded. He has to at least give the impression he’s up for it even if he thinks Mario is the better bet. But ultimately he is the captain so if SG is adamant that rules are rules, Hendo has to cop some flack for being unable to enforce his will.
Mario can’t just do what he wants when he feels like it, but ultimately he was right to do what he did. And given his travails until recently, I understand why he would want the responsibility.
SG is in a difficult position when asked to comment and ultimately showed his inexperience in such circumstances. His full comments aren’t actually that critical but he used the “disrespect” word. Without that I don’t think there’s a problem. I think he probably regrets using that term and if he doesn’t, he ought to. You don’t throw your own players under the bus whatever you think privately.
And no, this is not like the Everton situation as they tried to claim on TV last night. Baines is the EFC penalty taker and someone who isn’t took it from him. Hendo is not the regular LFC penalty taker and the guy who took it from him is one of the best there is at pens (27 out of 29). Not the same at all. The equivalent of the Everton situation would have been Sterling or another grabbing the ball away from Gerrard…not particularly likely.
Poor ol’ Hendo, acting the brat will cost him the captaincy next season as it shows he’s simply not ready when things don’t go his way. Shame of Rodgers for not making it clear what the hierarchy is within the club, let alone who happens to be on the pitch, or for simply getting it wrong if he thinks Hendo should be above Mario and Lambert. Hendo seems to think he’s Gerrard when he’s not playing. His dead balls are worse than this season’s shooting, he really shouldn’t be anywhere near them, but he’s just doing what Gerrard does. Very disappointed in Gerrard, club first you plonker, sort it out in the dressing room!
Ho hum, a clean sheet and just need to not lose in the away leg to progress.
Even a one goal loss with a goal or more scored would do it.
Cringed at Stevie, what the hell was he thinking?
There were plenty of Bellends there last night, fair few joining In with “your not singing anymore” by me in the Main stand. Also some bad wools a few rows back from me singing “terrorist terrorist” to Demba Ba?
And “I’ll feed all your kids” to Sterling when he was warming up.
Strange behaviour they piped down after a few dirty looks and shakes of the head.
By wools do you mean fans specifically from the Wirral, or is it just a term of abuse directed at anybody not living in Liverpool ?
I said bad wools.
There’s good and bad you see.
It’s the same with locals.
Well at least those ‘wools’ were making some fucking noise! not like the Anfield Library that the kop has become. ( until the 88th minute). The lack of atmosphere is an issue that needs addressing. The only place i am able to hear the players and coaches shouting to each other is watching my friends son play and Anfield.
Agree about the atmosphere although it’s not exclusive to Anfield. There’s a real problem with a lack of youth in the ground which has been getting steadily worse along with the atmosphere (has to be connected).
Were not short of bellends though “your not singing anymore” is embarrassing.
I kind of disagree in a way although I agree, haha, in that young lads would make the atmosphere better but I now think singing is more reactive. The bigger the game the more singing there is. Sometimes I really can’t be bothered singing. I mutter a few lines under my breath to make it look like I’m not being a killjoy but other times when I’m pumped up I always lose my voice because I sing so aggressively. You can feel when the Kop is flat the minute you walk in. Sometimes, like Chelsea recently, you can feel it’s electric even when people are taking their seats before the match. I used to wonder is it down to the fans to lift the players or the players to lift the fans. I don’t think it’s either. I think it’s all about the occasion. It’s hard to get that adrenaline fuelled nervousness that leads you to sing when we’re playing Besiktas in the Europa League on a Thursday night. But then, young lads are probably more up for making it an occasion than people like me who sold his ticket because he had a choice between rushing from work then sitting in a cold ground and getting his pyjamas on, having a meal rather than a hot dog, smoking and drinking loads of tea whilst lying on the sofa watching the match. If Carlsberg did Thursday nights at home….
I think Brendan has to sort this out sooner rather than later.
Henderson came across like the P.E teacher’s favourite in the school football team.
He’ll be taking the goal kicks next.
We had a slim chance to go 2-0 with that last kick if Balotelli hadve taken it yet everyone in the crowd knew Henderson would put in a poor effort with it.
Lovely lad , hard worker , but thats not where his strengths lie.
