Season 2014/15

[Tes]

I'm gonna stick my head out yet again and maintain this was another step forward.

In the second half. Once we stopped the first half's panicky hoofed clearances, and attempted to keep possession, we broke up their momentum and even built up some of our own.

We lack that focal point up front for the likes of Lallana and Sterling to play off. Markovic showed a few signs here and there, though at this stage of his career, putting a £20M price tag around his neck was the worse thing possible.

[barticus]

Disbelief when i saw the line up. So we work hard all last season to get Champs league only to put out the reserve team? Considering Real were a bit lacklustre last night we might have even been able to get something from it. What about the players wanting to do their stuff on one of the worlds biggest stages? Sterling can play against Hull and in the Carling Cup but 20 mins against Real at the Bernabeu?
With a few tweaks like dropping Johnson, Lovren and getting Gerrard the hell out of defensive midfield, we could have showed a fairly decent fight. Borini plays but Balotelli doesnt?
Methinks there will be some pissed off players at Melwood this morning.

[the dude abides]

Rodgers is well and truly doomed if the strait jacket that is RAWK is anything less than holding out their tongues for the sweat from under our manager's (any manager of our's) armpit. 

 

there will be show-trials held by the Beijing RAWK regime this week.

many have stepped out of line and questioned the master.   

Are you, or have you ever been, a member of the Church of the Latter-Day Dude (Dudeism)?

[the dude abides]

So let me get this right.

We were saving ourself last night, because we want to do well this weekend in the league, so that we can get a top four spot, so that we can qualify for next season's champions league??  Bizarre.

I can never recall, in my lifetime, ever flying the white flag of surrender before a game.   Goodness knows what Rafa would have felt, seeing our lineup last night in Madrid.  Even the bookies were in unchartered territory, offering 16/1 for Liverpool to get a win.

To me it looked like a Reading/Swansea level type boss, in charge of a club that has far higher expectations, than his abilities can deliver.  It was like Mike Bassett, England Manager.  Our lad was in waters that were way above his head - and he knew it.

It took us an hour to get a shot at Madrid.  Overall, Madrid had 25 shots, we had four.

Rodgers is close to the end of his time in charge at Anfield.  And he knows it.

What I wonder (and I mentioned this a few days ago), is whether he has (at this point) lost the confidence of the dressing room. 

[Ed]

So let me get this right.

We were saving ourself last night, because we want to do well this weekend in the league, so that we can get a top four spot, so that we can qualify for next season's champions league??  Bizarre.

I can never recall, in my lifetime, ever flying the white flag of surrender before a game.   Goodness knows what Rafa would have felt, seeing our lineup last night in Madrid.  Even the bookies were in unchartered territory, offering 16/1 for Liverpool to get a win.

To me it looked like a Reading/Swansea level type boss, in charge of a club that has far higher expectations, than his abilities can deliver.  It was like Mike Bassett, England Manager.  Our lad was in waters that were way above his head - and he knew it.

It took us an hour to get a shot at Madrid.  Overall, Madrid had 25 shots, we had four.

Rodgers is close to the end of his time in charge at Anfield.  And he knows it.

What I wonder (and I mentioned this a few days ago), is whether he has (at this point) lost the confidence of the dressing room. 

Good points Dude about Europe and the dressing room (Agger).

I don't think Fergie as manager of Aberdeen or Rafa
with Valencia would share his mindset. The whole thing
reminded me of when a dog is scared and submissively
pees in front of their owner.

I think he's panicking ahead of the Chelsea game?

If we lose that, we'll be 15 points behind them.

[Martinmarx]

So let me get this right.

We were saving ourself last night, because we want to do well this weekend in the league, so that we can get a top four spot, so that we can qualify for next season's champions league??  Bizarre.

I can never recall, in my lifetime, ever flying the white flag of surrender before a game.   Goodness knows what Rafa would have felt, seeing our lineup last night in Madrid.  Even the bookies were in unchartered territory, offering 16/1 for Liverpool to get a win.

To me it looked like a Reading/Swansea level type boss, in charge of a club that has far higher expectations, than his abilities can deliver.  It was like Mike Bassett, England Manager.  Our lad was in waters that were way above his head - and he knew it.

It took us an hour to get a shot at Madrid.  Overall, Madrid had 25 shots, we had four.

Rodgers is close to the end of his time in charge at Anfield.  And he knows it.

What I wonder (and I mentioned this a few days ago), is whether he has (at this point) lost the confidence of the dressing room.

