Post match - Spurs.

[Whirly]

Yeah me too. Best game so far for us I thought. Sakho was a worry early doors but got his together in the end.

There was a few times where Lovren gave it away directly to the opposition. Few times where he completely left his position to jump for a header Sakho had, leaving a runner unmarked. More than a few times Lovren went in for a desperation tackle instead of just staying on his feet, allowing someone on the left to run unmarked into our box.

There was also that one time he decided to do a Cruyff turn inside our box while being pressed by a defender.

But lets not talk about any of that.

 

[Hansern]

Rodgers in tonight's #motd2 interview: 'Raheem ran into the box like Ricky Villa and finished it like Ricky Gervais'

 

[Oncy]

There was a few times where Lovren gave it away directly to the opposition. Few times where he completely left his position to jump for a header Sakho had, leaving a runner unmarked. More than a few times Lovren went in for a desperation tackle instead of just staying on his feet, allowing someone on the left to run unmarked into our box.

There was also that one time he decided to do a Cruyff turn inside our box while being pressed by a defender.

But lets not talk about any of that.

You crack on mate.
Everybody loves an agenda.

 

[Athens]

Rodgers in tonight's #motd2 interview: 'Raheem ran into the box like Ricky Villa and finished it like Ricky Gervais'

Lol. I was about to post this.

 

[Fallon]

I wonder whether there is going to be a problem wtih Sturridge if he finds he is getting less chances due to the growing number of attacking options. At times he looked v frustrated when players were passing to others. He did well at times though and was instrumental in Sterling's goal.

Only really saw frustration from him when he fluffed a chance, he knows how much this is a team effort. Also a couple of glances and flicks both ways suggest he could form a good understanding with Mario.

 

[Hansern]

We could've easily conceded 3, just very lucky we were clinical going forward.

Anybody thinking otherwise is just sticking their head in the sand. Our central defenders were horrid, Lovren especially.

You're off your head mate. Horrid? Not even close imho.
Conceding 3 goals from 1 shot on target would have been amazing though.

 

[Mors]

Thought overall we were really good. Impressed with Balotelli's debut, he kept his head down and had some nice touches, worked hard. A little bit more luck and he'd have had a couple of goals.
What a cracking run/shot from Moreno.
I thought Sakho had a bit of a mare with his passing, I think Spurs started to target him when they saw he was flapping.
Mignolet was hoofing long too much, but the defenders half the time were not free to pass to, he needs to be more verbal and keep the fuckers in shape for easier distribution. Every time we go long from him we lose the 1st/2nd ball and roll over possession. We're better than that.

 

[Mors]

We could've easily conceded 3, just very lucky we were clinical going forward.

Anybody thinking otherwise is just sticking their head in the sand. Our central defenders were horrid, Lovren especially.

Lovren was a boss!!

 

[Oncy]

I have mentioned it a couple of times, but I think it deserves mentioning again the number that Henderson and Allen did on Eriksen and Lamela.
Eriksen got taken off early and Lamela ended up nearly in tears.
The energy of those two is phenomenal, they work tirelessly in breaks (Henderson assist and Allen penalty claim) but never let the side down at the back, they hustle and harry for every single ball.

And both are under 25.
I hope they keep this up.

 

[FoxForceFive]

As a side note, did anyone think Dier's "challenge" on Balotelli was a blatant foul, possible even a red? He's lunged in through the back of Balotelli and didn't get the ball (kicking Balotelli's foot on to the ball doesn't count).

Quinn "that's some challenge that *chuckle chuckle*"

Oh, cos he's English? Not a red card offence then, like I thought it was?

 

[mark1975]

Sakho is a big worry, he's poor on the ball. It's ok saying statistically his passing is good, that's because he passes it 5 yards, he's erratic and indecisive.

 

[Oncy]

I thought it was a good challenge.

 

[Whirly]

You're off your head mate. Horrid? Not even close imho.
Conceding 3 goals from 1 shot on target would have been amazing though.

That's a stupid argument, and you know it.

If you want me to rephrase that though, maybe I should say that we were very lucky to only concede 1 shot on target?

We were lucky Spurs were pretty horrific in the final third, but they cut us open a few times too many, especially in the last 20 minutes. We had so many hurried/rushed clearances towards the end, a few of those could've easily dropped to Spurs feet for tap ins.

Plus they had a valid Penalty claim on Lovren, who was grabbing Adebayor. Commentator made a valid point that if Allen's was a Pen, then that also had to be a pen.

But like I said, let's not talk about any of that.

 

[mark1975]

Lovren was a boss!!

Apart from when he kept lunging forward to attack the ball and ended up getting either caught underneath it or losing the challenge. He made a couple of great last ditch tackles, but they were a consequence of him fucking up. He did alot of good, but he's doing what Skrtel used to do, rushing out and attacking the play but occasionally getting caught in no mans land, we got bailed out a couple of times today because Gerrard, Henderson and Allen (along with the fullbacks) were alert to anyone getting in behind, we've seen us easily fuck up under the same circumstances in recent games.

