Villarreal 1-0 Liverpool: In game and Post match debates

There is no greater sign of a manager's faith in a young player than to bring him on at half time in a semi final.
When given the opportunity young Jordan did nothing with it. Absolutely nothing.
As for theta me, I thought we played well but was screaming at the tv in the pub for Klopp to bring on a striker as son as they made their change at the back because of an injury.
Oh well
Predicted a draw but a 0-1 loss ain't bad as I feel, as we all do that they really aren't very good and we can spank them at home in the 2nd leg.
Interesting to see who Klopp selects for the Swansea game on Sunday. 

Since when is 0-0 getting it all right?

I'll concede that winning 0-1 is getting it all right. But, to answer your question anyway, when you are playing away in an European semi final tie and you have 3 first team players out (4 if you include Origi) and you know one of your benched strikers won't put the shift in your require of him for 90 minutes because he hasn't done it for you yet and the other hasn't done much to give you confidence he can make a difference. Also, you're probably thinking of the return leg and probably don't want to risk playing that striker for 6 games in a row (?) because the evidence is that he might get injured. 

They were there for the taking tonight.

Agreed. I'm confident we will still go through. I also believe the team we put out tonight was good enough to have gotten a result. But there are no guarantees in football mate.   

Had Klopp thrown on one of our strikers for one of our under-performing attacking players we might've won.

I've given my views on why he never needed to bring Studge on. As for Benteke, we all know that ship has sailed and he doesn't figure in Klopp's plans and more importantly, most agree with that. The reason he came on tonight was to waste time with the substitution. Nothing more. 

Bringing Jordon Ibe on wasn't a great decision either. He was horrendous.

There was nothing wrong with the decision to bring on Ibe. Nothing at all. Couts was feeling ill so Klopp had to bring someone one. It was a like for like player; attack minded players. Klopp wasn't to know that Ibe would play that bad. Nobody KNEW Ibe would be that bad before he came on. Decisions like that are what managers are paid to make and they do it every week. They don't know a player will be terrible. He has to trust the player will perform for the club.

Most of us weren't only saying he should have done this or he should have done that after the match has ended. A lot of us were calling for him to bring on one of our strikers during the match too.

I don't agree there was a need. The game was 0-0 and we were pretty much in control. You have to consider that Klopp had 4 players that he couldn't call upon tonight. That dictates what decisions he can make. Who is to say that if Studge did come on, that we would have been under pressure due to Studge's inability to hold the ball up and they might have scored as a result? Just one example.

If you're questioning why Firmino is giving the ball away so often surely the logical decision is to bring him off?

That doesn't necessarily follow. Players give the ball away and make mistakes all the time. Players who play poorly still might play out 90 minutes, all in the hope that one flash of brilliance is all it takes to turn a game on its head. That sort of decision making happens a lot I'm guessing. Fact is, he played Firmino and Firmino, like Ibe, wasn't at the races today. But that sort of thing happens.

Perhaps he should have brought Studge on, but my point is that up to 92 minutes - he didn't need to.

Pisses me off more because we were done by the Spanish version of a Sam Allardyce team.

We know Villarreal are nothing special and as long as we are mindful of getting caught out high up the pitch we will get the result at Anfield.

Which incidentally for all those advocating Sturridge from the start who plays best with a partner would have really left us open to the counter.

Playing Lucas in defence rather than Toure and moving Milner in to the holding position allows for Sturridge to play with Firmino. The problem tonight is Firmino wasn't a false 9, he was a number 10 but we had no number 9 on the field for him to play with. Him and Sturridge wouldn't have drastically changed the tactics but would have given us a goal threat.

I think the problem was more about why Moreno and co were half way up the pitch with seconds to play when they scored, rather than why Sturridge didn't play.

Don't think it will be quite as good as Dortmund but we will certainly get behind the team

See, that's what I've got a problem with.

It should be bigger.

It's the semi-final.  I can totally understand what you mean - the TV built it up.  We built it up.  YNWA, Klopp etc.

But the Liverpool fans of 25 years ago, of which we both actually are, would be laughing at the idea of thinking any Quarter Final was bigger than a Semi Final.

Next Thursday is Liverpool's biggest game since the Cup Final, which was our biggest game since that Chelsea game 2 years ago.

This would have been the perfect game for Origi. Gutted for the lad.

Exactly what I was coming in here to say.  That game was crying out for Origi from the off.

F***ing Everton c**t.

That game was crying out for Origi from the off.

Spot on mate

I think the problem was more about why Moreno and co were half way up the pitch with seconds to play when they scored, rather than why Sturridge didn't play.

True. It's football at its most basic- if you don't need to win at the dying moments, then tighten the F**k up. Reminds me of that goal we had conceded against Chelsea two seasons ago. Complete naivety.

We needed Sturridge on today. We need an outlet- someone who can challenge defenders by taking them on. Origi was our best player at this, but that pr**k across the park decided to ruin his party.

True. It's football at its most basic- if you don't need to win at the dying moments, then tighten the f**k up. Reminds me of that goal we had conceded against Chelsea two seasons ago. Complete naivety.

We needed Sturridge on today. We need an outlet- someone who can challenge defenders by taking them on. Origi was our best player at this, but that pr**k across the park decided to ruin his party.

We needed Studge I agree. Especially when Cou went off. Someone who could provide that  moment of magic. Just couldn't see it coming tonight.

Pisses me off more because we were done by the Spanish version of a Sam Allardyce team.

 

See, that's what I've got a problem with.

