08 Feb 2015 12:43:02
What do people think are the chances of making 4th place?
Personally I think we've blown it. The gap doesn't look that wide, but there are just too many teams above us who have drop points, and they won't all do that.
The shame of it is that we will probably only miss out by a couple of points, and if we'd gotten our act together and started a decent run maybe a week or two earlier than we did, we might have made it.
08 Feb 2015 13:21:55
We've found a system now where we don't concede goals, if sturridge can stay fit untill the end then I'm confident we'll get there.
But it's all down to the big games and how Rodgers approaches those games, if we play our fast pressing game we can win.
We've already made up a lot of points on our recent run we were 10 points behind utd when they beat us now there 4 points ahead.
Beating spurs is a must.
08 Feb 2015 13:49:07
I think we'll do it on the basis that there are only two consistently good teams in the league this year: City and Chelsea.
I think yesterday strengthened the thought of why we won't make top 4.
We played Gerrard for sentimentality rather than his ability.When the injury happened to Lucas, we put Allen in his position which he was ill equipped for instead of putting Lovren in the back 3 and pushing Can up.
I don't think we ever really went for the win against an abysmal Everton, and in the managers infinite wisdom we took of both of our best players this season, 1 of which was having a good game.(possibly through injury not sure)
As I maintain our good run of form came against woeful opposition. We play like that against the remaining top 10 clubs, we can just wave goodbye to top 4 now.
Coutino was injured and sterling was having a quiet game. Lucas was injured. I fail to see how br is to blame here. He had to replace the above three players. Lovren is a liability at the moment so Allen was the better option. We had 17 attempts on goal to there 1. Why do people believe that every time we play we will be unstoppable? Look at city star studded and can't buy a win at the moment. we re playing really well and getting points on the board.
{Ed001's Note - didn't they have 2 attempts? Naismith had a weak header when he was groggy that was an attempt, though awful. As for Lovren being a liability, I fail to see how you can say that when he hasn't been playing for a while. To use 'at the moment' is just nonsense. The last time he played, he was not so bad at all.}
08 Feb 2015 15:20:46
Phil was taken off as an injury precaution. He was booted to death in the first half with very little protection from the ref and he might have picked up a knee injury
In the last time Lovren play we 4 at the back and Gerrard DM? This new set up is completely different. Lucas holding and with another centre back who is comfortable in Sakho. I think actually Allen was a much worse choice. He offers very little protection.
I would agree that i would be tempted to play Lovern in the back 3 against Spurs, not ideal being lwft footed but if Lucas is injured then Can's enery in the midfield would be a real bonus. I think Cout did take a knock yesterday hence the early sub in the second half after 10 minutes. I juat think he was given the chance to run it off. I would rather tho he was subbed than maybe loose him for the Spurs game totally and maybe more. I can't for the life of me believe the stick BR got for making such a decision. Again it nearly feels like some fans are nearly hoping for the team to slip up so the can willingly have a pop which is pretty sad.
There is a chance, but I think it unlikely. Fixtures are coming quickly and BR isn't the best at rotating a squad so I suspect we'll be in for more Everton-like performances than not.
With respect the substitution of Allen, for me it makes little sense to play a £10M 20 year old CDM as a CB while a much more experienced £20M CB sits on the bench and instead a relatively small CM plays CDM. Can has done a fine job at CB, but if Lucas is out he really should be playing in midfield.
08 Feb 2015 16:33:55
I have to diasgree there Ed001. I think if we're being honest, if he had put Lovren on and we'd conceded and lost then we'd have seen all sorts of abuse on here criticising the changing of a back 3 which has served us so well.
In an ideal world Can would be in the midfield and Lovren (the player we saw last year at Southampton) would be a regular starter, putting in performances like last year and leading our defence - unfortunately for one reason or another Lovren isn't performing and I would have thought it very foolish to bring on Lovren at RCB with Ibe a guy who is playing out of position at RWB - I'm sure you will agree playing two new players on the same side as each other like that would be stupid.
I personally would have kept the back 3 the same and dropped Gerrard back into the middle and bought on an attacking player.
{Ed001's Note - I am sorry but he is meant to make the right decisions for the team, not to avoid abuse. I wouldn't have criticised him for bringing on Lovren, it was the only sensible option. Not sure how it would be foolish to put him in there against a team making no attempt to attack? Seems foolish to suggest that it would be a problem to me.}
08 Feb 2015 16:47:51
Really Ed? To play a guy who has barely played at all (Lovren) at RCB next to a young lad on his debut playing out of positon at RWB doesn't seem foolish?
Our right side would be succeptable. I really don't think you can argue that mate.
{Ed001's Note - can you not read? They never tried to attack, we could have played me nan at centre back yesterday, on her zimmer, and not had an issue. What we needed was a stronger midfield, which Can would have provided.}
08 Feb 2015 20:19:09
Your Nan on her zimmer probably would have scored more as well!
Have to agree w/ Ed01 there. We saw the havoc Can could wreak vs Bolton when he was pushed up field. We did not go for the jugular as we should have because Everton fielded THREE DM`s (Besic, McCarthy and Barry) which is an indication of, "we are NOT going to attack you" so it was not surprising that we dominated the game. We should have gone for it more and we didn`t. That`s BR`s responsibility and he did not take it. He must have had a brain fart because BR is a coach that has always played to win and we have won many games because we went for them. He must have second-guessed himself, IMO.
09 Feb 2015 02:53:10
if skrtel ever gets a rest i think lovren would be suited to the middle centre back role but he looks a little dodgy in wide areas so the positions that sakho and can have been playing might be difficult for him. in saying that he could have come on against everton as like others have already said they showed little to no desire to get forward and try and win the game
I think we were just knackered to be honest.
I do not understand why Lovren and Balotelli are being given the naughty school boy treatment.
They could be valuable members of the squad between now and the end of the season.
If you are willing to give Ibe a go then why not give Lovren and Balotelli another go as well.
We looked out on our feet and we did not utilize the squad we have.
That is poor management for me.
Even though Balotelli has been pants he is better than Lambert at pressing in my opinion.
Lovren may be more comfortable playing in a three than a two which he was before we switched formation.
As for not giving Gerrard the opportunity to play against Everton one last time.
That was the least he deserved in my opinion.
09 Feb 2015 18:00:42
Eds subbing Lucas for Allen is obviously debatable. I agree that can offers more however it was at the start of the game ish and lovren despite being a good player is yet to get anywhere near the standard. My point is that a derby match isn't the place to slot him in. It wasn't the substitution howler some are making it out to be.