LFC vs Everton - post match reaction

[Tom]

The game was there for the taking. Rafa didn't have the balls to go for it but he got lucky. **** performance from the manager in my view, and shows that he's fundamentally negative in mindset.

Little he does these days makes sense to me.

Nothing he did tactically pushed the game in our favour.

Much of what he did worked against us.

Pitiful performance from Rafa in my opinion. Thankfully, despite it, we got the 3 points, more thanks to Clattenburg than the manager.

Yes, that final shout really was a pen (the first of their shouts never was in a month of Sundays).

If anyone knows why any team playing 10 men needs Sissoko in it, let me know. We were very very fortunate to have avoided the headline being "Nine Man Everton Salvage Late Draw In Derby".

I'm thrilled we won, but let's be honest about it, it showed Rafa in all his negativity.

My doubts about his leadership are firming up (yes I know that's not a popular view). But he's now in a position where, in league football, he very much needs to win me back again.

unbeaten, in the league in 3rd place, things shaping up nicely. Very brave call of rafa to bring gerrard off but absolutely right to do so. Best league start for years and we're not firing on all cylinders yet.

[Maestro]

Torres would have scored a bucket load today against this lot, we badly missed both him and Xabi today. Sissoko was utter dog **** and that's being kind to him, Pennant showed the benefit of proper width in the 5 minutes he was on and contributed to our victory.

I thought all the subs helped turn the game nomatter how bizaree they looked at the time, Lucas looks a hell of a player.

Tbh, 10 men Neverton were knackered towards the end, giving the subs much more space and time than earlier on, which gave a false impression of their contribution, imo. We should have slaughtered them in the last 15, but a combination of poor passing and finishing, as well as a less than adventurous attitude let us down.

Given the same time and space against a tiring 10 man Neverton team, Arsenal or United would have run in 3 against them without the aid of penalties.

[Joe King]

Andy Gray is the biggest C*nt in the world.

I love how Jamie Redknapp denied the second Everton penalty incident was not a penalty

Carra's celebration is a legend

[Red_Al_77]

We passed it about (instead of running with the ball a lot - Stevie's fault) as a result. At the end of the day Lucas (his replacement) should have scored.

It was scrappy because we still lack confidence. I still think we played well in patches but as long as the game went, we seem to lose the plot. That's understandable due to the current run of results. We dug deep and beat an Everton team who should have beaten United a month ago.

Steve's running with a ball won us a penalty.

[Parm]

unbeaten, in the league in 3rd place, things shaping up nicely. Very brave call of rafa to bring gerrard off but absolutely right to do so. Best league start for years and we're not firing on all cylinders yet.

[Morph]

unbeaten, in the league in 3rd place, things shaping up nicely. Very brave call of rafa to bring gerrard off but absolutely right to do so.

not while sissoko was still on the pitch it wasn't, it might have proved a point but it doesn't make it right

[Kopite_Colin]

Disagree completely Tom. Gerrard was the only player in our MF who was breaking into their half given that Kuyt was palying up top and Voronin back tracking all the time. With only 10 men there was no need for Mascher and Momo.

January can't come quick enough for me - I just hope rafa bites the bullet on our impotent strikerforce and our so-called creative wide players.

[kurtangle01]

I thought that we played wel in the second half and, despite committing daylight robbery at the end, deserved the three points.

I was pleased with how Babel, Yossi, Mascher, Lucas and Carra played. Stevie was superb today aswell, his substitution was a strange one.

Babel looked good down the right. Play him there more often.

[carrsim]

Disagree completely Tom. Gerrard was the only player in our MF who was breaking into their half given that Kuyt was palying up top and Voronin back tracking all the time. With only 10 men there was no need for Mascher and Momo.

January can't come quick enough for me - I just hope rafa bites the bullet on our impotent strikerforce and our so-called creative wide players.

stevie did **** all in the first half except leave finnan exposed time and again

and who moved him to the left where he started to have an influence on the game?

