Liverpool 1- 2 Atletico Madrid: Post match ramblings

Lucas man of the match.

Lucas was my MOTM too. If Torres' touch was better today, he could have been easily the best on the pitch as his movement was top class.

Agree wholeheartedly.

Lucas had some decent runs. Showing that little bit extra this season. Hopefully he'll carry it on in proper games.

Torres was unlucky on a couple of oaccasions. And Gerrard showed, once again, why he's one of the first on ANY team sheet.

I really dont care its all about next week then we can judge better were we are. Who by the way decided to put in an international break before the season's openers.
We used to always be crap pre season and take 6 games to get going but we seemed to do alright.

Think MOTM would be either one of Gerrard, Torres or Mascherano.

Close fight for me between Gerrard and Mascherano.

Gerrard's assist to Lucas was world class.

ROF Got to disagree my man of the match would of been Lucas or Torres. Lucas really played some superb passes today and was getting stuck in and Torres was making their defense look like clowns with his blistering pace and change of it. Could have had 2 or 3 goals today but it just wasn't to be.

I think it's a poor result a week before the season. This is the same Atletico that were completely outclassed last week by Arsenal and looked poor against Paris St Germain. Our pre season form has being awful and to be people that say it's pre season you don't just suddenly start winning when the season starts. I think we badly need another striker as back-up.

I think we badly need another striker as back-up.

That's irrelevant to this game, because we had the best striker on the planet in our team today. After this game, I think we need Sami back. We have no depth in defence.

I agree Eem we need an experienced CB as cover. Ngog looked good today in my eyes held the ball up well had a couple of good turns just needs to learn how to finish .

Ya we do need a centre back as well and ya we've the best striker on the planet. But if he has a season like last season we have less back up then any of the other top four teams. Rafa is really gambling this season.

Masch was my MOTM. Made some crucial tackles and interceptions and he passed the ball very well I thought.

Ayala was truly awful but I thought San Jose wasn't that bad. I think Rafa will have to step up his search for a new centre back now as to be quite honest the two that played won't be able to cut it against teams like Spurs.

Was an enjoyable game, seems we are going to have to buy turner, i prefer taylor from newcastle though, but i would still prefer another striker.

Was an enjoyable game, seems we are going to have to buy turner, I prefer taylor from newcastle though, but I would still prefer another striker.

He'd probably be cheaper as well, the state they're in.

Today did highlight that we desperately need quality cover at the back.

Ah well, pre-season is now over. And what a F***ing joke of a pre-season it's been.

As for today (and I did catch the match lfc tv as me nephew was playing with his cars) I thought we were dire in the first half, very wasteful with the ball from the wide areas as well as Torres missing a few chances.

Second half was an improvement but still not good enough. Seriously need to up our game by the time we go to Spurs.

I agree Eem we need an experienced CB as cover. Ngog looked good today in my eyes held the ball up well had a couple of good turns just needs to learn how to finish .

Not really somethign you can teach though, you either have the instinct or you dont.

yet again i miss another game. firstly, i have to comment on the improving performance of lucas - or at least that's what i'm getting by the post-match comments. yes, i also believe we need an experienced CB. but the downside of this demand is the increasing pressure on poor Aquilani to make his mark as soon as he returns. hope this can motivate him, and he lives up his pricetag. i think for rafa, it has just been an unlucky pre-season. what he thought would be just a run-of-the-mill matches against 'easier' opponents (except for atleti), the results have only worried the fans.

i honestly, can see us beating spurs, regardless of the inclusion of carra. i think the boys, especially the seniors, know the value of the EPL and will all give a 110% once the season starts. so it's all good lads

I agree that the game today did highlight that cover is needed at CB.

The first half we struggled to get the ball down and play but the second half was a big improvement.Insua and Johnson played well and were always a good outlet, Lucas also impressed and seems to have a lot more confidence on the ball.

I thought it was a good test today and the speed of the game was quicker which is what we needed to get us ready for Spurs next Sunday.

Need to calm down some of you, claiming we desperately need Turner. Firstly we'll have probably all 3 of our CBs ready for Spurs anyway, secondly if we don't have all 3, Kelly can be ready on the bench, and Turner is no where near Agger or Skrtel so we don't need him that much.

Don't care that we lost, not after seeing Lucas' goal.

WHAT a pass by Gerrard, and WHAT a take by Lucas. Absolutely amazing that piece of play.

Pre-season means nothing, and it hurts to see us lose, especially at home, but we can take so many positives from that piece of play alone.

I felt they were much better closing down, hard tackles.We lost,but Torres would have scored 3, Lucas is easily becoming my favourite player.Impressed with Johnson, showed great strenght and is going to give us another attacking option.

A good workout regardless of the result, pre-season is over and now the countdown begins getting the emotions flowing again.

I don't know why we are making a big issue of our pre-season form.We have given a chance to the younger players in all the games and although their performances have beena  bit dodgy,they would have learnt so much from these games.Remember Skrtel's first game,it was  a horrible debut but he adapted and is now a solid player for us.If these pre-season games could have a similar effect on the young CBs trio,I would be more than happy to close these games.As far as some of the seniors not looking that sharp,Carra said some time back that althouh we are taking these games seriously and want to win them all but there are no 3 points at stake.That explains all for me.

I absolutely pissed myself laughing at Ngog's backwards shot...made better by the lads sat behind me giving him the name of David NoGood

I actually missed Torres hitting the post because some guy in the row in front decided he needed to get up and go somewhere 5 times or so in the first half. And the girls in front of me wouldnt stop talking about Torres and making mocking comments. Bahh.

Game was sh*te. Atmosphere for the most part was sh*te. And booing Forlan and chanting "who are ya" even after he scored that great goal made me cringe. Forlan is better than any our "other" strikers. We have absolutely no depth in our squad. None whatsoever.

We have absolutely no depth in our squad. None whatsoever.

...

Whatever you say.

This is for you:
http://www.lfcreds.com/reds/index.php?topic=12947.0

...

Whatever you say.

This is for you:
http://www.lfcreds.com/reds/index.php?topic=12947.0

You're right. San Jose. Ngog and Degan are all reliable replacements should Jamie, Stevie, Nando or anyone get injured. What AM I like, eh?

No depth how you work that out ?

CB= Ayala,Skrtel,San jose,Kelly,Agger,Carragher
RB= Johnson,Degen,Carragher(if needed),Kelly(if needed)
LB= Insua,Aurelio,Dossena,Johnson(if needed)

CM= Mascherano,Lucas,Aquilani,Plessis,Spearing,Gerrard
RM= Kuyt,Benayoun,Babel,El Zhar
LM= Riera,Babel,Dossena

CF= Torres,Babel,Ngog,Voronin,Nemeth