Season 2011 - 2012

[the dude abides]

Adam should be taking our penalties.

Bizarre Suarez penalty, and even more bizarre how the ref didn't send the Sunderland lad off.

Very encouraging start from Liverpool.  Despite so many new faces, the team have gelled well.  There are so many positive performances today so far.  Downing looks good.  Adam looks good.  Carroll looks reasonably fit.  Suarez is a little dynamo that makes things spark. Agger looks fit.  Lots of positives.

But until we get a second goal, there is always a danger.  The game is a tad open at times....and we do give Sunderland too much space at times.  We need to get tighter.

But based on the first 36 minutes, we SHOULD hammer this lot.  This should be a three or four nil job.

[the dude abides]

I sorta expected this outcome.

This was like watching a toothless lion trying to maul a donkey.

If Fergie was in charge today, this would have been a 3 or 4 nil hammering of Sunderland.

If Fergie was going into that changing room now, after us managing to draw a game we should have won at a canter, he would be blistering the paint off the walls.

Success comes with hard work and closing down.  There were some lads today, who were not getting tight enough.

And FFS sort the penalty taker issue out.  If it's too hard to get the ball on target from 12 yards, then change your taker. 

I suppose the media will focus on why the Sunderland was not dismissed (for Suarez's penalty).  I am at a loss (Spanish commentary here) to figure out how the ref kept him on.  Then again, I thought the ref was poor all day.

[Tes]

If Kuyt's on the pitch it's his, otherwise agree Adam's got a good record.

Still, 37 games to go and the goal we conceded was a fantastic individual one. Sometimes it happens. It wasn't blatantly poor defending, which is encouraging.

Afterall, it's the curse of Fathead. We've never done well against his teams, no matter who the manager is/was.

[Martinmarx]

Disappointing yet predictable start from Liverpool. As per usual, it is enough for the opponents to fight to earn at least a point. True Richardson should've been sent off, true Carrol's goal should've stood, true Downing's effort deserved better and it remains a true the player to be fouled isn't to take the peno. As per usual we did enough to bury the game but didn't manage to (more of this to come I fear). Today I'm willing to let our "high profile" signings get away with the early day excuse.

In the end tho, I think Kenny should be the target of some criticism for his team selection. It was obvious early on Flanno was the weak link, yet he kept him on. The moment I realised Kuyt was omitted from the sheet I got a bad feeling. He's one of very few players that have the experience and skill to guid the team through a game like this. I also found it puzzling Lucas started and he was mediocre as per usual. In any case he did nowt, also as per usual, to take a step forward when the team needed leadership in the 2nd half.

I feel sorry for young Flanno but I really hope I don't see him in a red shirt any time soon (Kelly?). If Konchesky would've made those mistakes the riots in Hackney and Tottenham would've looked like a sunday park festival.

On a more positive note I was hugely impressed by Enrique's performance and Suarez and Carrols' first half performance.

It is worrying we couldn't find a way back into the game. Maybe we now can realise we're still a process in work and that 4th would be almost too much to ask for?

-------------------Reina------------------

Johnson-------Carra--Agger--Enrique-----------

Kuyt-----------Adam-Meireles/Aqua---Downing

-------------Carrol------------Suarez------------

Arsenal 3 - 1 Liverpool

[Martinmarx]

Still, 37 games to go and the goal we conceded was a fantastic individual one. Sometimes it happens. It wasn't blatantly poor defending, which is encouraging.

Agree to disagree. Beg you to closely watch Flanno's acting after the cross' made. League 2 standard IMHO. A dreamgoal it was and true enough they happen and this time due to juniorlike defending. One ought to have a more critical perspective than that tho. How did we respond? Did we respond? Did our response merit a win? No, no and no, would be the correct answer to those three questions and that's kind of worrying for a title-challenging side, if you go by what the fans say that is. 

[Juan]

Still, 37 games to go and the goal we conceded was a fantastic individual one. Sometimes it happens. It wasn't blatantly poor defending, which is encouraging.

I disagree Tes. It was a well taken goal but Flanagans defending was appalling. Larson was left unmarked at the back. I dont like singling out a player so young, hes bound to make mistakes while developing into a decent player but today I felt he looked out of his depth.

Liverpool started brilliantly. On another day Sunderland would have been a man down but the ref bottled it for the sending off. Carrolls goal was perfectly good  which should have put us 2 up. Downing looked ferocious as did Adam in the first 30 but after that it all seemed to go wayward. Henderson didnt really get into the game and at this early stage Im worried that hes going to be pushed out wide when thats not his position.

