Game thread: Mancs away

[Kevin D]

Terrible performance, in my view, lead by a manager devoid of any machismo or ingenuity. We were content to sit in our own box, not really contest the midfield battle and let them reign crosses down all day. An exact formula to get beat at Old Trafford and we followed it. Shocking given the countless cautionary tales which exist, absolutely unbelievable given we saw how defensively vulnerable they were.

 

I, begrudgingly, agree with the prevailing sentiment on Jamie Carragher.

[Wor Horse]

Wow. Not bringing it back to the Benitez thing again but If Roy's tactics are cowardly, he done pretty well to come back from 2-0 down with 'cowardly tactics'.

 

I don't seem to remember that Liverpool side coming back from 2-0 down against a top 4 team away over the last few seasons, not at all, it usually ended 3-0, 3-1, 4-1, etc etc. We've had some ABYSMAL performances at OT, the Emirates and the Bridge recently. At least we brought it back to 2-2 today, I agree the sub was shocking, Moaty was our best player and to take him off is just ludicrous but I don't think his overall tactics were that bad.

 

I reckon we would have lost 5-0 today had Roy picked a cowardly line up, the line up everyone expected, Lucas and Poulsen with Gerrard and Nando isolated.

 

There's not much Roy can do when the defence he picks goes fucking walk about time and time again game after game, Johnson really is stuck in a rut and Carragher is just passed it, Skrtel's a liability and Konchesky is just solid, nothing more nothing less, the front 5 of Torres, Gerrard, Cole, Meireles and Kuyt should see us have a decent season, I'm just worried about the defence because Reina can't save us all the time, shame we haven't got the money for someone like Cahill or Shawcross who can just dominate everything.

 

People latching onto Roy's interview need to have a fucking word with themselves, yeah we lost the game after bringing it back to 2-2 but fucking hell, away to a team like United which idiot is honestly going to bemoan the home team, a team like them, getting a winner from a player who's chasing the hat trick and seems to be in the form of his life.

 

I'd be hanging on too. The club's just fucked anyway, Roy Hodgson is the best of a bad bunch, it went stale with Rafa because of the owners and now we've got Roy, I trust him to do a decent job for us but it's just a shame that as we seem to be on the decline teams like Spurs and City are on the up. So we're even more fucked.

 

Cheers DM. You fucking cunt.

[Aldonose]

Anyone having a go at the team and manager today are nob heads! U r all a disgrace and not FANS! We have had a tuff start to the season but it's off the field we should concentrate on, Roy is not the issue the owners are

 

The owners are the problem, but lets be honest they didn't make shithouse, negative decisions that ultimately cost us the game. We fortunately got back into the game at 2-2, Man Utd in 6's and 7's what does Roy do? Sits back and gives them the initiative! Fuck off you boring negative cunt.

[stevienando]

Anyone having a go at the team and manager today are nob heads! U r all a disgrace and not FANS! We have had a tuff start to the season but it's off the field we should concentrate on, Roy is not the issue the owners are

 

No, the issue is that Woy was the wrong appointment and he's a shithouse coward. His mentality was revealed today and I don't fucking like it.

[Crazyhorse7778]

Wow. Not bringing it back to the Benitez thing again but If Roy's tactics are cowardly, he done pretty well to come back from 2-0 down with 'cowardly tactics'.

 

It's what happened after we got back into it that was cowardly.

[Guest ShoePiss]

Did he really say we were forced to take chances? I assume taking chances means attacking the opposition?

[kacangpool]

we fought. and that's important to me. i don't expect much this season (with the yanks and cecil still running the show), i wanted the lads to fight and be proud to wear the shirt. unfortunate that we didn't get at least a draw. but i can't be too unhappy with the lads or roy today, especially against a top 4 team.

[GJM]

You can say what you like about Hodgson, but if you think the attitude today was any different to what it's been for most of the last 2-3 years then you are kidding yourself.