If Rodgers was content with Henderson remaining as penalty taker when Mario comes on then someone needs to have a word with him, it’s a no brained, doesn’t look good on the pitch but ultimately Mario was right.
As for Gerrard, he made the headline writers job a lot easier, this morning the Telegraph are still leading with the “disrespectful” jibe, poor from Gerrard. Other than all that we won, and when Liverpool win…..
That’s a fair point and I believe Balo should be our 2nd choice peno taker but that’s the mangers decision to make NOT Balotellis in the middle of a game.
To taunt Besiktas about not singing was pathetic.
Never got into a flow until the introduction of Mario, until that point there was no concerted period of pressure. It was a role reversal and it appeared that Mario has changed his game to one of simplicity and patience. Whereas other established players over complicated too many times. For several games Liverpool have appeared to be more effective with Mario on the pitch.
When Balotelli asked for penalties when he first signed wasn’t it agreed then that Gerrard was the penalty taker and that he could have them if he wasn’t on the pitch? Pretty sure that is what was said when he signed. Not arsed anyway, taking a 1-0 lead over to Turkey puts us in a good position to qualify
Personally speaking apart from being slightly irritated by the whole situation detracting from a reasonable win I really dont care.
When the ball goes in for us I am always glad it has done just that! Scorer is irrelevant. Anything else can be sorted out by the players and the manager off the pitch. Thats certainly my experience from any footie dressing room I was in over the years.
Southampton – mmm
I think the whole penalty fuss is a storm in a teacup. It would have been better not to see debate about who takes the kicks played out on the pitch and it would have been better if Stevie hadn’t been on TV duty last night, but I don’t think anyone should be agonizing about what this means for team morale or Henderson’s captaincy.
These things are flash points in stress situation that pass in seconds. They are then picked apart for hours and days, when the people involved have already moved on.
The overall impression from the match was of a team that just wasn’t quite on it, weren’t quite clicking, passes missing the target, control not quite there, final balls over hit. I don’t think the fact that this was a European game had anything to do with it. Rodgers and the players have all the European experience they need to win games like this at Anfield. They just
The result was good but the away tie will be tough no two ways about it.
All the nonsense surrounding the penalty was not good. The fact it took place at all and Rodger’s evident discomfort / obfuscation afterwards does not bode well.
“You’re not singing any more!” – So sad. Not exactly the height of class is it?
P.S. “He’s then in a strop for the rest of the game…” Who is? Henderson or Balotelli? It’s not clear ’til the end of the paragraph.
Okay, okay…lay off Hendo’s back, please! Firstly, I don’t think that he played that bad as some of you think he did, and secondly, I don’t give a sh*t whether you are Ballo or Messi, when it comes to game management and you are not the captain . If that captain doesn’t take in mind manager’s orders, then you take it to the dressing room, not on the pitch, On the pitch, your captain is your superior in any way, shape or form! ;)
PS What has happened to anfield’s atmosphere?! I didn’t hear at the time what Gibbo has said about the anfield road’s singing, but…jesus…to laugh at their fans? really??? they were immense!
I was stood in the Kop towards the back and I even heard the “You’re not singing” chant from a few voices there as well. I was waiting for the “who are ya” one to come out next.
I was made up when Balotelli took the ball off Henderson. I’m a big henderson fan but he needs to realise he can’t take over every responsibility from Gerrard. Some of his corners and free kicks last night were dreadful and barely getting off the ground. He must put in some worldys in training for him to be given them on matches.
I get that Henderson was on penalty duties but that could only have been because Balotelli was on the bench and the eventuality of him taking one should he be on the pitch wouldn’t have even been discussed pre match.
The fact Balotelli is involved in this has given it more air time than it needs. People are questioning Henderson’s leadership skills in all this but questions need to be asked as to why Gerrard has threw Balotelli under the bus with his comments on ITV. I don’t think he’s done it on purpose but he needs to choose his words more wisely when commenting on players for a club he still plays for.
