Liverpool Vs Celtic - 10/08/13 - Match thread

[Stickman]

To all the doom and gloom merchants .....IT WAS A FRIENDLY......it's about getting fit getting used to the new guys and finding some sort of sharpness and match fitness which won't even come after next weeks Stoke game.

Yeh it's nice to keep a winning run going but it means nothing just like if we had won today or maybe some on here would have been happy if we had gone 100% and picked up a few injuries.

The real stuff starts next Saturday so save your winging till then.

[Red Phoenix]

To all the doom and gloom merchants .....IT WAS A FRIENDLY......it's about getting fit getting used to the new guys and finding some sort of sharpness and match fitness which won't even come after next weeks Stoke game.

Yeh it's nice to keep a winning run going but it means nothing just like if we had won today or maybe some on here would have been happy if we had gone 100% and picked up a few injuries.

The real stuff starts next Saturday so save your winging till then.

 

[Dan Vito Corleone]

Can someone please tell Glen Johnson his goal at West Ham was a one off and to STOP FUCKING CUTTING ONTO HIS LEFT FOOT?

[amli]

Rodgers fixation with Allen seems set to continue.

Henderson offered so much more at the end of last season.

Finishes well, isn't easily bullied and contributes positive forward runs off the ball.

Allen doesn't, or rarely does, any of the above.

[Kevin D]

Glad Henry was there today to see this utter shambles. There can be no doubt, now, that the Rodgers experiment has been a total failure. If FSG have any sense, they would have booked Ian Ayre on the first thing smoking to Naples. It's the only way to save our season.

[MLB]

Haha some of our fans are totally mental.

[ctkeepercoach]

Thought Downing should've come off for Sturridge at halftime. Would've been good to see Aspas, Sturridge and Coutinho all linking up as I think that will be a great threesome to see linking together.

[mht1892]

Think Aspas had a knock

[Paco]

Thought Downing should've come off for Sturridge at halftime. Would've been good to see Aspas, Sturridge and Coutinho all linking up as I think that will be a great threesome to see linking together.

 

After coutinho downing was prob our best player

[cuppatea]

Glad Henry was there today to see this utter shambles. There can be no doubt, now, that the Rodgers experiment has been a total failure. If FSG have any sense, they would have booked Ian Ayre on the first thing smoking to Naples. It's the only way to save our season.

 

To be honest, after losing a friendly I'm surprised they didn't just sack him on the spot.

[Jairzinho]

How long are we meant to put up with this shit?

[GJM]

Despite the missed chances and the opposition’s good fortune for the goal, we looked tired. Third game in a week on the back of all the globe trotting must have played a role, but we also play a very high intensity style of football that must be physically very demanding on the players, particularly the midfield three. The performance levels in the other pre-season matches have been excellent but the zip and focus wasn’t quite there yesterday.

 

A few interceptions got missed, passes weren’t quite on the mark – particularly near the opposition goal - defenders looked a little off the pace, and the decision making at times left a lot to be desired.

 

No big disaster, but the way we play requires very high energy levels and extremely high levels of concentration. Keeping that up over a season with what is still a fairly small squad of players with the required levels of ability is not going to be easy. I love the way we play, but I think we may need more quality players to make it work over a season, and/or alternative methods to fall back on when things just aren’t working out.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

How long are we meant to put up with this shit?

 

Exactly. We've already had an entire game where we lost. What next?

[Brownie]

It was a bit embarrassing to lose this game considering how shite they were. Quite how we lost, I don't really know because we completely dominated the game.

 

We wasted too many chances though and it cost us. It was just like watching us last season actually and was really frustrating. Hopefully it's not a sign of things to come but i'm not so sure.

 

If we don't get some more match winners in I can see us having a similar season to the last one.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

It was a bit embarrassing to lose this game considering how shite they were. Quite how we lost, I don't really know because we completely dominated the game.

 

We wasted too many chances though and it cost us. It was just like watching us last season actually and was really frustrating. Hopefully it's not a sign of things to come but i'm not so sure.

 

If we don't get some more match winners in I can see us having a similar season to the last one.

 

I'd say last season was quite different in the second half to the first. Yesterday reminded me much more of how we played under Kenny in the first half of the 11/12 season.

 

In the second half of last season, we felt much more able to put teams away. Scoring goals wasn't much of an issue. It hasn't been an issue all pre-season either. It doesn't help when your two best attackers aren't starting, but it was a shame we didn't get the goal our overall play deserved.

 

I do echo your comments about needing more players, though. IF we're going to push on for the top four, we could do with three players. My choice would be Papadopolous, Gustavo and Costa (of the players we've been linked with or could get). Either way, I think we're in much better shape than this time last year.

[Brownie]

 

I'd say last season was quite different in the second half to the first. Yesterday reminded me much more of how we played under Kenny in the first half of the 11/12 season.

 

In the second half of last season' date=' we felt much more able to put teams away. Scoring goals wasn't much of an issue. It hasn't been an issue all pre-season either. It doesn't help when your two best attackers aren't starting, but it was a shame we didn't get the goal our overall play deserved.

