Manchester City vs. Liverpool Match Thread 20.00 KO

Gillington

That was as unconvincing of a 3-0 win as you can get but I'll take it! 3 shots on target,3 goalsand we didnt really look like scoring more so we were lucky could have went another way another night but Liverpool didnt turn up at all.

Thought Yaya went missing a few times and looked lazy,I'm still struggling to see where all this money is gong and if we'll get a return.

Sorry Pool fans but when you see Jo coming on as a sub with Silva,SWP and Adebayor sittin on the bench,you's know its bad

niallo27

Sir Gallagher wrote: »

So the fans should abandon the code and morals because of the way the club is run?

Maybe not, but a few fans singing rafa songs are the least my worries really and they should be yours too

niallo27

Sir Gallagher wrote: »

Yes and those fans should move on and support the new boss instead of disrespecting him by chanting the old bosses name at the match, there was an element of snide nastiness to it.

I thought our fans were better than that, probably the same shower who sing Munich songs and booed Lucas a couple of seasons back, in short, gobsh1tes.

Well it's easier for some fans to move on, I'm sure it has being a lot easier for you to move on than me because of our differing views on rafa

Sir Gallagher

niallo27 wrote: »

Maybe not, but a few fans singing rafa songs are the least my worries really and they should be yours too

It's not top of my concern list it just made me cringe.

kingshankly

niallo27 wrote: »

Well it's easier for some fans to move on, I'm sure it has being a lot easier for you to move on than me because of our differing views on rafa

So if Liverpool went on to win the league (which I know is highly unlikely ) you won't still be complaining about the way rafa was treated , I'm sure

Mister men

Sir Gallagher wrote: »

Yes and those fans should move on and support the new boss instead of disrespecting him by chanting the old bosses name at the match, there was an element of snide nastiness to it.

I thought our fans were better than that, probably the same shower who sing Munich songs and booed Lucas a couple of seasons back, in short, gobsh1tes.

Your comparing LFC fans singing the praises of a former great manager to Munich chants? WTF. Are you for real.

JohnnyRyan99

Stevie G was too far back... Few times he got forward he was a real threat ...

But in my opinion Lucas isnt strong enough to allow Gerard to venture forward as much as he should... That's what a player like Masch brings u.. The ability to take hold of the midfield on his own when called upon!

JohnnyRyan99

Mister men wrote: »

Your comparing LFC fans singing the praises of a former great manager to Munich chants? WTF. Are you for real.

I have to say i didnt think he was doing that whatsoever!

niallo27

kingshankly wrote: »

So if Liverpool went on to win the league (which I know is highly unlikely ) you won't still be complaining about the way rafa was treated , I'm sure

Well I will I still think he was shafted, I just think Roy is out of his dept, I hope I'm proved wrong

#15

Mister men wrote: »

Your comparing LFC fans singing the praises of a former great manager to Munich chants? WTF. Are you for real.

He is not comparing the chants. Just the idiotic mentality behind both chants.

I mean wtf, singing the name of Benitez when your team is getting overrun, that's just bad form.

eagle eye

Well imo the Liverpool fans signing Rafa songs are highly disrespectful. Your new manager is one of the gentlemen of the game as well as being an excellent coach and doing that to him in his second game in charge is just disgusting especially after the performance they put on last week.

LuckyLloyd

kingshankly wrote: »

So if Liverpool went on to win the league (which I know is highly unlikely ) you won't still be complaining about the way rafa was treated , I'm sure

Probably, we're now further away from winning the league than at any point since 1999. So long as that is the case, the fan base (particularly the traveling die hards who've seen it all play out in front of them, good and bad) aren't going to universally move forward as one and get on with it. You're going to have to accept that.

karma_

niallo27 wrote: »

Well I will I still think he was shafted, I just think Roy is out of his dept, I hope I'm proved wrong

I wonder what a lot of Liverpool fans want Roy Hodgson to do? This should have been the expected result tonight, possibly not by as wide a margin in fairness but expected nevertheless, especially at Eastlands where City are known to be strong, and given the depth of talent available at City now and lack thereof at Liverpool. I know some pool fans called it and were ridiculed for even contemplating that city could win this game.

