Bournemouth 17/08/15

[Dr. J]

Keep it tight and try to nick one - the new Liverpool. It will take a lot more than this to beat a decent side.

 

What the fuck was that by Milner on that free kick at the end? Fucking embarrassing piss take on Benteke.

[Joey8FrogsLegs]

Chances are we will be worse off from set pieces without Stevie's direct free kicks which yielded goals.

That's what I'd expect yes. Delivery and shooting from set pieces is piss poor most of the time. But any sign we actually have a plan in this department would be a positive surprise.

[therevivalist]

Same slow Liverpool going forward, our movement is as exasperating as ever. But the improvements are obvious in the back, especially on the wings. Lovren continues to grow in confidence and even our goalkeeper looks more assured. 

 

Benteke is no Suarez but neither is he the mug he has been portrayed to be. Very good movement  and team work from the big guy with a goal and an almost second. Young Moreno was lively and injected some badly lacking energy into a jaded side. Kudos to young Gomes, Milner and to Clyne as well. It's unfair to judge Frimino on a 10 minute came and I expect him to play at least half the game v Arsenal, against which I expect us to raise our game as we normally do against the big boys. Overall a feeble but more promising start and I can see a better side than the one from last season.

[Shitty Arse]

Does anyone know the reason why Sakho wasn't even in the squad? What's happened to him?

[Nelly-Szoboszlai]

Benteke's chance that hit the bar, I haven't seen a proper replay, but I'm fairly sure it's a worldie save by Boruc. The slightest of finger tips on to the bar.

 

We didn't play great, but restricted them to long range efforts and could've had 3 or 4 ourselves with better finishing.

 

As for the playing direct claims. It's bollocks. We still built up play through defence and midfield but, when we had a goal kick, Mignolet went long. Nothing wrong with that. It's not as if we hoofed it to Benteke for the whole game.

 

We need to match Arsenal 3 vs 3 in the midfield as Bournemouth got through us too easily, so Arsenal should have no problem either.

 

Joe Gomez is a problem, for me. He's done well. But he doesn't offer that much going forward. He's willing, but he's a righty playing left back so is more inclined to cut inside or back on himself.

 

I think Ibe was misused tonight too. He should be on the right, trying to go outside players, attacking the byline, rather than cutting inside.

 

I'd take a draw at Arsenal now. 7 from the first 3 is a good return. I'd have been happy with 4 points from the first 3.

[Jose Jones]

Does anyone know the reason why Sakho wasn't even in the squad? What's happened to him?

 

Looks pretty obvious that Rodgers wants rid. 

[billypilgrimnz]

With two games gone I think now is definitely the time to be jumping to all kinds of conclusions about how we're going to play this season, how well we'll do and whether or not the players are up for it/good enough.

 

 

 

My favorite is when Benteke scores a goal and suddenly his purchase is irrevocably justified and he is going to be the bestest striker ever; this just after he had gone 120 odd minutes in his first two games without a goal and being called "Heskey without the goal threat" in this very thread. 

[Mojo]

Benteke is what Kenny hoped Carroll would be.

[Red Phoenix]

I made a longer post, then clicked out of the page by accident. (probably for the best.)

 

So in a shorter way : I don't like that we aren't playing Can as DM, just to try it, or that Sakho isn't in defence but Lovren is. It might have worked so far, but it almost certainly won't at Arsenal, and then our confidence won't get the chance to return inbetween playing the other bigger teams. I think Funnneeeee is right too, in that we should've got a side more sorted out during pre-season (I've thought the same for years.)

 

This to me, without trying to sound like a miserable and negative cunt (even if I failed at that), is an anomaly that's about to end when we face Arsenal. I guess at that point we see what Rodgers does and if he's able to adapt.

 

And yes I'd like to be wrong on this.

[RazorBack]

He'll start the same XI as in these two games. Nobody likes it but, Brendan knows.. I hate managers who pick players based on something else then their ability and that's what BR is doing with Sakho, Can and maybe even Moreno. Firmino is a 30m slayer so he should play instead of Lallana who's only a 25m player, if that's what Brendans going for..

[Tyler Durden]

Can't complain about the two results so far, I'm far from convinced and think it's possible Arsenal can give us a hiding next week but if we can get a draw it will be a great start to the season.

 

To me we still look like we can definitely concede the only worry is we don't look like we're going to be prolific just yet the other end, I'd rather have had Ings getting a look in last night looking for those knock downs and linking with Benteke maybe at the expense on Lallana (who I thought done well but isn't enough of a threat)

[PestiRed]

Caught the second half and we looked shit. Just have to hope that we continue to get results against the worse teams and don't get too hammered by the better teams so that we are still in contention by the time something clicks and we start to play better

[Turkish Delight]

 

 

What the fuck was that by Milner on that free kick at the end? Fucking embarrassing piss take on Benteke.

