Liverpool Banter Archive December 01 2013

01 Dec 2013 23:05:40
If it weren't for my 18 cans o' ale I would be positively furious with that performance today.

01 Dec 2013 22:50:58
It's my first time posting, Made this account at least a month back but just hadn't had time to post. Been following this site for 4 years aswell yardy yardy yarda.

Anyway, LFC had a rubbishter today, sloppy performance, rubbish happens so we shouldn't dwell on it.
My main problem is not about this game since it happens even when we win, and I'm guessing you guys have also noticed it, WE GIVE OUR OPPOSITION SO MUCH SPACE JUST OUTSIDE OUR BOX.
It's shocking how we let the opponents just attack us outside our box while we just sit back and attempt to 'soak' up the pressure. Our midfielders just allow the opponents to pass it left to right around our box and give them so much space to let a shot be hit from 25 yards out. We've been lucky that not many players have had the long shots on target or testing Mignolet since the players who usually shot are not composed. However when the player is decent and composed e.g. Ramsey they can score with all that space given.
You may argue, 'why does it bother you since we barely concede from outside of the box?' well my argument is that we can't test our luck and hope that the opposition players miss a shot.
I'm no tactical professional football manager but I reckon it is fairly easy to stop the opponents from passing around us just outside our area, and that is to make our attackers press on the opposition midfielders while the defence marks up the attacks, we should aim to bring the ball out and set up on a counter attack instead of having 2 attackers that we hoof it to just after we survived a good 40 seconds of pressure.
I Also noticed that when we do decide to put a bit of pressure while the opponents just pass around our box due to all the space we allow them to have, its only lucas attempting to break down the play, I believe that we really should play 4-2-3-1 with to defensive mids covering the defence aswell as putting pressure on the oppositions midfield when we're under pressure, before you say Gerrard is the other player who does that, he doesn't. We really need to sign a proper centre defensive mid who has the engine of henderson but the defensive mind of lucas, we also need him to be a decent passer. I know some of you will think that I take a negative approach on the game much like Rafa's tactics with two defensive mids, but I reckon that is the only way we can actually win the ball back and have more successful counter attacks if we're struggling to dictate the tempo of the game. I reckon in January our main priority should be to buy a DM and a Winger.

Sorry for the long read, if you disagree with my opinion, cool. I just want the best for Liverpool and am not bashing The team in any way.

Thank you, YNWA

I agree with you about the midfielder, coming in but unless Gerrard's position gets changed or dropped I think we will continue to struggle there. I would like to see a powerful player who can pass it as well. Maybe someone with more technical ability than Diame but in that mould.

01 Dec 2013 22:32:24
Disappointing match.
It seemed like I jumped into a time portal to this time last year where where we had possession but no penetration.
When we went forward the man on the ball just looked isolated. It resulted in attempting almost impossible passes and they didn't come off. We didn't threaten enough from open play as we just didn't get anyone into the box and we played at minimum intensity. The beauty of teams like Arsenal, Dortmund, Barcelona and Munich is that they pass it quickly, press high and there always seems to be a supporting player.
I want to hear other peoples views but I really want to see us play with 2 up front. that's right bring back the 4-4-2. What do you think Ed's/ Reds?
Hopefully Aspas can show his worth as a striker.
Moses was poor, after crying to play all week. Sterling wasn't doing enough but I hope he will eventually make the step up.
Suarez just waltzed around moaning at people and seemed to give minimum effort. Henderson, bless him, ran around all game but I needs to begin thinking quicker. Gerrard wasn't great today but took his free kick well. Lucas I thought had to do a lot of cleaning up and I thought was alright.
Johnson was poor, Flanno I though was decent. I was disappointed with Toure today but Skrtel played well from what I seen.
End of the day let's not let this disort a fairly successful few months but hope for a quick recovery. YNWA.

