Vs Chelsea (H): Post Match Thread

[Maxiedge]

Thought we played better against Chelsea today than we did last season. Just an observation.

[Fierce]

Don't make excuses for him mate he's ****ing ****.

He offers absolutely zero for this team, zero.

His movement is ****, his temperament is ****, he's brainless. He's a pussy, as soon as he's kicked he holds his right leg even if it's his left leg that's been kicked.

He's a ****ing ***** Norbs. He does pretty much zero tracking back, hardly any pressing and never gets into any decent attacking positions. The only thing he's seemingly improved on is that he has stopped ****ting shots into the stands from 40 yards.

[ChesterDave]

johnson should not be starting

Johnson should be anywhere near ANY Premier League team's bench

[ChesterDave]

He was, no need to try and look elsewhere to excuse Coutinho.
100% solely his fault.

Nothing to do with Mingolet or Johnson or Moreno or anyone else.
The facts are this season Coutinho offers nothing defensively and offers very little end product.

Pretty bits of skill are pointless, doesn't score enough and doesn't create enough.

You're talking utter ****ing nonsense if you think a goal where the waltz down out defensive right and cross from the byline has nothing to do with out right back being absolutely AWOL.

Moreno turned his back on the ball away from the direction it was coming from. Should have thrown his body in front of it.

If you are blaming Couthino 100% and being serious then you have an agenda.

[baitman]

Johnson should be anywhere near ANY Premier League team's bench

QPR

sooner tbe better.

[TheElephantMan]

Our league position and our points tally is quite disgraceful. I don't know who to blame. I'm confident that Rodgers knows what he's doing, but it's all gone to ****. Do we even work on our defence during training? If we really genuinely want to reach top four this season then we desperately need some quality strikers. We won't score enough goals to compensate for our defensive ****ness unless we strengthen our attack.

[breffniboy]

I thought we were supposed to be adding genuine quality in the summer and the days of padding out our squad were gone?

As far as I can see we bought another bunch of players with L plates that may or may not come good in the longer term. For the moment though, it leaves us ****ed. Chelsea got Fabregas and we got Lallana. Chelsea got Costa and we got Balotelli, who so far looks like the rich man's Andrei Voronin. There's the difference right there.

If you're going to try unearthing potential instead of the finished product then the scouting has to be spot on. We have been an unbridled disaster in this respect and that's applicable going back 20 years.

We need a miracle in January to save the season and although calls for Brendan to go are premature now, if this continues until May (as looks very likely, nothing's improving guys) then how can he survive? The crowd were already on his case with that double substitution today.

[topscorer]

I thought we were supposed to be adding genuine quality in the summer and the days of padding out our squad were gone?

If you're going to try unearthing potential instead of the finished product then the scouting has to be spot on. We have been an unbridled disaster in this respect and that's applicable going back 20 years.

We need a miracle in January to save the season and although calls for Brendan to go are premature now, if this continues until May (as looks very likely, nothing's improving guys) then how can he survive? The crowd were already on his case with that double substitution today.

Actually we did need to 'pad out' the squad this past summer. We were very light with CL to play.

That's a little harsh. Torres and Suarez both turned out pretty well. I don't think any of us would want to lose Henderson and Sterling. Sturridge was a great buy.

With the exception of Mario I don't have any complaints about the summer purchases. With hindsight it's easy to say Lovren has been a pile of ****e but when the transfer window shut I would never have had him down as the most likely buy to bomb.

What upsets me about the summer transfer window is what we didn't buy, not what we did buy. We should have tried much harder to seal Sanchez, Barcelona wanted Suarez so we had a big card in our hand for the negotiations. And I'm still baffled why we didn't buy Remy. Besides them we should have been willing to splash 40 or 50m on an 'A' list striker. I'm not sure who we could have got but we definitely could have got someone from the 'A' list for that kind of money.

Now we've blown £16m on Mario do we still have 40 to 50 million to spend on an 'A' list striker?

[breffniboy]

Actually we did need to 'pad out' the squad this past summer. We were very light with CL to play.

That's a little harsh. Torres and Suarez both turned out pretty well. I don't think any of us would want to lose Henderson and Sterling. Sturridge was a great buy.

With the exception of Mario I don't have any complaints about the summer purchases. With hindsight it's easy to say Lovren has been a pile of ****e but when the transfer window shut I would never have had him down as the most likely buy to bomb.

