Liverpool FC Forum

[account deleted by request]

All the above sentiments are all well and good, but we didn't scrape a win because Derby played well,they didn't...... they were absolute rubbish in the first half, we played bad because we allowed ourselves to get dragged down to their level.

A game that could and should have been routine and quite simple was allowed to become a game in which we finished thanking our lucky stars we won, rather than counting the goals we won by.  Rafa made things worse rather than better with his substitutions, although I believe Hyypia's was actually an injury rather than a stupid error?

Today proved again that its not rotation thats the problem, but getting the balance of the team right, and that when Gerrard and Torres arn't firing there arn't too many that can step up and take up the mantle. We are a lot better than we showed today, but we seem to be having a few too many of these days.

[JoeTerp]

All the above sentiments are all well and good, but we didn't scrape a win because Derby played well,they didn't...... they were absolute rubbish in the first half, we played bad because we allowed ourselves to get dragged down to their level.

A game that could and should have been routine and quite simple was allowed to become a game in which we finished thanking our lucky stars we won, rather than counting the goals we won by.  Rafa made things worse rather than better with his substitutions, although I believe Hyypia's was actually an injury rather than a stupid error?

Today proved again that its not rotation thats the problem, but getting the balance of the team right, and that when Gerrard and Torres arn't firing there arn't too many that can step up and take up the mantle. We are a lot better than we showed today, but we seem to be having a few too many of these days.

This is also true, and moving forward the balance is something to talk about for the future.  And yes, we did play poorly today, nobody can say that we played well and just were unlucky with finishing in the 2nd half.  However, we have shown that we can just play well out of nowhere, which hopefully we will do against City, and on top of it we got the points, so I am not sad at all. We "used up" one of our poor performances that is guaranteed to happen over the course of a season, on the worst team in the league on the road, and got the 3 points anyway!

If this is more than a one-off and a sign of our poor play to come then, yes this is very troubling.

[metalhead]

Anyone got the highlights?

[jono]

Torres scored a crackin goal, Babel missed a great chance as did Carra, Gerrard hit the bar keeper made a great save from Alonso and Gerrard finished off a great move for the winner in extra time

lost central defender

they scored from a dodgy free kick

3 points away from home

gained 2 points on Arsenal and Chelsea

Not a bad day

oh yeah we also played sh1t as well

[112-1077774096]

:D its thinkpad against the rest

p.s : I do not agree with think pad

someone like peewee , no offense peewee

none taken mate, it seems many more people are starting to realize what I have been saying for a long time that rafa is not as great as some people on here seem to think, a vote for rafa is a vote for mediocrity, time for the excuses to stop (although I have said this many times).

Rafa will not win us the league, we have a team that is good enough but a squad that isn't good enough

[112-1077774096]

Well just got back and surprise surprise, judging by most of the posts from people on here, you'd have thought we'd lost the game. The fact is, we've won the game, despite not playing well which should be regarded as a good sign. I've lost count of the number of times down the years that Chelsea, United and Arsenal have gone away in the last few years, played sh#te and yet scored a late winner.

I'm telling you now, we were cruising in the first half and but for some poor finishing we would have been out of sight. Alonso was class in the first half but then inevitably tired in the second. It's obvious to me that Mascherano and Alonso should be our first choice central partnership with Gerrard left off the leash to attack from a wide area. With Gerrard and Alonso central we got overrun at times by a team that are bottom of the league.

Second half we were absolutely woeful though. I mean we couldn't believe what we were watching. I actually said to my mate that I could see Derby equalising and within about five minutes they had (even though it looked like really poor defending from where we were sat). Certain players just aren't up to the job. I defended the decision to start Voronin in his correct position but he was really really poor. Riise was gash again. Babel should not be started wide because he is not a winger. He did nothing except miss a sitter in the first half.

I'm not going to have a go at the manager for this. He picked a really strong team and if I was him I'd be bollocking the players after the game because this should really be a wake up call for them. It still defies belief to me that before this game, some people were advocating resting Torres and Gerrard. Once again, despite not having their best games, theose two have provided our real pieces of quality in the game. They just can't be left out under any circumstances. I've criticised Gerrard in the past for his leadership (or lack of) but today he really took the bull by the horns in the last 15 minutes and dug us out of the mire again. We are very lucky to have him.

Anyway, 3 points is 3 points and we move on. Credit to Derby by the way. You can see that Jewell has already had an impact there and their attitude was unquestionable. As for their fans though, the less said the better.

Roll on Man City.

wow from derby to middlesborough in just over one hour

[NANNY RED]

:D its thinkpad against the rest

p.s : I do not agree with think pad

someone like peewee , no offense peewee

none taken mate, it seems many more people are starting to realize what I have been saying for a long time that rafa is not as great as some people on here seem to think, a vote for rafa is a vote for mediocrity, time for the excuses to stop (although I have said this many times).

