Stoke home matchthread

[satansmutt]

I don't blame the players for that one I blame Dalglish. 3 at the back and only 1 striker, we were unable to get bodies in the box and most of the time Adam was playing in front of Gerrard.

[neopulian]

We jsut toss the ball in the general direction of Carroll and then blame him when nothing comes from it.

 

Actually we don't. We blamed him when he couldn't read plays. We blamed him when he picks stupid options (like attacking the far post where he'd get no chance to sniff at the ball), we blamed him when he lumbered around like a wino, we blame him when he doesn't get into position, we blamed him when he had no idea where he should be, and ended up impeding his own teams. His block of Johnson's shot today was because he was clueless, his running into Henderson's shot was moronic.

 

He was useless.

 

Not that I blame him for the dropped 2 points, mind.

[PaulMcC]

A desparately disappointing team selection, formation and performance. I cannot for the life of me understand why we played 3 at the back, 2 fullbacks to get down the wings, a packed midfield and one up top.

 

We were at home afterall against stoke who were only ever going to park the bus and try and hit us on the break. We seemed to be frightened of a big, physical side before kick off and were set up to counteract that. But we were at home!

 

Now I love the King but today, he and his staff got it wrong. One up front is shit. I've never liked it through Houllier, benitez and now the King.

 

To play one up top you need a mobile striker who can make things happen. You also need a team that is quick, gets down the wings pulling the oppos this way then that. And you need to get crosses in for the loan striker to work with.

 

Kuyt may be mobile, but he isnt a striker that makes things happen. Of the two full backs going forward, johnson's touch is like a midwife but neither johnson nor the better enrique banged in enough accurate crosses. Downing just frustrates the heck out of me. he never takes a man on. He goes down the line until he's about 10 meters outside the box then cuts inside. Every fucking time! WTF is that about?

 

It was clear the tactics were not working after 30 minutes. The fullbacks nor downing neither pulled stoke's defence ragged nor delivered any quality crosses.

 

That we waited until the 60th minute before making a change was imvho, criminal. By then, the dye was set. stoke were confident in their game plan while we looked the opposite. To be honest, I thought we got what we deserved for our lack of guile, lack of ambition from the start and lack of urgency.

 

And while on about it, why the fuck did we have another 3 fullbacks on the bench? No wonder we cannot score at home.

 

Sorry Kenny, you got this one wrong. But you are still the King.

 

One final word, howard webb is a manc twat.

 

It's cos he's really shit. And a coward.

[LFC 6 Times]

I know Carroll wasn't the worst, but is this guy even a footballer, all he does is fucking run into people and win the odd aimless header, i see more technical ability at the under 18s regularly, fuck me to think what we could of done with all that money we've wasted, horrible thought really.

[Super Ken]

It's all a bit weird, isn't it.

 

Not really going anywhere, some piss poor performances from expensive signings, and we're told that we're not bothering to improve this squad this month.

 

Did I miss the meeting where we agreed to become Aston Villa?

[withnail71]

To me it is fucking simple, go into every game, home or away with as much attacking threat as possible. If they score 2, we score 3.

i just dont get all this negative bollocks we have been playing.

When KD took charge we were getting loads of players in the box and scoring loads. For some reason we get no cunt in the box anymore, i just dont understand why ???

[PaulMcC]

I think we do play attacking football in general. Except today and 2nd half v City.

[withnail71]

I think we do play attacking football in general. Except today and 2nd half v City.

Its pointless playing attacking football with a defensive set up though mate.

[xerxes]

A desparately disappointing team selection, formation and performance. I cannot for the life of me understand why we played 3 at the back, 2 fullbacks to get down the wings, a packed midfield and one up top.

 

We were at home afterall against stoke who were only ever going to park the bus and try and hit us on the break. We seemed to be frightened of a big, physical side before kick off and were set up to counteract that. But we were at home!

 

Now I love the King but today, he and his staff got it wrong. One up front is shit. I've never liked it through Houllier, benitez and now the King.

 

To play one up top you need a mobile striker who can make things happen. You also need a team that is quick, gets down the wings pulling the oppos this way then that. And you need to get crosses in for the loan striker to work with.

 

Kuyt may be mobile, but he isnt a striker that makes things happen. Of the two full backs going forward, johnson's touch is like a midwife but neither johnson nor the better enrique banged in enough accurate crosses. Downing just frustrates the heck out of me. he never takes a man on. He goes down the line until he's about 10 meters outside the box then cuts inside. Every fucking time! WTF is that about?

