Liverpool vs Aston Villa, Sep 13th 2014

[Joe Strummer]

Don't drop/rest Sterling again please.

[Dr Nowt]

Saw him live today for first time. Physically puts the shits up the whole club big time

 

Like, literally?  Did Ayre drop his pen?

[stringvest]

Thats been apparent for about 4 years. But nothing gets done.

Difference is we had two good midfielders unavailable today due to injury .

[stringvest]

Saw him live today for first time. Physically puts the shits up the whole club big time

What are you talking about? Watch who Gerrard passes to in the back four. He knows Sakho uses the ball better than anyone else in there. Compare and contrast with his reluctance to pass to certain midfielders we used to have in the team

[Delmar]

We played the majority of the match facing our own goal when in possession of the ball.  That's all it takes.  We were moving like a team of Hodgson's.  No running from midfield, no turning with the ball.  No shots as a result.  And no surprise if you play this way.

[BCM]

What are you talking about? Watch who Gerrard passes to in the back four. He knows Sakho uses the ball better than anyone else in there. Compare and contrast with his reluctance to pass to certain midfielders we used to have in the team

 

His defending worries me far more than his passing. Made a right balls up giving away the corner that led to their goal.

[eeyore]

What are you talking about? Watch who Gerrard passes to in the back four. He knows Sakho uses the ball better than anyone else in there. Compare and contrast with his reluctance to pass to certain midfielders we used to have in the team

Was the first time witnessing his performance live. You could see the fear in the players faces when he has to use his brain.

[King Emlyn]

Today was pathetic by any measure, sort it and sort it quickly. Rodgers has been here long enough now and enough money has been spent. Two defeats from four is simply not good enough.

[Redder Lurtz]

Seeing this little phrase cheers me up a bit after results like today's:

 

This post is hidden because you have chosen to ignore posts by Funnneeeee. View it anyway?

[Dr Nowt]

To be honest, ascribing individual fault to players today is like poking around in a dog turd with a pen.

 

Usual weaknesses we're all aware of on display, but along with that there were too many players coming back from injury and new to the club all thrown in there together with little shape or cohesion as a result, while the formation was also changed from the last game when we looked at our most convincing so far this season.  It left us too much to do and from the first minute we were chasing a bus up a steep hill.

 

The pieces were assembled poorly, almost randomly, such that we never gave ourselves the best chance of taking something from the game because we rarely carried a goal threat or looked like getting in behind Villa today at all, while our defensive frailties were largely no more or less than their usual self.  Bizarrely, despite their last two performances at ours, we in addition once again set up in a way which gave their midfield the freedom of Anfield in the first-half.  As Stringvest said we played to our weaknesses, and the lone striker should probably only be used if necessity forces it until some of these new lads are established enough to carry a real goal threat from the various midfield/wide positions, as we're like a dog with a muzzle on when we use it at present.

 

Big Rodgers fan, but that one was on him first and foremost today, in my opinion.  Bad day at the office, reminded me of the Southampton loss last season in that it just fizzled out and felt like a real waste of a defeat to have on our record.  As much self-inflicted through poor performances from the manager and then players, in that order, as it was due to our opponents doing a neat and tidy, no-frills number on us.

[boomer39]

much as i was really disappointed tonight, if villa dont finish in the top 4 or 5 , i will be very surprised, they deserved what they got...

[king7]

Bitterly disappointed about todays result. It´s the kind of result we really can´t afford if we are challenging for the title. Most of the blame has to go to the manager. It was clear from the Southampton-game that we struggle with the 4-2-3-1 formation. Maybe he thinks that formation is the future for us, but then it must be better coached on the training field before it´s used in a match. Especially the midfield pairing has to be better, but with Henderson away on international duty for the last two weeks, there´s no way him and Gerrard could have worked much on this before the game. It´s a bit arrogant to think that we can play 6 new players in a new formation against Villa at home, a match we have struggled with in previous seasons.  

