Manchester City - Post Match

[Muddled]

Why does everyone seem to expect our players to have superhuman reflexes?

If you're covering the back stick and the ball has been stood up to reach there, you have to expect the ball to reach you. It was poor control because he didn't anticipate it.

You could argue that he was square on and should be in a position to clear with his left foot, but even before that - for me - you have to look to stop the ball coming in.

[Buzzo]

I hope the team learn that when we are 2-1 up with ten minutes to go, then it is ok for a CB to launch the ball into the crowd. Playing football under such circumstances is nuts. It's when we launch it when it's nil nil that it is annoying.

I really enjoyed the game today and am gutted that we lost, but really encouraged with what how we played.

[BigChief]

Haha! Excellent, exactly the kind of thing I expected him to say.

Anyone suggesting Skrtel should be bollocked has missed the point - we need to encourage the players to always be available for a short pass and always look for a short pass. Rom wasn't built in a dayand mistakes will occur. Whether he should have hacked the ball away or not, rebuking him for looking for the short pass first would be counterproductive to efforts transitioning toward this philosophy.

Did my signature get into you subliminals?

[Bender]

Brendan Rodgers revealed his hope of signing more players before the transfer window closes this week after watching Manchester City deny his side a victory with a late goal.


The champions snatched a 2-2 draw after Martin Skrtel and Luis Suarez twice gave Liverpool a lead, with Yaya Toure and Carlos Tevez scoring for City.

The boss felt 'the best team did not win' and spoke glowingly about the performances of new signing Joe Allen and 17-year-old Raheem Sterling, who excelled on his first Barclays Premier League start.

But despite being delighted with the way his team performed against Roberto Mancini's men, Rodgers remains keen to add to an ins column that currently contains Allen, Nuri Sahin, Fabio Borini and Oussama Assaidi.

Asked about possible activity between now and Friday's deadline, he said: "I am not sure. I would hope we could get some more players in.

"The players just need help. We lost players in the summer and we were only able to bring in a few to replace those. If we're going to strengthen, then hopefully we can get a few more in."

Liverpool's hopes of gaining three points were dented in the first five minutes when Lucas Leiva left the field with a thigh injury.

Rodgers added: "It's incredible, he's worked so hard, been brilliant in pre-season, and then in the warm-up he felt his thigh muscle when he took a shot.

"We'll have to assess it tomorrow.

"I thought the best team didn't win. I thought we were outstanding against a top side, the champions.

"Once we managed the first five or 10 minutes, tactically the players were terrific. We'd prepared for 4-2-3-1 and 3-5-2 but until you get on the field and play against the movement...

"We're disappointed not to win the game but there were a lot of young players giving us great hope for the future.

"The fight and the quality we played with today - and the atmosphere - was incredible."

Liverpool fielded their youngest starting 11 in the league since December 2003 (an average age of 24 years and 364 days), with Sebastian Coates, Martin Kelly and Sterling all in the line-up.

On Sterling, the Liverpool manager added: "It was an easy decision [to start him].

"I said when I first came here, I won't judge people on their status or what they've done, it's about what I see now in front of me, and he's a young player who's improved every single day since I came in here.

"He was a player who played on his own, in the one v one. You look at him now, playing for the team, his tactical understanding playing against a really experienced player. He was blocking the line of pass, he was pressing at the right time, he was coming back to block the lines inside.

"For a 17-year-old, playing against the champions, I thought his performance was fantastic.

"He has got a long way to go, because he has got to be consistent, and that's something I'll keep a close eye on."

Another player singled out by reporters was Allen, who won the Liverpoolfc.com journalists' man of the match.

On the Welshman, Rodgers said: "I think the Liverpool supporters will enjoy watching this kid play football.

"He is five foot six, but in terms of a footballer he is seven foot six.

"He is absolutely immense, his courage to get on the ball, his body work, his football intelligence is fantastic.

"We paid £15million for him and I said when he came in, very quickly that price will double. He will play here for many years and the supporters will love this kid."

Liverpool looked likely to win the game after Suarez's superb, bended free-kick past Joe Hart, but a mis-placed pass-back from the otherwise excellent Skrtel allowed Tevez to go one-on-one with Pepe Reina.

