Post Game Thread - Stoke (A)

[StevieM]

Oh and this match was the epitome of an explanation for Modo of why we need M'Villa first before another striker.

See - in in the camp that says, if we had attacking talent that could score more regularly that Coutinho & Sterling we would of been 4 up and Stoke would have been buried long before we offered then a way back in to the match.

Not that I think Coutinho & Sterling are bad - but with Suarez & Sturridge we've got 4 players covering 6 positions. You could argue that Moses covers one - but he's been pretty horrific.

The other thing is that when our current attacking players are a little bit profligate or when we come up against top defences who don't give away as many chances as Stoke - we're short of options - a DM isn't going to help us break down Man City & Chelsea, particularly the latter when they come to Anfield to defend later in the season.

Anyway - it's not a striker we need - it's an attacking midfielder that can slot in anywhere across the line.

In saying that - our fullbacks are beyond gash at the minute.

 

[Dreambeliever]

Very safe prediction considering Enrique is out for the season.

Isn't he back in like 2-4 weeks?

Fuck it we have 5/8 games at home and 2 of the away games are against rubbish.

We have 17 league games to win and we will be champions.

City Chelsea and Arsenal will lose to us at Anfield and will start dropping points again once the CL comes around.

It's time to believe! No 19 is on the way!

 

[Frogfish]

Decisions even themselves out in season, unlucky against Chelsea, lucky against Stoke...

That is one of the most ridiculous comments anyone ever invented and I really don't know how it became popular. It's not even a fallacy, it's a downright lie !

Teams can have horrendous decisions against them all season, costing them a title or a place in the PL. Teams can have everything go for them, most title winning teams have more than their fair share often being the deciding factor in who picks up the cup. And how, as far as we are concerned, getting the run of the ball against Stoke can make up for poor refereeing decisions against City and Chelsea is beyond me.

 

[Mystic]

Is he really? If he is that's superb news, but I'm sure he's out for he season.

 

[Spaghetti Legs]

hehe, nice catch.
Still, Lucas is fit and he rarely gets injured. If he does miss a game we can play Allen or Hendo there temporarily but I still feel we're lacking in attack. I mean who do we bring on if we need a goal and Suarez, Coutinho and Sturridge are on the pitch?
Right now, only Sterling.
If we get to the CL we'll definitely need another defensive midfielder.

We won't struggle for goals with those 3 on the pitch, especially Suarez and Sturridge, you say Mignolet is not a worry but goals could be a worry when we have been hammering them in left right and centre all season long?

 

[Modo]

See - in in the camp that says, if we had attacking talent that could score more regularly that Coutinho & Sterling we would of been 4 up and Stoke would have been buried long before we offered then a way back in to the match.

Not that I think Coutinho & Sterling are bad - but with Suarez & Sturridge we've got 4 players covering 6 positions. You could argue that Moses covers one - but he's been pretty horrific.

The other thing is that when our current attacking players are a little bit profligate or when we come up against top defences who don't give away as many chances as Stoke - we're short of options - a DM isn't going to help us break down Man City & Chelsea, particularly the latter when they come to Anfield to defend later in the season.

Anyway - it's not a striker we need - it's an attacking midfielder that can slot in anywhere across the line.

In saying that - our fullbacks are beyond gash at the minute.

Thank you. Exactly what I'm thinking.

Let me just add, I'm not against buying M'vila to me it's all about priorities, I think we're in desperate need of a goalscoring attacker.
If there's more money to spend, well buy M'vila then.

 

[Mystic]

We didn't have luck in the decisions today, Sterling was fouled, it was in the box, its a penalty. I don't buy the its a foul outside but not inside the box argument.

 

[Modo]

We won't struggle for goals with those 3 on the pitch, especially Suarez and Sturridge, you say Mignolet is not a worry but goals could be a worry when we have been hammering them in left right and centre all season long?

We needed a goal against City and Chelsea, who could we have brought on?
I mean just look at their squads. I wish we had a Mata on the bench.

 

[Modo]

Isn't he back in like 2-4 weeks?

Fuck it we have 5/8 games at home and 2 of the away games are against rubbish.

We have 17 league games to win and we will be champions.

City Chelsea and Arsenal will lose to us at Anfield and will start dropping points again once the CL comes around.

