So...Manchester City!

[Barnesey]

It wasn't a penalty.

 

The offside was onside, that was a very poor decision, and Liverpool were badly done to on that.

 

It's easy to look as a bad decision and say "we'd have scored, and therefore the result would have been.....", but that's wrong. We'll never know how the game would have panned out if different decisions had been made, but still, it was a poor decision that almost surely would have resulted in a goal for Liverpool.

 

In all honesty, Suarez didn't put a foot wrong until the last 10 minutes, when frustration got to him and he overdid some play acting. But that's about it. Both teams played fairly, and both went for a win (which both teams should be commended for).

 

On another day, City would have taken their chances and won 5-2, or Liverpool would have taken theirs and won 5-2. It was a pretty even game all in all and City were relieved with the final whistle blew.

 

Liverpool put in the strongest performance at City of any club who've played there (in the PL), and as I said, could have come away with three points on another day.

 

As for Mignolet's 'blunder'.... I think he's being harshly judged. He was virtually one and one with Negredo who could have blasted it under him, chipped him, or gone round him (maybe), and when the shot did finally come, it actually took a slight swerve. On camera it's made to look like Mignolet was trying to do some sort of overly dramatic tip over the crossbar, but I'm not having that... he just managed to get a hand on it at the last moment (after the slight swerve)... but it wasn't quite enough.

 

Having seen MOTD's version of the match, it made City's breaks look very quick, but when watching the ACTUAL match, Liverpool's breaks were even quicker. Liverpool were lightning fast when they broke and looked a danger every time they broke away.

 

Personally, I think both teams should be applauded for trying to win. Arsenal and Chelsea played 'not to lose' and it showed.

The game also showed that Liverpool ARE the real deal. I'm tempted to say with just 1 or 2 first class signings they could be shockingly good, but the fine balance Liverpool currently have won't be easy to improve on... it's hard 'slotting in' new players (even if they are superb) without it changing some sort of team dynamic. But if Rodgers manages to do it well, Liverpool will be as formidable as I've seen them in possibly the last 8 years or so (maybe even longer).

 

City got lucky today. I don't want to say it was a total fluke - because it wasn't, but lady luck fell in their favour. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't.... but the game was THAT close, and that can only be a very positive sign for Liverpool.

[Barnesey]

Great post, echoes my thoughts.

 

A month ago I thought we were pretenders. After spurs and yesterday I am beginning to believe we are the real deal; not Citeh yet, who have some wonderful players, but certainly good enough to finish top four.

[Brigant Moloch]

replace Johnson, Skrtel and Lucas with better players and anything is possible this season. Performance was vital, just couldn't get the result. Play like this against chelsea and we'll win comfortably, they are poor and we're playing best attacking football in this league right now. Our front 5 made it really difficult for mufc, but the back and defensive play needs sorting and some players need to be binned as soon as possible.

Skrtel is just a liability, he does one brilliant thing and a second after he does something embarrassing. Trying to win a header instead of trying to undress Kompany every set piece would be helpful.

Sakho was ace defensively once again but his passing went mental for 15min or smth in the 2nd half, lack of outlet from Cissokho out wide didn't help him, should just have played some safe long balls.

Our midfield gave them good battle but the lack of defensive midfielder during their counter attacks and our poor transition after corner caused some trouble, 2nd goal the perfect example, I don't even blame Mignolet. Defending set pieces and defensive transition is what we're shite at, there's no shield to our back four.

Johnson needs binning, he doesn't give a fuck this season, plays like he knows he'll be gone, utter garbage, fuck him off ASAP.

All in all, I'm delighted with the performance but quite disappointed with the result. We lack depth but 3 good transfers in January can transform this team into something very special. 

[JermainePennant]

I cant agree with those criticising cissokho for his performace yesterday, I thought he done well and dont blame him for either goals.

 

He got forward well a few times aswell and got a couple of balls into the box, I like flanno but honestly dont think he would have made a difference, if anything cissokho showed he is the better player, there were a couple of occasions where he was in tight areas and managed to beat a player or two and get a cross in which I dont think flanno has in his locker.

[FrenchEyeGlass]

It wasn't a penalty.

 

The offside was onside, that was a very poor decision, and Liverpool were badly done to on that.

 

It's easy to look as a bad decision and say "we'd have scored, and therefore the result would have been.....", but that's wrong. We'll never know how the game would have panned out if different decisions had been made, but still, it was a poor decision that almost surely would have resulted in a goal for Liverpool.

 

In all honesty, Suarez didn't put a foot wrong until the last 10 minutes, when frustration got to him and he overdid some play acting. But that's about it. Both teams played fairly, and both went for a win (which both teams should be commended for).

