Stoke thoughts....
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A draw and now a win. So, hopefully, this is where the team have said 'enough is enough'.
2nd half was way better than anything I've seen this season (bar the spurs game). Still plenty of problems but at least it's the right direction.
2nd half was way better than anything I've seen this season (bar the spurs game). Still plenty of problems but at least it's the right direction.
Agreed, the 2nd 45 is as good as we have played all season despite the lack of goals. We actually looked like a balanced side for once with runner s breaking from midfield and chances being opened up from both flanks.
Personally Id like to see Can and Lallana in for Henderson and Coutinho next week but I really wouldnt complain if he named the same first XI.
Would be a massive kick in the teeth for any player to be dropped after that effort.
I said in the thread that Henderson was really poor but, even so, feels like he should be in there as well.
Thought Toure and Lucas made it impossible to be dropped for the next match. Johnson also secured his position; thought he defended well but, more importantly, challenged them going forward time after time. Didn't come off on occasions and, at times he looked out of options but he also used any space he had, got around his opposite a good few times, picked out Lambert very nicely for a chance and was generally a good outlet for us all 2nd half. Total opposite to the 1st half when he looked ponderous.
I said in the thread that Henderson was really poor but, even so, feels like he should be in there as well.
Thought Toure and Lucas made it impossible to be dropped for the next match. Johnson also secured his position; thought he defended well but, more importantly, challenged them going forward time after time. Didn't come off on occasions and, at times he looked out of options but he also used any space he had, got around his opposite a good few times, picked out Lambert very nicely for a chance and was generally a good outlet for us all 2nd half. Total opposite to the 1st half when he looked ponderous.
We didn't ..... until Rodgers lost his nerve.
Next game is on Tuesday against Leicester away.
I have a feeling that Brendan might want to rotate.
But since Lucas and Touré haven't played that many games and should be quite fresh, they might just start.
Gerrard plus some of the other players who were on the bench today will probably also get the nod.
Yep. I though Lovren was coming on for Johnson but when I saw Coutinho leaving the pitch I was like WTF?
I knew that we'd drop deep and invite pressure from Stoke. If it was Pulis team they would have probably punished us for that.
Anyway, I didn't like that one bit.
Would have made more sense to bring on Can.
Looking at that line up, the owners or the board cannot be that happy with Brendan.
I think he tried giving his new players a chance but it just isn't working. He has now reverted back to a group of players who know each other and it's starting to pay dividends. Better late than never.
What happened was, don't let Henderson take them.
Clean sheet.
Biggest positive of all, after the win.
Biggest positive of all, after the win.
The realization that Gerrard is actually quite good at taking them despite all the nonsense that has been said on the subject for years.
Why did Enrique play?
Some say that Moreno has been carrying a knock.
I think Enrique did well.
Also we've got another game in 3 days.
A shot that hits the crossbar or post is not a shot on target I believe
What if it hits the post and goes in?
Stats aren't an exact science
As Jack said. Lambert's doesn't count in that stat ... and of course Allen hit the bar too.
Better.. Still not great though..
Clean sheet for once, so that's a positive.. Kolo was boss
Negatives... only signing in the starting 11 was Lambert.. and our play in the 1st half..
Clean sheet for once, so that's a positive.. Kolo was boss
Negatives... only signing in the starting 11 was Lambert.. and our play in the 1st half..
A biologist, a chemist, and a statistician are out hunting. The biologist shoots at a deer and misses five feet to the left. The chemist takes a shot and misses five feet to the right. The statistician yells "We got it!"
How can this be a negative?
Ming - 7
Enrique - 6.5
Toure - 7.5
Skrtel - 7
Johnson - 6
Lucas - 8
Allen - 6.5
Henderson - 6
Coutinho - 6
Sterling - 7
Lambert - 7
Gerrard - 6
Lovren - 6
First half was so typical of this season but I thought we played really well in the second...a few jitters aside. Kolo and Lucas were our stand out performers.
It was a strange atmosphere at the game. The team's clear lack of confidence seemed to feed the tension in the crowd but then in the second half as soon as a few moves came off and the tempo stepped up the crowd lifted massively and the players fed off it. Something to build on.
Enrique - 6.5
Toure - 7.5
Skrtel - 7
Johnson - 6
Lucas - 8
Allen - 6.5
Henderson - 6
Coutinho - 6
Sterling - 7
Lambert - 7
Gerrard - 6
Lovren - 6
First half was so typical of this season but I thought we played really well in the second...a few jitters aside. Kolo and Lucas were our stand out performers.
It was a strange atmosphere at the game. The team's clear lack of confidence seemed to feed the tension in the crowd but then in the second half as soon as a few moves came off and the tempo stepped up the crowd lifted massively and the players fed off it. Something to build on.
Sure thing the team doesn't feed of how SCM reacts...
120 million reasons
You play the players that are on form, not how much they cost. Fairly simple, if you ask me.
I simply can not fathom how some people (here and in the MoM thread) don't have Allen in, or very near, the MoM position. He was simply outstanding, tracking & tackling back, running around non-stop to create space in midfield and making himself available and feeding the attack .. and joining it.
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