Chelsea (A) FA Cup. 3/3/2020 - 19:75

[AngryOfTuebrook]

7 hours ago, torahboy said:

I used to love it when we won the Lancashire Senior Cup and, as a kid, I thought it was wonderful. It was contested  mostly by reserve  and  And B team players. A bit like our FA and League Cup runs this season, When we contested the fiinal a few more senior players got a game. Admittedly it didn't get you entry into the Europa League but it was a great kick winning it. But it was meaningless and the domestic knock out competitions feel like that now. And I don't really feel too heartbroken about not winning them.

Madness.

 

We've only just ended a period in which we won one trophy in 12 years (or maybe no trophies, since it was "only" the League Cup) and suddenly we can be so blasé - so "I wouldn't get out of bed for anything less than the Champions League" - that we're comparing the oldest and greatest domestic cup competition in the world to the fucking Lancashire Senior Cup.

[Jennings]

3 hours ago, rb14 said:

Staggered by stuff this thread. Good grief. 

 

Some of our posters have been called "pessimists", "ev supporters", "negative cunts" or worse. Is there really any need? Continually being positive is admirable, but who brought in a rule that says you can't be negative in adversity? And most of what has been said hasn't even been negative. It's a perspective and I believe we're entitled to them. You don't get top superfan points by being eternally positive. Nor should you become the whipping boy for stating how you see it if it's negative. Watford was crap. Most of this game was crap. We've been crap since (I think actually before) the "break". If being crap isn't grounds for alarm bells, what is? 

 

After Watford, Lovren got slaughtered relentlessly on the match thread, almost total assassination (you'll never walk alone). You could count the posts defending him on no fingers. In the Watford match report @dave uopined that singling-out Lovren was more than a little unjustified. I think I saw* only @Bob Spunkmouse dissent.  I don't recall seeing anyone neg Dave or Bob's very well-argued reply. 

 

I'm not going back to check but I'm pretty sure @TheDrowningMan and @BeefStroganoff (to name but two) have as much right as anyone else to post what they think. Neither comes across to me as anything other than a Liverpool supporter. But they most often get their opinion battered. It's almost like a mob mentality. Why? Is it because they're not as eloquent as Dave or Bob? Crime of the century. Is it because they're pessimists? Burn the heretics. Disagree with them by all means, but negging them? Really?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*If you didn't read Dave's take on Lovren, there's still time. If you didn't read it because you've not paid your subs, shame on you. 

Great post. Wish I could rep it more.

[Bob]

4 hours ago, rb14 said:

Staggered by stuff this thread. Good grief. 

 

Some of our posters have been called "pessimists", "ev supporters", "negative cunts" or worse. Is there really any need? Continually being positive is admirable, but who brought in a rule that says you can't be negative in adversity? And most of what has been said hasn't even been negative. It's a perspective and I believe we're entitled to them. You don't get top superfan points by being eternally positive. Nor should you become the whipping boy for stating how you see it if it's negative. Watford was crap. Most of this game was crap. We've been crap since (I think actually before) the "break". If being crap isn't grounds for alarm bells, what is? 

 

After Watford, Lovren got slaughtered relentlessly on the match thread, almost total assassination (you'll never walk alone). You could count the posts defending him on no fingers. In the Watford match report @dave uopined that singling-out Lovren was more than a little unjustified. I think I saw* only @Bob Spunkmouse dissent.  I don't recall seeing anyone neg Dave or Bob's very well-argued reply. 

 

I'm not going back to check but I'm pretty sure @TheDrowningMan and @BeefStroganoff (to name but two) have as much right as anyone else to post what they think. Neither comes across to me as anything other than a Liverpool supporter. But they most often get their opinion battered. It's almost like a mob mentality. Why? Is it because they're not as eloquent as Dave or Bob? Crime of the century. Is it because they're pessimists? Burn the heretics. Disagree with them by all means, but negging them? Really?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*If you didn't read Dave's take on Lovren, there's still time. If you didn't read it because you've not paid your subs, shame on you. 

It’s more likely because @dave u and I are better looking.

[Anubis]

4 hours ago, rb14 said:

Staggered by stuff this thread. Good grief. 

