Post Steaua thread

[SimonNo7]

The main problem is Royston. Almost everyone in this forum could set the side and formation to suit the players better than he is currently doing.

You are probably right but this squad really is not a very good squad. No passion, no pride, no movement, no teamwork, no creativity for over a year and for two managers.

[SimonNo7]

Was it just me or was Babel far too quick to throw his hands in the air at a decision when he simply could have chased after the ball and won it back a number of times...

Rather than it being at a decision it was probably more about him not being allowed to have his phone on the pitch!

[Leyton388]

NESV are winners and i'm convinced they are using this time to quietly assess the club and ship out the **** as soon as things are setup.

[SB]

Needed a point, got a point. Would have been a win only for Pepe making a bags of it, which happens. Hard place to go and play. The fringe players and young lads got a run out. What are people expecting from our second string team?

[The Erectile Banana]

NESV are winners and i'm convinced they are using this time to quietly asses the club and ship out the **** as soon as things are setup.

Let's hope they don't resort to the kinky stuff so early in their tenure. Such desperation is never a good sign.

[Leyton388]

Let's hope they don't resort to the kinky stuff so early in their tenure. Such desperation is never a good sign.

LOL good spot

[Rowan]

Roy Hodgson admitted he was delighted by the performance of his young stars as Liverpool secured a place in the last 32 of the Europa League with a 1-1 draw against Steaua Bucharest on Thursday night.

Milan Jovanovic headed the Reds into a first-half lead in Romania, but an uncharacteristic error from Pepe Reina allowed Eder Bonfim's header to squirm over the line and ensured the hosts claimed a point.

Nevertheless, the result was enough to take Liverpool into the next stage of the tournament with a game to spare as group winners.

Hodgson told his post-match press conference: "I am very happy. Happy most of all the team we had confidence in to take on this tough task of facing Steaua were able to produce the performance, and get the result we needed.

"We always knew it would be tough here. It was a last chance for Steaua to qualify, we knew they had big hopes and a lot of experienced players, but I think the players served the club well. We stuck at our task very well and had Joe Cole taken his chance in the first half maybe we'd have had it slightly easier.

"All credit to Steaua, they made us work very hard, but we are happy with the point and qualification."

He added: "I was concerned for them (the young players), I think I asked a lot of the team with so many players who haven't played for a long time - Joe Cole, Fabio Aurelio and Ryan Babel for example.

"Players like Danny Wilson, Dani Pacheco and Jonjo Shelvey, who have hardly played at all in the first team, asking them to come to Bucharest and get a result against a team of Steaua's quality is what I mean by being concerned.

"It was a big ask for those players to stand up to some of the pressure and deal with the quality football Steaua played, and I'm really delighted for them that they've come off the field with a good result and we now top the group whatever happens in the final game.

"It's a good achievement considering we have gone through this Europa League campaign giving many players a chance to play who don't normally play in the Premier League."

Having travelled to Bucharest minus the likes of Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Fernando Torres, Raul Meireles, Glen Johnson and Dirk Kuyt, Hodgson was left thrilled by the manner in which his young squad stood up to the test.

It's been a recurring theme throughout Liverpool's unbeaten Europa League quest so far this season - and Hodgson believes the run is serving to bolster the confidence of his young starlets.

He said: "It gives them confidence and I think we've seen the emergence of players like David Ngog and Martin Kelly (this season) and I think their emergence has come through these Europa League matches because they've been given a chance.

"Tonight I think you would have to add the name of Dani Pacheco. He hasn't had many chances but he certainly didn't let the team down at all, neither did Nathan Eccleston when he came on.

"In particular today I was delighted for Ryan Babel because he is a player who, again, has not had many opportunities to show what he can do. Tonight he took his opportunity with both hands and really did well upfront.

"It's good for me to know the work we're doing day in, day out on the training field is having some effect and the players are getting more and more comfortable with what we're trying to do, even those that maybe don't play every week."

Hodgson continued: "Danny Wilson has had one game in the first team, which was at left back. This is the first time he's had a chance to play at centre-back and it was a tough game to come into at centre-back, so I am delighted.

"It would have been nice to have won the game. Pepe is a bit down because he had an exceptionally good game in goal, but he's a bit disappointed he didn't keep a clean sheet.

"But as far as I'm concerned, I was most interested in the performance and if the players could stand up to the challenge. I think they did and it's going to be a pleasant ride home for us."

Steaua are now currently second in Group K and will go head-to-head with Napoli in the final group game in an attempt to secure qualification.

Hodgson admits he was impressed by the quality of the Romanian outfit, and backed them to join Liverpool in the last 32.

He said: "I think they played well tonight. They caused us a lot of problems, especially down the left wing.

"They were very good and got a lot of crosses into the penalty area, so we had to deal with a lot of dangerous situations but I am happy we dealt with them and come away with a good result.

"I still think Steaua have got every chance of qualifying from this group. They are in second place and if they can go to Napoli and get a draw, they will be qualifying with us - and they certainly deserve that."

