Liverpool v Zenit St Petersburg. 8.05pm Kickoff(ITV1)

D'Agger

Handsome Bob wrote: »

Over the 2 legs, I think it's a stretch to say the superior team went through. Our own errors cost us in both, with one player in particular handing out most of the punishment.

Nail.head.

Chucky the tree

rossie1977 wrote: »

rodgers won't see next season now anyway, precedent has been set with rafa and kenny being sacked after much much better seasons

:pac:

Handsome Bob

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

You kinda contradict yourself by saying your errors.

That was something Zenit did not do. Hence better team.

Not really, to me when someone says superior they mean outclassed. We were not outclassed in either legs.

But sure I'm not bothered about arguing pedantics. I'm out lads.

The_Kew_Tour

Handsome Bob wrote: »

Not really, to me when someone says superior they mean outclassed. We were not outclassed in either legs.

But sure I'm not bothered about arguing pedantics. I'm out lads.

So am I.

Hidalgo

rossie1977 wrote: »

rodgers won't see next season now anyway, precedent has been set with rafa and kenny being sacked after much much better seasons

wtf is hulk doing playing in the russian league, he should be with one of the top clubs in europe, terrific player

You should go to the bookies so and 'invest' lots of money on Liverpool having a new manager next season

Francie Barrett

the negativity here is frustrating. Tonight we played one lad who was deemed to be useless on the left and a central midfielder on the right. If we had Sturridge and Coutinho playing, we might have actually squeaked through this.

Hidalgo

Francie Barrett wrote: »

the negativity here is frustrating. Tonight we played one lad who was deemed to be useless on the left and a central midfielder on the right. If we had Sturridge and Coutinho playing, we might have actually squeaked through this.

Even as it was, they did enough to go through. Schoolboy defending, sadly not the first time its cost

klose

mada999 wrote: »

had a poor enough game imo hasn't been at his best since the he came back from the injuries.

Thought Gerrard wasn't great in the first half, was better in the second unlucky with the shot into the ground, great save.

Luis wasn't so great all night in play on the ball. But 2 nice free kicks... the second was was awesome, the curl he got on it was unreal

From what i saw from Assiadi he looks good, hope he gets a few more games on under his belt and is ready for next season.

Zenit very composed on the ball imo (but they got a lot of breaks) we should learn from them.

i didnt see the handball incident, was it blatant?

Good come back and we showed alot of courage, but are different team with Sturridge in it though. Need to add bulk to the team (especially centre of midfield) and with a few more quality players but the signs are there that we could be a good team. I dont think we need to sell anyone just add and make the squad better as the bench tonight wasn't great.

The crowd should get a mention also, very vocal and totally behind the team..sure beats the atmosphere at the west brom game

Lucas was fantastic, its brilliant to see him edging back to his former self game by game!

monkey9

rossie1977 wrote: »

rodgers won't see next season now anyway, precedent has been set with rafa and kenny being sacked after much much better seasons

wtf is hulk doing playing in the russian league, he should be with one of the top clubs in europe, terrific player

Of course he'll see next season. That's not even in doubt. There's no reason not to. We finished eight last year. Seventh the last two years before that. Rodgers has just stabilised us. I know that's not good enough. But it'll take more than one season to improve that. You need foundations to build on.

rossie1977

Hidalgo wrote: »

You should go to the bookies so and 'invest' lots of money on Liverpool having a new manager next season

maybe i should going by some of my previous predictions on here, damn out by a few days http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=66673405&postcount=33156

they ended up winning 18 btw, lol at the comments after my post though http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=61483677&postcount=1012

mikehunts

I don't care it's only a stupid cup anyway.....:pac::pac::pac:

mada999

daithijjj wrote: »

Double Subs made at the wrong time, abysmal decisions to be perfectly honest.

if he didnt make any subs and if the score stayed the same ya would have crucified him for not making any subs... it was a gamble, sometimes they pay off sometimes they dont

the incredible pudding

Taking off henderson so early was probably unwise, the allen sub was fair enough and for all of shelvey's obvious flaws he does get himself into goal scoring positions. Assaidi did well i thought.

