Marseille Home CL - Post Match Discussion

[SB]

I think it's best Babel moves on - he's playing under the wrong manager and he's hindering his career/development by staying here. Rafa is never going to give him a chance. He has IMO offered a hell of a lot more in his first season than Riera has so far. Babel got goals and assists last year with limited game time. Yet Riera plays week in/out and has 1 goal and 0 assists to his name. If you think about it, Riera has had a bit of a **** return in term of end product. Babel has more end product even though he is inconsistent.

Sad but true

I don't know what he's done but Rafa doesn't seem to rate him anymore.

[RoadEnd]

I'm glad it wasn't just me. I kept looking at the clock and at one point it was 65mins gone. I couldn't believe we had another 25 to go. I've NEVER done that with a Liverpool game before. I just wanted it to end.

I was at Anfield last night thinking the same thing.

Was in the lower Anfield Road - had a good view of Dossena at left back. He is NOT a left back. His positioning is woeful and he is truly awful. Agger had a go at him a few times. He did make some decent clearances in a centre back position but he is NOT a left back. How the fook he gets into the Italian national team.

I was impressed with their young left back Taiwo. Swap please.

[Reece]

Can I just say that if Lucas had performed as Mascherano did last night he would be getting slaughtered on here. That is all.

[SB]

Can I just say that if Lucas had performed as Mascherano did last night he would be getting slaughtered on here. That is all.

BUT we all know what Masher is capable of. That's all I'll say

[Reece]

Well yes there is that

[SB]

Well yes there is that

I think the reason why so many of us are frustrated with Lucas is that we expected so much cause he's a brazilian. I think he'll be gone soon enough

[Reece]

I think the reason why so many of us are frustrated with Lucas is that we expected so much cause he's a brazilian. I think he'll be gone soon enough

I haven't given up on him completely but he is certainly going to have to drastically improve quickly to have any chance of staying beyond next summer. As you say a lot of it boils down to frustration as he came with a big reputation for a young Brazilian. He obviously has talent but whether he is just not suited to the English league (he wouldn't be the first) I don't know.

[Slim]

That was a poor performance. Our form at the minute is concerning me slightly. Too many key players seem to be below par and we are slow and predictable at times. Thank God for Stevie G.

We need a good win on Monday to get the momentum back. If Torres is confirmed as being out again for a while we could be up **** creek. I'd like to see Babel get more games.

I suppose at least we are joint top of the Prem and through in Europe though, but we must keep going in the league. Wasn't it at the start of last December that we had that disastrous defeat at Reading? Then we lost to the Mancs and it was all over for another season.

[red g]

I really wanted to give Dossena the benefit of the doubt and sure he would come good, but i cannot see one positive with him at the mo. He is quite possibly the slowest left back i have ever seen, takes him almost the full width of the pitch to turn and they destroyed us down the right last night when he came on .....this doesnt bode well for the rest of the season as aurelio must be close to his 10 games of the season he normally plays.

I think this maybe Insua's big chance as its clear dossena is shot for whatever reason at the mo.

[FatTony]

Babel never seemed like a Rafa type player from day 1. Always felt he would be better suited under the guidance of Wenger.

Rafa does not like unpredictable players it seems. He has 11 soldiers on the pitch all witha role to play and easy to orchestrate from the touchline. Too many individuals and he is not in control.

There were a lot of players who looked out of sorts tonight - thank **** we have no more games in November!!

Then why did Rafa buy him?

IMO Babel has more potential than any other player at the club.

It just seems madness to me to have a player of his obvious quality not getting the amount of play he should.

Really seems odd why Rafa purchased a player (at great cost) to leave him on the bench, unless Rafa will be introducing him more over the next couple of months so he's chomping at the bit for the final half of the season?

[SB]

I haven't given up on him completely but he is certainly going to have to drastically improve quickly to have any chance of staying beyond next summer. As you say a lot of it boils down to frustration as he came with a big reputation for a young Brazilian. He obviously has talent but whether he is just not suited to the English league (he wouldn't be the first) I don't know.

He gives the impression that he's a really laid back character that needs a good rocket up his a...

