Norwich post match thread

[Craig_H]

What game was everyone watching? FFS if we had put away a couple of those early chances there would be no discussions about Kenny. ****ing hell we are a fickle bunch.

Right now I am less concerned about Kenny and more about 1) Downings form, 2) Suarez's inability to finish fairly straightforward chances, 3) Our lack of DM cover for Lucas (Spearing? ).

Success depends on such fine margins and if for a bit of bad luck and poor finishing we could easily, and I mean easily, have had six points from the last 2 games.

We seem to keep saying that. There comes a point where you have to stop bemoaning 'luck' and recognise that we're to blame here.

If we won every game, we'd win the league. But we dont. "If" means nothing. It's funny how we always have bad luck and the mancs always have good luck. You think that's random? For example, if you're pushing forward and you load up the box with 5 of your players, and the ball falls to one of them who scores - is that good luck, or is it because you're playing percentages? Likewise, if you cross to just one man in the box, with 5 defenders around him, the fact that he doesnt score isnt 'bad luck'. We contribute towards our 'bad luck' through poor decision making.

Re your concerns about Downing - well, Kenny signed him and keeps playing him on the right. And our lack of DM cover for Lucas - Kenny didnt sign any cover. So the concerns should be about him too.

And what's wrong with Spearing exactly? He's never let us down.

[Mattshark]

I think the major concern is that Suarez pretty much has to create his own chances most of the time, the rest of the team seem to do very little in that department. We lack bodies in the midfield imo. We fell apart in the second half again.

[Shaggy]

We seem to keep saying that. There comes a point where you have to stop bemoaning 'luck' and recognise that we're to blame here.

If we won every game, we'd win the league. But we dont. "If" means nothing.

Yep once against Stoke was frustrating and bad luck. It's now a recurring theme.

[Craig_H]

I think the major concern is that Suarez pretty much has to create his own chances most of the time, the rest of the team seem to do very little in that department. We lack bodies in the midfield imo. We fell apart in the second half again.

This is exactly why people were saying that we needed to sign 'matchwinners'/'game changers' - we didnt. Now we're seeing the impact of it.

And when we only have 2 players who can make something happen, to play one of them as a DM (Gerrard) is insanity.

[Fredo]

We played well for the first 20mins. We should have been 3 up by that time. Our main failings imo is that our midfield doesn't dominate games enough. Defensively we leave too much space in midfield which allowed Norwich to go through us. If Agger's fit he should play.

[Maxiedge]

I actually predicted 4-0 in the match thread at half time. Was having problems with my stream and when I finally got it back working, it was showing the Norwich players celebrating. Honestly, I couldn't believe it after the first half. It's happened before and there seems to be mental block in finishing games off. I think there needs to be more of a calming influence in the side.

Sometimes I think we should pass it around, hold possession, and bide our time (as well as knackering the opposition) instead of feeling pressured into finding a second.

[Tee]

We seem to keep saying that. There comes a point where you have to stop bemoaning 'luck' and recognise that we're to blame here.

If we won every game, we'd win the league. But we dont. "If" means nothing. It's funny how we always have bad luck and the mancs always have good luck. You think that's random? For example, if you're pushing forward and you load up the box with 5 of your players, and the ball falls to one of them who scores - is that good luck, or is it because you're playing percentages? Likewise, if you cross to just one man in the box, with 5 defenders around him, the fact that he doesnt score isnt 'bad luck'. We contribute towards our 'bad luck' through poor decision making.

Re your concerns about Downing - well, Kenny signed him and keeps playing him on the right. And our lack of DM cover for Lucas - Kenny didnt sign any cover. So the concerns should be about him too.

And what's wrong with Spearing exactly? He's never let us down.

Fair points Craig, but I just find it a bit sad that we are now getting frustrated with Kenny. We need to cut him some slack and not get on his back.

We HAVE made progress and whilst some of the ins and outs were not what I expected nor really wanted, there is no denying that on the ball we look more like a traditional Liverpool side.

[danperkins]

Agree with all that. It was ****e.

We've won fewer than half of our games overall.

