Liverpool vs Marseille - post match reaction

[desertscouser]

Can anyone explain to me sensibly why Babel didn't start tonight? Was he injured?

Saving him for Spurs. If he played tonight then he'd be too tired to play against Spurs. That's far too much for professional players these days.

[Kaip]

Rafa showed little tactical nous in this game.
Disappointed that he didn't manage to counter their domination of the middle of the park.

[alunevans]

[QUOTE=fredo;708839]

It wasn't a knock out game, was it ? The team played ****e and I don't think bringing Mascher (at that point of the game) would have changed much. Momo was awful and should have been hauled off before half time if it needed to be done.

Rafa made mistakes yes but if we end up winning the league who will remember this game ?

That's hugely defeatist fredo and you could say that no substitutions would have changed much at that point which implies none should be made. Which is a real waste of a tactical resource in my book.

But that aside, if the middle was the problem (and Rafa himself said it was) then surely thats where your first sub deals with. There was more wrong with the team than Momo I grant you, but a central midfielder who can pass a ball would surely have helped.

I'm still not sure which bigger plan he was protecting by losing this match.

Of course if we win the league nobody will remember this game, but I fail to see how losing this game or identifying but not addressing problems helps us to win the league.

[Joe King]

Saving him for Spurs. If he played tonight then he'd be too tired to play against Spurs. That's far too much for professional players these days.

Was that sarcasm?

[paulcooper4]

I think Rafa's a ****. I only switched the game on for the last 15 mins or whatever, we conceded. So what, I thought, it was the first time in my waking life that I really and I mean it did not give a **** that we conceded. It was always going to happen at some point in the past 4 years, that we concede some crazy result at Anfield. I'm glad it's happened and - after this half bottle of Gin and half bottle of JimBo - I will revel in the serious *****' reactions to the result. I'm actually enjoying it although I haven't read any replies or opinions on the game, I really enjoy the Schadenfreude thick ***** will have over this game, having heart-attacks left right and centre '****ing Rafa this, Rafa that', just **** OFF, and drivel in your own spittle LOL ****ing class, I'm loving it

Explain that or **** off to another club. Why do you not give a ****, why are you loving it and why did you only bother watching the last 15?

[desertscouser]

[QUOTE=alunevans;709018]

That's hugely defeatist fredo and you could say that no substitutions would have changed much at that point which implies none should be made. Which is a real waste of a tactical resource in my book.

But that aside, if the middle was the problem (and Rafa himself said it was) then surely thats where your first sub deals with. There was more wrong with the team than Momo I grant you, but a central midfielder who can pass a ball would surely have helped.

I'm still not sure which bigger plan he was protecting by losing this match.

Of course if we win the league nobody will remember this game, but I fail to see how losing this game or identifying but not addressing problems helps us to win the league.

I'm really hating how that quote looks like its mine. Mods (RED HOT), please ammend the error.

[Graybach]

Can't believe I took half-day for that!!

Everyhing I want to say has already been said. Momo :whatever: Wouldn't worry me if he never pulled on a red shirt ever again. In fact i think I'd prefer that.

Manager should make changes earlier in matches, I could have made that decision after 30 minutes.

Leto!! WTF is going on with him? Looked ike the answer to our dreams pre-season but **** since. I'm not giving up on him just yet, I just wish that the manager would notice it wasn't working and address the situation sooner.

With Hyppia playing we're just too deep. Best midfield in the world? Any chance of using them?

Forwards, can't really blame them tonight but maybe Kuyt would have offered more than Crouch by dropping deeper and applying his ntorious hard work.

At least we're still in this comp. and we're lucky we have the opportunity to buck up our ideas.

For the first time i'm begining to wonder if Raffa is only half the man without Pako? Hopefully that doesn't prove to be the case and we sort ourselves out by the weekend and sort out Spurs.

It's not thte end of the world but it shows that we really need to sort ourselves out.

[Shaggy]

We've got problems. This defeat has been coming - Reading aside we've been so poor since that ****ing international break.

The next one could help us. Try and struggle past Spurs, have a break and sort our ****ing heads out.

[breffniboy]

True.

but I would say the most glaringly obvious comparision is that both managers are incredibly defence minded. But there's no doubt that Rafa is 10 times the manager GH ever was.

I'd agree he's by far the better manager and the negativity aspect is the greatest similarity between them, but the rigid aherence to a stultifyingly bland mode of play that doesn't yield results and the buying of alot of good but not great players (as opposed to just ****e like Ged) all adds up to the same thing = we have neither the managerial direction, footballing philosophy nor the players of sufficient quality to land us a league title.

Anyone think after last 5 games we will mount a league challenge? I certainly don't.

[desertscouser]

I think Rafa's a ****. I only switched the game on for the last 15 mins or whatever, we conceded. So what, I thought, it was the first time in my waking life that I really and I mean it did not give a **** that we conceded. It was always going to happen at some point in the past 4 years, that we concede some crazy result at Anfield. I'm glad it's happened and - after this half bottle of Gin and half bottle of JimBo - I will revel in the serious *****' reactions to the result. I'm actually enjoying it although I haven't read any replies or opinions on the game, I really enjoy the Schadenfreude thick ***** will have over this game, having heart-attacks left right and centre '****ing Rafa this, Rafa that', just **** OFF, and drivel in your own spittle LOL ****ing class, I'm loving it

F*cking piss head.

[Jack D Rips]

That's two.

I know

[Guest]

[QUOTE=alunevans;709018]

That's hugely defeatist fredo and you could say that no substitutions would have changed much at that point which implies none should be made. Which is a real waste of a tactical resource in my book.

But that aside, if the middle was the problem (and Rafa himself said it was) then surely thats where your first sub deals with. There was more wrong with the team than Momo I grant you, but a central midfielder who can pass a ball would surely have helped.

I'm still not sure which bigger plan he was protecting by losing this match.

Of course if we win the league nobody will remember this game, but I fail to see how losing this game or identifying but not addressing problems helps us to win the league.

Rafa is very stubborn. That could be a quality as well as a negative trait. We should have faith in what he's doing if not it's pointless turning up really. It will end up like the Ged years where people were showing up only to boo the players. Not a fun sight.

[Red Chilli]

I'm really hating how that quote looks like its mine. Mods (RED HOT), please ammend the error.

I thought it sounded a bit odd coming from you.

[SRR]

Solving it is easy. Gerrard in midfield is not working, he may lead the attack but his ability to win the 2nd ball is zero. OUr winless streak has conincided exactly with his return to the first team.

Real issue is, does Rafa have the balls to drop him?

Was just about to post the same, Gerrard has come back in and we have struggled. Gerrard is class, but he is playing **** at the minute, I was dissapointed that he chose England over Liverpool and that hasn't helped his injury. Fact - he should have not gone on international duty with a broken toe and he should remember who pay's his wages each week as well. I can't see Gerrard being dropped until Alonso is back though - Alonso and mascher works well.

[RedJedi]

Well that was worth rushing home from Leeds for.

Cant even be arsed slagging anyone off, they know they were ****, Rafa knows he got it wrong.

Time to take a long hard look at them selves and come out and play the way a Liverpool team should.