Liverpool vs Steaua Bucharest: Match Thread

[danperkins]

I think Babel has showed some much needed pace and directness at times, his problem is his final ball and shot selection. Spearing has done okay as well I thought. If anything he's probably been better than Meireles.

Kelly and Kyrgiakos - chasm of a gap that let them in for their goal.

Have to say, despite 5 saying Steau have been better, they haven't created much other than the Pepe save when they were offside. I think if we were to try and play it more instead of taking pot shots we may find some more joy.

Babel should be played out right and Pacheco on the left IMO, Babel is useless on the left, he has pace for sure but he is most certainly not direct when playing out left, i'd at least play him on right or central to finally try and get the best out of this most frustrating player.

Spearing has worked hard off the ball, positional sense way off but he's tried, on the ball he's been awful, as for Merieles sure Lucas might as well be there instead of him, he has just drifted through the game unnoticed. Performance is not good enough and Roy has made a bit of an error thus far with team selection IMO. Maybe underestimated Steau a wee bit, Joe Cole is on his own out there, we need to show some fire and go for it, is criminal how uncomfortable we are in possession.

[SimonNo7]

Simon's accidentally tuned into a re-run of the Birmingham game

Perhaps it's what I was expecting, or used to?

[JohnDoe]

We hammered Real, but we didn't dominate United, we just sat back and hit them on the counter. Three goals I remember, Torres goal was a long ball over the top that Vidic screwed up - counter attack goal. Fabios was a free kick. Dossena was achip after he had been played down the left on the counter when United were going for broke. Can't remember the other goal?

Gerrard peno.

[CJ]

It's a shame he's playing a game called football. If it was just called "foot", he would have been ace at it.



I hate watching Jovanovic play even more, and for this reason alone, I'm a Babel fan this season.

as you have had 3X the 15 mins needed to decide the entire career of a player can you let us know your findings player by player?

or can you only let us know for 3 players? if so feel free

[red g]

Life under roy is not much fun at the moment

[SimonNo7]

Napoli 0 -0 Utrecht at half time

This is the game I was obviously referring to when I mentioned a 0-0 HT score

[danperkins]

Common Boys!

[DannyMan2006]

we look a little naieve in our formation. our two banks or four look too square and there seems to be too much space in between the back 4 and the midfield.

ngog really needs to get going and hold up the balls that are pushed into him. i dont think he's managed to win a single header or get one of these balls into him under control.

cole maxi and babel need balls pushed into them but with no one to hold up the ball, their defenders are pushing right up on our midfielders knowing that there isnt any real threat from us in behind.

We lack a player in midfield who will sit and break it up. FFS. Problem on Sunday was no player who would get forward and pass it about, problem today is a midfield without someone who will break it up.

[danperkins]

This is the game I was obviously referring to when I mentioned a 0-0 HT score

haha

[SimonNo7]

To be fair to you, it felt like a 0-0. The goals were really forgetful.

Cheers

Second half about to get underway, no changes and the score is 1-1

[JohnDoe]

Yeah, Babel looks better than Jovanovich!

If that smiley is sarcasm, I don't understand it.

Babel runs around the pitch a lot, loses the ball 9 times out of 10, frustrates and makes an occasional moment of brilliance.

Jovanovic runs around the pitch a lot, loses the ball 10 times out of 10 and frustrates.

[danperkins]

If this continues and we still aren't playing well Roy better show some urgency with his substitutions.

[CJ]

Life under roy is not much fun at the moment

see this is what i dont get

whether you like Roy or you dont the thing he is good at is shape and being able to defend.

perhaps the change to Man to Man is taking longer than we thought

also we havent had a settled defence yet. Even under Rafa when we changed defenders we always looked more shaky until it gelled

[SimonNo7]

Why didn't Spearing take that on and just try and bulldoze his way through?

[Cleo]

[QUOTE=JohnDoe;1711963]It's a shame he's playing a game called football. If it was just called "foot", he would have been ace at it.