Napoli v Liverpool Post Match Thread

[-V-]

A few surprisingly decent performances from inexperienced players. Pepe solid as always god bless him. Kelly, Spearing and Shelvey all looked quite comfortable. Skrtle had a good game for a change

[Fierce]

Interview was Meh aswell he is not going tonight

Where did you see the interview?!

[Craig_H]

At leaSt thAt caCk zonal marKing expeRiment is Over surelY, doNt yOu agree With me?

[marcus50bucks]

It was OK. But it was only Napoli and we created two decent chances.

Mind you, that's two more than usual so we shouldn't be too critical.

Napoli were at full strength, we clearly weren't but still matched them away from home.

[Mostar]

It was a decent performance, considering our recent showings

Still not good enough though

Highlight for me was Shelvey. Hopefully it's a sign of things to come. He's obviously not 1st team material right now, but I'd have him on the bench all day long

Booking aside, Skrtel was decent, and Poulsen wasn't actually as crap as I expected him to be

Babel is utter ****e. He did try though, which is more than can be said for some of his past performances

He only had like 5 touches and still was one of the worst on the pitch.

[Shaggy]

Liverpool's solid start to their Europa League group stage campaign continued on Thursday evening as they claimed a hard-fought point in a goalless draw with Napoli in Italy.

The Reds produced an assured performance in a game of few real chances at the Stadio San Paolo, though Paul Konchesky was required to intervene with a goalline clearance to prevent Marek Hamsik giving the home side the lead in first-half injury time.

Meanwhile, Ryan Babel spurned Liverpool's best chance on 70 minutes when he shot straight at Morgan De Sanctis when one-on-one with the Italian goalkeeper.

The result means the Reds have collected five points from their opening three matches in the tournament, putting them in a commanding position to secure a passage into the Europa League knockout phase.

Much of the pre-match talk had centred around Roy Hodgson's decision to leave the likes of Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres and Raul Meireles behind on Merseyside to prepare for Blackburn's weekend visit to Anfield as Liverpool departed John Lennon airport for Naples on Wednesday morning.

Instead, the boss decided to put his faith in a clutch of players on the periphery of regular first-team berths at Anfield, with Martin Kelly, Jay Spearing, Ryan Babel and David Ngog all handed a place in his starting XI.

There was also a first full competitive Reds debut for Jonjo Shelvey, who was deployed in an advanced central role behind Ngog.

Liverpool went into the game aiming to preserve an unbeaten record in the Europa League so far this term, and also bounce back in the best possible fashion following their Merseyside derby disappointment.

In fact, it was this tournament that had yielded Hodgson's contingent's last victory in any competition with the 4-1 triumph against Steaua Bucharest at Anfield last month.

But Napoli fans had billed the contest as their biggest game in almost two decades and as the Reds arrived at the Stadio San Paolo a little over an hour and 45 minutes prior to kick-off, they were greeted by the sight - and sound - of a stadium already three quarters full.

No surprise then that the intense atmosphere building had magnified by the time referee Thorsten Kinhofer sounded his whistle for the first time of the night, but Liverpool set about attempting to quell the noise in the early stages as they dominated possession in the opening exchanges.

Napoli fashioned the first opening of the encounter, however, when ex-Red Andrea Dossena's fine cross was headed behind to safety by Paul Konchesky. From the resulting corner, Edinson Cavani's attempted header was blocked before Ezequiel Lavezzi skewed well wide.

He went closer moments later, but his effort from range cleared the top of Pepe Reina's crossbar, while the Reds' first shot of any note did not arrive until the 33rd minute when Shelvey's long-range attempt was easily collected by Morgan De Sanctis.

The former Charlton man was certainly impressing on his first start for Liverpool and his excellent measured centre into the Napoli box on 41 minutes deserved better, but Ngog couldn't force a shot goalwards on the stretch.

Clear cut chances had proven difficult to come by for both teams, but the home side thought they had opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time.

A right-wing Napoli corner caused havoc in the Liverpool box, resulting in Marek Hamsik turning Cavani's low cross goalwards at close range. Thankfully, Paul Konchesky was on hand to clear off the line and ensure the teams headed into the break on level terms.

Hodgson was forced into a defensive reshuffle at the break, with Soto Kyrgiakos replacing Jamie Carragher.

Napoli made an enterprising start to the second period and Reina was forced to produce a smart stop to thwart Cavani's after the Reds had been opened up by Walter Gargano's pass. The host's No.8 then powered a header narrowly wide of the post from Christian Maggio's right-wing centre.

With the Italian's now in the ascendancy, Liverpool were increasingly relying on the counter-attack, but it was a tactic that almost paid dividends with just over 20 minutes left on the clock as a swift foray forward saw Milan Jovanovic play Babel through on goal, but the Dutchman's strike cannoned straight into the legs of De Sanctis.

The Reds fashioned another glorious chance as the game ticked towards its conclusion when Ngog superbly turned Paolo Cannavaro inside the box only to see his shot strike Salvatore Aronica.

Neither team could muster a winner in the remaining moments as Liverpool collected a well-deserved point.

Reds boss Roy Hodgson was pleased with his night's work.

"I am absolutely delighted with both a very good team performance and also an excellent result. Make no mistake, Napoli are a very good team and some top sides have been vanquished here lately, including Roma who succumbed to a heavy defeat."

"We look forward to Sunday now with renewed confidence. We feel reinvigorated by this and look forward to another big game with tremendous relish."

[DannyMan2006]

I only saw the second half.

Of what I did see, usual negative play - but in fairness I don't mind that when away to the best team in our group, with a second string team. The problem with Roy is he plays the same way against Northampton and Blackpool at home.

But going on just tonight, good performance and in the context of the group, a great result.

[Buzzo]

At leaSt thAt caCk zonal marKing expeRiment is Over surelY, doNt yOu agree With me?

Weirdly I again hear the words "Sack Roy Now" when I read this...

[Craig_H]

Reds boss Roy Hodgson was pleased with his night's work.

"I am absolutely delighted with both a very good team performance and also an excellent result. Make no mistake, Napoli are a very good team and some top sides have been vanquished here lately, including Roma who succumbed to a heavy defeat."

"We look forward to Sunday now with renewed confidence. We feel reinvigorated by this and look forward to another big game with tremendous relish."

**** off

[SK]

If i was Roy i'd be tempted to bench Torres and Gerrard for the Blackburn match and go with:

Pepe
Kelly-Greek-Agger-Aurelio
Meireles-Poulsen/Lucas
Babel-Cole-Jovanović
Ngog

i mean two of his "best" players aren't prefroming, and tonight the players on the pitch at least showed some fight and a bit of desire. What's he got to lose?

[Roboklopp]

Meh

[Craig_H]

If i was Roy i'd be tempted to bench Torres and Gerrard for the Blackburn match and go with:

Pepe
Kelly-Greek-Agger-Aurelio
Meireles-Poulsen/Lucas
Babel-Cole-Jovanović
Ngog

i mean two of his "best" players aren't prefroming, and tonight the players on the pitch at least showed some fight and a bit of desire. What's he got to lose?

Dont tempt me...

[Shaggy]

**** off

[SK]

Dont tempt me...

he's a dead man walking as it is

[Alex]

If i was Roy i'd be tempted to bench Torres and Gerrard for the Blackburn match and go with:

Pepe
Kelly-Greek-Agger-Aurelio
Meireles-Poulsen/Lucas
Babel-Cole-Jovanović
Ngog

i mean two of his "best" players aren't prefroming, and tonight the players on the pitch at least showed some fight and a bit of desire. What's he got to lose?

His job