 

It was clear the tactics were not working after 30 minutes. The fullbacks nor downing neither pulled stoke's defence ragged nor delivered any quality crosses.

 

That we waited until the 60th minute before making a change was imvho, criminal. By then, the dye was set. stoke were confident in their game plan while we looked the opposite. To be honest, I thought we got what we deserved for our lack of guile, lack of ambition from the start and lack of urgency.

 

And while on about it, why the fuck did we have another 3 fullbacks on the bench? No wonder we cannot score at home.

 

Sorry Kenny, you got this one wrong.

 

We disagree on some of the off the field stuff, san Don, but on the field I agree with all of that.

 

The answer to your last question is because we didn't have four!

 

It will come good. Solvent owners, a good manager, and some good players ensure that, but there will be no miraculous transformation.

[smicer07]

To me it is fucking simple, go into every game, home or away with as much attacking threat as possible. If they score 2, we score 3.

i just dont get all this negative bollocks we have been playing.

When KD took charge we were getting loads of players in the box and scoring loads. For some reason we get no cunt in the box anymore, i just dont understand why ???

 

You are Kevin Keegan and I claim my five pounds.

[lebron]

The mongs are out in force tonight. As expected.

 

Yep. How dare they criticise our team/manager after a historical point against Stoke at Anfield? After all, we're still unbeaten at home. Stoke now join fellow greats Sunderland, Norwich, Swansea and Blackburn in the line of teams that we've managed a point against at Anfield this season.:whistle:

[ngogswilly]

In fairness, for all the flack getting thrown at Kenny for not being able to tactically outwit Stoke. Its pretty fucking difficult to outwit a gameplan which is basically "park the bus and hope to nick a flukey goal".

 

We proved that when we did that to City the other night. Well it became out tactic after we scored anyway.

 

What would have beaten Stoke tonight would have been skill, creativity, imagination and ultimately someone who can put the ball into the net.

 

I don't think its fair to blame tactics against teams like Stoke, but reality is its not just Stoke we've failed to beat this year because we can't score to save our lives. Theres been more than a few teams now we've failed against.

 

I think right now we simply have to bring in a goalscorer.

 

In the summer, look at bringing some attacking players who have skill, pace, creativity and hopefully goals in them.

 

That has to be where the roadmap leads now because I don't see us much else wrong with us.

[withnail71]

You are Kevin Keegan and I claim my five pounds.

I would love it, love it ! if i had his money.

[boomer39]

Yep. How dare they criticise our team/manager after a historical point against Stoke at Anfield? After all, we're still unbeaten at home. Stoke now join fellow greats Sunderland, Norwich, Swansea and Blackburn in the line of teams that we've managed a point against at Anfield this season.:whistle:

dont forget the dung and man shitty...

[AmerScouse]

i don't necessarily think we are shit, but we do have a lot of the same type of player.

 

too many of our players lack creativity in either thought, movement or play. our passing was peripheral all game. we lacked penetration at any level and our supporting runs were either static or easily read. there are very few times when our passing finds a 3rd runner. the first and 2nd runner are the easiest to defend as its usually in front of you, but its the 3rd runner who finds space because the defense loses focus.

 

it was always one of the mancs greatest strenghts, and is a quality shown by barcelona on occasion. though in their case, they've got so many individually fantastic players that it doesnt matter at times.

 

today, suarez would have easily found gaps in between their defense and midfield and subsequently stretched their defense to open spaces, but we lack the players around him to take advantage.

 

the reason city are a good attacking force is because they've got aguero, silva and someone like nasri or balotelli on the field in the attack at the same time. we are still missing those 2 players with stevie playing behind them. downing was obviously supposed to be one, but that appears to have gone as well as the carroll signing. utterly disappointing.

[The_Goat]

what i found so dissapointing was that when i saw the team sheet my initial thought was it had nil nil all over it. it must have given the opposition a lift pre kick off. it clearly wasnt working and changes happened all too late.

 

all the previous draws can be offest by the fact that we at least had a go and were playing the right way and that results would follow if we carried on in the same vein.

 

i hated the defensive mindset at the end of the houlier era when our teamsheet seemed to be dictated by the opposition no matter how poor they might have been and i saw that again today.

 

the 2nd half v city also had me worried, sitting back on leads to that extent in my eyes is not a good tactic. it fails more than it suceeds.

 

lets hope we learn lessons from this, move on and start playing the football we did at times last season and parts of this season when we all thought things were moving in the right direction.

