We play Newcastle tonight...

[red_maradona]

The early touch for the first goal was great - and so out of character for him. I agree about his potential, but he's been coached intensively now for about four years and his execution really hasn't improved THAT much. I rather doubt it's going to suddenly click now. Mentally he's always lacked that rare precision that real strikers have. In other ways, though, he's set to be a brilliant player.

admittedly the improvement in his finishing has not been as exponential as other parts of this game, however, he is desperately young and I am almost certain that at comparable ages, he is scoring the same if not more than the likes of Ronaldo/Messi. I see a little of suarez sometimes - the suarez we first saw at lfc - grabbing at opportunities and seemingly not instinctive. Things then changed.

 

[Farkmaster]

http://www.lastminutegoals.org/liverpool-vs-newcastle-untied-premier-league/

 

[Mystic]

Thought we were awful and a half decent team would have got a result against us.

I agree, it says a lot that that Newcastle team put us under pressure, they are so impossibly shite, yet we looked so ropey at times. Our attack was decent, but Johnson and Lovren at the back were calamitous, and whilst a back three allows Can a little protection when playing centre back, he looks horribly exposed in a back two, or maybe that was a side effect of playing with Lovren. This system worked today because Newcastle would struggle to beat a championship side right now, but a standard premier league team, like Aston Villa, would have beaten us. Lets hope we go back to a three with Skrtel back, and build on a win.

 

[Ryan]

As if anyone gives a fuck really, but...

Ryan Taylor and then Williamson's (I think) defending for the two goals was fucking horrific. If we think we have defensive issues, then imagine being a Newcastle fan.

Taylor ends up flat footed as Sterling approaches him. There's no skill, no flashy move, Sterling just runs inside from a standing start and has space and time 8 yards out from goal to curl one into the corner. There's so much wrong with what Taylor does, there's no point in even really starting.

And then Williamson. If you're the slightest bit arsed then watch the behind the goal replay of our 2nd. Williamson's picking up Can at the corner, and decides to chase forward as the ball swings in. Can, whome he's marking, hadn't moved one inch. Williamson is now marking no one. 2 or 3 bop arounds later and the ball ends up with Can... Williamson by this stage is 10 yards away from the man he's supposed to be marking, and has gone for the double-up defensive disaster by standing still. Fuck reacting. Fuck defending. Let's just wait here and see what unfolds. Can lobs it back in, Joe Allen, all of 2 feet tall who's a yard away from Williamson, misses a header (I mean why bother trying to win the header, right), it bounces of Williamson's cock, cos he's standing there like a fucking statue, and Allen turns round and whacks it in.

Williamson is still standing still by this stage.

What a bunch of fucking shit. Imagine supporting that shite. Hell.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

 

[LeTallecWiz]

Sterling is on the verge of becoming an out of this world player - the thinking is all there, the pace is all there, the technique is there, the strength is there - just lacking execution. if he carries on at this trajectory, he is going to be a very scary player. clever move by Brendan to sub him early so that he can receive the plaudits he rights deserves.

I still can't get over that first goal.

Just because Brendan took off a pacy young black winger doesn't mean he took off Sterling ...

Sterling is a LONG way from being an 'out of this world' player ... He has all the tools though.

 

[red_maradona]

As if anyone gives a fuck really, but...

Ryan Taylor and then Williamson's (I think) defending for the two goals was fucking horrific. If we think we have defensive issues, then imagine being a Newcastle fan.

Taylor ends up flat footed as Sterling approaches him. There's no skill, no flashy move, Sterling just runs inside from a standing start and has space and time 8 yards out from goal to curl one into the corner. There's so much wrong with what Taylor does, there's no point in even really starting.

.

great players have a knack of making those around them look stupid. the first touch brings a very tricky ball out of the air under instant control, two touches later there is a goal. the speed, skill and finish are sublime. if he was Brazilian we would all be jizzing ourselves.

 

[HC]

All yesterday highlighted is how inadequate we are up top without the 2014 vintage (and fit) Sturridge..

I have no doubts, with a decent forward on the pitch we would have buried them, 4/5-0.

Bin off balotelli, borini and lambert and bring in a top class forward to lead origi and sicknote

 

[Fabio]

great players have a knack of making those around them look stupid. the first touch brings a very tricky ball out of the air under instant control, two touches later there is a goal. the speed, skill and finish are sublime. if he was Brazilian we would all be jizzing ourselves.

I don't get this "if he was brazilian" comment.

Are people really that shallow/spastic that they need to know someone's nationality is right to make them appreciate a player?

