The OFFICIAL Liverpool FC thread - #DankeJürgen

[Carmen Stateside]

Made hard enough work of that tonight but three big points in the bag.  Not many left now to guarantee champions league.
Coutinio was a joy to watch tonight as was Sturridge who doesn't get the credit he deserves. What a year he has had and as has been said before only for Suarez being a little selfish he could have had a few more tonight.

[cavanmaniac]

Almost certainly assured of Champions League now which is the most important thing when you step back from the excitement, take the long term view and consider the early stage we are in our evolution under Rogers.

I still don't truly believe the title is on, though, and despite many instances of scintillating play and wonderful football this season, there have  been just too many incidences of below par efforts against weaker teams to make me think there isn't one horrible banana skin lurking between us and the fat lady. Last night was another warning sign but we haven't heeded the numerous others from earlier this season, or indeed you might say the last ten years under various managers, so can we buck our ideas up between now and the end of the year and charge through? I don't know about anyone else, but while I'm happy to face Spuds, Chelsea and City because those huge games focus us and bring the best out of us, I'm absolutely dreading the thoughts of visiting Tony Pulis' Palace cloggers looking for three points in the penultimate game of the season, if we're still in there for the title.

Liverpool and Rogers deserve immense credit for catapulting themselves this far into the equation in such a short space of time and hopefully the trend continues upwards in future seasons. I've truly enjoyed this season, much more so than even the good times under Houllier or stand-in Thompson, or even Rafa. Perhaps the momentum is with us right now but Chelsea and City, despite their own foibles, are still a more finished-looking project than us and have an edge in experience which will tell when the temperature goes up a few more notches. Looks like a 3rd place finish for us IMHO when you analyse it soberly. Only an incredible turn of events of Istanbul proportions can take us to the title I believe.

[Hound]

The last 20 minutes or so were nervy but up to that point it  was a professional rather than flamboyant performance.  Some poor decision making and selfishness by Saurez at times didn't help. The defense was very sound until that goal went in - bad work by Agger and Skytel not to cut out that ball.  Keeps Liverpool in there. The tension's going to crank up a bit from here on with every game now being a must win.

The defence was very sound - until we had some defending to do!

Literally, as Jamie Redknapp might say, our only form of defence is attack!

Blessed that John OShea missed that absolute sitter at the end, amazing that the train still hasnt come off the tracks yet, but its just super to be in the mix.

[deiseach]

Only the treble season matches this season for the most fun since Liverpool last won the league. There have been so many games where they've completely obliterated the opposition and it's great that we can talk of Fortress Anfield with a straight face. My brother-in-law saw two wins last season. He's seen ten this season. When you can't be sure that a four-goal thrashing of the Bluesh1te was the best game of the season, you know it's been a good un.

[Mikhailov]

Made hard enough work of that tonight but three big points in the bag.  Not many left now to guarantee champions league.
Coutinio was a joy to watch tonight as was Sturridge who doesn't get the credit he deserves. What a year he has had and as has been said before only for Suarez being a little selfish he could have had a few more tonight.

Agree with sentiments Carmen - does anyone know why Sturridge consistently replaced after 70-75 mins recently, is he carrying a knock of some sort. I think we are better with 2 up top and last night when we changed it to 1 up top it gives the opposition a chance for possession and they build on it. Don't think he should have replaced DS as it left Sunderland with 1 forward to mark and took the pressure off their defence. IMHO Sturridge is a better lone striker than LS as showed in first 6 PL games, he has pace and plays on the shoulder and is always a threat. However, I am only nitpicking....the 2 of them are a joy to watch and would score at least another 10 each if they decided to take best option and pass to each other when in better positions.

Great to be even having a discussion like this when you go back to the Hodgson days which are not that long ago..

Did anyone watch spuds v benfica last week, the guy GARAY from Benfica and Argentina looks a great ball playing centre half who was very comfortable on the ball and looks a fine player. Would suit us perfect and he likes a tackle into the bargain....

[johnneycool]

The last 20 minutes or so were nervy but up to that point it  was a professional rather than flamboyant performance.  Some poor decision making and selfishness by Saurez at times didn't help. The defense was very sound until that goal went in - bad work by Agger and Skytel not to cut out that ball.  Keeps Liverpool in there. The tension's going to crank up a bit from here on with every game now being a must win.

He was Flanaghan's man and he left him completely unmarked,really poor defending.
Then they left John O'Shea free a few minutes after..

Onto Spurs now which is the new biggest game of the season!

Every game is a cup final, eh??

[Bensars]

The last 20 minutes or so were nervy but up to that point it  was a professional rather than flamboyant performance.  Some poor decision making and selfishness by Saurez at times didn't help. The defense was very sound until that goal went in - bad work by Agger and Skytel not to cut out that ball.  Keeps Liverpool in there. The tension's going to crank up a bit from here on with every game now being a must win.

He was Flanaghan's man and he left him completely unmarked,really poor defending.
Then they left John O'Shea free a few minutes after..

Onto Spurs now which is the new biggest game of the season!

It was Flanagans man alright but i think its being a bit unfair on the defender. It Should have been dealt with before it got his length by two experienced international centre backs. I would'nt hold him entirely responsible.  Simply a case of being caught on the hop. 99 times of of 100 Agger and Skytel would have dealt with it.

[AZOffaly]

This morning I'm even more positive about the future, although I do think we're just lacking that something for this season. Rogers has them playing a system, and a few variations on that system, that he can now buttress with better personnel in some positions and even improve the good players there.