A lot of talented youngsters never make the grade due to their attitude more than anything else. Brazilians often see football as a way out of financial hardship. Maybe Lucas was born with a silver spoon in his mouth so doesn't have the neccessary hunger in his belly.

I don't know, he just doesn't seem capable of stepping up. I hope I'm wrong, for our sake and his.

[Woobus]

I haven't given up on him completely but he is certainly going to have to drastically improve quickly to have any chance of staying beyond next summer. As you say a lot of it boils down to frustration as he came with a big reputation for a young Brazilian. He obviously has talent but whether he is just not suited to the English league (he wouldn't be the first) I don't know.

He was a vital part of our midfield last year when we went on a great run, he is missing game time but with Alonso and Mascherano playing so well (well not last night) it is hard for him to make the team.
Some people are happy to give Babel excuses due to not having enough game time but shoot down Lucas for the same reason. I really do think people forget how he played last year when Alonso was out injured.
Feel sorry for him and Babel but hopefully like last year they will get more game time in the second half of the season. Should suit Babel more with players being more tired and him not playing to much yet.

[-V-]

LOL. We seem to have exceptionally high standards and high expectations don't we? We conquer the top teams in europe on a regular basis and after each conquest their always seems to be a post mortem on here to discuss how badly we played. I say that we got the job done, our defensive held them off late on and thats what we do best when we are ahead. Well done to all the players and Rafa n co on another qualification (with a game to spare) from a difficult group.

On the subject of Babel- I don't think its very clever to write off his Liverpool career just because he is not first choice at the moment. Im pretty certain he hasn't been involved the last 2 games purely because he has been mouthing off in the press. Iv no doubt that he will get games this season, we have a very busy period coming up and its up to Babel to show his worth.

Dossena- Yeah he looked shaky when he came on last night and was getting turned and beat easily at first but then did he not recover? Im pretty sure that i remember him blocking shots and covering for our centre halfs when the pressure started to mount. Im also sure i remember seeing him winning a couple of corners up the other end. I wouldn't write him off just yet, he said himself that he is not playing well and he is obviously short of confidence. Clearly he is struggling for pace but i think he could sort it out. Might take a month or 2 so i wouldnt write off him off just yet

[red g]

LOL. We seem to have exceptionally high standards and high expectations don't we? We conquer the top teams in europe on a regular basis and after each conquest their always seems to be a post mortem on here to discuss how badly we played. I say that we got the job done, our defensive held them off late on and thats what we do best when we are ahead. Well done to all the players and Rafa n co on another qualification (with a game to spare) from a difficult group.

On the subject of Babel- I don't think its very clever to write off his Liverpool career just because he is not first choice at the moment. Im pretty certain he hasn't been involved the last 2 games purely because he has been mouthing off in the press. Iv no doubt that he will get games this season, we have a very busy period coming up and its up to Babel to show his worth.

Dossena- Yeah he looked shaky when he came on last night and was getting turned and beat easily at first but then did he not recover? Im pretty sure that i remember him blocking shots and covering for our centre halfs when the pressure started to mount. Im also sure i remember seeing him winning a couple of corners up the other end. I wouldn't write him off just yet, he said himself that he is not playing well and he is obviously short of confidence. Clearly he is struggling for pace but i think he could sort it out. Might take a month or 2 so i wouldnt write off him off just yet

stupid to write off either, Babel i still have high hopes for.....and Dossena cannot be as bad as he looks at the moment!

[billy_mac]

His defending one v one is very worrying. People go past him far too easily. There was one incident tonight when I think he was trying to show Ben Arfa on to his weaker side - which is the right thing to do - but he didn't just 'show him'...he virtually escorted him through the door.

Dossena is DURT! None of the big italian teams were in for him where they? Why we came in with 7m is beyond me. He had Ben Afra heading towards the touch line on his right side. Good defending, show him all the way to the touch line then slide in with your left foot. But no, jump in with your right foot and let him skip past. He has done absolutely nothing but be a liability since he came. The only thing I'm happy about with him, is that being Irish, we play him twice and both McGeady and Duff will have a field day against him.