Bournemouth (H): Post Match

[danperkins]

It bothers me that we've spunked a load of money over the last two summers and we're still starting with two teenagers.

Ibe is still a work in progress and needs to go to the bench.

Lallana is worrying me now and I'd take him out of the team too.

Joe Gomez is unreal. He's bound to have a big dip soon cos he can't carry on like this. If he does we have the new Beckenbauer on our hands

Moreno's wild enthusiasm when he came on was great to see. I hope we don't give up on him.

Clyne - so far - has been much better than I expected. He looks really good.

Lovren and Skrtel scare the **** out me. That was a goal after 5 mins and Lovren was gash.

Can in CM is still a bit of a concern - looked a bit lost tonight. We definitely lost impetus after Henderson went off, even if he is being almost totally negated in that more defensive role. The balance of the team really doesn't feel right to me - we're not getting the best out of Henderson, the central 3 isn't working yet and we still look like we're trying to figure stuff out with our attacking set-up.

absolutely spot on.

[RedReet]

I'm going to have to stop watching matches sober.

I thought Can did ok when he came on last night. I thought as a team we suffered when Henderson went off, but individually I thought Can did quite well. Obviously I'm on my own.

Also thought Gomez, despite playing well, didn't make as big an impression as previous games, so was surprised to see him get so many MOTM nominations.

Back on the booze for me next time.

[danperkins]

In regards to the defence. I didn't think Clyne had a very good game defensively but that doesn't mean to say he didn't work his bollox off getting up and down & seemed he was told to play further forward which is not his fault. Aswell, he seemed to be playing more as a midfielder than a defender.... this for me was why our defence looked a bit ropey it was too stretched. Not worried about Clyne though, he's a quality player.

But this meant that Skrtel had to push across and cover in the wide areas. I don't like any CB getting isolated out wide....especially with the pace that they had last night. I will be much happier if we revert to a flat back 4 vs Arsenal & no doubts we will as we'll get destroyed if we line up with that system. I'm glad Gomez was a bit more reserved last night and stayed in the defensive areas.

Henderson is doing too much work in areas that he can't affect the game, it's just not his game... play to his strengths!! He had loads of assists last season & it's crucial that we get him in the higher areas. This for me is exactly the reason we should be playing Lucas. It means that the likes of Henderson & Milner can actually get forward & get service to Benteke without having to worry so much about their defensive duties. The balance is all wrong at the moment. 6 point is brilliant, but the performances aren't fooling anybody.

Lallana and Ibe IMO will and should make way vs Arsenal. Not sure if I like Can that deep, would much rather a dedicated DM in that role, but just doesn't seem like Rodgers is in to that.

[Nicey]

Re Lallana ... Jesus maybe I have set the bar low for him .. thought he closed down well, won a few tackles .. played an absolute peach of ball over the play to the right flank ... he looked more at it to me .. kept the ball well ... but I can see I am the only person on the planet who seen this performance

Did not like Ibe on the Left ... on the right sure .. on the left he is not the same player ..

[redmike65]

Ibe is getting a very rap rap here and I'm not sure why - he put in a few decent balls and forced frees, throw ins and corners. Lallana was the issue last night. Not Ibe.

You don't need two floating creators, just play a 1-2 middle and set Hendo and Milner free to make alternate runs into the danger zone. That will also make Benteke more effective. ---

-----------Mignolet
Clyne--Skittles-Lovren--Gomez (I'd play Sakho but I doubt Rodgers will change for the sake of it)
-----------Lucas (or Can)
-------Hendo--Milner
---------Coutinho
-------Benteke--Ings

Would be my team for Arsenal

[Vermilion]

Ibe's football brain needs to improve, obvious really at his age, he needs to slow it down at the right moments, usually after a tricky run and skills; which is understandable i guess that his end product is often played in the same urgent vein, but if he could just remember at the moment of release to think...look...and play the right ball more often, then he'll be good to go.

Hopefully he'll stay though.

[Roboklopp]

Ibe is getting a very rap rap here

Racist.

[redmike65]

So long as Ibe doesn't actually start to rap

[marcus50bucks]

Robbed from another site but bang on the money as far as I'm concerned

I am sure I will get pelters for this, but there are three concerns for me that are bubbling away over the first two games, but are problems that were in evidence last year also:

1] It is a case of the right personnel rather than the best personnel. I am sure every side has complaints about certain players not getting a look in, but at Liverpool at the moment is egregious, with the added spectre of internal politics and transfer committees in the mix.

2] The midfield lacks control. Milner and Henderson bring a lot of running and tackling to the middle of the pitch, but what is required is a calm head and a player who can set the tempo metronomically. Without such a player the team looks busy but ineffective. That leads to teams like Bournemouth throwing ball after ball into the Liverpool box as the midfield and backline in particular surrender the ball too cheaply.

3] The backline is still not right. Persevering with Lovren seems perverse. Even with the added shield of Milner and Henderson he looks susceptible to players running at him, balls over the top, crosses, etc. Currently the excellent Clyne and Gomez are covering in behind him, but that is far from ideal.

These three factors combined mean Liverpool are not optimal. they aren't bad, but are operating at a sub-par level that could be easily rectified with the right players and a different approach to build up play (more control, less hit and run). I think midfield is key though, I am not convinced we have the player currently at the club to play that midfield general role.

[Lecter]

Good post that

[Scratch]

Apologies if my post upset Shaggy and The Weatherman, it was a tongue in cheek reply to all the negativity surrounding our two clean sheets and the fact that Mignolet hasn't had a save of note to make, so we must be doing something right?

[Norbs]

I stopped reading at egregious as I don't know what it means

[Lecter]

Apologies if my post upset Shaggy and The Weatherman, it was a tongue in cheek reply to all the negativity surrounding our two clean sheets and the fact that Mignolet hasn't had a save of note to make, so we must be doing something right?

Not sure I'd be reading too much either way

Bournemouths final ball and to a lesser extent finishing was poor last night but they got in some real threatening areas with little difficulty yesterday

Stoke were utter balls

Personally I'll reserve judgement till we come up against a good team or a team that performs well

Equally from our point of view we created nothing at Stoke and won with a wonder goal, had contentious decision go in our favour last night...

[Scratch]

The Stoke game did result in one clear cut chance for them (Glen's skied effort) but I can't remember if that came from a set piece....I guess it must have done otherwise Johnson wouldn't have been on the six yard line. I think that team was set up not to lose, and the fear factor was there given the previous result.

Bournemouth played with high intensity and got past the midfield three far too easily for my liking, but the couldn't keep that energy up all game and it showed at times.

I think with Can instead of Lallana (he needs to be further upfield), there will be a better shape to the three, and hopefully this will show when we play Arsenal.

[Lecter]

The Stoke game did result in one clear cut chance for them (Glen's skied effort) but I can't remember if that came from a set piece....I guess it must have done otherwise Johnson wouldn't have been on the six yard line. I think that team was set up not to lose, and the fear factor was there given the previous result.

Bournemouth played with high intensity and got past the midfield three far too easily for my liking, but the couldn't keep that energy up all game and it showed at times.

I think with Can instead of Lallana (he needs to be further upfield), there will be a better shape to the three, and hopefully this will show when we play Arsenal.

I thought Bournemouth worked themselves down the channel quite well a number of times and pulled Lovren out to expose him, its what they did after waltzing past him where they lacked a final ball

I fear that teams with better players will expose Lovren all day long, the midfield is still easy to get through and although Gomez has tightened that side a little there are still gaps to be easily exploited with the right quality of player