2013-2014 Season

[Tes]

Luis Alberto on for Coutinho. Coutinho's been one of the better players on show but we've lack real creativity and composure when in possession, especially second half.

[Tes]

The crowd's not done their part either, they've been subdued.

Van Pursie misses an excellent chance, we're riding our luck far too much.

[Tes]

Ground it out, and three points are three points. We need to play the second half like we've played the first.
All four games this season have seen decent first halves, but then we put ourselves in trouble by not continuing to do what has put us in a good position in the match. Early days, but it's a vast improvement on the start we made last season, and we're looking more 'realistic' in our approach, and it's paying dividends.

The international break, at least in terms on injuries, has come at the right time. We now need to push on and try and get a bit more rhythm in our play, and do it for the whole 90 minutes.

[barticus]

Ground it out, and three points are three points. We need to play the second half like we've played the first.
All four games this season have seen decent first halves, but then we put ourselves in trouble by not continuing to do what has put us in a good position in the match. Early days, but it's a vast improvement on the start we made last season, and we're looking more 'realistic' in our approach, and it's paying dividends.

The international break, at least in terms on injuries, has come at the right time. We now need to push on and try and get a bit more rhythm in our play, and do it for the whole 90 minutes.

Great result...but as you say Tes, badly fading in the second half...what happens if we don't score early? Do we have a plan B...good stuff from the lads though and considering Suarez is still banned even better...if we keep him and get a few additions, a centre back, a defensive midfielder and another attacking midfielder then we could do pretty well...waiting til the last day though is just stupid and in hindsight might cost us big style...
All in all a great result...nice to be unbeaten, no goals conceded and TOP! Not getting carried away though...

[Tes]

Great result...but as you say Tes, badly fading in the second half...what happens if we don't score early? Do we have a plan B...good stuff from the lads though and considering Suarez is still banned even better...if we keep him and get a few additions, a centre back, a defensive midfielder and another attacking midfielder then we could do pretty well...waiting til the last day though is just stupid and in hindsight might cost us big style...
All in all a great result...nice to be unbeaten, no goals conceded and TOP! Not getting carried away though...

It definitely looks like we're getting the centre half. I don't think the manager sees a need for another defensive midfielder, which seems odd. With Suarez out for such a long time at the start of the season, we could have done with Gerrard being free to play further forward to give Coutinho someone other than just Sturridge to combine with. He's definitely missing the movement and creativity of Suarez.
Aspas has made a slow start, but then the PL is very different to La Liga.
We could do with someone a bit more inspirational and inspiring than Moses, but if we've not beeen able to get positive choices, I'd rather we spent the relatively modest sum of £1M on Moses and then try and find the answer in the Winter window, tricky as it may seem. Downing certainly wasn't the answer, Assaidi wasn't given the chance to be, so let's see what Moses can offer. It's why I can't understand the lack of interest in Honda.
Here's just the sort of bright, sparky player that would help the likes of Coutinho, Sturridge and Suarez, plus he'd be another potential goal outlet too.
Hopefully Sakho with his height and strength will provide a threat when we get set pieces and tightened us up when we concede them.

It's early in the season still and we had a tougher than it should have been test in midweek and a few players looked like they were feeling the effects of midweek. The Mancs of course had longer to rest after the Chelsea game, but the manager and players need to get to grips with our lack of performances in 2nd halves.
We're doing ourselves no favours and making it harder on ourselves than we need to.

There's one positive though. We're not going out all gung ho looking to get the second goal and leaving ourselves wide open. Rodgers seems to be learning that substance before style, whilst maybe not being as pleasing on the eye, is sometimes the way you have to play it in the PL.

[barticus]

The Mail said that Ilori, Sakho and Moses were in the directors box watching todays game...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2408403/Victor-Moses-spotted-Anfield-signing-Liverpool-loan-Chelsea.html

Also was nice to see Skrtel today....

[Tes]

Also was nice to see Skrtel today....

But could be gone tomorrow as Napoli are apparently back in for him. Agger, Sakho, Toure and Ilori and Coates to pay without getting use from him for most of the season, could see Skrtel go and see us recoup a big chunk of the Sakho/Ilori outlay.

[Tes]

Unbelievably, the Guardian are talking about our title credentials:

http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2013/sep/01/liverpool-manchester-united-five-things-learned

"5) Are Liverpool and Gerrard really so far away from a first title since 1990?

Before kick-off, the home captain had said:

    "I would like to win a Premier League title but at 33 I have to be realistic and say there might only be two or three years left. Realistically I'm quite a distance away from winning the league at the moment. I have to take that on the chin, but I'll never give up fighting for it. Getting back into the Champions League might be a more achievable target – but even that is going to be difficult."

Is this a seasoned professional's realistic view of a team in transition or an overly pessimistic analysis of a side who appear to be on a particularly rapid rise?"

Yet when we won 3 on the spin last season, nobody, quite rightly so, mentioned anything. It has to be the ultimate in 'knee-jerk journalism'. It's the first three games of the season, so what?
To even consider it is stupid, but to actually write it............

[Tes]

Henry the Armenian got his first and second goals for Dortmund today. 2 goals in 3 games isn't bad, considering the step up in quality of the league. It would be nice to have the reinforcement of a midfielder to supply goals on a regular basis.

[Martinmarx]

Van Pursie misses an excellent chance, we're riding our luck far too much.