Also, great technique from sterling sure, but that defence just stood there watching

Surprised sterling didn't slip on the drool that the cbs left because they're fucking brain dead

 

[tony]

Should have buried them they were that bad but a win's a win. Nice cameo from Borini, the proverbial fart in a gale, to think someone was going to pay 14mil quid for him. Mmm to think someone actually paid £12 mil for him. There is better talent out there in league 1 and 2.

 

[Judge Jules]

I don't get this "if he was brazilian" comment.

Are people really that shallow/spastic that they need to know someone's nationality is right to make them appreciate a player?

Also, great technique from sterling sure, but that defence just stood there watching

Surprised sterling didn't slip on the drool that the cbs left because they're fucking brain dead

Williamson especially. One of the poorest CBs in the whole league on current form. I'm surprised even Newcastle have stuck with him.

 

[Jack D Rips]

All yesterday highlighted is how inadequate we are up top without the 2014 vintage (and fit) Sturridge..

I have no doubts, with a decent forward on the pitch we would have buried them, 4/5-0.

Bin off balotelli, borini and lambert and bring in a top class forward to lead origi and sicknote

I read somewhere yesterday that we have something like 35 goals less scored than at the same stage last season. Says it all ( well most of it) really

 

[gkmacca]

There's stupidity seeping through this team. Last night it wasn't just a succession of sloppy moments, it was a succession of stupid moments. Some of them just don't seem to think. Football's a simple game but it's not meant for simple people.

 

[Judge Jules]

True leadership on and off the pitch can override a lot of defects, including the rank stupidity which characterises all too many footballers, not only ours. There are certainly gaps in the composition of our team that we need to address, but as important as any of that will be upping the cojones quotient.

 

[gkmacca]

Rodgers' system is a bit like democracy: it's designed for the intelligent and the virtuous, but is left to be practiced by the poorly informed, easily distracted and self-interested. In an ideal world it would be wonderful to have clever players building swiftly and incisively from the back with fast-paced, precise possession football. But we've got some real dullards at the back. So, for example, when Lovren collects the ball from Mignolet, pauses while the opponents move to close him down, and then passes to Moreno, who has nowhere to go up the pitch and is being rapidly closed down by an opponent coming at him from the side, so he has to head back towards the corner flag, where he realises he can't pass to anyone, so he tries to play it off an opponent for a goal kick but misses and we lose possession in a dangerous area - that's not clever, it's not constructive, and it's not even as safe or as sensible as just letting Mingolet hoof it far upfield, where even if we didn't collect it we'd still have men around to snuff out an attack. The same thing when the ball goes sideways to the right, to the left, to the right again, with opponents pressing more and more...and we end up giving Mignolet a nano second to blast the ball blindly forward before it rebounds off a forward and into his own goal - what the hell is intelligent or stylish about that? Most times, most of our defenders aren't even looking upfield for someone to actually pass to - it's not as if all of the options in midfield have been cut out by the opposition - they're just going through this robotic routine and then giving the ball away. All the opposition has to do is up the pace with the pressing and panic sets in. I'm all for Rodgers' philosophy, but, on the pitch rather than on paper, it just looks like a slow way to lose the ball clumsily, rather than a stylish way to hang on to the ball smartly. I know there have been changes to the personnel, but it's been three years now and the defence still looks like they don't really understand the logic of their pattern of play. We played out from the back in Shanks' day and Paisley's day and we did the same with Fagan and Dalglish, but it was done with real purpose and pace. That's how it becomes integrated into the whole team and actually helps the team attack. This laboured, slow-paced, blinkered and unbelieveably predictable faffing about has got to stop, and Rodgers' obscuring the messy reality with the pretty theory is of no help at all.

 

[Best Believe It]

Rodgers' system is a bit like democracy: it's designed for the intelligent and the virtuous, but is left to be practiced by the poorly informed, easily distracted and self-interested. In an ideal world it would be wonderful to have clever players building swiftly and incisively from the back with fast-paced, precise possession football. But we've got some real dullards at the back. So, for example, when Lovren collects the ball from Mignolet, pauses while the opponents move to close him down, and then passes to Moreno, who has nowhere to go up the pitch and is being rapidly closed down by an opponent coming at him from the side, so he has to head back towards the corner flag, where he realises he can't pass to anyone, so he tries to play it off an opponent for a goal kick but misses and we lose possession in a dangerous area - that's not clever, it's not constructive, and it's not even as safe or as sensible as just letting Mingolet hoof it far upfield, where even if we didn't collect it we'd still have men around to snuff out an attack. The same thing when the ball goes sideways to the right, to the left, to the right again, with opponents pressing more and more...and we end up giving Mignolet a nano second to blast the ball blindly forward before it rebounds off a forward and into his own goal - what the hell is intelligent or stylish about that? Most times, most of our defenders aren't even looking upfield for someone to actually pass to - it's not as if all of the options in midfield have been cut out by the opposition - they're just going through this robotic routine and then giving the ball away. All the opposition has to do is up the pace with the pressing and panic sets in. I'm all for Rodgers' philosophy, but, on the pitch rather than on paper, it just looks like a slow way to lose the ball clumsily, rather than a stylish way to hang on to the ball smartly. I know there have been changes to the personnel, but it's been three years now and the defence still looks like they don't really understand the logic of their pattern of play. We played out from the back in Shanks' day and Paisley's day and we did the same with Fagan and Dalglish, but it was done with real purpose and pace. That's how it becomes integrated into the whole team and actually helps the team attack. This laboured, slow-paced, blinkered and unbelieveably predictable faffing about has got to stop, and Rodgers' obscuring the messy reality with the pretty theory is of no help at all.

