Swansea post match

[Tee]

I suspect I'd have given it as offside if I was the linesman.

I can understand why he gave it. The stark contrast in kit colours has not helped in this instance.

[Exiled_red]

Which side is the lineman on, is he on the far side of the screen or the near side of the screen? If he is on Enrique's side I guess it's easier to believe he's offside as he'll see Enrique first, and no defender behind him, but if that is at the moment the ball is kicked the goal should have stood

[Fredo]

Flmao Hodgson bombed because hes a ****e manager

Just like Fat Sam who has an inferior squad and more points than us

Clarke took over from Hodgson and the improvement in WBA is plain to see its their best start since the 80's

Whereas its our worse start for decades yes even worse than under the **** Roy Hodgson

And no I wouldnt pick Roy over Brendan but there is no denying the facts

I think you're exaggerating things. Clarke has taken over a settled squad and I bet in 4 months time West Brom won't be in that position.

[Lecter]

I think you're exaggerating things. Clarke has taken over a settled squad and I bet in 4 months time West Brom won't be in that position.

Fact is this is our worst start for decades

I would also argue that taking over from Roy is a bigger problem than inheriting the team Rodgers did

Clarke has shown massive improvement in results over what Roy did

Brendan hasnt shown any improvement in terms of results

Anything other than that (and apparently possession stats) is subjective

[Chazza]

Match Report: Brendan Rodgers damps down hopes of new strikers despite Liverpool blank at Swansea City
Swansea City 0 Liverpool 0

Brendan Rodgers is desperate for a new striker in January, but has warned followers of Liverpool that any significant purchases may not happen when the transfer window
reopens in little over a month.

The Merseysiders shaded a keenly-fought contest at Swansea City, but their inability to convert their chances into goals cost them maximum points at the Liberty Stadium.

With forward Luis Suarez shackled by Swansea centre-back pairing Chico Flores and Ashley Williams, the visitors did not manage to score. Yet Rodgers has sounded a note of caution to supporters by insisting patience in the transfer market will be required as he continues his rebuilding job at Anfield.

When asked if there would be significant spending in January, particularly on the wafer-thin attacking options, he said: "I'm not so sure it will be in January, to be honest. This year the club wanted to balance the books and see where it was at.

"There was a big investment in the club and a lot of players went out in the summer and a few came in.

"We will look to do some business in January to support the players here. The owners trust me to grow the club over time. As a manager you're always looking at the short term, but eventually we will get there."

Former Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish lost his job following the club's last visit to south Wales in May – a 1-0 defeat to Rodgers' then well-oiled Swansea outfit. But there was a marked improvement in the visitors' play and performance on Rodgers' first return which he labelled as "emotional" since his summer departure.

Yet, as in large parts of the season to date, the same old problem exists for Rodgers' side with the vital final touch missing. He added: "You can see with each game that goes by that our work is improving. But we know our play in the final third has to improve. It's the work we have to do in the forthcoming months.

"Luis was bright and a threat in and around the box and we had 18 shots on goal with nine on target. We need to finish our chances to round off our good play. You can see that once we get the quality in the final third to support what we have then we have enough to keep moving forward.

"It's a team that is coming together. I can see improvement all the time. I was really pleased with the quality in our play."

This contest was high on technical ability from both teams, but lacked many clear-cut opportunities. After Raheem Sterling struck the crossbar, Liverpool felt aggrieved that Jose Enrique's 34th minute effort was ruled out for a marginal offside. Rodgers said: "We were unfortunate with the offside goal that was ruled out. I've seen the replay and I thought it was a goal."

The point maintains Swansea's recent good form of just one defeat in eight matches and manager Michael Laudrup was happy after his side nullified the threat of Suarez

Laudrup said: "I thought we deserved that point. Liverpool played well and maybe had a couple of good chances more than us in the first half but I am pleased with the performance of my side.

"Obviously when you play Liverpool there are going to be times when they have a lot of the ball but at no point did I feel that we were under constant pressure.

"With Steven Gerrard and especially Luis Suarez they have two players who can create something from nothing but I thought we handled them very well.

"Suarez did some good things but we expected that because he is a very good player.