 

Some of our posters have been called "pessimists", "ev supporters", "negative cunts" or worse. Is there really any need? Continually being positive is admirable, but who brought in a rule that says you can't be negative in adversity? And most of what has been said hasn't even been negative. It's a perspective and I believe we're entitled to them. You don't get top superfan points by being eternally positive. Nor should you become the whipping boy for stating how you see it if it's negative. Watford was crap. Most of this game was crap. We've been crap since (I think actually before) the "break". If being crap isn't grounds for alarm bells, what is? 

 

After Watford, Lovren got slaughtered relentlessly on the match thread, almost total assassination (you'll never walk alone). You could count the posts defending him on no fingers. In the Watford match report @dave uopined that singling-out Lovren was more than a little unjustified. I think I saw* only @Bob Spunkmouse dissent.  I don't recall seeing anyone neg Dave or Bob's very well-argued reply. 

 

I'm not going back to check but I'm pretty sure @TheDrowningMan and @BeefStroganoff (to name but two) have as much right as anyone else to post what they think. Neither comes across to me as anything other than a Liverpool supporter. But they most often get their opinion battered. It's almost like a mob mentality. Why? Is it because they're not as eloquent as Dave or Bob? Crime of the century. Is it because they're pessimists? Burn the heretics. Disagree with them by all means, but negging them? Really?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*If you didn't read Dave's take on Lovren, there's still time. If you didn't read it because you've not paid your subs, shame on you. 

 

14 minutes ago, Jennings said:

Great post. Wish I could rep it more.

 

“Your post was most erudite, Mr Wint.”

 

”Thank you, Mr Kidd.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Both negged for not coming at me directly.

 

[BeefStroganoff]

@rb14 cheers man appreciate your post.

 

I come on here because its a great way to vent, and not to carry it offline around my family.

 

I'm frustrated at this team, firstly, when we were on our unbeaten run, it wasn't all wine and roses and this team has proved its capable of playing some blistering football that can put most teams to the sword, but we haven't been doing that, in fact it seems as if its fallen off Jurgen radar. We have players who play on instinct up front and it would help if we let them off the leash once in a while.

 

The other frustration I have is the lack of team management, we play the same team constantly bar possibly one switch, which is all fine and good until you need the fringe players to step in and contribute. Its little wonder, Origi, Minimino, Lallana and co are quite ineffective at times, they just don't get the chance to really bed into the team.

 

Finally we have stopped competing. We competed first half last night, then gave up. Wheres the fight? As a team we need to fight dirty at times and let the opposition know we won't be bullied, but we are too nice. Madrid is case in point, we allowed them to bully us and drag us down to their level with their antics.

 

Im hoping we pick up from saturday, start pressing and forcing defences into mistakes and add some real intensity to our game and to our players, especially our front three who really need a jolt back into form.

[Elite]

1 minute ago, BeefStroganoff said:

@rb14 cheers man appreciate your post.

 

I come on here because its a great way to vent, and not to carry it offline around my family.

 

I'm frustrated at this team, firstly, when we were on our unbeaten run, it wasn't all wine and roses and this team has proved its capable of playing some blistering football that can put most teams to the sword, but we haven't been doing that, in fact it seems as if its fallen off Jurgen radar. We have players who play on instinct up front and it would help if we let them off the leash once in a while.

 

The other frustration I have is the lack of team management, we play the same team constantly bar possibly one switch, which is all fine and good until you need the fringe players to step in and contribute. Its little wonder, Origi, Minimino, Lallana and co are quite ineffective at times, they just don't get the chance to really bed into the team.

 

Finally we have stopped competing. We competed first half last night, then gave up. Wheres the fight? As a team we need to fight dirty at times and let the opposition know we won't be bullied, but we are too nice. Madrid is case in point, we allowed them to bully us and drag us down to their level with their antics.

 

Im hoping we pick up from saturday, start pressing and forcing defences into mistakes and add some real intensity to our game and to our players, especially our front three who really need a jolt back into form.

I'm pissed off with the last few games but be real mate. We are 22 points clear and current European champions, it does not get much better than that. It's frustrating that we don't do very well in the domestic cups but we are competing with teams that are outspending us by huge amounts and have the depth to battle on all fronts.

