The OFFICIAL Liverpool FC thread - Salah says goodbye

[Captain Obvious]

In fairness the only goal was well worked. Liverpool's poor defending almost gave away another three goals.

[laoislad]

Liverpool have been hopeless.Poor goal to give away,very soft defending.
Lucky not to be 3 or 4 down. Has Downing even touched the ball?
Suarez not on form either.
I fear for Liverpool in the second half,I dunno where a goal is gonna come from as they aren't creating anything.

[Tony Baloney]

4-0.

[TacadoirArdMhacha]

Webb keeping Liverpool in the match with that penalty decision. Fairly toothless from the merseysiders at this stage.

[Captain Obvious]

Evra scores vs Liverpool just had to be..

[Captain Obvious]

Game on!

[The Worker]

Evra scores vs Liverpool just had to be..

Vidic

[Captain Obvious]

Much better from Liverpool in that second half. The best team won the game.

[J70]

Good display in the second half, but you can't play like they did in the first and expect a result against United. Definitely encouraging link-ups between Sturridge and Suarez, but they have to build on it. Could have nicked a point with that one Sturridge missed at the back post. He should have buried that.

[laoislad]

Far better second half from Liverpool,it's a shame they left it till then to turn up.
Very poor defending again for Vidic's goal.
Being honest though I thought Man United probably deserved the 3 points based on chances created and over all play so no complaints really.

Positives from the game was Sturridge who looks very lively and seems to be up for the challenge,even though he should really have scored a second.
Also thought Wisom was excellent today. 

Norwich next week at home so a good chance to bounce back straight away.

Oh and should Vidic not have owned up to that corner Liverpool didn't get when it went of Vidic's head 

[GalwayBayBoy]

Very disappointing how Rodgers sent the team out at first today. They just sat back and let Utd play in the first half and never pressurised the ball at all. When you go to Old Trafford you have to get in their faces and attack because they will concede goals. If you just stand off them they will eventually score anyway with someone like RVP knocking about the box. Suarez was so isolated he had 3 or 4 defenders around him the entire first 45 minutes. Very poor first half performance.

At least he got Sturridge on at half-time to occupy some of the other Utd defenders and free up space but the early goal after the break was a killer. Liverpool managed to get on top but couldn't get the equaliser. Pity that late chance fell onto Sturridge's wrong foot. Downing and Allen were passengers. Allen had a terrible game. Lightweight, concedes frees and even his passing has gone to shit.

[Bingo]

First half yesterday was very disappointing and the game itself sums Rodgers up I think and the one doubt I have over him, Is he brave or tactically cute to take on these big games and get a result? The first half was very poor and team was set up perfectly for United, was far too rigid, lacked flexibility and movement. Basically United knew what we where going to do and handled it with ease.

We where lucky to get in 1-0 down. Second half was better but still wasn't enough to get anything from the game. There was a bit more unpredictability about Liverpools play. We had Suarez in the game and support for him, all the midfield players where finding space and could move into advanced positions.

In the second half Gerard was very good but first half he was shocking. Had a few chances to shoot, like he did for the goal, but didn't have a go. His passing was sloppy, particularly in the final 3rd and he was at fault for the first goal as he stopped tracking back and walked, forcing Downing in off the wing to pick up a man who had run past Gerard and then Downings man was unmarked to pick out Van Persie for the opener. Johnny Giles highlighted this very well last night.

Overall the big positive was sturridge and Suarez looking like they could play together. Sterling and Allen need benching.

[AZOffaly]

First half yesterday was very disappointing and the game itself sums Rodgers up I think and the one doubt I have over him, Is he brave or tactically cute to take on these big games and get a result? The first half was very poor and team was set up perfectly for United, was far too rigid, lacked flexibility and movement. Basically United knew what we where going to do and handled it with ease.

We where lucky to get in 1-0 down. Second half was better but still wasn't enough to get anything from the game. There was a bit more unpredictability about Liverpools play. We had Suarez in the game and support for him, all the midfield players where finding space and could move into advanced positions.

In the second half Gerard was very good but first half he was shocking. Had a few chances to shoot, like he did for the goal, but didn't have a go. His passing was sloppy, particularly in the final 3rd and he was at fault for the first goal as he stopped tracking back and walked, forcing Downing in off the wing to pick up a man who had run past Gerard and then Downings man was unmarked to pick out Van Persie for the opener. Johnny Giles highlighted this very well last night.

Overall the big positive was sturridge and Suarez looking like they could play together. Sterling and Allen need benching.

Good summary Bingo. Gerrard has a propensity to to that recently. I've noticed it a few times over the past couple of years now. Maybe his legs are going a bit, but I think it's the discipline of being a midfielder. He cannot switch off and let runners go off him. He's still a good player going forward, but I've always mentally classed him as an 'attacking midfielder' rather than a pure controller of the game.

I'm also a bit worried about Sterling. I know he's only a young lad and the rest, but I hope he wasn't just playing for a big pay day. If he was, it will be a waste. He needs to be hungry.

I like Wisdom, and he'll make a centre half some day. Also thought Sturridge and Suarez looked like they have potential as a partnership. As long as Sturridge improves in his clinical finishing that has a real chance of working.

I actually am one of the few that like Joe Allen, but I think he's out of position. You never see him driving forward, and that's what he did at Swansea. Has he actually scored for Liverpool yet? I think Gerrard's role inhibits Allen.

[Hound]

Every one of the midfielders was muck in the first half, but I thought Allen was the one putting the most effort in and trying to make things happen. A number of times in the first half he made good runs forward into the box too but was not found. His passing though was shocking and very annoying. But Lucas seemingly not even trying to get on the ball annoyed me as much and I was glad he was the one who got the hook at HT.

Sterling has been played far too much. Though perhaps Rodgers had little option given the squad situation. With Borini and Sturridge now available, he'll be able to rotate now.

[Bingo]

Good summary Bingo. Gerrard has a propensity to to that recently. I've noticed it a few times over the past couple of years now. Maybe his legs are going a bit, but I think it's the discipline of being a midfielder. He cannot switch off and let runners go off him. He's still a good player going forward, but I've always mentally classed him as an 'attacking midfielder' rather than a pure controller of the game.

I'm also a bit worried about Sterling. I know he's only a young lad and the rest, but I hope he wasn't just playing for a big pay day. If he was, it will be a waste. He needs to be hungry.

I like Wisdom, and he'll make a centre half some day. Also thought Sturridge and Suarez looked like they have potential as a partnership. As long as Sturridge improves in his clinical finishing that has a real chance of working.

I actually am one of the few that like Joe Allen, but I think he's out of position. You never see him driving forward, and that's what he did at Swansea. Has he actually scored for Liverpool yet? I think Gerrard's role inhibits Allen.

I think Lucas, Gerard and Allen where all playing too close to each other, so it was harder to move out into the United half. This also means that responsibility for covering runs is unclear and they can switch off and expect/think that the other is going to cover that area.

I just thinki Sterling needs rest and time to develop his game. United worked very hard to cover the wing positions yesterday and time the ball went wide, he and downing where normally double marked. Never once did I think he had the confidence to go past his man yesterday. Whatever about physically, and its bound to be having an impact, mentally he must be drained. He seems a level headed player but the games he has played, pressure on him and even his contract is bound to have an impact on him. A run of 3/4 games on the bench do him no harm and he'll comeback stronger.

I think Allen is caught between positions and confidence is down. He was better in second half. Its like him and Lucas need to be split between games and not play together.