Topic: Liverpool 1 - 1 Sunderland, (Suarez, Larsson) - Post Match

[rushyman]

It seems the general theme has landed on fitness

Our first 45 was excellent. We can work on that. Our second half was poor due to fintness? We can work on that

So all things said we have many reasons to be cheerful.

[hoonin]

we have many reasons to be cheerful.

1 2 3

[Juanyboy]

I`ve only read the last couple of pages and every post from you seems to be negative and questioning.

My view is to understand that we have played ONE game. And there`s a good and realistic chance that we will improve with the extremely talented squad that we now have. If it were maybe five or ten games into the season then I would undestand your negativity but I can`t understand after ONE game. So for me you are not being realistic you are being negative.

i've read about 10 posts and some people aint got a fu**n clue.

1 game. Those who think they can judge after 1 game are deluded. Simple.

Nice post mate, summed it up very well, roll on Arsenal!

[Mad Men]

My understanding is that Henderson was bought for the right mate.

He can play across midfield at left or right or center.

[Pacman.]

Really don't think it had as much to do with fitness as some people are making out.

Did our fitness drop in the 45th minute exactly? Because the flow of play seemed to somewhat.

It directly coincided with them choosing to play and press us. It's in that scenario where you see whether you can actually pass the ball or not. It's no surprise at all that we failed the test because we don't know each other as a team. It's stupidity not to understand this after the term gelling has become a cliche. It used to be seen as a myth, but now even the dummies know it makes a team.

To assume that the difference in fitness levels between our players and Sunderland's, was the reason we didn't win this game or at least do better in the first half is really very naive of some of our fans imo.

[Mad Men]

Here's a simple analogy for you...

If you ride a bike for the first time of the year in May and continue riding it through June, July and August, in which month would you expect to be at your lowest level of bike fitness?

[krizzobizzle]

Small thing here just watching the game again. But I think it makes a big deal

Why is the grass so fucking long. If you are the better footballing team,..especially under Rafa, you get the grass as short as poss and water the pitch.

It suits Sunderland when the balls just sticking like that as it slows the game up.

[Golden_Child]

Adam DID ok overall, but a player of Meireles's quality is a waste on the bench. We can't refrain ourselves of using our best players just to have a luxury bench.

And Meireles is a waste on the right, that's why I'd pick him as a CM. Lucas and Meireles talk portuguese and have played a lot together. They would work out better.

For the arsenal game I suppose it will depend on how we set ourselves up. If we go with a 4-3-3 I'd say both Adam and Raul could be accommodated alongside Lucas with Suarez, Downing & Carroll/Kuyt up top. Obviously the two 'supporting' forwards would need to drop back to make a 5 man midfield at times.

If we go with a 4 man midfield or 4-2-3-1 then I'd definitely want dirk on the right & downing left. As for who partners Lucas in the middle, I don't see much of a difference in the defensive abilities of raul & Adam. Obviously raul gets about more but does have a tendency to become anonymous at times whereas Adam is less mobile but generally doesn't stray too far from the middle. As I said above, I wouldn't complain if raul was brought in but there are plenty of factors to take into account. While you gain certain things with one player, you lose attributes by leaving the other out. I don't think it's clear cut.

As for the language thing you mentioned, I wouldn't say that Charlie Adam's English is THAT bad so why can't he just converse with Lucas using that 

[OLDIE]

Really don't think it had as much to do with fitness as some people are making out.

Did our fitness drop in the 45th minute exactly? Because the flow of play seemed to somewhat.

It directly coincided with them choosing to play and press us. It's in that scenario where you see whether you can actually pass the ball or not. It's no surprise at all that we failed the test because we don't know each other as a team. It's stupidity not to understand this after the term gelling has become a cliche. It used to be seen as a myth, but now even the dummies know it makes a team.

To assume that the difference in fitness levels between our players and Sunderland's, was the reason we didn't win this game or at least do better in the first half is really very naive of some of our fans imo.