What upsets me about the summer transfer window is what we didn't buy, not what we did buy. We should have tried much harder to seal Sanchez, Barcelona wanted Suarez so we had a big card in our hand for the negotiations. And I'm still baffled why we didn't buy Remy. Besides them we should have been willing to splash 40 or 50m on an 'A' list striker. I'm not sure who we could have got but we definitely could have got someone from the 'A' list for that kind of money.

Now we've blown £16m on Mario do we still have 40 to 50 million to spend on an 'A' list striker?

Yep I'd go along with a lot of that. I guess we needed a mix of both, a few A-listers and then a supporting cast. As far as I can see though, we're now a production with all supporting cast and no headliners.

[BobTheCharmer]

Thought we played better against Chelsea today than we did last season. Just an observation.

Agreed. We lost by one goal, a poor one at that. I'd have taken a draw before the game. Once Chelsea took the lead it was game over, they give you no space and with our fragile confidence and lack of creativity it was always going to be hard. Watch the game again people and Gerrard was much better than Henderson, I don't get the slagging personally. I think its become a fixation with some that the captain is the cause of all our woes. Sad days.

[RichC]

Agreed. We lost by one goal, a poor one at that. I'd have taken a draw before the game. Once Chelsea took the lead it was game over, they give you no space and with our fragile confidence and lack of creativity it was always going to be hard. Watch the game again people and Gerrard was much better than Henderson, I don't get the slagging personally. I think its become a fixation with some that the captain is the cause of all our woes. Sad days.

Henderson was awful yesterday but Gerrard seems to be the easy option for our problems.

[The_weatherman]

Agreed. We lost by one goal, a poor one at that. I'd have taken a draw before the game. Once Chelsea took the lead it was game over, they give you no space and with our fragile confidence and lack of creativity it was always going to be hard. Watch the game again people and Gerrard was much better than Henderson, I don't get the slagging personally. I think its become a fixation with some that the captain is the cause of all our woes. Sad days.

Henderson was awful yesterday but Gerrard seems to be the easy option for our problems.

I think it's more to do with Lucas and Gerrard can't play together, we didn't purchase a midfield tackler like Schneiderlin or Wayama or Song, we need to make some tackles in midfield but Gerrard is occupying the defensive midfielder position. I think it would benefit the team to have Lucas there to make the tackles, Gerrard is also dropping to deep to collect the ball and the constant nitting with the ball between the defenders and Gerrard is inviting pressure. He is also predictable in possession, one touch on the ball, turn with it, run into a player. He isnt a natural holding and it shows. Pirlo has players like Vidal and Marchiso with him who can and do win the ball in the midfield which allows him to play like he does.

[frank the tank]

I think it's more to do with Lucas and Gerrard can't play together, we didn't purchase a midfield tackler like Schneiderlin or Wayama or Song, we need to make some tackles in midfield but Gerrard is occupying the defensive midfielder position. I think it would benefit the team to have Lucas there to make the tackles, Gerrard is also dropping to deep to collect the ball and the constant nitting with the ball between the defenders and Gerrard is inviting pressure. He is also predictable in possession, one touch on the ball, turn with it, run into a player. He isnt a natural holding and it shows. Pirlo has players like Vidal and Marchiso with him who can and do win the ball in the midfield which allows him to play like he does.

Song was there for the taking alright......especially when we were already negotiating with barca for suarez. Id have said the same about affellay tello or deloufou.....we could have had any of them thrown in for a few million as well....as opposed to spunking 25m on lallana

[frank the tank]

For me the main issue now is the shape of the team.....the midfield is too unbalanced and doesnt protect the defense properly. Lucas should start in place of gerrard, with henderson and Can in front of him....gerrard should then play at the top of midfield....and be rotated with coutinho. He could also sometimes play instead of Can or Henderson.....

Toure should have started yesterday as well. Lovren isnt a hyypia or carragher who has just had a bad patch - he has not shown any potential, any quality at all. (Whats more frustrating is that southampton have the best defense in the league this year).....

[The_weatherman]

Song was there for the taking alright......especially when we were already negotiating with barca for suarez. Id have said the same about affellay tello or deloufou.....we could have had any of them thrown in for a few million as well....as opposed to spunking 25m on lallana

Bar Lovren and Balotelli I'm not too upset about our purchases in the summer, most will come good although somewhat pricey maybe and we could have done better. At the time I was pleased though. But the fact we totally lack any defensive side to the midfield is very troubling to me. Southampton have a great defense but it's shielded by two of the best midfield tacklers in the league.