S.Liege (a) Match Thread

[Exiled_red]

These fixtures are always tough, and this one proved no exception. Yes we were poor, yes we should have done better etc etc. But let's not forget it's 0-0 away from home in Europe, we're still in the tie. We were missing a number of key players and we had a couple of new players and youngster to bed in. Hopefully this was aour poor performance for the start of the season, the players will have something to prove and we hit the ground running at the weekend and learn our mistakes from this game and put it behind us

[Sarb]

Like I said many times and what some ex-Liverpool players have said, we need genuine wide players if we want to win the title. Maybe one, maybe two. Kuyt and Yossi aren't good enough in that position

Alonso wasn't great last night put he wasn't as poor as some are making out on here. The lack of distribution could be levelled at every single player that played last night.

It's a worrying game but I'm still optimistic we'll start with a win on Saturday. However, the wide positions concern me a great deal

[The Birdman]

Like I said many times and what some ex-Liverpool players have said, we need genuine wide players if we want to win the title. Maybe one, maybe two. Kuyt and Yossi aren't good enough in that position

Alonso wasn't great last night put he wasn't as poor as some are making out on here. The lack of distribution could be levelled at every single player that played last night.

It's a worrying game but I'm still optimistic we'll start with a win on Saturday. However, the wide positions concern me a great deal

I know this is a different argument Sarb but Chelsea, Arsenal and Man U don't play with out and out wingers.
Rosicky, Hleb, Ronaldo, Park, Cole (J) etc.. all start wide then drift in field to allow the full backs to bomb on and provide the width. Dossena made a lot of runs beyond Yossi and I thought that side of it was promising, the problem is Xabi sits too deep so doesn't effect the game in the right areas and because he is deep the team is stretched and every pass is over 20 yards which look good when they come off but actually achieve nothing.

[El Jefecito]

Like I said many times and what some ex-Liverpool players have said, we need genuine wide players if we want to win the title. Maybe one, maybe two. Kuyt and Yossi aren't good enough in that position

Alonso wasn't great last night put he wasn't as poor as some are making out on here. The lack of distribution could be levelled at every single player that played last night.

It's a worrying game but I'm still optimistic we'll start with a win on Saturday. However, the wide positions concern me a great deal

Alonso's problem though is that pretty much ALL passing moves begin in CM. CM is the platform where attacking plays are built and if you fail at that first juncture then everything that follows is pretty much shot.

[Mattshark]

Defence is worrying. I can see Sunderland making a lot of diagonal crosses into the box. We seem to have this same problem for about the first 6 or 7 games of the season. Shocking really as the defence has been together for a few years now

Erm not really. Agger 1 season, last season does nor count. Arbeloa 1.5 seasons probably a bit less, Dossena 1 game.

[rage]

Alonso's problem though is that pretty much ALL passing moves begin in CM. CM is the platform where attacking plays are built and if you fail at that first juncture then everything that follows is pretty much shot.

sorry amigo but off last night all our passing began with a hoof ball from agger and carra.

alonso will come good, we don't play to his strengths. here we have a man that can pass the ball 40 yards yet every offensive player bar torres stands no more than 10 yards away.

bar reina we were crap across the entire pitch last night, alonso is easy pickings cos the barry deal fell through.

[BigChief]

Alonso's problem though is that pretty much ALL passing moves begin in CM. CM is the platform where attacking plays are built and if you fail at that first juncture then everything that follows is pretty much shot.

Exactly.

Benayoun is being criticised for not being involved yesterday, but all he was doing was watch the ball sail over his head for most of the game in disgust. The three or four times he did get the ball in Alonso's position you could visibly see our strikers perk up and expect better delivery. I perked up and expected something to happen when he was on the ball.

CM is the heart of our play (not the wings) and if we don't get the level of play from there then everything falls apart. This is where Gerrard fits in and why he is Mr Liverpool. We need a few more Mr Liverpools in his absence.

[BigChief]

sorry amigo but off last night all our passing began with a hoof ball from agger and carra.

alonso will come good, we don't play to his strengths. here we have a man that can pass the ball 40 yards yet every offensive player bar torres stands no more than 10 yards away.

Why pass 40 yards when a string of 10 yard (forward) passes can get you playing better? Arsenal and manure don't have a 40 yard pass man, so why should we always be looking for that kind of pass?

Every 40 yard pass that Alonso attempted was well read and dealt with by SL. Heck even I could predict each 40 yard pass that was coming up.

[tomasjj]

To be honest, it was Rafa's inability to adopt and change his tactics that disappointed me the most.
We were stretched, disjointed and bullied and they found lots of space to play in. This was not countered by Rafa.

[Cormack74]

I thought Plessis was ok, it's got to be hard for him playing alongside Xabi who was utter ****e again. Got booked for a nasty challenge, could have been sent off for some petty shirt pulls etc.. set pieces were atrocious and he looked slow and laboured when they pressurised him in possession.
Plessis is a 20 year old kid playing his 3rd game, Xabi is a Champions League and European Championship winner. Wasn't much difference between them.

You've saved me a post

[krade]

I blame it on Matt Fincham