Liverpool Post Match Thread

[FanchesterCity]

Although I don't like hearing the 'with all the money they've spent' line, and money certainly isn't everything, we ARE at a massive advantage over most clubs, and we should be doing better - there's no denying it.
Every club has injuries, and Liverpool have had plenty too. That's part of why we have such a deep squad.

For me, Toure is a luxury in midfield when you're confident your midfield is superior. He's just not capable of being a dogged workhorse when facing either a very high quality midfield or a hard working midfield with greater numbers. For all our attacking strength, it's fed by midfield, and if we're not in control of midfield, our forward line will struggle (and they did).

Two in midfield just doesn't work for us against any decent team. I doubt it would work for us if we could pick any two of the world's best midfielders.

 

[Tricky_Trev]

not Otamendi he didn't, the second most crucial missing player along with Dinho

He didn't mention him, but I do think it would be stretching it to call him a "missing" player. He was available to play, the manager just chose not to pick him. So we can't expect sympathy for that.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

He didn't mention him, but I do think it would be stretching it to call him a "missing" player. He was available to play, the manager just chose not to pick him. So we can't expect sympathy for that.

Exactly.

 

[paulchapo]

Looking at the pictures and tweets of Liverpool players after Saturdays game,although a great win for them,you would think they had won the league.I know one or two of our players tweet after games but please tell me they don't do those group celebrating pictures?

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

Although I don't like hearing the 'with all the money they've spent' line, and money certainly isn't everything, we ARE at a massive advantage over most clubs, and we should be doing better - there's no denying it.
Every club has injuries, and Liverpool have had plenty too. That's part of why we have such a deep squad.

For me, Toure is a luxury in midfield when you're confident your midfield is superior. He's just not capable of being a dogged workhorse when facing either a very high quality midfield or a hard working midfield with greater numbers. For all our attacking strength, it's fed by midfield, and if we're not in control of midfield, our forward line will struggle (and they did).

Two in midfield just doesn't work for us against any decent team. I doubt it would work for us if we could pick any two of the world's best midfielders.

On Saturday we were that bad I don't think a midfield three would have made any difference either. We virtually had that in the second half and Liverpool still created chances when they were in a very comfortable position and could have just sat back. In fact I thought we were awful second half from 45 mins to their 4th goal. I thought it would be like the Alamo after Aguero gave us that lift. It was anything but.

 

[stalyblue75]

Not sure playing otamendi would have made a massive difference on the night.
Dinho yes in a 433 as with Seville, but then it may have been viewed as too negative - especially if wed still lost which is not inconceivable as so many players were just not on it on the night.

 

[IcriedwhenTueartleft]

I haven't seen us bossed so much in midfield at home since the Dortmund match. There's no denying that Liverpool turned in an extraordinary performance but they played it right, swamped us in central midfield and picked off Toure who was left floundering, not quick enough to get back to help out the back 4 and not enough time on the ball going forward. Sadly, I think his influence on this team is very much on the wane, he will have the odd great game but the days of him dragging us on every 2nd week, turning games in our favour when things are not going well, like Saturday, are possibly gone.
The good thing is that we are still very much in contention in the league. The season Liverpool came so close to winning the league their form picked up after they thumped Spurs 5-1 at WHL in a performance around the same time, not too dissimilar to that at the Etihad so those saying they are inferior to us need a wake up call.

 

[George Hannah]

He didn't mention him, but I do think it would be stretching it to call him a "missing" player. He was available to play, the manager just chose not to pick him. So we can't expect sympathy for that.

I don't think Ratboy is in the business of dispensing sympathy for us, quite the opposite. During the game commentary he continually referred to the selection of City's 'least mobile' midfielders in a two and how baffling the omission of Delph and Dinho was. Otamendi not playing was the elephant in the room in the analysis tonight.

 

[IcriedwhenTueartleft]

I don't think Ratboy is in the business of dispensing sympathy for us, quite the opposite. During the game commentary he continually referred to the selection of City's 'least mobile' midfielders in a two and how baffling the omission of Delph and Dinho was. Otamendi not playing was the elephant in the room in the analysis tonight.

Yes, you're right George. Thing is, we were 3 down after 30 minutes, they almost scored a 4th and 5th and still we did nothing to try and change the midfield....we were wondering just how bad it would have to get before MP decided things needed to change...very odd

 

[Phil1]

Not sure playing otamendi would have made a massive difference on the night.
Dinho yes in a 433 as with Seville, but then it may have been viewed as too negative - especially if wed still lost which is not inconceivable as so many players were just not on it on the night.

It's quite possible that we could have lost regardless of the personel because as you rightly say, too many players weren't on it.
I do think Ottomendi would have made a difference though. Had he partnered Demichellis they would have been a lot more cohesive with them playing together for Argentina plus the fact they both speak the same language would have been beneficial. Had he partnered Mangala I think it would have helped his game no end. They've played together a few times this year already successfully and have history at Porto. Basically I believe any combination which included Ottomendi would have been a better option than the one we went with.