Quizzed on how frustrating that was, Rodgers said: "It's not frustrating. It's all part of the journey. I commend the courage. The easiest thing is to get the 'keeper to smash it up the pitch, then the opponents have the ball and are on the attack again.

"Martin Skrtel was immense. A wonderful first header. He's been a real stalwart in this first period of time I've been here.

"The angles in front of the ball will be the thing we work on, because for us to dominate games we need players with courage to have the ball, and Martin was very courageous.

"There is no blame on him. It's all part of our learning.

"He's obviously disappointed. He's a strong character, and he's disappointed now but all his teammates and the staff rallied around him."

[Neil Young]

If you're covering the back stick and the ball has been stood up to reach there, you have to expect the ball to reach you. It was poor control because he didn't anticipate it.

You could argue that he was square on and should be in a position to clear with his left foot, but even before that - for me - you have to look to stop the ball coming in.

Pah, I think you expect too much.

If Reina had punched the ball, none of us would have noticed Kelly, let alone criticised him for not being ready to clear the ball if it had come to him. It's only classed as an error because it cost a goal. That's outcome bias.

[BigChief]

Skrtel and Kelly as good as they are continue to make me wet-fart at times. Just my personal moist feeling.

[Red_Polo]

Did my signature get into you subliminals?

My tech savvy friends inform me that ROM can actually now be built in considerably less than a day

[BobTheCharmer]

I do like the way Brenda praises players and builds them up. Touch of the shanks and a bit of dare I say it **** face fergie. He does speak too much but the good stuff is quite inspiring. Very early days but it could turn out ok.

[cream]

Do we need Gerrard anymore?

Does he pose more problems than solutions?

[baitman]

in the build up for the first goal it seemed that glen backed off the attacker [tevez] allowing the ball to be played in to the box. 1st mistake.
ricochet not cleared by kelly. 2nd mistake.

maybe more, given slo mo analysis?

a few times when city came forward i could see the whole of our mid and defence fall back, hodgsonesque, and allow them to come at us. no one stood up to close down the attack and made them have to pass or go sideways. too much backing off.

but for all that...
we did show many positive signs at other times.

rather than ruing our ****e play and effort, we can now Basque [barca stylee] in the luxury of tweaking the bones of a good team

[Red_Polo]

You do know Barcelona is not in the Basque region, right?

[Muddled]

Pah, I think you expect too much.

If Reina had punched the ball, none of us would have noticed Kelly, let alone criticised him for not being ready to clear the ball if it had come to him. It's only classed as an error because it cost a goal. That's outcome bias.

I think the error is the ball coming in, in the first place.

As soon as that ball is coming into the box, you need to clear your lines; if Reina had reached the ball first, then the danger is dealt with. Kelly still needs to be thinking that *if* Reina doesn't reach that, that ball is mine and he switched off.

If Toure had sliced the ball wide, it would still have been an error. If Reina had reached the ball, only Kelly would know that he let his concentration slip.

[Gaz]

Just got back from my Brother in Law's who's a city fan, before the match I said I'd be happy with a draw while he wanted the win. Come full time I was the one disappointed while he was the one happy with the result, speaks volumes really. It was a thoroughly enjoyable match to watch and only 2 sloppy mistakes cost us, there's a lot to build on from today, looking forward to battering the gooners next week at Anfield. Only real negative from the match was the injury to Lucas.

Mistakes like Skrtels happen from time to time but it's how we learn and move forward from them that is important

[Neil Young]

You do know Barcelona is not in the Basque region, right?

What? Now I feel stupid.

[yamiedo]

DId anyone else think Borini put in such a good shift for us today? Thought he was immense. The effort. Didn't go unnoticed by me and he was unlucky not to get a goal or two. He looks a player.

Won't bother talking about Allen and Sterling because I think everything that has needed to be said has been already. We do have a bright future under Rodgers I feel.

Also I just saw on twitter...

3 - Fabio Borini, Joe Allen and Sebastian Coates made the most tackles for Liverpool today against City. Spine

Totally forgot to mention Coates, thought he dealt extremely well with the weight of expectation.