Topic: PL:Liverpool 3 v 0 Palace Mane 43' Mo 78' Naby 89'

[Mighty_Red]

As Jurgen said, a hard fought win. Could've easily been 5-2, whilst we largely dominated we did give up a number of chances which was understandable take into account the no of changes made and the Wednesday game.

Konate had a couple of jittery moments but did well esp with that chance just after our 2nd goal.

Milly was awesome, and more attacking than I thought he'd be.

3 great finishes and hopefully something for Naby to show for his progress.

Now to sit back and see some more dropped points from the rest.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Eurgh

Their yellow card was a pile of shite as well. Never a yellow in a million years.

It came because five minutes before Mane (Free down the left) was bearing down on goal and was literally rugby tackled and the ref didn't even give a foul. Two minutes later in the Main Stand/Kop corner a shithouse two footed studs up challenge got ignored and the crowd was on Madley's back, so I think he felt he had to (at fucking last) give something.

Bent bastards. Every fucking week now. Even lads that never moan about the ref were going bezerk in the pub afterwards.

All I want is something like an impartial game where both sides are reffed roughly the same.

IF THIS is not a foul then that's fine. But not if a minute later we'd punished again and again for the exact same thing.

We barely put a tackle in, such was our control 59% and yet we're supposed to believe that despite our dominance, control and home advantage, we committed 16 fouls to their 9 and that we were worth three yellow cards to their one?

Fuck off.

[El Lobo]

Eurgh

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Guessing you're an armchair then

[naYoRHa2b]

How can you still be angry so many hours later? Especially as we won the game.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

How can you still be angry so many hours later? Especially as we won the game.

Well I didn't post about it during the game because I was at the game.

the ref, despite a 3-0 win was still the most talked about thing post-match.

That's not right.

If we were just moaning about the ref because we lost then fair enough. But as you said, we won - but the referee was fucking abysmal anyway.

[El Lobo]

Guessing you're an armchair then

Eurgh

[RogerTheRed]

Well I didn't post about it during the game because I was at the game.

the ref, despite a 3-0 win was still the most talked about thing post-match.

That's not right.
I agree with you Andy and it is an absolute joke these days. We seem to get blown up for fouls on any challenge and the opposition do not. Was a bit surprised he missed the chance to give them a pen. Annoys me that Viera then comes out and complained. Madness

If we were just moaning about the ref because we lost then fair enough. But as you said, we won - but the referee was fucking abysmal anyway.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

It's weird because the narrative is that 'Liverpool get all the decisions'

You just have to look at Hendo through the game. I thought Klopp took him off in the end because I honestly thought he was going to chin Madley

[El Lobo]

The ref was fine, certainly in comparison to others we’ve had recently. His job wasn’t made easier by having to ref two professional divers in Zaha and Gallagher who have clearly been trained in the dark arts from a young age.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

The ref was fine, certainly in comparison to others we’ve had recently. His job wasn’t made easier by having to ref two professional divers in Zaha and Gallagher who have clearly been trained in the dark arts from a young age.

He wasn't fine at all.

They were putting in 'robust' challenges all game without him batting an eyelid. When we put in similar challenges, he blew up for almost every one. The way he gave the free kick on the edge of the area was hilarious - he couldn't wait to give it. Ignoring the rugby tackle and the two-footed lunge later on was a joke. Booking the other lad for nothing because he was getting abuse for his earlier shithousary was a fucking joke and us getting three yellows to their one was shite.

And as I said before How. The. Fuck. Did Zaha not get booked for his serial dives in the area.

As Roger said before, I thought he was going to give the penno for Bentake running into the defender first half, but he surprised us all.

The stats that others have collected have showed that we regularly pick up the fair play league fairest team award and yet we seem to give away a ridiculous amount of free kicks. It's clear we are reffered differently to other teams. I asked my mate who was a professional ref about the freekicks to yellow card ratio and he said that you have to explain reds and yellows on a form, but you can give as many freekicks as you like and no one is pulled up on them.

It was noticeable that we fought with them a few times and if they won then the ref (Rightly in my opinion) played on and gave the advantage to the attacker, but (and the stats back this up) when we outfought them and broke, he'd more often than not pull it back and award them the freekick. When you add that to blatent fouls that he completely ignored then it really made his performance rancid.

[Brain Potter]

Very enjoyable and entertaining game I thought. We won which makes it a perfect afternoon. Very happy with how things are going.
Yesterday was a hard fought 3-0 win. Palace battled very hard but our class told in the end.
Alisson is such a reassuring figure at the back.
Fabinho is top class. Salah never stops .
We’ve got a great chance this season .
Roll on Norwich, and I can enjoy a game with less pressure with it being league cup.

