Liverpool FC Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2014 - Mod Warning in OP, 10/12

5live

viper006 wrote: »

Sorry i cant believe things have got to stage after 100m spent we are talking about starting borini and toure against the league leaders and real madrid. Rodgers wont drop lovren for chelsea. I dont rate borini at all but agree its better than balotelli up front on his own.

I cant remember us ever being so toothless up front. We seem to always push chelsea so hoping the players step up.

Tour was composed at the back and pulling the pi$$ out of Real on the wing twice. He has to start for me but probably rested as the Chelsea game so close to this game.

Borini has to start. We can play a 4-3-3 with him rather than 4-3-2 with Balotelli. He works his socks off all day and offers runs in behind rather than Balotellis statue impersonation.

LuckyLloyd

Kerrigooney wrote: »

And Gerrard doesn't?

50 yard diagonal balls straight out of play is giving the ball away cheaply and Gerrard does it plenty. If they come off they look great but if they don't...

Gerrard is a far superior player to Allen; in anycase, Lucas / Can in there can do what Allen is trying to do far more competently.

Sir Gallagher

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Lol. Please Brendan. They'll be straight back in the side for Chelsea.

Don't think that's the point, being dropped for this game would have been a proper kick in the hole for these lads.

brevity

viper006 wrote: »

Sorry i cant believe things have got to stage after 100m spent we are talking about starting borini and toure against the league leaders and real madrid. Rodgers wont drop lovren for chelsea. I dont rate borini at all but agree its better than balotelli up front on his own.

I cant remember us ever being so toothless up front. We seem to always push chelsea so hoping the players step up.

It's depressing but that's where we are. Balotelli is useless on his own, Borini has to start.

Kolo played very well tonight and deserves to start against Chelsea. He seems to be the only one telling people to push out of the box as well.

Chucky the tree

Sir Gallagher wrote: »

Don't think that's the point, being dropped for this game would have been a proper kick in the hole for these lads.

I suppose we'll find out on Saturday. Strange how he didn't mention that before the game.

viper006

Charlie19 wrote: »

Dog rough:D

Borini has been no worse than anyone else we've put out since Sturridge got injured. Kolo looked good tonight and imo he deserves a chance.

Completely agree, our strikeforce has been absolutely disgraceful. Borini started against west ham and he was absolutely dire. I dont want him near the starting 11 for chelsea.Toure i can see your point but decent performance is not enough for me to say he deserves a starting berth after 1 game.

lovern, sterling, henderson and johnson all poor v newcastle, gerrard a bit better but still average.

LuckyLloyd

Well, whatever the motives for dropping people, we really need some better performances ahead. It's in our hands, but those games have to be won.

5starpool

citytillidie wrote: »

This is how it works

Liverpool win both games and Real win or draw their's Liverpool go through with a simple win V Basel

Liverpool win both games and Basel beat Real Liverpool need to beat Basel by 2 clear goals to go through

Liverpool draw with Ludogorets and beat Basel, they need Basel to lose to Real too or if Basel draw with Real then Liverpool will need to beat Basel by 2 clear goals to go through

Anything else and they are out

Liverpool lose to Ludogorets by a narrow margin, beat Basel by about 4 goals, and Real win both their games then we probably go through on goal difference.

slingerz

Johnson for Manquillo? Not for me
Lovren for Kolo? Not based on performances
Balotelli for Borini? Not for me anyway Borini all day
Coutinho for Lallana? 50/50 prob Lallana for work rate against Chelsea wide players
Sterling for Markovic? Yep
Henderson for Can? 50/50
Gerrard for Allen? 50/50 but probably out of sentiment

Don't see the total problem with the team selection. Poss start Sterlinng but he wasn't great against Newcastle

5starpool

5starpool wrote: »

Liverpool lose to Ludogorets by a narrow margin, beat Basel by about 4 goals, and Real win both their games then we probably go through on goal difference.

That would be nuts. Has a team ever gone through with 6 points?

noodler

viper006 wrote: »

Sorry i cant believe things have got to stage after 100m spent we are talking about starting borini and toure against the league leaders and real madrid. Rodgers wont drop lovren for chelsea. I dont rate borini at all but agree its better than balotelli up front on his own.

I cant remember us ever being so toothless up front. We seem to always push chelsea so hoping the players step up.

Well believe it.

I dont rate Ballotelli at all and Borini is limited up he tries, he runs, he hassles. It's not like carrying a passenger.

