Liverpool vs Reading- Post Match Rant

[Agger the Dagger]

It's virtually just as mathematically possible for Everton to win the league...not gonna happen though. Neither will we.

maybe so, but 8 games = 24 pts. alot to play for - more than just 4th.

[Shaggy]

Steady performance.

I ****ing hate that set of Reading players though. That's the third time they've tried to boot us off the park this season. Bikey, Hunt and the rest can **** right off.

Watching Arsenal now and they're looking very beatable at the moment.

[Finnish_Red]

That doesnt wind me up whatsoever, it's comedy gold

Just shows how thick that **** really is

[Finnish_Red]

And to the topic. Didn't catch the game, mother-in-law's birthday

3 points, well taken goals by Javier and Torres will do just fine to me.

[Norbs]

Steady performance.

I ****ing hate that set of Reading players though. That's the third time they've tried to boot us off the park this season. Bikey, Hunt and the rest can **** right off.

Watching Arsenal now and they're looking very beatable at the moment.

Bikey, Bikey, does what he likey.

[Shaggy]

Bikey, Bikey...er....Nelson Piquet.

[livvy145]

It's 1-1

Mido sent off.

[El Jefecito]

I've just realised how unrealistic it is to ask for 5 goals a season from Mascher...he's only scored 3 in his entire career.

All this year though!

[Craig_H]

This calendar year? I dont think so mate, correct me if i'm wrong, but i'd be surprised if that were the case.

[sitoca]

Some observations from yesterday's match.

1. Rafa is right. Aurelio passes better than Xabi.
2. Pako is right. Babel is too raw. He has the strength and pace but he needs to improve on his ball control and concentration. Too often he loses the ball when he is put into a good position. From what i see, he could develop into either the next Heskey or Henry.
3. Aurelio and Carragher delivered some mean crosses into the box. The best we have at the club.
4. We tend to commit fatal mistakes which could have easily led to us conceding goals. This is happening far too often.
5. Somethings wrong with our defence. We let in Reading far too easily.
6. We need a right sided "Babel". Kuyt is only a temporary plug in.
7. Masch has a good command of English!

[carlton]

The team have been though a series of mentally and physically exhausting games and were clearly tired and even moreso in the last 20 mins and did well to hang on and win. Thankfully we have 8 days before the next game as there is another set of such games coming up that will define the short term future. Kuyt was back to his ordinary worst and god forbid something happens to Nando we are in big trouble. Another world class forward is a must next season.

[slimbimjim]

Most of Reading's joy came down our left so we are ****ed if Ronaldo is on his game.

Hopefully Aurelio and Babel can concentrate and keep them busy instead of the other way round.

Let's see how 'imperious' Vidic and Ferdinand really are.

[SB]

Liverpool 2-1 Royals
By OAE - 15/03/2008 21:52
Despite an early wonder goal from Marek Matejovsky, the Royals couldn't take anything from a frustrating trip to Anfield as goals from Javier Mascherano and Fernando Torres gave Liverpool all three points.


With an unchanged side the Royals headed into the game at Anfield full of confidence and that told in the early part of the game which saw us create a couple of decent openings before actually taking the lead. Before today we hadn't scored in the first 15 minutes of any game this season but when Hunt won a free kick on the left, Oster passed the ball across to Matejovsky who volleyed the ball from 25 yards into the back of the net via the underside of the crossbar. What a fantastic goal it was and a great way to show those strikers who 'lack vision' just how its done!


And the excellent start went on as first Matejovsky and then Long failed to find the right pass to Oster who was finding acres of room on the right and would have had at least one clear run on goal if a decent pass had arrived.


But when your up against the 'big boys' you have to make your chances pay and we hadn't done that so it was no real surprise when Liverpool equalised, even if the goalscorer was. Mascherano skipped past Hunt with ease before scoring another fine goal, giving Hahnemann no chance.


The second part of the first half was dominated by the home side who came up against an inform Hahnemann who saved well from Ryan Babel who later had a goal ruled out for offside.


The start of the second half saw Liverpool go infront when Torres headed home Gerrards free kick after Bikey had lost the Spaniard who made a darting run to meet the cross.


Liverpool had no problems closing out the remainder of the game because anytime a Royals player got close to them a free kick was awarded in their favour and it didn't take a lot to see them tumble to the ground. Most guilty was Gerrard who squared up to Bikey after the Cameroon defender had been penalised when their was minimal contact and Shane Long capped a frustrating afternoon when he threw his shirt to the ground after being subbed. He later apologised and was simply annoyed with the officials, but was given a dressing down none the less from Coppell.


We had two late penalty shouts but in front of the Kop they were never going to be given, firstly Carragher defended the only way he knows, with his hands all over Doyle whilst Gerrard handled Kitson's shot but the referee deemed it unintentional.


Despite the defeat we can take a lot from this game into the next fixture against Birmingham next Saturday which is a massive 'six pointer.' Liverpool probably deserved to win on the balance of play but we gave everything and perform like this next week and there is no doubt that we will win.

[slimbimjim]

Liverpool probably deserved to win on the balance of play but we gave everything and perform like this next week and there is no doubt that we will win.

Yeah gave everything a ****ing good kicking. ****house team.

[badpiggy]

Some observations from yesterday's match.

1. Rafa is right. Aurelio passes better than Xabi.
2. Pako is right. Babel is too raw. He has the strength and pace but he needs to improve on his ball control and concentration. Too often he loses the ball when he is put into a good position. From what i see, he could develop into either the next Heskey or Henry.
3. Aurelio and Carragher delivered some mean crosses into the box. The best we have at the club.
4. We tend to commit fatal mistakes which could have easily led to us conceding goals. This is happening far too often.
5. Somethings wrong with our defence. We let in Reading far too easily.
6. We need a right sided "Babel". Kuyt is only a temporary plug in.
7. Masch has a good command of English!

good stuff there.(dunno about 1 actually...) points 4 and 5 are important. although we are playing with a lot more confidence there's an underlying fragility to our defence. a lot of it could be to do with skrtel coming in. i think when you play a zonal defence for setpieces there's a lot for a new defender to learn so there's a bt of uncertainty at the back generally. i don't think centrehalfs just slot in immediately. even vidic had a few dodgy games for the scum at first.

as a rafa sceptic though, there seems to be some evidence of rafa coming to terms with the premiership. of course as a rafa sceptic i'm still fearful that an underlying negativity will rear it's head at crunch moments.