Last night was nervy at the end, but it was comfortable for an hour. Even at comfortable though, you could see it wasn't a great performance. Suarez mis kicking, slipping over, diving; Sturridge looking tired even in the first half, Glen Johnson wasting a lot of space and possession on the right.  There's no doubt that Suarez and Sturridge as a partnership can get better, as sometimes the options taken are too selfish. Then other times they look like telepaths the way they find each other. That decision making can and will improve.

Midfield is performing well, and I thought Coutinho at the head of the diamond was excellent last night. I'm still not completely sold on him because he can be very anonymous but last night almost everything he did was positive. If he had slid the ball over to Sturridge after the great interplay with Suarez, it would have been game over and probably ended 4 or 5.

I though Flanagan was nice and solid, some good interceptions, cool on the ball, and good tackles. Then he switched off from the corner. The ball should never have made it past the near post at head height, but when it did he can't lose his man like that.

If money is made available, and the squad is strengthened with real quality, especially at the back, then I think it's onwards and upwards.  the beauty about having a system that is functioning well, and everyone understands, is that you can now start looking for top quality players that suit that system, as opposed to looking for top quality players to try and win games for you on their own.

[Milltown Row2]

You and MR can f**k up 

I've a vested interest, at 16/1 for my fiver , they have the best possible chance to win since 1990 and may not get another chance, as the likes of City and Chelsea will be buying again after the World Cup

[Keyser soze]

Almost certainly assured of Champions League now which is the most important thing when you step back from the excitement, take the long term view and consider the early stage we are in our evolution under Rogers.

I still don't truly believe the title is on, though, and despite many instances of scintillating play and wonderful football this season, there have  been just too many incidences of below par efforts against weaker teams to make me think there isn't one horrible banana skin lurking between us and the fat lady. Last night was another warning sign but we haven't heeded the numerous others from earlier this season, or indeed you might say the last ten years under various managers, so can we buck our ideas up between now and the end of the year and charge through? I don't know about anyone else, but while I'm happy to face Spuds, Chelsea and City because those huge games focus us and bring the best out of us, I'm absolutely dreading the thoughts of visiting Tony Pulis' Palace cloggers looking for three points in the penultimate game of the season, if we're still in there for the title.

Liverpool and Rogers deserve immense credit for catapulting themselves this far into the equation in such a short space of time and hopefully the trend continues upwards in future seasons. I've truly enjoyed this season, much more so than even the good times under Houllier or stand-in Thompson, or even Rafa. Perhaps the momentum is with us right now but Chelsea and City, despite their own foibles, are still a more finished-looking project than us and have an edge in experience which will tell when the temperature goes up a few more notches. Looks like a 3rd place finish for us IMHO when you analyse it soberly. Only an incredible turn of events of Istanbul proportions can take us to the title I believe.

Its very hard to tell how any team will react when it becomes squeaky bum time, and even past form is no indicator of whether a particular team will perform during the white-hot-heat of the run-in. Think there are only 3 contenders in the race now and of them Id like to see Liverpool doing it as at least they will do it more-or-less on their own merits not because they got a massive handout from a foreign squillionnaire. Even though it would mean them getting closer again to the biggest club in the country.

[haranguerer]

Agree with sentiments Carmen - does anyone know why Sturridge consistently replaced after 70-75 mins recently, is he carrying a knock of some sort.

Personally I think its man management of Suarez, heading off a blazing row between the pair - when hes subbed it seems to me that its when theres tension between the pair of them, such as last night.

[laoislad]

The last 20 minutes or so were nervy but up to that point it  was a professional rather than flamboyant performance.  Some poor decision making and selfishness by Saurez at times didn't help. The defense was very sound until that goal went in - bad work by Agger and Skytel not to cut out that ball.  Keeps Liverpool in there. The tension's going to crank up a bit from here on with every game now being a must win.

He was Flanaghan's man and he left him completely unmarked,really poor defending.
Then they left John O'Shea free a few minutes after..

Onto Spurs now which is the new biggest game of the season!

It was Flanagans man alright but i think its being a bit unfair on the defender. It Should have been dealt with before it got his length by two experienced international centre backs. I would'nt hold him entirely responsible.  Simply a case of being caught on the hop. 99 times of of 100 Agger and Skytel would have dealt with it.

Yeah 99 times out of a 100 Agger or Skrtel would have cleared it but you have to be ready for the 1 time they don't and Flanagan wasn't.  I'm not knocking him but he was at fault for the goal imo.
Speaking as someone who played left/right back for many years in the dizzy heights of the Kilkenny & District League  you would have been shot for leaving your man unmarked like that.
Don't know who was supposed to be marking O'Shea but that was also criminal to leave him with a free header.

[Bingo]

I would think that the defence as a unit should take the rap for the goal, it never should have got as far as it did but Flanagan should have been ready for it when it did. Your CB should be the dominate people in a position like that and they fluffed their lines.

Skrtel totally left O'Shea for the second chance and rightly got a bollixing from Gerard for a total lapse.

The chance reminded me of a certain Gudjohnson miss in a certain CL semi final a few years back. We know how that ended up!!

[Bingo]

Some craic. The longer this goes on the more fun the failure will be.

I'd certainly love to know what the "failure" will be baring Liverpool losing every game from now to the end? I think why this is so enjoyable is that the pressure is totally off and we are in bonus terrority - playing great football and challenging for the title, sure all we wanted was top 4.

Failure is taking a title winning team, spending 60-odd million, and finding yourself struggling for 7th place and been totally outplayed at home by your biggest "rivals". Thats failure.

But your predictions are very enjoyable, keep them coming. Mystic mEC.

[deiseach]

Mystic mEC. Love it.

We're playing with house money right now. Doesn't mean there's no tension with each spin of the wheel, but there's a lot of slack built in.