Villa match thread

[El Rojo]

I know he scored and all but jesus christ Borini is not good. There was more than one occasion when he could have played the ball quickly and created a real chance but instead slowed down and went backwards. Also had two more great chances to score but did the wrong thing and ran the ball into a blind alley.

 

Good to see him score and everything, but yeah, he's a limited footballer.

 

In fairness to him, he gets in good positions but nine times out of ten takes the wrong option.

 

£14m would have been a remarkable piece of business in the summer.

[Mojo]

Ibe looks like a new Sterling. Happy days.

 

 

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[Dr. J]

I know it was only 5' on in a game already won but Ibe impressed. Wanted every ball and made some strong, clever runs. I'd be thinking to turn him into a striker.

 

Good job all around, well done!

[Reckoner]

I would agree Borini is shite.

On a separate note that was the first time we have kept 3 away clean sheets in a row since Sept 2008, and despite our flaws I genuinely think 3rd spot is a realistic aim this year.

[Brigant Moloch]

Ibe looks like a new Sterling. Happy days.

 

 

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think he could be even better

[Brigant Moloch]

genius

why? Lucas was shite, and Enrique for Moreno was a shite sub.

[Sangria]

Three points enjoy. Easy fucking peasy. Well in redmen.

[Tony Moanero]

why? Lucas was shite, and Enrique for Moreno was a shite sub.

Win, lose or draw - you're never happy.

 

Get off the manager's back, you plum.

[Faustus]

I know he's largely disappointed and I can't see him being here next season, but I'm made up for Lambert there. I've got to be honest, I've got a bit of a soft spot for him just because he's a boyhood red and you can see what wearing the shirt means to him.

 

Cracking finish there, lad.

[JermainePennant]

think he could be even better

Agreed watching both of them in the youth team there wasn't much between their performances and imo Ibe looked slightly better.

 

Sterling was more impressive with his dribbling going past a few players at a time but Ibes final product was better.

[Brigant Moloch]

Win, lose or draw - you're never happy.

 

Get off the manager's back, you plum.

 

I'm happy, but because of the result, not because of the performance. 3pts is always fine,  but game is finished and now we can talk about it and there were some ridiculous decisions made and some poor performances too. Now fuck off sheep, your flock needs you. Go the Reds, fuck mediocrity.

[Fi!]

Can and Markovic look really wasted in the defence, especially Markovic who is basically a right back today. Nonetheless I thought they had done really really well considered being played out of position.

 

Really hope Lovren would do better to free Can from his current CB position and push onto the midfield to replace Lucas.

[JermainePennant]

I'm happy, but because of the result, not because of the performance. 3pts is always fine, but game is finished and now we can talk about it and there were some ridiculous decisions made and some poor performances too. Now fuck off sheep, your flock needs you. Go the Reds, fuck mediocrity.

I thought Lucas was very good today, particularly on the ball, he is better then he's given credit for.

 

I'll admit I thought the lambert substitution was odd at the time as we were under pressure and needed an outlet to counter, Borini did need to come off though I would have replaced him with Ibe and put sterling up front.

 

Sterling looked off today and maybe Rodgers wanted us to retain possession instead of counter attacking, it worked either way and was good to see lambert get a nice goal.

[Brigant Moloch]

Can and Markovic look really wasted in the defence, especially Markovic who is basically a right back today. Nonetheless I thought they had done really really well considered being played out of position.

 

Really hope Lovren would do better to free Can from his current CB position and push onto the midfield to replace Lucas.

 

Markovic played RWB today, difficult position to play, yet he worked his arse off in the defense, same with Moreno as LWB. Btw - just imagine Glen Jo there.... scenes.

 

Lovren wouldn't, he just can't defend. Rodgers won't drop Lucas now they're married.

[magicrat]

Markovic played RWB today, difficult position to play, yet he worked his arse off in the defense, same with Moreno as LWB. Btw - just imagine Glen Jo there.... scenes.

 

Lovren wouldn't, he just can't defend. Rodgers won't drop Lucas now they're married.

The problem is converting our chances, Lack of strikers that can kill off dross like Villa and Sunderland . We should be avoiding having to go full siege in these sort of games 

[Brigant Moloch]

The problem is converting our chances, Lack of strikers that can kill off dross like Villa and Sunderland . We should be avoiding having to go full siege in these sort of games 

 

All on Rodgers. Could play two strikers with Balotelli & Borini, both need a partner in attack, both used to play in a 2. Or even Lambert-Borini. Or Markovic-Borini. Markovic is a striker too. All of them more likely to score & play better when in a 2.

