Villa (A) - FA Cup - 8/1/2021 - 19:45

[therevivalist]

One game changer in the entire squad. The rest are onlookers. Even more than a central defender this team needs one more creative midfielder who can unlock defenses like Alcantara. It was an entirely different ball game after he came on, even with Rhys carrying on in defense. Why is Shaqiri, clearly the best creative player we have after Alcantara on the bench, leaving the likes of Jones plodding along? Klopp too needs to know his players better. Miller has been a great servant of the Club but I think this season should be his last. Jones, despite his initial flattery, is just not ready, if at all, for the first team. And Neco is not up to Liverpool standards. 

[s(k)aturation]

4 hours ago, dockers_strike said:

Even though we won 4-1, that was a massively disappointing performance. Last season, we'd have embarrassed those Villa young lads and done a thoroughly professional job.

 

Tonight was anything but. Even when Bobby came on, he looked like he thought it's only against kids so I'll try a few party tricks and shoot from almost impossible angles.

 

The first half was dire even though we got off to a great start with Sadio nodding in. Tyler and his co hort kept banging on about Villa's 'excellent' keeper' Bullshit. Once again we made virtually every save for him easy. He only held one effort all game albeit a powerful header.

 

Yet again we wanted to walk the ball into the net or, players wanting an extra touch. The chance either went begging or it gave a villa boot or head time to get in the way.

 

All this oppos blocking our attempts on goal isnt coincidence. It's a sign of being too slow, extra touch required play and it gives oppos the time to make the block. The likes of Mo, Gini, Hendo and Neco were the main culprits.

 

And here's a tip for the players and coaching staff, if you have a player like Rhys williams, dont fucking leave him one of one as the last man. Fucking give the lad some protection. We didnt and that allowed Villa to score. Might be a bit harsh on Kelleher but he made himself small crouching down like that.

 

Probably wouldnt have made much difference if he had stood tall because the lad finished well to make it 1-1 with just about their only shot on target.

 

Second half was headed the same way as the first until we got 3 goals in pretty quick succession to spare our blushes. Not quite a 6 minutes in Istanbul but those 6 minutes changed the game and I dread to think what might have happened if it had gone to pens. But really, we should have put 7 or 8 past them with more concentration and guile.

 

Hate slagging the boys off when we've won and scored 4 but really, that performance simply doesnt cut it. If that had been Villa's or virtually anyone's first team, we'd probably have lost that game.

 

Jurgen has major problems and I dont think Jota is solving many of them. Too many players seem to be going through the motions or at the very least being careless in the final 3rd of the pitch and oppos box.

 

Some of Hendo's balls tonight were shocking. Neco needs to fuck off with the cruyff turns and understand he needs to cross the ball and not fuck about with it. Sorry, but Curtis was anonymous for what was his 3rd consecutive game and in this one, he's playing against lads of a similar age group.

 

I dont know what the answer is because Im not coaching staff but fucking hell lads, sort it out otherwise our season is going tits up in very short order.

 

 

 

I was hoping this could be a morale-boosting win, but covid conspired to make it simply raise further concerns about the team.

 

I'm really hoping something inspired is just around the corner against United.

 

Yikes.

 

 

 

 

 

[s(k)aturation]

3 hours ago, Arnaud said:

We look jaded, physically and emotionally. It will come back at some point, hopefully sooner than later. 
 

 

 

I'm praying Jan 17, precisely.

 

[Bad Red Bull]

 

 

[1892-LFCWasBorn]

Yesterdays game was a embarrassment mostly.

 

Goals came mainly because of a combination of Villa's padawans tiring and creative influences of Shaq and Thiago.

 

I don't know what's happened to most of the players in the squad this seasonas it doesnt really matter who's playing, performance levels have bombed. I get that it's a unique season, but still not an excuse.

 

This should have have been stamped out after the Villa 1-7 shambles but seems to have just carried on.

 

Our biggest problem for the rest of the season is that other teams have figured out to park the bus and wait for our defence to fuck up.

[Scott_M]

I think to much is being made of last nights performance.

