Vs Manchester City (A): Post Match Thread

[Fredo]

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.

We conceded 3 goals to a large extent because we had 2 new players in defence, so imagine if Rogders went with 3 of them, with rookies in the fullback positions. Not a chance.

Now it's gonna be a forced changed because Johnson is going to be out for a few weeks, you'll get your wish. I personally think it's not going to be for the better. With 3 new players against Spurs next week, it's going to be difficult.

[danperkins]

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 season, but equally he hasn't been that bad either.

I don't people were re writing history as such.. just doing what most of us do when a player has a good game and bigging them up With Johnson it was more hope, hope that he could get back to the player that he was.. for me anyways. And he is important to the way Rodgers wants to set up, but that's an on form Johnson or the old Johnson.

Anyways he was ok tonight, but our fullbacks are definitely a worry. Manquillo is a kid and it's a huge ask to rely on him this soon, with Johnson injured it's a lot of pressure for him to be put under. Moreno just arrived and after a good 35 mins seemed to crumble a bit.. with no help from Lovren to be fair. Said awhile ago i don't think we'll see the best of Moreno until next season.

I dunno man, I know it's not popular to say this but i don't think Gerrard does our CB's any favours either in that role. I think Hendo & Allen has to put in extra work to cover him & IMO he leaves big gaps ahead of the CB's. Lot of work to be done & with Johnson injured we have 3 new players in our backline.

[SB]

We conceded 3 goals to a large extent because we had 2 new players in defence, so imagine if Rogders went with 3 of them, with rookies in the fullback positions. Not a chance.

Now it's gonna be a forced changed because Johnson is going to be out for a few weeks, you'll get your wish. I personally think it's not going to be for the better. With 3 new players against Spurs next week, it's going to be difficult.

So if that's so why didn't he keep Glen at LB & Manquillo at RB? Makes more sense doesn't it? Move one player to accommodate another when the youngsters done nothing wrong?

[Fredo]

So if that's so why didn't he keep Glen at LB & Manquillo at RB? Makes more sense doesn't it? Move one player to accommodate another when the youngsters done nothing wrong?

What's so difficult to understand in this? Playing three new players away at City in the second game of the season is not a good idea. All the goals we conceded today came from the left, where we had our two new players in.

[brightred]

I'm guessing that I'm the only one that didn't think we were actually that bad tonight. I thought we bossed the first 40 minutes, then a mistake cost us a goal. We came out again and played well, another mistake and a scuffed effort and it was 2.

Then we let Aguero go for the third.

Yeah we lacked a bit in the final third, but the 3-1 scoreline makes it look much worse than we actually were. Obviously its gutting to lose, but I'm not too disheartened, and hopefully it will kick us on now to go and win again at the weekend.

Balotelli will help take the burden off Sturridge, as good as he is he doesn't play the lone striker role effectively. He needs someone to work off. I'm confident that we'll go to Spurs and get a result at the weekend.

[Fredo]

Bar the mistakes, we were quite good I thought. A bit toothless upfront, but with more games we'll improve.

[rudedog]

Up until the first goal, we were the best side - could have been a completely different game if we had been able to capitalise with those early chances.

Hopefully this was a really good chance for Rogers to see the areas the team needs to work on and he addresses this quickly.

Also, I don't think other teams will punish our mistakes as effectively as Man City did tonight, they were pretty clinical with the chances they had.

[brightred]

I don't people were re writing history as such.. just doing what most of us do when a player has a good game and bigging them up With Johnson it was more hope, hope that he could get back to the player that he was.. for me anyways. And he is important to the way Rodgers wants to set up, but that's an on form Johnson or the old Johnson.

Anyways he was ok tonight, but our fullbacks are definitely a worry. Manquillo is a kid and it's a huge ask to rely on him this soon, with Johnson injured it's a lot of pressure for him to be put under. Moreno just arrived and after a good 35 mins seemed to crumble a bit.. with no help from Lovren to be fair. Said awhile ago i don't think we'll see the best of Moreno until next season.

I dunno man, I know it's not popular to say this but i don't think Gerrard does our CB's any favours either in that role. I think Hendo & Allen has to put in extra work to cover him & IMO he leaves big gaps ahead of the CB's. Lot of work to be done & with Johnson injured we have 3 new players in our backline.

Not popular at all dan but true. Stevie has been looking slow for a while now. He made his name as an attacking central mid fielder. He doesn't look comfortable as a defensive mid. Plus he ain't Pirlo.

I love Stevie, but I'd hate to be in Brendan's shoes now.

[baitman]

gerrard played some great games in the dm position towards the end of last season, but if we had a great DM where would gerrard play. would he be dropped...
he no longer has the legs for CM or AM, and im wondering if his journey to the back of the pitch will see him in goal soon.

he did make a couple of great long passes, but its asking alot for one lone striker to get on the end of them against top defenders. steve did make a couple of decent interceptions too, but he was often just too deep, playing like a third CB.
this is leaving our midfield wide open, allen and hendo cannot cover and compete and we are being played through.

[SB]

What's so difficult to understand in this? Playing three new players away at City in the second game of the season is not a good idea. All the goals we conceded today came from the left, where we had our two new players in.

😂 which is why I said leave glen on the left & Manquillo on the right Why is that so hard to understand ?

[DannyMan2006]

If I'm being critical, it's of Brendan Rodgers for starting Moreno away to the Champions in his first game. But I guess it was either him or Manquillo due to Enrique / Flanno not being fully fit.

A left side of Lovren & Moreno (both new) with Allen and Coutinho was always going to be an issue in comparison to Skrtel & Glen with Hendo & Sterling ahead.

Moving on from the obvious problems which City capitalised on, I think it was one of then where had we got the first City wouldn't have looked so cocky & full of swagger. They hadn't looked like scoring until we handed it to them on a platter.

Positives wise, we dominated large parts of the game against last years champions at their place. And that's likely the toughest game of the season out the way.

Onwards.

[DannyMan2006]

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.

You can't iron out individual mistakes. We aren't failing as a unit, we are failing individually.

Sometimes the opposition score a belter or a brilliant team goal. You just have to hold your hands up a say well played. But more often than not its an individual mistake.

I'll not pine for a defence of Glen, Skrtel, Sakho, Flanno as we had that last year and it failed.

Rodgers has brought in new players and they'll get a period of time to adjust. It's only right. Come January we'll have a better idea of who is a success & who isn't. Until then we have to hope they settle quickly & don't cost us too often whilst they find their feet.

[Fosterbloke]

Gerrard's worth to the team was there to see with that beautiful pass that Sturridge could have taken down and buried instead of looking for another team mate.

[BrooklynRed]

Gerrard/ Allen/ Henderson is conservative overkill that did nothing for us. Lallana for Coutinho will make a big difference. Mark my words. Coutinho was ineffective for the second straight game, because Gerrard/ Allen/ Henderson were too deep and there is no support going forward. I would dump Allen and play Hendo off of Gerrard, with Lallana/ Sterling/ Balotelli/ Sturridge in front of them. Moreno did well, loved how he and Markovic linked up, Manquillo should have started at RB-- deep water but he would have played much better than Johnson. Moreno/Lovren/Skrtel/Maquillo is the path forward, more time for Markovic, and Lallana will prove to be a marquee signing. Played City away too soon; we'll get three points from them at Anfield as they are bottlers away.

[sssiho]

It was too early to play city with half the team being new. Thought Allen had a decent game, looked lively. Stevie was okay 1st half but the 2nd half seemed to pass him by a little.