[Anubis]

Was in Bolton to see my little nieces so missed most of the game. Heard the first goal on the Radio. It sounded like we were comfortably on top at that point. How did we do overall?

[Jairzinho]

Was in Bolton to see my little nieces so missed most of the game. Heard the first goal on the Radio. It sounded like we were comfortably on top at that point. How did we do overall?

 

We were decent, no better no worse. Borini missed a few half decent chances (though the finish for the chance he did take was quite nice), and whilst it remained 1-0 they always had a chance. We had a period of about ten minutes of shitting ourselves where they probably should have taken one of their chances. As soon as Lambert scored (nice goal, drilled into the bottom corner from the edge of the box) it was game over. They lost any hope of taking anything from the match.

 

No-one really stood out as having a great or shit game. Markovic possibly the best player for us.

[Josef Svejk]

Rodgers won't drop Lucas now they're married.

 

They can stay married as long as we get results.

 

I'm not Lucas's biggest fan by any means, but he's the best available option in his position for the time being.

[Brigant Moloch]

Of course. Which proves that - Shite DM > No DM.

[Tony Moanero]

I'm happy, but because of the result, not because of the performance. 3pts is always fine, but game is finished and now we can talk about it and there were some ridiculous decisions made and some poor performances too. Now fuck off sheep, your flock needs you. Go the Reds, fuck mediocrity.

Sheep?

 

I didn't even watch the game, you knob!

[Paco]

Champions League still objective for my 'young, exciting team' says Reds boss

 

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers celebrates their first goal scored by Fabio Borini Credit: Action Images / Carl Recine

 

Brendan Rodgers believes Liverpool have regained their “identity” – with their sights now firmly set on a return to the Champions League.

 

The Reds extended their run of form to one defeat in 14 with a hard-fought 2-0 win at struggling Aston Villa.

 

Fabio Borini netted his first goal for the club since April 2013 before Rickie Lambertcame off the bench to score for the first time since November.

 

And Rodgers has urged his team to put themselves in a position to challenge for a top-four berth during the final third of the campaign.

 

“If we can get through to through to the end of January and be somewhere near it, we showed last year we can put a run together to see us in there,” said Rodgers.

 

“That's still the objective. We believe if we keep working, we still have improvements to make.

 

VIEW GALLERY 

 

“It's a real young exciting team. You see some of the football we played today, and maybe we could have had one or two more goals.

 

“It was a tough game and we have seen it through. We just have to keep working well.”

 

Liverpool were forced to withstand intense Villa pressure after the interval but held on for only their seventh clean sheet of the season.

 

And with six wins in their last eight games, a delighted Rodgers said: “We have regained our identity from how the team has played for two years. It has very much come back.

 

“It's fair to say that in the opening four months we were just nowhere near what we have been.

 

System working well for us

 

“We needed to find a solution to that. We changed the system for the game at Manchester United and even though we lost I had seen enough in our play that that could be the way going forward.

 

“The system is working very well for us but the style is the most important thing. The system can be whatever, but this system now is an exciting one.

 

“You can see the youth in the team, so there's a lot of improvement left in this team.

 

“We are performing at a good level, defensively we are strong and playing some good football. We have to keep improving.”

 

 

 

Mignolet was dominant says manager

 

Simon Mignolet was 'outstanding' at Villa Park says Brendan Rodgers Credit: Action Images / Carl Recine 

 

The much-maligned Simon Mignolet produced a commanding performance in the face of concerted aerial pressure from Villa, the highlight of which was an excellent block to deny Christian Benteke.

 

“I thought he was outstanding,” said Rodgers. “He wasn't overly worked but he made two great saves when called upon.

 

“But what was really pleasing was how dominant he was.

 

“Benteke is nearly unstoppable in the air when he is challenging for the ball, but Simon came for a number of crosses and got contact with the ball and was really calm and composed and wasn't flustered.

 

“The team as a whole defended very, very well but I was particularly pleased for him as he has had a wee bit of stick. I thought he was excellent.”

 

Rodgers also had praise for Emre Can, who continues to impress on the right side of Liverpool's three-man defence.

 

“Look at Emre Can,” said the Reds boss. “What a wonderful player he is.

 

“He is a central midfield player but (in defence) his composure, calmness and strength against Benteke was very impressive.”

[Brigant Moloch]

Sheep?

 

I didn't even watch the game, you knob!

 

why the "VIlla match thread" then? WHY??? 

[Josef Svejk]

Of course. Which proves that - Shite DM > No DM.

 

I don't think he's shite. I do think we need a superior player in his position.

[ZonkoVille77]

Kiss of death from Rodgers there.