Lyon (a) - Post Match Thread

[red g]

We had a good start of the season, but in the PL in the 11 games so far these have scored (goals is the row with 10 in it):

Fernando Torres 25 S 9 10(0) 10 1 0
Steven Gerrard 29 M 8 8(0) 3 2 0
Yossi Benayoun 29 A 15 8(3) 3 0 0
Dirk Kuyt 29 S 18 11(0) 3 1 0
Glen Johnson 25 D 2 10(0) 2 0 0
Ryan Babel 22 A 19 2(5) 2 0 0
David Ngog 20 S 24 0(4) 2 0 0

I think that somewhat witnesses that we have trouble getting the ball in the net, when Torres is out (although the babbel and ngog stat is decent!). The thing that really frustrates me right now is that I can't figure why it's not functioning. Yes I think Alonso was a big loss to the team, but what would have happened if he became injured??

Our squad depth is just not there, and getting beyond the first 11-14 players leaves us very weak. The confidence now must be quite low as well, and that really hampers us as well I guess.

We just have to walk through the storm right now, and get back on track. The league title is a long shot away right now, but we just have to keep going. Even if Molby last night said that no team have thus far one the premiership with the amount of looses we have now (depressing stat that).

But it is in the wake of adversity that you really see who really supports!

Best Back 4

Johnson Agger Carrager Aurelio

Have we played anymore than 2 of them at the same time?
3 out of 4 there are very comfortable on the ball

Best midfield

Kuyt/Benayoun Aquiliani Masher Riera/Benayoun

Again centre mid has never happened all 4 if Kuyt doesnt play extremely confortable on the ball

Gerrard/Torres

have they been fully fit togetther once this season?


when you look at who we have to bring in

Lucas
the greek
Skrtel
Vrononin
Babel
N'gog
Degen
Ayala

All players that are way way below the forst 11 and apart from lucas i dont think they can string 2 passes togetther between them

Its easy to see where its gone wrong. Rafa is all about the small details but the fact is, trust in those mentioned above and they will make mistakes as they are nithing but squad fillers, fill your team with to many of them and you are in trouble

[Shanks]

There is solace for the Spaniard, though, not only in his team’s performance and that of Fernando Torres –
“he needed to stop and start because of the pain, but he has time now and maybe he will be better” but also in the fact that Claude Puel,

the Lyon manager, is adamant his side will not roll over in Florence now that their own qualification is assured.

“We will play fair and try to get some points so we get first place in the group, because we do not want a repeat of last year,” he said, referring to Lyon's second place finish to Bayern Munich in the group stage and last 16 humiliation against Barcelona.

“You do not have to worry, we will do what we can so that Liverpool can have their fate in their own hands.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...ut-stages.html

[cream]

There is solace for the Spaniard, though, not only in his team’s performance and that of Fernando Torres –
“he needed to stop and start because of the pain, but he has time now and maybe he will be better” but also in the fact that Claude Puel,

the Lyon manager, is adamant his side will not roll over in Florence now that their own qualification is assured.

“We will play fair and try to get some points so we get first place in the group, because we do not want a repeat of last year,” he said, referring to Lyon's second place finish to Bayern Munich in the group stage and last 16 humiliation against Barcelona.

“You do not have to worry, we will do what we can so that Liverpool can have their fate in their own hands.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...ut-stages.html

There's no pressure on them to win, they've already qualified.

[Scratch]

There's no pressure on them to win, they've already qualified.

If you read the article, the last thing they want to do is finish second, cos they may end up facing a big club, like last year, and face a humiliating exit. So they want to win.

[cream]

Mentally, it's makes a massive difference, both teams know a draw will be enough.

[el matador]

charlie nicholas said on sky sports that every time we build up any momentum rafa ****s it up by doing something stupid.

He did that last night when he took torres off and brought on ngog.

It was a stupid decision and it cost us because they moved their centre half up to play upfront and that helped them get the equaliser. I dont think the guy would have wondered that far up the pitch if torres had been on the pitch.

Another five minutes and we would have won that game. Nevertheless, we still have a chance and if lyon do us a favour and go out there and win or draw then we will have an almighty final game at anfield.

by then hopefully we will have gerrard, aquilani and torres totally fit, as well as johnson and aurelio. it will be a different team

[red g]

charlie nicholas said on sky sports that every time we build up any momentum rafa ****s it up by doing something stupid.

He did that last night when he took torres off and brought on ngog.

It was a stupid decision and it cost us because they moved their centre half up to play upfront and that helped them get the equaliser. I dont think the guy would have wondered that far up the pitch if torres had been on the pitch.

