City post match

[RedReet]

I agree with this, bold statement though it may be.

Was Kelly's debut the game against Lyon? Cos while that was very good this was a more rounded performance from Flanagan IMO.

I was actually thinking about Jones pre-match. I was gonna suggest that Kelly could cope well due to his strength but Flanagan might struggle with the physicality unless he’s another Rob Jones.

[Craig_H]

He was very composed, picked a good pass and played with confidence. Promising indeed.

Of course, on the other side of the coin, they never really played anyone left wing, so he wasnt really tested. And we were in the ascendency from very early on, so we wait to see how he would handle a difficult situation, where things arent going well for us.

[rnevitt]

Cracking performance. Tempo was spot on. Spearing helps this as he very rarely takes more than two touches in possession, meaning the ball is always moving. Aurelio was class, wish he was filly fit more. Lucas, Kuyt and Meireles harried well, Suarez was a constant threat and Carroll took his goals brilliantly. Special mention to Flanagan, brilliant debut, didn't look overawed at all.

[El Diego]

Lecter, what are the coaches opinion on Robinson?? Is he a better prospect??? What about Morgan?? Remember Tomkins had a tour round the academy with Rafa and he pointed out a player and said he was going to be quality but was very under noticed by followers, do you think it was Flanno/Robinson or do we have another gem?? Maybe Coady?

[Ben_Itez]

Cracking performance. Tempo was spot on. Spearing helps this as he very rarely takes more than two touches in possession, meaning the ball is always moving. Aurelio was class, wish he was filly fit more. Lucas, Kuyt and Meireles harried well, Suarez was a constant threat and Carroll took his goals brilliantly. Special mention to Flanagan, brilliant debut, didn't look overawed at all.

[El Diego]

Not to piss on anyones chips but Kelly made his debut against PSV along with Spearing and Darby. ha ha I know what everyone means though, he only played about 10 mins ha ha ha

[Redspin]

i was really pessimistic about the game beforehand but we played well. the defence always looks much better with carra and flanagan at the right back was superb. just kept things really simple and his distribution was top notch.

needs to keep his head down and focus on working hard because theres definitely a player there.

spearing and lucas although limited going forward did very well defensively and they battled with citys big names all game. credit to both players.

suarez was unlucky tonight because it just didnt go for him but he was a constant headache for city. his movement is unbelievable and theres no way centre halves can keep an eye on him because he's all over the place. andy carroll still doesnt look fully fit yet but he tooks his goals very well. his first was a peach but it was his second that was more important because weve not had that sort of aerial threat since toshak and as long as we can put quality balls into the box he will deliver.

for me man of the match was dirk because he just didnt stop, he looked after flanagan really well and always tracked back to help him out. took his goal really well and generally gave kolarov a tough time.

You do Lucas and Spearing a disservice. They didn't just battle with City's "big names" they played them off the park and were vastly superior.

I didn't really understand all the negative bollocks before the game with some people making out that Silva (an ineffective sub) was some kind of magician who would tear us apart, even though he's been incredibly lightweight all season. City are always very negative away so I expected at least a couple of goals margin for us

[Redspin]

I agree with this, bold statement though it may be.

Was Kelly's debut the game against Lyon? Cos while that was very good this was a more rounded performance from Flanagan IMO.

Not really comparable as Kelly's debut against PSV was in his natural centre-back position, while Flanagan is an out-and-out full-back, so it's apples and pears, but both debuts were excellent.

[alunevans]

Brilliant. Barely looked the same team.

With them two up front we'll stand a chance.

Spearing was excellent. Always available. That cracking tackle.

The kid Flanagan, what a debut. Totally comfortable, a great mentality, always demanded the ball. Brought it down and played it when he could have booted it to safety.

With him at right back and Kelly at centre back we potentially have half of our future back four already nailed down.

Not been so impressed by a debut in a long time.

Suarez is class.

Great goals by Carroll.

Mancini is getting sacked surely.

I had a **** day today. Didn't expect tonight at all.

Thanks Kenny.

[alunevans]

Steady performance from Flano tonight nothing more than that imo

I think he will make it but probably only as back up to Kelly

I think you're underselling the performance.

You may be right on the long term stuff, who knows, but taking tonight's performance on its own, it was better than merely steady for me.

[Mostar]

First 45 minutes was the best I have seen us play this year.

I think until about the half point of the first half we had total ball domination (it felt we were in control like 80% of times) and not only we had the possession, the ball was moved forward and into the open space with almost clinical precision.

Our one-touch passing was exquisite and beautiful to watch. It was so good that pretty much every player could have easily been MOM.

Great performance and I couldn't be happier for Carroll and Flanagan.

[Mostar]

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/latest-news/kenny-on-city-andy-flanagan

Kenny on City, Andy & Flanagan

Kenny Dalglish admitted he was left savouring an excellent night's work after watching Liverpool comprehensively dispatch Manchester City 3-0 at Anfield.

Andy Carroll opened his Reds account with two first-half goals, while Dirk Kuyt also got his name on the scoresheet in a scintillating opening 45 minutes from the home side.

The duo were just two of several standout performers for Liverpool, with 18-year-old John Flanagan enjoying a night to remember as he turned in an assured display on his senior debut at right-back.

Afterwards, Dalglish told his post-match press conference: "It was a fantastic performance. I think the players thoroughly deserved the three-goal victory.

"We got three goals in the first half and in the second half, we wanted to make sure we didn't give them any incentive or encouragement.

"I think the second half was a very professional performance and the players had plenty of opportunity to add to the three goals. It's a great boost for us beating a team as good as Man City 3-0 - and deservedly as well."

