Liverpool 1-3 Aston Villa: In-Game and Post Match Tears

Had too many "one of those days" Mick.

Its not good enough and we need to improve.

 We do mate, but everything went for them today. Put it this way, if we were playing them again next week I know who my money would be on. We lack the confidence which knowing in your heart of hearts that you are a good team brings. It'll come.

Is it fair to say that after last week's performance against West Ham some of the comments made about us finishing in the top 4 or above may have got to the players' heads and as a result expected an easy win here?

Because it's the only explanation I can think of for such a disappointing performance. I would have counted on us to win but I think the players were complacent.

+1

Well this game certainly didn't help my recovery from wisdom teeth surgery

Seriously though, we were poor, I don't care what the possession stats stay. Very very very slack and poor defending, and nothing besides Suarez in the final third.

I think Pepe could have done better on the first but Benteke was give way too much space to shoot, Skrtel was sh*t today, Agger looked lackadaisical at times, Downing was decent but not great, Lucas let a lot slip passed him, Allen was poor, Gerrard was poor (despite a nice goal), Shelvey was anonymous, Sterling didn't do anything because he's so damn overplayed. Suarez wasn't great, but he was the only attacker who actually wanted to win. Johnson was good all match and puts our attackers to shame. Good on Henderson too. I think he deserves a start after his last 3 games.

I'd seriously contemplate benching almost the entire team except for Suarez and Johnson. No joke. To go down 3-0 to Aston Villa AT ANFIELD is pathetic and nothing short of embarrassing.

Jones
Carra     Coates
Johnson                Enrique
Hendo     Sahin
Pacheco
Suso                     Assaidi
Suarez

^ Yeah maybe that many changes is a knee-jerk, and I'll probably calm down over the next few hours, but this team should get a serious boot up the ass after today.

Irritating day really. After the first 30 minutes or so it just fell apart, when Benteke scored.

3rd goal was shocking to concede. Benteke literally strolled into the area and shot to score. Not challenged whatsoever.

Horrible loss that.

I'm assuming you believe the quote from that parody twitter account then

I was joking..... you know, trying to put a 'positive' spin on the days events 

If we're gonna continue to pump that many high balls into the box, we might as well get big Andy back. To dispatch him off to the Hammers by BR doesn't seems to make sense at all.

BR purchases so far suggests that they're a bit lightweigh, Allen and Borini. Please get players which are quick and robust in January.

I was joking..... you know, trying to put a 'positive' spin on the days events 

I know. Struggling to find the positives to be honest, and a fake quote, to me, can't be positive.

For me Rodgers has to take the blame for the defeat.

Been saying all season long, how we've not got the players to pla the way that he wants and that we've been vulnerable to the counter attack because of it.

Its either his stubborness or his naievety that is costing us in terms of points on the board.

When you only have one recognised striker and you are not scoring a lot of goals, you have to set up to make sure that you are strong at the back as that gives you the platform to build on.

Yes its nice playing pretty football but if there's no end product with it, its a pointless exercise I'm afraid.

Give me 38 backs to the wall, defending like dogs of war 1-0 wins over a mid table finish playing as we are.

Ultimately I wouldn't like to see us become that kind of team long term but for a short term fix up to the transfer I'd have took it as its a needs must situation.

Been saying it for a while and I'll say it again, back to the drawing board Brendan.

For me Rodgers has to take the blame for the defeat.

Been saying all season long, how we've not got the players to pla the way that he wants and that we've been vulnerable to the counter attack because of it.

Its either his stubborness or his naievety that is costing us in terms of points on the board.

When you only have one recognised striker and you are not scoring a lot of goals, you have to set up to make sure that you are strong at the back as that gives you the platform to build on.

Yes its nice playing pretty football but if there's no end product with it, its a pointless exercise I'm afraid.

Give me 38 backs to the wall, defending like dogs of war 1-0 wins over a mid table finish playing as we are.

Ultimately I wouldn't like to see us become that kind of team long term but for a short term fix up to the transfer I'd have took it as its a needs must situation.

Been saying it for a while and I'll say it again, back to the drawing board Brendan.

Starting to come rounbd to your thinking.

It feels as though the doctor has prescribed me a weeks dose of medicine designed to make me irritant, unhappy and downright f**king annoyed! 

Nothing to do with BR tactics just a shameful performance esp from our defenders.

Starting to come rounbd to your thinking.

Like I said George I called it within 5 games of Rodgers reign.