Delighted with Toure performance. He marshalled the entire defence as well. Never stopped talking.

Mr Alan

Rodgers hinting that players were dropped for being awful at Newcastle rather than being rested. Yet says he told Gerrard about his plans for team selection tonight over a week ago.

I get the feeling Rodgers is ****e talking

citytillidie

5starpool wrote: »

Liverpool lose to Ludogorets by a narrow margin, beat Basel by about 4 goals, and Real win both their games then we probably go through on goal difference.

How that stands now

Basel pl 3 w 2 l 1 d 0 f 5 a 1 gd +4 pts 6
Liverpool pl 2 w l 1 d 0 f 2 a 2 gd 0 pts 3
Ludogorets pl 3 w 1 l 2 f 2 a 6 gd -4 pts 3

Would be some way to end the group lol

5starpool

rarnes1 wrote: »

That would be nuts. Has a team ever gone through with 6 points?

I'm not suggesting it's likely, but it is possible for sure, aside from the fact of us winning by 3 or 4 I guess.

Utopia Parkway

Mr Alan wrote: »

Rodgers hinting that players were dropped for being awful at Newcastle rather than being rested. Yet says he told Gerrard about his plans for team selection tonight over a week ago.

I get the feeling Rodgers is ****e talking

Think he was just speaking to Gerrard about himself. Not anyone else.

Pilsbury Doughboy

Utopia Parkway wrote: »

Think he was just speaking to Gerrard about himself. Not anyone else.

Did you not get the script, be more faux outraged in future please.

I doubt Rodgers told Gerrard what players would be playing tonight a week ago.

Might have told him he wouldn't be started himself, which is probably correct as it was in the papers the last few days

mosstin

If he has dropped - as opposed to rested players - because of the shambles at Newcastle, that is good news indeed. If he selects the usual suspects again on Saturday it'll be worrying.

Madrid fans tonight...

Welcome Liverpool, great clubs have great fans

Demosthenese

mosstin wrote: »

If he has dropped - as opposed to rested players - because of the shambles at Newcastle, that is good news indeed. If he selects the usual suspects again on Saturday it'll be worrying.

Hendo's worst game in memory v Newcastle so probably dropped. Well capable of playing 2 games a week. But i still expect mostly the same team as last week ... unfortunately.

That said dunno can Toure play 2 games a week as well but he deserves a shot after that.

Agent Coulson

Demosthenese wrote: »

Hendo's worst game in memory v Newcastle so probably dropped. Well capable of playing 2 games a week. But i still expect mostly the same team as last week ... unfortunately.

That said dunno can Toure play 2 games a week as well but he deserves a shot after that.

He is a year younger than Gerrard and it hasn't stopped Gerrard playing every minute of every league game.

mikeym

rarnes1 wrote: »

Madrid fans tonight...

Welcome Liverpool, great clubs have great fans

Its a pity the Everton fans dont know how to behave themselves abroad.

daithijjj

There is no way that team was selected because of the Newcastle game. If thats the implication its bollox. Rodgers picked a dopey selection with Sterling right and Hendo left. He also would have dropped Moreno who was gash, and so was Joe Allen.

It also shows up his lack of use of those players he selected tonight, ironically. A one legged Emre Can is more effective than Joe Allen, what did Allen do Saturday to get a game tonight?. Lallana deserved to start Saturday but he didnt play him, why?.

Sh1te talk.

I was happily surprised like most tonight, but........it was mostly because when i saw the team sheet i expected a damn good beating. Also the tempo suited some of our players more than the EPL does. Thats not to paint a negative, i just believe its a fact personally.

At least Rodgers swallowed some pride on Borini, something i was calling for him to do in the first leg but it still took him a few more weeks.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=92695278&postcount=7612

The more i think about it, Rodgers has some cheek to imply such stuff considering what we have seen from Balotelli, its must be a real kick in the balls for someone with an attitude like Borini. Fair play to him for tonight, he will never have the talent we need but i admire him more than ever.

Disclaimer, ive not seen comments post match, just going on what others have said.

Hidalgo

Had Liverpool been tonked tonight the players would have been rested, not dropped. If a selection can be deemed justified afterba loss Rodgers can claim he made the right choice in ringing the changes.

That back 4 with Gerrard instead of Lucas wouldnt have had the same protection imo and as a consequence suffered.