The whole pen handbags thing was kinda silly, as Gibbo said the correct taker took it and smacked it in. Dunno why we’d be trying to turn Hendo into our next designated pen taker, perhaps because we don’t think Mario has a future at the club beyond this season, which would be insane considering what he has contributed the past 3 games, he’s basically done the things that won all 3 of them. Think since Sturridge’s back he has suddenly look like the talented Mario Balotelli we all knew, we need to give him some room and encouragement to express himself, he is the difference between us getting 4th/winning a trophy to getting a narrow 6th/just making a semi imo
-he is the difference between us getting 4th/winning a trophy to getting a narrow 6th/just making a semi imo-
You have to be taking the piss with this surely? Losing one game in the last 16 matches is what will give us a chance of winning something and getting fourth, not the fact that a player who has not been arsed to put in any effort all season has finally contributed a bit in the last few games.
I would like to think he has turned a corner and will knuckle down and become an important and brilliant player for us… he won’t though sadly, he never has anywhere for long.
We are on an unbeaten run but we’re still effectively 5 points off 4th with a tougher run home than some of our rivals. We need the extra push to get 4th, forgive me for thinking a player with loads of problems but also loads of talent can be the tiny difference between 4th and a narrow 6th
People need to stop stigmatizing Balotelli and be more objective about this, the whole “he’s shit and lazy and will never get anywhere” mantra is boring tiresome and most importantly not even factually accurate, but the booboys will be happy to repeat the lazy throwaway lines
Wonder what the dressing room will be like on Monday morning after Stevie’s comments?!
His comments would hold more weight had he not given Sturridge the ball twice when he was designated penno taker. Not quite leading by example is it.
We scored and that’s what matters.
Hendo fuckin chin him your the captain show some authority you fucking shitebag hes not captain material now ,jeez some sensationalist shite on here and twitter from drama queens thought i had logged into the daily fail,lets look at what hendo said after the game he weighed up the situation made the the right decision, in game management for the best of the team thats a captains job is it not? uncomfortabe with the flack hendos getting over this YOUR NOT FIT TO REFEREE #sarcasm #shitechants
If a penalty is awarded at a time your most consistent penalty taker is on the pitch then he takes it no matter what has been said in the dressing room .Designated penalty takers are often changed ie to give someone a hatrick chance when the result is in no doubt or the regular taker has already missed one
Wow, that’s a lot of discussion about the penalty incident. Definitely did not expect that from most contributors in here! From the general media pursuing narratives rather than analysis I expect this to be beaten to death. I’m sure the players and manager will sort it and move on much quicker.
I thought Hendo was good last night. Was connecting play quite well, even spreading it at times, motored forward supporting the attack multiple times, took the most shots on our team and also came excruciatingly close with a free kick in the first half with the keeper stranded. His corners while generally ineffective yesterday, seemed to be planned attempts (low corners to the front post) not coming off rather than an inability to get it off the ground. He was definitely better than Coutinho, Lallana, and Allen in the middle of the park yesterday. So, the ‘Hendo atrocious yesterday’ criticism seems wide off the mark to me.
Mario looked and played like an experienced player yesterday. He made all the difference yesterday. Another game influencing sub by Rodgers. Seem to be quite a few in the last few weeks eh? He must be reading TAW!! Mario hasn’t used on protecting and holding the ball and passing off to a team mate I. The past few weeks and it’s paying off. Hope he can start taking good open play shots again soon. He seems to have wiped that out completely over this stretch.
And what a dribble monster Ibe is. He will add end product fairly soon as his decision making improves. He is yet to complete 10 senior starts for us after all.
We usually concede away goals away from home, so it’s good to take a victory and clean sheet to Istanbul. The crowd will be up for it too. If we can be more clinical in our finishing than the norm of this season, we should definitely score and be able to take the tie. Either way it will be a closely contested game.
Why would anyone be insane for thinking Balotelli has a future at the club?
We need a player who can play with Sturridge and instead of him for when he inevitably gets injured.
Has Balotelli even proved he can do one of those things?
He’ll have to go some til the end of the season to prove me otherwise.
That last post should have read ‘ for not thinking Balotelli has a future at the club ‘ sorry.
I thought Besiktas were a more than decent side. Not top drawer but well drilled with a few class players. The penalty incident shows Henderson’s immaturity though. Mario is a superb penalty taker, Henderson has only taken one in a friendly for us. A good captain would have done what was best for the team and asked Mario to take it instead of putting himself first then shaking his head when deprived of the kick. Gerrard’s ridiculous comments after the game hinted at a guy who thinks he can say whatever he likes because he’s Steven Gerrard. I suppose it stems from being who he is, a one time great player who still gets a game because he was a one time great player.
