Reading – Post Match

[TheStig]

I think he got very little service so hence had very little impact on the game, he had a couple of nice touches when he was involved but they were fairly infrequent and not in dangerous areas. Also I don't think he knew what his role in the team was today because he's not used to playing in a front two, a couple of times I saw him look to make runs but he could see that Torres had made the run before him and he didn't know what to do then

He seemed to get the ball given to him with his back to goal all the time which is clearly not his strength in the slightest. Torres never really got the ball fed to him on the ground either, which made the whole match difficult for our front line.

We just lacked movement up front all match, and our attacks just slowed down and went backwards most of the time.

[-V-]

I was there and it was a terrible terrible performance.

First half wasn't too bad, but the in the second we just couldn't keep hold of the ball. Reading on the other hand kept it pretty neatly without really threatening.

Feel sorry for you mate

[Exiled_red]

He seemed to get the ball given to him with his back to goal all the time which is clearly not his strength in the slightest. Torres never really got the ball fed to him on the ground either, which made the whole match difficult for our front line.

We just lacked movement up front all match, and our attacks just slowed down and went backwards most of the time.

I think we've lacked movement throughout the team for ages, we don't pass and move anymore, most of the time our players are stationary waiting for the ball. Today I thought there was plenty of space available but no one moved into it

[TheStig]

Feel sorry for you mate

Don't worry too much.... I went all of... 5 miles from Woodley (next to Reading) to the game.

[TheStig]

I think we've lacked movement throughout the team for ages, we don't pass and move anymore, most of the time our players are stationary waiting for the ball. Today I thought there was plenty of space available but no one moved into it

Yep definitely.

[-V-]

Don't worry too much.... I went all of... 5 miles from Woodley (next to Reading) to the game.

Not so bad then, i take it back

[Guest]

Enjoy your dinner.

Don't forget if the dinner table conversation gets round to your opinion on Liverpool's dismal performance against Reading you can say you didn't see it but anyone who did and didn't like it should be constructive and stick their head in the sand like you have.

Instead of slagging off the team and Rafa on here, why don't you write him a letter, with bullets points to emphasise how you see he's doing wrong, maybe it'll have more influence than posting your tedious bollocks about why this player is ****e and how he is so complicated in his team selections.

Fact is:

1) This same team came second, 4 points off Man. Utd last season and playing the most attractive football in the PL (add to that we scored the most goals).

2) We have been consistently improving each year under Rafa up to this season, when clearly something is going wrong. So please stop it with the stereotyped phrases such as 'burying your head in the sand ...' etc ...

Sacking Rafa and putting another manager in charge (which will probably be Jurgen Klinsmann - I doubt the Americans have a vast football knowledge which will make them see past the Germans' merits) will put our club in an even deeper quagmire.

Then we'll all have to endure your constant tediousness about how bad Klinsmann is .... Some things will never change.

[Helios Creed]

Instead of slagging off the team and Rafa on here, why don't you write him a letter, with bullets points to emphasise how you see he's doing wrong, maybe it'll have more influence than posting your tedious bollocks about why this player is ****e and how he is so complicated in his team selections.

Fact is:

1) This same team came second, 4 points off Man. Utd last season and playing the most attractive football in the PL (add to that we scored the most goals).

2) We have been consistently improving each year under Rafa up to this season, when clearly something is going wrong. So please stop it with the stereotyped phrases such as 'burying your head in the sand ...' etc ...

Sacking Rafa and putting another manager in charge (which will probably be Jurgen Klinsmann - I doubt the Americans have a vast football knowledge which will make them see past the Germans' merits) will put our club in an even deeper quagmire.

Then we'll all have to endure your constant tediousness about how bad Klinsmann is .... Some things will never change.

I'm inclined to agree still (just) - class is permanent and all that - last year we were a good team with a good manager...

I'd love to know what the feck has happened...

[Guest]

I'm inclined to agree still (just) - class is permanent and all that - last year we were a good team with a good manager...

I'd love to know what the feck has happened...

It's strange isn't it. The only rational explanation that I have at this stage is that we had too many unfit and out of form players at the start of the season that we struggled to get a proper rhythm going.

Yet, this theory doesn't hold as we had a run with 6 consecutive wins, then beat Man. Utd convincingly.

At the end of the day, I just don't know what happened. The team, the captain and the manager were so upbeat at the end of last season that we could only have hoped of a title challenge this season ... then everything went from bad to worse since pre-season.

I'll reserve my judgement on Rafa until end of next year. I refuse to get embroiled in the negative spin most people have at the moment. I'm just taking a back seat with football, so that I don't get too down as a result of our disappointing season.

[TheStig]

It's strange isn't it. The only rational explanation that I have at this stage is that we had too many unfit and out of form players at the start of the season that we struggled to get a proper rhythm going.

Yet, this theory doesn't hold as we had a run with 6 consecutive wins, then beat Man. Utd convincingly.

At the end of the day, I just don't know what happened. The team, the captain and the manager were so upbeat at the end of last season that we could only have hoped of a title challenge this season ... then everything went from bad to worse since pre-season.

I'll reserve my judgement on Rafa until end of next year. I refuse to get embroiled in the negative spin most people have at the moment. I'm just taking a back seat with football, so that I don't get too down as a result of our disappointing season.

[Lee]

It's strange isn't it. The only rational explanation that I have at this stage is that we had too many unfit and out of form players at the start of the season that we struggled to get a proper rhythm going.

Nail on the head for me.

Injuries and our team not playing to their potential.

[blondie]

Instead of slagging off the team and Rafa on here, why don't you write him a letter, with bullets points to emphasise how you see he's doing wrong, maybe it'll have more influence than posting your tedious bollocks about why this player is ****e and how he is so complicated in his team selections.

Fact is:

1) This same team came second, 4 points off Man. Utd last season and playing the most attractive football in the PL (add to that we scored the most goals).

2) We have been consistently improving each year under Rafa up to this season, when clearly something is going wrong. So please stop it with the stereotyped phrases such as 'burying your head in the sand ...' etc ...

Sacking Rafa and putting another manager in charge (which will probably be Jurgen Klinsmann - I doubt the Americans have a vast football knowledge which will make them see past the Germans' merits) will put our club in an even deeper quagmire.

Then we'll all have to endure your constant tediousness about how bad Klinsmann is .... Some things will never change.

Agreed mate.
Early last season we were lucky to win so many matches. But the last few months we played awesome. Take Alonso and Reira out of that team, and it's now just not working. Add to that the fact our defence is a bit all over the place, which has been like a rock the last few seasons.
Whatever Rafa has changed this season hasn't worked, so I think he deserves the chance to make changes this transfer window and in the summer to bring in the right players to make his new system work. If we are still this bad early next season, then I think Rafa will have had his last chance and it would be time for a change.
As much as I am still a Rafa believer, what has infuriated me this season is that he won't change the system/players despite the terrible performances/losses. Surely trying something different in certain games wouldn't do any harm!

[Shanks]

Injuries and our team not playing to their potential.

Man Utd aren't doing too bad with those problems..

[Guest]

Man Utd aren't doing too bad with those problems..

Add their values and compare, maybe that'll shed some light your end.

Thing is, they have much less pressure than us. They're a club at the top, whilst we have the tremendous pressure of winning the league for the first time in 20 years. This has all its associated problems. Ask Ferguson is it was easy for them winning his first title.

[Lee]

Man Utd aren't doing too bad with those problems..

True. Easier though when you have a £100m bench and an established / settled squad.