It's time to believe! No 19 is on the way!

I'll start believing when City and Chelsea start dropping points again. Luckily they're both playing in the CL and so are Arsenal.

 

[Spaghetti Legs]

Sturridge was injured, we did miss him but hes back now, he is the new signing in a way, 17 games left, we will be fine if Sturridge stays fit, definately agree in the summer to get one or even two, midfield needs strenghing now for me, and full back.

 

[Frogfish]

hehe, nice catch.
Still, Lucas is fit and he rarely gets injured. If he does miss a game we can play Allen or Hendo there temporarily but I still feel we're lacking in attack. I mean who do we bring on if we need a goal and Suarez, Coutinho and Sturridge are on the pitch?
Right now, only Sterling.
If we get to the CL we'll definitely need another defensive midfielder.

I've not said we don't need another forward (in fact I agree we do need another forward) but what I'm saying is that the MF is our problem at the moment. Even Johnson and Cissokho would look a little better if our MF wasn't so disjointed and retained it's shape and passing better.

....... M'Vila (Lucas backup)

Gerrard (or Allen) ........... Hendo (or Allen)

then 3 from 4 up front, would be a big step forward.

 

[nealmac]

@Modo some seriously fucked up ratings there. Toure was an absolute boss today. Cissokho and Johnson were shite, to name but a few.

 

[mark1975]

We have a serious problem with ShiteRB & ShiteLB.

Can't defend, rarely add anything to attack and well, they're shite.

When are Flanno and Enrique back!?

I proposed lately that we go back to basics and play two players who first and foremost can defend, because it might give us more stability at the back, stop the centre backs being stretched and we're not really losing alot going forward anyway, given Johnson is offering fuck all either way. I was ridiculed because I don't understand about modern football and that having attacking fullbacks is revolutionary, while having players who can defend is something ancient from the 1970's. Silly me.

So no, we don't need to change things, we can carry on playing with fullbacks who can't defend (or attack), just because you know, they're technically quite pleasing on the eye, so something. Actually.

 

[hmmmmm1]

That is one of the most ridiculous comments anyone ever invented and I really don't know how it became popular. It's not even a fallacy, it's a downright lie !

Teams can have horrendous decisions against them all season, costing them a title or a place in the PL. Teams can have everything go for them, most title winning teams have more than their fair share often being the deciding factor in who picks up the cup. And how, as far as we are concerned, getting the run of the ball against Stoke can make up for poor refereeing decisions against City and Chelsea is beyond me.

It evens itself out, we got a lucky penalty. Even Rodgers said it was soft

If you think you have horrendous decisions decisions all season, it normally means your not good enough.

 

[Modo]

@Modo some seriously fucked up ratings there. Toure was an absolute boss today. Cissokho and Johnson were shite, to name but a few.

I'm downloading the game right now, so I'll have a look at it again.

 

[Modo]

I've not said we don't need another forward (in fact I agree we do need another forward) but what I'm saying is that the MF is our problem at the moment. Even Johnson and Cissokho would look a little better if our MF wasn't so disjointed and retained it's shape and passing better.

....... M'Vila (Lucas backup)

Gerrard (or Allen) ........... Hendo (or Allen)

then 3 from 4 up front, would be a big step forward.

We're fourth, 6 points behind the leaders with Lucas in midfield with the current team. I wouldn't change a thing.
First off, I'd never put M'vila in my starting line up mid season ahead of Lucas.

 

[nealmac]

I'm downloading the game right now, so I'll have a look at it again.

Fair enough. I know people come out of a game missing certain qualities that others would've spotted but I just thought you were way off the mark on this one.

 

[Athens]

If Coutinho could find the back of the net this match would have been easier. Liverpool seem to like to make things tough for themselves.

 

[Frogfish]

See - in in the camp that says, if we had attacking talent that could score more regularly that Coutinho & Sterling we would of been 4 up and Stoke would have been buried long before we offered then a way back in to the match.

Not that I think Coutinho & Sterling are bad - but with Suarez & Sturridge we've got 4 players covering 6 positions. You could argue that Moses covers one - but he's been pretty horrific.

The other thing is that when our current attacking players are a little bit profligate or when we come up against top defences who don't give away as many chances as Stoke - we're short of options - a DM isn't going to help us break down Man City & Chelsea, particularly the latter when they come to Anfield to defend later in the season.

