The walters step over

Can't disagree with this post more. We haven't conceded that many goals because we keep on exposing the centre backs to two on two's, three on two's - we've conceded so many because our centre backs seem to sh*t themselves whenever the ball is in our box and either panic, wander into ridiculous positions or just completely switch off. Mignolet has let in far too many shots that other keepers at Cl clubs would save, he panics when the ball is crossed, he doesn't command his area and imo we'd have been better off saving the £10m and playing Reina - the idea that he's going to improve isn't based on a steady upward curve during the season, more a case of "hopefully, he'll get better". Johnson at his best is worth keeping, but for an experienced player has had so many casual, careless moments wherby he either switches off or tries some utterly stupid trick and gets caught out that I wouldn't be bothered if he was let go. Every single on of our defenders has panicked far too many times for it to be written off as "next year they'll be better" - we made the exact same mistakes last night as we have all season, and this is with all week between games on the training pitch. In a summer where most of them will be off in Brazil and have a very short pre season I honestly don't get the confidence that somehow the mistakes that have happened game after game after game will be eradicated by the time we kick off next year. I would hope that we are in for a solid 8 out of ten every week goalkeeper, a left back that primarily defends well and is decent going forward and at least one dominant, organising centre back. We need a couple of centre mids, at least one more creative player and another striker, two if we sell Borini - and all of these players MUST be quality players, able to start from the first whistle of the first game. If we have the attitude of "we came so close, a couple of tweeks and we'll be fine" is dangerous, imo, next season could be an absolute disaster if the club gets things wrong this transfer window. I read Brendan saying he wanted 5 or 6 quality players and we have to get at least that. It's unrealistic to expect that Sturridge, Suarez, Sterlin and Coutinho will be able to maintain the level there are now for the entirety of next season, we need options and alternatives because if we have another poor window then we're more likely to finish 7th than we are to challenge.

The league is gone, and the main reasons for that can be put down to three really poor transfer windows out of the four Brendans been at the club and the fact that the defence is an utter fecking shambles. Gerrard should have been talking to each player, telling them their responsibilities, organising and calming everyone (especially the younger players) down - he just doesn't seem the type that can do that on the pitch - I honestly think if Carra was in this squad we would've got over the line. When you see the centre backs (and it doesn't matter which two of our four plays) getting deeper and deeper, Mignolet not taking command of his area and Johnson not closing down quick enough it begs the question as to why the coaching staff or Stevie aren't getting hold of them and laying down the law. Too late now like, but feck me, it's almost funny how shyte we are at the back.

. The club have to make sure it doesn't happen again, there's no doubt the lack of options has cost us points. I'm just hoping that we have No more of Ayre shouting his mouth off to the press about how much we have to spend, or who we're trying to sign - we're not Newcastle, we don't need press briefings to get us onside. Tell Brendan how much we have, ask him who he wants and if we can afford him don't take months haggling and ultimately losing out on the player.

No chance, some of their fans will but they will still have a chance of CL football when they play City. I'm more worried about Stevie Gerrard (he's got to just play the way he has been and not try to win the two games by himself) than I am of Everton throwing a game. If Everton lose that game, it won't be because they couldn't be bothered. Everyone's talking about Citys experience as a factor. They were chasing right up until the last game and the only time they were odds on for the title they very nearly threw it away at home to one of the worst Premiership teams of the last ten years. Every time they've looked favourites this season they've slipped up. If they win their next 3 then fair enough, but it isn't over by any stretch.

if Moyes was still in charge, then yeah. Martinez won't give two f*cks if them winning gives us the league, he (quite rightly) will still believe they can get CL. Pressure will be on City next week and Everton can do damage on the counter so it's by no means over. At the very least It's now completely obvious just how much is needing to be added to our squad in the summer, and that triumphalism should be kept to an absolute minimum next time we're in this position.

He just hasn't the ability to play in the position he's being asked to. He's been great for us, but as a purely destructive midfielder in the centre. It's not really his fault that he hasn't the legs or creativity to play in our system. It's easy to say with hindsight, and it's honestly not the frustration of today coming through, but at some point in the season Brendan missed a trick by not seeing if Alberto is up to it or not.

