Celtic 1-0 Liverpool: In game chat and Post Match thoughts

I'm not so sure about a win over Stoke. We have been nervy at Anfield for a long time now, unless we get an early goal. If the score remains 0-0 at half time I could see it turning into something similar to West Brom last season.

Teams put in an extra 10% at Anfield as we can see from so many goalkeeper MOTM in recent seasons. Need to be at a high tempo from the off and take chances when they arrive as well as staying alert whilst defending set pieces.

We could support Man United and have Moyes as our manager.

I love my life.

Glad we've had another game to get match fit. The squad's a bit thin in terms of quality but I'm a lot happier than I was after seeing Daniel Sturridge make his comeback today.

The positives for me were Toure and Wisdom looking like a decent CB pairing (options), Downing looking useful and reliable (ish), Coutinho and Sturridge on the same pitch (with these two there are goals and there is invention) and Ibe - has impressed me every time he has appeared in a red shirt and I am more inclined to believe he will become a top, top player than I am Sterling (without taking anything away from Raheem).

And of course there's the fitness levels moving up another notch.

You won't have found me getting excited about any of the wins this pre season so you won't find me doom mongering today.

The real stuff starts when Stoke arrive.

All eyes on the window though, the squad we have got is not good enough to compete for the top four and it needs improving and quickly.

The Joe Allen love in worries me also if that's the way it's going to go. Working with what we've got we need Henderson's energy in there. A three of Allen, Lucas and Gerrard just doesn't do it for me and I'd love us to sign a player who could shake it up in there and move the competition and energy up a notch.

Huge, huge, huge month ahead in my opinion, both on and off the pitch.

Cheer up mate!

We've got Henderson, he's in year three of his "I'm less sh*te than last season" journey.

We've got Borini, he'll be like a new signing, doncha' know.

We've got Stewart "I want to stay and fight for my place" Downing.

We've got Joseph "Welsh Xavi" Allen, he'll be like another new signing.

We've got Raheem Sterling, if he's not incarcerated.

We've got Suarez, if he decides not to bite anyone anymore.

Basically, everything is sorted.  We don't need 3-4 first team players, we can just bank on the fact that everyone from last season (i.e., 2 months ago) suddenly, by magic, has improved.  What?  Henderson and Allen and Downing were poor again today?  oh that doesn't matter, I *know* they're going to be wonderful this season. 

Top four here we come!  Watch out City and Chelsea, we've got Jordan Henderson!   

We've got Federer- A F***ing c**t.

I think they are rational reasons.

Inside the game, they might be. Not to make inferences about anything else, though.
A friendly is hardly an indicator of real future performance. That's the point.

You saw what you wanted to. Most of them were opinions already formed before a ball was kicked.

Isn't it funny that we realise this should have been our acid test and those with any sense have been saying ignore previous pre-season results as they were against utter dross.

Yet you show a sense of concern that we're not prepared and it's all "don't panic" "it's not the end of the world" "such over-reactions", no it's not, it's saying what is blatant in front of us. Should we wait until January to address our clear lack of collective quality because we don't have the 'group' we need to push on and this window is rapidly closing.

I think most us know it was the acid test mate, but my feelings are quite simple as  it has been with all pre-season games, they are meaningless exhibition match's.

The bread and butter begins next week, the real proper acid test is there and then and I've got a sneaky feeling the lads will be well up for it.

Not saying were not short of quality, but I think we've got enough at the moment to turn Mark Hughes and his Stoke side over.

Lets just hope we do get some quality in before we start playing the City's, Arsenals, Chelsea'a, Spuds, United's.

I think most us know it was the acid test mate, but my feelings are quite simple as  it has been with all pre-season games, they are meaningless exhibition match's.

The bread and butter begins next week, the real proper acid test is there and then and I've got a sneaky feeling the lads will be well up for it.

Not saying were not short of quality, but I think we've got enough at the moment to turn Mark Hughes and his Stoke side over.

Lets just hope we do get some quality in before we start playing the City's, Arsenals, Chelsea'a, Spuds, United's.

Exactly.
Again, let's all stop pretending there are only two possible opnions in this forum - "it's the end of the world" versus "all is fine". Childish that.

You saw what you wanted to.

No Diego, I did not. I saw what I saw. It's just the same when we win. I see what I see and now what I might want to see.

Most of them were opinions already formed before a ball was kicked.

Well of course they were already formed by things I've already seen. But that game did nothing to make me think my opinions were wrong or even misplaced.

