Liverpool (H) | PL | Post Match Thread

[citymad]

We played okay to an extent but Liverpool had full control of that game for 90 minutes and the result was never in doubt. They haven't had a more comfortable game here in decades. That was a sad performance to see that they can just hold us at arms length like an adult holding a kids head as they're trying to swing punches towards them.

Pep didn't set us up properly yet again. We've got all that pace upfront and yet play too slowly to utilise any of it. our wingers had good games, they beat their markers regularly but then found a crowded box and closed down space where they might have looked to cut inside everytime because we played too slowly in the build up and allowed them to reset. Without haalands presence, the only chance we had was to hit them fast and we didnt do it hence the lack of any genuine goal threat.

look how they attacked, they did exactly that against us and it led to plenty of chances for them despite a minimal amount of the ball.

Most of the players today put in decent individual performances but pep has set the team up poorly again.

Really good post. Agree with first paragraph sadly. It was hard to watch!

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

Pep thought we played "really good"

Certainly trying his best to polish a turd today.

I thought Liverpool played at 75% second half.

We were utterly toothless.

 

[Sheik Battle and Goal]

Pep thought we played "really good"

That was an interview from 3 years ago.

 

[Smithy77]

Pep and City 2.0 on its way you watch

Stop slagging off the manager, the team that has ran through fucking brick walls to get us what we craved as loyal blues..

We know, as pep does the mistakes made. We started to correct that in the winter window. Now we just have to bed in the new players, secure top four and see what happens in the fa cup.

Pep also realises that the game eventually catches up, no longer can we play against 10 behind the ball - pep will do what he does best. Mould this newly created team into a new style that plays with the same control but quicker - adaptation.

Dont let the media fool you. This dipper team are not great, they are just grabbing the opportunity at the best time when we are changing, and no one else can challenge.

They aint great till they win it twice in a row anyway, remember that narrative ; )

 

[birchwoodgingerste]

That display was so passive to many players just giving ball away for no apparent reason.Dont get me started on our set peices and corners who the heck is training us for them absolutely diabolical!.

 

[chris85mcfc]

That was an interview from 3 years ago.

My firestick isn't that slow!

 

[mattyads]

Basics

The result wasnt as bad as I feared - that is the only positive other than the performance of Doku (though only in parts) and, Gonzales, Khusonov

The issues - Im bored of hearing about there is no fight, no desire etc - bullshit excuses for the inability to admit the simple fact that some of these players are not good enough and not up to standard.

KDB - again and again its been said by people - he is finished, done - he cant even last 65 mins and he is adding nothing
Gvardiol - some games he is great - others he is poor - he was the latter today - no excuses about him playing against Salah - it is inexcusable to not be putting effort in to close the winger down/wide player down. if you cant defend then he shouldnt be on the pitch.
Ake - is done - all over the place

Rico Lewis - people want him to succeed more as he is a local lad - but its like watching a talented 14 year old play against professional footballers. He has attributes but he cant do anything with the ball once in space.....he hasno future in what needs to be a significant rebuild.

Marmoush - is going to need to hugely improve - loads of hype about him after Newcastle - but he doesnt look after the ball well enough - that needs to improve or he wont be the player we need

Foden - a well documented bad season but whatever is going on with him will hopefully dort itself out.

Savihnio - we need a serious footballer...he has all the ability in the world but is he serious about being the best? - little output on a regular basis - no goal threat and its great to be able to beat a man but he does nothing with it.

Doku- showed a lot of fight and a bright spark but he needs to tidy up what he does in the last actions...

And as for the subs - oh deat - Gundo and Kovacic might not as well bothered.

Im more than comfortable with all of this....its been coming a mile off and been very obvious - we have had some unparralled success but there is actual bigger change needed than people realise

Of that team that started today (or even finished it) - how many get into our treble team?
Ederson
Foden
Haaland (as he would normally of started today)
Rodri
Gvardiol IF he starts to show consistnecy (which is weird saying this about a defender)

Do any of the rest in the squad get into that starting 11 when everyone is fully fit -

IMHO there has been a serious drop off in quality and not just the age profile of the squad and injuries are responsible.

Some great shouts.

Especially your feelings on marmoush . Hes almost like Sterling in that he’s clearly not a great footballer, and you just want him running onto things.

He would be best in a two, but we don’t play that way, so I worry for him already in terms of a regular spot.

 

[OrigamiNinja]

Lewis is only doing what he is asked, the fault lies with Pep and he won’t change he did it to Lahmer I think at Bayern

Guardiola is the issue

It’s both.

Rico cant defend. He can’t attack. He’s 2’7”. He weighs 4 stone. All he has going for him, is being able to take Peps instructions and move into the middle and pass sideways/backwards. If Rico isn’t inverting, he doesn’t have a career.

