UCL - Liverpool v Ludogorets

[Mook]

Anyone got any stats for Coutinho?

 

I said to my mate last night that his pass completion rate must've been under 50%.

 

I think he's a great wee player but he needs dropping for a few games.

[Josef Svejk]

You can point the finger at a number of players for the conceded goal, from Mignolet to Lovren to Gerrard to Sterling. It was just sloppy and naive all around. Collective responsibility, from my point of view.

[Coro]

A number of times Lovren has either been turned by a pass, got the wrong side of his man or gone for balls that weren't his. The ref could easily have given a pen against him last night in the 1st half.

 

Put it down to transition for now, similar to Skrtel in Rodgers' first season.

[Josef Svejk]

Anyone got any stats for Coutinho?

 

I said to my mate last night that his pass completion rate must've been under 50%.

 

I think he's a great wee player but he needs dropping for a few games.

 

Coutinho was poor, but his pass completion (79%) was better than Lallana (75%), Sterling (76%), and Balotelli (73%). Henderson was only marginally better (80%). Strangely, Manquillo was worst of the lot (72%). (Official UEFA stats.)

 

Overall, our passing was poor.

[Mook]

Coutinho was poor, but his pass completion (79%) was better than Lallana (75%), Sterling (76%), and Balotelli (73%). Henderson was only marginally better (80%). Strangely, Manquillo was worst of the lot (72%). (Official UEFA stats.)

 

Overall, our passing was poor.

Quite surprised at that, thanks though.

[Josef Svejk]

Quite surprised at that, thanks though.

 

I haven't looked closely enough, but it may be that Coutinho is giving the ball away in the most dangerous positions - and less likely to recover possession (for lack of pace and strength) than Henderson, Sterling, and even Lallana. He may stand out for those reasons...

[Jose Jones]

It was never a penalty either was it?

 

I mean, if that had been given at the other end, we'd obviously have gone mental at Mignolet, but the ref would have been given massive amounts of abuse.

[The Golden Eel]

Anyone got any stats for Coutinho?

Amount of times mentioned by Trucker Paddy in the 24 hours immediately following Saturday's defeat - 381.

[Josef Svejk]

Quite surprised at that, thanks though.

 

 

I haven't looked closely enough, but it may be that Coutinho is giving the ball away in the most dangerous positions - and less likely to recover possession (for lack of pace and strength) than Henderson, Sterling, and even Lallana. He may stand out for those reasons...

 

Another thing that occurs to me is that when Coutinho has possession in an attacking position, his team mates tend to flood forward, looking for a through ball. When that ball doesn't come off, we're badly exposed to the counterattack. Again, that might be a reason why his failures stand out...

[Markmywords]

You can't expect any side to pick up in Aug / Sept exactly where the left off in April / May, let alone a side with so many different personnel

 

The key is how the manager gets a team to play so that the individuals become less important, as appose to the system.

 

If we keep on winning ugly like last night then it will click and soon it'll be beautiful again

[Markmywords]

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Would it be wrong of me to want to see Gerrard given 30 minutes just attacking the hell out of the opposition? I miss it. He doesn't have pace but he has guile and a great shot. He looks like a lion that's not allowed to eat the wilderbeest anymore. Fuck all this quarderrback shite and let him off the leash. 

 

 

Was thinking the same last night - that charging run he used to do when he fires it in to the centre forwards feet from ten yards and steams in for the lay off. Miss that.

[Josef Svejk]

 

 

 

Was thinking the same last night - that charging run he used to do when he fires it in to the centre forwards feet from ten yards and steams in for the lay off. Miss that.

 

His legs have gone. Get over it.

[xerxes]

A win. Thnk you very much. And wasn't it great having a CL night back at Anfield?

 

Delighted for SuperMario getting off the mark.

 

The performance wasn't convincing, but the result is all that will be remembered. It is easy to forget that our last CL campaign under Rafa was an embarrassing humiliation. We have a lucky three points in the bag.

 

It was also good to see Basel take a battering at Madrid. They have the potential to be far more dangerous than the Bulgarians so a confidence sapping defeat for them was a double bonus for us.

[Markmywords]

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His legs have gone. Get over it.

 Shirely he's good for one or two of them just for old time sake on euro nights?

cant

get

over

it

 

[Markmywords]

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It was also good to see Basel take a battering at Madrid. They have the potential to be far more dangerous than the Bulgarians so a confidence sapping defeat for them was a double bonus for us.

 

 

good point

[bossy]

It was a penalty Jose. The replays showed he was tripped/caught by the keeper twice. It did look soft at first.

[Hand Shandy]

The penalty looked soft in real time, but the keeper definitely took him out. There was clear contact.

 

The angle of the TV pictures was always going to make it look like he'd gone down easily.

[ZonkoVille77]

The penalty looked soft in real time, but the keeper definitely took him out. There was clear contact.

 

The angle of the TV pictures was always going to make it look like he'd gone down easily.

Thank fuck he went down is all I can say.

[KopOut]

A number of times Lovren has either been turned by a pass, got the wrong side of his man or gone for balls that weren't his. The ref could easily have given a pen against him last night in the 1st half.

 

Put it down to transition for now, similar to Skrtel in Rodgers' first season.

Typing of Skrtel, where the Fuck is he?

[TheFridge]

Game management (which Rodgers often mentions) was sorely missing after we scored, it's really basic stuff, there shouldn't have been a gaping hole in the center of our midfield in the last minute of the game, the Ludogorets player had all the time in the world to receive the ball and do what he wanted, that's inexcusable.

 

When Sterling (who was fouled imo) was running with it there was no need for all our midfielders to all be pushing so far up like that, just sit in and leave the 3 forwards to it at that point in the game.

[TheFridge]

Thank fuck he went down is all I can say.

 

For a split second i didn't think he was going to, thankfully he did.

[TheFridge]

Never thought i would think it but during the game it was clear to see we missed Allen, he really helps with our tempo and urgency, that's what has been the most concerning thing this season, we are generally lacking that zip and high tempo we've been so used to seeing in the last 18 months, especially at Anfield.

[Hand Shandy]

Game management (which Rodgers often mentions) was sorely missing after we scored, it's really basic stuff, there shouldn't have been a gaping hole in the center of our midfield in the last minute of the game, the Ludogorets player had all the time in the world to receive the ball and do what he wanted, that's inexcusable.

 

When Sterling (who was fouled imo) was running with it there was no need for all our midfielders to all be pushing so far up like that, just sit in and leave the 3 forwards to it at that point in the game.

And Moreno shouldn't have been ahead of Sterling, leading to there being too much space between the centre-backs as Sakho tried to cover his position.

 

Moreno will learn, and he was one of the best players on the pitch last night, but I think criticising Sakho and/or Lovren for the goal is harsh to be honest.

[kemskem]

I've got hopes for Can becoming like Graeme Souness, as you do, and hopefully Rodgers will try to develop further the defensive side of his game. He's surely the only hope we've got to come on to help us protect a slender lead (which in our case is 2-0) when discipline and concentration don't seem to be the strong suits of our more established players. I can't see anyone else coming off the bench and offering the tactical discipline and defensive nous, who isn't physically past it, to make us more solid.

[Total Longo]

To be fair to Coutinho, the lad doesn't hide. His passing was not the best last night, but he was always looking for the ball.