Post match - Marseille

[AFII]

I give up.

Sack Rafa, set fire to Anfield, sack the board, burn Parry's ties.

[CharlieMansonsSquint]

Can you guys stop saying we 'gave up' as an emotive way of backing up your piss-poor arguments.

Just stick to the facts - you're unhappy that Gerrard was taken off because you feel we had a better chance of winning or drawing with him on the pitch - Torres went off earlier with a knock/minor injury whatever it was.

Merci

Yep.

Maybe he didn't quite give it up, though it certainly felt like it, but let's be honest here, we knew then that preparing for the Marseille game was more important than having his best players, and best possible team out there trying to get a result with 20 minutes of the match to go. And I think that's completely wrong.

[lfcruleus]

sheesh we lost.....let it go fellas, Rafa made mistakes all managers do.

[Craig_H]

I give up.

Sack Rafa, set fire to Anfield, sack the board, burn Parry's ties.

You donkey

[The Glove]

Ive been thru this before. Gerrard being taken off was going to happen if we were 5-0 up or 5-0 down. The fact we were getting beat makes it look a bit odd but it will always have been the plan. Torres suffered a nasty ankle tackle and even tho he seemed to run it off, there is no substitution for resting it so having Crouch, Babel and Voronin on should be enough. Indeed, Crouch even hit the post after Torres went off.

At the time I could tell what the substitutions were for and while we all want our players to play all the time, the rest of the team should be able to play thier part and not rely on Torres and Gerrard.

I think if Rafa got anything wrong, it was more to do with formation than substitutions.

[Craig_H]

I think if Rafa got anything wrong, it was more to do with formation than substitutions.

Yes, that's what i've been saying too bonehead

In all seriousness, Crouch and Voronin should've never played in the two wide forward positions of a 4-3-3...woeful decision there.

[The Glove]

Yes, that's what i've been saying too bonehead

In all seriousness, Crouch and Voronin should've never played in the two wide forward positions of a 4-3-3...woeful decision there.

I'll ****in bonehead you, you cheeky twonk


I think they were not exactly 'wide' positions in the main, just more 'off centre'. Voronin can play there, not great admittedly but can do a job because he is one of those that runs all the time. As for Crouch, well he aint no player thats not a main striker but how many times has he played wide? maybe Rafa thought that was the game to try him there. Cant blame him for thinking that given Reading are ****e if thats the case.

[disco]

Talk me through Gerrard's goal.

Oh that's right, Torres was out left and set him up, Crouch and Voronin also in the box.

We played 3 up front with Torres interchanging on both "wings" and support from the full backs and Gerrard in the main. There were plenty of other reasons for our loss, mainly **** defensive decisions....

[red g]

There's that kop out injury excuse again.

Also that doesn't wash with me when he risked Torres when he was clearly half fit against Arsenal.

If you were that afraid of players getting injured you'd never play them would you?

and he learned not to do it again

[Alpha]

Yep.

Maybe he didn't quite give it up, though it certainly felt like it, but let's be honest here, we knew then that preparing for the Marseille game was more important than having his best players, and best possible team out there trying to get a result with 20 minutes of the match to go. And I think that's completely wrong.

On the whole, I agree.

I wouldn't say we need the best possible team out there but at least a team capable of turning the game around. And we didn't have that so we didn't turn it around.

However, there were obviously mitigating circumstances so I don't think it is necessarily fair to lay all the blame at Rafa's door.

[Monty]

On the whole, I agree.

I wouldn't say we need the best possible team out there but at least a team capable of turning the game around. And we didn't have that so we didn't turn it around.

However, there were obviously mitigating circumstances so I don't think it is necessarily fair to lay all the blame at Rafa's door.

Not only that but come on fella's, it was Reading FFS. The 'other' players should be able to beat Reading, it was one of those days, hitting the bar, the post. Yes Rafa played Momo and Voronin cos they would not feature in yesterday's game but the team he put out was surely competenet enough to beat Reading. Just like Man Ure had against Bolton and the Arse v Boro.

We will have blips, all the top four will and have done, we're sitting pretty at the minute, one loss, still in the CL and chasing all honors in December.
To say that Rafa "threw it away" at Reading, knowing how he fookin hates to lose is a bit misguided and unfair IMO.

[Skillz]

I hope if we beat the Scum this weekend the post match thread actually discusses said match.

[red g]

I hope when we beat the Scum this weekend the post match thread actually discusses said match.

[Fiddy]

I hope if we beat the Scum this weekend the post match thread actually discusses said match.

Amen

Imagine if we won the league and there was a 'CHAMPIONS' thread....would we get people whinging about the fact we played an under strength team in the Carling Cup and didn't make the final?!

[Skillz]

Amen

Imagine if we won the league and there was a 'CHAMPIONS' thread....would we get people whinging about the fact we played an under strength team in the Carling Cup and didn't make the final?!

Well I can think of one who might be tempted