 

I do echo your comments about needing more players, though. IF we're going to push on for the top four, we could do with three players. My choice would be Papadopolous, Gustavo and Costa (of the players we've been linked with or could get). Either way, I think we're in much better shape than this time last year.[/quote']

 

It seems to be the perception that we didn't struggle to score goals in the 2nd half of the season but I still remember the spell towards the end of the season when we kept drawing 0-0.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

It seems to be the perception that we didn't struggle to score goals in the 2nd half of the season but I still remember the spell towards the end of the season when we kept drawing 0-0.

 

We only had three 0-0 draws between November and the end of the season. We actually only had 5 0-0 draws all season. Admittedly, two came back to back in April, but I'd say it wasn't a massive problem. We did draw with Chelsea 2-2, but that wasn't really through a lack of scoring power.

 

For me, the main problem is (and has been for a long time, pre-Rodgers, pre-Dalglish) the lack of power and mobility in the centre. We need drive from the defensive midfield position. Lucas isn't a bad player, but if we're going to play with a 3 man midfield, we need the DM to be able to really shift.

[Brownie]

 

We only had three 0-0 draws between November and the end of the season. We actually only had 5 0-0 draws all season. Admittedly' date=' two came back to back in April, but I'd say it wasn't a massive problem. We did draw with Chelsea 2-2, but that wasn't really through a lack of scoring power.[/quote']

 

From mid-April to the start of May we had three 0-0 draws in five games. That tells me that we were wasteful, especially when I remember the games (West Ham and Everton at home and Reading away).

 

More match winners decreases the chances of that happening.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

From mid-April to the start of May we had three 0-0 draws in five games. That tells me that we were wasteful, especially when I remember the games (West Ham and Everton at home and Reading away).

 

More match winners decreases the chances of that happening.

 

To be fair, picking out five games from any part of the season can give a very false result. For example, the five matches before that saw us score 15 goals. I wouldn't say three 0-0s tells us all that much. I certainly don't think it defines us as a team. Over the larger period scoring goals didn't seem much of an issue. I'm not sure what those three games tell us, as the other two 0-0 draws were well spread out and in the first half of the season. That would tell us we were a less profligate, more ruthless, better attacking side pre-Coutinho and Sturridge. We know that's not true.

 

This isn't me making an argument against buying more match winners, BTW. I want more match winners. We need to get Downing out and replace him with somebody who creates and scores goals. When Sturridge and Suarez are missing, cutting open teams who pack their defence and midfield is difficult, as it would be for any team losing their two best attackers.

[Brownie]

 

To be fair' date=' picking out five games from any part of the season can give a very false result. For example, the five matches before that saw us score 15 goals. I wouldn't say three 0-0s tells us all that much. I certainly don't think it defines us as a team. Over the larger period scoring goals didn't seem much of an issue. I'm not sure what those three games tell us, as the other two 0-0 draws were well spread out and in the first half of the season. That would tell us we were a less profligate, more ruthless, better attacking side pre-Coutinho and Sturridge. We know that's not true.

 

This isn't me making an argument against buying more match winners, BTW. I want more match winners. We need to get Downing out and replace him with somebody who creates and scores goals. When Sturridge and Suarez are missing, cutting open teams who pack their defence and midfield is difficult, as it would be for any team losing their two best attackers.[/quote']

 

So yeah, last season we were wasteful and therefore we need more match winners as I said :-)

[SCOUSE TAPAS]

After coutinho downing was prob our best player

Didn't Downing do the great pass for there goal ?

[bossy]

Glad Henry was there today to see this utter shambles. There can be no doubt' date=' now, that the Rodgers experiment has been a total failure. If FSG have any sense, they would have booked Ian Ayre on the first thing smoking to Naples. It's the only way to save our season.[/quote']

 

Can't tell if this is a serious post.

[Walton Park]

Not really that concerned about the result. I am slightly concerned however that since Rodgers stated he needed signings that go straight into the first team now we haven't signed anyone.

 

We are struggling to cope not being in Europe to attract players. The clock is ticking and although I am still confident we will get one or 2 decent players in I am starting to get a bit nervous we will start the season without the players we need to push on for fourth place.

 

Left back and a CB CM CF is needed.

 

I see Mascherano is considering his future at Barcelona......................

[xerxes]

I draw few conclusions from Friendlies whther we do well. or badly. It is the pitch time to the squad that is important. Celtic are Championship quality side at best, the game was played for commercial reasons.

 

Overall I am concerned that with Suarez, whatever happens, we have problems. His indiscipline last season resulting in another ban is likley to cost us CL qualification. If he stays we have a malcontent in the ranks, if he goes his goals are irreplaceable, it's a lose/lose/lose.

 

Appointing Rodgers was a gamble. The impact of Eurp qualification failure is only now starting to dawn on some, the financial consequences will be felt next year.

 

We can only hope that King Brenny has "The Group" spinning to hit the deck as the season opens- we will need it, and so will he.

[Paco]

I put yesterday down as a bit of a relapse. Another day when we created 20+ chances and didnt score while they scored from their only real chance caused by a mistake by us.

 

I am however worried that we havent signed more quality players. Im happy with what we ve got in but I ll be unhappy if that is it.