So... Blackburn (H) FA Cup

[LeTallecWiz]

Sturridge needs to start working, it comes to something when Mario comes on and makes you look lazy. We look better at the minute with Sterling up top, at least we look hungry and defend from the front.

I've said this a few times already ... Last year, we didn't worry as much b/c we had Suarez doing it (He's shitting goals and assists now) ... but if we play with ONE striker and he has to be able to do what Sterling did up there and that has never been part of Studge's game.

 

[Frogfish]

I've said this a few times already ... Last year, we didn't worry as much b/c we had Suarez doing it (He's shitting goals and assists now) ... but if we play with ONE striker and he has to be able to do what Sterling did up there and that has never been part of Studge's game.

Sorry but personally I disagree with that. Studge has maybe the very best feet in the penalty area of any of our squad. He is just lacking match-practice after being out for so long.

 

[mark1975]

Sorry but personally I disagree with that. Studge has maybe the very best feet in the penalty area of any of our squad. He is just lacking match-practice after being out for so long.

Having the best feet is irrelevant to the point though. The point is that Suarez did a shit load of donkey work for him last season, he thrived on Suarez being there to constantly press opponents, which in turn gave him the space to bag goals. I agree to some extent that he is lacking sharpness, fair enough, but this was an issue raised back in the Summer by a few of us.

Why do you think we went with Sterling against City? I said before the game that we should, when the team was posted people poored scorn over the lineup, saying Rodgers was on a hiding to nothing for not playing Sturridge, when in reality it worked because Sterling, while not having the greatest game in an attacking sense, he closed everything quickly and gave the likes of Kompany a hard time constantly with his pressing and his (not inconsiderable) strength.

No ones is saying it's an issue that's unresolvable, but it is something to think about. When he's up there alone he can be easily isolated and frustrated, he needs support but he needs to put some leg work in himself, and then he can push on further as player.

 

[Best Believe It]

Games like this make me wonder about the genuine strength in depth we have considering Brendan wants us to play this intense, high tempo pressing game that is going to take a lot out of players unless they are naturally very fit. We have attacking midfielders a plenty, but haven't really got anyone who has that close a skillset to Coutinho; we haven't really got anyone who can effectively deputise for Henderson. Maybe we have young players who will eventually be able to do so, but I'm not completely convinced we've been squad building as well as we should have - especially if Brendan knows that the way he wants us to play is going to make it difficult to play a similar team consecutively when we have fixture congestion.

 

[mark1975]

Games like this make me wonder about the genuine strength in depth we have considering Brendan wants us to play this intense, high tempo pressing game that is going to take a lot out of players unless they are naturally very fit. We have attacking midfielders a plenty, but haven't really got anyone who has that close a skillset to Coutinho; we haven't really got anyone who can effectively deputise for Henderson. Maybe we have young players who will eventually be able to do so, but I'm not completely convinced we've been squad building as well as we should have - especially if Brendan knows that the way he wants us to play is going to make it difficult to play a similar team consecutively when we have fixture congestion.

To be fair, we had Allen, Lucas, Gerrard all out injured. Lallana looked jaded, but can play in the hole in the right set up, Markovic can also move into the centre (I'm not his biggest fan, but it's an option). Lucas and Allen can both do a good job in midfield, you just have to have the right mix in there.

Yesterday was just an accumulation of too many games. We played City with a high intensity straight after coming back from Turkey, so it was always going to take it's toll, we've played near enough 4 games in 10 days, any squad would struggle with that.

 

[Pesam]

Personally I thought it was a shit performance that wouldn't have worked at all had the ref booked the early challenges that in any other game would have been penalised without a second thought.

It's usual for a ref to book a player for 3 fouls, Conway should have been on a yellow from early in the first half; the ref didn't book him so he continued and must have committed at least 12 fouls without a yellow card! Cairney and Williamson should also have been on yellows in first half on the "totting up" rule. Because they were allowed get away with it they kept doing it and it affected our fluidity.

That said, fair play to Blackburn they defended well...........but hopefully with a less lenient ref in the replay we will put this tie to bed.

 

[keniget]

What did everyone make of Markovic's performance?

He seemed to work hard enough but there were several occasions where he surrendered possession by playing what seemed to be very lazy passes - it really was the footballing equivalent of "meh, fuck it!". Sure, on a couple of occasions he didn't have much on but that's no real excuse and neither are lapses in concentration.