 

Is it just because we weren’t 4-0 up in the first half like Villa were against our u23’s?

 

We were never in any danger of ever not winning the match. Ever. Apart from one break away, it was a completely dominant performance.

 

 

The match was almost exclusively played in their last 3rd.
 

However, Like our last couple of performances, it’s mostly fine until we get to their edge of the opposition’s box. As Milner said after the game, our final ball just isn’t there at the moment - wrong pass, wrong run etc. 
 

Hopefully Thiago makes us less predictable. Ox was obviously in v Southampton for the same reason (and to inject some pace) but had a stinker. Interesting Shaq has come on in midfield twice in a week. The start of 18/19 Shaq played quite a bit in midfield early on. Wonder if it’s to make us a bit less predictable & add a bit of tempo?

 

We went behind twice to Havent & Waterloovile at Anfield, we hung on at Mansfield... Unfortunately these things happen and the most important thing is we are through. 
 

Finally, Villa performance is being over praised here. Our youth team shows more last season.

 

 

[1892-LFCWasBorn]

1 minute ago, Scott_M said:

I think to much is being made of last nights performance.

If it was a one off, then yes I would agree with you.

 

But if you factor in our last 3 games and other lacklustre performances like Villa and Fulham.

 

Imagine if Villa had their first team out that already whooped us this season?

[Scott_M]

6 minutes ago, 1892-LFCWasBorn said:

But if you factor in our last 3 games and other lacklustre performances like Villa and Fulham.

We definitely struggling to create, no doubts about that. 

[1892-LFCWasBorn]

17 minutes ago, Scott_M said:

We definitely struggling to create, no doubts about that. 

Indeed. Like I said above teams know park the bus and wait for our defence who can't keep a clean sheet for their gifts. We need to score at least 2 goals to have a chance of winning a game and have done for most of this season.

 

Even commentator said last night (can't remember who) that Villa's players were doing this for 30 mins before the game, so every team will be doing this from now on for the rest of the season. W

 

I'm fucking shitting the Utd game because of their attacking players and can't believe I'm actually saying that. We don't usually have an issue being up for the big games though.

 

It's the Villa, Southamptom and West Broms that we don't seem to be up for.

[Stickman]

Not playing great at the minute that much is clear but I hate games like last night as it literally is a lose lose situation

The BBC webpage was going into overdrive wanting us to get beat which normally I'd expect as they were massive underdogs but being the Beeb they're like that every week with our games and will be more so again when we play the Mancs. Everyone seems to be forgetting when we played our kids in the league cup last season we could and should have been two up before they took the lead in that game

 

As for last night well that performance will be forgotten when Hendo is doing his shuffle in May.

 

[halewood pete]

Really hope we draw Marine in the next round

[aws]

Would prefer Rotherham. 

[an tha]

We only draw premier league teams - it will be Everton or Chelsea away.

[sir roger]

39 minutes ago, an tha said:

We only draw premier league teams - it will be Everton or Chelsea away.

They are doing the 4th and 5th round draws at the same time, we will get both.

[an tha]

5 minutes ago, sir roger said:

They are doing the 4th and 5th round draws at the same time, we will get both.

Is right

[Megadrive Man]

12 hours ago, therevivalist said:

One game changer in the entire squad. The rest are onlookers. Even more than a central defender this team needs one more creative midfielder who can unlock defenses like Alcantara. It was an entirely different ball game after he came on, even with Rhys carrying on in defense. Why is Shaqiri, clearly the best creative player we have after Alcantara on the bench, leaving the likes of Jones plodding along? Klopp too needs to know his players better. Miller has been a great servant of the Club but I think this season should be his last. Jones, despite his initial flattery, is just not ready, if at all, for the first team. And Neco is not up to Liverpool standards. 

 

I think the problem with Shaqiri is that he doesn't work hard enough defensively. Our creativity comes from wide areas, Trent, Robertson, Salah and Mane. A midfield three of Fabinho, Henderson and Gini gives us a good balance of being strong enough defensively and having some creativity in it. 

 

Shaqiri is a good impact player, but I can't ever see him being good enough to start week in week out in a midfield three.