Hodgson has a lot of work to do, that much is clear, but when your own top players don;t look like giving too much effort, other players being sold and no one being brought in, and others apparently refusing to play, there is no room to be confident. Hodgson is a good manager but he can't sort out the Liverpool problem within a couple of games he will need time.

JohnnyRyan99

Ye're further away because last year ye finished in ye're worst position since, i dunno when, under..... Rafa! Ye went into this year as a 7th place team! And ye drew with Arsenal, then lost to a team who only lost 3 games at home last year! 3-0 flattered City, Fact.. A 7th place team imo shouldn't be raging after this start! Give it some time for God sake. Outside the Liverpool world i was astonished that Rafa stayed as long as he did, and i genuinely think under Woy ye can come good again!

#15

karma_ wrote: »

I wonder what a lot of Liverpool fans want Roy Hodgson to do? This should have been the expected result tonight, possibly not by as wide a margin in fairness but expected nevertheless, especially at Eastlands where City are known to be strong, and given the depth of talent available at City now and lack thereof at Liverpool. I know some pool fans called it and were ridiculed for even contemplating that city could win this game.

Hodgson has a lot of work to do, that much is clear, but when your own top players don;t look like giving too much effort, other players being sold and no one being brought in, and others apparently refusing to play, there is no room to be confident. Hodgson is a good manager but he can't sort out the Liverpool problem within a couple of games he will need time.

Exactly, there's not a lot Hodgson can do about half the team not being able to control the football, and the other half performing below par or just not giving 100%.

Hodgson did make some poor decisions tonight, but there is a long road ahead for Liverpool regardless.

Mister men

I wonder if the players got a cuddle, they need that. That's why we've been **** for years. :rolleyes:
I was underwhelmed at Hodgson's appointment, but he had my support regardless. If the Rafa chants were from us i have to admit to humming along. I don't care if that makes me a bad person. I really can't summon up any faith in our manager in taking us forward, but he's the best we can expect in this situation. Do not like the fact that he chose to congratulate City on their performance (or rather that the lose didn't seem to affect/anger him), and talked as though only losing by 3 was some kind of achievement. You're not managing Fulham now Roy. And we weren't unlucky, we were hopeless. Losing is bad, but it was the manner which disturbs me. And that's down to the team selection in my opinion. Like i said earlier 442 againest title contenders away from home was utter madness and i stand by that.

niallo27

karma_ wrote: »

I wonder what a lot of Liverpool fans want Roy Hodgson to do? This should have been the expected result tonight, possibly not by as wide a margin in fairness but expected nevertheless, especially at Eastlands where City are known to be strong, and given the depth of talent available at City now and lack thereof at Liverpool. I know some pool fans called it and were ridiculed for even contemplating that city could win this game.

Hodgson has a lot of work to do, that much is clear, but when your own top players don;t look like giving too much effort, other players being sold and no one being brought in, and others apparently refusing to play, there is no room to be confident. Hodgson is a good manager but he can't sort out the Liverpool problem within a couple of games he will need time.

I don't expect Roy to do much that's the problem, he was hired by an inept board into a club that is rotten from the top, the only man that was holding it together was rafa, I don't think Roy has what it takes

kingshankly

Mister men wrote: »

I wonder if the players got a cuddle, they need that. That's why we've been **** for years. :rolleyes:
I was underwhelmed at Hodgson's appointment, but he had my support regardless. If the Rafa chants were from us i have to admit to humming along. I don't care if that makes me a bad person. I really can't summon up any faith in our manager in taking us forward, but he's the best we can expect in this situation. Do not like the fact that he chose to congratulate City on their performance (or rather that the lose didn't seem to affect/anger him), and talked as though only losing by 3 was some kind of achievement. You're not managing Fulham now Roy. And we weren't unlucky, we were hopeless. Losing is bad, but it was the manner which disturbs me. And that's down to the team selection in my opinion. Like i said earlier 442 againest title contenders away from home was utter madness and i stand by that.

What do ya want him to say we controlled the game,we created chances.
How the hell do you know if he was angry or not he could have kicked the dressing room upside down for all we know

#15

niallo27 wrote: »

I don't expect Roy to do much that's the problem, he was hired by an inept board into a club that is rotten from the top, the only man that was holding it together was rafa, I don't think Roy has what it takes

Rafa masterminded the sale of Alonso and took the team down to 7th. How is that holding it together?