Anyway - it's not a striker we need - it's an attacking midfielder that can slot in anywhere across the line.

In saying that - our fullbacks are beyond gash at the minute.

Retaining possession and instigating attacks better and quicker (which is why I assume SG was tried as DM today) will assist greatly against top teams. We have the 2nd best scoring record in the league and (as I made a detailed post / thread on here a few months back) title winning teams either have 1 great striker who nails 25+ with 2-3 in double figures or a handful (4 or 5) of MFers/Strikers all in the 15-20 goal bracket. We are in the former and, with Sturridge too, those goals may well be enough for the title come the end of the season - so long as some of those goals are against the current Top 3 at Anfield !

 

[doctor_mac]

When @Dirty Sanchez and I call the win, Liverpool score 5. 100% of the time, it works every time.

 

[Frogfish]

It evens itself out, we got a lucky penalty. Even Rodgers said it was soft

If you think you have horrendous decisions decisions all season, it normally means your not good enough.

I know there is a 'Like' button but where the fuck is the 'Bollocks' button !?

Did you not read or just not comprehend my comment re. Stoke/Chelsea/City ?

 

[gkmacca]

Brilliant effort to get the result. The inability to pass the ball at times was exasperating, and Gerrard, as I said a while ago, doesn't seem to have a precise role in the team, but what a result. Psychologically, that's a huge plus.

 

[Frogfish]

We're fourth, 6 points behind the leaders with Lucas in midfield with the current team. I wouldn't change a thing.
First off, I'd never put M'vila in my starting line up mid season ahead of Lucas.

Exactly, 6 points behind not 6 points ahead. We are looking for improvement for the next 4 months. Moving SG to DM and pushing Lucas forward isn't going to provide it.

 

[Modo]

Fair enough. I know people come out of a game missing certain qualities that others would've spotted but I just thought you were way off the mark on this one.

True.

The reason I was lenient against Cissokho and Johnson is because I felt that they didn't do too much harm despite being pressured on the wings but Touré gave away their first and third goal due to poor marking. So I can't possibly give him a high rating despite all the interceptions and clearances he made.
How we let in the 2nd goal is an enigma. How did Adam get so much space in the middle? Where was our defensive midfielder?

 

[localny]

Great result against a team that's always a banana skin, a hoodoo of 29 years binned. Enjoy the afterglow girls before you worry about the next orgasm.

 

[Modo]

Exactly, 6 points behind not 6 points ahead. We are looking for improvement for the next 4 months. Moving SG to DM and pushing Lucas forward isn't going to provide it.

Agreed, so either play Gerrard further forward or put him on the bench. I was content with having Lucas, Allen and Hendo in midfield.

 

[nealmac]

True.

The reason I was lenient against Cissokho and Johnson is because I felt that they didn't do too much harm despite being pressured on the wings but Touré gave away their first and third goal due to poor marking. So I can't possibly give him a high rating despite all the interceptions and clearances he made.
How we let in the 2nd goal is an enigma. How did Adam get so much space in the middle? Where was our defensive midfielder?

I don't think he was at fault for both goals.

 

[Modo]

Enough with the negatives, we won despite conceding 3 goals.
Delighted to have Sturridge back. Suarez scoring for fun as usual.
Sterling looking like the top class talent he is.
Coutinho comfortable with the ball and still creating problems for the opposition.
Hendo running his legs off and looking more confident.

WE BEAT STOKE IN THEIR GROUND FOR THE FIRST TIME (in the premiership).

 

[Frogfish]

True.

The reason I was lenient against Cissokho and Johnson is because I felt that they didn't do too much harm despite being pressured on the wings but Touré gave away their first and third goal due to poor marking. So I can't possibly give him a high rating despite all the interceptions and clearances he made.
How we let in the 2nd goal is an enigma. How did Adam get so much space in the middle? Where was our defensive midfielder?

TBH I don't think anyone could have stopped Crouchy's goal unless they gave away a penalty and I most certainly would not assign blame for it. No-one was going to get to that ball (that he moved away from the goal for) against Crouchy's 8' 11" - it was quite simply a superb header.

 

[Spaghetti Legs]

Toure at fault for the 3rd goal? bloody hell heard it all now!.