In the end, not taking one of the many chances in Russia is what cost them, gave themselves too much to do but it was nice to see them show some balls for a change. Pool haven't shown that character too often this season.

mada999

5live wrote: »

Again. I just dont see the few positives in his play outweighing his many negatives. Nothing in his play has improved in the last 2 years

re Shelvey, give the lad some time ffs, people were bashing the ****e out of Henderson a couple of months ago (me too) and he's come good. He has the raw ability and aggression it just needs to be harnessed imo ffs ffs ffs ffs imo

Hidalgo

rossie1977 wrote: »

maybe i should going by some of my previous predictions on here, damn out by a few days http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=66673405&postcount=33156

they ended up winning 18 btw, lol at the comments after my post though http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=61483677&postcount=1012

You gotta lay it down to pick it up.

Lots talk about the money they 'could' have won if only they backed their hunch,

mada999

Pyjamarama wrote: »

Some amount of people in this thread with a nonsensical vendetta. Tbh the ABB (anyone but brendan) posters have completely ruined this forum for me. It's tunnel vision ever single time and then silence when we actually do anything.

We won 3-1 tonight. It wasn't enough. It was however a good performance and we still had chances when we made those subs to win it.

Anyway off to play fifa.

agree with everything above except the fifa bit :pac:

CSF

mada999 wrote: »

re Shelvey, give the lad some time ffs, people were bashing the ****e out of Henderson a couple of months ago (me too) and he's come good. He has the raw ability and aggression it just needs to be harnessed imo ffs ffs ffs ffs imo

Can't agree, Henderson always had the technique and potential. Shelvey is just ****e.

Hidalgo

mada999 wrote: »

if he didnt make any subs and if the score stayed the same ya would have crucified him for not making any subs... it was a gamble, sometimes they pay off sometimes they dont

Nothing wrong with making changes, its the players that came on was the problem. Shelvey and his stupid challenge almost gave a goal away, completely needless.

He's done nothing lately to justify being brought on at a pivotal stage in a European game

5live

passremarkable wrote: »

sterling..suso even

In centre midfield???

Neither has any physical presence and have even less of a scoring record than Shelvey, who has been ineffective since the Young Boys game when he had a superb cameo.

I am not a Shelvey fan but the fact that those 3 were our options point to a fairly weak squad. If Rodgers did decide he wanted a change in midfield then Henderson was the only option to come off. Lucas was needed to hold the centre and Gerrard to provide an attacking threat And unfortunately Shelvey was the only player, with anything more than potential, to put on.

CSF

Hidalgo wrote: »

He's done nothing to justify being brought on in a game

Agreed.

mada999

quarryman wrote: »

They should make a statue of Suarez in the familiar pose of him hand up claiming for a handball.

The ironing is so delicious.

anyone want to bite??

mada999

Downing looked like he was carrying a knock during the second half? and actually what did Downing do during the game, make an assist? Cross a nice ball in ? I dont think he did ? oh sorry you mean allen and hendo............ still he tried to gamble and get more width i think

DaveSuarez

Pyjamarama wrote: »

Some amount of people in this thread with a nonsensical vendetta. Tbh the ABB (anyone but brendan) posters have completely ruined this forum for me. It's tunnel vision ever single time and then silence when we actually do anything.

We won 3-1 tonight. It wasn't enough. It was however a good performance and we still had chances when we made those subs to win it.

Anyway off to play fifa.

Except we haven't actually done anything! No-hopers in the league and knocked out of all 3 cups by the end of February.

mada999

klose wrote: »

Lucas was fantastic, its brilliant to see him edging back to his former self game by game!

I just didnt see him in the game in the first half as they were going through the middle a lot with no players around them. I missed the first 10 mins of the second half but I didn't really notice him... when he gets back to his best we will reap the benefits..

5live

mada999 wrote: »

re Shelvey, give the lad some time ffs, people were bashing the ****e out of Henderson a couple of months ago (me too) and he's come good. He has the raw ability and aggression it just needs to be harnessed imo ffs ffs ffs ffs imo

I would be delighted if he makes the grade. I would be even more delighted if that happens with Liverpool.

But i just dont see it happening with him.

I agree that he had bags of agression and raw ability but he has little defensive nous, shows little desire to track back and help the defence and oh so many more.
I just feel he has made no progress in the last 2 years. The rest of the young lads have polished their game and seem to have grasped the basic concepts of the system but Shelvey look just like the player we bought a few years ago, showing incredible naievety with occasional flashes of brilliance.

At what point in his career should a player show consistent competence rather than so-so games with occasional competence?

mada999

Hidalgo wrote: »

Nothing wrong with making changes, its the players that came on was the problem. Shelvey and his stupid challenge almost gave a goal away, completely needless.

