Post match Sunderland - Your general observations please.

[Wiberg]

Coutinho is THE creative outlet. 90% + comes though him. What a player. Imagine if he could shoot as well.

Markovic is showing promise... But he's still a boy. He really doesn't look like he's enjoying the British weather or the state of the pitch for that matter. Should play in Spain on a better pitch.

Lucas is like a volvo. Boxy, boring but safe. We really really need him!! Pray he doesn't leave!

Borini is the best bid of a bad bunch even at zero confidence. Think we are better introducing Balo from the bench even if he is the better player.

Can is too good a player to waste at CB.

The analysis from our favorite pundit about Mignolet being too low in his stance at long range efforts is spot on.

The reason Gerrard has been a little more light on the ball the past matches is he runs more. He is simply out of breath at times. Thought he was a champ joining the pressing game.

Sahko looks rock steady most of the time and then suddenly behaves erratic on the ball or even a bit soft and I really hope it gets better because he has quality!

Henderson is underrated.

We get half the players into the box compared to last season. And the players who gets in there are...well, not as good as last season...

 

[Modo]

I missed most of the game today, but I thought Lucas, Coutinho, Markovic, Can and Sakho stood out.

 

[Fabio]

I missed most of the game today, but I though Lucas, Coutinho, Markovic, Can and Sakho stood out.

Pretty much correct

 

[dmishra]

Coutinho and Sakho have been our stand-out performers over the last month. Lucas has been a steadying influence for the back 3, but our defence hasn't improved too much.

This is the easiest run of fixtures we'll have all season, and to be fair, we've done decently so far.

But any half decent side has a chance to beat us. That's a major worry.

Adding a keeper and a striker and hoping for Sturridge to be continually fit is the only chance we have of securing CL football next season.

But we all know this anyway.

 

[Dirty Sanchez]

Even when we went a man up, the only man we had in the box was the man with the ball.
Coutinho still pulling every one of his shots. He might be working on his shooting but fundamental issues are still there. If he could overcome this he would be a world class player.
Balotelli needs selling.
Emre Can is immense.
Lucas played well. No complaints from me - I think he needs to stay but he is likely to leave and we will be a worse team for it.

 

[Wiberg]

Yes, we actually managed to get worse when they got the soft red card...

Thought coutinho had a first half out of this world. Really look forward to him, Sterling and Sturds back. Think he will be an assist machine!

 

[Red Astaire]

I was convinced we were going to concede late on. We looked all over the place at times and suddenly we clicked. Coutinho, Markovic and Can were outstanding though. Add Sterling, Sturridge and we'll be reet.

 

[Brizzle]

The annoying this about Balo in this formation is that he doesn't seem to like running in behind and always pulls back, which leaves us with no one in the box!

I don't think we were set up optimally after Stevie went off. It makes sense to move Can to MF and bring on Lovren as that is on paper stronger than adding Rossiter to midfield. Moving Can to RB and Markovic inside didn't really work as Can quite often wandered inside meaning Hendo was having to improvise as a RW.

Moreno quiet but made some good tackles and kept Johnson quiet throughout.

 

[Frogfish]

Ming - 6 - didn't have much to do though did fine up until the Johnson shot - where he didn't even get off the ground. Still dodgy kicking under pressure and so so distribution. Poor technique as has been pointed out. Fuck off Achterburg.

Moreno 6 - very quiet match but did OK in both defence and attack linking play.

Sakho - 7 - one dodgy moment but otherwise solid and pushed us out of defence.

Skrtel - 7 - very solid and one fine tackle wide on the edge of box.

Can - 7 - I really like this guy, very calm in possession, technically very adept. Attacking intent is obvious. Will be an excellent MFer for us in the near future.

Lovren - 6 - one very dodgy pass he got away with but otherwise good on-the-pitch minutes for him.

Lucas - 7 - a very good solid game in midfield, calmness personified when under pressure.

Gerrard - 7 - had a very good first half, very involved and we lost a lot of attacking solidity and nouse when he went off.

Henderson - 6.5 - drives me mad at a times, does something really well and then messes it up with a poor pass / cross / shot.

Coutinho - 7.5 - If only he could shoot. Ran the game again.

Markovic - 8.5 - Superb performance. Now we can all see why experts in both Serbia and Portugal were raving about his potential. It would have been a contender for Goal of the Season had that volley gone in as it deserved to.

Borini - 6 - After 20 mins I was screaming at the damn box, shite pressing (just runs past, or fouls, them), shite tackling, shite shooting and a Yellow, I could see him walking again. However he calmed down and played much better for it. Still should have done better with that fantastic ball from Can. Was the right choice to start ahead of Balo or Lambo.

Balotelli - A very nice cameo. However you can see he is not on the same page at all, there was a great opportunity, 3 on 3, with Coutninho in possession, they were all running hard at the defence when Balo suddenly dropped off expecting a Coutinho to pass to him when the play was obviously, against Brown and O'Shea, make the run through. Chance wasted.

Rodgers : 7 - very good pressing in the first half and the team attacked well in the 1st half. Quite how why we faded so much in the 2nd only he can answer.

 

[KopRed]

Markovic looks like he is ready to cry at anytime. Looks promising but needs lots more composure and strength to succeed.

Lovren wasn't really tested but still looks calamity waiting to happen. That tackle for no good reason could have brought us down to 10 men.

Sakho is our best defender atm but Skrtel did alright in that last man sweeper role.

Mignolet better kicking but that attempt to save Johnson's shot with him ending up on his ass was laughable.

