Topic: Liverpool 4-1 Steaua Bucharest: post game revisionism

[Crackerjack Sam]

Problem is, this is a level down in Europe and Steau made it easy for us by piling forward and leaving gaps all over the park. Still, encouraging to see so many youngsters being so competitive and near the first team.

Maybe? But hey we won and that's always good...don't you think?

[wenlock]

Frustrating first half after a bright start mainly due IMO down to sitting back too much instead of taking the game to them. Much better second half, we look far better pressing further up the pitch instead of sitting in our own half.

Not half as much hoofing which was better for possession as well as being more pleasing on the eye. Well chuffed for Lucas what with all the stick he gets and same goes for Ngog, I am so glad that he turned an attempt to ship him out down a few weeks ago.

Nice to see some team play instead of just trying to feed Gerrard all the time and great to see players smiling and enjoying themselves towards the end.

[AriGold]

Why the fuck was Liam Gallagher at Anfield by the way

[Tim]

Just back from the game. People saying Babel was Man of the Match need their head testing. He was nowhere near good enough again. His first touch is non existent and his total lack of game intelligence baffles me.

[Joe Rogans Chin]

More of the same dross, thats the 4th consecutive home game i have watched (one oin person) that the oppostion had the time and space to play as they wished. 4 nil flattered us and glossed over another crap team performace.

Hodgson's tactics at home are really starting to concearn me, it's poor mans houllier stuff.

Wins a win, spearing, Lucas's goal and the likes of Ngog, spearing, Kelly, Pacheco and Eccleston all getting games time the postives.

The least said about Roy the better.

[tboz]

Didnt see the full game but what i did see i noticed cole really added to our attack and seemed to make our system effective, as stated no carragher meant we distributed the ball better when coming out of defence.

Taking into account steau performance and how they allowed us to play things seem positive when full strength bar carragher but we need to show more adaptability or change in approach when our team is weakened.

[Barney_Rubble]

4 nil flattered us

Sure did....

[Veinticinco de Mayo]

Sure did....

They we're lucky to get ni....  oh...

[has gone odd]

calling a 4-1 home win dross is a little extreme, at least in the 2nd half we looked to plough forward for a change. passing in midfield is and the way its going, will be forever pish poor tho it seems.

the atmosphere around anfield is concerning tho, although to be expected under the current shite climate we are under. teh away team screaming their heads off at least until the 4th went in. whats happened there, is the doom and gloom finally hitting home now?!

noone really sparkled today but does leave an interesting conundrum for roy .. does he start with a jaded, unfit and lacking match sharpness torres on sunday, or does he play our top goal scorer so far?

[P45]

More of the same dross, thats the 4th consecutive home game i have watched (one oin person) that the oppostion had the time and space to play as they wished. 4 nil flattered us and glossed over another crap team performace.

Hodgson's tactics at home are really starting to concearn me, it's poor mans houllier stuff.

Wins a win, spearing, Lucas's goal and the likes of Ngog, spearing, Kelly, Pacheco and Eccleston all getting games time the postives.

The least said about Roy the better.

Well, I thought we played great, the second half was as good as Ive seen in 12 months, and things can only get better, and it was so good to watch.

[Joe Rogans Chin]

Take the piss all you like, still doesn't change the fact that hodgson's clueless, the jobs to big for him and Purslow made a monumental fuck up by apponting him, I'll hold my hands up if I am wrong, but I'm sorry to say I don't think I will be.

Supporters hoping that he is the answer will be disapointed. I wonder how long ST holders will take 11 behind the ball at home to everyone?

[steveeastend]

Our movement amoung our front four was very very good,and once Raul bedded in after halftime we started to see how improtant Maxi can be to our game.Cole and Maxi moved really well together and Raul and Lucas when he came on added to that.we can squeeze up and play football,we do have players that can do it.
Strangely our movement is better without Gerrard whether he plays up front or in the middle.Other players begin to take the game by the scruff.Some peole are calling that team our second string but i would have Soto and agger before Carra and martin and i would have Kelly ahead of johnson at the moment.Lucas and Raul in midfield and Cole left Maxi right and Pacheco in the middle.Wheres gerrard i hear you say,i don't know.Can he adjust to the movement of the others?Of course he can,but maybe if he was dropped for a game or two he might begin to realise that these players can do it themselves.Maybe then the team will become a team again.

(runs aways fast)

I second this opinion.

[timiano]

as stated no carragher meant we distributed the ball better when coming out of defence.

100% agree. We were frustrating in other areas today though, but overall finding our feet when playing with confidence. It was good to see at last, and the timing is perfect.