Surely, you can do better than that, Dude? Rafa did this time and time again, although the other way round, to disastrous effect. You already made up your mind, and that's OK with me, but don't confuse that with how things actually are. For instance, your claim Rodgers is near the end of his time at Anfield us just wishful thinking. We both know he'll be here throughout the season.

I'm not here to defend Rodgers but in honesty I think it is only fair he tries something new to get the squad going for up til last night we were pretty fornicating far from OK thus far. Progression to the last 16 is still very much in our hands and in reality beating Ludogretz away (by no means an easy task) might be enough to see us needing a point at home to Basel to secure it.

All in all, I'm very much behind this "shake up", if that's what you want to call it. The important thing now for Rodgers, is to follow it up by starting some of the "reserves" on Saturday after a splendid performance last night. I would name Toure, Borini and Can, besides the rest of the back 4. It would also make Rodgers stand out as a credible man having tits like Linker eating humble pie en masse. At the same time if Henderson and Sterling starts he may well live to regret this decision.

I'm not sure whether we'll get a result against the Chavs or not, but I do know Rodgers have done what he can to create a siege mentality, a refusal to be the clowns if you like.

Being realistic me too realise he's playing a high risk game here where a heavy defeat might haunt him for months.

[Edward224]

Agreed Martin ultimately only time will tell on this issue.

[the dude abides]

Surely, you can do better than that, Dude? Rafa did this time and time again, although the other way round, to disastrous effect.

Call me a masochist.

But I would like to see more of Rafa doing "this time and time again" to "disastrous effects"

 

[the dude abides]

David Moyes has a better record at Man Utd than Van Gaal.

[Martinmarx]

Call me a masochist.

But I would like to see more of Rafa doing "this time and time again" to "disastrous effects"

 

That's cheap even for you! 

[Martinmarx]

David Moyes has a better record at Man Utd than Van Gaal.

Indeed intruiging stats that. Give it another 10 games and I fear the balance has shifted to LFV's advantage.

[the dude abides]

That's cheap even for you! 

 

Martin, you'll not thank me for this.  But there is an article today in the Daily Star linking Rafa with a move back to Anfield (replacing Rodgers).  The bookies have Rafa as the top bet - he is 6/1

[the dude abides]

Indeed intruiging stats that. Give it another 10 games and I fear the balance has shifted to LFV's advantage.

I dunno.

His fortunes will improve at Old Trafford.    But I said it several times since Fergie left......that it does not matter who replaces Fergie, because he was a one-off and is irreplaceable.

The United era of total dominance is over. 

And the scary thing is, they have went out and spent a boat-load of money on these new players.   And they were already in many hundreds of millions of debt.

If United fail to make the top 4 this season, we are going to see very interesting times ahead.

But to force United out of that top 4, LIVERPOOL need to get their finger out.....and soon.

[Ed]

If United fail to make the top 4 this season, we are going to see very interesting times ahead.

But to force United out of that top 4, LIVERPOOL need to get their finger out.....and soon.

Van Gaal is a slow starter. They're a massive club and
can afford to throw money around in search of a solution.

We on the other hand spent £120 million and appear to have
very little to show for it.

Idiots in the press and Rodgers talk about performance now
in games. It's plain and simple a results business. Real have
12 points and top the group. I think we have 3 and
will be 15 behind Chelsea if we lose Saturday.

Performance is what small clubs talk about, results is what big clubs are about.

Sure, Rodgers has time yet to turn it round this season, every
manager (except maybe Roy Hodgson) is entitled to that but if a
manager goes out and spends £120 million in the transfer business,
they're aren't any excuses and who in their right mind would give
him another £120 million come the Summer.

So he has made his bed and we expect results.

[Martinmarx]

Van Gaal is a slow starter. They're a massive club and
can afford to throw money around in search of a solution.

We on the other hand spent £120 million and appear to have
very little to show for it.

Idiots in the press and Rodgers talk about performance now
in games. It's plain and simple a results business. Real have
12 points and top the group. I think we have 3 and
will be 15 behind Chelsea if we lose Saturday.

Performance is what small clubs talk about, results is what big clubs are about.

Sure, Rodgers has time yet to turn it round this season, every
manager (except maybe Roy Hodgson) is entitled to that but if a
manager goes out and spends £120 million in the transfer business,
they're aren't any excuses and who in their right mind would give
him another £120 million come the Summer.

So he has made his bed and we expect results.

I agree in large parts with that Ed but I wonder whether it's fair to say it's Rodgers alone who spwent on a shopping Spree? I thought it was this transfer committee?