13 Apr 2015 21:59:59
Decent performance Not much required since Newcastle are an absolute joke.
I must say Johnson looked like he had one a competition to be able to play today. Even by his standards, my word that was poor!
Eds do you know how far away flannagan is!?
Also what do you think of sissokho. i'm assuming he will be available. I think he would be a good addition to our midfield.
{Ed002's Note - Flanagan is fit but messing around over a new contract.}
13 Apr 2015 22:43:11
Not sure I agree it was decent. I thought defensively we were really poor other than Ming. 10 shots we allowed on our goal to one of the worst sides ever played against us in Enfield. I agree re Johnson - even by his poor standards he was absolutley awful, does he actually get 150K for week? Shocking. Lovern does give him a good run for his money though in terms of who is doing more poor errors per minute on the pitch (very lucky with the penalty). This one will go to the wire.
But as long as everyone here are more than happy to get rid of Skertl in the summer (as it was agreed here in recent weeks, he is the source for all our problems this season), let Can play in his position (btw I didn't hear any ManU fan complain about Valencia playing out of his position this year), get rid of the 'terrible' back 3 system and play back 4 with Lovern and Toure as the centre of defence, well good luck with that. I think BR decision to play back 3 with Can, Skertl and Sakho, was one of the managerial brilliant decisions of this season in the PL, nothing less and all the eds in the world cannot convince me I am wrong on that.
Going forward we were wasteful as ever. World class goal from Sterling and two schoolboy misses from him. City, Chelsea or United would have been 5:0 against this Newcastel side half time today. We just don't know what to do with the ball in the last thirdas much as we are good in brining it to there. But a win is a win.
13 Apr 2015 22:45:55
Who's doing the messing Ed?Flanagan or Club?
Barry inLouth
{Ed002's Note - See above.}
13 Apr 2015 22:49:54
Our season in a nutshell.Can is NOT a CB because he lacks the attributes to play there and Loveren who had a solid game might as well have played on his own because he was exposed YET BR keeps playing him there and that amongst many other things (including Allen who was poor IMO, bar his goal)nearly cost us todayand even BR admitted that we were poor in possession. Sterling clearly is a talent BUT his is an unfinished article, young and needs MASSIVE improvement in his decision-making, first touch and finishing amongst others. If I was a big club, I will not be interested in Sterling for the money we may want because I would see him as one for the future who will get games BUT defo not an automatic berth like he would be here. If he is smart, he should stay here because this is the best place for him. All in all, a good 3 points BUT we are still in recovery, still nervous in defence and need drastic inprovement going into Wembley
13 Apr 2015 22:57:26
Seems to be a running trend at Liverpool at the minute! "Messing around over a new contract"
14 Apr 2015 01:51:25
Might of been a good decision to go to a back 3 but also a terrible one to stick with it for so long.
14 Apr 2015 05:36:26
Fanobip, I can't believe that you used the words managerial brilliance and Brendan Rodgers in the same sentence. Is it really managerially brilliant to continue to play our worst CB and have Sakho and Can play out of position to cover for his inadequacies?
14 Apr 2015 06:42:16
Johnson spend most of the game trying to get away without any real sweat, if he do a little turn to win a foul instead of a committed run down the wing, he will do little turn every single time. A lukewarm approach to playing. All 4 defenders were pretty poor today as well.
14 Apr 2015 08:45:19
BrisbaneLFC, unlike many here I try to judge players, managers and matches based on what I see in a game and not on what I once thought or said about them and I am happy to change my mind even if this means what I said in the past seems a bit stupid (for example I did say first part of the season that I didn't rate Couts because of his poor finishing).
So while I was highly critical of BR first part of the season (and said he should go), I have a lot of respect for what he has done in 2015 (with a squad that when players are injured and banned like yesterday looks soemtime like a championship squad defently not top half of the PL table squad, albe it partly his responsibility with some fo the signings) and yes this include moving to play back 3 with Can Skertl and Sakho which workedvery well for many games.
Likewise, while I was critical about Skertl previous seasons I think he was our best defender if not our best player this season and unlike what you suggest he covered more for Sakho and Can and others errors than they for him. The suggestion that he is the reason our forward game is stuck is just a joke in my view.
The notion of out of position, especially for young players is very overrated in my view . Players weren't born 'in a certain position' and they should play where they are best for the team on a day. I mentioned Valencia in ManU, I can also mention our own Kuyt who played a defensive role for Hollan in the world cup and they had mroe players to choose from than us. In any case in my view Can so far showed he is better in defence than midfield.
I also think by the way, that while BR press conferences skills were not always his strong side (not that I think it really matters), I think he handle quite well both the Gerrad's last year saga and the Sterling one - two tough issues to deal with. But I am sure I will not find many here to agree with me on that.
14 Apr 2015 09:21:43
@fanobip, I don't agree with most of your opinions in this thread but at least you're making yourself clear on why you have those opinions. I've wanted rid of Skrtel for 2 years. I don't think Can is better in defence and I don't know how you could say that after last night (he kept bombing forward, it's clear he's good at this but your CB doing it constantly is not what you want your CB doing).
Utd fans I've spoken to have been complaining of Valencia all season saying he's not a RB. Kuyt did a job for Van Gaal alright, WB but he was a hard working and disciplined winger 5 years ago so I don't think that was a huge surprise.
I thought Johnson looked woeful last night and I agree with you on Coutinho's poor finishing but I'd add anyone that didn't think that at the start of the season were wrong rather than your opinion being silly.
The whole Skrtel being our best/worst has been done to death though so I won't say any more than I have found him incredibly frustrating and I would have him at fault for a lot of chances and goals the past few years.
14 Apr 2015 21:19:39
Your right,skrtel should have gone way ago and agger stay,i'd like to see what lLori can do mind. Quicker flanno comes back the better.