A Few points + Player Ratings

[Rocket]

None of the new summer signings have done anything to suggest they are LFC quality so far apart from Kuyt.

bellamy looks great you whinging scottish prick

hahaa.

[univofchicago]

Aurelio wasnt in the game at all tonight, surprised it took so long for Rafa to take him off. Garcia or Gonzalez should have been on far earlier to at least give them a chance to get into the game.

Yeah, I was surprised Gonzalez didn't even start! I even had him done as one of the goalscorers in MrMichael's excellent prediction game!!

Why start with Aurelio when you have Gonzalez, a natural left-winger ready to fill in the void.

Maybe Rafa has Chelsea in mind?

[Shaggy]

I can't see Speedy starting on Sunday, as much as I'd like to see him being given a proper chance to get going. Aurelio ain't the answer there, so get Gonzalez in.

[univofchicago]

I thought Bellamy was very average once again.

Bellamy will come good I'm sure.

The commentators (and myself) thought that he had a very good first half...

[Five_Times]

Yeah, I was surprised Gonzalez didn't even start! I even had him done as one of the goalscorers in MrMichael's excellent prediction game!!

Why start with Aurelio when you have Gonzalez, a natural left-winger ready to fill in the void.

Maybe Rafa has Chelsea in mind?

I can see why he started as supposedly has a good reputation of crossing the ball, Rafa did say he was a better passer than Alonso . Which we seen feck all off tonight. But when he wasnt producing, performing, he should have been taken off. 60mins, give one of the other players 30mins to at least try and do something.

[univofchicago]

I can't see Speedy starting on Sunday, as much as I'd like to see him being given a proper chance to get going.

Sadly, I am inclined to agree with you.

Aurelio at Stamford Bridge or unless Rafa is going to start with Garcia?

[Morph]

I thought Pennant had a good first half as well, looked tired in the second, don't buy all this crap that he was disinterested, he ran the socks of himself in the first half!

[Five_Times]

Sadly, I am inclined to agree with you.

Aurelio at Stamford Bridge or unless Rafa is going to start with Garcia?

We could be guessing from now to Sunday and still get it wrong

I can see Garcia playing, Aurelio looked tired tonight aswell.

[univofchicago]

I thought Pennant had a good first half as well, looked tired in the second, don't buy all this crap that he was disinterested, he ran the socks of himself in the first half!

Yeah, I thought he had a solid game...

Although I can't say the same about Zenden and Aurelio...

[blacky]

Don't know how to feel after that game. As many negatives as postives. This mass rotation of players is beginning to worry me. While I agree that players need a rest from game to game I think only one or two at a time. A team needs a few games to find it's rythm but all the tinkering Rafa is doing is preventing this. That game was there to be won tonight!!

[Sir Bob]

The result tonight was excellent in my view. away from home against the 2nd seed in the group & we had the better of a 0-0 draw.

Its no good people moaning about the team Rafa picked. Fans must understand that the 1st choice 11 can't play every game. players can't play Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday throughout the season. To those who moan about no alonso or SG etc, when would you rest them. We've got 7 games in 21 days. players aren't machines, they need rest.

Tonight was typical Rafa. Strange team selection in some ways but it was the right team. We've got a massive game on sunday, more important than tonight & most of our key players will go into it fresh.

[El Jefecito]

1. Zenden should start as a central midfielder if, and only if, 2 of Gerrard, Alonso and Sissoko are definitely unavailable. And then as the more defensive of a pair rather than the creative one.

2. Daniel Agger will replace Hyypia sooner than anyone, possibly even Rafa, thought.

3. We seem to have a squad full of squad players, players like Zenden, Aurelio, Warnock, Fowler, Pennant are ok if rotated in occasionally, 1 or 2 at a time. But if too many are played at the same time, they negatively effect the team as a whole. They can easily be passengers, who do nothing necessarily wrong, but dont add anything either. The team can carry one or maybe two of these at a time, relying on the quality of others to make the difference, but tonight for example, 4 played, and the team suffered big time, I didnt notice Zenden Pennant or Aurelio do much noteworthy, although Warnock was solid in the tackle as ever.

