LIVERPOOL (A) WED OCT 19TH

OldCastleSwift

Slacker said:

OldCastleSwift said:

Hamstew said:

Proud of them for that half.

But a game is 90-95 minutes. We have to learn to do it for a whole game.

Fed up of being the plucky losers. We went at them in the second half and should have got at least a point really. Whether it's Moyes or the players, we need to be braver. Never going to be regular top 7 contenders if we never learn to take these teams on away from home.

Have you considered that if we are more attacking from the off against elite teams we would possibly be 3 or 4 down by half time?

We could have been tonight. They scored, hit the post and had numerous other chances. We were completely dominated in the first half.

We got at them in the second half and should have got a point at least.

I know which approach I'd have preferred.

thornburyiron

Thing is but for a brilliant intervention by Milner, Soucek would probably have put that chance away.
We’ve lost twice now by 1-0 having missed a penalty each time. Bowen’s was extremely poor being telegraphed, softly hit and 4 foot off the ground.

buffybegood

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years said:

Moyes will still start Soucek at the weekend and we will be there 90 minutes later saying that Soucek shouldn't be starting

Nothing I've seen says Soucek shouldn't be starting at the weekend, I struggle to see why he's being made a scapegoat atm.

Hamstew

Well I'm still proud of them. Bowen not scoring his pen and Moyes setting up defensively isn't going to change my opinion.

Slacker

OldCastleSwift said:

Slacker said:

OldCastleSwift said:

Hamstew said:

Proud of them for that half.

But a game is 90-95 minutes. We have to learn to do it for a whole game.

Fed up of being the plucky losers. We went at them in the second half and should have got at least a point really. Whether it's Moyes or the players, we need to be braver. Never going to be regular top 7 contenders if we never learn to take these teams on away from home.

Have you considered that if we are more attacking from the off against elite teams we would possibly be 3 or 4 down by half time?

We could have been tonight. They scored, hit the post and had numerous other chances. We were completely dominated in the first half.

We got at them in the second half and should have got a point at least.

I know which approach I'd have preferred.

Do you seriously think that we could’ve played the whole match in the way we played the second half against Liverpool at Anfield?

BubblesNeverDies

Still at least Spuds are losing at OT.

Lukerz

Yeoldhammer said:

need to start getting points on the board again, feels like we are just being dragged into this little relegation pot at the bottom.

No way we will be near that come May

OldCastleSwift

Slacker said:

OldCastleSwift said:

Slacker said:

OldCastleSwift said:

Hamstew said:

Proud of them for that half.

But a game is 90-95 minutes. We have to learn to do it for a whole game.

Fed up of being the plucky losers. We went at them in the second half and should have got at least a point really. Whether it's Moyes or the players, we need to be braver. Never going to be regular top 7 contenders if we never learn to take these teams on away from home.

Have you considered that if we are more attacking from the off against elite teams we would possibly be 3 or 4 down by half time?

We could have been tonight. They scored, hit the post and had numerous other chances. We were completely dominated in the first half.

We got at them in the second half and should have got a point at least.

I know which approach I'd have preferred.

Do you seriously think that we could’ve played the whole match in the way we played the second half against Liverpool at Anfield?

Why not? This isn't the Liverpool of a few years back. Brighton and Palace both got a point at Anfield. Fulham and Everton have also kept them to a point at home.

We were far too timid and nervous in that first half, but a completely different team in the second. Absolutely no reason why we couldn't have played with the same intent and aggression in the first 45 as we did in the second, IMO.

alderz

Slacker said:

OldCastleSwift said:

Slacker said:

OldCastleSwift said:

Hamstew said:

Proud of them for that half.

But a game is 90-95 minutes. We have to learn to do it for a whole game.

Fed up of being the plucky losers. We went at them in the second half and should have got at least a point really. Whether it's Moyes or the players, we need to be braver. Never going to be regular top 7 contenders if we never learn to take these teams on away from home.

Have you considered that if we are more attacking from the off against elite teams we would possibly be 3 or 4 down by half time?