But then he plucks a ball out of the air and stops it dead with a magic first touch. I can't work this guy out . At times he looks like there is some potential there hidden away and others you compare him to Ibe (nevermind Sterling) and wonder where our 20M went.

 

[doctor_mac]

It's usual for a ref to book a player for 3 fouls, Conway should have been on a yellow from early in the first half; the ref didn't book him so he continued and must have committed at least 12 fouls without a yellow card! Cairney and Williamson should also have been on yellows in first half on the "totting up" rule. Because they were allowed get away with it they kept doing it and it affected our fluidity.

That said, fair play to Blackburn they defended well...........but hopefully with a less lenient ref in the replay we will put this tie to bed.

Not even a less lenient ref. Just a ref who enforces the rules of the game would do just fine. It was incredible that it was well into the second half before any of them earned a booking.

 

[Red Astaire]

*waits for @Brizzle and @Red Astaire to explain themselves*

It was shite alright - Probably the worst game I've seen at Anfield. The highlight of my trip up (apart from meeting @Brizzle sound Uncle) was the sausage dinner I had after the game. Extra gravy! Lovely. 🙂

 

[gkmacca]

Not even a less lenient ref. Just a ref who enforces the rules of the game would do just fine. It was incredible that it was well into the second half before any of them earned a booking.

Quite. When you have a Premiership side, used this season (when refereeing has been more picky and flawed than ever) to being penalised for the slightest touch on an opponent, suddenly playing a lower division side that's been sent out there, with a 'plan', to crunch into as many opponents as possible, it's no wonder the Premiership team is the one that's disoriented when the ref just runs around with a stupid grin on his face. Hendo should have been in his ear far more, but it probably wouldn't have done much. Oh for the days when Souey would spot that a bit of subtle savagery was required to sort it all out!

 

[gkmacca]

What did everyone make of Markovic's performance?

He seemed to work hard enough but there were several occasions where he surrendered possession by playing what seemed to be very lazy passes - it really was the footballing equivalent of "meh, fuck it!". Sure, on a couple of occasions he didn't have much on but that's no real excuse and neither are lapses in concentration.

But then he plucks a ball out of the air and stops it dead with a magic first touch. I can't work this guy out . At times he looks like there is some potential there hidden away and others you compare him to Ibe (nevermind Sterling) and wonder where our 20M went.

As a few said, it was surely worth trying him on the left, but, either side, I don''t think it made much sense to have him mainly perform like an orthodox winger, heading for the byline and crossing into the box, because we didn't have the players charging into the box to get on the end of anything. And he's better cutting in from the left than the right because his right-footed shot is much stronger. As you say, his concentration seemed poor and he certainly could have fought more. I just think we need to use him much more effectively than at present.

 

[mark1975]

Sides that are all hustle and bustle, 10 men behind the ball and fairly strong in the air - what do we do? Yes, cross it in and play into their hands. I'm loathed to agree with the boring bastard traitor, but we needed to be a bit more cute and to play it into feet, instead of crossing it into a striker who clearly didn't want to put up much of an aerial battle.

 

[hmmmmm1]

This bloke and his 'plans' is getting to be really tiresome. Seeing as all of his 'plans' seem to be (a) try to clatter as many opponents as possible and (b) defend a lot, I can't see why he's getting so much praise.

He did what the P/L champions weren't able to do, and keep us from scoring, so can understand the credit he is getting from the media.

 

[peterhague]

What did everyone make of Markovic's performance?

He seemed to work hard enough but there were several occasions where he surrendered possession by playing what seemed to be very lazy passes - it really was the footballing equivalent of "meh, fuck it!". Sure, on a couple of occasions he didn't have much on but that's no real excuse and neither are lapses in concentration.

But then he plucks a ball out of the air and stops it dead with a magic first touch. I can't work this guy out . At times he looks like there is some potential there hidden away and others you compare him to Ibe (nevermind Sterling) and wonder where our 20M went.

I thought it was decent by his own underwhelming standards. I was a bit nonplussed by all the criticism I saw of him after the game tbh. He got involved in plenty of attacks without daring to take his man on, and provided one of the few moments of genuine quality with the pass into Lallana.

I dunno, frankly it seemed like an improvement.

 

[Insignificance]

What did everyone make of Markovic's performance?