He's done nothing lately to justify being brought on at a pivotal stage in a European game

I'm just saying give him a chance, heck Reina nearly gave a goal away with a miskick and a few others think playing unwise passes from the back..I really fink him getting sent off at utd messed him up a bit..

I remember him actually playing well in the Europa league this season and getting us goals to actually progress to the game we played tonight....he's badly off form but ffs he needs time...doing no worse than Raheem imo

joe123

rarnes1 wrote: »

:rolleyes:

The people who "have been crawling out" post nearly every day

:rolleyes: And even more so when we lose.

joe123

monkey9 wrote: »

Of course he'll see next season. That's not even in doubt. There's no reason not to. We finished eight last year. Seventh the last two years before that. Rodgers has just stabilised us. I know that's not good enough. But it'll take more than one season to improve that. You need foundations to build on.

If only others could see what was said in the above post and actually consider it for a moment.

mada999

5live wrote: »

I would be delighted if he makes the grade. I would be even more delighted if that happens with Liverpool.

But i just dont see it happening with him.

I agree that he had bags of agression and raw ability but he has little defensive nous, shows little desire to track back and help the defence and oh so many more.
I just feel he has made no progress in the last 2 years. The rest of the young lads have polished their game and seem to have grasped the basic concepts of the system but Shelvey look just like the player we bought a few years ago, showing incredible naievety with occasional flashes of brilliance.

At what point in his career should a player show consistent competence rather than so-so games with occasional competence?

Steven Gerrard at age 20-21 was prone to naivety and the occasional red card at that age also. I'm not saying that Shelvey will get to Gerrard's level but he is only young and this needs to be taken into account.

Hidalgo

mada999 wrote: »

I'm just saying give him a chance, heck Reina nearly gave a goal away with a miskick and a few others think playing unwise passes from the back..I really fink him getting sent off at utd messed him up a bit..

I remember him actually playing well in the Europa league this season and getting us goals to actually progress to the game we played tonight....he's badly off form but ffs he needs time...doing no worse than Raheem imo

My worry is that he has regressed if anything this season from his early form.

I'm not expecting him to be mistake free, far from it, he's still young. With the form he's in at the minute I'd prefer him to get gametime in games that are wrapped up, like last Sunday, or games that your well beaten in. Try and knock the rawness out of him that way.

Or, ideally a loan at another PL club where he gets to play every week.

Super-Rush

Good points.

We won, and won well.
Allen played his best game so far.
Lucas played his best game since returning.
Enrique was immense again, as was Henderson.
We played damn good tonight.
Assaidi looked better than Brendan gives him credit for.

Bad points.

Shelvey coming on killed our momentum.
We are forced to turn to players like Shelvey.

There are more good points than bad for me to take from tonight.

I think with the addition of Sturridge and Coutinho that we have a decent starting XI, we need to build a decent squad around them now so we can call upon more quality players from the bench.

SlickRic

I said Rodgers must take some blame for the last half hour...but he must take his share of the credit too for a gutsy display on the whole.

it's a pity he had Shelvey to call on.

the fact Anfield sang like they did after being knocked out says it all.

GavRedKing

GavRedKing wrote: »

3-1 Liverpool but the away goal to k/o them.

Why dont I ever put money on these things? :rolleyes:

Seen some highlights ye lot were unlucky not to go through overall.

On the plus side it focuses the squad for the last 12 or so games to try and push up the table.

Milkers

mada999 wrote: »

re Shelvey, give the lad some time ffs, people were bashing the ****e out of Henderson a couple of months ago (me too) and he's come good. He has the raw ability and aggression it just needs to be harnessed imo ffs ffs ffs ffs imo

You could defend every bad player by pointing at a player who turned his form around. But some of them are just not good enough. For me Shelvey is blatantly in that category, I just don't see this "raw ability" he is supposed to have.

gafferino

Brendan Rodgers praised the valiant efforts of his players as they slipped out of the Europa League to Zenit St Petersburg on Thursday evening – and insisted the occasion demonstrated why he believes Liverpool are the 'world's great football family'.

The Reds recovered from the setback of Hulk's Kop end opener to stage an almost-heroic fightback as two stunning Luis Suarez free-kick's and a goal from Joe Allen gave them a 3-1 victory on the night.

