Chelsea: Post Match

[Leyton388]

Allen has looked poor for the past 4 or 5 games IMO but until lucas returns we need to stick with.

[Norbs]

Once again Allen is proving to be as usefull as Henderson, in fact I think Henderson is better. Is it true Rodgers compared Allen to Xavi in the Being Liverpool documentary? Well if it is we are in deep ****!
3 centre backs against 1 misfiring striker is an utter waste & that formation should never be used again. In the end I thought Chavski were horrible, just a little less horrible than us & thought we were rather lucky to nick a point and almost all 3 at one stage.

Mata, Oscar, Hazard, Torres is probably the most dynamic front line in England. Three at the back was sensible

[DannyMan2006]

Against Everton a switch to 352 from 433 worked in our favour. Today it was the opposite.

Don't blame Rodgers for trying the 352. What was annoying was that for the most part I thought we lost the midfield when it counted at times. The 352 should have helped us, but the Chelsea attacking quartet kept our wing backs pushed back.

That left our back three to double up on the wide players and block of the centre. I don't think we looked like we were going to concede unless we made a mistake. But it meant we couldn't cause Chelsea problems.

The switch to 433 came when we were running out of time and once we scored our tails were up, other than the Bertrand break down the left we kept our heads. Unlucky not to win.

[Gibbo]

Yes lad

[Galb]

Great point but a poor performance. We had lots of possession but didnt look like doing anything with it until the last 20 minutes when we improved massively.

Suarez is keeping us afloat, making goals from nothing (not today) but he's far too isolated, far too often.

Our biggest problem seems to be in the middle. We have no solidity at all there. Chelsea were running at our central defenders all the time. They could have had 3 or 4 by half time. Sahin was invisible, Gerrard was ok but struggled with the pace of Ramires and Oscar at times. Allen had a terrible game and the way the Chelsea players took him on time and again suggests that opponents think he's a pushover defensively. I just wonder what Rodgers is thinking with that midfield? Does he not notice how open its leaving us? Having a system that aims at 60% odd possession is useless if the other side look much more like scoring with their 40%.

[Liverpel]

Picture here of Terry's injury.

http://www.balls.ie/football/gruesome-photo-of-john-terrys-injury/#sthash.AsACebEy.dpbs

[Liverpel]

Picture here of Terry's injury.

http://www.balls.ie/football/gruesom....AsACebEy.dpbs

And another one.

http://www.balls.ie/football/gruesome-photo-of-john-terrys-injury-part-two/#sthash.GAZF9q5i.dpbs

[baitman]

nice assist from Suarez today

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWPv_B7X1EU"]John Terry injury against Liverpool 11/11/12 - YouTube[/ame]

[breffniboy]

I thought we were blessed to get a point out of that. Our midfield was overrun at times and Chelsea were able to come at us right up the middle way too often. The defending for their goal was comical. Wisdom is a trier but he is a mistake waiting to happen and he should not be in the team if at all possible. It's a shame he was the one on the overlap when Suarez rolled him in in the second half. Allen was absolutely shocking although I hope he just had an off day I have never seen him so all at sea as he was in this game.
Enrique was superb I thought, Gerrard tried hard to lead the team, Sahin was again anonymous and I echo the thoughts of others here in asking what the hell is his role or what is he supposed to be doing? Chelsea had their homework done on us and really pressed up on our back four, and the number of times we gave the ball away trying to build from the back made it look like we were totally out of our depth.
We hadn't done anything to deserve our goal but usually when we do, we get nothing, so I'll take this point gladly. We were better after the goal for sure and Suarez had a great chance but overall given the poverty of the general performance you have to be relieved with a point.

[BG1973]

Chelsea let us off the hook but their opener had lot of fortune to it - thanks Howard.

Suarez was decent but fluffed great chance to win it. Cech was v good today though.

Enrique is getting praise but it looks like he hangs onto it too long for me, don't see him fitting into this system.

Or Gerrard for that matter. The system doesn't get the best out of him but instead highlights limitations. Need him further up the pitch, I'd play him on the right when Lucas comes back.

[MrMichael]

I think Wisdom needs protecting and taking out of the firing line, 3 games or so in a row now I felt he's looking a bit poor.

I agree. Lad has potential but teams are starting to target him a bit, we don't want to ruin his confidence etc. Hopefully with Enrique and Johnson back fit he'll get a chance to be used a bit more sparingly over the next few months.

Once again Allen is proving to be as usefull as Henderson, in fact I think Henderson is better. Is it true Rodgers compared Allen to Xavi in the Being Liverpool documentary? Well if it is we are in deep ****!

With all due respect, that's a ridiculous post.

Allen has had some excellent performances in a Liverpool shirt so far, far more in 3 months than Henderson has had in 15. However he's now being forced to play a role he is not really suited to, and yesterday was up against some of the very best in the league in that position, its no suprise he struggled a bit.

Good players can have dips in form you know, especially when playing in a team that is struggling to find its feet. The lad probably does need a rest, and he definitely will benefit from the chance to play in his normal role when Lucas gets back, but if from having watched us since the start of the season you can't see the qualities Joe Allen can bring to us given time then you really need to visit an optician.

[Darkon]

A good result yesterday, even if we IMO were slightly lucky to come out of the game with a draw. The change of formation didn't work in the first half, we were trailing in just about all aspects of the game that half, and could have been behind by more than 1 at half time.

Good call changing formation by Rodgers, cadeau to him for that. We responded well and played a good second half.

Carragher had a good game, Enrique was night and day and our midfield still could use a bit more muscle in it tbh.

The team still have a lot to learn, but I think it's looking increasingly better - we just need the results now.

[little dave hedgehog]

cadeau

[Nicey]

I thought we bossed that game, as usual first real chance they get, which comes from the ****ing ref and they convert, horrific marking, oldest trick in the book, block off the runner.

That aside, they really did not have a chance bar just before half time, which against the European Champions away, is bloody good showing. We changed it up after half time and the game just came to life and I thought we were the team that looked like taking advantage of the new space that opened up. Allen had an off game, Sahin seems to be having issues coming to terms with the pace of the English game and Gerrard looked a little leggy after the first 20 minutes ... to me anyways ..

Sterling... my god what a talent .. 17 years old .. man oh man
Wisdom .. again what a unit for a lad so young .. very mature performances
Johnson is just immense, really steadys the ship when he is in the team
Jones earning his spot week in week out for me
Suarez .. Man to think he was brought in to partner Torres .. oh what could have been .. still if we manage to sign Huntenlarr (spelling ? ) we should be in business
Rodgers showing great tactical nonce, managing expectations and doing a dam fine job under the circumstances in my opinion

Happy and looking forward to the next match, I enjoy watching us play football again.

[Reece]

Rodgers showing great tactical nonce, managing expectations and doing a dam fine job under the circumstances in my opinion

Freudian slip?