[rb14]

17 minutes ago, Elite said:

I'm pissed off with the last few games but be real mate. We are 22 points clear and current European champions, it does not get much better than that. It's frustrating that we don't do very well in the domestic cups but we are competing with teams that are outspending us by huge amounts and have the depth to battle on all fronts.

But that's the exact problem. We're 19 points clear if City win their match in hand. And there are some shitty fixtures coming up INCLUDING Bournemouth. In fact ALL upcoming premier league fixtures are shitty given other teams wanting to scalp us and our team playing poorly. 

 

And yeah, great we're European (and World) Champions, but we're in danger of being knocked out by a bunch of tramps. 

 

And if the team doesn't pick itself up, the run-in won't be the walk in the park we and they all want and deserve. 

[Ronnie Whelan]

Any Irish lads on here fancy getting their kids to write to Jurgen asking that we win all our matches? 

 

Let's just get through Bournemouth. Any kind of win will do. I believe Athletico will be a good distraction for us, as we know exactly what they are bringing to Anfield. The fans expect a battle. Bournemouth will be different. The fans expect a resounding win. My gut says it might be more like the Brighton home game a few months ago. 3 ugly points fraught with tension.

 

The Athletico and Ev game might just be what we need. We've been sluggish recently. They will be battles, then recharge the batteries.

 

Decent chance we only need 3 wins anyway as I think City might drop points in at least one of their games with their fixture pile up.

[Wicket]

3 hours ago, Bobby Hundreds said:

Linders said intensity is our identity, recently the opposition has shown more intensity. Forget this game but do we need a new approach, to over simplify it have we be found out, I'm not on about the results but the performances previous to the losses. It just feels like the opposition's game plan is better than ours. It doesn't help when top players are out of form screwing up very basic play.

Good point about opposition intensity. It’s noticeable how much harder teams are running at us and pressing our defence, and winning the second balls. The Watford game especially. 
 

that said, we are not doing the basics at all well, passing at the moment is as bad as I’ve seen and the front 3 have all coincided crap form. 

[Lario]

45 minutes ago, rb14 said:

But that's the exact problem. We're 19 points clear if City win their match in hand. And there are some shitty fixtures coming up INCLUDING Bournemouth. In fact ALL upcoming premier league fixtures are shitty given other teams wanting to scalp us and our team playing poorly. 

 

And yeah, great we're European (and World) Champions, but we're in danger of being knocked out by a bunch of tramps. 

 

And if the team doesn't pick itself up, the run-in won't be the walk in the park we and they all want and deserve. 

We've had shitty fixtures all season, and every team we've played has wanted our scalp. So the run-in is no different to the rest of the season!

 

In our last 4 games, we’ve played 2 league game where the teams were fighting for their lives, and had a free hit at us (we got away with it against West Ham).

Then we played Atletico who played their best game of the season, scored a spawny goal and then defended for 80 minutes.

And last night we played a Chelsea team desperate to win, and they’re helped by our ‘keeper throwing the ball into the net for the first goal.

 

So even though the results aren't great, let's not go jumping off any bridges just yet.

 

It’s how blunt we look upfront is what’s worrying me.

 

[El Rojo]

We spent the Atletico game and much of last night playing it across the field in front of a packed opposition defence. Once they had the lead, Lampard copied Simeone's homework in denying us width.

 

It's surprising that it took so long for us to be confronted with this approach - it's not like Robertson and Trent have flown under the radar over the last two years.

 

Ox and the woefully inconsistent Keita would potentially offer a more central option to attack (each with a different approach), but we didn't have either last night. 

[torahboy]

3 hours ago, AngryofTuebrook said:

Madness.

 

We've only just ended a period in which we won one trophy in 12 years (or maybe no trophies, since it was "only" the League Cup) and suddenly we can be so blasé - so "I wouldn't get out of bed for anything less than the Champions League" - that we're comparing the oldest and greatest domestic cup competition in the world to the fucking Lancashire Senior Cup.

 

 

The FA Cup only predates the LSC by by a few years so let's have a bit of respect for such a venerable competition. We won it 2017 too. so it was something to put in the trophy cabinet while the more important cups eluded us. It's not much, but it's a trophy isn't it? No? Well, not one that matters to many. But it's about how we prioritise things. If you want to piss blood about the FA Cup then help yourself. I couldn't give a fuck.