[Jm55]

Always amazes me when I see a league table if set piece goals and we’re top of it. Maybe I’m alone in this but it feels like we never do anything from set pieces (yesterday aside.)

I mean we obviously do, the numbers are fairly clear, but my perception of it is that we’re shite from them.

[daggerdoo]

Always amazes me when I see a league table if set piece goals and we’re top of it. Maybe I’m alone in this but it feels like we never do anything from set pieces (yesterday aside.)

I mean we obviously do, the numbers are fairly clear, but my perception of it is that we’re shite from them.

I'm with you on that. Don't the second/third phases count as well tho, so not just scoring directly from the first cross?

[tubby]

Somewhere on a Palace message board there's a Derek@Croydon complaining bitterly about the ref's performance and how Thiago gets away with tactical fouls and Zaha never gets anything from the biased ref, especially at Anfield.

[Jm55]

I'm with you on that. Don't the second/third phases count as well tho, so not just scoring directly from the first cross?

I think so yeah.

For example I’d assume Hendo’s on Wednesday would count.

[jepovic]

I'm with you on that. Don't the second/third phases count as well tho, so not just scoring directly from the first cross?

Yeah, must be included, we got lots of those. Have we scored any goal with a direct header?

[vicar]

I thought the referee was a fucking disgrace.

They were throwing in reckless challenges the whole game and fuck all (Which is fine if these are the 'rules') but then we'd do a challenge and it was immediately a free kick.

This cheating bastard also gave us three yellow cards against their one.

And how the fuck that cheating c*nt Zaha wasn't booked once for his FIVE dives in the area is anyones guess.

Madley couldn't wait to give their freekick on the edge of the area to them, but the best bit of the game was his Hodgesonesque face slump as we scored the second. He looked absolutely gutted.

And that fucking lino first half? Played them on 3 or 4 times. In the end he was only giving offsides because you could see the line of people in the main stand and in the Kemlyn getting up and screaming at the c*nt. Cheating twat.

Great performance from the lads. Absolute shitshow from these cheating twat officials.

I don't think the ref was that bad. I am prone to moan about refs but we have had far worse. He didn't buy all their dives (Benteke and Zaha going down in the area were really pathetic and desperate attempts), its just he should have warned Zaha as he was constantly in his ear trying to get players booked for nothing challenges. I can see why Hendo got a yellow, but it was soft. My problem is that the challenges on Mo or Sadio which as you say are more appropriate to rugby were not punished in anyway.

As for the lino - I was one of those in line in the Main stand - and I can tell you for certain he missed at least 2 probably 3 clear offsides. The bizarre thing was he wasn't up with play at all so was always looking at an angle - it was basic stuff.

[ScouserAtHeart]

Always amazes me when I see a league table if set piece goals and we’re top of it. Maybe I’m alone in this but it feels like we never do anything from set pieces (yesterday aside.)

I mean we obviously do, the numbers are fairly clear, but my perception of it is that we’re shite from them.

It's because we hardly get any penalties and don't score direct freekicks

[LovelyCushionedHeader]

If you go into every game thinking that the referee is going to be biased against you (or towards the opposition), you're going to come away thinking the same. You make every decision fit your pre-conceived thoughts. "They give free kicks against us because they're biased then give free kicks for us to try and show that they're not actually biased."

Now often, such complaints are founded (although more due to incompetence). Yesterday really was of no concern.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

I don't think the ref was that bad. I am prone to moan about refs but we have had far worse. He didn't buy all their dives (Benteke and Zaha going down in the area were really pathetic and desperate attempts), its just he should have warned Zaha as he was constantly in his ear trying to get players booked for nothing challenges. I can see why Hendo got a yellow, but it was soft. My problem is that the challenges on Mo or Sadio which as you say are more appropriate to rugby were not punished in anyway.

As for the lino - I was one of those in line in the Main stand - and I can tell you for certain he missed at least 2 probably 3 clear offsides. The bizarre thing was he wasn't up with play at all so was always looking at an angle - it was basic stuff.

I was on the opposite side to the main stand and as you say, it was clear as day that he was getting them wrong.

In the end he was only giving them because of the dogs abuse you could see him getting from the main stand.

Don't get me wrong. If the idea is to let the game flow and to penalise only bad fouls then that's fine. I'm ok with that. But you can't give a foul against Mane or Salah outmuscling someone and then play on when it's Benteke or Zaha.