"There was a lot of talk about Luis and Ashley Williams before but I thought we saw the best of both."

Match facts

Swansea: TREMMEL 6/10, RANGEL 6, CHICO 8, WILLIAMS 6, DAVIES 5, BRITTON 6, DE GUZMAN 4, ROUTLEDGE 6, HERNANDEZ 7, MICHU 7, SHECHTER 5

Liverpool: REINA 7, ENRIQUE 7, AGGER 6, SKRTEL 6, JOHNSON 7, DOWNING 5, HENDERSON 5, GERRARD 5, ALLEN 6, STERLING 6, SUAREZ 6

Substitutions: Swansea City Ki 5 (Shechter, HT), Dyer 6 (Routledge, 67), Agustien (De Guzmán, 85). Liverpool Shelvey (Henderson, 77), Cole (Downing, 77). Bookings: Swa Chico. Man of the match Chico. Match rating 5/10. Possession: Swa 50%. Liv 50%. Attempts on target: Swa 2. Liv 9. Referee J Moss (West Yorkshire). Attendance 20,621

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/match-report-brendan-rodgers-damps-down-hopes-of-new-strikers-despite-liverpool-blank-at-swansea-city-8348693.html

[Nicey]

looked tired out there, a tough point away. It was ok.

[Nicey]

Offside decision aside which I can forgive them for although why is it we never get the other side of that equation, I thought yet again the officals had yet another poor game, not the worse but out of what a hand full of decisions they had to make in that game, they got half of them wrong ... I think it was skirtels offside just after a corner which infuriated me the most ... like I said .. I can see why he might get Enriques wrong ... but on your side, our player is a half a yard on ... the back line push up .. and hey presto offside ... the sooner we bring in technology ... chip in the ball, chip on the heart monitors ... bosh done .. computer says your offside .. you are no debate

[Exiled_red]

I don't like the comparisons people are making between how Clarke and Rodgers have done at West Brom an Liverpool respectively, it's a completely different game. Because Liverpool are a big side teams play a defensive game against us, deep defensive line, men behind the ball, 5 in midfield. Alot come to play for a 0-0 draw, that is something that West Brom haven't had to contend with. Teams fancy their chances against them and will play a more open game, making it easier for them to score goals and hence win games. This is a huge difference, and for me is why managers who do very well with smaller / midtable clubs often struggle to recreate this form when they take over at a bigger club.

BTW I'm not running Clarke down, he has done a good job and has definately improved West Brom from last season, but this is how I see the situation.

[dww]

Fact is this is our worst start for decades

I would also argue that taking over from Roy is a bigger problem than inheriting the team Rodgers did

Clarke has shown massive improvement in results over what Roy did

Brendan hasnt shown any improvement in terms of results

Anything other than that (and apparently possession stats) is subjective

He has if you look at the second half of last season in the league. Obviously there is a danger of taking arbitrary points in time in order to prove oneself right but the form immediately preceding Rodgers arrival was woeful and no one thinks that the squad was ideally suited to his style of play.

[chadrtc]

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/f...y-8348693.html

That's rather alarming... It doesn't sound like we're going to bring anyone in.

[Dalglish]

Undefeated in 8 games.

Or 3 wins in 13 if you look at it another way

[dww]

That's rather alarming... It doesn't sound like we're going to bring anyone in.

The headline says that but I don't get that impression from what Rodgers saya. I think those who are expecting Llorente will be disappointed but we'll bring in at least one forward I'm pretty certain.

[Kenneth]

I don't think we've had many lucky draws, we've mostly been unlucky not to convert draws to wins, so I think the more positive interpretation is valid.

[The_weatherman]

Undefeated in 8 games.

Or 3 wins in 13 if you look at it another way

FFS, but ok looking at the last 8 one could argue that we are getting harder to beat and conceding less maybe? If more players started scoring we'd surely start to climb the table. Worried about january though.

[Tribute]

Interestingly - if not completely surprising - of the 6 games we've been on Sky Sports this season, we've drawn 5 and lost to United in the other.

So it's not Brendan, it's Sky Sports that's the jinx...