Stoke away 9/8/2015

[TheHowieLama]

Especially when it changed completely

[Mark M]

The formation was incredibly disappointing

personnely I don't expect to see the fluid finished fully working team in the very first match of the season.

Both Chelsea and arsenal were poor and dropped points.

It's all about getting points on the board early doors. Fitness and form will improve as the games start to come thick and fast.

[Paco]

Henderson needs to be allowed to get forward like he did once can came on.

 

midfield sorted there.

[Stickman]

Disappointing for me I was expecting at least a 5-0 win.....Rogers out.

[El Dangerous]

The formation was incredibly disappointing

Yeah, the formation definitely overshadowed the victory.

[Jairzinho]

I'd rather have played 3-2-3-2 and lost.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

Not the most impressive display, but I doubt there are many tougher opening fixtures, and there was lots to digest.

 

I was worried about Gomez, as I thought holding onto Walters in a new position might be a bridge too far on his debut, but he did well learning how much pressure to apply and how to cope with the subtle nudges and grapples. It helped that the ref was pretty fair, not allowing them to lever under the ball when jumping too much.

 

As for Lovren, bizarrely I thought he was probably the better CB on the day, as Skrtel got lucky with two back passes where he didn't bother looking that could have easily cost us.

 

Still a bit concerned about whether we'll get the most out of Benteke though. Two strikers on the bench and we stick with the one no one wants isolated. Hopefully it's just that he's not fully match fit, but he doesn't press consistently and his runs have almost no lateral movement, which means when he's up against a CB with any pace he needs the perfect pass.

 

Milner was the big positive of the day for me. Harried all game, and worked far better with Henderson than I thought; for a CM, he filled in anywhere he was needed, and the pair seemed to offer a little more protection to the back four.

 

Firmino looks like he'll be a bag of tricks too, him and Cou in the same side made us look far more dynamic, and Benteke appeared to have a little more space when their CBs weren't sure whether to step up to our AMs, so hopefully he'll have a big impact. I'd like to see him as part of the front two ahead of a diamond.

 

Three points, away at Stoke, when everyone's still getting up to speed is good enough for me.

[El Dangerous]

I'm wondering if the plan with Gomez is to sell Sakho and give him a go as 3rd choice with Ilori and Kolo as back up then using the Sakho cash to bring a more established lb in. Gomez looked really composed even when he fluffed it a couple of times.

[Stickman]

Glad we didn't lose as. my phone tends to struggle to get to page 53

[Grinch]

Seen nothing but the team sheet and the result so more than happy with the victory. At the end of the day 3 points is 3 points.

 

Fucks knows why Lovren has started the season ahead of Sakho tho. I don't know anyone that would have done that.

 

Weary that last season started with a win over Southampton but with Bournemouth at home next is a great chance to start the season well.

 

It'll be awesome watching match of the day tonight for the first time in a very long time.

[Mark M]

Fucks knows why Lovren has started the season ahead of Sakho tho.

I didn't want him to start either but he'd a good game and was one of our better players. (Never thought I'd type that about Lovern)

[bossy]

Those who dislike Rodgers, of course. They're not interested in anything other than sticking the knife in and twisting it. 

 

For me, that's a sign of improvement. We were rarely troubled, against a good Stoke side at a place where it's very difficult to get 3 points. We've turned a 6-1 into a 0-1. A solid, if unremarkable away win. Maybe it's because I grew up watching Liverpool doing that, to fanfare actually, that I don't piss my pants because we've not won by 4 with a world class display. Points are points.

 

Bollocks. I don't like Rodgers but I'm made up with the win.

[WhiskeyJar]

Lovern did well, really well. Had his off moments of course but seeing him barking orders and being composed, really bodes well for us.

[etho]

Loads of new players, new team, not great performance but looked solid and got the three points. Midfield balance needs to be tuned, I don't think we need a spoiler DM, but a deep playmaker to sit behind Henderson and milner would give more options. Difficult to see where Lallana fits in. If him and Markovic can't step up, we may have an issue when firmino and coutinho aren't firing. Ibe has huge potential but he's clearly young and raw.

[gingerhulk]

Can, Henderson and Milner in midfield. 

 

If any of them are told to be the ''holding'' midfielder, we will lose their running power and ability to run beyond Benteke.

 

On the other hand, why cant they rotate this position, just like wingers/forward players do?

 

Basically, get them 3 in midfield and watch us dominate the majority of midfields in the Prem and Europe. 

[boomer39]

If we come out & start with that slow, no pressing, needless pass around the back 5, turgid football that we played for the vast majority of last season, in the first 20 mins, I'm off out to cut my grass. And Rodgers can fuck off.

good......

[Captain]

Shit performance. Brilliance by Coutinho. Good result.

[Dr. J]

Well, we hardly needed a spoiler DM of any sort against fucking Stoke for fuck's sake, did we? They threatened less than we did.

 

Anybody care to explain exactly what our tactics were? I saw Ibe go forward early once; neither fullback got within 20 yards of the by-line, did they?

 

Keep it tight and hope Coutinho nicks one - well played!

[ZonkoVille77]

Well, we hardly needed a spoiler DM of any sort against fucking Stoke for fuck's sake, did we? They threatened less than we did.

 

Anybody care to explain exactly what our tactics were? I saw Ibe go forward early once; neither fullback got within 20 yards of the by-line, did they?

 

Keep it tight and hope Coutinho nicks one - well played!

I think we'll see Moreno against teams that like to play, eg Arsenal, and Gomez against other teams. Not a bad thing really. Plus it would have been madness for Gomez to be running attacks with his limited PL experience. I think...

[magicrat]

Can't judge them harshly on this performance. Hell of a tough assignment to go back to that shithole 1st game after the bumming we got . Showed character , rode their luck at times, defended well and produced a moment of class in an otherwise poor game. Skrtel was immense and to be fair Lovren didn't shit his pants. Good debuts from the FB's . Benteke needs more support if he's going to score goals, 

Well done Redmen

[boomer39]

ffs... why dont you all just watch the match for 90 mins.. then moan or cheer... 

[AngryOfTuebrook]

I'm wondering if the plan with Gomez is to sell Sakho and give him a go as 3rd choice with Ilori and Kolo as back up then using the Sakho cash to bring a more established lb in. Gomez looked really composed even when he fluffed it a couple of times.

What?

 

None of that makes sense.  You're wondering if we're planning to sell our best left-sided CB (by a mile) in order to... what, exactly?

 

I'm wondering if the plan with Gomez is to sign a decent young prospect and - depending on how he progresses - either sell him or make him a regular first-teamer in a few years' time.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

Although Ibe did well I think 442 diamond with Can behind Milner and Henderson with Coutinho ahead of them could work. Get someone up top with Benteke.

We might see a bit of this at Anfield or at the softer away games.

 

For matches like today's, 4-2-3-1 is fine, provided that the 3 manage to get in and around the box a lot more than they did today.

[Dr. J]

 

Not the most impressive display, but I doubt there are many tougher opening fixtures, and there was lots to digest.

 

City, Chelsea, United, Arsenal away, maybe? We were 4 minutes and a wonder strike away from 0-0 which, apparently, would have been a massive fucking result.

 

Expectations around here go down quicker than a Glasgow whore.

[Captain]

ffs... why dont you all just watch the match for 90 mins.. then moan or cheer...

 

What exactly is your problem?