He seemed to work hard enough but there were several occasions where he surrendered possession by playing what seemed to be very lazy passes - it really was the footballing equivalent of "meh, fuck it!". Sure, on a couple of occasions he didn't have much on but that's no real excuse and neither are lapses in concentration.

But then he plucks a ball out of the air and stops it dead with a magic first touch. I can't work this guy out . At times he looks like there is some potential there hidden away and others you compare him to Ibe (nevermind Sterling) and wonder where our 20M went.

Lazar is not a typical winger. I think he is more used to play a central position. I am quite impressed with his defensice disciplined work, but sometimes his movement of the ball is strange. Instead of making himself available with a smart run he is just standing rooted in a position. But it seem he is able to do the dirty work and when this is in place he can work on his attacking wing back game.

 

[mark1975]

What did everyone make of Markovic's performance?

He seemed to work hard enough but there were several occasions where he surrendered possession by playing what seemed to be very lazy passes - it really was the footballing equivalent of "meh, fuck it!". Sure, on a couple of occasions he didn't have much on but that's no real excuse and neither are lapses in concentration.

But then he plucks a ball out of the air and stops it dead with a magic first touch. I can't work this guy out . At times he looks like there is some potential there hidden away and others you compare him to Ibe (nevermind Sterling) and wonder where our 20M went.

I think I stand pretty much where you do over him. The £20m fee perplexes me. He's difficult to pigeon hole, his touch as you say is exquisite, but he's doesn't have any particularly strong qualities in an attacking sense, his shooting is fairly weak and erratic, his ability to take players on borders on non-existent and his passing is "ok", without the playmaker-like ability to constantly carve openings. I just don't get what he is. He likes to run from deep and build up his speed/momentum, but he's fairly predictable and readable, it all seems a bit too kick and run, without any genuine craft.

 

[mark1975]

He did what the P/L champions weren't able to do, and keep us from scoring, so can understand the credit he is getting from the media.

Yeah, but it gets tiresome listening to managers talk about tactical master-plans, as though putting 10 men behind the ball is anything particularly groundbreaking or any form of innovative thinking. Cf Mourinho.

 

[Woland]

Markovic is only a kid and he's just got here. He's miles ahead of where Henderson was in his first season, for example.

 

[mark1975]

Markovic is only a kid and he's just got here. He's miles ahead of where Henderson was in his first season, for example.

Miles ahead? I wouldn't go that far, he looks equally lost and lacking in ideas. He is young and it is early days though, as you say.

 

[6TimesaRed]

What I took from the game .

We failed yet again to break down a team of inferior quality to us..

Seems to be a pattern emerging..

However the fact the replay is in a month, will probably work to our advantage in terms of other fixtures

 

[Woland]

Miles ahead? I wouldn't go that far, he looks equally lost and lacking in ideas. He is young and it is early days though, as you say.

I don't think he's been nearly as crap as Henderson was, but whatevers. Back then everyone said that it was because Henderson was young and had lived in Sunderland all his life and it was a massive change, and they were probably right. But if they were, then this kid did his Sunderland to Liverpool move when he was 16 and moved to Belgrade. Two years later he moves to Lisbon. A year after that he moves to Liverpool. It's all happened so fast he's still got his shit Serbian haircut... but all the news from Serbia and Portugal is that he's got what it takes to be the best.

 

[Jack D Rips]

Not even a less lenient ref. Just a ref who enforces the rules of the game would do just fine. It was incredible that it was well into the second half before any of them earned a booking.

87th minute I reckon they had their first (and only?) yellow. Can was booked for a first offence. It's all fine and well saying its moaning if you don't win and blame the ref. But I don't think anyone was doing that. They were just pointing out that the ref was shite and that if he should have taken a stronger hand with the rough treatment that was being dished out. I recall one very bad tackle ( studs on ankle) on Can I think it was. Not even a free. Sterling was getting battered all day. Everyone is aware of our own shortcomings on the day, but all you ask for is a level playing pitch ( if you'll pardon the pun), when it comes to the reffing. I've noticed similar reffing displays when we played in earlier rounds against lower division opposition.

 

[mark1975]

What I took from the game .

We failed yet again to break down a team of inferior quality to us..

Seems to be a pattern emerging..

