PSV 1-3 Liverpool- Post Match

[luke]

Dodgy first half, people taking up each others space, .

sometimes,i think, due to the fact we generally go after captains of clubs or people with the right mentality, we often end up with players that want to do it all (SG syndrome)...its not a bad thing but we do seem to have a team of very strong individuals...luckily this year it has transpired to a strong team.

[Kronenburg1892]

...its not a bad thing but we do seem to have a team of very strong individuals...luckily this year it has transpired to a strong team.

I don't think Rafa will let any individual take control, which is possibly why he has rotated so often, in what seems like very bizare tactical choices sometimes.

[Marky]

Brilliant 2nd half performance. We're in fine nick as we approach the festive period.

[nevelator]

Good result.
Keane did well in the second half - didn't drop as deep as he did in the first and was able to influence the game in the their third. Lovely through ball for Ngog and Lucas.
Riera was more of a threat and what a finish for his goal.
Lucas had a good game - some good free kicks and did the simple things well.
Dossena was steady - a little unsure at the back; but he can't half cross the ball when given the time!
Babel was a threat when he got the ball - just needs to work on the final pass/shot
Good to see the young lads get a run out.
More of the same this weekend against Hull would do nicely

[Vermilion]

Made up for all the players we've mentioned, i felt they needed to show some sort of reaction when they got a chance to start, it nearly passed them buy...but the second half display was none to shabby, very happy.

[Shaggy]

Lucas seemed to want the ball and played with a good tempo. Tried to control proceedings.

Probably helped it was away from home

Thought exactly the same thing. He definitely plays better away from home, and for obvious reasons too. He needs support, not sniping and groaning.

[Harv]

Thought exactly the same thing. He definitely plays better away from home, and for obvious reasons too. He needs support, not sniping and groaning.

Also helped that PSV are weak as ****, didnt try kick the **** out of him like in the Prem

[dww]

Thought exactly the same thing. He definitely plays better away from home, and for obvious reasons too. He needs support, not sniping and groaning.

Also helped that PSV are weak as ****, didnt try kick the **** out of him like in the Prem

There is an element of both those things but I think European matches suit him due to the pace which allows his contribution to be more positive. I like him as a Gilberto Silva style deep midfielder in the PL actually but as yet he is yet to find a way to incorporate the attacking game he showed at Gremio at the pace of the PL. Essentially he often plays a lot like Xabi only about 5 yard further up the pitch where he has no space or a less strong in the tackle Mascher. In Europe he has the space to combine the best of both those descriptions, whereas in the PL he tends to have to settle for keeping possession and being a continuity player (which I think is valuable and would play him ahead of Mascher against a lot of the weaker sides).

[-V-]

A goal from Keane would have made it a perfect night, top marks to Rafa.

A lot of positives from the game...
Lucas had a very very good game, hopefully he can build on this performance. 2 assists and involved in the 3rd isn’t a bad nights work.
Dossena was solid enough again, two decent performances in a row.
Mascherano looked more like his old self.
Reira rediscovered some of his early season form.
Babel did well for the goal and generally looked lively.
Keane got 90 minutes and played well.
The goal will do N’Gog’s confidence no harm at all, it wasn’t until he got his first in pre-season that he kicked on.
Darby, Kelly and Spearing will have taken loads from the experience and Darby and Spearing didn’t look out of place at all.

Good night all round.

Totally agree

As Carra said post match, perfect night.

Great performance by Lucas, N'Gog and Dossena, maybe going overboard as we struggled first half, but it all came together after 90mins.

What I will point out is that if that was a league game maybe one og N'Gog or Keane would have gone of, but in the last 20 minutes or so Keane came alive and N'Gog got the chance to show he is a decent player.

Obviously prior to that N'Gog struggled at times, he is obviously not yet strong enough at holding the ball up despite his all frame and had he been we would have seen a lot more joy overall. But this is just the game where we should highlight the positives as opposed to the obvious weaknesess in our squad.

And the three who came on can only be happy.

Agree about Ngog, apart from the goal he made a lot of mistakes and thats probably the only negative. He kept losing the ball and getting pushed off it. He needs to get in the gym and build himself up, needs to learn to keep hold of the ball. It will come with experience

Dodgy first half, people taking up each others space, passes being intercepted. But then these players haven't often played too well together in competitive games, so it was great to see them all come gell in the second half.

Ngog gets a decent goal, but more importantly gets better at holding the ball up and finding his strength. Robbie playing the play maker roll with increased confidence. Babel getting the taste for a goal. Reira putting a left footed thunderbolt in the top left. Then the kids getting a decent roll out. But probably what topped it for me, is Dossena putting in a decent shift. Maybe Insua and this weeks paper talk has brought a few home troughs home in his head, still, he had a solid game tonight.

Absolutely, i think this experience will give the squad players a big lift, especially after that messy performance in the carling cup

Great result, decent showings for most players with Lucas, Keane and Riera putting in the most impressive displays. Great workrate from Keane and showed some really nice touches and excellent vision at times just a shame he couldn't get on the score sheet.

