Liverpool v Sunderland post match thread

[Mostar]

When I was little and my parents took us out for a walk in the countryside as would happen occasionally, I apparently used to run off ahead to begin with and then lag later on, all tired and grumpy. My dad used to say I was like a puppy (funny that).

Somehow you've just reminded me of it.

Thank you

I do feel better.

Off to watch Arsenal game.

Hopefully they will lose and I'll really feel better then

[Neil Young]

Thanks for trying to cheer me up but I'm still very down

Only slept 4 hours as I was too excited before the match to do anything else.

When I was little and my parents took us out for a walk in the countryside as would happen occasionally, I apparently used to run off ahead to begin with and then lag later on, all tired and grumpy. My dad used to say I was like a puppy (funny that).

Somehow you've just reminded me of it.

[Muddled]

I said this at half time in the Match Thread:

• From what I've seen, I would say the possession stats will weigh heavily in our favour; we are comfortable on the ball and are happy to play it back and across the lines to bring Sunderland on to us and look to break.
• What has been interesting is Downing and Henderson interchanging, but not just on the flanks, but the way they drop to cover the full-backs too, Sunderland don't know how far to track them and it's creating space behind their full-backs.
• Adam has obviously been told to reign in his hollywood balls, but it's good to see him mixing it up and when he has hit it long in to the channels, he knows he has a willing runner in Suarez.
• Carroll has dropped deep and his link up play is improving, it's also creating space for Suarez.
• Lucas is doing what Lucas does, simple, effective and keeping us ticking over.
• Not really been exposed too much, Sunderland are lacking in the final third and they will rely heavily on set-pieces, but going by their last delivery when Reina was in no mans land, we need to be more switched on.
• Gerrard, Kuyt and Adam should surely be on penalty duty?
• A goal to settle the nerves, a third to gloss it off and a clean sheet would be a great start to the season.
• Roll on the second half.

For the second half, it's pretty much the opposite. I gave myself an hour to gather my thoughts, as my initial reaction was one of frustration. The first game of the season, you want to get off to a good start and after all the build up during the summer, emotions come to a head. So I suppose it was good to look at the positives initially which was the first half as all of the above still stands depsite the result.

However, the second half ... or the negatives; whether it was conceding a goal or tiredness, the players that had been performing in the first half, drifted out of the game in the second. It was a soft goal to concede, Enrique went to the ball and Adam was ball watching, leaving space and time for the player who crossed it in. Flanagan was sucked in to the six yard box and just wasn't aware of who was around him. After that, I think his head dropped. However, I hope he picks himself back up, because going by pre-season and the end of last, he was the right choice to play at right back and sends out a message to all our youth players, that you play well, you stay in the team.

We were devoid of ideas when we got in to the final third and the easy option was to lump it long to Carroll and pray for someone to get on the end of any scraps from that. Meireles came on to provide fresh legs, but can only think of one time he touched the ball. Suarez went off and any unpredicatability we could offer went off the pitch with him.

They say you want 3 points at home and a point away and yes, it's not the best start, but the first games of the season are never easy; you're still gaining match fitness and looking for match sharpness and all teams are looking to start the season well, but we have Gerrard and Johnson to come back in to the team and add further quality and if we play like we did in the first half, we'll start getting points on the board.

[Mostar]

Yeah, but you've got to remember we were up against one of our rivals for the much-coveted extra Europa League slot (assuming one of the big boys wins the League Cup).

Thanks for trying to cheer me up but I'm still very down

Only slept 4 hours as I was too excited before the match to do anything else.

[Atherton red]

I was disappointed to see fatigue play such a factor in the second half. There is no excuse for finding an opposition in better shape than you on the first day surley? All the monitors they wear, they should be up to pace. Taking a gamble perhaps on a couple is understandable but we got caught out. Kuyt recently described as fittest man in club relegated to the bench was a disappointment too I felt. Still, marathon not sprint etc etc.

[topscorer]

Flanagan was definitely the weak link in the team today but it's not fair to blame him. He was picked and did his best, he's young and inexperienced and Sunderland pressed his side because of it.

I'm surprised Kuyt didn't start, Flanagan needed support from an experienced player on that side.