 

 

 

  

[Grinch]

4 hours ago, AngryofTuebrook said:

Madness.

 

We've only just ended a period in which we won one trophy in 12 years (or maybe no trophies, since it was "only" the League Cup) and suddenly we can be so blasé - so "I wouldn't get out of bed for anything less than the Champions League" - that we're comparing the oldest and greatest domestic cup competition in the world to the fucking Lancashire Senior Cup.

Shitness of modern football thread.   The only way they're going to make it a big cup again is by upping the reward for winning. 

 

 

[Red Hot]

Since the winter brake we have lost our Tempo through the team. One massive problem is we don't have regular goal scorers from midfield. except for Ox. A Terry McDermot or Ray Houghton type of midfield player needs to be recruited this transfer window imo.

[dockers_strike]

The club has always prioritised competitions. Back in the 60's it was the league and the FA Cup. When the league cup came along, the club didnt even enter it for the first season or two. Bill never took the league cup seriously. The priority was league FAC \ Europe with the LC trailing.

 

Once the CL replaced the European Cup, everyone wanted to be in it and the club's priority changed to league, CL, FAC \ UEFA Cup, LC.

 

Above all that, the underlying priority for the club these last 30 years is to win the title. We've been close probably 4 times in that period. The FAC was great but in my humble opinion, it's just a tradition now. There's no wall to wall cup final coverage like there once was. Do I want to win it? Well, Ive said often enough, until we get the bigger monkey of not winning the title off our back then, it takes its chance the same as the League Cup does.

 

Spread yourself too thin and you'll likely end up with fuck all.

[Oh Buoy]

Whilst we're all discussing it. 

 

I also feel severely disrespected that my joke in the Watford thread didn't win post of the day. If anyone hasn't repped it, please do this immediately or I'll report you for being an absolute quim. 

[Dave D]

My silence on the subject of our current form speaks volumes 

[Guest Alex_K]

48 minutes ago, Red Hot said:

Since the winter brake we have lost our Tempo through the team. One massive problem is we don't have regular goal scorers from midfield. except for Ox. A Terry McDermot or Ray Houghton type of midfield player needs to be recruited this transfer window imo.

I posted last night but we’ve got as many goals from Wij/Milner/Henderson/Ox as we do from Firmino/Origi. And 2 of those midfielders have spent most of the season injured. All well and good seeking more goals from midfield, but would be great if we had a centre forward who’d chip in from time to time too. Goals are definitely the problem at the moment though. If Salah and Mane don’t score it’s difficult to see where the goals come from.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

2 hours ago, torahboy said:

 

 

The FA Cup only predates the LSC by by a few years so let's have a bit of respect for such a venerable competition. We won it 2017 too. so it was something to put in the trophy cabinet while the more important cups eluded us. It's not much, but it's a trophy isn't it? No? Well, not one that matters to many. But it's about how we prioritise things. If you want to piss blood about the FA Cup then help yourself. I couldn't give a fuck.

 

 

 

  

Might as well give up on giving a fuck about football. 

[El Rojo]

6 minutes ago, AngryofTuebrook said:

Might as well give up on giving a fuck about football. 

I'd like to see us taking the FA Cup more seriously too, but surely it matters less to us this season than in most others over the last 30 years? We're about to do something huge, and I think it's fair enough that most focus is on the league and on the European Cup.

 

I found the whole thing a lot more depressing when we were doing our best to win it but getting eliminated in the fourth or fifth round when we were usually 30 points behind the league leaders. Season over there and then.

[Bjornebye]

15 hours ago, Code said:

Satire?

Obviously 

[Bjornebye]

15 hours ago, Code said:

Satire?

Obviously 

[Bjornebye]

15 hours ago, Code said:

Satire?

Obviously 

[torahboy]

1 hour ago, AngryofTuebrook said:

Might as well give up on giving a fuck about football. 

Nah. Just the less important bits of it.

[Jairzinho]

4 hours ago, Grinch said:

Shitness of modern football thread.   The only way they're going to make it a big cup again is by upping the reward for winning. 

 

 

Yep. Swap the CL place for finishing 4th with winning the cup.