This.

Didnt Sunderland have new players making their debut too ! But the point you make is fair

[rushyman]

1 2 3

haha

Why dont get back into bed? 

[Mad Men]

Don't quite understand why Adam is getting flak on here....you would think he gave away 3 penalty's and scored 2 own goals.

[Mad Men]

haha

Why dont get back into bed? 

Problem is, some of us are getting out of bed....

[Golden_Child]

Don't quite understand why Adam is getting flak on here....you would think he gave away 3 penalty's and scored 2 own goals.

It is strange. Then again, we did just fall TWO POINTS behind the leaders. Utter disaster and surely we will never catch up 

[Terry de Niro]

Here's a simple analogy for you...

If you ride a bike for the first time of the year in May and continue riding it through June, July and August, in which month would you expect to be at your lowest level of bike fitness?

How the fuck you moderate this forum is beyond me, and you and the rest of the mods have my utmost respect for putting up with the absolute drivel that gets posted on here.

[John C]

He can play across midfield at left or right or center.

Yes he can mate, I know that. I think you missed my point.

[rushyman]

Don't quite understand why Adam is getting flak on here....you would think he gave away 3 penalty's and scored 2 own goals.

It helps ease the burden of a wider construct that cannot be processed by the mind

[thx4thememeories]

Their seemed to be a lot of little things today which contributed to the overall performance.

Flanno has taken a bit of flack but he is not entirely at fault for the goal, we had 3 players around ball which they managed to cut back to a free player to get in a cross, that ball should have never gotten in so easy.

Enrique didnt get forward enough for my liking especially in the 1st half he was often expecting agger to pass to him which agger didnt because he was basically in line with him.

We were too deep as mentioned previously, seemed to be little suppport for carrol whenever he won a header players need to push up more, Charlie adam had a really good oppurtunity to slide a ball into carroll which he didnt and chose to shoot instead. You could tell carroll was getting frustrated by the lack of service and support but he also didnt make the most of the service he did get.

Dissapointed dirk didnt start henderson seemed to be more concerned about keeping possesion instead of getting forward and trying to beat a man deliver a cross, think dirk deserved to start to be fair could say the same thing about kelly as well.
We just didnt look like we were going to score after they did their just wasnt that drive and determination that would get us over the line.

Some positives for me is that i think we are going to be able to beat the teams we used to struggle against the teams that park the bus adam and downings set pieces are really encouraging. When they start combining with carroll it is going to be hard to stop.

Once the team clicks we are going to be really hard to play against im not sure how long that is going to take and until it happens we need to start grinding out wins even if we dont play well but hey its only one game.

[rushyman]

Problem is, some of us are getting out of bed....

I should be in now really, so without further ado...

Night lads. Up the redmen

[jaygraham]

We were fucking brilliant in the first half and should have been 3-0 up, but for bad luck we were not. Really put some decent passing together and looked hungry all the time. Sunderland were hanging on.

Half time came and the game kicked off but we were still in the dressing room by the looks of it. That has happened a lot over the last year or so. Sunderland got back into it and scored a bloody great goal. That will probably be goal of the month. Sadly the poor second half has masked the good work we put in in the first half.

Thought the new boys looked good - can see why Enrique is nicknamed "the bull" and I though Adam in particular was excellent. To be honest I thought Lucas played well first half, but he was one of the ones to stay mentally in the dressing room i think second 45.

Downing started brightly and Henderson did alright.

With a bit of luck and being more clinical we could have won 3-1. But for a bit of genius we could have won 1-0.

Still positive, keeping calm and carrying on.

[Mashy-rawr!nooo]

Amount of criticism Flanagan is getting makes you wonder if some people on here could do a better job.


Oh wait, they can't. So shut the hell up all of you. I was pleased with most of our performance.

[RedChanel]

Even world player of the year, cannavaro in his time with Real had made some blunders. Given that, slating young flannagan is way over the top. He will learn and progress surely.

