West Bromwich Albion FC vs Liverpool FC

[Newport]

Can someone try to explain to me what we were doing towards the end of the first half when we got a free kick 25 yards out with two minutes to go and we did not get anyone in the box and ended up playing the ball backwards to Mignolet only for him to waste it instead of trying to attack and score a goal?

 

Shocking tactics and something I've never seen happening in the first half before, had it been in the second half and we were leading 1-0 with two minutes left I could understand it, but in the first half?

Was literally screaming at the telly when that happened. Fucking waste of a great opportunity.

 

And isn't it about time we started dealing with opposing teams pressing us high? Everytime it happens we shit ourselves and still keeps playing it out from the back. I know why we keep doing it, but sometimes you have to adapt yourself to the situation you're in. That's why I'm not blaming Toure for his mistake, that one is all on Rodgers for messing about this despite not really having all the players to play the way he wants to play.

[Gym Beglin]

I applauded the telly when we kept possession from that free kick.

 

Barca would have done that under the same circumstances. Keep the fucking ball, win the half.

 

You're a fucking idiot if you think we should have launched it.

[Paco]

Was literally screaming at the telly when that happened. Fucking waste of a great opportunity.

 

And isn't it about time we started dealing with opposing teams pressing us high? Everytime it happens we shit ourselves and still keeps playing it out from the back. I know why we keep doing it, but sometimes you have to adapt yourself to the situation you're in. That's why I'm not blaming Toure for his mistake, that one is all on Rodgers for messing about this despite not really having all the players to play the way he wants to play.

this is the way we ve played from the word go. skrtel did something very similar at home to city at the beginning of last season. tevez intercepted backpass amd scored. skrtel hasnt made a mistake like that since I dont think.

 

the reason we ve largely played such great football is because we play football from back to front.

 

you cant applaud it when it works and denounce it when it doesnt.

 

the system works fine. its on the individuals because they know how they re expected to play but the individuals have to take responsibility for when its on and when its not on. maybe mignolet shouldnt have played the ball to toure that time but toure had at least 2 options - cissokho or back to keeper.

 

if we didnt have the personnel to play this system we d be far far worse off than we are. thats not to say we cant improve on almost every position in the team but our style and system have us in our best position in years plsying our best football in decades.

[KopOut]

Not really worried about this result if I'm honest. We know now we're after Fourth - and one point keeps us a nose in front of the them across the park.

Now then . . . . just a little matter of Arsenal.

[Fi!]

Toure mistake aside, I still find the midfield and attack balance very awkward.

 

Sterling is on the right wing, but there is no one on the left. Suarez or Sturridge is started on the left, but both of them are central for most of the time. That leave us working with only 2/3 the width of the field.

 

Coutinho is often too far forward as a midfielders for the defense to play a pass to him, Gerrard is playing as the 3rd CB instead of midfielder. That leaves only Henderson in the middle to link up the defense and the attacking players, and as usual he is busy putting out fires and done nothing well in the end.

[Paco]

Toure mistake aside, I still find the midfield and attack balance very awkward.

 

Sterling is on the right wing, but there is no one on the left. Suarez or Sturridge is started on the left, but both of them are central for most of the time. That leave us working with only 2/3 the width of the field.

 

Coutinho is often too far forward as a midfielders for the defense to play a pass to him, Gerrard is playing as the 3rd CB instead of midfielder. That leaves only Henderson in the middle to link up the defense and the attacking players, and as usual he is busy putting out fires and done nothing well in the end.

gerrard only goes between the cbs when the keeper has the ball. other than that hes playing in front of them in the role lucas plays.

 

are people only noticing this is how we play since gerrard dropped in there?

[spider-neil]

Despite how the team performed last week I still think we should have started the game with 3 in the middle with Allen replacing Coutinho. That is hindsight, we just lack control in midfield with 4 attackers.

[DanDanShaw]

Sitting pretty in 4th, with only the useless Scum to play away from home.  All our rivals to come to Anfield (a place were we've been dominant this season) and 7 points clear of the only team I see really challenging us for 4th.

 

 

 

We drew to West Brom away, but for a stupid error we'd of won.  Newcastle lost, Arsenal and Everton both drew and City just won with a last minute goal (2-3) away to West Brom.