I might be being very kind but I read it as he saw Benteke was going to be closed down so hit it himself rather than leaving us open to a counter off the ball being blocked.

[El Dangerous]

Nah we were trying some fancy arse trick free kick and it turned out shit.

 

3 shots on target in two games is pretty impressive compared to last season and we definitely look more solid so far.

 

The thing that annoys me is that we could easily keep the ball and dictate play but there seems to be a strategy to let them have it and draw them in then counter attack. The problem with this is that we're not good enough without the ball to do this yet and we end up getting stuck without it for 10 minutes.

[skend04]

Not sure what improvements people think will come from this group of players. It is choc full of triers with one good footballer and a severe lack of adaptability in the formation because we lack any class in the middle of the park. To be matched by the relegation favourites and just about edge a match after spending close to a three figure sum in the summer is not great.

[Turkish Delight]

Certainly not getting on his case but I do think we will get punished for playing Gomez regularly at this stage of his career if he keeps his spot. He is playing through his mistakes as most young players do but he's got away with a few so far and won't continue to do so. I think the better teams will get a lot of joy out of targeting him.

 

I'm not a fan of Moreno either so it is a glaring weakness in the squad that we have yet to do anything about.

 

Gomez should be out on loan somewhere this season to get some experience. A good buy but one for the future rather than now in my opinion.

 

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

 

 

[an tha]

It is early and not many teams look fluid yet....there are some encouraging signs like having an actual focal point up front and work rate but my biggest worries are how slow our play is.....i don't think there is a team who move the ball slower than we do in the league - we never seem to stretch teams and that was a big problem last season. Add to that we just don't seem to be getting enough support to Benteke to help him

 

We are also very easy to play through in the middle....still looks like teams can bypass us in there despite the hard workers we have and that leaves our back line exposed. If Bournemouth had quality we would have been in trouble a fair bit last night.

 

Solve those things and we might be alright....don't and i can't see how we will improve at all from last season.

[Hades]

Unless we play 3 at the back we're going to get towelled by Arsenal.

[Tony Moanero]

The next person to post is a cunt.

[Stickman]

Danny Ings....The new Ricky Lambert...?

 

When are we if ever going to go back to two up top...probably not for a long time by the looks.

If Gomez plays next week I'm afraid he is going to get ripped to bits he's a young lad and he's doing ok but you won't get away with it against a top side.

Ok start to season points wise but performance wise nothing to raise the spirits .

 

Shit I'm a cunt

[xerxes]

Two wins, none conceded, and Benteke on the score sheet for his home debut, that is a good start.

 

Yes we were lucky, but successful teams create their own luck.

 

What this start has done is given Brendan some slack, let's hope he uses it well.

[an tha]

Danny Ings....The new Ricky Lambert...?

 

When are we if ever going to go back to two up top...probably not for a long time by the looks.

If Gomez plays next week I'm afraid he is going to get ripped to bits he's a young lad and he's doing ok but you won't get away with it against a top side.

Ok start to season points wise but performance wise nothing to raise the spirits .

 

Shit I'm a cunt

I think the problem with playing two up front is he can't then accomodate his plethora of number tens/attacking midfielders.

 

Fuck knows what he is gonna do if and when Sturridge rises from the dead.

 

The midfield is a conundrum as well. Who sits in a diamond? How do we accomodate Coutinho and Firmino if we play two up front?

[Saintslfc13]

I think the problem with playing two up front is he can't then accomodate his plethora of number tens/attacking midfielders.

Fuck knows what he is gonna do if and when Sturridge rises from the dead.

The midfield is a conundrum as well. Who sits in a diamond? How do we accomodate Coutinho and Firmino if we play two up front?

Coutinho can play CM in a diamond on either side or as one of the front two mids in a 4-1-2-3. Didn't watch the game in full today as I had work and school but I saw the first ten minutes and it looked like Coutinho started wide right. Im okay with him wide left in a 4-3-3 provided he's one of the attacking 3. Anything else and he needs to be central for me.

[mooch84]

Looks to me that at the moment the plan is very much 4-2-3-1 with number tens buzzing around Benteke getting knock downs and flicks.

 

More direct to Benteke seems against Rodgers principles but I think the idea is that this will give us another dimension as opposed to being the only way we play. After last night I am hopeful that Benteke and Countinho can strike up a relationship which allows him to get in behind as well as he does have pace. But there is no where for Can in this system.

 

When Sturridge comes back we could go to a diamond but then where do Firmino, Lallana, Ibe and Markovic fit into that? (Not that Markovic is in the picture anyway)

[INTORRESTING]

Ibe and lallana need to be far more of a goal threat. Moreno looked more dangerous than lallana even though he only had a brief cameo.