The OFFICIAL Liverpool FC thread - #DankeJürgen

[laoislad]

Pretty much nail on the head Mentalman.
Very disappointing especially after playing so well in the first half.

[Sheedy]

Can't decide which was best. Saurez's goal or Jon Joe's clearance. 

the left backs rugby tackle on downing was hilarious.

[ONeill]

If Liverpool can get some kind of defensive work done, they can be formidable. I enjoyed what they were trying to do tonight. Yet you get the impression the midfield are nervous about the lads behind them. Get that sorted and there's a decent side there.

He may be a God there but Gerrard is holding you back. Still a fine player but only has eyes for certain team mates.

[Tony Baloney]

Loads and loads of passing but not rippling the net nearly enough. Loads of times they were zipping the ball so hard to each other that they were struggling to control the ball.

Read somewhere that Liverpool had 4 times as many passes at Udinese.

[Mentalman]

He may be a God there but Gerrard is holding you back. Still a fine player but only has eyes for certain team mates.

Certain team mates, in fact most of them, only have eyes for him too, too much deference in passing to him unnecessarily I thought tonight, and it actually doesn't help his game as he gets the ball in impossible situations by times, resulting in moves slowing, or breaking, down completely.

[ONeill]

He may be a God there but Gerrard is holding you back. Still a fine player but only has eyes for certain team mates.

Certain team mates, in fact most of them, only have eyes for him too, too much deference in passing to him unnecessarily I thought tonight, and it actually doesn't help his game as he gets the ball in impossible situations by times, resulting in moves slowing, or breaking, down completely.

Yea but he sees that as his role -  a central box to box. It's up to the Carnlough boyo to define his role. He's still v important. At one stage tonight he told Suarez to feck up.

[Mentalman]

He may be a God there but Gerrard is holding you back. Still a fine player but only has eyes for certain team mates.

Certain team mates, in fact most of them, only have eyes for him too, too much deference in passing to him unnecessarily I thought tonight, and it actually doesn't help his game as he gets the ball in impossible situations by times, resulting in moves slowing, or breaking, down completely.

Yea but he sees that as his role -  a central box to box. It's up to the Carnlough boyo to define his role. He's still v important. At one stage tonight he told Suarez to feck up.

Funny, I don't think he's ever been the player he thought he was himself, never a box to box central midfielder for me, that was Alonso. But the fact he had that belief was enough to carry him through. One of his best seasons for Liverpool was played coming in off the right, and the best of the others were played behind Nando. Unfortunately I think injuries have really taken their toll, and he's not able to do physically what he once did. Judging by his interview today day he hasn't quite realised that himself yet though.

[Mentalman]

Liverpool were lazy against Udinese - Brendan Rodgers

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers challenged his players to improve their concentration after seeing Udinese come from behind to win 3-2 at Anfield.

The Italians scored three second-half goals to transform the Europa League tie after Liverpool dominated the opening 45 minutes to lead 1-0.

"We concede goals too easily," Rodgers said. "It's an area we have to work on.

"We were very good in the first half but we lost concentration and became lazy and found ourselves 3-1 down."

This was a third successive home defeat for Liverpool but Rodgers can see the areas his side must improve on ahead of the visit of Stoke in the Premier League on Sunday. "I thought the team worked very well but we can't have to score three, four or five goals to win games," Rodgers said.

Liverpool completed nearly four times as many passes at their Italian opponents at Anfield but having seen Antonio Di Natale equalise 32 seconds after the restart, they conceded two further goals in three second-half minutes as the match slipped away.

Rodgers introduced Luis Suarez, Steven Gerrard and Raheem Sterling as Liverpool attempted to rescue a point and although the Uruguayan striker pulled a goal back, it was too little too late.

"We injected some quality into the game in the last 15 minutes or so and got a goal back but we are just disappointed that after such a good first-half performance we have given away such poor goals," Rodgers added.

The result leaves the Premier League club third in Group A, a point behind Udinese and Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala after two games.

"It is still very tight and there are some excellent teams in our group," Rodgers said.

"For us it is important to qualify of course, but it is also an opportunity to give some of our younger players a chance."