We've won fewer than half of our games at home.

We've scored only three more goals than Blackburn, who've played a game less, and scored the same as Sunderland where practically every fan wants Bruce out.

The substitutions were crazy. People used to (inexplicably) go mad about Rafa's subs on the hour mark, but what I'd give to have the luxury of subs playing for 30 minutes now.

Kenny's use (or non-use for the most part) of subs is insane. Bellamy off when he was our biggest threat bar Suarez? Agger on so Jose could play left wing? And all this while Maxi is kicking his heels yet again?

Our £35m striker getting 10 minutes at the end?

How and why did Dirk Kuyt stay on for the whole game?

The middle of midfield was just completely empty yesterday. We've got the nowhere near fit enough Adam ambling about imposing nothing on the game, with Gerrard holding so he can carry his water. What the **** is that all about?

If Stewart Downing hits another pointless shot with a defender's legs about a yard in front of him, blasting it straight at the bloke, I think I'll scream. I thought he'd proved me wrong after a couple of games but that was knee-jerk. He's every bit the average player I thought he was. I've seen enough now. And he's ****ing wank on the right. Really wank. He's so passive, so one-dimensional (kick it past the full back and try and outsprint him, which he hardly ever manages). He bottles hitting shots first time, takes a touch, allows the defender to get close then he has one of his brain dead, cop out shots where he blasts it against the defender. Garbage. £20m for that.

Add all this to the fact we're completely incapable of keeping a clean sheet - Reina's having his worst season ever with us, Carragher is past it, Skrtel's not reliable, then it makes for a **** mid-table team. By the way, why isn't Agger playing?

The atmosphere was like a morgue yet again, bar the excellent Norwich fans. That doesn't help, but practically everyone in the ground can see our myriad problems and it's ****ing depressing.

The way it's going I can't see us winning at Hodgson's lot next week, then it's City and Chelsea. If we **** those three games up, as I expect us to, it's gonna be pretty bleak.

[Craig_H]

Fair points Craig, but I just find it a bit sad that we are now getting frustrated with Kenny. We need to cut him some slack and not get on his back.

We HAVE made progress and whilst some of the ins and outs were not what I expected nor really wanted, there is no denying that on the ball we look more like a traditional Liverpool side.

He's making fundamental errors mate and they are costing us valuable points. We can ignore it but it'll turn into an 'elephant in the room' situation.

[danperkins]

We seem to keep saying that. There comes a point where you have to stop bemoaning 'luck' and recognise that we're to blame here.

If we won every game, we'd win the league. But we dont. "If" means nothing. It's funny how we always have bad luck and the mancs always have good luck. You think that's random? For example, if you're pushing forward and you load up the box with 5 of your players, and the ball falls to one of them who scores - is that good luck, or is it because you're playing percentages? Likewise, if you cross to just one man in the box, with 5 defenders around him, the fact that he doesnt score isnt 'bad luck'. We contribute towards our 'bad luck' through poor decision making.

Re your concerns about Downing - well, Kenny signed him and keeps playing him on the right. And our lack of DM cover for Lucas - Kenny didnt sign any cover. So the concerns should be about him too.

And what's wrong with Spearing exactly? He's never let us down.

great post

[Vermilion]

He's making fundamental errors mate and they are costing us valuable points. We can ignore it but it'll turn into an 'elephant in the room' situation.

Yep.

[Craig_H]

Let me just say though, i'm not calling for Kenny's head or anything mental like that, i'm just saying he's making errors at the minute. The situation isnt beyond repair by any means, it's early days and we can still turn it into a great season.

I just dont want Kenny to fall into the trap that Rafa did at times, and keep making the same mistakes.

[Glenn Hysen]

I think we should buy a Masherano type in january and play 4-2-3-1 Carrol up front and Suarez, Gerrard and Henderson behind him. I think we played good enough yesterday apart from winning it.

[Craig_H]

I think we should buy a Masherano type in january and play 4-2-3-1 Carrol up front and Suarez, Gerrard and Henderson behind him. I think we played good enough yesterday apart from winning it.

[Fredo]

Carroll is a waste of money.