 

The feeling of watching a team play within itself for most of the game, of only seeing their real potential when behind and chasing the game, and of holding what they have rather than going for something more - for me, this is the same feeling I have had for most of the past 2-3 seasons.

[aldred01]

The owners are the problem, but lets be honest they didn't make shithouse, negative decisions that ultimately cost us the game. We fortunately got back into the game at 2-2, Man Utd in 6's and 7's what does Roy do? Sits back and gives them the initiative! Fuck off you boring negative cunt.

 

Look at the players, maxi was a waste of space and torres again was acting like a baby that had his dummy taken off him

[Mr T]

There's a few problems that I have identified:

 

Konchesky is shite;

Poulsen is a crab;

Carragher is finished;

Lucas shite;

Torres is a sicknote;

Johnson is a headless chicken;

Roy is a nice man but totally out of his depth;

The Americans are raping the club and we'll be in administration within two years.

 

But at least we're now marking man to man and the negative football has stopped.

[stevienando]

You can say what you like about Hodgson, but if you think the attitude today was any different to what it's been for most of the last 2-3 years then you are kidding yourself.

 

The feeling of watching a team play within itself for most of the game, of only seeing their real potential when behind and chasing the game, and of holding what they have rather than going for something more - for me, this is the same feeling I have had for most of the past 2-3 seasons.

 

Exactly. Why fire Rafa if you're going to bring Roy in?

[Bogman]

we were piss poor today, we only got back into it cos utd combusted, and anyone who can't see that, well, specsavers are open in the morning.

we were second best by a country mile, but all the goals were stoppable.

can't believe the man who crossed for the winner should have been sent off. thanks howard.

 

we're shit.

shit owners, shit manager, shit performances. simple as that.

[Aldonose]

You can say what you like about Hodgson, but if you think the attitude today was any different to what it's been for most of the last 2-3 years then you are kidding yourself.

 

The feeling of watching a team play within itself for most of the game, of only seeing their real potential when behind and chasing the game, and of holding what they have rather than going for something more - for me, this is the same feeling I have had for most of the past 2-3 seasons.

 

In all honesty it's been pretty much the same since Roy Evans was in charge. He's the last manager we had that had us playing attractive, attacking football home and away.

[Bogman]

oh, and worst start to a season in 18 years.

 

fuck what shit fixtures we've had, that's a damning inditement

[Phoenix]

At least the media will be happy.

 

Not having to deal with such a cold person.

[AussieRed]

Here's hoping for better times under Roy to come - At least we looked like a TEAM for some of the game today rather than a mechanical defensive machine as we have without an Alonso type in the last few seasons, I think Meireles had something to do with that and he MAY be the answer to the recent attacking problems we've had with supplying the front 2 - We shall see soon enough. Today was bad but could have been worse but it's onward and upward from here. Nothing will REALLY change until the owners are gone though - THAT remains our real priority in my opinion - The sooner they're gone? The sooner our club can LIVE again instead of the likes of me thinking they're watching the "Hicks Profit Vehicle" where "Liverpool Football Club" used to be - It's time our club lived again and H & G's regime? Died a FINAL death as it so richly deserves.....................

 

I know what you're saying but the constant focus on CM really baffles me. Since Evans our biggest weakness has been a lack of quality wide players. The only quality player we have had in a wide position since then was a pre injury Kewell. Our CM has not been a problem for a long time.

 

We looked completely impotent out there and the first chance we made was from the middle of the field from Cole who was supposed to be our wide player. We need quality width a LB and a CB. Let's stop focussing on CM continuously.

[zico]

Konchesky is miles ahead of Insua. He might not be a world beater and he might not be good enough for us, but he is still a lot better than Insua.

 

No he really isn't.... He is shit... Ok Insua had some positioning problems, which konchielsky solves just giving the wide players a couple of minutes to whip a cross in... At least Insua provided something going forward...