Where does the 4-4-2 leave Coutinho though mate? Need to make the most of him centrally, even more so without Sturridge available. If today doesn't emphasise our need to bring in some additional creative quality going forwards, I don't know what will! In my opinion we don't have enough quality or depth in the wide areas to play a 4-4-2.

02 Dec 2013 07:52:53
When on earth did we start playing 4-4-2?. Tiki Taka and passing style goes with 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1.
To play 4-4-2, you need world beaters on the wings.

01 Dec 2013 18:41:57
Today was poor. Very poor. Nothing else to say.

On a positive, it's December and we are in the top 4!

Would we have taken this at the start of the season?

You can't win them all.

Onwards and upwards!

Whilst I'm not meaning to be overly doom and gloom, I do think the table is pulling wool over our eyes at the moment. We are in the top 4 yes, but 2 points from 8th and 3 from 9th, so I don't think it's a useful guage for how well we are doing at present. I think we'll get 6 points from the next two though so fingers crossed the rest of the top half will drop some points and it'll look a bit healthier for us heading into the horrid run of Christmas games

01 Dec 2013 19:37:55
Good point. Yes We certainly will not win against spurs, Chelsea and city.

@DP, we're also 3 away from second and 1 away from third, so I think there's room for little more optimism, .

Spurs and Chelsea away are more than winnable games for us. City away a point would be a decent result.

What a load of crap, your are so dillusional, we were rubbish AGAIN. No midfield no determination no drive, top four my backside. Some supporters here need to realise we are just a mid table team, the glory years are well gone and won't be back, no money, bad stadium, weak team and mediocre manager.

I agree in the sense that it's been a decent enough season, but essentially my point is the table is way too bunched up for us saying "we're in the top 4" to really mean anything, we're pretty much level-pegging with 6/7 other teams, that's all the table really shows us right now

Don't get too complacent. We've played 13, 6 of those teams are in the bottom half of the table including bottom 3. We've taken 6 points from a possible 21 from teams in top half including today. It's woeful, we won't be in the top four come the new year mark my words. We haven't played well all season as Rodgers doesn't know what he's doing. Last minute equaliser last week and if not or Mig we could have lost that by 2 or 3. Rodgers brings in 4 defenders and still the most effective partnership is Agger and Skrtle, Enrique twice the player Cissoko is. Alberto, Borini, Aspas, iloris complete waste of money. Sterling gone from prospect to rubbish. Joe Allen lightweight waste of time who can't finish. Cotinhiou needs a minder or he's non effective and we have absolutely no natural width. What is this chump Rodgers doing?

Ozone has just added the best most honest post this site has ever seen. We are not a top team anymore and won't be this season either, it's a shocking shocking midfield. The players brought in as Ozone has said are poor. Please don't spout on about not having enough time, we all play or played sport, if you were/ are good enough it shows straight away. When the big teams get us we are going to get the mother and father of all beatings, if we play like that against City it's will be a cricket score.
Gerrard come in, your time is up.

Mcgoveb, i totally agree, all we hear
on hear is we'll get three points here
three points there, football is not
played on paper you have to put the
performance's in, i said it last week
and i'll say it again that midfield
is woeful, not 1 ounce of creativity
today, as for the the defence
the grenades came in again, the
slightest pressure and we concede,
people need to wake-up and smell the coffee i am a realist and judging
on what i am seeing that performance was shocking i
haven't seen one performance which
said statement of intent, people
need to cotton on to br before it's
to late.

We have arguably a better squad than we had a few years ago, The difference is the system we are playing. Watched the Chelsea game and they had a poor first half, second half they came out all guns blazing. What we are missing is the aggresion and determination to win. 70% posession means nothing most of the posessional play was in our own half passing backwards and side ways, this slows the game up to much giving time for the oppositions defence to reorganise. It seems as though they are saving themselves, but for what we aren't in Europe or the mickey mouse cup, four of the top teams played in Europe this week we had a week off and put on a performance like that, everthing considered worst game of the seaason. Fair play to Hull they deserved there win

Bobbinred is right. We need to change our approach and attitude to these games and earn the right to play and compete while the manager has to improve the tactics and players have to step up and be counted. No exscuses next game. Show us desire and effort and we WILL support you.