 

On another day, City would have taken their chances and won 5-2, or Liverpool would have taken theirs and won 5-2. It was a pretty even game all in all and City were relieved with the final whistle blew.

 

Liverpool put in the strongest performance at City of any club who've played there (in the PL), and as I said, could have come away with three points on another day.

 

As for Mignolet's 'blunder'.... I think he's being harshly judged. He was virtually one and one with Negredo who could have blasted it under him, chipped him, or gone round him (maybe), and when the shot did finally come, it actually took a slight swerve. On camera it's made to look like Mignolet was trying to do some sort of overly dramatic tip over the crossbar, but I'm not having that... he just managed to get a hand on it at the last moment (after the slight swerve)... but it wasn't quite enough.

 

Having seen MOTD's version of the match, it made City's breaks look very quick, but when watching the ACTUAL match, Liverpool's breaks were even quicker. Liverpool were lightning fast when they broke and looked a danger every time they broke away.

 

Personally, I think both teams should be applauded for trying to win. Arsenal and Chelsea played 'not to lose' and it showed.

The game also showed that Liverpool ARE the real deal. I'm tempted to say with just 1 or 2 first class signings they could be shockingly good, but the fine balance Liverpool currently have won't be easy to improve on... it's hard 'slotting in' new players (even if they are superb) without it changing some sort of team dynamic. But if Rodgers manages to do it well, Liverpool will be as formidable as I've seen them in possibly the last 8 years or so (maybe even longer).

 

City got lucky today. I don't want to say it was a total fluke - because it wasn't, but lady luck fell in their favour. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't.... but the game was THAT close, and that can only be a very positive sign for Liverpool.

How the fuck wasn't it a penalty? Of course it was. And play acting? Fuck off.

[Lee909]

If you give that pen you would have to give City a pen every set piece with Skrtel.The offside was the gamechanger

[Frankenhooker]

We were the equal of the best side in the country, a bit of luck and competent officials and the result could of swung the other way.

 

We're a good side that play attractive football, we're also a young side, we're only going to get better. Despite the loss I'm optimistic about where we're going.

 

Rodgers spot on with his comments regarding the officials, when someone from greater Manchester officiates at the home ground of a Manchester club, well, it deserves to be scrutinised.

 

 

 

[derykw]

It`s the most positive I can remember being after a defeat.

 

I thought we were superb especially considering the opposition and the venue.

 

We really dug in when we had to but also broke quickly and positively when we could and some of our passing moves were top notch  i.e the goal and the one were Hart saved from Coutinho.

 

Mig should of saved the winner but was also a bit unlucky because I think he was expecting a much better strike  but Negredo kind of shanked it and it caught Mig a bit unawares.

 

Sterling should of scored obviously but it just about summed up our luck on the day.

 

The officials were just awful, no more needs to be said about the offside but what really pissed me off was the lead up to the equalizer. It started when Sakho cleanly pinches the ball from the City player but Mason gives a freekick, then as the play develops he then penalises Lucas for a non existent foul on Zabaleta. The resultant freekick leads to the corner which leads to the goal.

 

Now non of them decisions are game changers on their own but it meant City we able to  build up a sustained period of pressure from which ultimately we cracked.

 

Tbf in the second half he did gives us a throw in when it was clearly Citys so maybe that evened things up.

 

No excuses though, the game was excellent and could of gone either way, we went toe to toe with (IMO) the best team team in the League at the toughest venue and looked every bit as good as them.

 

The Reds did us proud as I knew they would.

[Saintslfc13]

I know, it is pretty amazing when the camera and the announcer is focused on him, it's just, I wonder if you focussed it on every other defender in the league would it be the same?

 

The answer is yes.

 

Agreed, Lescott and Kompany done the same at the other end, including the penalty shout which was ceratinly just as blatant as anything Skrtel did all game. Of course since Suarez actually still attempted to head the ball the commentators decided he "made a meal of it". Whatever idiot we had over here actually said something to the effect of "He's falling the wrong way, if he's going to try to win a pen like that he should go the way he's being pulled." er - he was going for the ball you stupid cunt! Damned if he does, damned if he doesn't.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

Just a little vignette, illustrative of the utter shitness of Cisshoko:

A couple of times yesterday, he took a throw-in and then just stood there for a few seconds, the wrong side of the line, waiting to see what would happen.

 

You know what happened?  Your team-mate lost the ball because he had nobody to pass it to, you fat useless slow lazy shithouse cunt.

