Stoke Post Match...

[Craig_H]

The thing is I'm not sure it is any longer

The phrasing might have been wrong but Roy isnt dropping either of them for poor performances

They are his only two allies within the squad

He has to keep them sweet

If he pins up a team and they're not in it, they dont play. End of. They dont go 'oh yes i am' and take to the field Never heard such balls.

Of course, if you wanted to suggest that he will always pick them, regardless of form, that's a different thing.

[Craig_H]

We had one last season mate and they helped get rid.

NESV wouldnt have sacked Rafa. H&G sacked him because he wouldnt shut up about the **** they were dragging our club through.

[Leyton388]

NESV wouldnt have sacked Rafa. H&G sacked him because he wouldnt shut up about the **** they were dragging our club through.

IMO Rafa would thrive under NESV due to their dedication to stats and form guides for players and investment.

[Kronenburg1892]

IMO Rafa would thrive under NESV due to their dedication to stats and form guides for players and investment.

I fully agree.

I would hope Tomkins had a word along these lines with Henry when they met.

[RichC]

IMO Rafa would thrive under NESV due to their dedication to stats and form guides for players and investment.

probably correct, but he's not going to be available so we need to move on.

[Lecter]

Of course, if you wanted to suggest that he will always pick them, regardless of form, that's a different thing.

[Craig_H]

That's fair enough then - but it's not THEM 'telling him' that they 'arent dropped' if he dropped them. And in fairness, it'd take a mighty brave manager to drop Carra or Gerrard, when we're doing so poorly.

[Lecter]

That's fair enough then - but it's not THEM 'telling him' that they 'arent dropped' if he dropped them. And in fairness, it'd take a mighty brave manager to drop Carra or Gerrard, when we're doing so poorly.

Well it is and it isnt

He cant afford to upset them they are his only allies and I do think they wield far too much influence over Roy

For Carragher the Roy tenure is a symbiotic relationship and the same for Roy in regards to Carragher

When it ends, which it shortly will then it will be the end for both of them

[Craig_H]

That's not the same as them telling him "no i'm not" if he tries to drop them - as was suggested.

[Lecter]

Stoke 2 Liverpool 0: Fuller and Jones lift City into top half and end Reds' mini revival
By Mark Ryan Last updated at 11:14 PM on 13th November 2010

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson ignored the late calls among his own club's supporters for old favourite Kenny Dalglish to take back the reins at Anfield.
That much was understandable: but Hodgson's extraordinary acceptance of his side's deficiencies during the post-match inquest was even more worrying than the result, as Stoke recorded their first victory over the Merseysiders for 26 years.
Ricardo Fuller's scrappy, 56th-minute strike gave Stoke the lead they deserved and his fellow Caribbean marksman Kenwyne Jones made certain with a late second to send the Britannia Stadium into calypso mode.

To make matters worse for Hodgson, his Brazil midfielder Lucas was sent off in the dying seconds for a second bookable offence, although that feisty streak might have been much better used during a midfield battle which only ever provided one winner.
Asked if he was satisfied with the mental strength his team had shown considering the fact that the Britannia is a cauldron which demands any visiting outfit to fight fire with fire, Hodgson replied: 'I think I am, and it would be a very unfair accusation to say that we lacked mental strength and character - our defending of so many throw-ins and set-pieces proved that.'
But a team who remain under so much pressure are always likely to come unstuck in the end and Liverpool clearly lacked a cutting edge.
Incredibly, Hodgson added: 'They outbattled us on occasions but our midfield isn't a battling midfield.'
When finally challenged on the obvious truth that any fully functioning midfield requires a battling element, he tried to do a U-turn.
Flippin' marvellous: Kenwyne Jones celebrates his strike in acrobatic fashion
He explained: 'What I meant was that in players like Raul Meireles and Maxi Rodriguez we don't have big guys in there, so I'll take that back.'
Quite what Liverpool fans are supposed to make of that confused thinking is anyone's guess. Hodgson added that he did not see it as his role as manager to take off an injured striker if that player did not himself want to come off.
Speaking of Fernando Torres he explained his logic like this: 'We missed him after the knock he took to his ankle but he didn't want to come off and I didn't want to take him off. But I don't think he was firing on all cylinders after that. When a player like that wants to stay on, you don't take him off.'
A Rory Delap long throw soon after half-time sparked a scramble in the Liverpool area from which no defender emerged with much credit.
Robert Huth outmuscled the likes of Martin Skrtel and Sotiros Kyrgiakos and found time to pass to Matthew Etherington on Stoke's left. His killer cross created more pinball in the danger zone before Fuller stabbed home Stoke's opener.

In the closing stages, Liverpool old boy Jermaine Pennant threaded a perfect pass into the path of Jones, who cut across Skrtel before putting the result beyond doubt by scoring.
On those chants for Dalglish, Hodgson reflected: 'Obviously I'm disappointed if that has happened but that would be part of life at Liverpool. You heard it, I didn't, but I'm sure there are many of our fans who sympathise with what we are trying to do.'
Jubilant Stoke manager Tony Pulis has seen his club's fortunes change dramatically in the space of two games and he admitted: 'We are very pleased - the important thing was to push up on Liverpool and stop them from getting any rhythm in their passing.'

MATCHFACTSStoke (4-4-2): Begovic; Wilkinson, Shawcross, Huth, Collins; Pennant, Whitehead, Delap, Etherington (Wilson 90min); Fuller (Walters 87), K Jones. Subs (not used): Sorensen, Higginbotham, Whelan, Gudjohnsen, Tuncay.Booked: Collins, Fuller.

Liverpool (4-4-1-1): Reina; Carragher, Kyrgiakos, Skrtel, Konchesky; Meireles (Ngog 66), Lucas, Gerrard, Maxi (Babel 73); Kuyt, Torres. Subs (not used): Jones, Jovanovic, Poulsen, Shelvey, Kelly. Booked: Torres, Lucas, Skrtel. Sent off: Lucas (90min). Referee: M Halsey (Lancashire).


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/foo...#ixzz15I5SzXAF

[wiw]

Lec you seem pretty convinced he's a goner then?

[little dave hedgehog]

i think there's just a universal truth involved here in the fact that because we now have ambitious owners, every bad decision edges roy closer to the door. it's not hard to understand or imagine.

[Lecter]

Lec you seem pretty convinced he's a goner then?

Yes very

[Lecter]

i think there's just a universal truth involved here in the fact that because we now have ambitious owners, every bad decision edges roy closer to the door. it's not hard to understand or imagine.

I dont even think its that

They have made the decision already imo, they are just looking for the right excuse / opportunity to do it

[little dave hedgehog]

i think one is the function of the other.