Oldham away match thread

[BCM]

I see Coates has become the next scapegoat. A young player from a different continent who has sporadically started less than 20 games in two seasons is coming in for Downing levels of abuse. The desperation with which fans are keen to write off young players is one of the worst aspects of the modern game.

 

Fuck me, some common sense at last. i dofff my cap sir.

[DooooodekNo5]

Thanks Brendan. Takes a big set of balls to completely underestimate a lower league team. Fucking disgraceful starting lineup, was only ever going to end one way. Which tit was it said we'd dick them with that lineup?

 

That was me you whiney whore.

 

We should of dicked them with our 60/70 million quid front 3, we should of beat them with any line up we put out.

[Major Tom]

I was bitterly disappointed with the manager as today he had a chance to show he is good enough for Liverpool and for a club that has to challenge for trophies.

 

So did the players he picked.

[Harry Squatter]

A Uruguayan and Slovakian international who have played in the Copa America and the World Cup should be able to handle someone who was playing for Solihull last season. All he was doing was "putting himself about a bit" and rattled them. As a defender you should expect a bit of a battle, Coates should be used to snidey shithouse and dirty players having played for Nacional and Skrtel has played against the likes of Stoke and Marouanne Fellaini so I can't see why both suddenly got a shock playing against some yard dog with a head bigger than Herman Munster

[The Acolyte]

It baffles me that he didn't observe teams ABOVE US get knocked out and think "Thats not happening to us, I'm gonna put the best boys on, finish the game inside 60 minutes then hook my best three off asap".

No, he puts out a back four that have never played together and a goalkeeper I wouldn't trust to catch a cold. Why put Robinison on, a kid you haven't given a game to since you pitched up in an FA cup match away from home? Also Coates, a player you've blatently frozen out of the first team in preference to Carra but you decide now is the best time to play him. Would've been best on the bench on brought on for Carra once the game was sewn up. Too many players on the pitch playing like strangers.

Embarrassed on national tv.

[King Emlyn]

I have to hold my hands up as a Rodgers supporter and say he made a total arse of yesterday. Not good enough.

[Major Tom]

It baffles me that he didn't observe teams ABOVE US get knocked out and think "Thats not happening to us, I'm gonna put the best boys on, finish the game inside 60 minutes then hook my best three off asap".

No, he puts out a back four that have never played together and a goalkeeper I wouldn't trust to catch a cold. Why put Robinison on, a kid you haven't given a game to since you pitched up in an FA cup match away from home? Also Coates, a player you've blatently frozen out of the first team in preference to Carra but you decide now is the best time to play him. Would've been best on the bench on brought on for Carra once the game was sewn up. Too many players on the pitch playing like strangers.

Embarrassed on national tv.

 

That team Rodgers picked was good enough to beat a struggling league one side.

 

Agree or not?

[Major Tom]

I have to hold my hands up as a Rodgers supporter and say he made a total arse of yesterday. Not good enough.

 

What did he do wrong in your view, KE? Do you think the players bear any responsibility for the defeat?

[The Acolyte]

A Uruguayan and Slovakian international who have played in the Copa America and the World Cup should be able to handle someone who was playing for Solihull last season. All he was doing was "putting himself about a bit" and rattled them. As a defender you should expect a bit of a battle, Coates should be used to snidey shithouse and dirty players having played for Nacional and Skrtel has played against the likes of Stoke and Marouanne Fellaini so I can't see why both suddenly got a shock playing against some yard dog with a head bigger than Herman Munster

 

I think it was more to do with neither of them taking the lead and making an example of their dangermen. Complete lack of leadership. Giving Suarez the captaincy was another mistake. You need someone who can see the play and give out commands. Its a damning indictment that Saurez and Skrtel were the only senior players on the pitch, with Saurez only being here for 2 years. That team had no speedy strikers so Carra should've been on and made Captain.

At least we've avoided the humiliation of gettin turned over by that mob in the next round!

[King Emlyn]

What did he do wrong in your view, KE? Do you think the players bear any responsibility for the defeat?

I think the formation and players chosen was a recipe for disaster for what he must have known would be usual lower league ale house bully boy tactics.

[Guest davelfc]

The team he selected was certainly good enough to beat a struggling league one team, their attitude was not. He was entitled to believe that with two huge games approaching he could utilise his squad with sufficient experience on the bench, i.e. Gerrard.

 

The very people foaming at the mouth for Rodgers to have started the first team are the very same people who would be criticising him for it had any of them picked up a red card or an injury and missed the arsenal or city games because of it.

 

If Rodgers was supposed to know they would employ alehouse tactics then surely those highly paid prima donnas would have had some clue. The players seem to be escaping criticism when they should get most of it today. I'm no fan of Rodgers but he's being hung out to dry for a lot of those players being precious yesterday.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

This new system where Rodgers makes the keepers fumble the ball into the path of the opposition players in the goal mouth is tucking shit. Nearly as shit as the one where he told Coates to lose headers, and the fullbacks forget to defend.

 

He did very little wrong, the players did.

[Timão]

What did he do wrong in your view, KE? Do you think the players bear any responsibility for the defeat?

 

They do, of course, and that side should have been good enough to beat Oldham.

 

The only thing I would say about Rodgers is that I think he sends mixed messages. You can either say 'I don't care and will use the cup to experiment' or you can say 'I'm goiing to take this seriously'.

 

He does both. Apparently, he does not care about the defence but up front I will play a full strength side (minus Gerrard). It's almost like he is saying to the lads at the back: 'Don't worry, I don't trust you, but we'll be okay'.

 

You can't have it both ways.