Riera is the most skillful player we've had for years and some of the stuff he does is simply amazing - that ball he brought down on the left early on was a truly jaw dropping piece of skill. He does tend to drift in and out of games though.
Apart from the goal, I thought Babel was again poor - his end product really lets him down and wasted 3 or 4 really good opportunites with poor decisions. Cavalieri wasn't really tested - most shots were pretty much straight at him but he did seem to put a bit of pressure on himself not being decisive enough when the ball was played back to him.

The youngsters didn't really have a lot of time to make an impression but it was great to see them on.

That bit of skill where Riera controlled the high ball on the touchline with just 2 touches was awesome. But i can do that too

What i would say about our wingers though (now that we finally have wingers) is that they cut in far too often. Im always begging them to take players on and beat them round the outside on the touchline!!

Good result.
Keane did well in the second half - didn't drop as deep as he did in the first and was able to influence the game in the their third. Lovely through ball for Ngog and Lucas.
Riera was more of a threat and what a finish for his goal.
Lucas had a good game - some good free kicks and did the simple things well.
Dossena was steady - a little unsure at the back; but he can't half cross the ball when given the time!
Babel was a threat when he got the ball - just needs to work on the final pass/shot
Good to see the young lads get a run out.

More of the same this weekend against Hull would do nicely

Yeah and with a much stronger team against Hull i think we should demolish them. This result will allow the regulars to trust the fringe players a bit more as they were clearly alot more confident by the end of the game.

Pleased to see Babel enjoy himself out there but he still needs to perform better and beat players more

[rage]

they were awful and still managed to take the lead.

the phrase keane couldn't score in a brothel springs to mind. he was coming far too deep at times and bitching at his teammates for not passing to him - ffs

dossena kept ****ing up defensively and them last gasp clearances won't work everyday. as for lucas - well he finally came up against a midfield more lightweight then he is.

babel meanwhile was majestic - what an equaliser and the way he harassed the opposition was what we need more of.

both ngog and riera scored really good goals but come on n'gog was crap all game and riera was missing for far too much of it.

if we draw anyone half decent and play the unimaginative disjointed football we've been doing so far we'll get beat easily.

just thought i'd come along and add some balance to this thread. and oh did anyone watch keane's post match interview? i'm so not worried about not scoring i'll just spend all my tim telling u i'm not worried about not scoring.

good to see the kids get some pitch time. seeing both darby and insua this season i really don't think we should have spunked the best part of 10 million on doseena and degen.

[-V-]

Thanks for balancing it up for us rage

Jeez

()

[Shaggy]

they were awful and still managed to take the lead.

the phrase keane couldn't score in a brothel springs to mind. he was coming far too deep at times and bitching at his teammates for not passing to him - ffs

dossena kept ****ing up defensively and them last gasp clearances won't work everyday. as for lucas - well he finally came up against a midfield more lightweight then he is.

babel meanwhile was majestic - what an equaliser and the way he harassed the opposition was what we need more of.

both ngog and riera scored really good goals but come on n'gog was crap all game and riera was missing for far too much of it.

if we draw anyone half decent and play the unimaginative disjointed football we've been doing so far we'll get beat easily.

just thought i'd come along and add some balance to this thread. and oh did anyone watch keane's post match interview? i'm so not worried about not scoring i'll just spend all my tim telling u i'm not worried about not scoring.

good to see the kids get some pitch time. seeing both darby and insua this season i really don't think we should have spunked the best part of 10 million on doseena and degen.

[Laddsy]

they were awful and still managed to take the lead.

the phrase keane couldn't score in a brothel springs to mind. he was coming far too deep at times and bitching at his teammates for not passing to him - ffs

dossena kept ****ing up defensively and them last gasp clearances won't work everyday. as for lucas - well he finally came up against a midfield more lightweight then he is.

babel meanwhile was majestic - what an equaliser and the way he harassed the opposition was what we need more of.

both ngog and riera scored really good goals but come on n'gog was crap all game and riera was missing for far too much of it.

if we draw anyone half decent and play the unimaginative disjointed football we've been doing so far we'll get beat easily.

just thought i'd come along and add some balance to this thread. and oh did anyone watch keane's post match interview? i'm so not worried about not scoring i'll just spend all my tim telling u i'm not worried about not scoring.

good to see the kids get some pitch time. seeing both darby and insua this season i really don't think we should have spunked the best part of 10 million on doseena and degen.

FFS are you ever happy

[rage]

FFS are you ever happy

of course i am, like istanbul and the time before when thatcher got kicked out and also err.....

come on psv were ****e and seriously i hope some the likes of doseena, ngog, babel and riera take some confidence from today. keane though, seriously at one point i thought we'd re-signed bellamy

[Reece]

Lucas was excellent IMO. MOM.

I thought Riera played well generally, but am I the only one a bit concerned about his one footedness? He seemed really reluctant to use his right foot at all.