Bournemouth vs Liverpool Capitol One Cup Post Match

[danperkins]

Thank christ!!

Very attacking line up, they sat off us in the first half and we punished them. Thought Lallana & Sterling were superb, Lallana's close control is magic. Markovic was very good in the first half in a tough position for someone with not many minutes. Looked bolloxed in the second half & is a bit naive with the defensive side of the position... understandably so.

First bad game Lucas has had since coming back in IMO. Always seems to be poor when played beside Gerrard, bit odd. The 3 CB's looked a wee bit awkward on times, Toure & Lovren/Sakho looked more than uncomfortable when they were pulled out in the wide areas. Hendo & Markovic did leave them exposed a few times. Both have good engines but tough ask for Markovic in that position & i do think Henderson is wasted out there. Although i can see why he is platted there, similar work rate to Dirk Kuyt.

I was impressed by Bournemouth though in the second half, they pushed and pressed. We do seem to struggle when teams press us high up the pitch & they really should have scored another.. maybe even two.

Even though were struggled at times in the second half, I enjoyed the game as a whole.... first half was a joy to watch & a relief. Was nice to know we can still play free flowing football & go at teams.I did think Rodgers would shore it up a bit sooner in the second half as when we tired we did look a lot more open. Can was great when he came on, made a big difference.

So Lovren & Johnson out which is actually a bonus. Sakho back.. although very rusty his match fitness will improve. Lallana finishing the 90 mins & hopefully Rodgers will see he has to start surely!? Markovic had very good first half & even though he struggled in the new position.. he done ok. And Sterling with two great goals and another good display.

Happy enough & really hoping Rodgers now plays Lallana from now on in and with Lovren & Johnson injured... the team selection should be a bit more to everyone's liking

[ChrisDR1968]

Good morale boosting win

As usual with a Rodgers Liverpool team pretty shambolic in defence at times though.

We'll probably need 6 goals to be confident of beating Arsenal on Sunday

[SB]

Didn't see the match but it sounds like a few of the lads looked world class against cannon fodder. I hope they take that confidence in to the arsenal game.

[danperkins]

With that set up we were always going to concede chances. Was fun to watch though

[Norbs]

Potential banana skin well and truly avoided. Credit to the team tonight, they had a bit of space to work in up front for once and used it effectively.

Henderson needs a rest. I'd like to see Lucas, Gerrard and Can in the middle with Toure and Skrtel paired together at the back against Arsenal. Hendo's not offering an awful lot in the position that he's being played in. If he's going to revert to wing backs then surely Moreno is ideal

[danperkins]

Potential banana skin well and truly avoided. Credit to the team tonight, they had a bit of space to work in up front for once and used it effectively.

Henderson needs a rest. I'd like to see Lucas, Gerrard and Can in the middle with Toure and Skrtel paired together at the back against Arsenal. Hendo's not offering an awful lot in the position that he's being played in. If he's going to revert to wing backs then surely Moreno is ideal

Henderson looks a shadow of himself this season. A few games rest would do him the world of good IMO. Can is perfect replacement to come into the midfield.

[DannyMan2006]

Potential banana skin well and truly avoided. Credit to the team tonight, they had a bit of space to work in up front for once and used it effectively.

Henderson needs a rest. I'd like to see Lucas, Gerrard and Can in the middle with Toure and Skrtel paired together at the back against Arsenal. Hendo's not offering an awful lot in the position that he's being played in. If he's going to revert to wing backs then surely Moreno is ideal

Moreno played in his preferred position (on the left) against United and was a bit **** tbh. Could've been an off day though.

[DannyMan2006]

Henderson looks a shadow of himself this season. A few games rest would do him the world of good IMO. Can is perfect replacement to come into the midfield.

Can is nowhere near the perfect replacement for Hendo considering he's playing RW / RWB.

[danperkins]

Can is nowhere near the perfect replacement for Hendo considering he's playing RW / RWB.

I doubt very much we'll play that system against Arsenal. Way too open

[DannyMan2006]

Anyway, on the game itself.

We were on a hiding to nothing and we came through unscathed. They play like we like to and we are a better side and showed it. Going forwards we looked like we did against United, very confident. Difference was we finished some today. Obviously got in behind less as they played deeper, but it was a joy to see us carve them open.

