Liverpool (H) - Post-Match Thread

[Mike Cledford]

The days of “not enough in that” are gone, contact means penalty, we’re playing catch up as the red media have allowed messers Salah Mane & Fernandez to change English football forever....it has amazed me how many times I’ve seen the refs running & pointing to the penalty spot at the Etihad this season like a 5yr old who’s spotted a frog, we then have to sit back and accept there was contact so it’s a penalty, diving, making the most of it, cheating is now seen as being clever and receives high praise from Spitty Keane & the rest, Christ on a bicycle!...they’d of been in the referees face, not to mention dishing out retribution of their own

One of the matches on MOTD on the previous Saturday had a similar contact at thigh height and collective 'wisdom' of the commentator/pundits was 'not enough in it for me' . As usual it baffled me then and comparing to Walker's made me scratch my head even more. Using the hip a few inches higher seems to be ok and 'using upper body strength' can mean anything depending on who does it to whom.
In short l dont have a scooby do about tackles and handball despite watching football for over 60 years including refereeing for a time. All the experience gained in that time has just evaporated as l have some sort of football Alzheimer's.
But l was cheered up by your describing a ref giving a pen to a 5 year old pointing at a frog he had found.

 

[shemnel]

right, first things first, Mane is a fantastically effective attacker and is a goal threat every time he moves forward. There, said it.

City have got some real stick on this thread but we weren't that bad. Ok, we're not the attacking force of two seasons ago and Sterling is really beginning to get on my tits, what is this new 'just dont even kick it' thing he's got going on? but we look loads better at the back, and we can hope this is what we are building on.

if we're in touch (about 6 points or so off) in another 10 games time, my confidence will begin to grow.

 

[eversince 76]

It still feels like we have lost something in attack. Everything is high paced lung busting counter attack style football. We need to play with more control. The goal came from a 19 pass move and was more like what this City side can do.

Nice build up and then a change of pace when De Bruyne fired it in to Gabby and he tucked it away brilliantly.

De Bruyne seems to be playing every game like we are 1-0 down with 5 minutes left. But when we do get a lead in a game the pace then drops. I do wonder if Pep is telling the team to go all out for the lead to then conserve energy. He seems really concerned by fitness this season and there must be science behind it.

We lost Leroy Sane in attack. Big game player and one who actually was not afraid to go at defenders

 

[stonerblue]

Well my pre-match prediction that Kev would have a field day wasn't very accurate. Although when i remember which poster was telling me Cancelo couldn't play at left back....

 

[Mike Cledford]

It feels like a missed opportunity but a defeat? Not for me. Title races are won or lost on the contender’s two league matches against each other, so far no one has such an advantage.

Silly Sally describes it as 'Liverpool being held' although she seems very happy about the result.

 

[OrigamiNinja]

You clearly have not grasped how much Pep and Klopps brand of football differs they are literally polls apart in terms of style. They prey on high press forcing mistakes. They haven’t changed at all aside from they are now leaking goals. We are now surer at the back but are moving the ball around far less quickly than we used to. This equates to far less goals conceded but far less opportunities for the front men.


Neither is right or wrong.. one is quick transition, one is position based probing.. both we need the right players to perform thi and in the right position.

we are not using the right personal in the right positions to achieve our style.

Of course I grasp that our style is different but its clear as day that our wide forwards aren't as good as theirs. Our style relies heavily on our wide men getting the ball and creating and scoring goals. Clearly a more creative midfield would assist with this process but our wide men see enough of the ball even now, that if they were really top level e.g. Mane and Salah they would get the job done.

I criticise our midfield as much as anyone on here. I am dumfounded how we have gone from possibly they best midfield 3 in the world just a few years ago to Rodri and Gundogan but I don't think its fair to pile the blame on them for the clear Sterling and Mahrez limitations.

 

[RabidCity]

Sterling had an off game against the dippers, I never saw that coming, he shits his pants every time we play em

I always thought the crowd got to him, so was hoping for more in this one

 

[OrigamiNinja]

Bernardo is getting the Sane treatment. Soon, one of the Spanish clubs will be in his ears.
For the first time I'm leaning more towards Pep out than Pep in.

Sane might end up being the biggest loss this club has had. He is an incredible player and if he wants it enough, he can be anything he wants to be. I miss him.

At the moment, I am struggling to see what Bernardo brings to the side. He is labelled as an attacking midfielder but he doesn't create or score goals. We all love his energy and enthusiasm but we need more than that from him. Unfortunately, we might end up needing to offload the likes of Bernardo to fund moves for other players.

 

[Sheik Battle and Goal]

You can't fucking complain about too many fixtures and make 1 sub against liverpool.

Spot on

They were there for the taking in the last 15 minutes were looking knackered and Pep looked happy for a point.

Those subs would have given us the energy to break them down

 

[manimanc]

Sane might end up being the biggest loss this club has had. He is an incredible player and if he wants it enough, he can be anything he wants to be. I miss him.

At the moment, I am struggling to see what Bernardo brings to the side. He is labelled as an attacking midfielder but he doesn't create or score goals. We all love his energy and enthusiasm but we need more than that from him. Unfortunately, we might end up needing to offload the likes of Bernardo to fund moves for other players.

Sane isn't even starting for the German gobshites, he's playing the same role as he did here, coming on and scoring the odd goal.
We won our last title with him being out half the season and when he came back he was on the bench 9 times out 10.
Yes exceptional player but he took the piss out of us with his half arsed attitude and pulling his face.