Very good post. I would add that we need to actually start signing players suited to playing this way if we want to achieve anything with Rodgers' philosophy. None of the defenders he has signed seem to have the intelligence, strength, technical ability and quickness of thought to play the way he wants to play, and yet we've been splurging tens of millions on them. Mignolet, Moreno, Lovren, Sakho, Manquillo - all look like they need a solid period of coaching before being integrated into the side, which is fine if we were back in the 80s and still put signings into the reserves for 6-12 months, but if we want immediate progress we need players that can slot straight in and make the whole team work. There's no point buying players like Joe Allen who I'm sure would be shining if the rest of the team had the attributes to play the way Rodgers wants to play, but half the team doesn't. It's reasonably disjointed at the moment.

I know there has been much talk of the effectiveness or otherwise of the transfer committee but I'm not convinced that Rodgers is mentally able to balance his need to get in the right players and also make some sort of statement of intent in the transfer market. Ashley Williams, on paper, isn't the greatest centre back but would he have been a better use of money than spending almost £40 million on Lovren and Sakho because both neither have been able to seemlessly slot into the way we play - costing us time and points.

 

[Rosco]

We'll never achieve anything with Rodgers philosophy, our best results came last season when we ignored it

 

[jexykrodic]

Yes, last seasons high energy fast starts, overwhelming attack and directness paid dividends. Of course, it left us vulnerable and we would still suffer to the better teams but currently we're trying to play pretty football in all areas, particularly in defence, when we don't have the skills.

 

[gkmacca]

Even in midfield we often resemble one of those boxers who has all the technique and the power but, maddeningly, seems to lack the killer instinct. In games when we're all set for wave after wave of attacks, like last night, we actually dissipate our own momentum with passes back from mid-way in their half all the way back to Mignolet. Of course there are times when that's sensible, but we do it out of habit rather than as a calculated judgement of options. Last night, with their centre backs quaking in their boots and the other defenders all over the place, we turned and went back to Lucas or Allen, who were unchallenged in bags of room but turned and passed back to Lovren or Johnson or Moreno, who turned back to Mignolet. Why? It really does my head in. That's not death by football, that's more like a random act of mercy. Again, it's a sign of players who know what they're supposed to do in general, abstract terms, but who can't react to the here and now. They don't look, they don't think, they just click and whir like cogs in a machine.

 

[jexykrodic]

Whatever happened to mixing it up?, sometimes play it out from the back, sometimes the long kick, sometimes the throw out to the wing. Now we seem stuck in a groove and invite pressure. Doesn't seem very clever to me.

 

[Mystic]

Sterling is on the verge of becoming an out of this world player

What a load of bullshit, he's not even remotely close, if he manages his career right, in two years time he'll be on the verge of becoming an out of this world player, like Hazard was in France, however at the moment he's just an incredible prospect. We continue to do this, completely overhype this kid, and that's why we are in this situation now where Sterling thinks he's one of the best in the land and thinks he can roll up into any teams starting eleven. He's 20, he needs to be supported and protected whilst he continues improving, not put on a pedestal and made out to be our saviour, something the club, fans and media have all been responsible for this season. I fear it's already too late because the press and pundits already can't stop talking about him, and it's clearly affecting his head, I hope to god we don't do the same with Ibe.

 

[Frogfish]

great players have a knack of making those around them look stupid. the first touch brings a very tricky ball out of the air under instant control, two touches later there is a goal. the speed, skill and finish are sublime. if he was Brazilian we would all be jizzing ourselves.

If he was Brazilian he'd have had a hat trick.

Sterling is never going to be world-class. Superb player now and he will improve, but never world-class. You either have it or you don't. He doesn't.

 

[Hansern]

Thats very shortsighted imho. Sterling can be World class if he works hard enough. He's got all the skill and talent in the World. If he gets his attitude right and plays in a team that develops him with the right manager then why not.