 

[Whirly]

You crack on mate.
Everybody loves an agenda.

Nah. Everybody loves the hivemind.

If you want to buy into it go ahead. But rewatch the match and tell me how many horrible mistakes our defense made.

It's simply not good enough, and Lovren is trying to do too much.

 

[mark1975]

Let's not forget aswell, we didn't give much away against them last season, but the warning signs are there IMO.

 

[Mystic]

Sakho is a big worry, he's poor on the ball. It's ok saying statistically his passing is good, that's because he passes it 5 yards, he's erratic and indecisive.

He made one poor pass, other than that he was fantastic on the ball considering it's his first game since the world cup. Lovren was worse in this regard.

 

[Oncy]

Nah. Everybody loves the hivemind.

If you want to buy into it go ahead. But rewatch the match and tell me how many horrible mistakes our defense made.

It's simply not good enough, and Lovren is trying to do too much.

For someone who keeps saying 'Lets not talk about it' you drone the fuck on a bit.

 

[mark1975]

He made one poor pass, other than that he was fantastic on the ball considering it's his first game since the world cup. Lovren was worse in this regard.

He didn't make "one" poor pass, he made a couple of indecisive passes early in the game, two straight to the opposition and the ridiculous couple of passes he played into Allen while he had two or three players around him.

 

[Whirly]

Apart from when he kept lunging forward to attack the ball and ended up getting either caught underneath it or losing the challenge. He made a couple of great last ditch tackles, but they were a consequence of him fucking up. He did alot of good, but he's doing what Skrtel used to do, rushing out and attacking the play but occasionally getting caught in no mans land, we got bailed out a couple of times today because Gerrard, Henderson and Allen (along with the fullbacks) were alert to anyone getting in behind, we've seen us easily fuck up under the same circumstances in recent games.

Pretty much spot on. Having actual fullbacks bailed us out numerous times today when our central defenders made critical errors.

Lovren was trying to be Skrtel, but that isn't his game. Skrtel is much better at timing those sweeping tackles on the wing which Lovren whiffed on multiple times, and is physical enough to be less of a liability when he rushes forward to attack the ball.

No idea what Lovren was playing at today.

 

[Whirly]

For someone who keeps saying 'Lets not talk about it' you drone the fuck on a bit.

Yeah.

Do you want to talk about it?

 

[refugee]

He made one poor pass.

Bollocks

 

[Oncy]

Let's not forget aswell, we didn't give much away against them last season, but the warning signs are there IMO.

He did get caught under it a couple of times but I would imagine given the fullbacks and gerrard filled in that it was under instruction to go and win the ball. We dont look like we are built to defend the second ball. With sakho and lovren we finally have dominant centre halfs in the air and we I would imagine instruct them to go and clear it out and for the fullbacks to come round on the cover.
For all the concern they had 2 clear chances, both in the first half, one was sakhos fault one was lovrens. As a unit we did just fine.

 

[Dirkus_Circus]

I told you all Spurs are shit.

Perfect game to get us back on track.

 

[mark1975]

Why do people get so arsey about post match criticisms? Isn't that what a post match thread is about? Sure, praise the good bits, but there are clearly problems still there and burying our heads about it is daft. We kept a clean sheet, great, but we were lucky to in many respects and Lovren/Sakho aren't the God-sends that a few posters seem intent on having us believe. Lovren's made about half a dozen errors in three games.

 

[Oncy]

Yeah.

Do you want to talk about it?

I'll talk with the adults mate. Now get off my fucking leg.

 

[Mystic]

He didn't make "one" poor pass, he made a couple of indecisive passes early in the game, two straight to the opposition and the ridiculous couple of passes he played into Allen while he had two or three players around him.

That's not how I remember it, he gave away the goal chance with a stupid pass, other than that, he was generally good, if he did misplace one or two passes, it was nothing glaring, that I recall.

 

[mark1975]

He did get caught under it a couple of times but I would imagine given the fullbacks and gerrard filled in that it was under instruction to go and win the ball. We dont look like we are built to defend the second ball. With sakho and lovren we finally have dominant centre halfs in the air and we I would imagine instruct them to go and clear it out and for the fullbacks to come round on the cover.
For all the concern they had 2 clear chances, both in the first half, one was sakhos fault one was lovrens. As a unit we did just fine.

Well this is my point, touching on the last bit, the individual mistakes are still there and in fairness, that was as much the problem last season and as problems as a unit.

 

[Oncy]

Why do people get so arsey about post match criticisms? Isn't that what a post match thread is about? Sure, praise the good bits, but there are clearly problems still there and burying our heads about it is daft. We kept a clean sheet, great, but we were lucky to in many respects and Lovren/Sakho aren't the God-sends that a few posters seem intent on having us believe. Lovren's made about half a dozen errors in three games.

Who is?

 

[mark1975]

That's not how I remember it, he gave away the goal chance with a stupid pass, other than that, he was generally good, if he did misplace one or two passes, it was nothing glaring, that I recall.

Nothing glaring? Passing it straight to the opposition under little pressure on the edge of our box? We were lucky that Spurs are garbage.