[rubberduckstyle]

A dog with a mallet in his arse could see we were set up all wrong today. Kuyt, Carroll, Downing and Adam are simply not good enough to play for us, nor will they ever be, so to have them all even near the same team is just madness.

 

If I was the manager of a company and blew £100m in 6 months with zero return I'd expect to be sacked. Chelsea and Arsenal are having their worst season in years and we still won't get close to finishing fourth. We are pathetic to watch! Players looking for free kicks and penalties all over the place, it's eye aids of the highest order.

 

I half jokingly said to a mate after the City game that we were the worst team in the 4 divisions. His reply was that we weren't the worst team in the 4 divisions but we certainly have some of the worst players in the 4 divisions. I just couldn't disagree with him.

 

If the management team don't think we need new players to improve then they are in the wrong business because we are the epitome of shit at the moment. Something has to give and the sooner the better because the likes of City are slowing down for nobody.

[buffaloboy]

From the minute I saw the teamsheet I couldn't see a goal scored by us. Stoke were...well Stoke! No shocks, very unskillful and utterly came to defend for a point. After 10 mins it seemed destined for another 0-0. Stoke asked us what do we have in our team to break through and the answer was nothing.

 

Bellamy couldn't play a full game today and Carroll was surpisingly dropped (rested) so that left us with our main goalgetter Mr Dirk Kuyt. He hasn't scored all season and doesn't look like he ever will again for us.

 

I don't hate the guy, he has given us decent service for 5 years and scored some vital goals in his time but he looks useless these days. When Carroll came on we looked a little better up front but nothing special.

 

I don't really blame Kenny, he wasn't to know Suarez was going to be banned for 8 games and I'm sure he had in mind Bellamy being an impact substitute or playing the odd game as back up when he signed him. Now he's become our best threat of a goal. Pity that he is 33 and not able to play 2 games a week. I think Kenny wasted money on Downing, never ever rated the guy and a lot of people on here feel the same.

 

Henderson could still get better but right now he's average. What happened to Adam's great set pieces? They seem to have gone with Reina's penalty saves.

[chorlton]

Anyone read the guardian match review? It's a right load of shit. I used to rate that paper.

[billypilgrimnz]

Henderson seems to get trapped into a certain mindset, and finds it hard to change tempo/gears. For the first 25 minutes, for some reason he decided to make a one touch pass to nearly everything that came to him, no matter what the situation around him. Nothing came of any of these, but he still kept on doing it, rather than assessing the situation and making a decision based on that.

[Mathewbet1]

Bitches leave

[Walton Park]

I know Carroll wasn't the worst, but is this guy even a footballer, all he does is fucking run into people and win the odd aimless header, i see more technical ability at the under 18s regularly, fuck me to think what we could of done with all that money we've wasted, horrible thought really.

 

If you really can come out of that game and even talk about Carroll you are a bit off the markl !!

 

3 at the back. A few crosses coming in. Take the crosser off and bring the forward on. Keep 3 at the back while the opposition make no attempt to attack. Not disagreeing with regards to wasting money but its not the centre forwards fault. Manager has full responsiblity and when did we begin to think about worrying about teams coming to Anfield . 3 years ago I think. We need to attack attack attack at home irrelevant of the opposition. 5th at best not good enough.

[chauncey]

Taking the positives, at least those of us in the Lower Centenary had a cracking view of Sian Massey's arse.

[diamondjoe]

Can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. If we buy Aston Villa type players and employ Aston Villa type tactics, don't be surprised if we look, play and end up like Aston Villa.

I'm getting pretty sick of groundhog season.

[RedPaul]

The one thing I just can't understand is why we don't get people into the box. Can someone enlighten me please, because we are not going to score many goals with just one lone striker in the box. There was one moment which highlighted it for me. Kuyt got the ball wide right and turned to cross it and there was absolutely NOONE in the box and I thought, what the fuck? Just lots of players standing around outside the box. Together. They could have been having a chat, cake and a cup of tea, admiring Kuyt's ballwork, that was how influential their positions were.

The second half of last season we had movement, players getting forward and it was a joy to watch. And we scored goals! There is obviously an issue with Maxi, but he notably blossomed when Kenny came last Jan. He does get in the box and makes intelligent movements. He might not be the hardest working player, but at least he scores goals!

It's only one game, but it is incredibly frustrating watching a dire 0-0 against that shite Stoke team, and I just wished we had chanced our arm a bit with one or two more players getting into the box and causing their defenders a few more problems.