Portsmouth 2-0 Liverpool - POST MATCH

[Exiled_red]

The majority of our better performances this year have come where Gerrard has started in the center. With no Alonso (and no Aquilani) we need Gerrard in the center. If we want to play the same system then put Kuyt behind Torres and get Babel on the right.

Straight away we have more creativity in the team and may actually look like scoring.

Why did Yossi not start today? We were not playing Man Utd or Arsenal. I'm amazed we started Dossena against Pompey. What was the point?

We need a creative force in the middle, as Aquilani is not fit our only other option is Gerrard.

I'm convinced that part of the reason we play a defensive left sided player is to protect Insua (Aurelio or Dossena in front of him), ironically though since adopting this tactic it seems his performances have dropped. I guess with Riera out injured and Babel out of favour we have no alternatives. But the lack of creativity in doing this and playing two defensive midfielders is killing us!

I'd like to see us go 442. With no one supplying the balls to Gerrard and Torres in our current system they are able to do nothing Gerrard has to drop back to pick up the ball and Torres is left isolated against the opposition defence. Giving him a partner up the and pushing Gerrard back would mean more creativity, more strikers to occupy defenders and more targets to hit with crosses into the box, as with just one up there is little point in crossing balls into the box.

Babel it seems is on his way out, we have to replace him with a creative player who can chip in a decent amount of goals, and can win us games

[SimonNo7]

My biggest issue with the current situation is that Rafa doesn't appear to know how to change the way we play to get out of the mess - or he's that stubborn he's refusing budge from his system. If we were in a rut and Rafa was actually trying things, change of tactics, of systems, or players then I'd be more forgiving.

Simply the key players in our system aren't good enough - or are suffering so hideously in form that I can't see a way out.

Look at what was on display today:

Both fullbacks can't really defend, both central midfielders can't create, Kuyt can't control the football, the fulcrum of the side and system (Gerrard) can't be arsed or is injured. That's 6 positions where we're really, really struggling. Yet the central midfielders are rarely broken up, Kuyt is never dropped, and we've painted ourselves into a corner with our choice of "attacking" fullbacks.

This is Rafa's mess and its awful to say this, I don't think he's capable of making radical changes to improve things.

I don't think I can disagree with any of that... depressingly.

[ex_KT_red4ever]

As hard as it is to say....

WE ARE ****.

Anyone disagree with that? I'd be interested to hear why we aren't ****!

[Fan65]

Something doesn't look right to me, Gerrard and Johnson had no go in them at all & both look shadows of what they were at the start of the season, Mascherano spends his time giving away free kicks & has had a red card coming for a while now, Kuyt looks like his energy has run out, Benayoun is off the pace. Insua seems to be regressing, Dossena ? How in the name of Fowler does he get in the side ahead of Aurelio. Where's Babel ? Reira? Aquilani? what more injuries??? WHATS GOING ON ?

Somethings wrong somewhere.

[gaz01]

God this is depressing - thankfully I'm going to get ****faced tonight - and hopefully waking up to better news than I can possibly expect!

anyone know what Rafa's commented after the game?

He blamed the ref

[SimonNo7]

****ty and Sunderland 2-2.

Perhaps our result as depressing as it was might not actually be as bad as first seemed.

Having said that, that doesn't mean we can carry on with the way we are playing, we need to, without doubt, change the way we are playing.

[barnes10]

JAY FOOKING SPEARING.

That is enough for me to come to the conclusion that i think rafa is actually looking for the sack now.

he's had enough of not being backed and i dont blame him for that. He should have walked at the start of the season. however he seems willing to destroy our season and take us down with him. that isnt on. he knows the repercussions of us not qualifying and its the sale of our best players.

if he's not doing it deliberately then he's just proving that he doesnt have what it takes to make a team fight and get the best out of them.

this is ****

[lickedlollipop]

sunderland 2

[Rich]

There's no point in looking at other results because with our form any team will be in with a good chance of beating us.

Defeat at Reading in the FA Cup could be the final straw.

[el matador]

I think a midfield of Kuyt, Dossena, Lucas and Mascherano is going to be **** regardless of the formation you put them in.

too true

Rafa loves his defensive players. So went into this game with 8 defensive players and two proper attacking players.

[DannyMan2006]

I think Rafa deserves until the end of the season after last year. With Houllier it was a ****e season followed by another ****e season. But in this case we were fantastic last season, our best in the Premier League.

Would be harsh to give Rafa the boot based on half a season.

However, do we really want to give Rafa more money to spend? What if he doesn't turn it around? It would be money wasted that could have been given to the new manager. If we did get a new manager in NOW, it would give him a chance to look at the squad and then sell and bring in players as he saw fit in January.

But it would be harsh on Rafa. I still think he can turn it around and get 4th place. But we need Aquilani to be as good as we hoped when he finally does get match fit.

[el matador]

JAY FOOKING SPEARING.

That is enough for me to come to the conclusion that i think rafa is actually looking for the sack now.

he's had enough of not being backed and i dont blame him for that. He should have walked at the start of the season. however he seems willing to destroy our season and take us down with him. that isnt on. he knows the repercussions of us not qualifying and its the sale of our best players.

if he's not doing it deliberately then he's just proving that he doesnt have what it takes to make a team fight and get the best out of them.

this is ****

maybe he's lost the heart for the job and he's just waiting for his pay day.

[ex_KT_red4ever]

JAY FOOKING SPEARING.

That is enough for me to come to the conclusion that i think rafa is actually looking for the sack now.

he's had enough of not being backed and i dont blame him for that. He should have walked at the start of the season. however he seems willing to destroy our season and take us down with him. that isnt on. he knows the repercussions of us not qualifying and its the sale of our best players.

if he's not doing it deliberately then he's just proving that he doesnt have what it takes to make a team fight and get the best out of them.

this is ****

Err.. sorry to correct you Barnes10... but I think your very very wrong!!

You say "this is ****"

Actually, its ****TER THAN ****!

(Sorry trying to be ironic in the face of such ****NESS!)

I dont think I can be arsed with footie at the moment.. life is depressing enough.. but to see the team you support give **** ALL! Really is the cherry on the cake for me!

[Jaymo]

****ing shambles, where a laughing stock.. It hurts so much when you love your club as much as i do (and all the rest of you do) to see it go to ruins.

[Exiled_red]

Fulham 1 up against Scum.

Perhaps something will go for us today!

Unfortunately we're too far behind the scum to worry about their results, it's the likes of City, Villa, Spurs etc whose results will have most impact on us