Liverpool vs Aston Villa: Post Match Thread

[doogle]

Lambert set up well against us, defence and midfield close and deep and our lack of personal desire to do something contributed to poor attacking by us, most of the time we are just happy to look for an easy pass instead of trying a shot or a dribble (apart from Suarez), bendeke was just a target and we couldn't cope with him, Rodgers system is not happening with these players

[ChesterDave]

We were ****cunt. Anyone thinking differently is fooling themself

[S-RED]

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers: "It's a disappointing result and performance from us. I don't know where that came from as it's not been like us. We were careless with our final ball and didn't end up taking our chances.

"We will have to take that as a bad day at the office and move on. I felt today we probably weren't quite sharp enough. It was a clear penalty [when Ciaran Clark pulled Daniel Agger's shirt] and if you get that it is 2-1 and the pressure can start to build. But they got their third and we went a bit flat. Overall, we didn't do enough and we must learn from it and move on."

[baitman]

there is no rodgers "system" it is a figment of his imagination. only once the team play then there is a working system. at the moment, even if its 70% there it fails as it relies on working 100% by every member of the team.

i said a while ago he should be working towards a system, but not be so stubborn as to compromise other areas of the pitch.

we look almost clueless once we get to the oppositions goal area, the other team fall back to defend, so we just keep trying to move the ball around their box. maybe better than blasting it into row z, but then teams step out and intercept our sideways passing and hit us on the counter.

there is very little pace to our attack, and when there is it just grinds to a halt outside the box. not enough runners, too rigid in the system. going no where

[Dr-Gonzo]

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers: "It's a disappointing result and performance from us. I don't know where that came from as it's not been like us. We were careless with our final ball and didn't end up taking our chances.

No Brendan, it's exactly like us and has been since last season. And you've not done a thing to fix that despite spending £30m, in fact the only thing you have done is make the defense look completely ****.

[Lecter]

Time to drop Allen. Get Sahin in his proper position and play him.

I'd drop Allen also

Defensively he is woeful and he doesnt contribute enough higher up the pitch to deserve a spot in the side

The midfield is a shambles at the moment and dare I say it Brendan needs to take action in January to re-enforce that area defensively

I will be surprised if he does this though

[Lecter]

It is time to drop Gerrard.

He doesn't deserve to start game in and game out.

Neither does Allen and Gerrard has actually contributed some assists and goals this season

What has Allen contributed?

[Lecter]

This is the thing that concerns me with Rodgers. I like what he's trying to do. I like his belief and its probably only because of our personnel that it's notworking effectively at the top end of the pitch.

The problem is that he's taken an area which wasn't really a problem (i.e. the defensive part of midfield) and made it the fundamental weakness in our team. He's not only not fixed the part of the machine that is misfiring but his tactics have managed to **** up the only bit that was working reasonably well.

[The Birdman]

How was the defensive aspect of our midfield NOT a problem? We were playing spearing in their last season ffs.
Lucas has helped but he's still getting back to 100% fitness and rodgers has been right (imo) to take him off and ensure he gets fit and stays fit.

I agree that rodgers needs to look at it and things need to change but you can't say an area of the team where we were relying on Jay Spearing to play wasn't a problem area.

[The Birdman]

I haven't checked but I think the stats will say we have been at our most solid defensively when Wisdom was right back and Johnson left back.
I.E one attacking full back and one who holds his position and supports from behind. It seems as though the return of Lucas to the team and resulted in Rodgers picking 2 attacking full backs which in turn has exposed Skrtel and Agger who struggle to defend 1 on 1.

[Lecter]

How was the defensive aspect of our midfield NOT a problem? We were playing spearing in their last season ffs.
Lucas has helped but he's still getting back to 100% fitness and rodgers has been right (imo) to take him off and ensure he gets fit and stays fit.

I agree that rodgers needs to look at it and things need to change but you can't say an area of the team where we were relying on Jay Spearing to play wasn't a problem area.

I actually reckon Spearing might be better defensively than Allen

Thats a massive worry because I thought Spearing was poor defensively

The even more worrying thing is we've spent £15 million on Allen, thats starting to make £7-8 million for Adam a bargain

[Lecter]

I haven't checked but I think the stats will say we have been at our most solid defensively when Wisdom was right back and Johnson left back.
I.E one attacking full back and one who holds his position and supports from behind. It seems as though the return of Lucas to the team and resulted in Rodgers picking 2 attacking full backs which in turn has exposed Skrtel and Agger who struggle to defend 1 on 1.

I would also like to know why Downing is preferred to Robinson

We'd have a much better balance with him at fullback

[~LFCHistory~]

The even more worrying thing is we've spent £15 million on Allen, thats starting to make £7-8 million for Adam a bargain

**** off. I'm not a fan of Allen and I also question what he brings to the team but in no way shape or form was Charlie Adam a bargain, he should never been allowed anywhere near this club, a glorfied championship player.

[~LFCHistory~]

I would also like to know why Downing is preferred to Robinson

We'd have a much better balance with him at fullback

Completely agree, Robinson has looked quality every time he's made the starting 11.

[The Birdman]

I would also like to know why Downing is preferred to Robinson

We'd have a much better balance with him at fullback

Completely agree on Robinson. As a manager so keen to give kids a chance to not play Robinson while persisting with a not very good converted winger is bizarre.
The only plausable excuse I can think off is that Rodgers thinks Downing will sell easier and for more if he's been featuring regularly.
Almost as if he's spent his allocated money on Ince + Sturridge and needs to raise further funds.

Even if he doesn't fancy Robinson (and I noticed he played CB for the reserves recently with Smith at LB) that's doesn't explain not recalling Wisdom and switching Johnson to LB.