I agree Mcgoveb, the midfields just not good enough, Gerrards masking the fact his better dys are behind him with the odd Hollywood pass here and there. Hendo offers nothing in he final third and Lucas has been poor all season, he's lost his bite. As a midfield unit we are pedestrian. Berkeley went though us like a hot knife though butter last week and Huddlestone bossed the game fom start to finish. Allen would have been a better option today, at least he my have tried to lose hem own. Our md did the same against Arsenal, sat back and backed off inviting trouble. I honestly can't recall anything creative any of the midfield players did today.

Suarez as the lone striker? What's Rodgers thinking of, especially when there's no natural wingers who offer options down the flank. Suarez needs payers to pass him for link up. He had no options today, neither Sterling or Moses offered him anything.

Rodgers opts for Toure instead of Agger for his physical qualities. We all no Toures not good on he ball, he can't bring it out of defence so instantly Rodgers has contradicted his choice in system of having one man up top as the full backs will need to sit deep in order to take the ball short off Toure. That kept us in our own half, we may as well elected for the 'hoof' up to Suarez, rather than allow Hull to keep us in our own half passing it around meaninglessly. Rodgers is an academic with his systems, he's clueless.

Ozone, why do you keep saying 'we' and 'us'? Are you pretending to be a Liverpool supporter now?

01 Dec 2013 17:48:25
If moses' loan could be cancelled early, what would ye think of getting ba on loan?

{Ed002's Note - It is not an option.}

Dissapointed to hear
that, why not tho?

{Ed002's Note - I have explained the loan rules repeatedly - I am not going to do it again.}

01 Dec 2013 17:28:21
Before I begin, what a league it is this year, the top 8 is so close so far, fantastic and tense every week, although I would trade in some of the excitement for consistency.
I do think it was a little bit of a faux pas to have Suarez on his own against a Hull team who were always going to defend in numbers.
For me Aspas should have started as CF with Suarez and Moses turning it into a 3 up top when we were on the attack. Just think that Suarez's natural roaming means that we lacked a target up top, which Sturridge has offered very well all season. Truly think that Aspas would have ensured we still had that focus up top. You can't fault starting with Toure, he has been sensational all season and if anything Agger should have started ahead of Skrtel, but Skrtel proved that he deserved his place with a fairly solid performance.
We missed a massive opportunity with Tottenham and United drawing, and could have really staked a claim for top 4, but we have to move on and simply congratulate a Hull team that deserved the win.
We may yet avenge our loss today with a good result against Tottenham, having already beaten United.

Once again, what a season, never know who's going to win except Arsenal against the 'lesser teams' who are currently taking points off all the other top teams. Arsenal may not have performed against the top opposition but so far that won't matter, because they are taking points off everyone else while any other contenders drop points against the other lower teams like Cardiff.

Pretty sound sum up there Andy totally agree.

01 Dec 2013 15:31:42
Atleast we got Coutinho on and Sterling off. Plus plus. We might just pip a goal. Surely Hull can smell blood though. Our defence looks a tad disorganized today

I am done for now. Time to take a break from watching football. 3-1 to Hull. For crying out loud. Arsenal! is leading the league by 7 points and we end up losing 3-1 to Hull. Arsenal FFS! I think I am going to burst a vessel.

The whole team looks disorganised when teams get stuck into us just like Southampton game.

We all have bad days its how we recover were hoping for 4 th not 1st let's be honest

Our team really doesn't need pacey wingers. We like to dominate possession, not counter attack. Afraid sterling may not b fit for Liverpool.

I want to win the league every year. I am aiming for first so if we come up short in 3rd we are still top 4

01 Dec 2013 14:55:45
Can't wait for Aspas to prove his haters wrong!
The guy is a winner

I would certainly give him a shot right now. Sterling adds nothing, and Moses only contribution was giving the ball away leading to Hull's goal

Can't be any worse than sterling an moses.