Ultimately, last week's 2-0 defeat in St Petersburg proved too costly as the Russian champions progress into the last 16 on the away goals rule.

However, Rodgers believes his players could not have done much more to keep their European aspirations alive on a night when Kopites once again proved they really are Liverpool's 12th man as Anfield generated a stunning atmosphere.

Rodgers told his post-match press conference: "We're very proud of the club and the players tonight. Even though we lost the tie, tonight the football club and the players showed why they're part of the world's greatest football family here at Liverpool with the atmosphere and what the players put into the game.

"To have to come back from a three-goal deficit and put that effort, quality and character into the game was absolutely phenomenal - and I felt we should have had a penalty as well.

"I don't think the players could have done anymore. The crowd could not have done anymore. It was a fantastic night, but unfortunately we probably lost the tie over there.

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"At this level to have to score that many goals and for us to nearly do it, gives me great pride in how the players performed."

One more goal would have been sufficient for Liverpool to progress - and Rodgers believes his side should have been awarded a 50th-minute penalty when Tomas Hubocan appeared to handle inside the box.

The boss said: "It certainly was a penalty - I think everybody could see that. We had momentum throughout the game and it looked a clear penalty. It wasn't one there was any debate on.

"We're disappointed with that, but it was a great night.

"We wanted to win the game and make every effort to get through - and I don't think the players could have done anymore.

"It was just unfortunate we haven't gone through and we'll probably look back on the game over there as one where we gave away poor goals which probably cost us, ultimately."

A rare error from Jamie Carragher proved costly in the early stages of the contest as his under-hit back pass allowed Hulk to bear down on goal and slot beyond Pepe Reina for the opener.

Rodgers reflected: "It's probably the first mistake I have seen him make since I came to the football club - and that includes every day in training.

"There's no blame attached. I thought he was brilliant tonight in how he controlled Hulk, who is a real threat with his strength and power. It was just unfortunate.

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"I'm disappointed for Carra because he's a brilliant professional and he deserved to go into the next round. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be."

Elimination from the Europa League ends hopes of Rodgers ending his first season in charge with a trophy.

However, the manager insists there is still much to play for in Liverpool's final 11 Barclays Premier League games of the season.

"Our season doesn't finish - and was never going to finish - until the final whistle against QPR," stated Rodgers.

"This is a group that is growing all the time. You see the level of performance tonight - to dominate a team of that ilk and control the game like we did was incredible.

"For us going forward, it's to continue with how we've been working since the turn of the year. As the season has gone on, we've got better and improved. We want to carry that through until the very final whistle at the end of the season. You can see the players' hunger and determination to do that - and we'll look to do that in the last 11 games."

One challenge Rodgers will set his players in the remainder of the campaign is continuing the growth Liverpool have displayed in the last couple of months that has helped them turn in a number of outstanding performances and pick up some emphatic victories.

And if they can do that, the Northern Irishman believes the Reds will be better equipped to challenge for trophies come the start of 2013-14.

He continued: "We just need to do our best. We're out of the cup competitions and that's something we'll look to put right going forward - we want to win trophies here.

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"The aim for the remainder of the season is to finish as high up the league as we possibly can. When I came here in the summer, that was the priority given to me and we want to finish as high as we possibly can.

"We can keep moving forward. I have seen great growth in the group and that will continue. We want to keep showing our quality, fight and spirit right the way through to the QPR game and then we'll all reassess in the summer.

"We'll be in a much better position come the beginning of next season because the framework will already be in place. It's difficult for the players with a new manager coming in with different ideas and work, but we're now starting to see there's a flow in it, they're comfortable with it and we're scoring goals and producing performances.

"To win tonight was great and hopefully that can continue."

Rodgers saved one final word for the Liverpool fans, who recreated some of the great European nights of the past by turning up the decibel levels inside Anfield.

He admits both players and staff are disappointed they could not reward Kopites for their vociferous support with a place in the next round - but he's confident there will be many more occasions to savour in future.

"It was absolutely breathtaking," said Rodgers. "One of the real values of this football club is unity. Everyone came together tonight and we just missed out.

"Hopefully in the future there will be many more great nights for us to celebrate.

"Having sampled that as a manager in the home dugout, I want many more occasions like that with bigger prizes.

"We really needed them tonight and they were right behind us all the way. We're disappointed we couldn't do it for them, but hopefully there will be many more in the future that we can do for them."

gafferino