Liverpool Banter Archive September 21 2013

21 Sep 2013 23:31:55
I'm sick and tired of hearing Mignolets distribution is poor if there's nobody to pass it to what does he do hoof it upfront only for it to come straight back.1st and foremost he's a keeper not a frigging outplayer, remember keeper 1st footballer 2nd.Lets give him time for christ sake.

Hear hear
He stops the shots that's the min thing
And in fact the distribution of the rest of the team is no better
For all the talk of possession football we are not very good at keeping the ball and passing to each other this season.

I know the yanks like stats. Check em if you don't believe me

22 Sep 2013 11:16:35
mignolet is imo r best player so far this season even yesterday he pulled of some excellent saves, but the fact r keeper is r best player imo worries me as we should be creating and scoring more goals.

He pulled off 3 or 4 excellent saves yesterday, but atleast 2 of them were down to his own mistake.

He needs to cutout the fancy footwork.

21 Sep 2013 22:29:31
I went to the match today and my first reaction when I heard of the 4 centre backs playing was that we should not concede from a corner - well look what happened?
BR made a huge blunder - without a natural full back we lacked width and boy didn't we need it today as there was no creativity in the middle of the park at all
I am annoyed with the criticism of Aspas because in the first half he provided the link up play with the attack and had several good touches- I would have kept him on for another 20 minutes or so at least.
With hindsight a 3-5-2 formation would have stopped us getting over run in midfield and given us more players up the pitch
Come on Rodgers get it right against Sunderland

21 Sep 2013 22:00:51
Was always afraid the loss of Coutinho and no capable replacement would halt our good run. Aspas and Sterling are at least a season (and maybe a loan) away from the first team.
The decision to play four centre backs who weren't comfortable with our "play the ball out from the back" routine was a disaster. It allowed Southampton to press high and force mistakes, something which led to the corner from which they scored.
Disappointed with the result but not surprised that we put in a very disjointed and ineffectual performance with all that tinkering and so many key players missing.
It'll be interesting to see if Suarez fills the void left by Coutinho. We desperately need someone to connect the play and create openings by beating the first man or finding a clever through ball or flick. Thankfully the upcoming international break means we shouldn't miss Coutinho for too many games.
Moses, Suarez and Sturridge up front next game should create - and convert - more chances.
Having said that we created enough chances and got behind them enough times to have at least won a point today - our final pass and/finish was just lacking.
Mignolet's showing himself to be a good keeper but someone needs to tell him to cut out the Johan Cruyff turns and dodgy passes in and around the penalty area. He also needs to work on his distribution.
After all's said and done we shouldn't be too dejected. The creative heart of the team is out injured and we're still in the top four. I'd have taken 10 points from 15 at the start of the season knowing that we'd be without Suarez for the first 5 games.

I agree about Aspas and Sterling. They look like young boys playing against men.
The absence of full backs was confusing, as well.
But I'm a bit concerned about the midfield. We just look predictable with the three who've been playing.
Maybe it's a lack of movement from the front three that's restricting them, with Suarez missing; I don't know.
And let's stop over playing from the back. Well, until we've got the players to do it.
Rigsby.

21 Sep 2013 17:35:57
Liverpool vs Southampton. oh dear.


Positives.


- Sakho looked more comfortable at centre back today, improvement over Swansea game.
- Toure's passion, commitment, work rate: all outstanding, put a lot of the younger players to shame.
- Mignolet made quite a few excellent saves.
- Suarez's ban has now finished.


Negatives.


- Starting with 4 centre backs at home is a joke, however.
- Enrique was horrific when he came on, must have had a pass completion rate of about 12%.
- No Coutinho = no creativity.
- Sterling looked knackered after coming off the bench, his touch near the end when through on goal was laughable.
- Agger's attempt at marking for their goal was pathetic, why just throw yourself on the floor?
- Gerrard bad defensively and impotent offensively, did little if anything positive.
- Aspas had yet another poor game, anyone who thinks getting shot of Borini was a good idea should hang there head in shame.
- When looking at who we loaned and sold this summer (Shelvey, Suso, Borini) it appears that the squad is weaker.
- Not really fired on all cylinders at any point this season but are now being punished for our lethargy, next few games will be very, very important.
- Lack of drive and industry from our players was so frustrating, Southampton deserved to win.