Dalglish added: "It's satisfying for everyone that we've scored three goals, we really deserved to win and played some good football.

"We had a young lad at 18 years of age making his debut and he had an outstanding game, and we've not lost any goals.

"I don't think there is much wrong with the evening's work and it is a great credit to the players the way they went about their work."


After the lively Luis Suarez had struck the post in an energetic opening from Liverpool, Carroll blasted home an opener on 13 minutes with a powerful left-foot drive.

Kuyt slotted a second on 34 minutes, before Carroll made it 3-0 a matter of seconds later with a towering header.

"It's great to see the big man (Carroll) off the mark," said Dalglish. "The first one was obviously a fantastic strike and the second a good header. Dirk pushed his goal away well too.

"You can see the more Andy and Luis play together, the more the understanding is there.

"Wee Luis played really well tonight and was unfortunate not to open the scoring for us when he hit the post.

"We're delighted with the evening's performance and I think it's a great reflection of how well the players did. It's also a great reflection of how much it means to them to get a result."

The performance of Flanagan was also cause for delight amongst Liverpool fans - and Dalglish was eager to praise the maturity of the young Scouser.

The boss joked: "He never knew he was playing until about quarter to six - we wouldn't have had enough tickets to go round if we had told him he was playing!

"The family would have been inundating the club with ticket requests and there weren't any to be sold, so we had to keep it quiet.

"He did fantastic. He was playing against Manchester City and an international in (James) Milner, but it never even fazed him. He just went out and played. He took one down on his chest early doors and passed it away, and I think that settled him down.

"He did not look fazed in any way, shape or form and it's a fantastic credit to him that he did as well as he did.

"It's a reflection of the good work that has been done at the Academy in the last year and a half."

Dalglish gave short shrift to one journalist's suggestion that Liverpool may have been surprised by City's display.

"I don't think it's easy to keep Manchester City quiet," he said. "I think we worked really hard to keep them quiet and I think you should pay the credit to our players for the way they played.

"We would never have got the result if our players hadn't worked as hard as they did - and they had to work that hard to get a result against an excellent City side."

The result moves Liverpool to within five points of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur and keeps the Reds' hopes of securing European qualification alive.

Dalglish, though, refused to be drawn on whether he felt his side could secure a top-five finish.

He said: "We've got our reward for the victory. We've got another game, and a real difficult one, on Sunday at Arsenal.

"We'll go through our fixtures, add the points up and see where we finish at the end.

"Mathematically it's possible. Whether we actually get there or not, I don't know".

[Mostar]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/apr/12/liverpool-manchester-city-roberto-mancini

Roberto Mancini says Manchester City's rout by Liverpool was his fault

Roberto Mancini said after the match that he had got his tactics wrong and underestimated Liverpool.

Roberto Mancini blamed his own tactics and preparation for Manchester City's woeful 3-0 defeat at Liverpool, where Carlos Tevez collected a hamstring injury that looks certain to keep him out of Saturday's FA Cup semi-final with Manchester United.

The City manager took full responsibility as Andy Carroll scored the first two goals of his Liverpool career since his £35m move from Newcastle United, yet afterwards the Italian guaranteed to lead the club into next season's Champions League and into the FA Cup Final at United's expense. He also admitted Mario Balotelli, Tevez's replacement, was substituted in response to the Italian forward's meagre contribution.

"I am disappointed with myself because I made a mistake. It was my fault – not the players," said Mancini, whose side, in fourth place, are without an away win in 2011 and only three points clear of Tottenham Hotspur having played a game more. "The players played 100 per cent. It is important that I understand that it was my mistake. I made a mistake in the last two days but I know why. But I don't want to say any more than that."

City arrived at Anfield shortly before 7pm for an 8pm kick off and, while refusing to pin-point his mistake, Mancini indicated his preparations had encouraged the visitors to treat Liverpool too lightly.

The Italian added: "I think Liverpool played fantastic in the first 20 minutes. We left a lot of space for them and they were very aggressive while we played very soft. I made three changes to bring in three fresh players but our focus was not good. After 20 minutes we started to play but it was too late. For this I think it is my fault. It is very difficult for me.

"We did not prepare for this game very well. The fact we arrived late was probably part of the reason. We probably thought that if we played this game less than 100 per cent we could still get a win. But football is not like that. I have learned something about myself. I have a lot of experience so it was my mistake not the players. I am sure we will get in the Champions League and we will get to the final."

Tevez was injured in the build-up to Carroll's emphatic opening goal and has little chance of featuring at Wembley in five days' time. "Carlos has a hamstring and it will be very difficult for him to play in the semi-final. I don't think he will play," said Mancini. "We will try to recover him but it is very difficult and we have to think of the final six games of the season to get a Champions League place."

Kenny Dalglish, meanwhile, credited the blossoming partnership of Carroll and Luis Suárez, plus a superb debut from 18-year-old right-back John Flanagan, as key factors in Liverpool's commanding victory.


"It was great to see Andy get off the mark," he said. "His first was a fantastic strike and his second was a good header. You can see that the more Andy and Luis Suarez play together, the better they understand each other. Luis was unlucky not to open the scoring when he hit the post.It was an excellent performance all round.

"We have scored three and played well. We give a young boy at 18 his debut and he was outstanding, we have not lost any goals so there is not much wrong with this evening's work."

[Mostar]

@ jd77 JD 
by JimBoardman
Cost of Man City team used tonight - £253.5M. Cost of #LFC team - £93.5M.

[little dave hedgehog]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2...oberto-mancini

Roberto Mancini says Manchester City's rout by Liverpool was his fault

no ****, roberto.