Cristiano Ronaldo averaged the same amount of goals at the same age. Totally different players but once Sterling settles infront of goal he'll score a lot. He wont be close to Ronaldos level obviously.
But he can easily score 20 goals a season. 10 last season, 11 so far this season.

People seem to forget he's 20 years old.

 

[Leo]

And he's just been voted the best young player in Europe.
I doubt any team in Europe wouldn't want him on their books.
He looks a phenomenal talent with an excellent on field attitude considering he gets lumps kicked out of him every game.
We're lucky to have him.

 

[Frogfish]

Thats very shortsighted imho. Sterling can be World class if he works hard enough. He's got all the skill and talent in the World. If he gets his attitude right and plays in a team that develops him with the right manager then why not.

Cristiano Ronaldo averaged the same amount of goals at the same age. Totally different players but once Sterling settles infront of goal he'll score a lot. He wont be close to Ronaldos level obviously.
But he can easily score 20 goals a season. 10 last season, 11 so far this season.

People seem to forget he's 20 years old.

It's not at all short-sighted. It's a matter of opinion and that old chestnut .. what do you consider to be 'World-class'. Maybe we have different standards.

For me he is never going to be world-class because he lacks that innate ability, of calmness and knowing where the goal is, that world-class players/strikers, even at 20 yrs old, possess. He can improve his technical prowess, with dedication and practice, he can improve his shooting ability (but he's showing very little 2 years on) and maybe his awareness, passing etc., but shooting and calmness in front of goal are difficult to teach unless it is a real technical issue (body position, taking his eye off the ball, etc. etc.).

We'll see, I hope I'm wrong, but if he was Brazilian then he'd just be another young kid showing great potential.

 

[Frogfish]

And he's just been voted the best young player in Europe.
I doubt any team in Europe wouldn't want him on their books.
He looks a phenomenal talent with an excellent on field attitude considering he gets lumps kicked out of him every game.
We're lucky to have him.

Completely agree with sentences 2,3 and 4.

As for 1 - well take a look at other youngsters voted in the Top 5 to Top 10 over the years and see how many actually fulfil that potential. I remember seeing just that a while ago and it didn't make for pretty reading, with the odd notable exception.

It's a nice gong for the wall and great for his agent to pedal him, but really means SFA.

 

[Leo]

Completely agree with sentences 2,3 and 4.

As for 1 - well take a look at other youngster voted in the Top 5 to Top 10 and see how many actually fulfil that potential. It's a nice gong for the wall and great for his agent to pedal him, but really means SFA.

Well apart from Ballotelli and Anderson the award is usually awarded to a phenomenal talent.
Messi,Ronaldo,Gotze,Isco and Pogba spring to mind.
Ronaldo and Pogba's attitude was even brought into question at that age.
I'm not saying he can go on to be as good as those obviously but he has every chance of becoming a world class player.
I'd still sell him for 50 million upwards mind.

 

[Hansern]

It's not at all short-sighted. It's a matter of opinion and that old chestnut .. what do you consider to be 'World-class'. Maybe we have different standards.

For me he is never going to be world-class because he lacks that innate ability, of calmness and knowing where the goal is, that world-class players/strikers, even at 20 yrs old, possess. He can improve his technical prowess, with dedication and practice, he can improve his shooting ability (but he's showing very little 2 years on) and maybe his awareness, passing etc., but shooting and calmness in front of goal are difficult to teach unless it is a real technical issue (body position, taking his eye off the ball, etc. etc.).

We'll see, I hope I'm wrong, but if he was Brazilian then he'd just be another young kid showing great potential.

Heh, I'd doubt he'd be just another young kid showing great potential.
And he's not a striker either. That calmness will/could develop with age.

 

[red_maradona]

I'm flabbergasted at how underrated Sterling is by some on here. We honestly don't appreciate how good a player we have on our hands and more importantly how could he could become.

No one is saying he is world class now, but I struggle to think of any 20 yr olds in world football who have scored as many as him (last 2 seasons) , who have the same ability and potential as him and who are doing it at a top club in a top league.

 

[Mystic]

I'm flabbergasted at how underrated Sterling is by some on here. We honestly don't appreciate how good a player we have on our hands and more importantly how could he could become.

No one is saying he is world class now, but I struggle to think of any 20 yr olds in world football who have scored as many as him (last 2 seasons) , who have the same ability and potential as him and who are doing it at a top club in a top league.

Hes not underrated on here, its just some of us don't treat him as if hes already realised his potential. Hes got a long way to go before he can be considered to be as good as people like you are making him out to be, and this ejaculatory policy towards him is only complicating that. He needs to remain grounded and focused to become the player we all know he can be, unfortunately this media frenzy and thrusting him into the position of national wonderboy is only making things harder for him.