Season 2012-2013

[Martinmarx]

there is now terrible pressure on us to get a result today.   And pressure is not a good thing to have on you, when you need to play good football.

Good fornicating thing then we played good footy. In fact, we outplayed them in every department, bar individual mistakes. I was gutted with the result but with a few hours to think the game through I'm thrilled by our performance. Here we are, a shattered club, a team looking for a new identity and we go on and drive them over. They had absofuckinglutely nothing beside what we gave them.

I'm not gonna get this performance see me lose my judgement but if we can perform this well already I know we're gonna make some great improvement on the last 5 years this season.

Also, Dude, did you question Rafa after two games, let alone, two seasons of robotic, "I rather draw than win a game" crap footy? No, I didn't think so either and there goes your credibility as far as mocking "Brenny" goes". So there.

[Martinmarx]

I would also like to give a special mention to Sterling who owned much of the first half. He did more in half than that useless tit Downing did in a whole season. Surely he must start for us now altho - given his age - he'll perform very inconsistently. His attitude and desire's pricless though. THAT's exactly what this team and club's been yearing for, for so long. And Allen of course. What a brilliant signing. Bestest since Alonso (tho Rafa was just lucky on that one).

[barticus]

Gotta say that we played pretty well...ok skrtel made the balls up gifting tevez but it happens...could have been a whole lot worse...

[Tes]

Gotta say that we played pretty well...ok skrtel made the balls up gifting tevez but it happens...could have been a whole lot worse...

I guess if we look at it in a positive way, then the signs are good. City didn't take us apart, we were the architects of our own downfall. If we can stop making daft individual errors then it could be promising.

The worrying thing is that we have been poor defensively in both league games so far. If we can tighten up at the back without losing the attacking threat we've shown, then great.
It's a test of Rodgers' coaching to see whether he can improve us defensively. In that respect it's a shame that FSG got rid of Clarke before Rodgers was appointed. Whilst there's probably no evidence to suggest that our strong defensive performance was down to him in any way, there's no doubt that so far in the two league games we haven't look as sure at the back as we did when he was here.

[Juan]

I have Reina at fault for the first. His contact should have been much firmer. Good to see having played Carra on Thursday, Rodgers put his trust in Coates, who considering their attacking quality, handled himself well, especially when you factor in his lack of PL experience. As Juan said the second half of the season is going to have a run of three massively tough games, we need to make sure we take advantage of the good situation we put ourselves in today, twice.

Two mistakes but Tes as you say we have to learn from it. If it makes Skrtel think before he makes a backpass again this season then hopefully he will have learned something. IF he can cut out the concentration lapses we could be defensively solid enough considering we havent strengthened that department this summer.

There were alot of positives Id take from the way Rodgers handled things. Its the first game we have started to see Rodgers style rub off, we played very well. When Lucas came off after a few minutes I was expecting a defensive minded substitution but it was good to see us reshuffle and bring on Shelvey. Last season we possibly would have seen Spearing or Carragher come on in midfield. The willingness to give Sterling a run again a huge positive. Hes clearly showing better form than the likes of Downing and its good to see him rewarded with a start. I dont expect him to play every week, I just worry about who will take his place because downing certainly hasnt given the same assured quality performances.  Allen was another huge plus. The fact that Coates got a game with Carragher resigned to the bench shows that maybe Rodgers is going to give players their opportunity on merit and not because who they are. Very early days, I hope we can repeat that performance against Arsenal but despite being clawed back it was definitely a huge improvement already. I reckon Dude you would even agree for the first time in a while the team looked like it had balance!

[Juan]

Surely he must start for us now altho - given his age - he'll perform very inconsistently. His attitude and desire's pricless though. THAT's exactly what this team and club's been yearing for, for so long.

With a performance like that you would expect him to be one of the first names on the teamsheet. But I think given his age he will probably used more sparingly than we would like. What Id worry about is who will take Sterlings place when hes not in the team because Downing hasnt proven to be an able replacement. Like Sterling we need someone who wont fail to deliver.

[the dude abides]

I'm not gonna get this performance see me lose my judgement but if we can perform this well already I know we're gonna make some great improvement on the last 5 years this season.

Also, Dude, did you question Rafa after two games, let alone, two seasons of robotic, "I rather draw than win a game" crap footy? No, I didn't think so either and there goes your credibility as far as mocking "Brenny" goes". So there.

listen Martin, my credibility is fine......yours however has been on the line, ever since craving the dismissal of rafa benitez (and us struggling ever since).

rafa benitez took us to number one ranked club in Europe....and two CL finals.........despite knee-jerkers, toys from pram tantrum throwers, and judases (like you) shi.tting all over him.

we played excellently yesterday and I hope we can continue doing so (especially when away from home and when we have to change tactics).  Falling behind at WBA suggested that Swansea fans had a point (when they suggested Brendan struggled away from home)

but getting our first point of the season, and against last year's premiership champions, is hardly sufficient reason to start preening yourself, and counting your chickens, and firing abuse.

unlike you, I want the club to succeed regardless of who the manager is. 