Another five minutes and we would have won that game. Nevertheless, we still have a chance and if lyon do us a favour and go out there and win or draw then we will have an almighty final game at anfield.

by then hopefully we will have gerrard, aquilani and torres totally fit, as well as johnson and aurelio. it will be a different team

i stopped reading there

[the rev leeroy brown]

i was impressed with the performance. also impressed with the greek / agger partnership till krygiakos ****ed up at the end. till then it made me think that now could be the time to drop carra as we really did look more stable......albeit against a team not on top form but still some encouraging signs last night.

[Guest]

charlie nicholas said on sky sports that every time we build up any momentum rafa ****s it up by doing something stupid.

He did that last night when he took torres off and brought on ngog.

It was a stupid decision and it cost us because they moved their centre half up to play upfront and that helped them get the equaliser. I dont think the guy would have wondered that far up the pitch if torres had been on the pitch.

Another five minutes and we would have won that game. Nevertheless, we still have a chance and if lyon do us a favour and go out there and win or draw then we will have an almighty final game at anfield.

by then hopefully we will have gerrard, aquilani and torres totally fit, as well as johnson and aurelio. it will be a different team

I disagree 200% with you and I stopped reading beyond 'stupid decision' ...

[Exiled_red]

I dodged this thread last night as I was too gutted, but my view is that we weren't great but probably deserved to edge it. We had the better chances although admittedly they were too few and far between.

The injures really took it out of us.

Firstly Babel's goal was great although the rest of his performance was poor, if he'd have got the winning goal it could have been great for his confidence, and the rest of the teams, at the moment they really look so down and lacking in confidence! Babel's performance shows why he can be so frustrating you know he is capable of moments of brilliance like the goal but the rest of his game last night was incredably poor, and you can see why he doesn't get in the team. That said, Voronin's game was as bad except as far as I've seen he's not capable of moments of brilliance so given out dreadful injury situation if one of them has to play, Babel would get the nod.

The other problem for me was the defence, for me when we move Carragher out of the centre we lose a defensive marshall, last night I thought the centre back play was uncoordinated bordering on shambolic at times. For me Kyriakos was a mistake waiting to happen, there were alot of times were he was unconvincing but got away with it. That said for the goal Agger was equally bad, we only had to hold out for 7 mins this is were we needed Carragher's leadership at the back I believe (perhaps naively) if Carragher had been in the centre of defence that goal wouldn't have been scored.

[Kenneth]

Krygiakos had a good game overall. Even today's scape goat Voronin wasn't as bad as all that. We have played some ****e this seaon and I have been as critical as anyone, but there is no point slatign the team just because we haven't won. Last night was a decent performance and with so many injuries.

[Kenneth]

I dodged this thread last night as I was too gutted, but my view is that we weren't great but probably deserved to edge it. We had the better chances although admittedly they were too few and far between.

The injures really took it out of us.

Firstly Babel's goal was great although the rest of his performance was poor, if he'd have got the winning goal it could have been great for his confidence, and the rest of the teams, at the moment they really look so down and lacking in confidence! Babel's performance shows why he can be so frustrating you know he is capable of moments of brilliance like the goal but the rest of his game last night was incredably poor, and you can see why he doesn't get in the team. That said, Voronin's game was as bad except as far as I've seen he's not capable of moments of brilliance so given out dreadful injury situation if one of them has to play, Babel would get the nod.

The other problem for me was the defence, for me when we move Carragher out of the centre we lose a defensive marshall, last night I thought the centre back play was uncoordinated bordering on shambolic at times. For me Kyriakos was a mistake waiting to happen, there were alot of times were he was unconvincing but got away with it. That said for the goal Agger was equally bad, we only had to hold out for 7 mins this is were we needed Carragher's leadership at the back I believe (perhaps naively) if Carragher had been in the centre of defence that goal wouldn't have been scored.

Carra has been part of the shambles at CB this season so I have no reason to believe this is true.

[Redspin]

My first post, some of you guys don.t deserve to support this club, the way you talk about our players is a disgrace, they were pretty good today and nearly achieved a great result, but no lets just slag individuals off, very poor show

I'm afraid you won't last very long here with such a direct display of common sense and showing actual support for the team. As you have already seen, this site is top-heavy with moaning *******s who scuttle for cover when we're doing well, but are out in force when things don't go right.

Anyway it's nice to see some positivity for once. Don't let the moaning *******s get you down

[Redspin]

Individuals cost us games on a regular basis. 4/5 gilt edge chances and we couldn't put one away. It's unforgivable. Voronin is just dreadful. Lucas is dragging people down to the ground in injury time to name but two.

Well done. You win the star prize for the first anti-Lucas mention in this thread. Lucas was quite excellent last night, as was Mascherano. Yet, the first mention of the former is, as usual, to criticise him. Disgraceful

[Redspin]

We only get 44'000 for home games but I hear we've got quite a decent following. Wether or not we have a bigger support than the likes of Newcastle and Sunderland - who both get bigger crowds than us is open to debate

It's not up for date. It's no contest. We have many, many times the support of both teams put together