Reading - replay

[barticus]

Dire today, even when we were laughably one up in the first half...
No creativity in midfield, headless chickens one and all
Even with Torres and Gerrard we were awful, Insua is not a defender, Carragher is getting older, Lucas, Kuyt, Aquilani, Ngog, Babel are just woeful,
Stunned at the decline but that's down to Rafa, we can blame the yanks but Alonso would still be here apart from the Barry incident
Don't care about things like laughing stock as long as we play with some passion and desire...we don;t have some divine right to win anygame but without passion, tackling and being able to pass a ball we have no chance...
Rafa has lost the dressing room, plain to see..
If we wait until the summer, we will be nowhere near 4th...if Rafa walks now then at least we have a chance...
We have to get back to basics, Dalglish can do that at least until the end of the season. Not one of those players (except maybe Degen!!!!!) deserved to be anywhere near our team last night.
Sad times...

[buck]

I have always been a backer of Rafa, but it is difficult to see how the team is to move on with him still there this season.  For whatever reason the team doesn't seem to play for him, and the way we're going by the end of the season I hate to think what position we will be in the league.
We can bash the owners for the lack of funds and promises etc but looks at the purchases Rafa made this season, and to say they have been poor is an understatement.

[Ed]

TBH, I don't really give a monkeys about the FA cup. Sure it's nice to win a trophy but it's not the competition that it was!

I still back the manager despite the results because I think he has been let down this season by the players! When you lose to minnows AT HOME, I think the players have to take the blame. There is an obsession with always blaming Rafa and instead I look for leadership on the pitch.

Nobody wants to say that the captain isn't doing his job this season. Some people don't want to question Stevie G cos of the great things that he has done for the club in the past. But psychologically I think it's all wrong there a) He's one of those guys that feels he has to carry the burden b) he's coming toward the end of his pomp picking up/recovering from injury more and has become desperate/obsessed with winning the league c) He's carried crap teams in the past and probably feels that he deserves better now.

Fine I've no problem with any of that. I do have a problem with a lack of leadership on the pitch though and this notion that certain things can't change or even be discussed. Give the captaincy to a younger, hungrier, mentally tougher guy and let Gerrard get on with adapting his game to deal with his age.

[Kopite999]

I think its time Rafa stops defending his players and really lays into them. Their the ones crossing the white line. A dose of reality and criticism and even some 'hairdryer threatment' is needed. The players should take a hard look in the mirror. For what they earn and what we pay for tickets they should be ashamed of themselves.

[Juan]

TBH, I don't really give a monkeys about the FA cup. Sure it's nice to win a trophy but it's not the competition that it was!

I still back the manager despite the results because I think he has been let down this season by the players! When you lose to minnows AT HOME, I think the players have to take the blame. There is an obsession with always blaming Rafa and instead I look for leadership on the pitch.

Nobody wants to say that the captain isn't doing his job this season. Some people don't want to question Stevie G cos of the great things that he has done for the club in the past. But psychologically I think it's all wrong there a) He's one of those guys that feels he has to carry the burden b) he's coming toward the end of his pomp picking up/recovering from injury more and has become desperate/obsessed with winning the league c) He's carried crap teams in the past and probably feels that he deserves better now.

Fine I've no problem with any of that. I do have a problem with a lack of leadership on the pitch though and this notion that certain things can't change or even be discussed. Give the captaincy to a younger, hungrier, mentally tougher guy and let Gerrard get on with adapting his game to deal with his age.

Valid points Ed.

I think Gerrard should be afforded a dip in form, an injury run or in general a season where hes not at his best. He has given so much in the last 10 years its only natural he has an off season.

As for taking the captaincy off him, theres only two other players at the club you could give it to Reina or Torres and to be honest if you gave it to one of them over Gerrard he'd be on his bike.

Just seen on SSN Torres out for 6 weeks and Gerrard out for 2 weeks, yossi out for 3 weeks.  It doesnt rain it pours on Liverpool this season.

I would like to see Rafa shore up the defence and with these injuries its about time the rest of the players in the squad prove we arent a two man team, go out and perform.

[Juan]

TBH, I don't really give a monkeys about the FA cup. Sure it's nice to win a trophy but it's not the competition that it was!