Coutinho is bright and inventive, the tempo goes up whenever he gets the ball. Terrible shooting though.

Balotelli will never change and will never work for us. Shoot on sight policy did not change and looks clueless to our system.

Lucas was excellent today, my MOM. No silly fouls or yellow card.

Moreno is disappointing. He doesn't defend very well and at attack is always passing the ball backwards. He does try I'll give him that.

Can needs to do the basic stuff and leave the running to other players. He has composure though but I'm not really sure where is his best position.

Borini played well today I thought, busy and always available. Lacking in technical skills and that striker instinct though, will do well for a mid table team.

Henderson did ok, lots of running, ended up in good wide right positions a few times. However he is always passing backwards. He is the next captain and with his technical abilities should be trying to make things happen and not always ping the ball back where it came from or backwards.

We were setup well, dominated in the first half and strangely lost our way in the 2nd after the sending off. The only issue I have we keep too many players at the back when we are attacking. Why do we have Lucas Henderson Skrtel Sahko Can/Lovren pinging the ball 5 yards amongst themselves for?

Good win today, but Sunderland were terrible.

 

[keniget]

That turn by Balotelli was better than anything I've seen our other strikers do for ages. Frustrating guy.

Decent performance but once again look very very goal shy. Half the reason we look so nervous at the back is because everyone knows the game is on a knife edge. Did you see Gerrard out of his seat in the last couple minutes - it's no wonder we concede so often.

We're lacking a top notch attacker.

 

[cloggypop]

Face at the end is great

 

[Judge Jules]

Spectacular. Mind you, though I haven't managed to remember which game it was in, I saw Sami Hyypia - yes, big Sami - try a similar volley once.

 

[Hansern]

Markovic was fantastic. He'll be ace for us.

 

[Brizzle]

Something seems to have given him the confidence to run and back himself and the more players he beats, the more he realises he very much has the ability to beat men in the PL. Great to see. I'm longing to see some counter attacks like we had last season with Gerrard/Hendo/Coutinho teeing up Sterling, Suarez and Sturridge - it was epic. Will we start to see the same with Sturridge, Sterling and Markovic?

 

[SummerOnions]

Some of the new signings are finally settled in

Markovic was boss at times, he can glide past players easily, well taken goal

Can was good, doesn't look shit in any position he plays, he skinned players easy as well

Someone teach Coutinho to aim slightly to the right

Badly need a striker though, all these goals are coming from midfield and it's no wonder we score so few. Someone scoring goals up front and we'll be boss again

 

[StevieM]

Compared to earlier in the season, it looks like Can has lost some weight, is much fitter and has regained his pace.

He looked very cumbersome and slow early in the season, but it looks like they've done some work on him.

 

[Woland]

I'd love to discuss the game but I still haven't come to terms with drawing against Leicester yet.

 

[Wiberg]

I'd love to discuss the game but I still haven't come to terms with drawing against Leicester yet.

I feel exactly the same! No shit.

 

[dantes]

Can should stay at the back, there is absolutely no need to put him in midfield and allow a useless moron like Lovren back into the team.

 

[Wiberg]

I see great value in Can. Find someone else to keep Lovren out. I think we stuck good with Can.

 

[leftpeg]

I see great value in Can. Find someone else to keep Lovren out. I think we stuck good with Can.

Why? Why not keep him there and find a better option in midfield?

 

[Wiberg]

Why? Why not keep him there and find a better option in midfield?

I may be wrong but I think his talents on the ball, understanding of the game and general skill set would be wasted long term in defense. I think he is too good on the ball to waste in a back 3 or
4.

Don't you think he was ace today.
even a bit of speed!!

 

[Dirty Sanchez]

Mignolet better kicking but that attempt to save Johnson's shot with him ending up on his ass was laughable.

THe shot was obviously "knuckling". Watching Mings reaction was like watching a batter in a baseball game facing a knuckleball pitch. It looked like a pathetic attempt but it could happen to anyone.

 

[Wiberg]

He is gone. Anders Lindegaard is coming. He might bring Poulsen.

*runs and hides*

 

[leftpeg]

I may be wrong but I think his talents on the ball, understanding of the game and general skill set would be wasted long term in defense. I think he is too good on the ball to waste in a back 3 or
4.

Don't you think he was ace today.
even a bit of speed!!

I think he was terrific today. And he has all of the qualities you've described...and more...which is why I think he'll be ace in a back 3 or 4 for that matter. As I said months ago, he's got everything to be a top class CB.

 

[cloggypop]

He is gone. Anders Lindegaard is coming. He might bring Poulsen.

*runs and hides*

We will all run and hide if Poulsen is coming back.

 

[Wiberg]

I think he was terrific today. And he has all of the qualities you've described...and more...which is why I think he'll be ace in a back 3 or 4 for that matter. As I said months ago, he's got everything to be a top class CB.

I never thought about him that way. I always considered him a midfielder and I have a hard time coming to terms with him in a back 4 longterm. I think he is too good to waste away there but you may be right of course.

The next Alan Hansen.

Either way, he looks like a really good player! 🙂

 

[Frogfish]

THe shot was obviously "knuckling". Watching Mings reaction was like watching a batter in a baseball game facing a knuckleball pitch. It looked like a pathetic attempt but it could happen to anyone.

*blank stare*

 

[mark1975]

Re Can, there's something a little bit like Kompany about him, he played as a midfielder too and was eased into a defensive role, great on the ball, scores a couple of goals, etc. Could be the real deal. All this talk about Rodgers buying shite, some of these lads really excite me for the future, particularly Markovic, Manquillo, Moreno and Can.