Game Thread vs Utrecht (a).

[mypost]

Yeah because heaven forbid we set up to actually win matches.

 

When we win and how many against a decent standard of opposition has that been achieved against this season?

 

You'rre right of course we didn't lose. we also didn't try to win that's what is galling for many not the result. the FACT that yet again. we never tried to ein the game before us preferring to take what we already had. how long do you think Top class players will stand for that level of ambition.

 

All well and good getting to the next round. until of course you have to then win to progress.

 

Next round is over two legs, the ties can be won at home, as most of them were last year. We don't have to go hari-kiri away and lose. As I said in my first post, we got a point where nobody else has this season. Only you'd swear we got hockeyed by a hatful given the reaction in here.

 

I'm not worried about the standard of opposition, or even the performances, as long as we get the results. So far in Europe, we've got the results. Two wins against Napoli and we'll be as good as qualified. We will probably only need another 4 points from the 2 games to qualify. Some people have to put things in perspective.

[usernameunknown]

BBC Sport - Football - Roy Hodgson dampens Liverpool expectations

 

Expectations to high apparently and bigs up getting a better result in Utrecht than Celtic did.

[FrenchEyeGlass]

Next round is over two legs, the ties can be won at home, as most of them were last year. We don't have to go hari-kiri away and lose. As I said in my first post, we got a point where nobody else has this season. Only you'd swear we got hockeyed by a hatful given the reaction in here.

 

I'm not worried about the standard of opposition, or even the performances, as long as we get the results. So far in Europe, we've got the results. Two wins against Napoli and we'll be as good as qualified. We will probably only need another 4 points from the 2 games to qualify. Some people have to put things in perspective.

 

Two wins against napoli.

 

fucking dreamland.

 

just wait until blackpool absolutely tear us a new one. you just wait.

[llego]

He makes me so mad.

[Nelly-Szoboszlai]

Next round is over two legs, the ties can be won at home, as most of them were last year. We don't have to go hari-kiri away and lose. As I said in my first post, we got a point where nobody else has this season. Only you'd swear we got hockeyed by a hatful given the reaction in here.

 

I'm not worried about the standard of opposition, or even the performances, as long as we get the results. So far in Europe, we've got the results. Two wins against Napoli and we'll be as good as qualified. Some people have to put things in perspective.

 

They certainly do. This is the Europa League. We were comprehensively outplayed and outfought by an inferior team from a weak league in the Dutch league.

 

We've played 13 competitive games now under Hodgson and we've been totally abject in all but say 60-70 minutes of these matches. We have been set up in ALL of these matches not to lose. Over 13 games, that kind of sets the scene for the approach that the manager is likely to adopt for the whole season.

 

We will not finish in the top four playing the football we are. Players will also get frustrated playing the negative football we are. These two factors combined will lead to a mass exodus of our better players who want, and quite frankly, deserve to be playing at the top level. If this shite football continues, this don't lose at all costs mentality, then our top players will be gone. Torres first, then the rest. No Champions League for a long time. Back to years of mediocrity.

 

Is that enough 'perspective' for you?

[FrenchEyeGlass]

BBC Sport - Football - Roy Hodgson dampens Liverpool expectations

 

Expectations to high apparently and bigs up getting a better result in Utrecht than Celtic did.

 

Shut the fuck up you dosy idiot.

 

This team, bar a few, lamped Real Madrid. Your just a shit manager, and one of the very few i've seen even fuck up the whole 'New coach confidence' boost.

 

(aimed at Roy not you usernameunknown)

[usernameunknown]

Shut the fuck up you dosy idiot.

 

This team, bar a few, lamped Real Madrid. Your just a shit manager, and one of the very few i've seen even fuck up the whole 'New coach confidence' boost.

 

(aimed at Roy not you usernameunknown)

 

I agree completely, that Celtic comment is disgusting, our budget must be about 20 times theres and they probably have the worst away record in Europe over the last decade. What an achievement!

 

He talks asif we're Luton Town. Time to move him on, he simply has to go.

[TheResonator]

Mypost, you simply have to be an incredibly patient troll.

 

How can you have forgotten the last six years so quickly? Yes, last season we were shit, but we still have the foundations of the squad that finished second with a record points total.