Where this is on Pep, is his insistence that Rico is that player. The inverted full back can work. We have seen it. We’ve won trophies with it. Pep’s mistake is thinking that we can play inverted with Rico. We can’t.

 

[ancoats]

All of that stuff stems from the manager yet no one here wants to hear it.

Plenty happy criticising players but Pep is also grossly underperforming, there seems an acceptance from him that this can’t be changed which is even more worrying.

Given the spineless, gutless performances we’re seeing it seems he’s turning up to games expecting us to get beat and that’s translating to the players.

How can any manager send out a message saying, it's ok to be 2nd best this season because of what we have won in the past, Pep is the best manager in the world and letting players know its OK to lose is the biggest mistake in his career at City,

Being 2nd best is OK after the final game is played and you come up short, But saying in mid-season Kills any hope of winning the bigger games like today, We might as well shake hands before kick-off against the bigger teams,

Losing with fight and passion and coming off the pitch knowing you gave your best and 100% is what is required
Being Champions 4 times in a row doesn't give you the right to cheat the fans, No matter who you are ? or what you have won in the past,

Every Time You Put that City Shirt On and Cross the White line you give your best and 100%
Pep you are wrong ?? it's not OK to be 2nd best at any stage of your City career.

 

[mick10]

i love how Sky have invented goals+assists stats in the past 6 months so that they can pretend Salah is top of some list we’ve never heard before

Has anyone ever seen the all time goals+assists list before? Apparently Shearer and Cole (Andy) are one and two on 47

they’re also whipping out goals and assists per minute now.

no mention of Goals per minute list i wonder who the top 2 is on that list??!

Like ice hockey got. Gives the wasters something to witter about.

 

[The Lightbowne Cowboy]

To see the greatest player I've ever seen in a sky blue shirt perform like that was absolutely fucking heart breaking :( And why did Pep keep him on for so long ? So fucking sad to see. Foden again totally anonymous. Two of our all time greats who have been so unbelievable in the last 5 or 6 years to perform like that is gut wrenching. So with 15 minutes to go and 2-0 down against the runaway leaders..Pep brings on a centre half(maybe was needed) and two fucking pedestrian midfielders. Baffling! We didn't actually play that badly(especially compared to Wednesday) but when 2 or 3 players are so off it, it's going to bite you on the arse.

 

[Bournemouth Blue]

I saw a lot to feel positive about today, a lot is about injuries and confidence, and it seems some of our former heroes have reached the home straight of the marathon, but the new signings show promise, and Savinho and Doku will continue to improve, so I am quite optimistic that this is a dip rather than a chasm.

 

[paulsimpson]

Salah and Shabozizly saying that City dominated the game and they were lucky to get the goals, but what do they know..

They know that if the City side of 22/23 were to play them they'd beat Liverpool at a canter.

Pep will never change his tactics.
Once he gets the players he requires it'll be business as usual.

 

[madloaf]

A quick summary of half the forum (the half that doesn't watch the games)

 

[East Level 2]

Why because they beat us.
He's nowhere near as much of a **** as bingo.

Not yet, but the cult have a habit of turning their managers into less than likeable people. Bit like Arsenal with Arteta.

 

[Blue_eyes]

Meh, result as expected although I thought we did ok, if a little toothless, even if dippers were stuck in second gear.

Ironically, I think Erl would have made a difference today, as we seemed to play to his strengths despite him not playing.

Need to get spuds game done(not expecting much there either).

Then finish the season strong, beat the rags, get top four, and a shot at the fa cup.

Strengthen in the summer, and hope Peps up for the challenge.

Time to look forwards.

 

[normskih]

Performance wise, we've probably had worse. The derby shitshow was arguably a worse display than today. It still annoys me. Or the games in Lisbon, Paris or Madrid. But that being said, we never looked likely to get anything today. Gutless.

Possibly, with the derby though, I thought we were the better team and but for two almighty cock ups we would have won the match. Today, I thought we got away with a 0-2 defeat and l’pool, could have gone into another gear and wiped the floor with us. Let’s face it, we all knew exactly how the match was going to pan out only a minute and a half in with Gvardiol’s customary misplaced pass just 10 yards off our own 18 yard box, I almost screamed at the telly when he did that.

 

[BlueMonkey79]

That display was so passive to many players just giving ball away for no apparent reason.Dont get me started on our set peices and corners who the heck is training us for them absolutely diabolical!.

I honestly think we should kick it out for a throw to the opposition right in the corner.

 

[Double R]

Two seasons ago, Liverpools midfield was fi

If anybody spits at a teenage girl, they should be sacked and shouldn't be able to fine employment again unless it's flipping burgers.

Dont want him spitting in my burger, no Sir. He can shovel shit instead, he talks enough of it.

 

[citymad]

Pep doesn’t look himself these days
View attachment 147756

Not a bad Bob but the teeth need some work.