 

Another positive from yesterday is that the club cannot be in any doubt about the urgency of bringing in a decent left-back in January.

[MLB]

Not bad going away to the best team in the country without 3 first team players and deserving the win. Not bad at all. I just hope that we fucking smash them when they come to Anfield.

[Paco]

It wasn't a penalty.

 

The offside was onside, that was a very poor decision, and Liverpool were badly done to on that.

 

It's easy to look as a bad decision and say "we'd have scored, and therefore the result would have been.....", but that's wrong. We'll never know how the game would have panned out if different decisions had been made, but still, it was a poor decision that almost surely would have resulted in a goal for Liverpool.

 

In all honesty, Suarez didn't put a foot wrong until the last 10 minutes, when frustration got to him and he overdid some play acting. But that's about it. Both teams played fairly, and both went for a win (which both teams should be commended for).

 

On another day, City would have taken their chances and won 5-2, or Liverpool would have taken theirs and won 5-2. It was a pretty even game all in all and City were relieved with the final whistle blew.

 

Liverpool put in the strongest performance at City of any club who've played there (in the PL), and as I said, could have come away with three points on another day.

 

As for Mignolet's 'blunder'.... I think he's being harshly judged. He was virtually one and one with Negredo who could have blasted it under him, chipped him, or gone round him (maybe), and when the shot did finally come, it actually took a slight swerve. On camera it's made to look like Mignolet was trying to do some sort of overly dramatic tip over the crossbar, but I'm not having that... he just managed to get a hand on it at the last moment (after the slight swerve)... but it wasn't quite enough.

 

Having seen MOTD's version of the match, it made City's breaks look very quick, but when watching the ACTUAL match, Liverpool's breaks were even quicker. Liverpool were lightning fast when they broke and looked a danger every time they broke away.

 

Personally, I think both teams should be applauded for trying to win. Arsenal and Chelsea played 'not to lose' and it showed.

The game also showed that Liverpool ARE the real deal. I'm tempted to say with just 1 or 2 first class signings they could be shockingly good, but the fine balance Liverpool currently have won't be easy to improve on... it's hard 'slotting in' new players (even if they are superb) without it changing some sort of team dynamic. But if Rodgers manages to do it well, Liverpool will be as formidable as I've seen them in possibly the last 8 years or so (maybe even longer).

 

City got lucky today. I don't want to say it was a total fluke - because it wasn't, but lady luck fell in their favour. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't.... but the game was THAT close, and that can only be a very positive sign for Liverpool.

The offside was a poor decision, the penalty - I d have been surprised if we d got it but we did deserve something from the game.

 

I think all the ref talk us deflecting blame from our poor defending for their goals and poor finishing.

 

ultimately this is what cost us a result.

 

take nothing away from some of the unbelievable football we played and the fact that we had city on the ropes for long periods.

 

still hard to take defeat like that. Up there with defeat to chelsea in fa cup final and milan in CL final.

[Evil_Ways]

The Johnson critisism is extremely exaggerated from certain quarters. Didnt have his best game, far from it, but he certainly wasnt that bad either. We wont find a better rightback unless we splash ridiculous money, and the way we play his attacking qualities are more important than the defensive ones we'd get with Kelly or Toure. Lescott's shirt pull in the end is a clear penalty, the difference between that and what happens on all set pieces is Lescott nearly ripped his shirt in half and Suarez didnt tocuh his. Where as Skrtel's pulls are just as obvious he gets held as much himself. Kompany has a grip around his collar and his forearm up on Skrtels throat in every duel they had, so i think the ref is right in letting that go both ways.

 

Im still in disbelif about the offside call on Sterling, it's ridiculous and unacceptable, he has to be dropped after that. 

[JermainePennant]

The offside was a poor decision, the penalty - I d have been surprised if we d got it but we did deserve something from the game.

 

I think all the ref talk us deflecting blame from our poor defending for their goals and poor finishing.

 

ultimately this is what cost us a result.

 

take nothing away from some of the unbelievable football we played and the fact that we had city on the ropes for long periods.

 

still hard to take defeat like that. Up there with defeat to chelsea in fa cup final and milan in CL final.

 

Thats going a bit far I think mate, at the end of the day its 3 points and if we do our job in the games we should be winning this result wont matter at the end of the season, loosing a champions league final is a much bigger blow considering how big the prize is and how hard it is to get there.

[Gnasher]

Man city at home this season have put six past arsenal, six past spurs, four past the mancs, seven past norwich, four past newcastle, three past swansea.