[stringvest]

You can say what you like about Hodgson, but if you think the attitude today was any different to what it's been for most of the last 2-3 years then you are kidding yourself.

 

The feeling of watching a team play within itself for most of the game, of only seeing their real potential when behind and chasing the game, and of holding what they have rather than going for something more - for me, this is the same feeling I have had for most of the past 2-3 seasons.

 

this is spot on. It was precisely the attitude we saw throughout Benitez's tenure, with a few exceptions. It's frustrating to watch, but it's nothing new unfortunately. At least there's a chance that Hodgson might improve things once his players get a chance to bed in. There were some positives to take from the game - good possession, though it couldn't be turned into a goal threat, and I thought Meireles had a solid game. I thought Poulsen looked good too - making himself available for the pass out of defence and across midfield, though I was disappointed that his default ball was often backwards. Maxi, Cole, Johnson and Konchesky were all disappointing - none of them could impose themselves on the game., but I thought we bossed the midfield for large parts of the game.

[Captain]

Chelsea are ripping Blackpool apart. 2-0 up already.

[Il Fenomeno]

Chelsea are ripping Blackpool apart. 2-0 up already.

 

Blackpool more shots than us on target in the first half...

[crouchaholic]

Exactly. Why fire Rafa if you're going to bring Roy in?

 

Because 'well, we didn't expect more than a point at Brum' in post-match interviews is more comfortable than 'I have serious problems working with CEOs and owner who fail to deliver on their word and act against the best interest of the club', maybe?

[Pidge]

No he really isn't.... He is shit... Ok Insua had some positioning problems, which konchielsky solves just giving the wide players a couple of minutes to whip a cross in...

 

Ha! At half time he was giving away too many corners by blocking the crosses apparently. Funny how the appointed scapegoat can't win either way.

[Carra_is_legend]

Our problem since 1998 has been we failed to appoint a manager who is positive and go for the win, which is the main base a manager needs in this league.

 

Houllier was negative. Rafa was negative. And now Hodgson looks the same.

 

Its not a criticism of Hodgson by any means, he clearly needs time but he has to be brave and look for the win always.

 

We need to improve and fast. We hardly create chances these days from open play.

 

And Torres needs to improve 100% in the next few games. He has been nothing short of rubbish so far. If it was any other player like Lucas, Kuyt etc, he would have got nailed to the cross now.

 

All in all, a bad day and 2 games lost out of 5 already. 5 points out of 5 games isn't exactly why we changed the manager! Roy has to start earning his money in the coming weeks.

[Ryehauge]

Infact.

 

I take back what I said. I don't think we where shit, I just don't think we had an attacking outlet. For periods of the game we managed to keep hold of the ball and pass it well. Cole was getting fuck all service, and Torres was feeding off scraps.

 

For the first 10 minutes our midfield was non existent, and we managed to weather the storm. However I've no faith in any of our defenders at the moment, Carragher included. It's a sad state of affairs.

 

I agree with this. I actually thought we played well at times and Gerrard, Meireles and Poulsen were great together. We lost the game when we took off Meireles and let them win the midfield-battle again. Stupid decision as Meireles really looked like a quality player. I think we should play the same attacking six as today for the rest of the season. They showed us today at times that they have the potential to play good football.

 

Our defence was on the other hand horrendous. I think, though, that it would do us wonders if we had Agger in the line instead of Skrtel. I am really not a big fan of him. He is too unintelligent and confused in his game.

 

I am very dissapointed that we lost today but in my opinion we could aswell have won 3-2. If we have the same approach and play with the same attack for the rest of the season as we did today in the period from 0-2 to 2-2 (plus 5-10 minutes) we really should beat the most of the teams in the league. We have the potential to play some great football, I just hope we want to aswell.

[Torvald Utne]

Chelsea are ripping Blackpool apart. 2-0 up already.

 

3-0 now, going to end up at least 7