Southampton (A) - Premier League 04/2021 - 20:00

[Jennings 3,312]

4 minutes ago, AngryofTuebrook said:

This.

 

Fabinho makes a good CB, but that leaves us with no Fabinho in midfield.  .

Exactly!!

 

Or Hendo IMHO. We needed more structure and 'defensive' quality in midfield tonight, to allow the attaching mids to do their thing.

[Aventus 2,061]

19 minutes ago, AngryofTuebrook said:

Amen.

 

We still haven't been able to start any game, in any competition, with any version of our "best XI". And yet, we're still top.

 

I think we all need to get a bit of perspective and stop comparing this season to last. This season, other teams will be closer to us: that's not because we're shit, it's just that last year we were amazing.

Speaking of best XIs

 

Apparently this is the last time we saw this XI start a game. 

[torahboy 799]

1 hour ago, Stickman said:

It’s funny football you can be utter dogshit and lose like we did tonight and will be slagged on here and on Sky and in the paper’s.

Yet get the penalty which we should have and there is a good chance we win this match or at worst we draw and then everyone says that what champions do.

And let’s be honest people can say it’s Evertonian type levels of moaning about the ref but decisions change games and looking at this season so far there is no way Utd don’t get one or maybe two of those decisions plus the other shite ones that occurred all over the pitch 

 

I hate whining about decisions by the incompetent and corrupt freaks who officiate and rule on VAR but tomight was a prime example of decisions changing the result of a game. It doesn't excuse our poor performance, yet it was a major contributory factor in deciding the outcome. Mind you, if we did get a penalty, the way things were going tonight that sub human twat they had in goal would have stopped it.         

[TheHowieLama 10,896]

6 minutes ago, Aventus said:

Speaking of best XIs

 

Apparently this is the last time we saw this XI start a game. 

Ok everybody - tough guy face and....

 

 

Bobby!!

[bizzle10 192]

11 minutes ago, AngryofTuebrook said:

This.

 

Fabinho makes a good CB, but that leaves us with no Fabinho in midfield.  Henderson is OK (but no better than OK) when he drops deeper to replace Fabinho, but that leaves us with nobody to do the Henderson stuff - like setting up a new attack when one breaks down and offering protection to Trent when he gets forward  - quite as well as Hendo. Losing our centre backs has blunted our attack.

Totally agree Fabinho belongs in our midfield and we miss him so much there we have fallen in to what happened to Fernandinho with City last year.

[an tha 6,128]

The problems at centre half are absolutely at the heart of our problems.

 

It is affecting our ability to play out from the back quickly and positively - so for example a half decent side like Southampton tonight were confident to press us and pressure us....too many short, sideways passes and nobody carrying ball confidently forward ala VVD.

 

This has a knock on effect in how well we can stretch and pen teams in and means our midfielders/attackers are getting ball in much less threatening situations much less often.

 

It is also of course meaning teams are launching more productive counters against us....

 

It is robbing us of key bodies in midfield, which of course led to us starting two lads tonight who have barely kicked a ball for months.....and of course it has affected/limited our options in there with Fabinho forced back.

 

It has also blunted our threat from corners at other end...VVD was good for 5 goals off corners, not to mention how he also helped create space etc for others with his presence/ability up there.

 

It has really hurt our structure and the knock on effects are being felt all over the park - our whole set up has become disjointed.

 

 

[Herp McDerp 2,661]

29 minutes ago, AngryofTuebrook said:

... And yet, we're still top.

 

I think we all need to get a bit of perspective and stop comparing this season to last. This season, other teams will be closer to us: that's not because we're shit, it's just that last year we were amazing.

 

This means fuck all this year given the difference in the number of games played across the board. We done fucked up yo.

[skaro 5,245]

15 minutes ago, an tha said:

Lose that and we are in real bother.

 

Effectively will be 6 pts behind them (if they as likely win their game in hand)

 

Probably end up 5 behind Man City too.

 

Really is a must win IMO.

Nothing less.

 

But really, this team - VvDless and with the other injuries - have a mountain to climb to retain the title.

 

The bummer is, we could have had a very decent buffer, WBA and Newcastle-wise.

Costly.

 

[dockers_strike 2,126]

12 minutes ago, torahboy said:

 

I hate whining about decisions by the incompetent and corrupt freaks who officiate and rule on VAR but tomight was a prime example of decisions changing the result of a game. It doesn't excuse our poor performance, yet it was a major contributory factor in deciding the outcome. Mind you, if we did get a penalty, the way things were going tonight that sub human twat they had in goal would have stopped it.         

Bang on. Goals and penalty goals change games.