01 Dec 2013 14:50:42
hey guys and girls. I don't know if I'm the only one but I was a little displeased by Brendan's team selection today. Correct me if i'm wrong but I feel players like Gerrard, Suarez, Skirtel, Johnson should have been rested, this was also the perfect match to start Alberto or give another youngster a chance as well as Aspas(if fully fit) and what surprised me is that he didn't start with a creative midfielder. It was pretty underwhelming to see the team sheet but I doubt I'm the only one.

Really? Really? Give youngsters a chance?

Just play the best players in their best positions and tell them to run at the Hull players.

Arsenal is running away with the league. FFS! Arsenal! But here we are trying to be classy against Hull!

01 Dec 2013 14:19:06
This game is going to be a draw. You just get that feeling from watching the way the players are running and moving.

We might eventually win, but its really not how top 4 teams are set up

01 Dec 2013 13:48:52
Sturridge out for approx 6 - 8 weeks.Big blow.

01 Dec 2013 13:45:47
Sturridge out for 2 months, horrible news.

Means he misses around 11 matches in total, all in the premier league

could not have come at a worse time

time for Coutinho and Aspas to step up

01 Dec 2013 13:36:48
hey lfc fans.

i think sturridge being sidelined for up to 8 weeks. has clearly cost us the champions league spot

its a devastating blow. and typical bad luck for Liverpool. we need 2 strikers in these 8 weeks and suareaz can't play every game back to back or 3 games in 8 days.

who have we got? aspas?. who is so lightweight he can never play upfront alone he's just so average

so there's no other options.

massive badluck

Do not throw the baby out with the bath water .

Scaremongering.

01 Dec 2013 13:14:34
Agger coutinho out today to, my word I'm glad were not playing a good team today.

Famous last words. I hope you haven't just put a jinx on the team.

But having Toure and Sakho kind of makes Aggers loss much less important. It's the attacking losses we'll feel today (and through out the season if/when they arise again).

01 Dec 2013 13:00:23
Glad we dint buy soldado or chadli average players at best

Abbas lfc

01 Dec 2013 11:48:13
Hi Eds and fellow Reds

Ain't life strange! Living in London, I put up with banter from all London team supporters, sometimes nasty but mostly in good fun. Now, of all the teams to choose from there's an Evertonian moved across the road from us and everyday/morning/whenever I see him he gives me 'Everton this, Everton that!' My only retort that really winds him up is that: ' Your whole team is on loan; Lukaku, Barry and Deulofeu. even your manager when he gets the sack'
Come on, boys, please win today. even if it's only to shut my neighbors up!
P.S. One forward that puts in a shift every week and scores regularly and would be a great addition to our front line is. (don't all shout at once) Shane Long! What a cracker of a player to have alongside sturridge and Suarez. and would've been relatively buyable. Come on, boys, three points please.
YNWA

01 Dec 2013 03:07:15
I have been watching Mkhitaryan for Dortmund this season after he snubbed us, what a cracking player he is - I wish he was in a Red shirt. What are the possibilities of any new players coming in January?

{Ed002's Note - RTP.}

Him and costa rejected us and are both playing amazingly well pity they didn't come but on the bright side rogers can spot quality players hopefully in January with our form those top players will come

01 Dec 2013 01:04:37
Its not proven because it was still the wrong decision. Its the players that need to take note not the fa and FIFA. Rugby players have a lot more respect for refs. Even if they know the ref is wrong they would still not crowd round mouthing off and telling him to FSG off. Not very often I agree with Chris whenever rugby is mentioned but it would be a huge mistake to introduce it to football.

Not true - the ref in this match called the Welsh captain over and told him to stop his players screaming at him. We heard this as the ref's mikes are wired up. Another thing FA could learn. We want to know what the refs are thinking when they give decisions. It is the uncertainty that leads to dissent from players and fans alike.

The worst brawls are on the rugby field.