[hoonin]

It's no surprise at all that we failed the test because we don't know each other as a team. It's stupidity not to understand this after the term gelling has become a cliche. It used to be seen as a myth, but now even the dummies know it makes a team.

Sunderland used 5 new players in total today, plus 1 or 2 with only a dozen or so appearances. They could equally use that as an excuse for not winning.

To assume that the difference in fitness levels between our players and Sunderland's, was the reason we didn't win this game or at least do better in the first half is really very naive of some of our fans imo.

What are your reasons for this view. Please expand.

[John C]

If you ride a bike for the first time of the year in May and continue riding it through June, July and August, in which month would you expect to be at your lowest level of bike fitness?

Is it December? I don't like unnecessary hard questions this time of night.

[Pacman.]

Gareth, the point I'm making is that when this Liverpool team of value clicks, you expect that it will be a superior one to the Sunderland one when they get to know each other. The disjointedness of both sides was a leveling factor. It weighed on us more because the expectation is bigger. You would expect us to beat Sunderland but we are no more a team than they are, so we couldn't make our individual quality count towards a better team performance. In that sense it was what made the second half look more like a 50/50 battle than it really, based on personel, should have done.

[Scaryscouse]

Way too many wayward passes cost us the match today. They were all guilty, we'll cut that out soon. First match back and I liked the look of what I saw, especially in the first half. It's going to be a good season. Adam is going to be massive for us.

[Sir Capon of Debaser]

Loved that first half performance!! Watched the match 3 times now,and although we tired in the 2nd,you can see that was down to the high energy from the first....

Sunderland were always gonna have a 'spell'...Theyre a decent fuckin side!!

Looks promising anyways.Get these lads gelling with the lads who finished last season on a high,and we're rock n fuckin rollin

[hoonin]

Is it December? I don't like unnecessary hard questions this time of night.

John, if you ride a bike in December you're automatically disqualified for being either stupid or riding a BMX

[hoonin]

Looks promising anyways.

You're a disgrace.

[Sir Capon of Debaser]

You're a disgrace.

Man to man,pal.Id punch you in the cock if you said that to my face...









 

[Pacman.]

Adam is going to be massive for us.

I hope you're wrong.

[No Appreciation of Liverpool Opposition]

Oh sure. Like flailing with an open hand and "slapping" the face of the man who grabbed you by the shirt, lifted you off the ground, and continued holding on whilst two of his mates also assaulted you. Yeah, they reserve red cards for the 'definite sending off" offenses for fear of the ridiculous three-game suspension that comes with them.

barton also should have been sent off

[Uruguayan36]

Probably my english let me down and i was not able to explain myself properly.
Sorry for that.

Yesterday our midfield was overran in the second half and that shows the lack of  midfielders who know how to defend and hold the ball.

Lucas is a fighter but yesterday he did not have a good game.
Adam is good when he is in contact with the ball, but defending is average,same Henderson.

Downing seem to be a good player but yesterday did not show much.

Suarez seemed tired and did not play well yesterday...but he was fouled everytime he touched the ball...and was upset and tired.

Carrol showed courage...but he lacks vision and class to be a great player, in my opinion.

Meirelles and Kuyt have to be starters against Arsenal...Carrol, Flanagan,Downing and Henderson should be on the bench.

Reyna.

Johnson
Carra
Agger
Enrique

Maxi
Lucas
Adam
Meirelles

Kuyt.
Suarez

[Sir Capon of Debaser]

John, if you ride a bike in December you're automatically disqualified for being either stupid or riding a BMX

Or a postman

[DanA]

My thoughts on the game:

- We forced the action a bit much in attack and were to direct at times when we should have been patient. Part of it was no doubt nerves being the first game of the season, at Anfield, with four debutantes and big expectations. I think that will iron itself out.

