Liverpool v Stoke - Post match anguish thread

[Marky]

Thanks.

Probably a touch of the sniffles or something. Poor little Danny.

[Shaggy]

Thanks.

Probably a touch of the sniffles or something. Poor little Danny.

[carheex]

I'm not sure winning away at Stoke qualifies as "great". Good maybe, but really, there's no way you can seriously tell me you watched that game and thought it was anything other than dire. From both teams admittedly, but we really haven't got a clue in the opposition half, and after we scored started playing FAR too deep.

Its all just gone so wrong. I don't think Rafa's going to make the end of the month at this rate.

The sad thing is, before kick off I never even expected us to win.

[carheex]

Wednesday Night: Liverpool vs Spurs

My prediction: Liverpool 3-0 Spurs

Lucas, Kuyt and Degan to score.

If we're being silly, how about making it 6-0, with a hat trick from Reina?

[Kenneth]

It was! He scissored Degen, went right through him.

Nah. Definitely won the ball first, before making any contact.

Start of the 1st video here:

http://football.goalsss.com/2010/01/16/stoke-city-0-%E2%80%93-1-liverpool-highlights-1612010/

[Reece]

Does it matter if he wins the ball first if the referee deems it a "dangerous tackle", remembering the times when you could tackle hard etc aside.

[Marky]

Speaking of Degen, how'd he fair yesterday?

Didn't see the game as i was working.

[Kenneth]

I guess not, but he didn't 'scissor' him, in that didn't bring his legs together. Won the ball with the left and then brought him down with the right. Not a foul for me, but whatever, we all have bigger things to worry about. Should I eat YET another slice of caramel shortcake?

[Kenneth]

Speaking of Degen, how'd he fair yesterday?

Didn't see the game as i was working.

Pretty good. Can't fault his effort, he's clearly trying hard to tale his chance in the 1st team. As with the Reading game, he looked to push forward but wasn't that convincing covering the RB position.

[Marky]

Sorry man i'm probably being on unfair on Agger.

I'm just hacked off the way players like him are injured one week and play the next. Obviously it's not their fault but still..
it's awfully frustrating.

[topscorer]

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/117725/Anfield-flop-Diao-backs-Benitez/?

Benitez added: “The decisions were not the best. People who are in charge have to decide when they have seen the performance of the referee out there on the pitch and decide. It is like me dealing with a player. If a player makes a mistake then you put him on the bench.”

If only that wasn't so hypocritical. So we'll be seeing Kuyt & Carra on the bench come Wednesday will we?

[Craig_H]

Maybe if Rafa had 20 odd options per position like you do with refs, he'd drop Kuyt or Carra.

[topscorer]

Maybe they don't have so many good refs to choose from as you suppose. It's easy to have a moan about the refs, we all do it, but I think we only had 2 shots on goal yesterday and no corners. It's all been said already but the stats are hardly surprising with 6 defenders and 2 holding midfielders.

Maybe I shouldn't have picked on specific players from a specific game to make my point. The point is it was a bad example for Rafa to make because he has favourites that are undroppable regardless of how they play.

Like the players I feel he has been well below par this season but unlike the players he cannot be dropped to the bench.

Rafa needs to show his wizardry in tactics and planning come Wednesday because the Spurs defense has been strong the last month or so and we aren't going to score with the team that went out on Saturday.

We have to win, I'm tired of post match excuses.

[Craig_H]

Perhaps, if we'd been given two clear cut penalties, we'd have had more shots on goal and won?

It's easy to say you're tired of excuses, but if the ref robs us, there's little we can do.

Remember this is Stoke away we're talking about, not some two-bob away game that everyone wins. And remember who we were missing. Gerrard, Torres, Benayoun and Johnson all out - the four of those provide a major part of our attacking capabilities.

It's worth taking all things into account in this case.

[topscorer]

4 shots on goal is hardly enough to win the game on average is it? I don't know what the average shots on goal is in a game but I'm sure it's more than that.

I understand we are missing Torres, Gerrard & Beny but are they the only 3 attacking players we have in the squad after 5 years to rebuild it?

What two bob away game would you consider to be a dead cert? Portsmouth? Reading? I don't consider any to be a dead cert even when we are playing well but you have to at least give yourself a chance by putting someone on the pitch that can give a bit of creativity.