I think Hendo bottled it. He didn’t fancy himself. Mario saved him. He didn’t even try to hold on to the ball. Though I like Hendo, I’m not sure a player of his quality should be our club captain. Too many passes backwards. I also hate those outside of the foot loopers he often puts into the box that never ever come off. A good player but not captain material. He’s only captain elect because of lack of options. I’d give captaincy to Sakho.
Christ almighty, your Anny road bit makes me squirm. Some bad gimps amongst our support, like.
Goes without saying that Henderson and Sturridge’s long term futures are more secure than Balotelli’s ever will be as future captain and main match winner, but that penalty fiasco was so easy – If Lambert was the one on the pitch would they have felt the need to cause a scene? Was more disappointed in Jordan than at any stage in his entire time with us, to be honest. Gerrard didn’t help in the studio either.
It’s gonna be hard out there with how the Turkish crowds are. Sure we lost out there last time before battering them 8-0 at home such was the atmosphere.
Mario should clearly be taking it, but the whole mess lies at Brendan’s door. He’s the boss and decides these things. It should be totally clear who is going to take it and so should the consequences for anybody trying to steal the ball in this situation.
Now the future captain has been undermined. Great!
BR should have made it clear before the game that MB would take this kick, based on his superb record. It’s far more likely that he stays interested in a game where not much is happening for him, if he knows that responsibility falls on him should we win a pen. Much more likely that we score if he takes it, as well.
These games are often decided this way and we should use what few opportunities we have to make MB feel that he is the man we trust in an important situation. Someone with self-esteem as low as he has needs to be given certain tasks that he can always perform well. That’s how you turn overgrown boys into men.
Everyone comes out of it looking bad, even Gerrard adding his two-bobs worth after the game. He’s basically adopting a paternalistic role and undermining Henderson further, even if he was genuinely trying to be helpful.
At least we won. I think someone could whisper in MB’s ear that his Ferrari is on fire, while he is running up to take a pen. He would still put it away. I guess everybody is good at something.
I cant imagine the in-match penalty taker is reviewed regularly during the season and perhaps especially not in a reasonably settled side such as the current Lfc team is. So maybe the decision to go with Henderson (in the absence of Gerrard) is a dated one … maybe going back a couple of months or more. And to a time when Balotelli was rarely in the team and when he was, was contributing little or nothing.
But in recent games Balotelli has made an impact. God knows its early days but Balotelli now looks as though he could very soon justify a starting place in the team. So if Balotelli is becoming more confident and settled then given his excellent penalty taking record, he must take penalties ahead of Henderson who for all his admirable strengths, too often fails to strike the ball with power or precision.
Typically perhaps Balotelli…riddled with his insecurities… jumped the gun last night embarrassing and annoying his teammates (and manager?) But if his form continues to improve and his game time increases then he should be the agreed penalty taker for this season ahead of Henderson (but behind Gerrard).
As for the match last night, I was a little disappointed BR didnt start with Balotelli and Sturridge. At Anfield and especially against the better European sides surely we need to play 2 strikers. Last night we offered very little up front for the first 70 mins. And Sturridge is clearly still short of match fitness / sharpness and his few better moments occurred when he dropped into the middle third and linked play neatly but in doing that of course, it meant we had almost zero presence in the box. Balotelli made a difference when he came on.
Final point… Ibe is hopefully going to be a really big player for us and he with Sterling (assuming he signs his contract!) and Sheyj Ojo (potentially the best of the trio!) could cause havoc over the next five years or more. And Ibe last night played well and no surprise he was the game changer but am not convinced him playing wing back in a 343 formation gets the best from him. Far too often he was alone hugging the touchline with neither team mates nor opponents within 30 yds of him. Surely BR needs to find a way of playing him more centrally where is pace power and touch can be even more influential.
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Besiktas are an extremely good side who move the ball around very well – some very skillful players in there who can do real damage.
Good to see that their one brutish enforcer will be banned for the return.
Their fans were immense – nut cases all but what vocal support! That pathetic response from the Annie Road after the goal should prompt the club into revoking season tickets in that area. Goading Turks is not on when you have our fans traveling to a hostile Istanbul next week [unless you’re Johnny Mac and will be getting the local VIP treatment at various Besiktas watering holes probably causing you to even abandon any attempt to go to the ground such is the good time you’re having ;).
