West Brom Albino match thread

[polymerpunkah]

http://www.101greatgoals.com/goals/england/liverpool-v-west-brom-team-sheets/\

 

 

This site usually has a good selection of vids.

[Brigant Moloch]

^ was going to recommend that site, they have MotD's also

[boots123]

Briiliant! Just what we needed!

iv'e supported Liverpool for over 50 yrs and back in the old days when I would watch Brazil or Argentina or any other south american teams with their magical ball players, I used to dream if only the reds could get one of those players,....... well we sure as hell have got one now.  

[Pan77]

Boss attacking performance that, we could have had 8 on another day but I'm not complaining.

 

The front 2 look brutal at the moment. They must a nightmare to play against.

 

The most pleasing thing for me today was seeing Gerrard further up the pitch. We looked a much better balanced team and he was unlucky not to be put through on a couple of occasions. It's going to be interesting to see where Coutinho fits in when he's back. I really hope Rogers doesn't drop Gerrard back into defensive midfield and stick Coutinho in his role today. For me in that formation it's one of Gerrard or Coutinho behind the front two. At the moment I'd use Gerrard and bring Coutinho on after 60. Lucas and Henderson did really well today, they looked a good pairing and we were more solid than usual in the middle.

 

Roll on the Gooners.....

[Fi!]

What a great build up to the Arsenal game. So glad that Johnson was fine from what looks like to be an injury. 

[Dr. J]

I hope Johnson's ok, too, but he was awful yesterday. RB is a position waiting to be won by Martin Kelly, who also looked out of it yesterday, although with the decent excuse of hardly having played for months and months.

[MLB]

Our three best attacking players have yet to be seen on a field together this season - and yet we're 10 points better off than this point last year.

 

I'm not getting carried away or anything, but you'd be a dolt not to be enjoying this.

 

 

True. I just hope that we can keep this level of performance up (and even get better) because this league is there for the taking. If we show that level of commitment and ruthlessness regularly we can really achieve something this season.

 

The Coutinho thing is going to be interesting because unless we change to a flat back four then I don't see who you drop. The balance of the midfield looked good yesterday and we will definitely what Lucas, Gerrard and Henderson all bring to the side; but at the same time you can see Coutinho having an absolute field day play clever passes in behind that Arsenal defense.

[kalasoma]

I watched the goals again this morning. Sturridge's goal makes me giggle uncontrollably.

[RobbieOR]

Anybody else impressed by billy jones today west brom right back?

 

No, he was a diving cheating shithouse.

[Barney_Rubble]

What a joy that was. Boss game!

 

To be honest, I didn't think we could win it, particularly given our dreadful record against Clarke and his team (played 3, lost 3 in the PL, I think).

 

Apart from our forwards, the most pleasing thing was seeing how our midfield perform. They were better, much better, and kept it up until the end. It was such a relief to see.

 

After Luis scored the first (nutmegging that yard dog Olsson of all people and making him look like the hopeless wanker he is), the outcome of that game was never in doubt for me. Luis' second was simply pure class and scoring the 3rd to complete his hat-trick was just a matter of time after that.

 

Great goal from Sturridge too - I've watched that goal a few times and you can see him noticing the goalie quite advanced so the lob he produced was inch-perfect. Brilliant.

 

If these two can keep injury free and out of trouble, we won't have problems with scoring.

 

As noted earlier, I was very pleased with our midfield and I hope this isn't a one-off. Lucas in particular played very well and with the Arse game coming up, we need them 3 to be at their game if we are to get a result at the Emirates. If we manage to beat the Arse, we'll be top dogs again, no matter what everybody else does. Food for thought!

 

Rodgers taking Stevie and Luis off at the end, so that they could take all the plaudits coming their way was an absolute master stroke. It will give them and the team a massive confidence boost.

 

The day, though, belonged to Luis - the little rascal. He was man on a mission yesterday and you could see it from the off.

 

I don't care whether he leaves us in the summer or whether we manage to get into the top 4 and keep him - as long as he produces performances like that I'd have no qualms with it. The guy is more than a "magician", he is simply unstoppable when he gets his game face on (and keeps out of trouble!).

 

One last thing of note - the only thing missing was a certain Norwegian, posting in this thread, praising either the team or Rodgers for their efforts.

 

Yes, one of the downs was how lethargic Kelly looked.

Give him a chance - Kelly had a long-term injury and had no first-team appearances until yesterday. It will take a couple of games for him to up his level.

 

Fantastic piss taking by Rodgers in the post-match press conference re: Twatface's comments about Gerrard.

I loved that - a brilliant retort to the mad and incoherent ramblings of The Demented One.

 

I hope ginsoak was watching that the wank stick.

Oh, I am sure he did. He did Rodgers' team talk in a way with these comments. The ole demented cunt is slipping...

 

I think it is at the moment but what I suspect has been agreed between the club and his advisors is that he will get a new contract with a buy out clause. As for the fee I don't think Luis will demand a world record fee because of his prior behaviour. Anyone buying him knows they are getting a top drawer player but that he comes with some serious baggage.

My take on this - there are 2 possible scenarios at play: he has the option to leave for, say £60m, to another European club (say, barca or real), if we don't qualify in the top 4 at the end of this season. If we do qualify in the top 4, then he doesn't have that option, but could get to sign new, extended contract (possibly with a salary increase).

 

To me, that is a very sensible route to take and adds an incentive not just for Luis, but for the team as a whole.

 

I think our front two are ruthless and I am loving it.

I wouldn't go as far as to say they are ruthless as they've missed quite a few yesterday (we could've scored another 5 or 6, not to mention the misses in our previous game), but they've certainly made good progress and both of them are pleasure to watch at present. Long may it continue.