 

How on earth can you think that 0-0 in the manner that it was achieved is acceptable for this club with it's squad and history?

 

The fact is that we have a team with one of the best strikers in the world, best keepers in the world, and one of the best midfielders. We have a solid defence - on paper - and a quality midfield.

 

Please explain to me how this team, if they are performing as you think they should, aren't capable of playing attacking football even at a basic level. I don't think we've had a single good attacking move all season.

 

Results are results, but it's one thing getting a nil-nil away in Europe when you've dominated possession and battered your oppositions goalmouth, and another when you've played like we did tonight.

 

I know it's 95% certain I'm completely wasting my time on you, but there is the lingering 5% that makes me think there's a possibility, just a slight possibility, that you actually believe what you're posting and are just totally deluded.

 

If that's the case: wake up. It might be the mark of a good team to get a result when they aren't playing well, but it is also the mark of a good team to regularly play well. We are never playing well at the moment, and haven't been for a long time. Our last solid performances were in the closing stages of the Europa league last season and even then we were punching below our weight.

 

We're totally shambolic at the moment. Something, somewhere, has to give.

[thompsonsnose]

I can see Blackpool beating us.

 

If Gerrard doesnt figure/play well, we will get snotted.

Holloway will be poking his boys with a stick prior to kickoff.

They will never have a better chance to write their name in to blackpools history.

Theyve got nowt to lose, which means we will set up EVEN MORE NEGATIVELY AGAINST BLACKPOOL AT HOME.

 

It will be febrile come 5 o'clock.

 

Tailspin.

[RED Tezza]

Next round is over two legs, the ties can be won at home, as most of them were last year. We don't have to go hari-kiri away and lose. As I said in my first post, we got a point where nobody else has this season. Only you'd swear we got hockeyed by a hatful given the reaction in here.

 

I'm not worried about the standard of opposition, or even the performances, as long as we get the results. So far in Europe, we've got the results. Two wins against Napoli and we'll be as good as qualified. We will probably only need another 4 points from the 2 games to qualify. Some people have to put things in perspective.

 

 

And the league, which after all is our bread and butter. oh fuck it you know what just shut the fuck up you're boring the shit out of me now.

 

Put this in perspective. 15th in the league. you clearly are happy about that and happy with the turgid shit that gets trotted out week in week out. for all i know you are happy with the shit going on at the top.

 

Fuck it you represent the modern day Liverpool supporter and for that reason and that reason alone. you're a cunt.

[myrlas]

As someone said on twitter earlier today (before tonights match)

 

"whoever thinks liverpool are better off with hodgson than rafa better check their passports (yes, it's british)"

 

Hodgson is acting exactly as expected. This is him. Get used to it.

[Guest PurpleNose]

BBC Sport - Football - Roy Hodgson dampens Liverpool expectations

 

Expectations to high apparently and bigs up getting a better result in Utrecht than Celtic did.

 

Just had a listen to that. I'm all for giving the manager time but I'm not sure I've ever heard such deluded, defeatist, small time nonsense from one of our managers.

 

Why couldn't he have just admitted we were a bit rubbish? The result in isolation wasn't terrible, we should probably be beating them, but a point away in Europe isn't the end of the world. But to just basically pretend we played well doesn't seem to serve any purpose.

 

The players must know full well it was fucking shit.

[Randy Marsh]

18months ago we where beating Real Madrid in the Bernebau. Today we are going to Utrecht and clinging on for a draw. I'm not going to even mention the rest of the shit we've served out so far this season. The first XI has not depleted that much in those 18months.

 

I'm sick of being told that points against Sunderland, Utrecht, Birmingham etc are good results. We're being taken for mugs. I'd like to think that he would maybe say one thing to the press and another to the squad but looking at the way our team is set out and at our mentality on the pitch I doubt that's the case. Negative isn't the word, it's worse than that. Pepe, Carra, Agger, Skrtel, Johnson, Stevie, Maxi, Cole, Meireles, Nando , we are not that fuckin bad for christ's sake. If we set out to attack shit like this then we will win a lot more than we will lose. It wouldn't upset me so much if we where battering teams but still dropping points, but that's not the case. There's no 20minute spell in a match where we dominate, no forceful pressure, no wave after wave of attack, no freekishly good goalkeeping performances keeping us at bay. It's just dull, slow, unimaginative, sterile, boring, negative shit.