We could have been tonight. They scored, hit the post and had numerous other chances. We were completely dominated in the first half.

We got at them in the second half and should have got a point at least.

I know which approach I'd have preferred.

Do you seriously think that we could’ve played the whole match in the way we played the second half against Liverpool at Anfield?

Personally, yes.

Slacker

Sorry, can’t agree. We would’ve opened ourselves up to a possible battering IMO.

Hamstew

Should have beaten Forest and Southampton and we'd be up around the top 6. Hopefully we'll get a run of luck soon.

alderz

Slacker said:

Sorry, can’t agree. We would’ve opened ourselves up to a possible battering IMO.

But the point for me is that we regularly set up to keep it tight against big teams, and we almost always lose. I’d rather get beat trying to take the game to teams than get beat being passive.

Slacker

I’m with you to a degree Alderz but the opposition strengths have to be taken into account which is where the coaches/ manager set up the side.

OldCastleSwift

Slacker said:

Sorry, can’t agree. We would’ve opened ourselves up to a possible battering IMO.

But I don't get this logic. We attacked them in the second half and didn't open ourselves up to a battering, so why would it have been any different in the first half?

Slacker

OldCastleSwift said:

Slacker said:

Sorry, can’t agree. We would’ve opened ourselves up to a possible battering IMO.

But I don't get this logic. We attacked them in the second half and didn't open ourselves up to a battering, so why would it have been any different in the first half?

Because,as I said previously,we couldn’t have done that for 90 minutes against Liverpool at Anfield.

Slacker

Actually I don’t think we were that negative in the first half, we just gave the ball away too much and you can’t do that against the top teams and get away with it.

OutcastLondoner

Slacker said:

I’m with you to a degree Alderz but the opposition strengths have to be taken into account which is where the coaches/ manager set up the side.

I think he got that part wrong though. By defending deep without pressure we allowed Thiago freedom. His passes gave them that Darwin half volley and also was the pass that went to the Tsimikas, who crossed in for the goal, I believe. We shouldn’t have sat off them so much when they had the ball.

A big part of what changed in the game was Thiago went off.

I think we were quite positive in the first half when we had the ball but weren’t active enough about getting it back.

chicagohammer

For me, I consider it a testament that we were away at Anfield and feel that we only have ourselves to blame in not getting something out of that game.

I always feel better when we end the game on the front foot and that was certainly the case today, as always, we were too respectful for the first 30 or so minutes and I fail to understand why we start off with that mindset.

I am feeling confident as I think we are better than our league position indicates, I am pretty sure that we will pick up a few results and start to look a bit more secure.

Bazshuayi

I would like to do the next match thread... and by that I mean if Steve could help me do the next match thread I'd appreciate it. As in could you write it for me

MunichHammer

I was busy preparing lessons for most of the match and couldn't follow much but what i saw was good in my opinion. As has been said before, the fact that we believe we could/should have got something from this game (and should have got a point v Chelsea) shows how much we have improved in recent times.

alderz

Slacker said:

I’m with you to a degree Alderz but the opposition strengths have to be taken into account which is where the coaches/ manager set up the side.

I broadly agree with this. I guess my frustration is that I feel like the manager does a great job at preparing for strengths AND exposing weaknesses when we are against any team outside of the Sky 6 (and Spurs to an extent). But when we play big sides I think we show too much respect, and we don’t try to expose their weaknesses in the same way.

Hamstew

alderz said:

Slacker said:

I’m with you to a degree Alderz but the opposition strengths have to be taken into account which is where the coaches/ manager set up the side.

I broadly agree with this. I guess my frustration is that I feel like the manager does a great job at preparing for strengths AND exposing weaknesses when we are against any team outside of the Sky 6 (and Spurs to an extent). But when we play big sides I think we show too much respect, and we don’t try to expose their weaknesses in the same way.

Exactly this for me. It'll be the same against Man U in a few weeks.