SlickRic

i can't believe Hodgson tried playing Lucas and Gerrard against YaYa, Barry and de Jong.

madness.

they played around us at will.

Adam Johnson is simply awesome.

Agger, Johnson and Lucas were represhensively bad.

but if that whole performance is a sign of things to come; i'm so worried i can't put into words.

well done City though; a very composed performance, and it could have been more.

Chucky the tree

#15 wrote: »

Rafa masterminded the sale of Alonso and took the team down to 7th. How is that holding it together?

The way Hodgson has done so far 7th will be a great finish for us this season.

DOC09UNAM

Chucky the tree wrote: »

The way Hodgson has done so far 7th will be a great finish for us this season.

Yeah drawing with Arsenal and losing to city, what shít results for such an amazing team like liverpool, he should definitely be winning them :rolleyes:

I mean benitez didn't lose to Arsenal twice last season and drew with city twice.

And had such epic performances such as, losing to pompey, fulham and sunderland.

Benitez wasn't as great as people claim he was, and considering hodgson took fulham to the europa league final, I'd give him a chance before talking shít about him tbh.

rossie1977

JohnnyRyan99 wrote: »

Outside the Liverpool world i was astonished that Rafa stayed as long as he did!

yeah should have been sacked after finished second there 2 season back, f**K that should have been sacked after losing the european cup final in 2007 :cool:

Chucky the tree

DOC09UNAM wrote: »

Yeah drawing with Arsenal and losing to city, what shít results for such an amazing team like liverpool, he should definitely be winning them :rolleyes:

I mean benitez didn't lose to Arsenal twice last season and drew with city twice.

And had such epic performances such as, losing to pompey, fulham and sunderland.

Benitez wasn't as great as people claim he was, and considering hodgson took fulham to the europa league final, I'd give him a chance before talking shít about him tbh.

Why are you mentioning Rafa? He's not at the club anymore, I'm rating Hodgson on what I've seen so far. In two PL games we've been played off the park and had 40% possession, since you bring up Rafa I'd wonder when the last time we went back to back games with just 40% possession. Hodgsons selection was just bizarre tonight, that's the biggest worry. I mean, really amateur on his part.

JohnnyRyan99

rossie1977 wrote: »

yeah should have been sacked after finished second there 2 season back, f**K that should have been sacked after losing the european cup final in 2007 :cool:

No No, ur wrong... He should have been gone after finishing 7th.. and he was.

I do understand where you're coming from but it just seemed to me like things had gone stale and he lost the dressing room. I thought he should have went and i wasn't suprised. Imo

JohnnyRyan99

Chucky the tree wrote: »

The way Hodgson has done so far 7th will be a great finish for us this season.

2 games!!! For fúck sake!

rossie1977

JohnnyRyan99 wrote: »

No No, ur wrong... He should have been gone after finishing 7th.. and he was.

so roy must get better than 7th to survive yes

Cypher_sounds

In fairness to Hogson Mascherano should be majorly fined if its true he refused to play, seems he left a big hole in the centre of midfield and when he leaves unless liverpool get a very good cm they will be in big trouble as lucas and that new fella are very lightweight.
That aquailini fella must be one of the worst foreign signings ever made by a english team, kinda sums rafa's time there tbh

DOC09UNAM

Mascherano should be made play with the reserves until january, benitez will still buy him then, and they'll have a chance to spend the money they get.

JohnnyRyan99

rossie1977 wrote: »

so roy must get better than 7th to survive yes

Must at least get 7th in my opinion yes! Anything above that is clearly an improvement! Lower, a failure!.. No? There has not been a Phenomenal change to the club in regards players ( if anything the squad has suffered due to Masch) so i dont see why there should be a drastic improvement? Im not sayin Roy is the man for it. But Lord give him a chance!

niallo27

#15 wrote: »

Rafa masterminded the sale of Alonso and took the team down to 7th. How is that holding it together?

The old alonso one again, nothing to do with going back to Spain in a world cup year, ya it was all rafa, he also took a team to 2nd and two European cup finals, he was ****ed over in the boardroom and this affected the team, Roy has to deal with the same **** which is why he is out of his dept

eagle eye

Chucky the tree wrote: »

We sacked Rafa for this? Brilliant.