 

It's a downer because we didnt deserve to lose. Take mourinios home record sunday and we are right in the mix

[Dr. J]

Disappointed because we could have won and deserved at least a point. It's pretty clear that the 2 weakest points in the team are at right back and wherever Lucas is. We just need a little bit more movement from the DM position.

 

Johnson has been awful most of the year. The best set-up for us when Luis Enrique comes back is to put Flanno at RB and get Kelly some minutes. When Gerrard is ready, he can come into the side for Lucas.

[xerxes]

This is about the best I have ever felt after a defeat.

 

We were superb, took it to City, and could have won. Let no-one doubt that we are now, against the odds, title contenders. Suarez showed that against the best, he can be the best. Mignolet made a mistake, but has been fantastic all season, saving points in other games, and when the pressure is on for the really big games, sometimes it can happen.

 

The only player who disappointed was Johnson, but I suspect that it is in everyone’s interests that he moves on in the summer.

 

The offside wasn’t, but I am surprised to see Brendan carping about it. KK fell into that trap and very quickly the players got into the habit of blaming others for our defeats. At LFC we win, and if we have to beat the other side AND the ref, so be it.

 

Rarely can a defeat have engendered so much confidence amongst our support, and I am sure the players. It’s going to be a tough run in, there will be strange results along the way, but i am sure that after this game we can be there or thereabouts.

[sir roger]

Obviously been discussed to death but some random thoughts.

 

The scary thing with Mason is that I thought it was one of his better performances in our games.

 

Surprised at the vitriol aimed at Cissokho, thought he was decent.

 

Johnson was better going forward than of late, but I can't remember the last time he blocked a cross.

 

We are all excited by prospective January signings but stopping goals being conceded from dead balls must be the most pressing issue & we must bring in a specialist coach if need be, as we score fairly easily & have 3 first-teamers to return.

 

While looking forward to their return, am wondering where Gerrard & Sturridge will fit in with the fluidity we are showing through the midfield at present ( Gerrard for Lucas, maybe ).

[RedRazor]

I thought the shirt pull on Suarez was a definite penalty but suspect that Luis' "embellishment" is why he never got anything. The incident where Lescott just smashed through the back of him on the edge of the box was absolutely clear and I cannot see how he didn't get that free kick in a really dangerous position. the linesman must have seen it clearly - but then again, he did think Sterling was offside in the first half.

 

As for the Skrtel business I think the media are dictating the agenda. They could pick on any one of twenty centre backs in the PL and make exactly the same comments but appear to be focussing solely on Skrtel. It has got to the point where the media are looking for it whereas for everyone else it only gets mentioned if they happen to spot it. The other point is that a lot of the shirt pulling happens during the build up to a corner or set piece when the ball is not in play so isn't a penalty anyway. In most cases it is six and two threes so how does the ref call it if two players are doing it to each other at the same time? Not saying he is completely innocent but I think it is being overhyped to suit the media agenda.  

[JermainePennant]

I cant blame players for not having loyalty towards lfc when I see the treatment a player like johnson is getting.

 

He turned down city and chelsea to come here only for us to turn to shit in that time and there was also strong links to madrid after he was here a couple of years, through all this I have never heard glen say a bad word about lfc or that he would like to move to a champions league team when he easily could have.

 

He has been class through out all his time here and a model pro but now that he is going through a little bad patch which has been for about two months the most a lot of fans are getting on his back and saying they want him out.

 

For me glen is one of the best rbs in europe and I would be happy for him to see his career out here like carra and gerrard, he is short of confidence right now which is not surprising since he is getting singled out every game for criticism even when we win and has added pressure because he probably knows he is playing for his future here.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

I'm as prone to a bit of Johnson-bashing as anyone (fnarr, fnarr!) but JP's right.  He's by far the best RB at the club and undeniably one of the best in the Premier League.  Johnson, on his day, is scary-good.  He's generally consistent and solid - and he spoke up for Luis (and, by extension, the club and its fans) when the insane racism witch-hunt was at its peak.

[Dr. J]

Saying that Johnson is no longer good enough is not bashing him. Saying that he plays like he doesn't give a rat's ass about what happens is bashing him. People have their own opinions.

 

Sentimentality has held the club back for 20 years. He's either good enough for a club that looks poised to challenge for the title or he isn't. He gets paid 100 grand a week for his troubles and has not performed anywhere near the level that his wages and experience would suggest.