[Major Tom]

I think the formation and players chosen was a recipe for disaster for what he must have known would be usual lower league ale house bully boy tactics.

 

Still should have been good enough. There was what? 8 full internationals in that side? Ale house bully boys or otherwise, that team should have beaten them.

[Newport]

This new system where Rodgers makes the keepers fumble the ball into the path of the opposition players in the goal mouth is tucking shit. Nearly as shit as the one where he told Coates to lose headers, and the fullbacks forget to defend.

 

He did very little wrong, the players did.

 

Couldn't agree more. Maybe he was wrong to trust some of those who started, but those simple errors weren't made by Rodgers.

[Major Tom]

They do, of course, and that side should have been good enough to beat Oldham.

 

The only thing I would say about Rodgers is that I think he sends mixed messages. You can either say 'I don't care and will use the cup to experiment' or you can say 'I'm goiing to take this seriously'.

 

He does both. Apparently, he does not care about the defence but up front I will play a full strength side (minus Gerrard). It's almost like he is saying to the lads at the back: 'Don't worry, I don't trust you, but we'll be okay'.

 

You can't have it both ways.

 

That's not a mixed message. That's playing a team that, on paper, should have wiped the floor with Oldham. That defence had two players who have regularly featured in the first XI this season, a keeper who has filled in adequately, a defender who shone at the latest Copa America and a young promising left back. The way some are carrying on, it's like he picked people off the street to play in defence.

 

We can't play our best players continually. It's really that simple. That team should have won. It's also that simple.

[Barnesey]

Anyone who saw his press conference last week will know Rodgers had a good idea what to expect - and he was right.

 

His tactics, when playing against a yard dog centre forward and a long ball game were to play our tallest centre back whose strength, if he has one, is in the air and a tough foil who is our next best header of the ball.

 

The rest of the team was lightweight but we haven't too many options and we should have been able to keep the ball most of the time. The attackers we played should have seen off Oldham even if we did give 3 goals away.

 

More attitude than selection. Manager's fault? Maybe to some degree but he cannot plan for the way Coates, Jones and Robinson played. These things happen, let's move on and put it right on Wednesday

[The Acolyte]

That team Rodgers picked was good enough to beat a struggling league one side.

 

Agree or not?

 

On paper yes they should've been good enough but in reality over half that team were either bench warmers, reserves, new to the team, or just back from injury. Two or three in this bracket is enough but 5-6 is taking the piss.

This doesn't paper over the facts that it was still a shocking performance.

You don't see whiskey breath putting out his B team do you?

[Major Tom]

You don't see whiskey breath putting out his B team do you?

 

Yes. Often.

 

And against Oldham he would have. Even against Fulham he made 6 or 7 changes.

[VladimirIlyich]

We still rely heavily on Gerrard and simply haven't got a squad,in fact we've barely got a team.

 

Its difficult to ask players who haven't played first team football for a while to come in and slot in straight away.

This could have been remedied by playing friendlies against almost any european team over the past month as they had winter breaks and spent them playing against each other.

 

I hope 3 forwards is put to bed as it allows the wide players to do nothing when not in possession and puts the midfield under pressure as soon as we lose the ball.

 

We can't say we didn't know what oldham were going to do so we got everything we deserved.

[thompsonsnose]

It baffles me that he didn't observe teams ABOVE US get knocked out and think "Thats not happening to us, I'm gonna put the best boys on, finish the game inside 60 minutes then hook my best three off asap".

No, he puts out a back four that have never played together and a goalkeeper I wouldn't trust to catch a cold. Why put Robinison on, a kid you haven't given a game to since you pitched up in an FA cup match away from home? Also Coates, a player you've blatently frozen out of the first team in preference to Carra but you decide now is the best time to play him. Would've been best on the bench on brought on for Carra once the game was sewn up. Too many players on the pitch playing like strangers.

Embarrassed on national tv.

 

This.

Im not calling for his head, or getting hysterical, but he has done this several times now.

His selections are often baffling.

[Whelan]

League position isnt 'subjective,' it is fact. Mansfield are conference, oldham L1, LFC PL.

 

Like I said, good try but no cigar. Again.

 

I'm sorry but I haven't got a clue what you are talking about!

 

You were suggesting that we should start with a full strength side all the time, and sub as appropriate (your premise is that this full strength side will always be 3 nil up though).

 

Now you are talking about league position!

 

Your argument is weak - I, and many others, can pick numerous teams with weakened teams who walzted through to the next round, so that isn't an argument based on facts at all.

[Whelan]

.

You don't see whiskey breath putting out his B team do you?

 

Jesus Christ!

 

Have you actually typed this?

 

Is it worth talking about Rodgers with you, if this is THIS is what you think?

[thompsonsnose]

Im just reading that hes "turned on the kids" on F365.

Howzabout NOT chucking 3 of them in to a brand new back 4/5 when you know there will be a battle.

Howzabout NOT including a centre back that the whole world knows you're trying to flog, and then expect him to battle for the shirt. Howzabout NOT having a midfield made of tissue paper and ballet dancers and expecting them to protect a back 5 packed with rookies.

Coates was bad yesterday, but i think Rodgers has ruined him in this league.

Robinson is a very promising youngster who, yes had a mare, and who now appears to be going backwards.

I hope when he's blaming the kids hes including Allen and Borini too.

 

I bet Gerrard is fucking fuming today.

[spider-neil]

 

The very people foaming at the mouth for Rodgers to have started the first team are the very same people who would be criticising him for it had any of them picked up a red card or an injury and missed the arsenal or city games because of it.

 

 

Nail on the head.