    Liverpool completed 691 passes tonight, nearly four times as many as Udinese (173).
    Udinese are the first side to beat Liverpool at Anfield in Europe since Fiorentina in Dec 2009, ending an unbeaten streak of 13 matches
    Source: Opta

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19837848

[Declan]

Maybe they need Jimmy to start winning matches?
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2012/1005/1224324908130.html

[onefaircounty]

If Liverpool can get some kind of defensive work done, they can be formidable. I enjoyed what they were trying to do tonight. Yet you get the impression the midfield are nervous about the lads behind them. Get that sorted and there's a decent side there.

He may be a God there but Gerrard is holding you back. Still a fine player but only has eyes for certain team mates.

Think it's the other way around myself.

For the last two seasons, they've had Lucas protecting in front of them and continually looping around to take the ball off them and into the midfield area. Allen has the collecting bit nailed down, but doesn't offer as much protection.


Gerrard can not be considered a certain starter anymore. Shelvey could be one of the best buys we've made in years.

Suarez was very classy when he came on. Sometimes it's hard to forget just how fast he is. Seven goals and three assists in nine appearaces this season

[Bingo]

Disappointing result due to the sloppiness of the goals conceded. A common theme.

To me the game changed when Gerard came in. He arrived and was thinking he had to turn the game around rather than just keep doing what they were doing, as they were back in control and chances would have been made. Instead he took too much out of ball, slowing play down as a result, trying to force passes and generally been poor in execution of a lot he tried. Turned the ball over as a result and got caught on back foot a few times.

Stoke on Sunday is no walk in the park, thankfully it at home but with our mistake prone defence they will fancy getting something.

[Mentalman]

Stoke on Sunday is no walk in the park, thankfully it at home but with our mistake prone defence they will fancy getting something.

I know every league is crucial in that they all carry 3 points, but the game against Stoke is vital. Firstly, it's a home game, and the team need to break out of this bad form they've been in at home for the last couple of seasons. Second, it's Stoke, and everyone knows what they are about, and what they are going to do - beat Liverpool up. Listening to John Giles on Newstalk last night, when asked what he thought of Ryan Shawcross he couldn't give an opinion, good or bad, because of the way they play and all he saw when he watched Stoke was "big fellas", he reckoned you have to be 6'4'' to get into their side.  It's a big test for this fledgling Liverpool team.

[GalwayBayBoy]

The "tackle" from last night. 

[stew]

The media over here are starting to question Rodgers and feel he has blooded too many youngsters, I feel he will succeed if given the time and blooding the kids will stand to him in the years ahead.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Daniel Agger has today signed a new long-term contract with Liverpool.

The Dane committed his future to the Reds by putting pen to paper on the deal at Melwood on Friday morning.

After signing the contract, Agger told Liverpoolfc.com: "It means everything to me. This is where I want to be and I'm happy the club want me. I am really happy right now. I've never wanted to go anywhere else.

"I feel I am a part of this club - and I want to be a part of this club in the future.

"I like the way it is going right now with the style we're playing, and hopefully the results will come soon as well.

"The support from the fans has been unbelievable. The game when they were singing all the songs about me, it was difficult to focus on the game! It was such a good experience for me and I'd never experienced anything like it before.

"That is why I am so happy here. That for me is Liverpool Football Club.

"I feel I belong here and as long as the manager and the owners want me, I'll be here."

Agger joined Liverpool from Brondby in January 2006.

The centre-back has since made 177 appearances for the Reds, scoring nine goals, and is firmly established as a Kop favourite.

Managing director Ian Ayre said: "Daniel's contribution since joining the club in 2006 has been absolutely fantastic and his loyalty to the team is recognised by the deal he has signed today.

"Daniel always made it clear he wanted to stay at Liverpool and we're delighted that he's committed his future to the club.

"We brought in some very exciting players this summer - some of whom chose Liverpool over clubs in the Champions League.

"But it's equally important to retain your most important players and the fact that Daniel has now followed Luis Suarez, Martin Skrtel and Jonjo Shelvey in signing a new contract is testament to the fact that the players believe in what we're trying to achieve here under Brendan Rodgers."