 

 

 

If we'd been offered this exact position and remaining fixtures with 14 games to go at the start of the season we'd all of taken it.  Some people need to put their tampons back in and get a bit of realism into their expectations.

 

[johnsusername]

You knew from two minutes into it what kind of afternoon it was going to be.

 

With our run of injuries (like all teams have) I think the squad is already starting to limp towards the finishing line. Put in Agger, Sahko, Enrique and Allen and it'd be a much stronger team. But that's football.

 

Shame we couldn't have brought on one of our recent signings for some inspiration. Oh, hang on....

[DanDanShaw]

It's really difficult forming any kind of opinion on Alberto because of how infrequently he's been used.

 

He's a brilliant player, and will be a very, very good player in the future.

 

Next season we need to bring Suso back and loan Alberto out, I don't think he'd benefit from a move back to Spain though - we need to send him to a Chamionship club who play good football.  Somebody like Wigan.

[Fi!]

Any idea on when Sahko and Agger will come back? We need they to sort the LCB position out. 

 

Toure and Cissoko togther is too much ball given to the opposition 

[Faustus]

While I admire DanDan Shaw's optimism on the previous page- saying we're 7 points ahead of United, who he thinks are our main challengers for fourth- why are people so quick to discount Everton? I'm not levelling this squarely at Dan, but it's something I've noticed a lot on here; especially in the 'other football' thread when people were pissing themselves with glee over the results (don't get me wrong, two were great), while ignoring that Everton had clawed back three points after coming from behind on the back of a derby hiding. That's a great show of character that.

 

Is it because of the 'laugh at Everton' thread people are quick to count them out? Yes, their fans are dicks, but the reality is that they're a good team with a promising manager overseeing things. The way I see it, we're much better than them on our day, but we could learn a thing or two from them in grinding out results. Yesterday being a case in point. It seems our attack always has to have a blinder to win a game,  but they always seem to pick up points no matter how badly they play.

 

Unfortunately, they're not going anywhere from now until May. Make no mistake, they're right in the mix for fourth.

[VladimirIlyich]

They pressed our centre halves and allowed our two weakest defenders in possession,the full backs,to have the ball. Villa did a similar thing and almost beat us too. Also quite ironic that we always want to play out from the back yet our GK is not too great with the ball at his feet.

Yet again we go asleep in the second half and it costs us dear. Are the players having a kip at half time?

[DanDanShaw]

While I admire DanDan Shaw's optimism on the previous page- saying we're 7 points ahead of United, who he thinks are our main challengers for fourth- why are people so quick to discount Everton? I'm not levelling this squarely at Dan, but it's something I've noticed a lot on here; especially in the 'other football' thread when people were pissing themselves with glee over the results (don't get me wrong, two were great), while ignoring that Everton had clawed back three points after coming from behind on the back of a derby hiding. That's a great show of character that.

 

Is it because of the 'laugh at Everton' thread people are quick to count them out? Yes, their fans are dicks, but the reality is that they're a good team with a promising manager overseeing things. The way I see it, we're much better than them on our day, but we could learn a thing or two from them in grinding out results. Yesterday being a case in point. It seems our attack always has to have a blinder to win a game,  but they always seem to pick up points no matter how badly they play.

 

Unfortunately, they're not going anywhere from now until May. Make no mistake, they're right in the mix for fourth.

 

I discredit them because they have a wank manager and a wank squad.  They will not finish above us or the Mancs.  I'd even wager they'd finish below Spurs as well.  They're taking people by storm, but (with 14 games to go) they'll still be found out.  They'll finish many points off top 4 and next season they'll finish mid-table.

 

This is all my opinion of course.

[Tony Moanero]

I discredit them because they have a wank manager and a wank squad.  They will not finish above us or the Mancs.  I'd even wager they'd finish below Spurs as well.  They're taking people by storm, but (with 14 games to go) they'll still be found out.  They'll finish many points off top 4 and next season they'll finish mid-table.

 

This is all my opinion of course.

Wank squad?

[KevieG]

We are criminally short in both full back positions, that was all too evident again yesterday. Some sickener that we didn't strengthen in the transfer window. Its not like we didn't all see it.

 

And there also appears to be an issue with intensity. Thats never going to be a problem with the derby or Arsenal game at home but its caught us out now a couple of times this year. I think having Allen and Hendo playing together might compensate a bit for this but we still need a Souness/Keane type in the middle who won't let standards fall.