No doubt Gerrard will start v Chelsea, I don't see Lucas tbh. I'd like to see Can start. He and Balotelli are 2 with a bit of power and strenght.

For Chelsea I'd go
..................Gerrard
.......Can..................Henderson

as the midfield trio. Although I'd be tempted to see Lallana instead of Henderson but don't see it happening.

noodler

daithijjj wrote: »

There is no way that team was selected because of the Newcastle game. If thats the implication its bollox. Rodgers picked a dopey selection with Sterling right and Hendo left. He also would have dropped Moreno who was gash, and so was Joe Allen.

It also shows up his lack of use of those players he selected tonight, ironically. A one legged Emre Can is more effective than Joe Allen, what did Allen do Saturday to get a game tonight?. Lallana deserved to start Saturday but he didnt play him, why?.

Sh1te talk.

I was happily surprised like most tonight, but........it was mostly because when i saw the team sheet i expected a damn good beating. Also the tempo suited some of our players more than the EPL does. Thats not to paint a negative, i just believe its a fact personally.

At least Rodgers swallowed some pride on Borini, something i was calling for him to do in the first leg but it still took him a few more weeks.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=92695278&postcount=7612

The more i think about it, Rodgers has some cheek to imply such stuff considering what we have seen from Balotelli, its must be a real kick in the balls for someone with an attitude like Borini. Fair play to him for tonight, he will never have the talent we need but i admire him more than ever.

Disclaimer, ive not seen comments post match, just going on what others have said.

Excellent post, particularly re: Borini Van Balotelli.

EDIT: I want to edit the above and insert "vs" but Borini Van Balotelli sounds like a hell of a player.

breghall

It a shame that after a good performance tonight by kolo and Fabio, that there are still people wanting to revert to lovern and balotelli, after they have proved themselves on more than one occasion to be below par.

Reward good performances by benching people? Not IMO...

Start them I say,we whinge about playing bad on here all the time, and when somebody does a half decent job,there are still people not wanting them to play the next game.... I give up...

Ferris_Bueller

Good to see the players brought in do well, hopefully Rodgers gives some of them a chance now in the league. Toure definitely deserves to start against Chelsea, looked much better than Lovren tonight, Borini worked very hard and I think he would get Balotelli playing better if they played together, Can and Lucas looked solid and I would start both with Henderson against Chelsea.

I'm not sure whether I think Gerrard is past it or not, but I think we need to try something without him. Our performances haven't been good enough this season and he hasn't been dropped once, it would be a huge deal if he were left out against Chelsea though and unfortunately I cannot see Rodgers doing it.

Considering I thought we were going to get hammered tonight, I think we can't be too disappointed with tonights performance, a loss is a loss but we have learnt that we have other options, I just hope Rodgers takes it all on board and isn't too afraid to change it up.

darced

This post has been deleted.

Harry Palmr

Loan Watch (mini ed)

Ibe - 90 mins and the opening goal in 3-2 win against Huddersfield
Teixeira - 70 mins in vital 1-0 win for Brighton.

Gbear

breghall wrote: »

It a shame that after a good performance tonight by kolo and Fabio, that there are still people wanting to revert to lovern and balotelli, after they have proved themselves on more than one occasion to be below par.

I think both of them and Can have staked a claim. But we were still blunt as ****.
Just swapping in Sterling or Coutinho won't be enough.

We absolutely have to play 2 up top. It almost doesn't matter what else. Without it I'd argue we have no chance against a defence like Chelsea's.

Given how poor Manquillo's delivery and general attacking play is, I'd rather see Gerrard trying to fill in out wide with Manquillo playing a more reserved role. He's still an absolute menace when delivering into the box.

delw

Kolo experience showed tonight IMO,would like to see him & Lovern given a chance,maybe Lovern would be more confident,we'll see
Any way a confidence building game tonight if any thing

PropJoe10

breghall wrote: »

It a shame that after a good performance tonight by kolo and Fabio, that there are still people wanting to revert to lovern and balotelli, after they have proved themselves on more than one occasion to be below par.

Reward good performances by benching people? Not IMO...

Start them I say,we whinge about playing bad on here all the time, and when somebody does a half decent job,there are still people not wanting them to play the next game.... I give up...

If there is any sort of "selection based on performance rather than reputation" policy at the club at all, then Kolo will start v Chelsea ahead of Lovren. Lovren has done absolutely nothing so far to suggest that he should be ahead of Sakho or Toure in the CB pecking order. He just hasnt performed whatsoever.