I still back the manager despite the results because I think he has been let down this season by the players! When you lose to minnows AT HOME, I think the players have to take the blame. There is an obsession with always blaming Rafa and instead I look for leadership on the pitch.

Nobody wants to say that the captain isn't doing his job this season. Some people don't want to question Stevie G cos of the great things that he has done for the club in the past. But psychologically I think it's all wrong there a) He's one of those guys that feels he has to carry the burden b) he's coming toward the end of his pomp picking up/recovering from injury more and has become desperate/obsessed with winning the league c) He's carried crap teams in the past and probably feels that he deserves better now.

Fine I've no problem with any of that. I do have a problem with a lack of leadership on the pitch though and this notion that certain things can't change or even be discussed. Give the captaincy to a younger, hungrier, mentally tougher guy and let Gerrard get on with adapting his game to deal with his age.

Valid points Ed.

I think Gerrard should be afforded a dip in form, an injury run or in general a season where hes not at his best. He has given so much in the last 10 years its only natural he has an off season.

As for taking the captaincy off him, theres only two other players at the club you could give it to Reina or Torres and to be honest if you gave it to one of them over Gerrard he'd be on his bike.

Just seen on SSN Torres out for 6 weeks and Gerrard out for 2 weeks, yossi out for 3 weeks.  It doesnt rain it pours on Liverpool this season.

I would like to see Rafa shore up the defence and with these injuries its about time the rest of the players in the squad prove we arent a two man team, go out and perform.

[Ed]

Sounds ridiculous but personally, I'm dreading Jamie Carraghers next comments on the season ditto Gerrard (if he says anything, probably too embarassed). Equally, I don't care much for the newbies spouting right on shed about this and that. I'd love someone to step up to the plate.......someone with credibility, confidence, a leader to get us to the end of the season and drag the team with them.

[Kopite999]

Disastrous news on Gerrard, Torres, and Yossi. Stoke at the weekend quickly followed by Spurs. We're in deep, deep trouble

[Ageing Stick Insect]

the game is still pretty easy....pass and move.  And when you pass, you make yourself available to receive it again.

It's so straight-forward a professional footballer should have it embedded in his DNA whatever position he plays - keeper excepted.

Instead, (and this is a massive criticism that I have always had of Gerrard) is that he passes and stands still (or often turns his frigging back).

It isn't rocket science.

I know you're not Gerrard's biggest fan and on that point we'll have to agree to disagree. I think he has fewer faults than many other players but do accept that this season especially has looked far less happy on the pitch. I do think he overhits long passes too often now. You have to give team mates a chance to be in a position to do something with the killer pass.

I recall that first season Rafa arrived at Liverpool.  And all our players put massive pressure on the opposition, when the opponents had the ball.  Two or sometimes three of our players would hound their main in possession.

But after a year or two, we stopped doing that.  We seem to have lost that work ethic.

I think we still have it but only ocasionally. Both games against Utd last season where at Anfield Keane was brilliant at this. The others then followed. But yes,  last night it was very evident how much time we gave Reading on the ball.

I sometimes wonder if we changed after Rafa fell out with Paka.  He was in charge of fitness.  We definitely are not the same hard working team that we once were.

But the manager should be aware of such a basic element of play and ensure in training it's done. Senior players should also lead by example. And I can't see Sammy letting players off the hook like that. Not sure why we don't close teams down really but they'd better start soon!

With Torres out for 6 weeks, Gerrard for 2 and Benny for 4 it's time for some of the better reserve players to be given a chance. Pachelo should definitely feature at some point on Saturday. You'll have to get up early!

[Gurdeep]

Not sure if it has been mentioned but hats off to Reading.  We were so close to winning the game 1 nil, but Reading pushed and pushed alway to the end.  Something we have not seen of our own team this season.  Where has our never die attitude gone?  There was a period in the game yesterday when I thought, yes, thats it, were starting to turn the screw against the Royals and were starting to put some consistent pressure at their back four.  Aqua man imho played well.  Lost the ball a coupla times over elaborating but on the whole thought yes, Xabi type player, quick first time passes and an eye for going forward.  That was really the only positive I took from the game.

There's alot of deadwood at Anfield, it's glaringly obvious that Rafa need's some new faces.  This years transfer activity will be critical imo as to whether or not he manages LFC in the forseeable future.