[YayaP]

calling a 4-1 home win dross is a little extreme, at least in the 2nd half we looked to plough forward for a change. passing in midfield is and the way its going, will be forever pish poor tho it seems.

the atmosphere around anfield is concerning tho, although to be expected under the current shite climate we are under. teh away team screaming their heads off at least until the 4th went in. whats happened there, is the doom and gloom finally hitting home now?!

noone really sparkled today but does leave an interesting conundrum for roy .. does he start with a jaded, unfit and lacking match sharpness torres on sunday, or does he play our top goal scorer so far?

Torres has a knack for showing up in big games in a huge way. He also has United's backline's number and has for a few years now. The thing about Torres is he can turn it on at the switch of a button. Hopefully returning to a stage as large as the United game will get him going again. Keep N'Gog ready though, he'll be needed if Torres runs out of steam.

[crasher1in]

Why do we struggle to put 3 passes together in the first half and look a new team in the second?

[mikeb58]

Take the piss all you like, still doesn't change the fact that hodgson's clueless, the jobs to big for him and Purslow made a monumental fuck up by apponting him, I'll hold my hands up if I am wrong, but I'm sorry to say I don't think I will be.

Supporters hoping that he is the answer will be disapointed. I wonder how long ST holders will take 11 behind the ball at home to everyone?

Take it you're not impressed with Roy setting a new European record for the club then tonight?

Edit

(or with his 6W 2D 1L start overall)

[anfieldpurch]

Fantastic 2nd half, great first half start then the stutter but 3 points and 4 goals and the OMENS for SUnday. Last time we hit 4 in an European game before Old Trafford we hit 4 there too

[faithplusone01]

Raul Meireles is the signing of the century.

Say what we want about the defensive frailties and about letting the other team into the game, but we actually attacked.

Let me say that again. WE ACTUALLY ATTACKED.

We had MOVEMENT.

We had VISION.

And that came from Raul Meireles. MOTM and possibly the fucking century to me. Wow. If he isn't playing against the Mancs, then Roy is a fucking idiot...

Also, all of this being said, Spearing was excellent. Although I'd rather see Lucas next to Meireles than Spearing, but he is getting better. He actually impressed me today.

[Phil M]

Raul Meireles is the signing of the century.
And that came from Raul Meireles. MOTM and possibly the fucking century to me. Wow. If he isn't playing against the Mancs, then Roy is a fucking idiot...

Erm, steady on like.

[P45]

Take the piss all you like, still doesn't change the fact that hodgson's clueless, the jobs to big for him and Purslow made a monumental fuck up by apponting him, I'll hold my hands up if I am wrong, but I'm sorry to say I don't think I will be.

Supporters hoping that he is the answer will be disapointed. I wonder how long ST holders will take 11 behind the ball at home to everyone?

Well if we can play like that more often, heres one who will be made up.

[Phil_88]

Raul Meireles is the signing of the century.

Say what we want about the defensive frailties and about letting the other team into the game, but we actually attacked.

Let me say that again. WE ACTUALLY ATTACKED.

We had MOVEMENT.

We had VISION.

And that came from Raul Meireles. MOTM and possibly the fucking century to me. Wow. If he isn't playing against the Mancs, then Roy is a fucking idiot...

Also, all of this being said, Spearing was excellent. Although I'd rather see Lucas next to Meireles than Spearing, but he is getting better. He actually impressed me today.

that number 10 ay bad either think his name is cole ;-)

[YayaP]

Take the piss all you like, still doesn't change the fact that hodgson's clueless, the jobs to big for him and Purslow made a monumental fuck up by apponting him, I'll hold my hands up if I am wrong, but I'm sorry to say I don't think I will be.

Supporters hoping that he is the answer will be disapointed. I wonder how long ST holders will take 11 behind the ball at home to everyone?

European record. 4-1 win by essentially our second team. The young lads played great tonight and the team looked promising for the first time all season. Who pissed in your lemonade?

[SamAteTheRedAcid]

Just back from the game. People saying Babel was Man of the Match need their head testing. He was nowhere near good enough again. His first touch is non existent and his total lack of game intelligence baffles me.

Agreed. He was shite, I'm sorry but he was nowhere near good enough tonight. Can't be easy as the crowd were getting impatient with him but the cheer when we saw Ngog was staying on and Babel was going was loud enough to speak volumes.

[Garstonite]

Raul Meireles is the signing of the century.

Say what we want about the defensive frailties and about letting the other team into the game, but we actually attacked.

Let me say that again. WE ACTUALLY ATTACKED.