Conclusion.


Performances continue to be sterile but now results are not going our way. Clyne should've been booked in the first half and we should of had a penalty but, in all honesty, we deserved nothing from the game. Southampton worked harder than us, pressed harder than us, appeared to have more stamina and created the better openings. The goal we conceded was very poor (what was Agger doing?) and the decision to start with 4 centre backs just bizarre. Having said that Enrique was so bad when he came on that I'm not sure if starting Sakho as left back was a bad decision. Too many players failed to turn up today (Gerrard, Agger, Aspas, Moses, Sturridge, etc) to many bad performances and not enough good ones. Most worrying was how sloppy we were in possession and distribution - we can't play tika taka is we're unable to make a 5 yard pass or actually control a football. All in all a very bad day at the office - the best thing the team can do about it is forget it, work doubly hard in training and prepare for the next game - we cannot play any worse. To lose any game is a disappointment - to deserve to lose isn't good enough, a lot of players need to look at themselves in the mirror and ask whether or not they played well enough, if they train hard enough, if they have enough desire. Look at Toure then look everyone else: too many players were simply not good enough and not working hard enough.

SMc

p.s. Mignolets mucking around in possession is scary. but not as scary as Sakho's general play - heart attack waiting to happen watching that boy.

Well said.
Can't disagree with anything.
The blinkers are well and truly off now.

21 Sep 2013 17:51:20
Excellent analysis. should never have sold Jonjo
Borini never given a proper chance after his injuries.
Where is Joe Allen? Is he injured again?
No energy or skill in midfield.
Lucas has two speeds. slow and dead slow!
Why do other teams look so much fitter than us.what's going on at Melwood?

I agree with nearly all of your points there. Enrique was terrible but you also have to consider he was coming on when the team had just conceded a goal and we were all over the place at that stage. Still no excuse however. I agree with Sakho as well. Great centre back, shaky left back. Moses is the only thing I actually disagree with to an extent. He was one of our best players behind Toure and Mignolet, but then again that wasn't hard! Decent post.
Cheers.

How can u think moses was any good not once did he link up with any of danny aspas or even gerrard of lucas he got passes the ball an ran down blind alleys yes once or twice he got past his man but ran to places were there was no support.

To be honest, if we continue to player how we have been playing in the last 5 games, I do not see us breaking into the top 4. Something has to change whether to be formation or tactics but has something definitely change. I hope Rodgers keep saying Liverpool have character as he has been saying in all his press conferences, because apparantly that's all we have.

And like I said mate he was our best thing after Mignolet and Toure which wasn't hard. He was the only player that actually looked like creating something for us. Sterling was another I thought was poor, he looks very lightweight and even with his pace, he finds it hard to get past his man because of his stature. Cheers.

Sterling looking knackered on about 80 minutes after being on less than half an hour worried me most. He's 18 - why is he tired?

Exactly Seano, he's 18 and he was wrecked. Then you have Toure who is almost twice his age running around without a bother on him for the full 90!
Cheers.

Why was Enrique on the bench

No one is quite sure - but when he came on he was absolutely horrific, so bad that leaving him on the bench looked a master stroke.

22 Sep 2013 03:23:06
Mentally unprepared. Simple as that. All this talk about guys not doing this and failing to do that? Particularly when they were doing in during much of the last four weeks? They came into this game with false confidence and weren't able to mentally adjust when things didn't go their way.

Those simple passes that were completed regularly before? Atrocious today. First touch which was spectacular at times, and above average for the vast majority of the season to date? Completely lacking tonight.

Passing? Abysmal. Haven't seen Gerrard that off in a long time.

Really, this has to go down to BR and his staff - Liverpool were not *mentally* prepared to play this game.