He wasn't the worst referee, but he was one of the ones that really gave us fuck all - without falling for their cheating, but prevented five or six attacks for no reason at all (Based on his decisions when they were attacking)

It was just weird.

[Samie]

[Schmarn]

Was at the game and it was definitely tense in the second half when we were a little careless with possession but you’re going to have days like those and you grit it out. Not every game will be free flowing and I thought it was a tough professional performance from us.

What are views on Konate? I thought it was a solid debut. He doesn’t have the pace of Virgil but he’s a real physical force. He’ll get more confidence playing out from the back.

As for the reffing I don’t have a huge issue. On the train back to London a bunch of Palace fans were moaning about how we got every call. All fans have a tendency to ignore the ones in their favour and remember the bad calls and we’re no different. In the end we took it out of the ref’s hands which is always the best approach.

Big game next week against a buzzing (pun alert) Brentford side. Their attacking approach should give us the space we thrive on but it will be a noisy atmosphere. Win that and go into the City game on a high.

[Hazell]

[xbugawugax]

knowing how detailed our backroom staff are, i do think they work on set pieces. especially the phases. the rest is up to the quality of the individuals.

as seen from keita's goal. lol

[farawayred]

If you go into every game thinking that the referee is going to be biased against you (or towards the opposition), you're going to come away thinking the same. You make every decision fit your pre-conceived thoughts. "They give free kicks against us because they're biased then give free kicks for us to try and show that they're not actually biased."

Now often, such complaints are founded (although more due to incompetence). Yesterday really was of no concern.

A good referee is the one you don't notice during the game. You watch the game, watch the players and forget about the referee. I haven't seen such a referee in decades, since I starting to watch the game, but some do come close to that. Yesterday was an acceptable case, not great, not terrible, somewhere in between.

[fowlermagic]

Nice old battle as could have easily been 1 behind after the first couple of minutes, the score did not reflect how close the game was but the clinical finishes just show the class we have up front. Solid enough in the back with second string, Mily looks like he could play in the top division when 40, what a pro to have around the younger lads. Great start to the season

[Dim Glas]

Ibou is an unit.

[the_red_pill]

Ibou is an unit.

Yep. We know Virg is a massive piece of meat, but look at Ibou in that foto...

[farawayred]

I like that photo. I shows my age. Literally... 

[CHOPPER]

Woof Woof! 

[LallanaInPyjamas]

Somewhere on a Palace message board there's a Derek@Croydon complaining bitterly about the ref's performance and how Thiago gets away with tactical fouls and Zaha never gets anything from the biased ref, especially at Anfield.

 

Milner could have been booked three times over with a different ref yesterday

[SuperStevieNicol]

I’m an amateur ref for my sins and the ref yesterday was awful. No control over Palace’s time wasting and missed some really basic stuff (both ways). The Palace right back taking a piggy back on Mane with no foul given was particularly shit.

[vicar]

I like that photo. I shows my age. Literally... 

Snap!

[thaddeus]

A very good result against a side that were better than I would have expected them to be a few weeks ago.  Defending high against their forwards is always going to give up a few chances but we had by far the better of the chances and Ali is supreme when it comes to one-on-ones.

I thought the Palace left-back generally defended really well against Mo but it was telling that with 10 minutes to go he looked dead on his feet while Mo looked like he could play another 90.  He took his goal really, really well.

It's a shame about Thiago but at the moment at least we have plenty of cover in midfield (Keita, Ox and Curtis all on the bench).

I’m an amateur ref for my sins and the ref yesterday was awful. No control over Palace’s time wasting and missed some really basic stuff (both ways). The Palace right back taking a piggy back on Mane with no foul given was particularly shit.

I think the new guidance to let the game flow is making it very difficult for refs.  More often than not the players looking to buy a free-kick still succeed (e.g. heading down a blind alley so initiate *any* contact then fall on the ball) but you can see the refs second guessing themselves over fouls in open play.  Zaha ended up on the ground almost every time he got the ball and it felt like pot luck as to whether a free-kick was given.

There was a foul near the end where Milner got caught square on and just wiped out the player going past him.  He did the old pro routine of holding his hands up and looking remorseful and somehow didn't get booked.

[Fromola]

I thought the referee was a fucking disgrace.

They were throwing in reckless challenges the whole game and fuck all (Which is fine if these are the 'rules') but then we'd do a challenge and it was immediately a free kick.

