Just back from the match

[Gunga Din]

where the hell do you start with that shambles. i'm blaming rotation. no continuity in the side, and its showing. Sissoko was appalling, his worst performance in a Liverpool shirt, but i was much more shocked by how poor we appeared to be down the flanks, particularly the left side. the first touch of so many players seemed heavy tonight too, and i cant understand that at all.

 

second to every ball tonight too, and we got what we deserved tonight, Marseille were the better team, they came and played football and were the better team. Reina aside, there is hardly a player who can take anything away from that tonight. we need to buck our ideas up, because since we played Derby, we have been piss poor in every game. we have a tough run of games coming up over the next 6 weeks, and i've gone from looking forwrad to games, to dreading them.

[Coyler]

Marseille fans sounded great; was there good crack with them around the place?

[Cam]

Rafa needs managing. He needs pulling up by the board and told "stop d*cking about with the team and deliver us the title... or else".

 

Poor game but I knew it was lost when he brought Voronin on and played him on the wing. Completely unbalanced the team.

 

He believes all members of a squad are equal. That resting some and bring in players of the exact same quality will deliver freshness and thus glory. Bo11ocks. Six reserves played tonight. SIX! Okay, Hyypia was forced by injury but Aurelio, Benayoun, Sissoko, Leto and Crouch are 2nd or even 3rd choices for their position. Plus, even Finnan must be thinking he's considered behind Arbeloa by Rafa.

 

Maybe he underestimated Marseille or over estimated his squad players but you can't play 6 second-stringers in either the league or CL and expect to win. Torres ain't Superman - you can't play reserves and expect them to intuitively service him.

 

Someone needs to stand up to him or we're off down the road to a GH-like ego-fest. Shave the beard, bring back Pako or admit you need an assistant manager, sub crap players, play your in-form ones and stop trying to be too fecking clever and do your job.

Edited October 3, 2007 by Cam

[Guest Finnan3]

where the hell do you start with that shambles. i'm blaming rotation. no continuity in the side, and its showing. Sissoko was appalling, his worst performance in a Liverpool shirt, but i was much more shocked by how poor we appeared to be down the flanks, particularly the left side. the first touch of so many players seemed heavy tonight too, and i cant understand that at all.

 

second to every ball tonight too, and we got what we deserved tonight, Marseille were the better team, they came and played football and were the better team. Reina aside, there is hardly a player who can take anything away from that tonight. we need to buck our ideas up, because since we played Derby, we have been piss poor in every game. we have a tough run of games coming up over the next 6 weeks, and i've gone from looking forwrad to games, to dreading them.

 

Not sure if it is rotation. He was rotating in August and we got some good results, playing pretty well.

 

One thing for sure, he has lost a lot of support over the last 3 weeks, reminding me of the start of Houlliers decline.

[Raj]

Not sure how you can blame rotation. If anything we got it wrong tactically and the players did not put in the required effort.

There was no tempo and we never pressed the ball.

[Murphman]

Well he hasn't lost MY support. FFS.

 

Unbeaten in the league, best start for years, bedding in new players, not a goal conceded in open play whilst playing utter shyte.

 

What will be like when we click? This time last year we were 16th and we hit a run of form which nobody matched.

 

Get a grip on reality people.

[Gunga Din]

Not sure if it is rotation. He was rotating in August and we got some good results, playing pretty well.

 

One thing for sure, he has lost a lot of support over the last 3 weeks, reminding me of the start of Houlliers decline.

we were getting results in August because all the other teams were in the same boat, they hadnt got settled sides, they were still a bit rusty. when we have played aganst settled sides we have struggled. and no one is going to convince me that over rotation isnt the reason for that

[Gunga Din]

Marseille fans sounded great; was there good crack with them around the place?

 

i wasnt about long. i got to the ground at 7.30 and was away straight after the game, so i wasnt about as much as normal.

[Gunga Din]

Well he hasn't lost MY support. FFS.

 

Unbeaten in the league, best start for years, bedding in new players, not a goal conceded in open play whilst playing utter shyte.

 

What will be like when we click? This time last year we were 16th and we hit a run of form which nobody matched.

 

Get a grip on reality people.

 

the problem is Murph, if he keeps rotating to the extent he is, i dont think the team will ever click. it never clicked last year.

[alias75]

Rafa needs managing. He needs pulling up by the board and told "stop d*cking about with the team and deliver us the title... or else".

 

Poor game but I knew it was lost when he brought Voronin on and played him on the wing. Completely unbalanced the team.

 

He believes all members of a squad are equal. That resting some and bring in players of the exact same quality will deliver freshness and thus glory. Bo11ocks. Six reserves played tonight. SIX! Okay, Hyypia was forced by injury but Aurelio, Benayoun, Sissoko, Leto and Crouch are 2nd or even 3rd choices for their position. Plus, even Finnan must be thinking he's considered behind Arbeloa by Rafa.