Agree with Mr Crimes on the first post : Sturridge cuts that ball back to a better placed player after 3 mins and we are 1 up with a whole different complexion to the game.
His refusal to celebrate the goal – Can was screaming at him to come and celebrate as Sturridge turned his back
and walked away to the centre circle- does not bode well for dressing room harmony.
Mignolet deserves credit for an immense save from Demba Ba [who still looks a very useful player].
Henderson was trying too hard to be Captain Fantastic last night. He has come on tremendously but his free kicks/corners were very poor.
We will do well to get thru this.
The whole peno thing only becomes an issue when Gerrard makes it one. Hendo was designated pen taker, Mario wanted to take and it was dead confident he’d score, Hendo gave it him. End of story.
“You’re not singing anymore” is only useable when the opposition take an undeserving lead and then concede during their fans ungracious celebrations. No if’s no buts, that’s it.
Not familiar with that No 45 — but he looked a handful when he came on. Took a good penalty too.
I was looking forward to this post as the final whistle blew. I thought to myself “there’ll be a few regular commentators on the Wrap whose heads will explode at the prospect of trying to analyze a game where we were (generally) pretty shite without being able to lay the blame for every under-performing player at Gerrard’s door.” And then all this penalty business went and got in the way.
He wasn’t overly tested, but Lovren again did well when he came on last night. He’s starting look like a solid, proper defender who isn’t carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. I think there’s a case for starting him in the back three against Southampton. He’ll be massively up for that game and much fresher than Can. I love Can but he was a bit all over the place last night. If either he or Sakho is not directly responsible for an opposition goal in the next 3 or 4 games, I’ll fellate Sam Allardyce.
” I’ll fellate Sam Allardyce” !!
Heady words, Brownie lad :)
I’m regretting them already. Can you imagine?
Brownie, you’re obsessed! :-)
Why Sam in particular? Because he’s Big Sam?
Haha. I bet he he hasn’t seen his cock since he was 17, the fat bastard.
At the end of the day, rules are rules but Mario’s Mario. He’s got different rules. That’s how it is. We knew what we were getting. Good on him for standing up.
Blammed it! We won the game, kept a clean sheet, Mignolet exorcised a few demons (what a save lad) and Mario looked like a £40m player when he came on. The penalty fiasco won’t happen again, that’s for sure, it will have been addressed after the game. I’m now really looking forward to the second leg. Would like to see Mario and Sturridge start up front together (I think he’s earned it after the past couple of weeks), so I hope we switch from a 2-1 to a 1-2 with Mario dropping off when needed. Let’s win this thing!
In my opinion the only penalty Henderson should take is in a penalty shootout, and even then at the tail end. Anybody who nominates him as the designated penalty taker in Gerrard’s absence – which will increase in future weeks – shows s serious disconnect with football reality.
The whole penalty incident was 6 of one, half a dozen of the other and hopefully a bizarre one-off. Would Gerrard have been so vocal and opinionated had he been staying at the club next season? Should Henderson have handled the incident better?
Balotelli takes a good penalty however it’s far easier to take a pen than put a shift in or show willing for 90 minutes. We replaced one accident waiting to happen with another when we sold Suarez and took on Balotelli, odds-on he’ll go in the summer.
As a footnote you have to feel for the Evertonians. They get a massive away win and the newspaper back pages end up focusing on the Liverpool game.
Sat in the Paddock right next to their excellent fans and could have died when the ‘You’re Not Singing Anymore” chant went up. They must laugh when they hear of the famous Anfield European nights.
If you had a grand to put on any of those outfield players scoring that penalty last night, no one would put their money on anyone other than Mario. Even Henderson would stick his grand on Mario. End of story. Best penalty taker took the penalty and scored.
We were in the Upper Centenary where more of their fantastic fans were sitting / standing by us making lots of noise. Some Liverpool fans were shite last night, with the pathetic League One style “you’re not singing anymore” chant. Thing is, the Turkish fans did continue to sing, and out-sing, Liverpool FC
Besiktas isn’t gonna give up, wait until Liverpool comes to Istanbul then they’ll see