I don't think we're riding our luck mate, but we do lack control of things which is quite annoying. Less so in this game than against Villa. But as Brendan is evidently a quick learner he'll address this 2nd half problem sooner rather than later. People keep asking whether we have a plan B or not. Thing is we haven't had any use of it just yet and until we do, and depending on how we respond to it, I'll be made up to see us grind out results as opposed to outplay our opponents just to draw/lose games. I've seen United, City, Arsenal and Tottenham winning games although being far far more outplayed and out of control of things than we werein the last 2 games without hearing people calling into question those teams quality.

Again, if we can see it we can rest assured so can Brendan.

I think we've had a tremendous transfer window. We've brought in 4 quality defenders. That goes a long way to show our manager can see and address a problem properly. I am a tad worried Aspas will turn out a new Borini. He looks uncomfy and frightened to be honest. Some say he works hard but so did Riise. 

Coutinho was probably brought back down to earth yesterday. That will help him mature and improve. Henderson works but offers so little, so little in the offensive direction. Lucas keeps up giving away  rather unnecessary free-kicks in dangerous areas.

I actually think Skrtel had a tremendous game and responded well although I feel he won't play at that level for a long series of games. Johnson and Enrique showed we have, on the day, arguably two of the best full-backs in the PL.

I wish Brendan sometime would entertain the idea of making a half-time substitution to kick the team into action. We need to improve our 2nd half performances at the Liberty Stadium or I feel we'll get punished.

All in all a fantastic win that shows there's more to our manager than the alleged obsession with tiki-taka.

[Tes]

I don't think we're riding our luck mate, but we do lack control of things which is quite annoying. Less so in this game than against Villa. But as Brendan is evidently a quick learner he'll address this 2nd half problem sooner rather than later. People keep asking whether we have a plan B or not. Thing is we haven't had any use of it just yet and until we do, and depending on how we respond to it, I'll be made up to see us grind out results as opposed to outplay our opponents just to draw/lose games. I've seen United, City, Arsenal and Tottenham winning games although being far far more outplayed and out of control of things than we werein the last 2 games without hearing people calling into question those teams quality.

Again, if we can see it we can rest assured so can Brendan.

I think we've had a tremendous transfer window. We've brought in 4 quality defenders. That goes a long way to show our manager can see and address a problem properly. I am a tad worried Aspas will turn out a new Borini. He looks uncomfy and frightened to be honest. Some say he works hard but so did Riise. 

Coutinho was probably brought back down to earth yesterday. That will help him mature and improve. Henderson works but offers so little, so little in the offensive direction. Lucas keeps up giving away  rather unnecessary free-kicks in dangerous areas.

I actually think Skrtel had a tremendous game and responded well although I feel he won't play at that level for a long series of games. Johnson and Enrique showed we have, on the day, arguably two of the best full-backs in the PL.

I wish Brendan sometime would entertain the idea of making a half-time substitution to kick the team into action. We need to improve our 2nd half performances at the Liberty Stadium or I feel we'll get punished.

All in all a fantastic win that shows there's more to our manager than the alleged obsession with tiki-taka.

Aspas hasn't clicked, it's true, but whilst there's a Hendo, there's hope. The more he plays the more chance he'll get to figure out how the PL works, and what he needs to do differently. The hope I have with his sort of player is that they are technically and tactically better versed than your average British 'guts and passion' type. We've seen far better players than him seemingly struggling to a greater degree, especially when  you consider what they went on to.

We were our own worst enemies second half. We let them back in and then couldn't get get back the rhythm we'd had in the first half, and we did ride our luck. The RVP miss. That's what you call 'getting away with it'.

[Martinmarx]

Aspas hasn't clicked, it's true, but whilst there's a Hendo, there's hope. The more he plays the more chance he'll get to figure out how the PL works, and what he needs to do differently. The hope I have with his sort of player is that they are technically and tactically better versed than your average British 'guts and passion' type. We've seen far better players than him seemingly struggling to a greater degree, especially when  you consider what they went on to.

We were our own worst enemies second half. We let them back in and then couldn't get get back the rhythm we'd had in the first half, and we did ride our luck. The RVP miss. That's what you call 'getting away with it'.

I would agree when the situation ocurred I was certain he'd score, watching the behind-goal replay I really thought Mignolet covered the near post in a way it would've taken something out of the ordinary to score but then again if there's one player capable of doing that... Thought we were far more lucky on Bentekes sitter.

[Ed]

Rodge a.k.a. manager of the month (contain yourself Martin  )
looking relaxed and confident ahead of Swansea...

http://www.merseyreds.com/2013/09/13/brendan-rodgers-pre-swansea-press-conference-free-video-2/

His demeanour & voice are different from those early horror shows
last season.

Anyway, from our perspective (not the rest of the league) this game is
shaping up to be of interest. I'll take 1-0 all day!

[Tes]

I'll take 1-0 all day!

It depends whether we get the one or the zero. 

Bigger test than the last match. Let's hope everyone's up to it.

I can't believe the rubbish being written about about 'title challenges'. It's three games. No three win run at any time of the season makes you title challengers. We don't have the required squad depth or quality yet. To think otherwise is to set yourself up for a huge disappointment.

[Ed]

I can't believe the rubbish being written about about 'title challenges'. It's three games. No three win run at any time of the season makes you title challengers. We don't have the required squad depth or quality yet. To think otherwise is to set yourself up for a huge disappointment.

TITLE CHALLENGES???

Jesus, I thought it would be deemed a good start to the season,
same way we had a poor one last season.

We've won 3 games 1-0 and not played particularly well in any of
them.

Tomorrow's game is interesting because we're top of the league &
hence there's a bit of pressure to stay there. Gives an indicator
of the mental strength and determination in the side. Things which
may be useful when we go up against the big boys if a challenge
for 4th materialises.