21 Sep 2013 15:50:01
4 centre backs what's that all about? What a waste.

Very very strange formation for me I hope BR knows what he's doing. We look disjointed and too flat, get Enrique and Kelly on for the second half and go for 3pts!!

2 defensive midfielders and 4 centre backs. Plus Henderson is not exactly an attacker.

Hmmm. Bit negative? Home against Southampton after all. C'mon reds attack

Did you play with four CB's? That surely ties in with what I said further up the page.

21 Sep 2013 15:06:24
after what I said earlier.
rogers has now put out a back 4 that he shouldn't have
kelly an enrique. its simple. and if kelly gets injured. or there's a problem. then you can put toure on

top of the league. why make it difficult. sakho ain't a left back. my god u scouted the dude surely lfc know!

21 Sep 2013 14:40:14
Odd one today going for 4 centre backs, should be a solid defence though. Today will be as big a test as the Swansea game was the other day. Southampton are a team with great ambitions and players that can punish you if you lose concentration for a second. Wouldn't be surprised to see another draw today but hopefully we can pick up another win and stay top. At the end of the day all matches are only worth 3 points for a win, so no matter if you're playing Manchester United or Southampton, every game is just as important. I reckon we might scrape it, I'm going to say 2-1. Henderson and Sturridge to score the goals and hopefully Aspas and Sakho have a good game for their confidence. We have to keep the momentum going if we want the top 4 to be in our hands come the end of the season. I know it's early in the season but every point is crucial. Southampton are a dangerous team. Lallana, Osvaldo, Lambert, Rodriguez, Schneiderlin. All players that can hurt you if you're not on top of your form. Let's keep the momentum going and pick up a win today! Cheers.
ROI.

21 Sep 2013 11:42:00
Hoping for a Liverpool win!

But swansea southampton arsenal

Will be our toughest games of the season because of the way they play.

I think a draw is highly possible today so we really need to score early if we r to be beat southampton who are a very good side now since their manager came in.

With 4 cbs starting dunno

toure at right back sahko at lb

we won't see much attacking fullback play today

ihope aspas proves me wrong today because so far he has been gash

Surprised at Jose being benched, a bit harsh.

Jassi, it didn't really matter, Jose was rubbish when he came on anyway.

Aspas didn't prove you wrong unfortunately Tom, he was gash today too.

I don't think aspas I up toit
in fact I hate him. fancy flicks that don't come off.

he tarted brightly ad I thought great and then got worse and worse. I don't know whether he has a crisis of confidence but he just doesn't look up to the pace of the game to me

luis garcia esque in his giving the ball away

glas rodgers realised he had to come off

back four cbs. welldone toure secondhalf for at least having a go.
sahkont comfortable enough yet at the cub ot be playing out of position. loooked much more asured at cb

allin all 5 games played we only really played well in the opening half against stoke. by that I mean got on top and played great football creating chances

little worrying

thank god suarez is back

21 Sep 2013 10:54:09
the next few games are all win able and we need to do that. Decembers fixtures will be the real test to see if we are top 4 quality. kls

Every game is important and each game brings its own test.

21 Sep 2013 01:58:09
Hi eds reds,
1- what do u guys and girls think our strongest possible lineup would be if everyone fit and back in contention.
2- who agrees with 3 centre backs I remember Roy Evans used this but I think it can be too negative.
3- do u agree with loan players, moses loves us we love him but what happens when everyone fit?also what if he has an absolute storming great season, remember lakaku at W.B.A, well he could be priced out of contention or they may not want to sell, would we be back to square 1?
4, does anyone know the real plans of anfields new stadium development and the possible attendance figures .
Thanks for reading like reading all your views and opinions .

20 Sep 2013 23:55:03
Tomorow when we crash saints this negativity will end and talks about title will start. Expecting a good game from us because of all this critisisam. Hope moses chips one more in and ed 001 sees he is quality. Greetings from croatia! Enjoy tomorow!
Mandzo