The OFFICIAL Liverpool FC thread - Arne to Slot right in?

[Bingo]

Imagine Lambert left high flying Southampton to sit on the bench at the mediocrity of Anfield

Spurs have a feed of lasagna at HT today #clown

[blewuporstuffed]

Hull are 13/2 to win at Anfield tomorrow. Is it worth a punt?

Could have been bet of the day, ah well

not sure how it would be the bet of the day when it didnt come up 

Could have been, you can read? Hull had chances. But hey good luck this year

Hull had chances, liverpool had chances, im not sure what you point is.
The could have been bet of the day didnt come up, so that makes it a losing bet.

[Asal Mor]

This reminds me of the kind of conversation I'd have with my ould fella during a game.

Typical conversation:
Me: Rooney isn't playing well.
Dad: Playing well??? Are ya joking me? He's sh!te.

[AZOffaly]

Was over at the game on Saturday with my father and my son. Always great to get to Anfield, and it was the little lad's first trip so he had a ball. We did the match day tour and the museum tour as well, which was well worth doing. Before the match then we waited outside the player's entrance at the back of the Main Stand, and he saw the players getting off the bus, so he was delighted with that. Robbie Fowler, Kenny Dalglish and John Aldridge also came by, and Robbie spoke to the little fella so he was delighted with that, after I explained who Fowler was

As for the match, I was genuinely fearful going in that they'd be beaten. Early on, my fears grew because yet again we started so slowly. Everything is ponderous in terms of the passing, and Lallana and Sterling were having quiet, or poor, games. Joe Allen as well was losing ball way too easily, but I think a lot of the problem is the one up front. And by that I don't mean Mario per se, but just that there is only one up front. When Can, or Allen, had the ball, there was very little to aim at, and to be honest Mario's movement wasn't that bad. He does look lazy, and he could move quicker to show for the ball, but he did show more than I thought he would. He also held the ball up well and laid it off well. He had a great snapshot into the Anfield Road end as well, and in general there were a couple of flashes from him.

Every time Hull attacked, our full backs were very slow to close down the crosses, and Lallana gave Moreno absolutely zero help. Several balls came in from our left back position, and Moreno stood way too far off his man and let the crosses in. Having said that Skrtel and Lovren dealt well with them in general, and actually looked fairly solid and composed.

The second half was better, especially the last half hour, and there was , at last, a real sense of urgency and pressure towards the Hull goal. Not a huge amount of clear chances, but quite a few half chances, and Gerrard and Ballotelli had a couple of good chances between them. From the Kop, Ballotelli looked to have been fouled on one of his chances, but I didn't see it on TV so not sure. Henderson's dive was a clear dive by the way, right in front of me. Deserved the Yellow.

I think the urgency came about as a direct result of the changes made. Just beforehand, Rodgers had called Gerrard over to the touchline, and it was obvious he told him to get further forward. His impetus made a big difference, and so did the changes which saw Lallana and Allen replaced by Lambert and Coutinho. Lambert was bright, and brought people into the play, and Coutinho was busy and lively on the ball. Ballotelli was also *way* happier in a partnership, and I think Rodgers is going to have to go with some variation which allows for 2 up front. It was night and day in fairness, in terms of just how lively we looked. Pity he missed the sitter at the end, but Hull's last ditch defending was brilliant all day, and they deserved a draw.

All in all, I was a little more encouraged afterwards. Ballotelli tried hard (at one stage in the second half he chased back 70 metres to intercept a cross field ball as Hull broke), and he looked relatively dangerous but hugely short of confidence. Gerrard was very good in an advanced role, poor/limited in the more defensive position again. I think that's a change that has to be made. Sterling looked, dare I say it, tired. Lallana was disappointing. Can was reasonable, and the defensive partnership looked solid enough, and Skrtel made a few very good reads of the play and cut things out. Lovren also looked calm and in charge. The fullbacks were okay going forward, but very far off their men defensively, and need to start closing down crosses. That will help our centre halves as well.

I think I'd be looking at the following until Sturridge is back.

                                   Mignolet

Manquillo     Skrtel             Lovren               Moreno

                              Can/Henderson

  Lallana/Henderson         Gerrard/Coutinho/Sterling                Sterling/Lallana/Coutinho

                   Ballotelli            Lambert

[blewuporstuffed]

it will be interesting to see what team he picks tonight for the cup game against swansea.
Im sure he would like to rest alot of players, but playing a team of kids could get well beat and do nothing for the confidence around the place either

[AZOffaly]

Yes, that's true. I'm sure the likes of Markovic will get a run. I'd like to see Lambert and Ballotelli playing too. If Ballotelli could get a goal it might be very important for him. I'd also like to see Sktrel and Lovren playing together more to continue to build up the understanding but they've played a lot in the last 2 weeks.

Maybe the likes of 

Jones,

Johnson,
Toure,
Skrtel (is Sahko still injured?)
Enrique

Can

Markovic
Rossiter
Coutinho

Ballotelli
Lambert

[dec]

Darren Clarke's Liverpool XI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7yCDImGhkg

[AZOffaly]

Jayz, feck all width in that team A right few great players though...

[laoislad]

Darren Clarke's Liverpool XI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7yCDImGhkg

No Irish players....Typical Nordie.

[gawa316]

Darren Clarke's Liverpool XI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7yCDImGhkg

No Irish players....Typical Nordie.

Think he had Jim Magilton and Ryan McLaughlin on the bench

[heganboy]

liverpool v swansea

Jones, Manquillo, Lovren, Toure, Johnson, Lucas, Henderson, Coutinho, Markovic, Lambert, Borini.
Subs: Mignolet, Moreno, Skrtel, Lallana, Can, Rossiter, Balotelli

[JoG2]

liverpool v swansea

Jones, Manquillo, Lovren, Toure, Johnson, Lucas, Henderson, Coutinho, Markovic, Lambert, Borini.
Subs: Mignolet, Moreno, Skrtel, Lallana, Can, Rossiter, Balotelli

cant even escape this hooer in a Milk Cup game

[rodney trotter]

Mario causing some hassle again http://t.co/tDwhJO8QXs

[GJL]

Mario causing some hassle again http://t.co/tDwhJO8QXs

He really is just a big child. Brendan must be having serious regrets about buying him. Would not be surprised to see him go at Christmas.

[laoislad]

Mario causing some hassle again http://t.co/tDwhJO8QXs

Talksport 

1-1 Balotelli with the Liverpool goal.