Very disappointing start to the season same old story, by Monday evening we'll most likely be already 2 points behind on last seasons top 3. Saying that it is only the first game, we have alot of new players and now its up to Kenny to find a way to make this team tick as soon as he possibly can. Theres still a huge case for bringing in 2 top centre backs. For the first 30 Carragher and Agger looked untroubled but in the second half there were times when we looked ragged at the back.

Anyway footballs back and its onwards and hopefully upwards from here.

[the dude abides]

anyone know officially why richardson was allowed to stay on the pitch?

[Juan]

Dowd tried to say that the ball was moving away from goal hence it wasnt a definite goal scoring opportunity. The fact that Suarez was rounding the keeper and rolling the ball into an empty net doesnt seem to have mattered. Was furious with all of the decisions Brown got his way too. The games top brass try to push these respect the ref campaigns on clubs which of course is fine but its not okay when the games offiicials consistently make awful mistakes. The PL is meant to be the top league in the world but the officiating today was sunday league at best.

[the dude abides]

totally agree, Juan.

it was sunday pub league officiating today.

and you could see it among our lads - who were getting increasingly furious during the second half.

if that penalty incident was not a definitive example of what this specific rule is all about, then I do not know what is.  You are clean through, about to pull the trigger, and the last defender takes you out. Red card.

but our crowd let the ref off far too light. He should have been booed and barracked the rest of the game.  He got off way way too light. 

Respect campaign, my bottom.  Respect in life, is earned.

[Tes]

I disagree Tes. It was a well taken goal but Flanagans defending was appalling. Larson was left unmarked at the back.

Agreed Juan. What I was meaning was that it wasn't a blatantly poor piece of defending which gave them a goal on a plate (ie a free header or tap in from six yards out). If we're going to use young players they are going to need to be talked through the game by more senior partners and the senior players have to be more aware. After our pre-season defending nightmares, I'm trying to see positives ans look for silver linings, however dull the lustre on the silver is.

[Tes]

...............and that's kind of worrying for a title-challenging side, if you go by what the fans say that is.

I'm not sure that many fans 'really' think we're a title challenging team. Bravado and over optimism is never far from the surface but we're still attempting to increase the quality of the squad to that approaching the teams ahead of us and with adding a lot of players in one go, consistancy will always take time to develop. Hope, rather than expectation should be the word this season.

[Juan]

Ayala gone to Norwich. Hopefully that frees up some more cash. I see Poulsen has also admitted defeat and is looking to leave. Not a moment too soon, never been good enough, not his fault but just a fact.

The positives I see from today Tes, Dude, Martin is that A) its glaringly obvious in front of Henry and his wife today that we need at least 1 centre back so maybe he will leave his cheque book open and B) after watching the first 20-30 minutes we are going to destroy some of the lesser teams this year. The attacking threat possible is mouthwatering and I would worry for some of the lesser teams if we start to click because I think we will blow them away.

[the dude abides]

after watching the first 20-30 minutes we are going to destroy some of the lesser teams this year. The attacking threat possible is mouthwatering and I would worry for some of the lesser teams if we start to click because I think we will blow them away.

agreed, Juan.

and that assault on the lesser teams should have started this afternoon.

after 30 minutes, I could see sunderland were there for a walloping.

we need some tiger in our blood (doing my charlie sheen impression now).

man utd's lads have tiger in their blood and the scent of prey in their nostrils.

we need to step up to the plate.

[Juan]

Hope, rather than expectation should be the word this season.

Agreed Tes. And I think its still fair to say we can still hope for some sort of title challenge.

One thing I think the players can expect this season is not to have the liuxury of excuses. Now they do have a genuine excuse today  of being unfamiliar with each other, plus they have all of the hype and expectation that goes along with the start of a new season. But what they can no longer do is look at other teams and say they have spent more money than us. The investment excuse cant be used. If we are not good enough at times this year we are not good enough but we are mixing amongst the elite clubs now in terms of spending. Granted it could take a season or two to see the real results of our spending emerge but as a club we cant hide behind the spending excuse.

Im glad today is over, I look forward to the transfer window closing and getting whatever deals left to be done finalised. Im also looking forward to the reintroduction of Stevie. I dont envy Kennys job of trying to find the best side. Maybe he will go back to some of the players like Maxi and Meireles who flourished last year. One things for sure we are a million miles from where we were this time last year.

[Juan]

agreed, Juan.

and that assault on the lesser teams should have started this afternoon.

after 30 minutes, I could see sunderland were there for a walloping.

we need some tiger in our blood (doing my charlie sheen impression now).

man utd's lads have tiger in their blood and the scent of prey in their nostrils.

we need to step up to the plate.

Things could be worse, we could support Arsenal! How frustrated must their fans be.

Still laughing at your suggestion in another post that it was Ed who caused the riots.