This cheating bastard also gave us three yellow cards against their one.

And how the fuck that cheating c*nt Zaha wasn't booked once for his FIVE dives in the area is anyones guess.

Madley couldn't wait to give their freekick on the edge of the area to them, but the best bit of the game was his Hodgesonesque face slump as we scored the second. He looked absolutely gutted.

And that fucking lino first half? Played them on 3 or 4 times. In the end he was only giving offsides because you could see the line of people in the main stand and in the Kemlyn getting up and screaming at the c*nt. Cheating twat.

Great performance from the lads. Absolute shitshow from these cheating twat officials.

This is why we need a full Anfield. They were getting away with this shit in plain sight last season (not that a full Anfield stops Anthony Taylor and his Manc mates)

[redk84]

The 3 points are all that matters, we weren't at our best but we were better than them and corners being more dangerous again is only a good thing

[El Lobo]

He wasn't fine at all.

They were putting in 'robust' challenges all game without him batting an eyelid. When we put in similar challenges, he blew up for almost every one. The way he gave the free kick on the edge of the area was hilarious - he couldn't wait to give it. Ignoring the rugby tackle and the two-footed lunge later on was a joke. Booking the other lad for nothing because he was getting abuse for his earlier shithousary was a fucking joke and us getting three yellows to their one was shite.

And as I said before How. The. Fuck. Did Zaha not get booked for his serial dives in the area.

As Roger said before, I thought he was going to give the penno for Bentake running into the defender first half, but he surprised us all.

The stats that others have collected have showed that we regularly pick up the fair play league fairest team award and yet we seem to give away a ridiculous amount of free kicks. It's clear we are reffered differently to other teams. I asked my mate who was a professional ref about the freekicks to yellow card ratio and he said that you have to explain reds and yellows on a form, but you can give as many freekicks as you like and no one is pulled up on them.

It was noticeable that we fought with them a few times and if they won then the ref (Rightly in my opinion) played on and gave the advantage to the attacker, but (and the stats back this up) when we outfought them and broke, he'd more often than not pull it back and award them the freekick. When you add that to blatent fouls that he completely ignored then it really made his performance rancid.

He was, in the grand scheme of things.

Honestly, your attitude towards officials is pretty unhealthy at this point Andy. I think most would come away from that game thinking he was maybe a bit lenient with certain players, including some of our own. Your point about yellow cards is just odd. Mo got booked for taking his shirt off, which is a pretty easy one. Hendo got booked for a very obvious tactical foul, which is a pretty easy one. I don't remember what Kostas was booked for, but I know Thiago got away with one similar to Hendo and Milly was pretty lucky not to get one considering he had more than a couple of pretty obvious tactical fouls.

The one on the edge of the area looked like a foul in normal time, just one of those things that it ends up being a little rat player who has obviously been bought up playing for that sort of foul and conning referees.

Your point about players getting booked for diving is a wider issue, not restricted to one referee in one match. I can't remember the last time I saw a player booked for diving but since VAR they seem to have quite clearly lessened, I'm guessing because referees are maybe thinking it'll help them out so just go for the easy 'dont book them' option?

[LovelyCushionedHeader]

He was, in the grand scheme of things.

Honestly, your attitude towards officials is pretty unhealthy at this point Andy. I think most would come away from that game thinking he was maybe a bit lenient with certain players, including some of our own. Your point about yellow cards is just odd. Mo got booked for taking his shirt off, which is a pretty easy one. Hendo got booked for a very obvious tactical foul, which is a pretty easy one. I don't remember what Kostas was booked for, but I know Thiago got away with one similar to Hendo and Milly was pretty lucky not to get one considering he had more than a couple of pretty obvious tactical fouls.

The one on the edge of the area looked like a foul in normal time, just one of those things that it ends up being a little rat player who has obviously been bought up playing for that sort of foul and conning referees.

Your point about players getting booked for diving is a wider issue, not restricted to one referee in one match. I can't remember the last time I saw a player booked for diving but since VAR they seem to have quite clearly lessened, I'm guessing because referees are maybe thinking it'll help them out so just go for the easy 'dont book them' option?

I don't really think there were any dives at the weekend, apart from the Gallagher one referenced on the edge of the box. The Benteke one was a tangle of legs with Tsimikas as he tried to ease him out of it (and could have been a penalty), and the Zaha one was a shoulder to shoulder with Konate.

[killer-heels]

One side point about this game is that the reaction to the starting 11 from a number of fans illustrated how a lot of people like the thought of rotation more than actual rotation.