OldCastleSwift

Slacker said:

Actually I don’t think we were that negative in the first half, we just gave the ball away too much and you can’t do that against the top teams and get away with it.

All about opinions, but I think we were. We played with four defenders, three defensive midfielders and one of the attacking three (Fornals) is arguably our most defensively-minded forward.

Liverpool have an obvious weakness at right back and we did nothing to exploit it in the first half.

Personally, I think that's a negative approach. Some will say sensible, some will say pragmatic, I say negative. Each to their own.

Just frustrated that there have been so many missed opportunities this season already. Forest, Chelsea, Southampton, Liverpool; all games that we deserved more from but only got one point from.

Lukerz

I didn’t like the first 40 minutes, we grew noticeably after the penalty. I wouldn’t say we were negative. We started the game quite well & forced them into turning over the ball but were just abysmal in possession. Our whole first half can be summarised by how bad we were with the ball. I didn’t think the side he picked was a bad side, but not sure why Downes seemed to be on the right unless it was a midfield diamond. Looking at it as a 4-3-3, I thought it was a decent side. Scamacca struggled in this one after 4 of 5 good games.

Second half we were a lot better with the ball, which got us in & around their box on a few occasions, but again we were wasteful with our decisions & final bits of play. We didn’t help ourselves with the missed penalty & Soucek, whilst a good block, should have scored his chance at the end.

I thought we actually defended very well apart from Johnson giving their LB too much space to cross for the goal. Nunez was always going to beat Kehrer in the air. We were a little lucky in the first half, but we defended pretty well most of the game & have done all season.

I just get frustrated how we, given the quality of attacking players, don’t do ourselves justice. Attitude was good, defensively was good, Rice was good, Fab was good. But we just let ourselves down repeatedly & we’re better than that & it’s a shame we don’t show it.

BubblesNeverDies

So who's going to be taking penalties now?
Because of his confidence and a degree of arrogance, I propose Scamacca.

Lukerz

Paqueta himself says he’s out for 2 weeks on Instagram.

Ravel49

Re pens Scam the man 🔫 3/3 from his Sassuolo days

Yeoldhammer

I would give Pens to Scam, the guy absolutely leathers a football, i think when it comes to Pens power is usually better than finesse.

Lukerz

Nothing wrong with Bowen taking pens. He’s taken a few for us & scored all of them. All players miss.

IronHerb

OldCastleSwift said:

Slacker said:

OldCastleSwift said:

Slacker said:

OldCastleSwift said:

Hamstew said:

Proud of them for that half.

But a game is 90-95 minutes. We have to learn to do it for a whole game.

Fed up of being the plucky losers. We went at them in the second half and should have got at least a point really. Whether it's Moyes or the players, we need to be braver. Never going to be regular top 7 contenders if we never learn to take these teams on away from home.

Have you considered that if we are more attacking from the off against elite teams we would possibly be 3 or 4 down by half time?

We could have been tonight. They scored, hit the post and had numerous other chances. We were completely dominated in the first half.

We got at them in the second half and should have got a point at least.

I know which approach I'd have preferred.

Do you seriously think that we could’ve played the whole match in the way we played the second half against Liverpool at Anfield?

Why not? This isn't the Liverpool of a few years back. Brighton and Palace both got a point at Anfield. Fulham and Everton have also kept them to a point at home.

We were far too timid and nervous in that first half, but a completely different team in the second. Absolutely no reason why we couldn't have played with the same intent and aggression in the first 45 as we did in the second, IMO.

This is not the Liverpool from earlier in the season. They battered us in the first half and 10 minutes into the second half Klopp changed his tactics. He settled for 1-0 and letting West Ham come at them with the intent of catching us on the break.
We did have a much improved second half but in some part we played as Liverpool wanted us too.

As an aside. For the first time in over 60 years of going to football I actually touched the match ball after, I think, Salah fired into the Anfield Road end. I produced a copy book throw in, hope Walker-Peters was watching, back to Fab. I will now be scanning all video and recordings in an attempt to catch the moment. 😁