Not saying were not short of quality, but I think we've got enough at the moment to turn Mark Hughes and his Stoke side over.

you do realize how absurd that is, considering that last season we drew 0-0 at home with Stoke, and lost 3-1 away, and are going to be playing with essentially the same team, except switching Coutinho for Suarez.

We couldn't do it last year, without any major signings it's unlikely we'll be able to do it now.

And why should we?  we've been found out.  Just park the bus against us and you'll be fine; we lack quality in the final third so teams really don't need to be worried.

Oh hey, I've got an idea, how about we go make fun of Arsenal some more.  Yea.  That'll make us better.

Exactly.
Again, let's all stop pretending there are only two possible opnions in this forum - "it's the end of the world" versus "all is fine". Childish that.

Of course when it all kicks off next week we can neither win or lose the league after one game
But I think the majority are worried about the creativity of Lucas/Allen and Gerrard and they don't seem to have a lot of goals in them either.
My big concern is the squad looks thin and Brendan said himself last season this was the case and having lost a few experienced players when is the fat coming?

just realised when we beat Stoke next week we will be top of the league...sorted.

you do realize how absurd that is, considering that last season we drew 0-0 at home with Stoke, and lost 3-1 away, and are going to be playing with essentially the same team, except switching Coutinho for Suarez.

You do realise how absurb you are don't you ?

I mean like last season's match's against Stoke will have any bearing on this ones, if that  was the case we'd battering United 4-0 every time we played them.

Stoke are under a new manager with his own ideals on how the game should be played.

We couldn't do it last year, without any major signings it's unlikely we'll be able to do it now.

Again last season will have no bearing on this season.

The same as this pre-season game will have no bearing on the outcome other than the lads being 90 minutes fitter.

In the same manner Stoke being beating 2-0 by Houston Dynamo will have no bearing on the game other than as above.

And why should we?  we've been found out.  Just park the bus against us and you'll be fine; we lack quality in the final third so teams really don't need to be worried.

Yes we've been found out Federer in a worthless exhibition match that on another day we'd have won quite comfortably.

Oh hey, I've got an idea, how about we go make fun of Arsenal some more.  Yea.  That'll make us better.

Or I could just make fun of you and your negative slant on everything ?

I bet Rodgers is right fuming tonight.  JWH has come out and said we should win the FA Cup, the League cup, and finish in the top four.

"But John, now I can't keep saying we're a work in progress!  I liked it better when there was no accountability!"

I bet Rodgers is right fuming tonight.  JWH has come out and said we should win the FA Cup, the League cup, and finish in the top four.

"But John, now I can't keep saying we're a work in progress!  I liked it better when there was no accountability!"

I doubt that was JWH actual quote, any source to it mate, you know I love these lines we're fed?

maybe it was a case of the internationals coming up and players not wanting to get injured before next week and when Saturday comes all will come good. There is always the next game to put thing in order.

I doubt that was JWH actual quote, any source to it mate, you know I love these lines we're fed?

here you go mate:

http://www.dagbladet.no/2013/08/09/sport/fotball/liverpool/john_w_henry/premier_league/28562071/

maybe it was a case of the internationals coming up and players not wanting to get injured before next week and when Saturday comes all will come good. There is always the next game to put thing in order.

I think we'll look better next week for Aggers inclusion and Sturridge starting, it will give us another dynamic as we can probably drop Downing and use Aspas too.

I'm over it now looking forward to forgetting the phoney war and getting stuck into Hughes's Stoke .

here you go mate:

http://www.dagbladet.no/2013/08/09/sport/fotball/liverpool/john_w_henry/premier_league/28562071/

straight from the horsesmouth. was this a quote from Kenny's season you know his two cup finals.

Luckily for my blood pressure it was not a epl game.

Im kinda..... glad we lost.

I'm very superstitious and going into the new campaign with such a perfect pre season would have scared me, you just know the Stoke game would have been our first slip, now at least it was against Celtic and we can go on a run again
edit: Obviously I wanna win all games though!

Just back from the match. Points to note;

We dominated best part of the match.
They defended really well.
Enrique & Downing were muck for most of the game.
Sturridge is back & looked sharp, considering.
Celtic fans were tearing to roof off (if there was one). They were great & singing j96 too. Respect.
Considering we should have won, That's a great per season performance.
Would be fair to say stoke will set up exactly like Celtic did today so we need luck and to be more clinical in final third.
I've to start over downing for me.

YNWA

I've to start over downing for me.

YNWA

That's biased.