Rafa will not win us the league, we have a team that is good enough but a squad that isn't good enough

Well im votin for mediocrity Peewee  mind you, you know where i stand on that one. So tell me did you think the players played well today or was it just Rafas selection cause most people on here thought he put a good team out.

Looks like the tools had a bit of a mechanical breakdown for me today Pee

[metalhead]

:D its thinkpad against the rest

p.s : I do not agree with think pad

someone like peewee , no offense peewee

none taken mate, it seems many more people are starting to realize what I have been saying for a long time that rafa is not as great as some people on here seem to think, a vote for rafa is a vote for mediocrity, time for the excuses to stop (although I have said this many times).

Rafa will not win us the league, we have a team that is good enough but a squad that isn't good enough

Peewee, Im confused, your saying we have a team that is good enough, but a squad that isn't? the squad is the team, and far as I'm concerned we are still not good enough and we are short of 2 or 3 quality players that would make us a winning title team.

I agree with most here, in the past month showed that rotation is not the problem, but the squad is and Rafa must start concentrating on buying quality rather than quantity or it will cost him his job, and I hate seeing that.

[Kharhaz]

:D its thinkpad against the rest

p.s : I do not agree with think pad

someone like peewee , no offense peewee

none taken mate, it seems many more people are starting to realize what I have been saying for a long time that rafa is not as great as some people on here seem to think, a vote for rafa is a vote for mediocrity, time for the excuses to stop (although I have said this many times).

Rafa will not win us the league, we have a team that is good enough but a squad that isn't good enough

But isnt the attitude of the players also a factor? We didnt play brilliantly but Gerrard put the effort in and we got a victory. He inspired others through his attitude on the pitch. Im not putting this down to "on Gerrards shoulders be it" but a few times he has looked like he cant be bothered and others have followed suit. Rafa has made bad decisions, the reading result especially, but the players also have to take responsibility.

[112-1077774096]

:D its thinkpad against the rest

p.s : I do not agree with think pad

someone like peewee , no offense peewee

none taken mate, it seems many more people are starting to realize what I have been saying for a long time that rafa is not as great as some people on here seem to think, a vote for rafa is a vote for mediocrity, time for the excuses to stop (although I have said this many times).

Rafa will not win us the league, we have a team that is good enough but a squad that isn't good enough

Well im votin for mediocrity Peewee  mind you, you know where i stand on that one. So tell me did you think the players played well today or was it just Rafas selection cause most people on here thought he put a good team out.

Looks like the tools had a bit of a mechanical breakdown for me today Pee

we were awful, maybe the cause is a changed team, maybe its tactics, maybe its balance, i dont know, but to reads rads standard press interview, we never took our chances blah blah blah.

we needed a goal so he brought kuyt on, answer me that nanny   

[metalhead]

Then by proving a point there peewee, we just don't have the attacking quality in the bench to change games and that costs you points.

[NANNY RED]

we scored didnt we

[112-1077774096]

:D its thinkpad against the rest

p.s : I do not agree with think pad

someone like peewee , no offense peewee

none taken mate, it seems many more people are starting to realize what I have been saying for a long time that rafa is not as great as some people on here seem to think, a vote for rafa is a vote for mediocrity, time for the excuses to stop (although I have said this many times).

Rafa will not win us the league, we have a team that is good enough but a squad that isn't good enough

Peewee, Im confused, your saying we have a team that is good enough, but a squad that isn't? the squad is the team, and far as I'm concerned we are still not good enough and we are short of 2 or 3 quality players that would make us a winning title team.

I agree with most here, in the past month showed that rotation is not the problem, but the squad is and Rafa must start concentrating on buying quality rather than quantity or it will cost him his job, and I hate seeing that.

no mate the squad isnt the team, we have a core of 11 players good enough to win us the title, what we dont have is a squad that we are able to interchange and still be as effective, rafas desire to change things and disrespect the oppo has come back to haunt us too many times, why he wants to give the weaker teams a chance by weakening our team is beyond me.

i know people say "on paper we put out a good enough team", we dont play on paper mate and its obvious too many times that our 'good enough on paper' team isnt good enough


dont bother making excuses, today we were dire, we have been dire too many times, where the blame lies i dont know, but lest just suppose for one minute its the players fault, one man makes it clear that he buys the players, he picks the team, and he selects the tactics

[112-1077774096]

Then by proving a point there peewee, we just don't have the attacking quality in the bench to change games and that costs you points.

and we have a forward line bought totally by rafa, no deadwood from houllier there mate

[112-1077774096]

we scored didnt we

yes we did, but that was more by good fortune, i saw someone mention about their goal coming from a dodgy freekick, our second came from them not being awarded a free kick, swings and roundabouts,

yes we won, but at times this season we havent won after such dire performances