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Why are you mentioning Rafa? He's not at the club anymore, I'm rating Hodgson on what I've seen so far. In two PL games we've been played off the park and had 40% possession, since you bring up Rafa I'd wonder when the last time we went back to back games with just 40% possession. Hodgsons selection was just bizarre tonight, that's the biggest worry. I mean, really amateur on his part.

Some people are amazing.

niallo27

JohnnyRyan99 wrote: »

No No, ur wrong... He should have been gone after finishing 7th.. and he was.

I do understand where you're coming from but it just seemed to me like things had gone stale and he lost the dressing room. I thought he should have went and i wasn't suprised. Imo

But you said you were astonished he lasted so long, but then you said he should have being sacked after finishing 7th which he was, so he didn't last that long at all really for you to be astonished

Paul Tergat

So you played what 2 of the probable top 4. There will be much easier games to come and Torres will only get sharper. It will get much better for ya's!

abouttobebanned

Mid table team now.

Mr Alan

p_larkin99 wrote: »

So you played what 2 of the probable top 4. There will be much easier games to come and Torres will only get sharper. It will get much better for ya's!

City were good tonight.

But not great. And we were hammered 3-0.

And I always felt they had another couple of gears if needed.

We on the other hand, looked like we didn't care.

In previous seasons when we've gone 1 or even 2 down, i always felt like we still had a good chance. Tonight, I didn't-not for a second, and i don't think the players did either.

JohnnyRyan99

niallo27 wrote: »

But you said you were astonished he lasted so long, but then you said he should have being sacked after finishing 7th which he was, so he didn't last that long at all really for you to be astonished

My apologies i meant from just after Xmas on! When the pressure really started to mount, i meant i was suprised he lasted till June. I see how it appeared i meant over a season or two, my bad.

Mr Alan

clubs shouldn't sack managers over 1 bad season.

that applies for Roy as much as Rafa.

Paul Tergat

Mr Alan wrote: »

City were good tonight.

But not great. And we were hammered 3-0.

And I always felt they had another couple of gears if needed.

We on the other hand, looked like we didn't care.

In previous seasons when we've gone 1 or even 2 down, i always felt like we still had a good chance. Tonight, I didn't-not for a second, and i don't think the players did either.

Again though, its just a case of them being one of the top 4 teams this season imo. My point was only that sure the performance was lacking and the result bad but there seems to be, as usual on here, an overreaction. Work your way into the season and Pool will be fine.

Im not even going to get into the Rafa thing (my own view is he should have been kept at all costs) but give Roy time to stamp his mark on the team, get used to playing his way etc. These things take time and its just sad the modern football fan isnt really willing to afford that to anyone.

Mr Alan

hope you're right mate. and Roy deserves time, i agree 100% on that.

thegen

City were good tonight, but not let us kid ourselves, Liverpool were poor.
Lucas is awful, Poulsen would be so much better in there. Maxi should have started, he looked sharp last time out. Ngog is Ngog, Torres is getting match fit. Pach looked sharp for you when he arrived.

Handsome Bob

City passed the ball considerably better than us I thought, and we gave them an embarassing amount of space to play in too. It was very disheartening to watch.

IMO A. Johnson, Milner and Barry were all terrific. I can't argue with the result, City deserved the win. I don't think we were ever genuinely in the game bar the brief play that culminated in the double save from Hart. We just looked, disorientated. You would have thought we were the team who were not used to playing with each other rather than City.

Just brutal.

LuckyLloyd

p_larkin99 wrote: »

Again though, its just a case of them being one of the top 4 teams this season imo. My point was only that sure the performance was lacking and the result bad but there seems to be, as usual on here, an overreaction. Work your way into the season and Pool will be fine.

Im not even going to get into the Rafa thing (my own view is he should have been kept at all costs) but give Roy time to stamp his mark on the team, get used to playing his way etc. These things take time and its just sad the modern football fan isnt really willing to afford that to anyone.

Nobody is more into giving managers time than myself. But I will have no patience if we're playing a wide open 4 - 4 - 2 each week and have no grip over possession or spells of concerted pressure and dominance in matches.

