Vs Manchester City (A): Post Match Thread

[danperkins]

2 Seasons? As I highlighted before, it was only last year when you yourself was say he was so important to our side.

I ****ing hate defending Johnson because I can see myself that he is way off teh level we should expect from him, but why is there this obsession to prove that he's our worst player now and has been **** for a lot longer than he has?

I remember & to be fair most of the comments were made after he had a great game & our squad was so thin that everyone was delighted to get him, Agger, Coutinho & even Enrique back in the starting 11. If he has a good game i'll say it, i thought he wasn't bad tonight defensively.

I waxed lyrical when we first signed Johnson, he was brilliant for a time. My mates give me a horrible time about it because he's playing so bad.

When you have an attacking fullback you surely will lose something defensively..unless you're Lahm or the likes which is rare. I accept that, but Johnson's attacking game seems to had strangely dissipated. My question is at what stage do you have to say, right it's not form that's the problem..the player just can't cut it anymore?

[baronvonskidmark]

Did I miss Skrtel getting a knock or something?

He did seem to get a knock towards the end. To be fair it didn't look serious and I'm probably just thinking aloud, but if he is out it'll be interesting how Rodgers approaches it.

[G]

Pretty sure it always was a race for third Nigey. We are somewhat transitioning this was on and we need to hold onto CL.

[G]

He did seem to get a knock towards the end. To be fair it didn't look serious and I'm probably just thinking aloud, but if he is out it'll be interesting how Rodgers approaches it.

It would. I wish he would go with Sakho/Lovren either way and give the back 5 the time to learn each other. Harsh on Skrtel as he's our best defender but that's not due to him being great, just being less **** than the others!

[Lecter]

Yeah he got a knock but he should be fine.

Looking back at the game again, if our defence doesn't gel quickly, Chelsea and City will be out of sight before long by the way it is panning out. Looks like a race for 3rd place at this stage to be honest.

I cant see us putting it right quickly enough for us to be in anything other than the race for 4th

Having watched this and Southampton I dont think we are near to resolving our defensive issues

Too many issues for me

[danperkins]

You do wonder should he keep tweaking it or just stick with the same personnel to get a settled backline? First two games haven't exactly inspired confidence. It will take time regardless.

[Fredo]

It would. I wish he would go with Sakho/Lovren either way and give the back 5 the time to learn each other. Harsh on Skrtel as he's our best defender but that's not due to him being great, just being less **** than the others!

Can't see that working. Lovren does clearly favour that left side. Sakho was a bit of a strange buy to be honest. Rodgers does not seem to rate him that highly. You can see that Lovren will be a mainstay in that defence, and to a lesser extent, Skrtel, but the others are clear second choice.

[Fierce]

Yeah he got a knock but he should be fine.

Looking back at the game again, if our defence doesn't gel quickly, Chelsea and City will be out of sight before long by the way it is panning out. Looks like a race for 3rd place at this stage to be honest.

I cant see us putting it right quickly enough for us to be in anything other than the race for 4th

Having watched this and Southampton I dont think we are near to resolving our defensive issues

Too many issues for me

Good ****ing grief

Two games in. 2. One of which we won

[Fredo]

You do wonder should he keep tweaking it or just stick with the same personnel to get a settled backline? First two games haven't exactly inspired confidence. It will take time regardless.

It's about partnerships in central defence and Skrtel and Lovren are the favoured first choice IMO. He will probably look to unsettle that partnership as less as he can and try to get Sktrel and Lovren to develop as a pair.

[danperkins]

Never thought we'd challenge for the title this season. I'd be delighted with 3rd or 4th. Just vital we get back into the champs league again. City & Chelsea surely are huge favorites for 1st & 2nd.

[Rigadon]

Never thought we'd challenge for the title this season. I'd be delighted with 3rd or 4th. Just vital we get back into the champs league again. City & Chelsea surely are huge favorites for 1st & 2nd.

Top 4 is a priority.

[kemm1]

So no one's mentioning the poor job our midfielders did in tracking their runs highlighted by the second goal? I didn't think we were ****, there were a lot if bright spots. It's not just the defense gelling it's the midfield and the defense that needs to gel also.

[Leyton388]

Even with new personal the defensive issues are still there. It will however take time for the defense to gel but if the errors keep happening then the next place to look would surely be the defensive coaching?

We should have brought Sami or carra back in the summer to help with this.

[RedReet]

I remember & to be fair most of the comments were made after he had a great game & our squad was so thin that everyone was delighted to get him, Agger, Coutinho & even Enrique back in the starting 11. If he has a good game i'll say it, i thought he wasn't bad tonight defensively.

I waxed lyrical when we first signed Johnson, he was brilliant for a time. My mates give me a horrible time about it because he's playing so bad.

When you have an attacking fullback you surely will lose something defensively..unless you're Lahm or the likes which is rare. I accept that, but Johnson's attacking game seems to had strangely dissipated. My question is at what stage do you have to say, right it's not form that's the problem..the player just can't cut it anymore?

But regardless of how well he played that particular game, if he was so **** the year before then surely one game wouldn't change that, we'd be better off without him? How does such a **** player suddenly become so important, never-mind earn this importance is the middle of this two year **** spell?

Maybe that explains things then.

I have to agree, I won't defend the indefensible, but if I get to the stage where I accept that Johnson isn't right for our first team (like I sadly have with Lucas), I'll admit that, but certainly won't rewrite his history with us like others seem so happy to do. I unfortunately do have concerns with Johnson's current form but perhaps naively am giving him the benefit of the doubt when he said he was injured last year when his form dropped. He hasn't been great so far this sesaon, but equally he hasn't been that bad either.

[SB]

2 Seasons? As I highlighted before, it was only last year when you yourself was say he was so important to our side.

I ****ing hate defending Johnson because I can see myself that he is way off teh level we should expect from him, but why is there this obsession to prove that he's our worst player now and has been **** for a lot longer than he has?

my original comment that he stunk was in reference to Nigey yesterday suggesting we should drop Manquillo from Arab to accommodate Glen who I said stunk vs Southampton. I thought the youngster plaid much better than Johnson & deserved to keep his place. I still think we made an error in making the change.