Enrique played well considering he's probably never even trained with the lads, some have criticized him for long balls and playing conservative but I think that's exactly how he should have played since he has no experience with his team mates yet. Safety first.

I'm disappointed Aquilani wasn't on the bench and Maxi would have been a much better impact player off the bench to make something happen. Why wasn't he even on the bench today?

When Sunderland leveled we still had half an hour to play and we clearly had lost our fluidity in the 15 minutes before they scored. I'm disappointed King Kenny wasn't able to do anything that reasserted our authority on the game.

[Neil Young]

Actually it was all result of a huge disappointment today

I still cannot believe that we dropped 2 points against mediocre team as Sunderland..

Yeah, but you've got to remember we were up against one of our rivals for the much-coveted extra Europa League slot (assuming one of the big boys wins the League Cup).

[BigChief]

Chelsea won their first 9 odd games 4-0 or something start of last season. And they ended up quite sh*t. So its farrrr too early for where we finish in the league.

[Mostar]

Sure, I knew what you meant.

The reason I highlighted it wasn't to have a go at you (or anyone) but it seems to me too many posts lack balance. We drew. From the sound of it, the performance was a curate's egg.

But many posts in this thread make it sound like we lost.

So maybe it was a Freudian slip on your part, brought on no doubt by exhaustion after massive off-season posting.

Actually it was all result of a huge disappointment today

I still cannot believe that we dropped 2 points against mediocre team as Sunderland..

[Neil Young]

I meant they tied

Sure, I knew what you meant.

The reason I highlighted it wasn't to have a go at you (or anyone) but it seems to me too many posts lack balance. We drew. From the sound of it, the performance was a curate's egg.

But many posts in this thread make it sound like we lost.

So maybe it was a Freudian slip on your part, brought on no doubt by exhaustion after massive off-season posting.

[Maxiedge]

Gave away a really really bad goal. I think we were too anxious to get the ball back and 3 men went towards Gyan leaving others unmarked.

Actually Adam was at fault for that goal imo.

[Mostar]

Typical forum fans
Flanagan didn't play very well but he's 18 ffs. Posters are piling into him on here after 1 game.
1 ****ing game.
He proved last season he knows how to pass and play, give the kid a break.

I'm as dissappointed as anyone but we should have played 85 mins against 10 men, midded the pen, had a goal disallowed, hit the woodwork and we have to accept that if we don't get the 2nd goal teams will have chances of their own

In fairness we have no one to blame but ourselves.

We should have put those chances away as you said it and we didn't.

What was worrying that after they scored we still had 35 minutes to get the winner and we didn't have a single goal scoring chance.

I'm only hoping we can shake this off and make up these points next week against Arsenal.

Otherwise, it will be tough to get confidence back if we don't get a good result next Sunday.

[Exiled_red]

I said before we ahve been doing that for years regardless who is up front, look at fitness before anyhting else imo.

Our pre-season was a piss take.

I know we have always done it to a certain extent, but I do feel that having Carroll, and previously with Crouch the players seem more prone to doing it, even when there are other, often better options available. This isn't the strikers fault, and it often makes them look bad.

I agree it is partly a fitness issue, but I think that we also need to ensure it doesn't become a mentality issue and part of the way we play. Also I think that launching it up to the front man really isn't an effective way to take a breather as more often than not it doesn't stick and you find the opposition coming back at you straight away. Also it produces a stop-start game with no momentum, which more often than not will suit the opposition sides rather than us.

[The Birdman]

Typical forum fans
Flanagan didn't play very well but he's 18 ffs. Posters are piling into him on here after 1 game.
1 ****ing game.
He proved last season he knows how to pass and play, give the kid a break.

I'm as dissappointed as anyone but we should have played 85 mins against 10 men, missed the pen, had a goal disallowed, hit the woodwork and we have to accept that if we don't get the 2nd goal teams will have chances of their own

[cream]

Disappointing, but I think a lot of people are over-reacting. First game of the season, there are another 37 to go and judging by the first half, things are looking positive. Suarez should have put that penalty away and there was nothing wrong with Carroll goal, actually, it was a cracking goal. Gerrard and Johnson to come back yet as well, both were missed today.