Utopia Parkway

PropJoe10 wrote: »

If there is any sort of "selection based on performance rather than reputation" policy at the club at all, then Kolo will start v Chelsea ahead of Lovren. Lovren has done absolutely nothing so far to suggest that he should be ahead of Sakho or Toure in the CB pecking order. He just hasnt performed whatsoever.

I would start Kolo and Lovren to be honest. Skrtel nearly cost us 2 goals tonight. Maybe Lovren would improve with someone who at least tries to communicate with the rest of the defence.

billymitchell

Missed the game because of work, but it seems to me(judging by the comments),that we were more solid in defence with a player dedicated to protecting the back four.
Not saying lucas is the answer, but the evidence is beginning to stack up that Gerard isnt either

hefferboi

LuckyLloyd wrote: »

That performance in terms of effort was the minimum I expect. I don't want to pick on players who worked hard but some names who cost a lot of money are very technically limited.

I think that game made a mockery of the fatalistic 'Real will stuff us' white flag brigade in here. They're not invincible by any stretch. Wonder what Gerrard / Sterling could have offered if they were on for longer...

Probably would have lost by more, judging on the home game, where they started.

hefferboi

Mr Alan wrote: »

Rodgers hinting that players were dropped for being awful at Newcastle rather than being rested. Yet says he told Gerrard about his plans for team selection tonight over a week ago.

I get the feeling Rodgers is ****e talking

You need to let what Rodgers says in his press conferences go. Not everything he says is true.

Gbear

Varane is pure, unadulterated sex.

He's looking like an era defining CB.

Turtyturd

hefferboi wrote: »

Probably would have lost by more, judging on the home game, where they started.

I think Gerrard's cameo tonight highlighted the problem with him. While we were hardly creating an abundance of chances before he came on, once he came on everything was through him and almost everything he did was a diagonal ball up to Borini, or in towards the box.

hefferboi

Gbear wrote: »

Varane is pure, unadulterated sex.

He's looking like an era defining CB.

Wouldn't mind if we used all the Suarez money on him tbh.

Himself and Sakho look like one of the best cb partnerships in International football.

OwaynOTT

billymitchell wrote: »

Missed the game because of work, but it seems to me(judging by the comments),that we were more solid in defence with a player dedicated to protecting the back four.
Not saying lucas is the answer, but the evidence is beginning to stack up that Gerard isnt either

We conceded like 30 chances. Bale hit the crossbar, the unoriginal Ronaldo hadn't his shooting boots on and Mig made some decent saves.
I wouldn't say we looked more solid.
Skrtel is prone to mistakes under any pressure and passes the buck too often.
Lucas gets caught on the ball too often and played some suicide balls tonight.
Moreno let what's his face in behind in twice on crosses from that left back.

Toure for all the (undeserved) flack played well. Best cb performance of a Liverpool cb this season. One mistake against West Brom and people disparage him. Skrtel makes regular errors and gets defended to the hilt by some.

I dont understand why that is.

If Madrid weren't so comfortable in the group, I doubt we'd be seeing the same result.

Chelsea will likely beat us. As long as there is an improved performance I don't mind and that performance leads into some needed wins.
What time is that match on? What channel?

OwaynOTT

Gbear wrote: »

Varane is pure, unadulterated sex.

He's looking like an era defining CB.

We should have signed him. Problem solved, Rodgers out! We should at least put in a stupidly high bid that was doomed to fail.
Instead we signed Lovern! :mad:

While we were at it, we should have signed Benzama. Another problem solved!

bur

OwaynOTT wrote: »

What time is that match on? What channel?

10am on TG4.

OwaynOTT

bur wrote: »

10am on TG4.

I hate early kick offs, at least Micheal Owen won't be commentating. Much obliged smarthole.

shamrock55

I dont care who plays on sat just as long as lovren doesnt

Charlie19

It obvious we're missing some stiff competition at the back.

0byme75341jo28

Toure should start against Chelsea, played very well tonight and against Swansea. Might wake Lovren up a bit as well.

Charlie19

My favourite pic of last season's goal celebrations.

We're not just missing Cissoko.

Charlie19

61 Goals

Its not like we need reminding.

OwaynOTT

Charlie19 wrote: »

61 Goals

Its not like we need reminding.

And 14 consecutive top ten singles.