[Phoenix]

much as i was really disappointed tonight, if villa dont finish in the top 4 or 5 , i will be very surprised, they deserved what they got...

 

You will be very surprised.

[Phoenix]

Rodgers: "We're competing on budgets of, you know, a third than some of the other teams that's up there."

 

Few journos on twitter already picked it up.

 

Pathetic when you have spent over 100 million on transfers

[King Emlyn]

much as i was really disappointed tonight, if villa dont finish in the top 4 or 5 , i will be very surprised, they deserved what they got...

Prepare to be surprised, Villa are shite, they've got nothing, the fact we were unable to swat them away like an irritating fly (like the big hitters will do) is the biggest concern.

[Adebisi]

Didn't catch the match as I was working but it sounds like it was a bit of a stinker. I'm blaming it all on fucking internationals. On the plus side we only have to wait a few days to get over it. Nothing worse than having to wait a week before the next game after a shit result. Puts a dampener on everything. 

[Harry Squatter]

Reminded me of those shite performances from the mid to late 90s when we would play average teams at home and do fuck all against them.

[Anubis]

Well, sounds like it was a bit of a rum to-do. On the other other hand, I enioyed the cinema.

 

However, I really don't want to hear Rodgers complaining about spending when we've just been turned over by a team that was scrabbling around for free signings and loan signings. He may have a point if we're losing to the likes of City, Chelsea and United. But not Aston Villa.

[JoeBuck]

well that was disappointing and still the jury must be out on Rodgers.  Firstly, was he just lucky that he had Suarez who could turn most games.  Secondly, what arrogance - 4 debutants and rest your best payer against a side who has outplayed us twice at home  in the past two seasons.

 

and what about Lovren - another £20m wasted on a central defender who can't defend corners?

 

every season we came close - 1997, 2002, 2009, and most painfully last season, the following season has failed to match and the players have failed to live up to expectations.

 

The shirt looked heavy for most tonight, and not just the hapless Lambert.

[redska]

This reminds me of the Southampton game last season. These performances happen early in the season for a reason. New players bedding in , most players been travelling all week. Nothing to worry about. City lost at home to Stoke a few weeks ago FFS. No big deal.We`ll be fine. Brendan will sort it.

We Go Again.

[Nelly-Szoboszlai]

What's arrogant about playing debutants when we've got injuries?

 

When do you play these players without being arrogant.

 

The same 4 games we've played this season amassed 4 points last season. We've got 6 points from the same games this season.

 

We tend to start slow anyway, plus that's amplified by us having a few new starters.

 

If we're still playing this badly in 3 to 4 weeks time, be concerned then. But I think we'll push on. Although a few of the signings look a bit overrawed at the minute.

 

Allen was a big miss today, with his infamous body angles. But it's true. He helps link midfield to attack really quickly by opening his body when receiving a forward pass, meaning he can pass it forward quickly too.

 

Missed that today. There was a lot of passes from midfield back to the back four and Villa just sat off and let us do that as it wasn't hurting them.

[Jairzinho]

Well that was fucking shit.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Well that was fucking shit.

End thread.

[Delmar]

I guess not. You two can talk hours about nothing.  This was nothing.

[ratcatcher]

That went well!

 

Sakoh shit put in a fine display yet again to go with the shit pass he played to Gerrard which had a major say in the title run in last season.

 

I just gasp when some people rate him so highly. My heart's in my throat everytime he gets the ball at the back. He gets it and pushes it 3 metres in front of himself which is an open invitation to the oppos.

 

His poor attempt at dealing with the ball and alluded to by Rodgers in his post match interview was simply woeful. His defending at the corner even worse.

 

But, we had over 86 minutes including stoppage time to get back on level terms but couldnt because we had no guile, no speed of thought and no element of surprise. In other words, no Luis Suarez to break teams like this down.

 

We hardly made any chances I can recall. We increased the squad depth and still some morons near me complained why so and so was on the pitch and so and so wasnt.

 

Hard work on the training ground required and friggin internationals didnt help. West Ham away is going to be tough I think.