Of course we had individual errors thrown in and we were lucky to only concede one. I don't know why Lovren is persisted with playing LCB in a 3. He lacks the pace and is too obsessed with winning the ball when he should drop deeper. He lacks the recovery pace to go toe to toe. Should've played him in the centre, where his distribution and confidence in possession would be better suited.

I think the gaps we have will be plugged over time if we stick with the formation. But it's always going to be an attacking formation with midfielders on the wings. Oh, and Raheem is fast becoming Gerrard. He could easily play any of the front five positions and is fast becoming a very adaptable player. Lot to learn still of course, as proved by the United game and the miss for the hat trick today.

As suggested above I'd be interested to see Moreno back in the team in the LM position, with Lazar switching to the right. I'd put Henderson in midfield where his energy would really help us.

Oh.........

And if we get anymore injuries at CB, I'd be having Gerrard play there. I'm definitely intrigued to see if it would work.

[Norbs]

I'm still a fan of Hendo, and think he's most effective in the middle in an advanced role but isn't as industrious as either Gerrard or Coutinho. He's not getting a look in there and there's better options in the positions he's being stuck in.

[Norbs]

Anyway, on the game itself.

We were on a hiding to nothing and we came through unscathed. They play like we like to and we are a better side and showed it. Going forwards we looked like we did against United, very confident. Difference was we finished some today. Obviously got in behind less as they played deeper, but it was a joy to see us carve them open.

Of course we had individual errors thrown in and we were lucky to only concede one. I don't know why Lovren is persisted with playing LCB in a 3. He lacks the pace and is too obsessed with winning the ball when he should drop deeper. He lacks the recovery pace to go toe to toe. Should've played him in the centre, where his distribution and confidence in possession would be better suited.

I think the gaps we have will be plugged over time if we stick with the formation. But it's always going to be an attacking formation with midfielders on the wings. Oh, and Raheem is fast becoming Gerrard. He could easily play any of the front five positions and is fast becoming a very adaptable player. Lot to learn still of course, as proved by the United game and the miss for the hat trick today.

As suggested above I'd be interested to see Moreno back in the team in the LM position, with Lazar switching to the right. I'd put Henderson in midfield where his energy would really help us.

Oh.........

And if we get anymore injuries at CB, I'd be having Gerrard play there. I'm definitely intrigued to see if it would work.

Gerrard's tackling is a bit fierce for CB isn't it?

[DannyMan2006]

I doubt very much we'll play that system against Arsenal. Way too open

Well he'd be an idiot to change back after such positive play in the last two games. I guarantee we play 343.

[danperkins]

Anyway, on the game itself.

We were on a hiding to nothing and we came through unscathed. They play like we like to and we are a better side and showed it. Going forwards we looked like we did against United, very confident. Difference was we finished some today. Obviously got in behind less as they played deeper, but it was a joy to see us carve them open.

Of course we had individual errors thrown in and we were lucky to only concede one. I don't know why Lovren is persisted with playing LCB in a 3. He lacks the pace and is too obsessed with winning the ball when he should drop deeper. He lacks the recovery pace to go toe to toe. Should've played him in the centre, where his distribution and confidence in possession would be better suited.

I think the gaps we have will be plugged over time if we stick with the formation. But it's always going to be an attacking formation with midfielders on the wings. Oh, and Raheem is fast becoming Gerrard. He could easily play any of the front five positions and is fast becoming a very adaptable player. Lot to learn still of course, as proved by the United game and the miss for the hat trick today.

As suggested above I'd be interested to see Moreno back in the team in the LM position, with Lazar switching to the right. I'd put Henderson in midfield where his energy would really help us.

Oh.........

And if we get anymore injuries at CB, I'd be having Gerrard play there. I'm definitely intrigued to see if it would work.

Playing Gerrard at CB would be an absolute catastrophe mate. He isn't good enough defensively, is slower than Lovren & positionally he be a nightmare

If i was to liken Sterling to anyone it would be Walcott. The same type of attacking player, speed merchant that has struggled with a end product. Moving him central and playing off the last defender is very similiar to what Wenger did the same with Walcott. Not sure if Walcott payed in a 1 or a 2 up top though?

[DannyMan2006]

Gerrard's tackling is a bit fierce for CB isn't it?

What do you mean?

I don't know if he could play CB tbh, but I'd love to see it tried. Only in a 3 mind. It would help in the same way it helped last year when we split the CB's and he dropped in.

The difference with him at CB is he'd automatically have more options as opposed to when he was struggling at the start of the season in the diamond.