Bolton 0-1 Liverpool — Post match

[vonk]

One thing about Carra though... When NGog came on I honestly thought he would get walked all over by Bolton as it was a physical game, but to be fair he played well. Anyway, at one point he won a decent corner and Carra made a point to go to him and pat him on the head and let him know he'd done well. Class that from Carra.

[Robbie-fowler999]

Lol. Do I need to list all the attributes that Agger possesses better than Skrtel?

Aerial strength, reading the game, composure...

In my earlier post I listed Agger & Skrtel as a pairing, along with Soto & Skrtel. I was making the point that we had options but ultimately we need to be looking ahead with Agger in the side, he's by far our most complete CB and would grace most teams in the premiership. Sadly I agree that he'll be off in January unless he starts getting the treatment he deserves

1. Agger isnt better in the air than skrtel.
2. he would be on the bench for united , chelsea and maybe even for city.
3. He is not our best center back, Playing nice football doesnt mean **** if you dont get 3 pts . ex : the way arsenal play.
4. 75% of the time Agger is injured
5. i happen to remember the form of Skrtel back in 08-09 just before he injured himself at city and he was ****ing unbelivable. He did everything.

Agger is a luxury to have, but my opinion is that Skrtel suits us better.

[Kronenburg1892]

I think Carra has become a bit of a mascot. I seriously hope he learns being on the right handside (although he'd spent a couple seasons on the left) there's more to defending than square balls and back passes, or boot it into touch.

[mick the click]

OMG

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/9129015.stm

Halfway down the page.

"We've not been playing that badly, in fact we haven't really played badly in more than two or three games this season, and have had some famous games in the Europa Cup to boost us along the way."

I hoped you were mucking about there and had to listen to the deluded old codger (see what I did there?) for myself.

Where does he live? I'd like to offer him the opportunity to take advantage of some history lessons (subject: 'Famous Games not in the Europa Cup') and a lot of media training.

If he refused I would have to shoot him.

[Lecter]

Famous games in the Europa Cup?!

Only two or three games where we've played badly?!

If he was managing another club we'd be ripping it out of him. My biggets gripe today was when Gray mentioned about "Rafa's Liverpool only winning four or five away games in the League last year"... when before today Hodgson hadn't won away since 1376.

That was a shocking comment by Gray and even more shocking was his comment earlier in the day that LFC had not won an away league game for almost a year* and that is a problem Hodgson had inherited

FLMAO we won away last on the 25th April and the only thing we have inherited regarding poor away form is Hodgson

Its plain there is an agenda on Sky to promote Roy

Its almost as shocking as Roy is

[Lecter]

To be fair Hodgson's tactics today would have looked better had Torres scored that run through on goal and/or set Gerrard up with that piss easy pass that he managed to sulk into a shocker. Yes that flick he did was a jizzy pleasure, but he could have made Roy's tactics look better with a 2-0 or even 3-0 comfortable win.

You say tomato, I'm saying potato.

Torres scoring then would have changed nothing

The football is still ****ing turgid and the most negative I have ever witnessed from a Liverpool side

The tactics are ****e, baffling and against a good side will be easily exploited

Today was reversion to type the same old ****e hes peddled from day one

[Lecter]

and the last time we played good football against bolton was...

**** I struggle to remember last week nevermind anything else

Tactically this is the worst football I have seen at Liverpool and I have followed us since 1976 and had a season ticket from about 1978 onwards (although recently my attendance has fell off due to work commitments)

Its defensive negative stuff in the extreme its giving the opposition ground and space and when we are in possession ****ting it to a front man in the hope he does something world class and gets us something

Its raw, baseless, fundamental Sunday league football the kind you see week in week out on Buckley Hill played by the over 40's

The only worse footballing tactics I've seen peddled is the ****e Allardyce serves up and you can always argue that Allardyces tactics are more related to rugby and american football (based on yardage) than football

[Lecter]

so you would rather have a defender who has some football skills over a defender thats keeps strong at the back and gives us a chance to win ?

I would argue that having Agger in your side does not necessarily weaken you defensively

For a start you would play a higher line with him in the team which I think is what we should be doing anyway

Sitting deep surrendering ground and encouraging balls into the box is not high up on my list of tactical ploys to be honest

[peekay]

It was a **** performance but a very welcome three points.

Also **** performance is still an order of magnitude better than our derby performance.

[Shaggy]

and the last time we played good football against bolton was...

Won there last year 3-2 and while we defended badly, we played good attacking football and scored some superb goals.

Season before we won 2-0 in a fantastic performance and should've scored 6.

[Robbie-fowler999]

I would argue that having Agger in your side does not necessarily weaken you defensively

For a start you would play a higher line with him in the team which I think is what we should be doing anyway

Sitting deep surrendering ground and encouraging balls into the box is not high up on my list of tactical ploys to be honest

Im not saying Agger is **** but this whole " agger should be starting and agger is our best CB " is OTT. If we keep clean sheets and win games i would give a **** who starts and how we play.

[Exiled_red]

I would argue that having Agger in your side does not necessarily weaken you defensively

For a start you would play a higher line with him in the team which I think is what we should be doing anyway

Sitting deep surrendering ground and encouraging balls into the box is not high up on my list of tactical ploys to be honest

[Lecter]

Im not saying Agger is **** but this whole " agger should be starting and agger is our best CB " is OTT. If we keep clean sheets and win games i would give a **** who starts and how we play.