4. Whilst I'm completely behind him, sometimes Rafa's will to WIN games is lacking for me. Today I never felt we were going for anything bar a draw. I knew Bellamy would come off for SG, it was a defensive substitution, although as I said to a mate on MSN, he could win it with a moment of brilliance (and nearly did). This doesnt take away the essential negativity of the decision. We played 2 banks of 4 for the whole game today, with a left back (part time possibly) at left midfield for added defensive strength, and 2 defensive midfielders. Given that Pennant appeared out of his depth, where was the service to the strikers coming from, the long ball? Liverpool's mentality has always been to win games, nothing else was acceptable.

I realise this is only the first game of the champions league, and a point at the philips stadium isnt the worst result in the world, but it was the fact that we started the game with a view to a draw that disappointed me.

Player ratings:

Reina : 7/10 - One minor moment of miscommunication with Carra, but solid otherwise.

Finnan: 6/10 - Solid if unspectacular, didnt get forward as much as he does at his best. One very fine interception inside the box.

Warnock: 6/10 - See Finnan, provided a solid left side with Aurelio.

Carra: 7/10 - Did everything that was required.

Agger: 8/10 - There whenever he was needed, and distributed the ball well, one excellent challenge on the edge of the box.

Pennant: 5/10 - Ineffective, poor passing in the final third, and runs rarely came to much. Shaky when defending as well, almost let them in a couple of times as well as selling Sissoko short several times.

Sissoko: 6/10 - Not his best game, not his worst, offered little going forward though was as competitive as ever in the challenge.

Zenden: 4/10 - Dont remember an instance of me being pleased with or happy at anything he did. Frequently annoyed at his passing and weakness in the challenge.

Aurelio: 5/10 - Again, didnt do much of note, blazed over on the volley when he could have brought the ball down and kept a dangerous attack going.

Kuyt: 8/10 - A willing runner and worker, good link up and hold up play and dangerous in and around the box. I expect him to become our first choice striker soon (if Rafa has a first choice)

Bellamy: 7/10 - Dangerous, but service was lacking, would like to see him operate through the middle more, although presumably this will come when a more attacking left midfielder is present.

Subs:

Alonso: 6/10 - Still looks off the pace, didnt do anything wrong though.

Gerrard: 7/10 - Not much time to make an impact, but nearly won us the game.

Gonzalez: 6/10 - No real time to make an impact.

Momo was better than that. Almost all of the PSV attacks came down their left and Finnan/Carra didn't do enough to snuff them out.

I'm assuming that Zenden was supposed to be the link between the midfield and attack. If so, he provided nothing. Bellers and Kuyt were so isolated it was untrue.

Pennant was way better than a 5, got in a couple of decent crosses and tracked back really well. Admittedly there were other crosses that didn't beat the first man, but he was far more dangerous than Fabio.

No way carra was a 7 a 6 at most. He's looking indecisive this season. Hopefully, like Xabi, he's just a slow starter.

[univofchicago]

Tonight was typical Rafa. Strange team selection in some ways but it was the right team. We've got a massive game on sunday, more important than tonight & most of our key players will go into it fresh.

It depends on our big game on Sunday doesn it?

If we can get a result at Chelsea, Rafa's "strange team selection" would be vindicated.

[blacky]

Its no good people moaning about the team Rafa picked. Fans must understand that the 1st choice 11 can't play every game. players can't play Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday throughout the season. To those who moan about no alonso or SG etc, when would you rest them. We've got 7 games in 21 days. players aren't machines, they need rest.

The "1st choice 11" have not played yet this season!! I know players need rest but do you agree with Rafa's constant mass rotation. We may have got the result tonight but on another we might not have. At no time did we paly fluid football but instead relied on counter attack football and the guile of Kuyt and speed of Bellamy.

[El Jefecito]

The "1st choice 11" have not played yet this season!! I know players need rest but do you agree with Rafa's constant mass rotation. We may have got the result tonight but on another we might not have. At no time did we paly fluid football but instead relied on counter attack football and the guile of Kuyt and speed of Bellamy.

Once the team get used to the rotation, it will leave us in an awesome position. We will be able to pick the best line-up for the opposition we're playing.

Weak on the flanks and we need to counter attack. Chuck in Pennant and SpeedyG. Need to hold up the ball in the final 3rd, chuck in crouch.

Once we are used to it, this will prove to be a massive advantage.