5 weeks ago, Pep signing a 2 year extension was joyous. This blip should be irrelevant because no manager could have coped with the injuries to as many first team players as we’ve had. As someone else said - imagine dippers without 2 defenders & VVD; Szoboszlai & 2 of their wingersTime flies, and Pep will be gone before we know it.
The Board has to get his replacement sorted out sooner rather than later, and when we make our next batch of signings need to have the next coach in mind.
Pep's position has to be considered by the Board... we can't allow this (hopefully mini) slump to impact on European qualification.
A few players are starting to look like they've lost interest. If it turns out that he's lost or losing the dressing room (which I doubt), this could be a very expensive bloodbath.
True, he initiated the contact by leaving his foot. If he hurdled Ortega, as he was doing, he would have cleared him easily but left his trailing foot dangling in order the slightest touch was made. No fault of Ortega that.Diaz knew the ball had gone as he hurdled Ortega,he deliberately angled his left foot so it made contact.He's done it umpteen times before.
Agree Doku improved things I’d have liked to have seen him start.Look, we should have been three down at HT, but in general play we improved second half. Gutted that despite their chances, we made mistakes that ultimately cost us. They couldn't handle Doku second half but we couldn't create any proper chances. Not arguing that they deserved the win though. It's physically impossible to stay at the top five years in a row - what's happening is perfectly normal. I can see us doing some very early transfer business in the summer - key positions - give them game time in the World Club Championship. Rest our players who are staying, give O'Reilly and co a starting berth and use that mini-tournament to our advantage.
Those players who have given everything for us owe us nothing - we owe them our eternal gratitude for giving us football none of us dreamt we'd ever see. The page is turning on some careers - that's all - legends every one of them.
Don’t think he’s lost any of them, I just think too many are past their “best before” date - they haven’t got the energy to play with the intensity that Liverpool didIt's crumbs of comfort stuff this - we're relieved we didn't get absolutely arseholed. He's clearly lost a few of them, although those are the ones whose time is probably up anyway. Keep Ake fit please
Jesus. It was 100% a pen.True, he initiated the contact by leaving his foot. If he hurdled Ortega, as he was doing, he would have cleared him easily but left his trailing foot dangling in order the slightest touch was made. No fault of Ortega that.
I thought I'd seen everything.Spot on. Peps position should 100% be considered if we fail to win wednesday. Finishing top 4 is vital for player recuitment and keeping certain players. Finish outside the top 4 then rodri and haaland most probably leave
Get the summer transfer window over and see what happens.Time flies, and Pep will be gone before we know it.
The Board has to get his replacement sorted out sooner rather than later, and when we make our next batch of signings need to have the next coach in mind.
Pep's position has to be considered by the Board... we can't allow this (hopefully mini) slump to impact on European qualification.
A few players are starting to look like they've lost interest. If it turns out that he's lost or losing the dressing room (which I doubt), this could be a very expensive bloodbath.
It's a shame the club didn't know this in the summer.Don’t think he’s lost any of them, I just think too many are past their “best before” date - they haven’t got the energy to play with the intensity that Liverpool did
I played center forward for a living and I don’t think it’s a penalty. He dived and he started to dive as soon as he saw Ortega go to ground. Diaz obviously knew he was going down no matter what, because he hit the ball so far past him that he couldn’t possibly have retrieved it!That pen....i still can't believe where he would have to fetch the ball if he didn't deliberately leave his leg in for contact...touch line maybe - he was rounding Ortega - just knocked the ball well wide and waited for contact...meant to be a goal scoring opportunity ..Also as this happens everywhere surely VAR analysers MUST be trained to spot these deliberate 'fake pens' don't get me wrong whilst we were better today - no way we good enough today to get anything ...1 shot I think whole game - but that wasn't a pen to me..book the lad for cheating.
no not really"The away fans claimed it was the worst support they've ever seen. This is some statement. Any thoughts?"
You forgetting they broke a few seasons back worse than ours?They’re just better than us now, can’t believe after all the rivalry we’re going to be the team that breaks first. Even though we won more it hurts guys.
Define breaking first? We have spent the last 2 years fighting off Arsenal, with Liverpool being a mere distractionThey’re just better than us now, can’t believe after all the rivalry we’re going to be the team that breaks first. Even though we won more it hurts guys.
They’re just better than us now, can’t believe after all the rivalry we’re going to be the team that breaks first. Even though we won more it hurts guys.
Having players who are comfortable receiving the ball properly with back to play ..or if a yard or so of space, on the half turn is key for defenders who want to play out...our midfield do not show ..probably too scared as the do not have the confidence...leaves defenders in a really dangerous position, we ended up slinging 'channel balls' because of this.... very poor from our midfield really. We have definitely let some of the more technically gifted academy grads go too soon...Yes ,the mistakes we make at the back ,either defending or passing the ball is just too much .This is so unlike the way we used to play.
Of all the shite I've read....They’re just better than us now, can’t believe after all the rivalry we’re going to be the team that breaks first. Even though we won more it hurts guys.
absolutely, echoed my sentiments..loads of this sort of sh*t happens now and the media / pundits (it seems) = all influence VAR and its they who have created this narrative - oh he made contact! ffs Every keeper has been taught to spread themselves - how can they avoid a CF deliberately leaving their leg their to get contact...that one today was obvious as the CF didn't give a fk where the ball went - just knock it off the keepers way..then get contact! I'm with you, CF MUST jump the keeper as they did back in the day...todays pens are bllocks!I played center forward for a living and I don’t think it’s a penalty. He dived and he started to dive as soon as he saw Ortega go to ground. Diaz obviously knew he was going down no matter what, because he hit the ball so far past him that he couldn’t possibly have retrieved it!
He dived, left his legs trailing and even then it was the faintest of contacts on his left foot.
Not for nothing, but he did it again outside the box, but it was SO fucking obviously a dive (and City got the ball) that he put his hand up as if to say “I’m not claiming the foul!”…but it was still a dive!
For me, if the keeper makes a real effort to get to the ball when diving, the attacker should be EXPECTED to jump over him during his run. Now, if the keeper makes himself big or blocks that, then sure, it’s a pen! However, when the keeper, who has to dive, merely dives low for the ball and the player dives over him trailing his legs, it shouldn’t be a penalty.
Waaaaaay too much diving and feigning injury in football these days and it needs stamping out. It ruins the game, it often involves crucial decisions, and it can very often change the result.
And, NONE of that says Liverpool didn’t fully deserve the win. They just didn’t deserve that penalty.
Err...have to agree with TFC on that...plus they finished 22 points behind us in 22/23, so they kinda broke firstOf all the shite I've read....
Broke first? We've just won an unprecedented 4 league titles on the bounce ffs. Broke first, Jesus Christ.
and we were better than i thought we would be today,,i was expecting 6:0 with the way Pep is NOT firing up his team. This resigned attitude is bllocks tbf...From the best manager we have ever had. We did try so much more with Jack and Doku on...but the game had gone really and we sort of limped into it...Just got back from anfield,wow what the hell has happpend to us, spineless,toothless,fuckin clueless,that was so bad it was untrue,actuallly not even that pissed off because i expected it,im a positive guy an always think best case sinario,but honestly this is fuckin dogshit