[mypost]

How on earth can you think that 0-0 in the manner that it was achieved is acceptable for this club with it's squad and history?

 

A 0-0 away in Europe is a 0-0, no matter how it's "achieved". It's still one point either way.

 

The fact is that we have a team with one of the best strikers in the world, best keepers in the world, and one of the best midfielders. We have a solid defence - on paper - and a quality midfield.

 

Our best player was sitting watching ITV4 tonight. Our midfield is Lucas and Poulsen. The defence had Kelly in it. Torres is off form, and his replacement is not exactly world-class. We have a forward playing on the wing. We are an average team with average players. We have no transfer budget of any kind. The reserve players, as we saw last week, are not good enough. Where's all these great players we have, to play football that looks great on tv?

 

We aren't playing great, the performances are not easy on the eye, but we're not losing that many games. Our previous bosses didn't set the world alight either when they started the job here. We have a new boss, we have to learn to walk before we can run, and atm we're at the stage where results matter over performances. To that extent, a 0-0 draw away from home is not the worst result ever. But then again, we've been booed off the pitch before while going top of the league, so what do you expect from some people? If we had won 1-0 tonight, they'd still be moaning and whinging.

[Il Fenomeno]

Our best player was sitting watching ITV4 tonight.

 

Our best player was in goal.

 

Gerrard has been nowhere near Pepe's standard for 18 months now. No way is he our best player.

[Nelly-Szoboszlai]

A 0-0 away in Europe is a 0-0, no matter how it's "achieved". It's still one point either way.

 

 

 

Our best player was sitting watching ITV4 tonight. Our midfield is Lucas and Poulsen. The defence had Kelly in it. Torres is off form, and his replacement is not exactly world-class. We have a forward playing on the wing. We are an average team with average players. We have no transfer budget of any kind. The reserve players, as we saw last week, are not good enough. Where's all these great players we have, to play football that looks great on tv?

 

We aren't playing great, the performances are not easy on the eye, but we're not losing that many games. Our previous bosses didn't set the world alight either when they started the job here. We have a new boss, we have to learn to walk before we can run, and atm we're at the stage where results matter over performances. To that extent, a 0-0 draw away from home is not the worst result ever. But then again, we've been booed off the pitch before while going top of the league, so what do you expect from some people? If we had won 1-0 tonight, they'd still be moaning and whinging.

 

You're so far off the point it's unbelievable. It's not just about tonight. It's the dirge that Hodgson has served up for all the 13 games he's been in charge, plus the fact that he's managed in this manner for his whole career. He is clearly out of his depth and always will be.

[TheResonator]

A 0-0 away in Europe is a 0-0, no matter how it's "achieved". It's still one point either way.

 

If we had won 1-0 tonight, they'd still be moaning and whinging.

 

I'll answer this point, first and foremost.

 

Yes, they would, you know why? Because football is a sport that is about entertainment. I don't personally enjoy watching my team scrape a fluky win playing with stupidity and cowardice; I want to see a team that is tactically set up to get the best out of its players, and players who want to play for the manager. Did you see any of that on display tonight?

 

In terms of your other point, you raise the issue that Gerrard was rested. Whose decision is that? Manager. Who can fill in for him? Joe Cole, Raul Meireles, Aquilani could have put in a shift if the club had wanted him around. Why aren't they performing? The former two were shocking tonight. Who sets them up? Who's tasked to get the best out of them?

 

As a matter of fact, "Torres is off form" - how's he supposed to hit form with that service? No wide players, no outlets, we don't get the ball forward. But as long as we get an away point, that's enough for you is it? Mind boggling.

[mypost]

And the league, which after all is our bread and butter.

 

Put this in perspective. 15th in the league. you clearly are happy about that and happy with the turgid shit that gets trotted out week in week out.

 

I never said I was happy with 15th in the league, and I'm not. But the league is won and lost over 38 games, not 6. We're 5 points off 4th, and one win away from a top half spot.