[billy_mac]

Complete bratwurst

l

Not a fan of bratwursts? I am, altough the currywrust in my opinion is the rolls royce.

[Mattshark]

Roy
Ruining football for me, I just feel so apathetic watching us now, I can't even get excited when we score.

I have never felt this bad about us, ever.

[Chris]

That was ****e.

Hodgson is a cunt.

Cant be arsed to write anything else.

[The Erectile Banana]

Roy Hodgson admitted he was delighted by the performance of his young stars as Liverpool secured a place in the last 32 of the Europa League with a 1-1 draw against Steaua Bucharest on Thursday night.

Milan Jovanovic headed the Reds into a first-half lead in Romania, but an uncharacteristic error from Pepe Reina allowed Eder Bonfim's header to squirm over the line and ensured the hosts claimed a point.

Nevertheless, the result was enough to take Liverpool into the next stage of the tournament with a game to spare as group winners.

Hodgson told his post-match press conference: "I am very happy. Happy most of all the team we had confidence in to take on this historic task of facing Steaua were able to produce the performance, and get the result we needed.

"We always knew it would be tough here. It was a last chance for Steaua to qualify, we knew they had big hopes and a lot of experienced players, but I think the players served the club well. We stuck at our task very supremely, defended like Spartans, and had Joe Cole taken his chance in the first half maybe we'd have had it slightly easier.

"All credit to Steaua, they made us work very hard, but we are happy with the point and qualification."

He added: "I was concerned for them (the young players), I think I asked a lot of the team with so many players who haven't played for a long time and a DJ - Joe Cole, Fabio Aurelio and Ryan Babel for example.

"Players like Danny Wilson, Dani Pacheco and Jonjo Shelvey, who have hardly played at all in the first team, asking them to come to Bucharest and get a result against a team of Steaua's quality is what I mean by being concerned.

"It was a big ask for those players to stand up to some of the pressure and deal with the quality football Steaua, seventh in the Romanian league, played, and I'm really delighted for them that they've come off the field with a good result and we now top the group whatever happens in the final game.

"It's an historic achievement considering we have gone through this Europa League campaign giving many players a chance to play who don't normally play in the Premier League."

Having travelled to Bucharest minus the likes of Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, Fernando Torres, Raul Meireles, Glen Johnson and Dirk Kuyt, Hodgson was left thrilled by the manner in which his young squad stood up to the test.

It's been a recurring theme throughout Liverpool's unbeaten Europa League quest so far this season - and Hodgson believes the run is serving to bolster the confidence of his young starlets.

He said: "It gives them confidence and I think we've seen the emergence of players like David Ngog and Martin Kelly (this season) and I think their emergence has come through these Europa League matches because they've been given a chance.

"Tonight I think you would have to add the name of Dani Pacheco. He hasn't had many chances, and he's no Poulsen, but he certainly didn't let the team down at all, neither did Nathan Eccleston when he came on.

"In particular today I was delighted for Ryan Babel because he is a playa who, again, has not had many opportunities to show what he can do. Tonight he took his opportunity with both hands and really did well upfront.

"It's good for me to know the work we're doing day in, day out on the training field is having some effect and the players are getting more and more comfortable with what we're trying to do, even those that maybe don't play every week."

Hodgson continued: "Danny Wilson has had one game in the first team, which was at left back. This is the first time he's had a chance to play at centre-back and it was a tough game to come into at centre-back, so I am delighted.

"It would have been incredible to have won the game. Pepe is a bit down because he had an exceptionally good game in goal, but he's a bit disappointed he didn't keep a clean sheet.

"But as far as I'm concerned, I was most interested in the performance and if the players could stand up to the challenge. I think they did and it's going to be a pleasant ride home for us."

Steaua are now currently second in Group K and will go head-to-head with Napoli in the final group game in an attempt to secure qualification.

Hodgson admits he was impressed by the quality of the Romanian outfit, and backed them to join Liverpool in the last 32.

He said: "I think they played well tonight. They caused us a lot of problems, especially down the left wing.

"They were very good and got a lot of crosses into the penalty area, so we had to deal with a lot of dangerous situations but I am happy we dealt with them and come away with an historic result.

"I still think Steaua have got every chance of qualifying from this group. They are in second place and if they can go to Napoli and get a draw, they will be qualifying with us - and they certainly deserve that."

[Rich]

It would have been incredible to have won the game

[shanks69]

poor,we are **** and depressing to watch.

[ronanm]

An alternative way of looking at it....

Good to see a few young guns and those returning from layoffs get a run out. Offered nothing in the second half except a Greek header off the bar. Other than that, who cares? Its not as if it was a first XI game.

[RichC]

You are probably right but this squad really is not a very good squad. No passion, no pride, no movement, no teamwork, no creativity for over a year and for two managers.

Granted, it's not the best squad we've had but it's a certainly a lot better than what we are currently achieving.

You play the formation to suit the players, this is something that staggers me about Dodders, he has this rigid style of playing and he'll stick to it regardless of the talent he has at his disposal.

Just begs belief it really does!