The fact that the last two transfer windows has been so poorly managed by the club has come back to bite us on the ar*e, Ayres got himself some column inches this week though, so at least he'll be happy..

Suarez has worried me a couple of times this year, he seems to get frustrated far too early in games. Him and Gerrard seemed to panic from the moment the second half started and both seemed intent on trying to do it all themselves, there was several times when there were better options but instead Gerrard would shoot or Luis would try to dribble past three players on his own - for senior, experienced players it's disappointing that they couldn't keep calm. Obvious thing to say but Hendersons utterly needless red card has cost us dear. Again though, we'll have to put up with a week of the lauding of Mourinhos genius but we are still right in this.

I honestly think there's more than a chance City will drop points today or next week, it isn't over by any means. The guy that did those fecking "Liverpool champions" t-shirts needs to f*ck right off though, the massive, massive bell end. As soon as that was reported on SSN this morning the script was written.

Bit harsh imo. Without the mistake (I know that's a BIG caveat) we're looking at a comfortable game from our point of view.

Everton next week is the big one.

Gerrards' head has gone hasn't it? Thought he was past all that.

Getting to the point where I'd go 3 at the back, bring on Aspas and get Stevie behind the front two. edit: f*ckin hell, I'm a football genius!

The only other thing he can try is to throw Aspas and/or Alberto on and hope something happens. Sturridge is nowhere near fit and Gerrard looks as though the mistake has got to him.

Coutinho far too casual.

We were never going to smash them, that was just people getting hyper. We will get a chance before the end of the game, hopefully it'll fall to Luis or Sturridge.

We don't need to win. Edit - good sub. Pretty much the only thing he could do.

It's really starting to p*ss me off the way Tyler is presenting a squad that's had over £1Billion spent on it this decade trying to destroy a game as a tactical masterclass from "the special one".

A point would be a great result and keep us on track, we don't have to go kamikaze trying to get two goals - They'll put us away if the players lose their heads and throw everything at them too early. My concern is Gerrard thinking he has to make amends and do his superman routine, he needs to be tactically disciplined or else they'll pick us off with ease.

Needs changing, Lucas adds next to nothing in an attacking sense, and passing isn't one of his strengths so either Brendan needs to either swap him and Gerrard (Gerrards long passes are less effective when the opposition are happy just to sit back and prevent runners getting in behind) or bring him off for Sturridge and play Coutinho right side mid. Bad goal to concede but overall we've done pretty well and we're far from out of this.

Mourinho has played the "referees are against us, the press hate us and the public want us to lose" card at every club he's been at - this time though there does seem to be less tolerance of it in the British media and it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if he isn't Chelsea manager this time next year. As for tomorrow, every single thing I've heard/read in the media has given us the title already, as though the game was a formality. Don't know about anyone else but this worries the living bejeesus out of me, obviously nerves have taken hold but I have a bad feeling about the whole thing..

The problem is that assumes that everyone's going to be performing at the same level as they are now and we aren't going to get any long term injuries. City and Chelsea have huge squads and the idea that an extra 10 to (possibly) 20 games next year isn't going to have an effect on the player health/fitness is a bit optimistic imo. Other big clubs have large squads so I don't see why we shouldn't - if a player can't accept being on the bench for a few games for the good of the club then he might as well join a club that can guarantee him that they'll never get in the CL.

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They're not really built to go after teams. Might be strange to say but City not beating Sunderland hurt their chances against us - if we had to beat Chelsea then Mourinho probably would've set up as normal, kill the game and wait to see if nerves took hold on our part in the last half hour. As it is, we can afford to be a bit more cautious and counter them. Be interesting to see how he sets Chelsea up now that a point is good enough for us.

The alternative is Cissoko at left back - no chance of that happening. Johnson needs a talking to by either Stevie or Brendan, for an experienced player to be trying the sort of stupid tricks he tries in dangerous areas is moronic and unprofessional. Chelseas best chance of scoring against us next week is from a mistake from one of our lot.