 

Some folk have different opinions whether all, some or none of those were penalties tonight. Im not one to shout for soft pens. I dont think any of them were 'soft' shouts. Put it another way, Brighton were given a last minute pen against us for less contact on Welbeck by Robbo than there was on both of Sadio's tonight and darlow's grab on his leg at Newcastle, we wont mention pickford's challenge on Virgil because he was marginally offside. Apparently!

 

Where's the consistency here? We been shafted at both ends of the pitch in different games. Im not sure there's much Jurgen can do because Riley will just have another word with his refs to book him any chance they get and oh by the way, dont fall for Liverpool's theatrics in the box.

[AngryofTuebrook 18,360]

18 minutes ago, Joey8FrogsLegs said:

Very interesting to listen to him, and how refreshing that he so obviously knows what he’s doing and also gives an honest and correct assessment. He mentions being ready, mentally as I understand it, several times. Seems very clear that mental fatigue after going over two full seasons in the league with extreme results is now kicking in.
 

Fuck me I remember his predecessor talking about lacking that wee bit of luck after utterly shit performances.

 

 

The interviewer basically invited him to throw Trent under the bus and he just refused. I like that.

[an tha 6,128]

7 minutes ago, skaro said:

Nothing less.

 

But really, this team - VvDless and with the other injuries - have a mountain to climb to retain the title.

 

The bummer is, we could have had a very decent buffer, WBA and Newcastle-wise.

Costly.

 

Aye even tonights loss could be 'accepted' had we done what was the absolute bare minimum expected and beat absolute dross in the previous two games.

 

Assuming it will take a mimimum of 80 pts to win title we are playing with dicey margins now.

 

We have 33 from 17.....less than 2 a game.

 

47 from the remaining 21 to get to 80 would be a big uplift in form.

 

Luckily at the moment we are at worse just a couple of points off the likely pace as rest are barely any better - but we can't really let that gap develop in coming 4 or 5 games.

 

City have some really soft games coming up whilst we have a tough set.

 

At the mo it is hard to see us winning 16 out of 21 for example.

 

 

[John102 610]

I guess title challenges are normally fraught affairs.

 

Thats why, last season, i didnt understand why lots were so unwilling to accept we were winning the league at a canter and just accept it and revel in it.

[LFC 6 Times 774]

Unbelievably frustrating the past 3 games, real throwback to 2005-2015. Actually can’t fault Hendo or Fab tonight, the goal had nothing to do with them and thought we defended well on the counter attack. As Klopp has alluded to we were just a bit panicked in our attacking play, everything was either an extra second or ball played at wrong time. I thought we were actually very impressive in the 2nd half despite nothing falling for us. 
 

Genuinely cannot fathom how the Stephen’s handball wasn’t given as a pen. It was absolutely textbook ball on target blocked by a hand away from body, he gained an advantage by making himself bigger with the outstretched arm. Don’t think the one with Kyle Walker 2.0 between mane’s legs was one to be honest. However, the one where he picked him up for behind and fucking suplexed him to the ground was as clear as day.  
 

There’s quite a big part of me looking towards next season, having Van Dijk and Gomez back and full stadiums will make the world of difference. This whole enterprise, much like life itself is purgatory really.

[an tha 6,128]

6 minutes ago, John102 said:

I guess title challenges are normally fraught affairs.

 

Thats why, last season, i didnt understand why lots were so unwilling to accept we were winning the league at a canter and just accept it and revel in it.

Think that was down to self protection!!

[Joey8FrogsLegs 785]

8 minutes ago, AngryofTuebrook said:

The interviewer basically invited him to throw Trent under the bus and he just refused. I like that.

Couldnt agree more. I’m sure he was pissed off with Trent, he had every reason to, and I’m confident Trent will know that too, and he has some sense he’ll understand that he’s playing for a truely great manager.

[Grinch 2,911]

1 hour ago, Jennings said:

 

His subs were very poor. Its on him.

They're always poor cause the bench is always shite.

 

I wonder why. 

 

 

[skaro 5,245]

16 minutes ago, an tha said:

Aye even tonights loss could be 'accepted' had we done what was the absolute bare minimum expected and beat absolute dross in the previous two games.

 

Assuming it will take a mimimum of 80 pts to win title we are playing with dicey margins now.

 

We have 33 from 17.....less than 2 a game.

 

47 from the remaining 21 to get to 80 would be a big uplift in form.

 

Luckily at the moment we are at worse just a couple of points off the likely pace as rest are barely any better - but we can't really let that gap develop in coming 4 or 5 games.

 

City have some really soft games coming up whilst we have a tough set.

 

At the mo it is hard to see us winning 16 out of 21 for example.

 

 

 

United is at least in our own hands next.

City are the big problem in the next month or so, until we play them at Anfield.

After that City game, we'll know whether we're still in it or not (and there's Spurs away before that).

 

Can't see it at the moment myself, but then again, I thought we were fucked as soon as VvD went down and yet we're still top.