People can say we've played two of the top four, but I think this season there will be more teams who believe they're in the mixer than ever before - and consequently playing harder than ever before. You play 14 games a year against Arsenal, City, Utd, Chelsea, Everton, Aston Villa and Spurs. You can't just shrug your shoulders and write them off if you have any ambitions of splitting them in the final league table.

eagle eye

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Nobody is more into giving managers time than myself. But I will have no patience if we're playing a wide open 4 - 4 - 2 each week and have no grip over possession or spells of concerted pressure and dominance in matches.

People can say we've played two of the top four, but I think this season there will be more teams who believe they're in the mixer than ever before - and consequently playing harder than ever before. You play 14 games a year against Arsenal, City, Utd, Chelsea, Everton, Aston Villa and Spurs. You can't just shrug your shoulders and write them off if you have any ambitions of splitting them in the final league table.

I don't know what to say to you. From what I seen last night the game could have been totally different if either of the two front men were in any sort of form.
Secondly its a new system and just like in Benitez' first year its going to be difficult for a period of time. That 5th place in 04/05 is equivalent to finishing 8th or 9th now.
You mention 7 teams there, what would you say is a realistic points target against them? Maybe 1 loss and 2 draws at home? Thats 14 points, last year you got 10 points at home from those fixtures. What about away? Looking at sneaking 2 wins and 2 draws maybe? Thats 8 points. Last year you got 7 points away from home in those fixtures.

JimsAlterEgo

when I saw the lineups, I thought sky news had gotten it wrong. No way is it 4-4-2 away from home against someone with such a strong CM, and with Gerrard as one of the 2. Bizarre tactics.

ntlbell

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Remember Souness? We have to lower our expectations because we've spent the last few months systematically downgrading the squad and coaching staff.

Tonight was the first time Liverpool have been beaten by more than two goals since the 23 March 2008. Think about that.

who cares how long it's been!

Who are you blaming that on roy?

You haven't played the 11 players you played last night!

ntlbell

Mr Alan wrote: »

clubs shouldn't sack managers over 1 bad season.

that applies for Roy as much as Rafa.

but one should be slated after two games, one which included a draw against arsenal when down to 10 men for 45 miniutes?

Awsome.

#15

niallo27 wrote: »

The old alonso one again, nothing to do with going back to Spain in a world cup year, ya it was all rafa, he also took a team to 2nd and two European cup finals, he was ****ed over in the boardroom and this affected the team, Roy has to deal with the same **** which is why he is out of his dept

What, of course it was Rafa that pushed Alonso out? Do you not remember the Gareth Barry saga, or the row over training?

It's unlikely it had anything to do with a world cup year.

I can understand Liverpool fans being annoyed at Rafa's sacking, but this rush to judgement on Hodgson is over-the-top.

Paul Tergat

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

Nobody is more into giving managers time than myself. But I will have no patience if we're playing a wide open 4 - 4 - 2 each week and have no grip over possession or spells of concerted pressure and dominance in matches.

People can say we've played two of the top four, but I think this season there will be more teams who believe they're in the mixer than ever before - and consequently playing harder than ever before. You play 14 games a year against Arsenal, City, Utd, Chelsea, Everton, Aston Villa and Spurs. You can't just shrug your shoulders and write them off if you have any ambitions of splitting them in the final league table.

Well FWIW I reckon that Poulsen will be replacing Masch (or even someone like Parker) to add a stronger defensive element to the midfield which will help players like Gerrard in a 4-4-2.

Im not saying to shrug your shoulders and not bother thinking about it just that with a new system you need to give players time to get used to their new roles and there wouldn't have been such a problem if you were playing a weaker team.

niallo27

#15 wrote: »

What, of course it was Rafa that pushed Alonso out? Do you not remember the Gareth Barry saga, or the row over training?

It's unlikely it had anything to do with a world cup year.

I can understand Liverpool fans being annoyed at Rafa's sacking, but this rush to judgement on Hodgson is over-the-top.

The row of training, do tell me what that was about, the Barry saga was the year before after Alonso had a really poor year, are you honestly saying that returning to his home country in a world cup year had nothing to with his descision, would he have started in the world cup if he was Liverpool player

This is not a knee jerk reaction after last night, many of us have expressed doubts since Roy took over