For all the posession we've had in all of the games we've played, we've never really looked in control and we've always looked like we may concede one or two.

When you're playing football like that where you look vulnerable to conceeding, ou need to have goals in your side, which frankly, other than Suarez and the odd one chipped in from elsewhere every blue moon, we haven't.

When I was arguing this point before, it wasn't that I want Rodgers gone, I want him to do what's best for the players and the club, not what's best for Brendan Rodgers and his philosophy.

Well I knew as soon as I even started to think - we're playing well, I fancy us - bang - back to reality.

3-0 down and still the better side is so heartbreaking - this season is over for the League, onto the next one.

Like I said George I called it within 5 games of Rodgers reign.

For all the posession we've had in all of the games we've played, we've never really looked in control and we've always looked like we may concede one or two.

When you're playing football like that where you look vulnerable to conceeding, ou need to have goals in your side, which frankly, other than Suarez and the odd one chipped in from elsewhere every blue moon, we haven't.

When I was arguing this point before, it wasn't that I want Rodgers gone, I want him to do what's best for the players and the club, not what's best for Brendan Rodgers and his philosophy.

Its such a shame that the good results of late are all washed away now.We seem vunerable to counter attacking football and defenders who used to be solid have become skittish possibly becuase they feel vunerable pushed up the pitch.
We have more than enough in that team today to win that game.

Its such a shame that the good results of late are all washed away now.We seem vunerable to counter attacking football and defenders who used to be solid have become skittish possibly becuase they feel vunerable pushed up the pitch.
We have more than enough in that team today to win that game.

Think it's because they're exposed so badly on the counter by our ghost of a midfield. Lucas wasn't on his game today, understandably, but Gerrard and Allen did nothing tracking back, if Allen is offering you nothing going forward and not offering the protection either, what is his function. I'm yet to see any improvement in his game playing alongside Lucas that's for sure, he's been poor for the last 6 or 7 games, Gerrard really hasn't started the season as far as I'm concerned. To say we're lightweight in the middle of the park would be a compliment and it's no wonder our biggest weakness appears to be being hit on the counter.

 >:(FFS am I the only one who can see where we're going, gubbed at home by AV, so happy to beat West Ham. Quote from Rage against the machine: WAKE UP!!!!!!.

Tactically naive again today. We should have played with the ball deep and invited them on to us. They sat deep, we played right in to their hands on the counter.

Until we get an incisive CAM, teams will just sit deep and take us on the counter. We have no one who can make them pay in that position.

We've been vulnerable all season long mate, no control in midfield, midfielders pushing right up on the oppositions 18 yarder whilst the full backs have been pushed right up.

Defenders left exposed in 3 vs 2, 4 vs 2 scenarios.

I can't even remember the last time I witnessed a Liverpool midfield proper in control of the game, dictating the tempo etc.

Was that long ago, I think Masch and Xabi were pulling the strings.

Lucas was doing the job of two players today, Allen was nowhere to be seen. I'm struggling to see how Joe fits into this team to be honest.

 I thought we already had the best DM in the world in Lucas. If that had happened three weeks ago the World and his brother on here would have claimed the Brazillian would eradicate all of that when he came back. As it was, the two matches we won on his re-appearance were a testimony to "how much we'd missed him". I do think we missed him as it goes, but surely if he's any good as a DM (which he is) then we can't fill our team with them.

Best DM in the world?! Are you absolutely f***in kidding me?! Apart from Luis Suarez and Pepe Reina, there's not one player from our team that would get into a top team in Europe, that includes Steven Gerrard...very very average team.

I don't think Brendan is to blame, just like Kenny wasn't. Its the sh*t load of players who think that this type of performance is acceptable. Possession counts for absolutely F**k all in football unless you score goals from it. We were dire, absolutely sh*t. To lose to Villa at home just shows how far we've dropped unfortunately...a Europa League finish would be an achievement with the squad we have.

Our midfield 3 have  not provided either goals or cover for the defense all season maybe its this we need to look at as well as a striker becuase Gerrard has been a ghost of his former self this year and Allen really hasn't done as well as I would have thought.
Lucas has to start again so where do we go from here.

Lucas was doing the job of two players today, Allen was nowhere to be seen. I'm struggling to see how Joe fits into this team to be honest.

He seems half the lad he was at Swansea.

Allen is non-existent for me. I just do not understand what he adds, BR seems to think he's a Xavi or something.

I am already writing and not so pissed off at just before 6, because I am so used to us losing these days.