 

 

[liverpoolsno9 1,340]

I’m not one to throw the ‘corruption’ card around and I realise this may make me sound like a blueshite. But, in light of some of the decisions against us and,’ for’ some for our rivals, it’s the only conclusion. 1 team walking this league the way things are & every game being televised wouldn’t be good for viewers. This season is gonna be the most competitive it’s been for over a decade. They’re making it that way. That Mane non penalty tonight, to not even go to VAR and the handball are a fucking joke. Something isn’t right and it’s not down to incompetence. 

[kemskem 149]

Alisson
Van Dijk
Gomez
Matip
Fabinho
Henderson
Trent
Thiago
Milner
Jota

 

That seemingly ever growing list of big players out medium or long term due to injury and/or COVID is bound to have had a psychological effect in the end, after a gruelling period. I'm just glad we're still in the mix in the league and CL with nearly half the season done. We desperately need to get a centre back and get some stability at the back, though.

[Halcyon Days 177]

2 minutes ago, liverpoolsno9 said:

I’m not one to throw the ‘corruption’ card around and I realise this may make me sound like a blueshite. But, in light of some of the decisions against us and,’ for’ some for our rivals, it’s the only conclusion. 1 team walking this league the way things are & every game being televised wouldn’t be good for viewers. This season is gonna be the most competitive it’s been for over a decade. They’re making it that way. That Mane non penalty tonight, to not even go to VAR and the handball are a fucking joke. Something isn’t right and it’s not down to incompetence. 

Project big picture must have ruffled a few feathers but then weren’t the Mancs involved at boardroom level too?

[liverpoolsno9 1,340]

3 minutes ago, Halcyon Days said:

Project big picture must have ruffled a few feathers but then weren’t the Mancs involved at boardroom level too?

I realise Scudamore isn’t there still but his comments still resonate. 
 

Scudamore was speaking in South Africa on a promotional tour to promote the world's richest league.

He conceded that viewers could switch off if United are not doing well.

“It’s a double-edged sword,” Scudamore told Bloomberg. “When your most popular club isn’t doing as well, that costs you interest and audience in some places.”

“There’s lots of fans around the world who wish Manchester United were winning it again, but you have to balance that off against, generally, we’re in the business of putting on a competition and competition means people can compete.”

[Grinch 2,911]

Oh it's such a conspiracy again. 

 

Why did they let the second biggest club in England be utter shite for the majority of 30 years? 

 

Boofuckinghoo

 

No one to blame for this mess other than the stupid cunts who thought it was fine to persist with 3 centre backs, no full back cover, play solanke and stutridge for years, give mignolet 200 games. 

 

But yea, tinfoil hat on.  Its all the fa's fault that Liverpool ran 13 players into the ground.  Built their squad like a shakey deck of cards and sat back and watched as it all fell apart. 

[Halcyon Days 177]

1 minute ago, liverpoolsno9 said:

I realise Scudamore isn’t there still but his comments still resonate. 
 

Scudamore was speaking in South Africa on a promotional tour to promote the world's richest league.

He conceded that viewers could switch off if United are not doing well.

“It’s a double-edged sword,” Scudamore told Bloomberg. “When your most popular club isn’t doing as well, that costs you interest and audience in some places.”

“There’s lots of fans around the world who wish Manchester United were winning it again, but you have to balance that off against, generally, we’re in the business of putting on a competition and competition means people can compete.”

Yeah remember him spouting that slightly less than impartial bullshit, suppose you could swap out Man U replace with LFC and the same thing flies but it was weird at the time and doesn’t help your thinking when you see the bizarre decisions going for and against teams this season. I just wish as a club we acted bigger sometimes, stop the stiff upper lip bollocks and being afraid of twats on twitter calling us whingers. All clubs whinge fact! I said it the other day I’ll say it again, Klopp needs to put the spotlight on these bad calls before we play the Manc Twats.

[therevivalist 78]

Who else is impressed by Hassenhuttl, though? I was watching his post-match BBC interview and he was in tears (of joy) of course. But he looks like someone with great passion for the game as well as a good footballing brain seeing the way he has got his team playing attractive, attacking football. Probably the most improved side of the season. I would consider him a candidate as Klopp's successor. What do you think?

[Ronnie Whelan 861]

3 minutes ago, therevivalist said:

Who else is impressed by Hassenhuttl, though? I was watching his post-match BBC interview and he was in tears (of joy) of course. But he looks like someone with great passion for the game as well as a good footballing brain seeing the way he has got his team playing attractive, attacking football. Probably the most improved side of the season. I would consider him a candidate as Klopp's successor. What do you think?

Really good manager. Has made them a proper team. Beat the champions with 4-5 regulars missing and just got on with it unlike others. Very impressive.