The real culprit...

[redhorizon2]

Let's leave aside the Gerrard incident – I think Rodgers was right when he said what really cost us was our timid 1st half display, with very little possession, almost no high pressure, not a single tackle (!) etc etc. How could this happen, how could we come out at home in one of the biggest games of the season and completely blow it in the first 45 minutes? I see 3 possible explanations:

1. The players, especially the younger ones, get overwhelmed by the pressure of the big game.
2. Van Gal found the right tactics to disrupt our build-up play and pin us with with high press in a similar way as Swansea a week ago. Which means opposition managers started figuring out how to play against our 3-4-3 system.
3. Maybe 3-4-3 system is fine, but it's not as effective with Sturridge as opposed to Sterling up top. Also having in-form wing-backs is really important in that system; now Ibe is injured and both Markovic and Moreno are in poor runs of form, so our "wings" are not working as they should.

What's your theory?

Nope - We've established Red Ninja's post jinxed us. The dood still hasn't said sorry yet!

 

[StevieM]

Nope - We've established Red Ninja's post jinxed us. The dood still hasn't said sorry yet!

Or posted the video of him disembowelling himself with a rusty penknife....

The cad.

 

[Dirkus_Circus]

Sterling could barely break into a jog towards the end. I remember thinking at the time that it wouldn't have looked so odd, given we'd played the second half with ten men, if it hadn't been for the fact that he hadn't actually seemed to have worked as hard as usual.

Maybe he needs another week off in Jamaica, it's been what...10-11 games now without a trip to the beach?