FC Basel vs Liverpool post match thread

[Darkon]

They're not the same side that they were over the past few years. Lost their manager, lost players, their a distinctly mediocre team.

I disagree, they are a very decent side and nothing I've seen so far have proven otherwise? Of course they are not amongst the 10 best sides in Europe, but neither are we. They are seeded above us, and have proven over the quite a few years they are a good side in Europe. Beat Chelsea a last season and in the quarter final in the EL was pretty decent result.

Besides their GK, Sommer, did they lose anyone significant since last year? Likely also bought some players - like any other team (us included)...

We should have gotten more out of that game no doubt though...

[Kenneth]

I dot ****ing know, I'm only regurgitating **** I heard on the radio. I don't really follow football.

[Exiled_red]

I thought it was a frustrating game and a poor performance all around, the defending for the goal was poor. But more frustratingly we don't look like scoring goals, last season it didn't matter how badly we were playing we always looked like scoring goals. I guess part of that is losing Suarez, and missing Sturridge but we don't look like we want to play with the same drive or energy.

[Darkon]

I dot ****ing know, I'm only regurgitating **** I heard on the radio. I don't really follow football.

[Havors]

I thought it was a frustrating game and a poor performance all around, the defending for the goal was poor. But more frustratingly we don't look like scoring goals, last season it didn't matter how badly we were playing we always looked like scoring goals. I guess part of that is losing Suarez, and missing Sturridge but we don't look like we want to play with the same drive or energy.

^^ This

There seems no link between the midfield and attack anymore, and we always stop and slow down as soon as we hit the final third even on a quick counter attack. Everytime we attack our most forward players always have their backs to goal, it just destroys the attack.

Players are hiding and don't want the ball. They are not making runs or finding space, they are just leaving it for someone else to do.

For me Balotelli should only play when Sturridge is playing as well. He's useless as a loan striker.

[Carras_Shin_Pads]

I was holding off - but it's official, we've done a spurs

[Lecter]

Sturridge & Allen are huge misses in this particular LFC side. Might tie things together to bit more.

For me the attack is a much bigger problem than the defence at the moment.

I will say again what I said in another thread

On what basis is Allen a huge miss??

He started 15 times in the League last season, and has played twice this season once against Spuds and once against City

I think people are clutching at straws frankly

[Lecter]

Ahhh...but is Gerrard's performance merely a symptom of others currently being so ****? If we were playing starting quickly, scoring and winning more would Gerrard's form be front and centre? Just seems to be more obvious when we're playing like a bunch of homeless geriatrics...

I think its both

Gerrard is off form, but so is Henderson, Sterling, Coutinho etc...

Markovic looks woeful to me as does Lovren

[Lecter]

I hate to say it but Gerrard was terrible and has been all season. It's great to see him being so honest by coming on sky and saying not enough effort has been put in.

But really, has he got the energy to do that?

I think the same applies to Henderson, Sterling and Coutinho

All of them have been dreadfully below par, that coupled with Markovic failing to make an impact we are desperately struggling

[Darkon]

We are missing a second striker more than anything at the moment. Balotelli is not a striker type you can throw a ball at without good runs around him, something that is sorely missing right now. When they happen, there is no players in the box, because Balotelli most of the time have held up the ball further down the pitch to lay off a pass. We need someone to take the runs in the box as I see it.

It's obviously also a product of the fact that we are making to many long clearences at the moment and to quickly, leaving few options for Balotelli.

[Lecter]

First and foremost I think we have to close the ball down and put pressure on teams like we did

Until we start to show that again we might as well be pissing in the wind

[Pablo]

I will say again what I said in another thread

On what basis is Allen a huge miss??

He started 15 times in the League last season, and has played twice this season once against Spuds and once against City

I think people are clutching at straws frankly

Agree with this to an extent. I think lots of people are making it seem like Allen was a certain starter, but he's only ever been in and out of the team anyway. I like him, but people are overplaying the importance of him being out.

[Chris]

I think the same applies to Henderson, Sterling and Coutinho

All of them have been dreadfully below par, that coupled with Markovic failing to make an impact we are desperately struggling

You are going ridiculously overboard on Sterling, he's got 3 league goals (scored in 3 seperate matches too) and an assist in 5 league games.

[Darkon]

First and foremost I think we have to close the ball down and put pressure on teams like we did

Until we start to show that again we might as well be pissing in the wind

Optimally yes, but we have to accept the fact that we don't have as quick and naturally agressive player as we did last season. We simply can't apply the pressure at the same level and the same height of the pitch as last season. We need to adjust rather than hope to magically reproduce what Suarez as one of the very few strikers in the world were capable of in terms of pressuring the opponents.

[Lecter]

You are going ridiculously overboard on Sterling, he's got 3 league goals (scored in 3 seperate matches too) and an assist in 5 league games.

Hes still been dreadful other than the Spurs game

His pressing is off, his first touch is massively off. He constantly cuts back and tries to beat a man again and again

I went to Saturdays match with a bluenose mate of mine. First couple of minutes Sterling skinned Hibbert and didnt try again until the 80th minute. My mate even said why would you constantly check back when you know you can take the fullback to the cleaners

I think hes been woeful, sorry if that doesnt sit with you but thats how I feel. His performances have been on a par with the odd game he played in Rodgers first season