It should be bigger.

It's the semi-final.  I can totally understand what you mean - the TV built it up.  We built it up.  YNWA, Klopp etc.

But the Liverpool fans of 25 years ago, of which we both actually are, would be laughing at the idea of thinking any Quarter Final was bigger than a Semi Final.

Next Thursday is Liverpool's biggest game since the Cup Final, which was our biggest game since that Chelsea game 2 years ago.

The atmosphere will be electric next week, just as good as Dortmund.

In the lower cenny for it myself. In a weird way I'm a little pleased we got beat tonight because next week is going to be one of those special nights!

There is something magic in the air at Anfield.

F***ing BRING IT ON YOU YELLOW SPANISH cu*ts!

This is absolutely set up for us. Anfield on Thursday will be electric. Klopp will know how to set us up for that game.
I can't wait.

i only saw clips but the goal we conceded seems ridiculous

why was our defense pushed up so far in the 95th minute. Only kolo was back. 

Slight silver lining that CB of theirs went of with a hammy injury he was pretty solid for them.

The atmosphere will be electric next week, just as good as Dortmund.

In the lower cenny for it myself. In a weird way I'm a little pleased we got beat tonight because next week is going to be one of those special nights!

There is something magic in the air at Anfield.

F***ing BRING IT ON YOU YELLOW SPANISH cu*ts!

Yep. No holds barred approach. Aggression and revenge. I'm not one for criticising the opposition but I don't think much of them to be honest, a far cry from Pellegrini's Villarreal who were exhuberent and had great players like Riquelme and Senna. This team plays like a Allardyce team. And the haircuts on some of those players...F***ing awful. There have been men who have been tried at The Hague for lesser crimes than the horror shows on some of those heads!

We MUST beat this lot and I'll be fuckingn baying for revenge and adrenaline next Thirsday evening.

why was our defense pushed up so far in the 95th minute

Match finished in the 93rd minute.

Game was there to be won, no Sturridge is a bizarre decision given how much of a chance we had to win it.

Somehow lost.

Just about sums up the eternal boom and bust cycles we run on.

Game was there to be won, no Sturridge is a bizarre decision given how much of a chance we had to win it.

Somehow lost.

Just about sums up the eternal boom and bust cycles we run on.

Got to be an underlying factor with Danny now I must say. Game was made for him to make a difference.

Match finished in the 93rd minute.

why was our defense pushed up so far in the 95th minute

They were walking to the tunnel

I don't think there was nothing too wrong with our approach to the game and would have been content with a 0-0 as it certainly looked as though Klopp and the team were taking a much more disciplined approach.

However, how our worst player on the night gets picked ahead of Sturridge and stays on for that duration is beyond me. Firmino's presence in the side let us down in an attacking sense.

Even if Sturridge wasn't 'right' Benteke should have came on way before he did. The Brazilian was awful, his movement up top is non-existent, his instincts make him prone to dropping deep and tracking back leaving us without anyone upfront. We basically played tonight with attacking midfielders and no striker. For the couple of times he does track back and pick pocket a player he gives the ball away at least at a rato of 3:1, he's so sloppy and what Sturridge or Benteke have to do to play in their natural position over this fella only God knows.

With Sturridge, his instinct is to turn and attack - exactly what you want in a striker, we could have nicked a goal against them who I thought weren't 'that' good. Our gameplan largely (IMO) made them look ordinary but had we of carried a goal threat we could have come away with a textbook European away performance.

That is my only gripe and it could be a costly one, Firmino stunk and did next to nothing yet gets picked ahead our strikers and remains on the pitch for so long. Farcical.

Also, a mention to Mignolet who every week on here become's the forum's punch bag, he made an excellent stop on the 86th minute to keep the tie goalless. It was unfortunate that his save was undone minutes later with Kolo being caught out by a good pass, I think he could have stepped up to play the lad offside but he was caught on his heals between player and ball.

Disappointing result, even though the performance was okay. My only worry is, they can nick this on the counter in the second leg as the look to me like a team who will thrive under their style playing away from home.

It's not beyond us, but if Firmino is picked up front for that game I will be f**king livid.

I thought it was a typical Euro semi. It was always gonna be tight and the team who takes their chances will win.
There was nothing wrong with our formation or approach. If we had gone gung ho, then i fear our defence would have been picked apart...you only had to look at how quickly out of the blocks their wide players were and they had the beating of Clyne and Moreno for most of the night.
As always, if you dont take your chances, then you get punished...and here i was livid at Joe Allen for taking the attempt so casually in the first few minutes and then later on with Moreno who made the wrong decision.
Their goal was a prime example of what Moreno should have done, which was to simply square the ball to the incoming player (Ibe) who would've had a tap in.
Most have mentioned, it is setup for a classic Anfield European night...and i fully expect the team to turn this one around in some style coz this Villareal team probably believe they have the ability to defend a lead...and i expect Sturridge and Firmino to prove otherwise next week!
Lucas was my MOTM, thought he read the game very well...the ref was a bit of a soft arse with some of his decisions, but lets see what happens next week. I predict us to win 3-1 at home, with 2 early goals to settle the nerves.

Rightfully our CM's and Moreno will get stick for their naivity of over committing in the 92nd min of the game but how poor was our attack........ slow and imprecise.

In hindsight it's difficult seeing any change in personnel making any difference last night as what is still needed is accurate passing and good movement to create openings.

Cou was off his game, unfortunately his replacement was even worse........Lallana had another one of those games we have seen so often.