Liverpool vs Marseille - post match reaction

[AFII]

I honestly think it can work, but give us a backbone rafa!!

and the players to stake a place as their own if they play good enough.

[Sir Bob]

Last night was a shockingly inept effort and we were lucky to only lose 1-0.

Ever since the Derby match we've been very poor (Reading reserves apart) and after a bright start the season is in danger of falling apart.

I'm not quite sure what the problem is but I can't believe the continual rotation of players helps matters. The team looked like strangers last night and in many ways thats not surprising. torres had never partnered Crouch before. Leto was making his big game debut. Benyoun was making about his 4th start. The trouble with continually rotating players is that the team develops no pattern of play. That instinct of knowing which runs certain players will make and when is not there. I felt sorry for Crouch & Momo last night. Both were very keen to show what they can do but they were thrown into a very dificult situation. You can't expect Crouch to produce his best form when he's hardly had a kick this season. ditto Momo.

This continual rotation must stop. New players in particular need a run in the side to get used to the style of play, to bed in. Hows that going to happen if they only play every 2 or 3 games.

We play Arsenal at home at the end of the month. Before that we play Spurs & the Bitters. The Ar5e play Sunderland & Bolton at home. If we aren't careful our league challenge will be over by the start of Nov. Rafa must ensure that doesn't happen. Stop the over rotation of players now.

[Kaip]

Kaip, the voice of reason and the moral authority on this forum.

First decent post in a long long time

[Guest]

First decent post in a long long time

I like you even though you don't like me.

[tomasjj]

First decent post in a long long time

And you know it will be 13000 posts before the next one.

[kurtangle01]

And you know it will be 13000 posts before the next one.

[tomasjj]

How's things, mate?

[CAD]

I love r benitez, and he has some incredible qualities but the odd flaw too!

His idea of squad rotation is excellent, fantastic, to have a bigger squad than most, to keep them all happy, to have the fittest team in the business end of the season, will definitely give you a better chance of success, no doubt. It is a managers dream.

I believe it is possible. But I believe that Rafa is making this harder to achieve than it actually is.

Rafa does one of two things continuosly imho. He either underestimates the opposition, or he is overconfident in his own team. He did both yesterday.

In order to make changes, to replace experienced confident pros, with unproven unconfident players, the team has to have a backbone, has to be playing at a certain level, and has to be good enough to soak up to 3/4/5 changes.

We have an excellent squad, no doubt, apart from being shy a centre half. If the team has 6 or 8 good results in a row (which we often achieve), and has used a backbone in this, then I believe it is more than possible to make 3/4/5 changes in the starting line up, without taking away from the backbone. And giving three substitute appearances to regulars/non regulars, or whoever, pretty soon everyone would be a regular without drastically distressing the confidence of the unit.

Also circumstances have to be right...ie. not away to manure, or home in the champions league when we have had a poor opening game 2 weeks prior.

But all to often the backbone is altered by more than 1 switch, which I think is madness. Over the last 2 years, the chavs have had an excellent back bone, and we have seen the results of breaking the cech terry carvalho lampard drogba chain.

I honestly think it can work, but give us a backbone rafa!!

A lot of good points. Very good post

[CAD]

And you know it will be 13000 posts before the next one.

[kurtangle01]

How's things, mate?

The family's excellent and Im starting to come round from my miserable mood after last night's debacle. All in all things are looking up!

How about you?

[tomasjj]

The family's excellent and Im starting to come round from my miserable mood after last night's debacle. All in all things are looking up!

How about you?

Ah, good to hear. Hope your son is doing fine.

Last night was hurting, but Marseille deserved it. I am baffled by Rafa's lack of response to their dominance too.

Besides that I am good.

[kurtangle01]

Ah, good to hear. Hope your son is doing fine.

Last night was hurting, but Marseille deserved it. I am baffled by Rafa's lack of response to their dominance too.

Besides that I am good.

It did take quite a bit to put last nights performance and result into perspective, didn't it? I agree though, as much as I hate to admit it, Marseille deserved to win last night. They were the better team by far and showed us exactly how to pass and move.

Hopefully things are better on Sunday and I fully expect Rafa to play as close to our best eleven as possible in order to get three points.

I must admit though that I have concerns that we're going to be playing UEFA cup football in the new year. Four wins from the next four matches is a must now if we're going to qualify. We're capable of it but we'll have to play much better than last night.

In fairness it was only a matter of time before we got caught out like we did last night with the way we've been playing.

[The Glove]

So are we in crisis like when we got beat by Burnley in the FA Cup or is this more of a 'Beaten twice in a few days by Arsenal' kinda crisis?

[kurtangle01]

So are we in crisis like when we got beat by Burnley in the FA Cup or is this more of a 'Beaten twice in a few days by Arsenal' kinda crisis?

We're not "in crisis" but we are playing poorly. A crisis would be finishing fifth and winning nothing this season.

We need to sort ourselves out for Sunday that's for sure.

[The Glove]

I read about 3 pages and we were in crisis back then. I'll carry on now with the thread, there must be a miracle cure in there somewhere between page 4 and now.