We had MOVEMENT.

We had VISION.

And that came from Raul Meireles. MOTM and possibly the fucking century to me. Wow. If he isn't playing against the Mancs, then Roy is a fucking idiot...

Also, all of this being said, Spearing was excellent. Although I'd rather see Lucas next to Meireles than Spearing, but he is getting better. He actually impressed me today.

[koolkamal]

Agreed   Talk about overreaction.

[Not funny reecehenebry]

Why do we struggle to put 3 passes together in the first half and look a new team in the second?

I think it had something to do with Raul tonight.It can be hard for a player to come in and take control.So he was waiting for that spark in the first half.The rest of the team were waiting for it too.Then Maxi stood up and started to press us into good positions and Raul really responded.Then Cole did and then Ngog.Suddenly we were a team.

I tell you what it was fucking great to see.I hope we can bring it back into the league.

[Alf]

Cracking strike from Lucas tonight. I'm made up for David Ngog with his brace. Playing as a lone striker is hard enough for any striker let alone one still learning his trade and filling in for Fernando Torres. Joe Cole was the best player on the park and scoring his 1st goal for us will have lifted a weight of his shoulders.

[xerxes1]

Take the piss all you like, still doesn't change the fact that hodgson's clueless, the jobs to big for him and Purslow made a monumental fuck up by apponting him, I'll hold my hands up if I am wrong, but I'm sorry to say I don't think I will be.
Supporters hoping that he is the answer will be disapointed. I wonder how long ST holders will take 11 behind the ball at home to everyone?

You must live in a parallel universe, and a very unhappy one at that.

Five Euro games, five wins - compare that with last year.Ngog looks as though he will beat last years scoring tally by the end of September, and lucas scores a cracker when he is played in position. Not bad for 11 behind the ball!

[has gone odd]

Take the piss all you like, still doesn't change the fact that hodgson's clueless, the jobs to big for him and Purslow made a monumental fuck up by apponting him, I'll hold my hands up if I am wrong, but I'm sorry to say I don't think I will be.

Supporters hoping that he is the answer will be disapointed. I wonder how long ST holders will take 11 behind the ball at home to everyone?

doesnt matter who we appointed for the job, the players need to up their game, im not letting all managers take the flak for the piss poor attitude i seen from them at times over the past 12 months.

until the yanks are gone there is no feel good factor and situation will remain much the same. ya cant seriously suggest that even the great ego head (self proclaimed god of managers)mourhino would be getting 5 nil flawless performances from this bunch?

[jDJ]

I only saw the second half but thought it was the best I've seen us play for a long time.  Sounds like we were pretty awful first half but from what I saw it looked an utterly dominant performance and, joy of joys, the movement was actually decent.  I enjoyed it.

[kalle-anka]

I only saw the second half but thought it was the best I've seen us play for a long time.  Sounds like we were pretty awful first half but from what I saw it looked an utterly dominant performance and, joy of joys, the movement was actually decent.  I enjoyed it.

job well done...

[stescouse100]

Why do we struggle to put 3 passes together in the first half and look a new team in the second?

Seems to have been the standard for us so far this season that mate. Slow and somewhat cumbersome first periods then much brighter with a quicker tempo in the second. Same again tonight... Delighted for Joe Cole getting off the mark, you can see how much he's wanted that goal in recent weeks. Pulled the strings for us in that role tonight. Thumping hit by Lucas, neat finish from Ngog for his second, good pen also. We all know he isn't nor ever will be Fernando Torres, but it really does surprise me some of the stick Ngog gets, his goals to game ratio is really quite good! However I didn't think tonight was one of his best games, but two goals... no complaints.

All in all a very positive result after looking somewhat on the ropes for quite a while in that first half, nice to see the young lads stepping up to the plate. Encouraging...

[SkinHimHesShite]

Cole was MOTM for me.

other than that, i thought everyone had a good game, apart from n'gog, who still managed to net a brace!!

[redforlife]

Thought Spearing was our best player first half, never been very impressed by him in the past but he stood out in the first half.

Like so often this season, second half was much better than the first.  Love Cole's attitude, made up he scored.  And was it just me or did Babel ask to come off when Lucas came on?

[Crackerjack Sam]

WE WON 4-1 AT HOME AGAINST A DECENT SIDE!!!

All without some of the usual lot. At this moment we are in the Europa league. I know some people still have trouble accepting it, but that's how it is.
We win at home and people are still not happy! Yeah there are some cracks that need filling here and there, but to get a win at home regardless of the opposition is something to build on, especially in the climate were in.
Roll on Vermin at the Theatre of Screams. Good to finally get some goals from us again.