The thing is I dont see us continuing to pick up points if we play the way we have been

Personally IF Agger was fit I'd start with him because I'd prefer to play a much higher line and condense the play (thats what the best sides do)

The fact that we are doing the exact opposite unnerves me greatly

[Lecter]

Roy's Bolton verdict
31st Oct 2010 - Latest News

Roy Hodgson heaped praise on the character of his side as a late Maxi Rodriguez strike gave Liverpool a 1-0 win over Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium on Sunday.

The Argentine's 86th minute goal saw the Reds climb out of the bottom three in the Barclays Premier League and the manager claimed the victory was just rewards for never giving up.

"We had some good situations and just when I thought we might do something we wasted it, but thankfully we kept going and luckily one more chance came up and we got the goal," Hodgson told reporters at his post-match press conference.

"It was a nicely worked goal with a great touch from Fernando to give Maxi the chance.

"I felt it was a very gritty performance from our back four against a team that is never easy to play against.

"Bolton are very similar to Blackburn and they have an effective style of play based on getting the ball into the penalty area from all areas.

"We were well organised and I congratulate our team and I am really pleased we got the victory because as people have told me several times this week we don't usually win away, but it was nice to do so for a change.

"We have now had three very good results and the pleasing thing for me is we have defended so much better.

"I know that we will score goals. At the moment we aren't scoring a lot, but I do believe with people like Steven Gerrard, Fernando Torres, Maxi today, Raul Meireles and Dirk Kuyt there are goals in this team.

"One of the things that did concern me at one stage was that we were leaking too many goals this season, so we are defending better now.

"It's a step in the right direction and the players know they have got the ability to dig in, even in games like this against Bolton, which is a good thing to know."

The boss was also asked by journalists how he felt about David Ngog's appearance from the bench after the French striker made a favourable impression as a 61st minute substitute.

"He contributed a lot and he's getting better and better," said Hodgson.

"David works very hard at his game in training and he tries very hard to do some of the things we are asking him to do.

"I thought he made a good contribution to our victory, especially because Fernando was tiring at that time.

"It was good to see him do well because he is a young player who we think has got potential.

"But of course when you are at a big club like Liverpool people are not that forgiving when you don't show that potential every time you step on the field."

Fernando Torres spurned a good chance to put Liverpool ahead in the first half, and journalists were keen to get Hodgson's thoughts on the Spaniard's form.

The boss replied: "Quality is permanent and he's getting there.

"It will come for Fernando. He has been very good in training and he works very hard at his game in training.

"He is very much on board with what we are trying to do and asking him to do.

"It is sometimes small margins. With the chance he had in the first half if he takes the ball around the 'keeper and scores then it's a different story.

"Because he didn't score he can see the headlines on Monday about Torres misses again, but there's nothing we can do about that.

"All we can do is encourage him to keep working like he is and to let him know we think he is a magnificent player, and over the course of the next 30 or so games he will do a good job for us, without a shadow of a doubt. "

Hodgson was also quizzed about how he has coped with the start to the season which saw the Reds struggling in the bottom half of the table.

He added: "I have always believed we are working the right way.

"I have been as devastated as everyone else by the lack of results but I have never stopped believing in hard work and believing the work will pay dividends.

"It's just a question of time scales and it is a rebuilding job. We have still got a lot of work to do but it's just nice to see a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel.

"That's part and parcel of being a manager of a really top team. The expectations are very high and there will be lots of applause if it goes well and lots of kicks up the backside if it doesn't, and I accept that.

"Most importantly I try to make certain it doesn't affect my work with the players during the week in training, because then when they go out on the field at least I can feel we have done as much preparation and put the players in the best possible condition to win the match."

Hodgson also revealed his squad could be boosted against Chelsea next Sunday by the return of Dirk Kuyt and Glen Johnson.

He stated: "I think Dirk will be available to be in the squad against Chelsea, but whether he is fit enough to play that remains to be seen.

"I think Dirk will start training with the team again towards the latter part of the week and then it's a question of seeing how well he can cope, and in particular how fit he can be after a three-week lay-off.

"Glen Johnson should also be available against Chelsea."

Meanwhile, reporters asked Hodgson if he planned to meet with NESV Principal Owner John W Henry, who returns to Liverpool this week.

He said: "We have contact with each other on an almost daily basis because he is very interested, very committed and very anxious to learn more about the club and what can be done, what needs to be done, and how the club should move forward, which is music to all our ears.

"He will be holding a lot of meetings this week and he wants to spend some time with me and discuss how I see the situation and see things panning out in the future.

"It will be a good week and I'm delighted we are doing it on the back of a victory rather than a defeat.

"It will be nice to meet the owners this week and it's very positive."

Author: Steve Hunter at the Reebok Stadium

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/roy-s-bolton-verdict

[danperkins]

Scrappy game, nothing much in it but Bolton away is not an easy place to go and they seem a much tougher prospect this season. Another sub standard performance but a fantastic result. Also on a positive i like the sound of us wanting to buy 5 or 6 players in January

P.S Paul Konchesky is one of the worst players i've ever seen in a LFC shirt.