 

What it boils down to is the positions that needed filling still need filling.

 

Strangely though, I'm relatively optimistic about top 4. Spurs and United are just as inconsistent if not more so. They keep threatening to go a on run but it never quite happens. Tim Sherwood and David fuckin Moyes. Can you believe that. This year is our chance to knock both of them back for a few years. 

[Paco]

Injured Agger (calf, 8 Feb), Sakho (16 Feb), José Enrique (knee, unknown), Coates (knee, Mar), Lucas (knee, Mar), Johnson (ankle, indefinite)

 

quote name="Fi!" post="3666885" timestamp="1391420566"]

 

Any idea on when Sahko and Agger will come back? We need they to sort the LCB position out.

 

Toure and Cissoko togther is too much ball given to the opposition

 

guardian team sheet: cant paste the fucker where I want to.

[Faustus]

I really wouldn't say they have a wank squad or a wank manager. At the start of the season, I couldn't envisage them in the position they're currently in because I thought there'd be a drop off while they adjust to Martinez's style of play, but he's done a great job there thus far.

 

As far as it goes with the squad, I'd say their full backs would walk into our side. Jagielka and Distin are a sound defensive partnership. Barry and McCarthy have improved their midfield. Mirallas, while a horrible little rat, is a good player. In Ross Barkley, I think they've got a cracking talent on their hands. He's impressed me virtually every time I've seen them. Not really a squad I'd describe as wank.

 

As I said, we're a miles better side than them when we're on form, but they have that knack of picking up points when they're playing like shit. They've even been picking up points despite having injuries in key positions. There's a resilience with them that I don't think we or Spurs have and one that the Mancs have lost.

 

Personally, I think they'll push us hard for fourth, despite getting a good hiding in the week. They're just one big unflushable turd.

[johnsusername]

I think having Allen and Hendo playing together might compensate a bit for this but we still need a Souness/Keane type in the middle who won't let standards fall. 

 

Isn't that what our captain Steven Gerrard is supposed to do?

[DanDanShaw]

Wank squad?

 

Yes, they are woefully short up top.  They have a basic midfield with no back-up and a terrible defence.  Distin and Jagielka are okay, not to mention 3 of their best players this season are loanees.

 

I really wouldn't say they have a wank squad or a wank manager. At the start of the season, I couldn't envisage them in the position they're currently in because I thought there'd be a drop off while they adjust to Martinez's style of play, but he's done a great job there thus far.

 

As far as it goes with the squad, I'd say their full backs would walk into our side. Jagielka and Distin are a sound defensive partnership. Barry and McCarthy have improved their midfield. Mirallas, while a horrible little rat, is a good player. In Ross Barkley, I think they've got a cracking talent on their hands. He's impressed me virtually every time I've seen them. Not really a squad I'd describe as wank.

 

As I said, we're a miles better side than them when we're on form, but they have that knack of picking up points when they're playing like shit. They've even been picking up points despite having injuries in key positions. There's a resilience with them that I don't think we or Spurs have and one that the Mancs have lost.

 

Personally, I think they'll push us hard for fourth, despite getting a good hiding in the week. They're just one big unflushable turd.

 

They've got hard games to come and I think they'll lost 6 games from now until the end of the season.  They can't cope with injuries because past their first 11 they've nothing (much like us) but out first 11 is far, far superior to theirs.

 

I just don't rate their manager whatsoever, I could be made to eat my words - but I'm totally writing them off for 4th place and don't see them as a threat.

 

Isn't that what our captain Steven Gerrard is supposed to do?

 

Yeah, but he had another terrible game as expected.  He'll always put in 10/10 performances against Everton, but then doesn't even bother showing up 90% of the time anymore.

[Jairzinho]

Mirallas is one of those players that if he was our cunt, we'd love the cunt.

[Jairzinho]

 

 

Yeah, but he had another terrible game as expected.  He'll always put in 10/10 performances against Everton, but then doesn't even bother showing up 90% of the time anymore.

 

Quite a lot of people had him in there top three players yesterday, which obviously isn't saying a huge amount. I thought he was better than Coutinho and Henderson but still didn't play particularly well. Much better first half than second, obviously.