I do not worship individuals.  Instead I give respect linked to the quality of product and achievement.

Brendan Rodgers has a long way to go.  I hope that he takes the club forward.  And I hope that he learns to fall out of love with microphones and learns some humility.

But we played well yesterday.  And that is recognised.  Hopefully we can go on a run, and plant ourselves in the top section of the table.  Time will tell.

[the dude abides]

And Allen of course. What a brilliant signing. Bestest since Alonso (tho Rafa was just lucky on that one).

you just cannot stop knocking Benitez, can you.

[the dude abides]

like for last year's penalty, City claim they were hard done by, for the freekick award that led to Suarez's goal.

but from the pic above, it looks like a clear hand-ball.

the lad looks like he was caught in the midst of doing the hokey-kokey.

[Martinmarx]

you just cannot stop knocking Benitez, can you.

Come on Dude, that was a joke, or at least a poor attempt at it. I was sure even you could tell.

[the dude abides]

I still think (despite yesterday's great team performance) that we will struggle to score the number of goals that we need.

Suarez, great chance maker that he is, is not a centre-forward.  He is nowhere near clinical enough. 

I wonder if Borini is good enough to lead the line.  I am unsure of his past.  But we need someone else (i.e. not Suarez) to convert our chances.

[Ed]

but getting our first point of the season, and against last year's premiership champions, is hardly sufficient reason to start preening yourself, and counting your chickens, and firing abuse.

Under the circumstances, with Lucas going off and Agger suspended, we did ok and
the effort couldn't be faulted. Early early days. Young Allen has a cool head, Stevie ran
his heart out, as did Suarez, Skrtel scored a bullet (should be doing it more often, imo).

Hopefully there are signs that we do have an amount of depth and a good spirit in the side.

Let's not kid ourselves though, there was a lot of hairbrained stuff, giving away possession
needlessly, not enough slowing the game down and controlling it. Anyway there was nothing
approaching what Lucas did to them last season which was wrestle the game off them and
assert dominance. The manager should be heartened by the performance the lads put in but
disgusted by the manner we threw it away.

We move on and hopefully have learned something but not getting carried away at all (Southampton
I'm sure we're equally spirited against them last week).

[Martinmarx]

I still think (despite yesterday's great team performance) that we will struggle to score the number of goals that we need.

Suarez, great chance maker that he is, is not a centre-forward.  He is nowhere near clinical enough. 

I wonder if Borini is good enough to lead the line.  I am unsure of his past.  But we need someone else (i.e. not Suarez) to convert our chances.

Yepp, yepp, yepp. This I agree with wholeheartedl. I always thought Suarez was brought in to play in a role similar to Kenny. But seeing as Borini is the essential alternative, and my hones belief is Brendan did not sign him as a center forward, the current squad leaves him with few alternatives to playing Suarez in the middle. Here's hoping we can get Dempsey.

[Martinmarx]

Under the circumstances, with Lucas going off and Agger suspended, we did ok and
the effort couldn't be faulted. Early early days. Young Allen has a cool head, Stevie ran
his heart out, as did Suarez, Skrtel scored a bullet (should be doing it more often, imo).

Hopefully there are signs that we do have an amount of depth and a good spirit in the side.

Let's not kid ourselves though, there was a lot of hairbrained stuff, giving away possession
needlessly, not enough slowing the game down and controlling it. Anyway there was nothing
approaching what Lucas did to them last season which was wrestle the game off them and
assert dominance. The manager should be heartened by the performance the lads put in but
disgusted by the manner we threw it away.

We move on and hopefully have learned something but not getting carried away at all (Southampton
I'm sure we're equally spirited against them last week).

I agree with much of that Ed. With respect to the question of controlling games my personal guess is we're som six months short of that. To me it is apparent that the players are thinking footy, i.e., it's not "in them" just yet how to act, move and pass. As the season unfold we'll get more and more fluid and thus more capable of controlling games. But more than anything we need goals and players able to score goals. I think this will come if we can get a few wins.

[Ed]

I agree with much of that Ed. With respect to the question of controlling games my personal guess is we're som six months short of that. To me it is apparent that the players are thinking footy, i.e., it's not "in them" just yet how to act, move and pass. As the season unfold we'll get more and more fluid and thus more capable of controlling games. But more than anything we need goals and players able to score goals. I think this will come if we can get a few wins.

Ok we'll be patient then and absorb a few more system related errors (open the pod
bay door HAL) through gritted teeth 

TAW do a good Gerrard discussion round the 30 minute mark!

http://www.theanfieldwrap.com/2012/08/podcast-a-good-draw/