 

We were 4th from bottom at this stage in 92 under Souness. We were in a roughly similiar position 5 years ago under Rafa. We finished 3rd.

 

I think I'll wait a while before I panic over 15th in the league.

[John101]

Have we ever had a more defeatist manager?

[Utreg]

We could win this match definetly. Happy with the draw, but we have to win the home matches against Steau and Napoli.

[Guest ShoePiss]

He's fucking insulting actually, he said "if you're not satisfied with top of the group, if you're not satisfied with a good home win against Steaua, if you're not satisfied with a good away draw to Utrecht then you're never going to be satisfied".

 

Anyone here satisfied? If not you'll never be satisfied according to our manager.

 

Glad he's happy with the performance of all the players today though, it was an entertaining match too apparently.

 

I'm concerned I'm starting to get a little unfair on Roy seeing as I didn't want him in the first place but it's becoming pretty hard to hold back the criticism.

[Guest davelfc]

I never said I was happy with 15th in the league, and I'm not. But the league is won and lost over 38 games, not 6. We're 5 points off 4th, and one win away from a top half spot.

 

We were 4th from bottom at this stage in 92 under Souness. We were in a roughly similiar position 5 years ago under Rafa. We finished 3rd.

 

I think I'll wait a while before I panic over 15th in the league.

 

You seem to have completely forgotten that other teams play as well, one win won't necessarily gain us a mid place if the other teams above us have the audacity to also win.

 

I agree it's early days, but has anyone seen any improvement? Fucks sake most are shitting themselves that we'll get beaten by Blackpool, yes Blackpool at home.

 

I think we'll win and win well, but I'll await the claims that it's only papering over the cracks.

[Guest ShoePiss]

I never said I was happy with 15th in the league, and I'm not. But the league is won and lost over 38 games, not 6. We're 5 points off 4th, and one win away from a top half spot.

 

We were 4th from bottom at this stage in 92 under Souness. We were in a roughly similiar position 5 years ago under Rafa. We finished 3rd.

 

I think I'll wait a while before I panic over 15th in the league.

 

It's not about league position at the moment, you know that too by the looks of it. It's about playing in the same manner, absolute shite, again.

 

When will we see signs of improvement? I'm not talking about whacking teams 6-0, I'm looking for little 10 minute spells in a game we're we look like we've spoken to each other before.

[Cherry Ghost]

18months ago we where beating Real Madrid in the Bernebau.

 

But unfortunately last year we were losing home and away to Fiorentina, nabbing 1 point off Lyon in two games and scraping past Debrecen 1-0 in two games, we were shit last year as well in Europe. This is not excusing the quality of recent stuff just a reminder that the team that slaughtered Utd and Real has not been around for 18 months in the league or Europe. There is a malaise in this club that extends deeply into the psyche now. We have one more game left before the 15th and if this cancer is not removed from the club we will continue to struggle. I'm not sure there's a single player with possibly the exception of Gerrard (who looked lost last year) that has an ounce of self-belief left. That may be related the manager, I don't know, but what I do know is that things cannot get better with these bloodsucking leeches still draining our body.

[mypost]

Because football is a sport that is about entertainment.

 

Football is primarily a results business. Entertainment is great, but can't take priority over results. Arsenal think differently, and have won nothing in 5 years. I'd rather have the results, thanks.

 

you raise the issue that Gerrard was rested. Whose decision is that? Manager.

 

Agreed, it is his decision, but many fans would have advised it as well beforehand. They want Gerrard saved for league games. I don't, but that's a different argument.

 

Who can fill in for him? Joe Cole, Raul Meireles, Aquilani could have put in a shift if the club had wanted him around. Why aren't they performing? The former two were shocking tonight.

 

They can fill in for him, but Raul isn't in his class after 3 first team games, Cole hasn't played a lot more either, and as for Aquilani, well he was poor for us anyway, and should never have been bought sorry, got.

 

As a matter of fact, "Torres is off form" - how's he supposed to hit form with that service? No wide players, no outlets, we don't get the ball forward. But as long as we get an away point, that's enough for you is it?

 

Torres will hit form but he hasn't scored away in Europe for 2,5 years. He had two chances tonight, didn't take them. When one goes in, they'll all go in. Like buses.