[LFC64]

The Johnson critisism is extremely exaggerated from certain quarters. Didnt have his best game, far from it, but he certainly wasnt that bad either. We wont find a better rightback unless we splash ridiculous money, and the way we play his attacking qualities are more important than the defensive ones we'd get with Kelly or Toure. Lescott's shirt pull in the end is a clear penalty, the difference between that and what happens on all set pieces is Lescott nearly ripped his shirt in half and Suarez didnt tocuh his. Where as Skrtel's pulls are just as obvious he gets held as much himself. Kompany has a grip around his collar and his forearm up on Skrtels throat in every duel they had, so i think the ref is right in letting that go both ways.

 

Im still in disbelif about the offside call on Sterling, it's ridiculous and unacceptable, he has to be dropped after that. 

This is true. Refs turn a blind eye to a defender pulling a shirt on the premise that it's a bit of both or take the safe option and give the decision to the defender. As you say in this case Luis didn't get involved in any tussle and was prevented from going to meet the ball by being dragged away by his shirt. Alright he laid it on with the fall but when refs don't blow for clear infringements simply because it would mean a penalty I can understand why he and other players feel the need to 'embellish'.

[Barney_Rubble]

I can't say I didn't see that coming - from the (manc-biased) beeb:

 

Brendan Rodgers: FA to look into Liverpool manager's ref comments

 

The Football Association is to investigate Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers following his criticism of referee Lee Mason.

 

Rodgers called the performance of the match officials "horrendous" after his side's 2-1 defeat by Manchester City.

 

He was angry that Raheem Sterling had a goal wrongly ruled out for offside and felt Luis Suarez was denied a late penalty during the Boxing Day match.

 

Rodgers also questioned the appointment of Bolton referee Mason.

 

"I was surprised that we are playing in Manchester and we had a referee from Greater Manchester”

 

Rodgers said: "Hopefully we won't have a Greater Manchester referee with Liverpool-Manchester games in future."

 

He added: "We had nothing that went our way at all."

 

The FA must decide if rule E3 (1) has been breached. The rule legislates for comments made about a match official which imply bias, attack the officials' integrity or which are personally offensive in nature. However, any FA action would be likely to happen next week.

 

Liverpool were top of the Premier League at the start of Boxing Day, but dropped to fourth after City's comeback victory at the Etihad Stadium.

 

Manuel Pellegrini's side fought back from Philippe Coutinho's opener to move within a point of leaders Arsenal after goals from Vincent Kompany and Alvaro Negredo.

 

The defeat for Liverpool leaves them three points adrift of Arsenal, who beat West Ham, with City second and Chelsea third.

 

Rodgers was particularly infuriated by the decision against Sterling, who put the ball in the net after being incorrectly flagged offside when the game was still goalless.

 

The manager also claimed Suarez had his shirt pulled by Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott inside the home penalty area in the late stages.

 

"I never go on about officials but I thought they were horrendous," he said.

 

"The linesman gave Raheem offside in the first half but they were not even on the same cut of grass. If you are working at this level, you have got to get those right.

 

"I'm asking young players to make those runs, he does it perfectly, and is given offside.

 

"There was another incident in the second half when Luis should have had a free-kick on the edge of the box and arguably there was a penalty late on.

 

"Luis can't jump because (Lescott's) tugging at his shirt."

 

Rodgers does not believe that Mason, who is from Bolton, should have been put in charge of the game because of the town's proximity to Manchester. Bolton is 16 miles from the Etihad Stadium.

 

"I was surprised that we are playing in Manchester and we had a referee from Greater Manchester," he added. "I was surprised when I saw it but that's by the by.

 

"For Liverpool against Manchester City, I don't think we'd get an official from Wirral."

 

Mason has officiated at the Etihad before - a Carling Cup semi-final in January 2012 which Liverpool won 1-0, courtesy of a Steven Gerrard penalty.

 

On that occasion, City's then-manager Roberto Mancini was furious with Mason for failing to punish a two-footed tackle by Glen Johnson on Lescott.

 

City boss Pellegrini said he was happy with his team's response to Coutinho's opener and their handling of in-form Suarez.

 

The Uruguay striker, who again captained Liverpool in the absence of injured skipper Steven Gerrard, had scored 10 goals in his previous four games heading into the match.

 

"It is not easy when you face such a difficult team, especially on the counter-attack when you are losing 1-0," Pellegrini said.

 

"I think today we defended very well especially against Suarez."

 

I may be wrong, but I don't remember these cunts quoting rule E3 (1) when the Demented One used to open his gob and enlighten us with his wisdom as far as refereeing was concerned.

[JermainePennant]

I didnt bother reading the rodgers comments last night but if thats all he said the fa can do fuck all and if they do he should take legal action, in normal circumstances officials who could be accused of being biased are not put on certain games so his question of why we had a manc official when playing a manc team is valid.