- I thought we missed a trick today by not starting Kuyt. There's absolutely an argument for Henderson it being Sunderland and him providing more support for the midfield in a game where we already are struggling for possession but for me it would have been nice to have seen Kuyt up there. Kuyt's workvrate would have helped out more pressing and IMO his strength, intelligence and leadership would have been nice in a game with so many debutantes. I also think he'd have been a handful for Richardson to match up on. It could have left Lucas and Adam isolated but I on the flip side Kuyt provides more support for Flanagan than Henderson.  For me if Kuyt's fit he should really be starting.

- Flanagan: I can only assume he started because Kelly is not 100% fit as with so many new faces in the team I didn't think this was the right time to experiment. It was unfortunately his worst performance in a red shirt to date and there's no getting around that. It wasn't a horrid performance but he made some mistakes that he wouldn't be at all happy with. Played a part in conceding the goal, was caught on the ball a few times and misplaced passes as Sunderland turned up the pressure on him. Not the end of the world, it's another learning experience for the lad and he now faces another test in how he responds from that.


Lots of positives:
- I thought our central pairing played pretty well. Barely put a foot wrong and I think the talk of Carragher's demise is greatly exaggerated. A few too many hoof balls yes and we did play a little deep but that's to be expected IMO. Carra was nursing Flannagan a bit, Enrique was no doubt told to be conservative and lets not forget Lucas & Adam have barely played a half of football together. I think we'll push up more and hoof less once Johnson returns and things start to gel. All in all it was a good performance by Carra/Agger and I for one was glad to have an experienced head in Carra down back for this game.

- Enrique is going to be immense IMO. Physically dominates his opponents, is lightning quick and thought his passing was game was excellent. I think LB has become a real strength in the lineup and IMO he's a big chance to make the league team of the season.

- Downing & Adam both had really solid debut, Downing was quick and really dangerous while Adam has already proven the worth of his set pieces. 

- Suarez, penalty aside was Suarez. A constant threat causing headaches. Top, top player.

- Carroll was ok too. Unlucky for his goal not to have counted but did win most of his contests I thought. Still think we play the ball wide too much and just pepper it in too predictably. Hopefully when Gerrard returns his influence will make us play though the middle more and look for more options.

We going to be a good team this year though. A very good team IMO

[Suareznumber7]

I love how anyone that criticizes any of the players immediately gets told they aren't a "true fan".  As if being disappointed with a performance and letting people know about it is a crime against humanity and worthy of the death penalty just because you are a supporter of the club. 

Get a grip fellas. 

[Suareznumber7]

Loved that first half performance!! Watched the match 3 times now,and although we tired in the 2nd,you can see that was down to the high energy from the first....

Sunderland were always gonna have a 'spell'...Theyre a decent fuckin side!!

Looks promising anyways.Get these lads gelling with the lads who finished last season on a high,and we're rock n fuckin rollin

You really sat down and watched the game 3 times?  Did the result change after the first time?

[Suareznumber7]

barton also should have been sent off

No chance. 

[Golden_Child]

Your English is fine mate, I hope you didn't think I mocking you.

I generally think you are being over critical of players based on yesterday's game and I happen to disagree with quite a bit of your post. I do agree that we were generally out fought in the 2nd half but I don't think it was necessarily down to bad selections. You may turn out to be right though, you may not. Your opinion is just as valid as mine.

I've already written a post regarding my thoughts above so I won't bore people by repeating them.

Anyway, good to have another Uruguayan red with us 

[Sir Capon of Debaser]

You really sat down and watched the game 3 times?  Did the result change after the first time?

Results got fuck all to do with it.I saw enough from that performance to see things are going in the right direction

I watch a match and take it in fully,not just based on each half.We created enough chances in the match to wipe the floor with em,yet,we didnt.They created fuck all,and got a draw....We were wasteful

Shit happens

[Redshadow]

We've lost the title. now time to go for second. of course, we'll be back for the title next week.
It's  just one game and we'll be better. Can't wait for Arsenal now.