 

Maybe he underestimated Marseille or over estimated his squad players but you can't play 6 second-stringers in either the league or CL and expect to win. Torres ain't Superman - you can't play reserves and expect them to intuitively service him.

 

Someone needs to stand up to him or we're off down the road to a GH-like ego-fest. Shave the beard, bring back Pako or admit you need an assistant manager, sub crap players, play your in-form ones and stop trying to be too fecking clever and do your job.

 

Im a huge fan of Rafa but i agree with a lot of that, he thinks he has 2 or 3 players for each position which is true but you get the impression he thinks they are all equal which is clearly wrong. I have no problem with rotation providing the players are happy, if you compare someone like Mascherano who comes in when called upon and hardly ever plays badly with someone like Crouch its clear some players can handle it and others can't. Rafa has to identify those players that can't handle rotation and get rid, because he isnt changing the way he does things.

 

You get the impression now that Rafa is sticking two fingers up to his critics every time he picks a team thats worrying, theres also the possibility now that the players know that a bad result will be blamed on rotation, most of our squad are good professionals but for 1 or 2 that may be enough for them to under perform.

[Raj]

Rafa needs managing. He needs pulling up by the board and told "stop d*cking about with the team and deliver us the title... or else".

 

What has that got to do with tonight? You've lost me.

 

Poor game but I knew it was lost when he brought Voronin on and played him on the wing. Completely unbalanced the team.

 

Balanced!?! They were all over the place before the substitution, as well.

Edited October 3, 2007 by roegahnn

[Guest Finnan3]

Well he hasn't lost MY support. FFS.

 

Unbeaten in the league, best start for years, bedding in new players, not a goal conceded in open play whilst playing utter shyte.

 

What will be like when we click? This time last year we were 16th and we hit a run of form which nobody matched.

 

Get a grip on reality people.

 

And he hasnt lost mine. And I never said I did. FFS.

 

But the proof was there tonight in the crowd.

[Guest Snorky]

Absolutely awful from start to finish.

 

The team was good enough, but worried about Leto and Aurelio on the left.

 

The performance was nothing short of a disgrace, I would make the team watch that all day until Sunday.

 

The substitutions were baffling to say the least. Riise to left mid then 5 minutes later moved to left-back. Voronin on the wing ? Babel on the bench ?

 

How the f*** Momo managed a full game is beyond me, Steve looked lost as if he was looking for another kid to run over.

 

Every single Liverpool player needs to take a good look at themselves in the morning.

 

Marseille deserved everything.

 

Really pissed off at the moment.

[Eskimo]

IMO its not so much the rotating of players that's the issue but the pairings, be it up front, CM and on the flanks. Some work some don't.

[Guest Finnan3]

we were getting results in August because all the other teams were in the same boat, they hadnt got settled sides, they were still a bit rusty. when we have played aganst settled sides we have struggled. and no one is going to convince me that over rotation isnt the reason for that

 

You could be right, either way I hope this is a wake up call, because we've been getting away with this for the last few weeks - Pompey, Porto, Wigan.

[Raj]

Well he hasn't lost MY support. FFS.

Get a grip on reality people.

 

 

I think emotions are running high. Understandable considering the performance.

[Gunga Din]

IMO its not so much the rotating of players that's the issue but the pairings, be it up front, CM and on the flanks. Some work some don't.

 

he needs to get his best 11, play it for half 6 or 7 games, and players should only be withdrawn due to injury, suspension, or loss of form.

[PortlandRed]

Every single Liverpool player needs to take a good look at themselves in the morning.

 

Imagine there will be a come to jesus meeting at Mellwood tomorrow. How no one seemed to be up for the match is beyond me.

[Guest Finnan3]

 

I think emotions are running high. Understandable considering the performance.

 

 

I'm as calm as I've been, because really things can only get better.

[Gunga Din]

i didnt get in on time to see the warmup, how did they do in that? did Charlie whatshisname manage a save?

[Dan]

IMO its not so much the rotating of players that's the issue but the pairings, be it up front, CM and on the flanks. Some work some don't.

 

Same thing isn't it?

[Lou]

Every single Liverpool player needs to take a good look at themselves in the morning.

Ditto the manager. He played a weakened team which was utterly ridiculous at this stage of the group. You play your strongest 11, get the points on the board and then rest players when your progress is guaranteed.

 

It was obvious to everyone that Momo and Leto were having absolute nightmares and both should have been hauled off at half time if not before.

 

I cannot imagine what Rafa was thinking about tonight.

Edited October 3, 2007 by Janet

[Jim D]

he needs to get his best 11, play it for half 6 or 7 games, and players should only be withdrawn due to injury, suspension, or loss of form.

 

Agree we've come off the rails the past four games, with some below par performances. Got to go back to basics, start winning again convincingly to return the confidence back to players. Stick with the same team to build some kind of momentum.

Edited October 3, 2007 by Jim D

[Coyler]

Every single Liverpool player needs to take a good look at themselves in the morning.

Apart from six.

[Guest Ant]

When we play at home like that, regardless of the opposition you kind of worry