[Kaip]

Andy Gray was a joke - he acted like a tabloid journalist all day. Appalling stuff.

Sissoko was abysmal, as we all know. Delighted for Sami that we won. Mascherano did really well considering the week he had. Kuyt has incredible mental strength, but I think Rafa's system is ruining him as a player. Sad to see.

Rafa desperately needs a top class number 2 to come in. I'm really worried about the effects of Pako's departure...does he trust anyone anymore? His lineups and substitutions are very worrying of late.

Lucas had a nice little cameo, but it was only a cameo....let's not get carried away.

This result is a huge boost for us going into a difficult week, and there are many positives on the way ... namely the returns of Agger, Alonso and Torres.

Oh - and Voronin was well off the pace today. He could have had a hat-trick.

spot on

[WILF]

The game was there for the taking. Rafa didn't have the balls to go for it but he got lucky. **** performance from the manager in my view, and shows that he's fundamentally negative in mindset.

Little he does these days makes sense to me.

Nothing he did tactically pushed the game in our favour.

Much of what he did worked against us.

Pitiful performance from Rafa in my opinion. Thankfully, despite it, we got the 3 points, more thanks to Clattenburg than the manager.

Yes, that final shout really was a pen (the first of their shouts never was in a month of Sundays).

If anyone knows why any team playing 10 men needs Sissoko in it, let me know. We were very very fortunate to have avoided the headline being "Nine Man Everton Salvage Late Draw In Derby".

I'm thrilled we won, but let's be honest about it, it showed Rafa in all his negativity.

My doubts about his leadership are firming up (yes I know that's not a popular view). But he's now in a position where, in league football, he very much needs to win me back again.

Agree with all of that

Today changed my view of Rafa, I still have immense respect for him , but unless he brings in a coach to improve our attacking play I do not think he will win us no19.

He is too conservative.

I know many others have already said this, but to me today was an eye-opener.

He is playing favourites (Sissoko) to the detriment of the team.

We were without 4 players, Agger, Alonso, Arbeloa and Torres, but that is no excuse for the complete lack of shape we had for much of the match.

Having said all that , we won

[Tom]

we're 1 point behind manure - and unbeaten in the league. I just don't get it with people on here.

[Guest]

Steve's running with a ball won us a penalty.

I don't dispute that fact. He brought us out of a quagmire as a result of not taking our chances. But Rafa's tactical change when he subbed him allowed us to control the game better.

Rafa should be applauded for having the balls to sub him alone ... And he won us the game.

[alunevans]

unbeaten, in the league in 3rd place, things shaping up nicely. Very brave call of rafa to bring gerrard off but absolutely right to do so. Best league start for years and we're not firing on all cylinders yet.

We see it differently Tom. I would never leave Sissoko on and bring Gerrard off in a game we needed to win against a team with ten men in it.

If you want a match winner, Gerrard is one of them. Is Sissoko. We wouldn't have even been in the game without Gerrard. The first 10 mins were much like the previous 30 until Gerrard got us the pen and reduced them to 10 men.

I know people will quote the league position, but I remember Houllier being top of the league, and I knew in my heart of hearts we were never going to stay there.

Time is going to tell on this. Personally, I think Rafa was garbage today. If the ref had made the correct decision it would have been 2-2.

It was there for the taking, but he chose caution. Fundamentally, that worries me, because it happens too often. Perhaps its the reason why we are so inept at breaking teams down. Perhaps the fact that he played with two defensive midfielders against 10 men is an expression of the reason why we do.

Is he a manager who'll have the balls to take a team to the cleaners? My doubts are there. I'm just glad I can express them in the aftermath of a victory.

[Skillz]

We won

I overreacted during the match

Momo was ****e

SG should never have come off

Rafa really doesn't know how he won today and nor do we

Everton are a small club

We deserved to win because we created more although it was mainly crap.

Come on England.

Well in for admitting your failures.

Lucas Levia was bloody fantastic and Rafa should be applauded for the courage to make that decision. It was the right one and if not for Neville (****) he would of scored the winner