However the fact the replay is in a month, will probably work to our advantage in terms of other fixtures

What pattern? We haven't lost a game for ages, have we only been playing the good teams? It amazes me, when we started this run, the posters who had previously been laying into Rodgers said we had only managed to string a few results together because we'd had a run of easy games. Now there's a pattern emerging after a draw against a shit team, on the back of a run of three months of brilliant form.

 

[doctor_mac]

87th minute I reckon they had their first (and only?) yellow. Can was booked for a first offence. It's all fine and well saying its moaning if you don't win and blame the ref. But I don't think anyone was doing that. They were just pointing out that the ref was shite and that if he should have taken a stronger hand with the rough treatment that was being dished out. I recall one very bad tackle ( studs on ankle) on Can I think it was. Not even a free. Sterling was getting battered all day. Everyone is aware of our own shortcomings on the day, but all you ask for is a level playing pitch ( if you'll pardon the pun), when it comes to the reffing. I've noticed similar reffing displays when we played in earlier rounds against lower division opposition.

To be fair, I've seen similarly lax officiating with other PL teams playing lower division opponents in the FA cup this season. It has almost seemed a case of letting a bit of the rough stuff go to make it 'a proper old-fashioned cup tie' or some such shit.

 

[Hansern]

I see Glen Johnson is out complaining about the pitch in the Echo today.
Saying the ball wobbles and its difficult to play one touch football. It also hinders the dribblers in the side.
Worst state its even been in according to him.

Its the same for both teams obviously, but its a factor to consider when you try to move the ball quickly against an opponent lying deep with two blocks of players defending.

 

[Woland]

Most teams struggle against hard well drilled sides who are happy with a draw. At this stage in a league season most sides are looking for a win and give us more space. I wouldn't worry too much about yesterday.

 

[Frogfish]

What did everyone make of Markovic's performance?

He seemed to work hard enough but there were several occasions where he surrendered possession by playing what seemed to be very lazy passes - it really was the footballing equivalent of "meh, fuck it!". Sure, on a couple of occasions he didn't have much on but that's no real excuse and neither are lapses in concentration.

But then he plucks a ball out of the air and stops it dead with a magic first touch. I can't work this guy out . At times he looks like there is some potential there hidden away and others you compare him to Ibe (nevermind Sterling) and wonder where our 20M went.

My take is that he is 20 yrs old, in his first season in the intense PL, and has a lot of learning to do but the potential is definitely there.

 

[Frogfish]

I see Glen Johnson is out complaining about the pitch in the Echo today.
Saying the ball wobbles and its difficult to play one touch football. It also hinders the dribblers in the side.
Worst state its even been in according to him.

Its the same for both teams obviously, but its a factor to consider when you try to move the ball quickly against an opponent lying deep with two blocks of players defending.

It's not really the same for both sides is it though. One likes to play fast passing/dribbling possession football and the other aggressive, get it down the wings and cross or just lump it up to the big man. Who's it going to affect most ? I said this in the thread on the condition of our pitch. It could and will affect our results.

 

[Frogfish]

What pattern? We haven't lost a game for ages, have we only been playing the good teams? It amazes me, when we started this run, the posters who had previously been laying into Rodgers said we had only managed to string a few results together because we'd had a run of easy games. Now there's a pattern emerging after a draw against a shit team, on the back of a run of three months of brilliant form.

Well to be fair there have now been three 0-0 draws at home to non-PL opposition. In this case I thought we looked very tired though, near the end a fast break had Coutinho just trotting along to catch up .. unlike him. Others looked done and dusted too. This 8 days will be the refresh we seriously need to push on for the last 10-3 games.

 

[nealmac]

Very compact Blackburn side yesterday. Yes, they parked the bus, and they did it well. They got themselves a replay at home, which is exactly what they wanted.

Our team selection was all wrong. Johnson needs to be sold this summer. I know people think he played well, but the reality is, he was very poor, and that's being lenient on him. The money he's earning is fucking ridiculous considering how little of a shift he puts in. I think he made 1 tackle, and put in 1 half decent cross, and everything else he did was fucking awful. Obviously, losing Skrtel so early in the game didn't help matters either. Lallana looks absolutely knackered. How is this? It's not like he's in his 30s or anything. He has some lovely skill but he has no pace at all.

The other point is, Marriner was awful. We were kicked, beaten and basically assaulted for 90 minutes and I think he only showed Blackburn 1 yellow card. Not to mention a textbook penalty he missed in the first few minutes (I don't think the later one was nailed on, as Sturridge was never getting the ball).