Espanyol v Liverpool FC - Match & Post-match

[Mattshark]

It's not just that. He's really slow and clumsy.

Centre backs at that age tend to be (well a lot of CB's aren't the fastest).

[Tatterdemalion]

Centre backs at that age tend to be (well a lot of CB's aren't the fastest).

It's true - somebody said the other day that Carra's class wsa blindingly obvious - or something like that - from an early age - whereas he was a little clumsy and error prone, pretty much until Rafa took over tbh.

[JohnDoe]

HT 0-1

Johnson- Shown glimpses of what he can do on the attacking end, but hasn't really linked up with Kuyt much.

Carragher- He's Carragher.

San Jose- We REALLY need to get in another CB. He'll get killed by Premier League strikers.

Insua- Very impressed. Tough as nails, decent going forward. A proper full back. Seems to have built some strength.

Mascherano- Very poor game.

Lucas- Is trying very hard, but him and Mascherano just doesn't work. No flow in the middle.

Kuyt- Invisible. Barely noticed him, which is a bit surprising.

Benayoun- Impressive. Getting stuck in, fighting for every ball and our best attacking player.

Gerrard- Unlucky. Hit the bar and the post.

Torres- Some more sharpness required but no worries.

[Guest]

Pitch isn't the greatest neither. Johnson to me looks a bit dodgy defensively but is trying not to go forward too much. Think it will take a little bit more time for him to settle down in our defence but he'll be a good signing.

Lucas was an encouragement also, he's toughen up a lot it seems and some nice touches there. He nearly played a beautiful pass to Torres but the referee got in the way. Not a bad match, we're still a bit rusty, especially in defence but I think Rafa is working hard on them and it shows a lot. We should be ready in two weeks time.

[BrooklynRed]

Very impressed with Insua... he hasn't put a foot wrong all pre-season... Very happy with his play.

[Guest]

HT 0-1

Johnson- Shown glimpses of what he can do on the attacking end, but hasn't really linked up with Kuyt much.

Carragher- He's Carragher.

San Jose- We REALLY need to get in another CB. He'll get killed by Premier League strikers.

Insua- Very impressed. Tough as nails, decent going forward. A proper full back. Seems to have built some strength.

Mascherano- Very poor game.

Lucas- Is trying very hard, but him and Mascherano just doesn't work. No flow in the middle.

Kuyt- Invisible. Barely noticed him, which is a bit surprising.

Benayoun- Impressive. Getting stuck in, fighting for every ball and our best attacking player.

Gerrard- Unlucky. Hit the bar and the post.

Torres- Some more sharpness required but no worries.

Thought both were good today, with Mascher tackling well and getting stuck in, as for Lucas, well he's played well, passed it and is toughening up. Harsh.

[JohnDoe]

Thought both were good today, with Mascher tackling well and getting stuck in, as for Lucas, well he's played well, passed it and is toughening up. Harsh.

Lucas was okay, I'm just saying he doesn't mesh well with Masch. Our passing game wasn't good.

[Guest]

Lucas was okay, I'm just saying he doesn't mesh well with Masch.

Lucas is more offensive than Alonso as he gets in the box more often, probably leaving Mascher trying to cover more space defensively. It just needs some more games together but it doesn't look bad IMO.

I also like San Jose in defence, he's having some teething problems but he's only young. We need to be progressive with kids.

[Bender]

Pre-season......no interest .....all players step up when the prem season starts.....these games mean only one thing fitness

[JohnDoe]

Lucas is more offensive than Alonso as he gets in the box more often, probably leaving Mascher trying to cover more space defensively. It just needs some more games together but it doesn't look bad IMO.

I've seen plenty of them together, too much in my opinion. They don't impose themselves on the game, just trying to catch up with it. Our possession game and distribution is really poor with them in the side. It only works when we're playing against a top team in a more defensive mentality which doesn't give us long periods with the ball.

I also like San Jose in defence, he's having some teething problems but he's only young. We need to be progressive with kids.

Yes we do, just not away at Tottenham. Give him game time in the League cup but nothing more at the moment. He'll get killed.

[Mattshark]

Yes we do, just not away at Tottenham. Give him game time in the League cup but nothing more at the moment. He'll get killed.

I agree with you on that one

[dww]

I also like San Jose in defence, he's having some teething problems but he's only young. We need to be progressive with kids.

I think this is a very interesting point. Particularly defenders tend to have difficult early phases to their career when they look bad and in some ways what defines the ones that become top players is how they respond and how consistent they can become quickly with games. In large part making mistakes and learning from them is essential.

It will always be hard for us to develop young players in defense as one slip and you can cost a goal and at the top end of the PL the margins are very fine. The obvious answer seems to be to loan players out but the problems there are at least three fold - 1/ worse training in terms of coaches and facilities; 2/ lower level of football might not find out the problems which would be exposed playing for us; 3/ few teams play zonally in the way we do which would mean players learning and unlearning systems rather than concentrating on improving the basics.

[Tatterdemalion]

Degen, Dossena, Babel, Spearing on for Insua, Johnson, Benayoun, Mascherano

[Tatterdemalion]

I think this is a very interesting point. Particularly defenders tend to have difficult early phases to their career when they look bad and in some ways what defines the ones that become top players is how they respond and how consistent they can become quickly with games. In large part making mistakes and learning from them is essential.

It will always be hard for us to develop young players in defense as one slip and you can cost a goal and at the top end of the PL the margins are very fine. The obvious answer seems to be to loan players out but the problems there are at least three fold - 1/ worse training in terms of coaches and facilities; 2/ lower level of football might not find out the problems which would be exposed playing for us; 3/ few teams play zonally in the way we do which would mean players learning and unlearning systems rather than concentrating on improving the basics.

Seem to recall in the old days they would be brought on in the closing stages of games we were winning comfortably. That isn't perfect either mind. Suppose the only answer is to throw them in at the deep end. Mind quite a few problems should surface in training games.

[Tatterdemalion]

Christ Sammy Lee doesn't look match fit.