[Keith Lard]

Raul Meireles is the signing of the century.

Say what we want about the defensive frailties and about letting the other team into the game, but we actually attacked.

Let me say that again. WE ACTUALLY ATTACKED.

We had MOVEMENT.

We had VISION.

And that came from Raul Meireles. MOTM and possibly the fucking century to me. Wow. If he isn't playing against the Mancs, then Roy is a fucking idiot...

Also, all of this being said, Spearing was excellent. Although I'd rather see Lucas next to Meireles than Spearing, but he is getting better. He actually impressed me today.

Someone's pulling our chain He was alright ... anything seems good after a Lucas and Poulsen horror show.

[Kennys from heaven]

More of the same dross, thats the 4th consecutive home game i have watched (one oin person) that the oppostion had the time and space to play as they wished. 4 nil flattered us and glossed over another crap team performace.

Hodgson's tactics at home are really starting to concearn me, it's poor mans houllier stuff.

Wins a win, spearing, Lucas's goal and the likes of Ngog, spearing, Kelly, Pacheco and Eccleston all getting games time the postives.

The least said about Roy the better.

This is what passes for "support" now?

Jesus H Christ...
 

[Shabby]

Our movement amoung our front four was very very good,and once Raul bedded in after halftime we started to see how improtant Maxi can be to our game.Cole and Maxi moved really well together and Raul and Lucas when he came on added to that.we can squeeze up and play football,we do have players that can do it.
Strangely our movement is better without Gerrard whether he plays up front or in the middle.Other players begin to take the game by the scruff.Some peole are calling that team our second string but i would have Soto and agger before Carra and martin and i would have Kelly ahead of johnson at the moment.Lucas and Raul in midfield and Cole left Maxi right and Pacheco in the middle.Wheres gerrard i hear you say,i don't know.Can he adjust to the movement of the others?Of course he can,but maybe if he was dropped for a game or two he might begin to realise that these players can do it themselves.Maybe then the team will become a team again.

(runs aways fast)

Haha, I knew you would be controversial and I couldn't agree more.

It was far from perfect, but for once I saw XI players working together as a team. It was easily the best collective performance of the season. Not only did the players trust and work for each other, but certain individuals came out of their shells and tried to make things happen. Sometimes they'd pull it off and other times they wouldn't, I was happy to see them giving it a go.  I thought the Cole wankfest was unwarranted at half time but he more than earned it by the final whistle. His link up play was excellent, a proper team player. The high line and possession from the back was also a joy to see. In the future if we could combine it with pressing game of Meireles and Lucas, we could do some real damage. We need to build on this.

 

[Gnurglan]

4-1.
Not the best 1st half, but we got back in control in the 2nd and won with ease. I didn't like the lineup, but credit to Roy for picking a side that was able to get the job done. Hard to say how good Steua were, but we got the job done with pretty much a Reserve team and it's important. Still don't like the way we seem to freeze and allow crosses into the box. It's too easy to get the ball in for our opponents. I don't think we have gelled as a team. And yet we won 4-1. Well done to the boys!

[Nigel1982]

Poor first half, great second half. Steau Bucharest got tired and we exploited that late on in the 2nd.

I don't want to criticise the team too much (we won 4-1 afterall) but i have to disagree with those who had Babel as their MOTM. He was probably our least effective player out there tonight, lost the ball cheaply on many occasions in the first half but at least he tried hard and gave it his all. Maybe it's the level of expectation I have for him but he disappointed me again tonight. I do want him to succeed here but other guys are waiting for their turn ie. Pacheco and he's got to start proving that he can be effective or others will overtake him in the pecking order.

On the positive side I was encouraged with the performance of Raul Merieles. He didn't do anything exceptional but you can tell that he has quality on the ball, always getting into space and looking for the ball and injecting a bit of pace in his passes and movement. Spearing was solid in that position. He looks like a classic defensive midfielder, his positioning was good tonight and looked for the easy pass and pressed well. Good goal by Lucas, perhaps Hodgson will have a rethink on what his best position for Liverpool is. Maxi, for me, makes the team tick. He rarely loses the ball and picks a good pass and links well with the ball players around him ie. Cole, Merieles and co.

Anyway, I look forward to seeing how we do at Old Trafford. I would like us to play positively with Merieles, Cole, Gerrard and Torres in the side but we will probably play a lot more tighter like we did at St. Andrews. I expect a similar system and formation to how we did at Birmingham so would most likely see Poulsen and Lucas sitting with Gerrard behind Torres.