Liverpool 0-2 Chelsea: In-game & post-match... thread

This weeks is really dragging

jamie carragher reckons liverpool should have no qualms over chelseas tactics, as our team has done EXACTLY the same thing over the years with success.

is he wrong too?

I brought myself to watching the first half back last night and even though it has done little to soften the blow there was a couple of slight positives I can start to see beyond the fog.

We were in complete control apart from a header from a corner from that young kid he probably should have hit the target with, however we had full control over the pace, we had worked out that they were defending deep with two banks of 4 basically within the lines of the 18 yard box to try to stop us playing through them and also to get in behind them with our pace.. But what we were doing very well which straight after the game I couldn't bring myself to think of was that we were probing very well, we were pulling them across and playing some lovely stuff in tight areas, everyone looked comfortable on the ball and the lads were in control..
For me had the mistake not happened just on half time we would probably have probed a couple of openings in the second half when they started to tire of being pulled around.

That's a good thing in the bigger picture as people I've heard talk since have said we have one way to play and that we will face those tactics more and more.. Well fine because we weren't playing how we normally play as we couldn't and we had complete control over the game with the ball under our possession..
I genuinely feel had we not conceded then we go on in the second half and work openings, if teams want to sit deep and let us have it we are starting to become a side so comfortable with the ball.

Small comfort right now but comfort all the same for our development.

If you watch the slip Stevie actually spots a pass in behind Cole and looks to play it quick over the top and the quick change of mind allows the ball to get away from him..
He wanted to catch Cole out ( not the first time he's been caught out) in behind.
These things happen.

That goal allowed Mourinho to set them even deeper.

Brendan tactically actually had a decent day, he saw that they were clogging the midfield so put Raheem wide to stretch them, he went left and right and then late on even as a full back to get wide.. However he didn't insist we continue to go wide as that was playing in their hands with the numbers and height in the box that's what Chelsea wanted so he at times brought Sterling Central and at times to try to get beyond Suarez.

I think we will have learnt a lot from that game no matter how much it hurts now.

Henderson was a miss but not for the obvious engine but he actually naturally gets beyond our forwards as well which Allen ( who I thought had a good game) and Lucas don't.. If you get someone running beyond it just gives Luis that touch more space to do something.
We need depth, as well as we have done we had no real game changers on the bench, Sturridge didn't look fit when he came on at all, seemed to be wary of his hammy as his burst and touch weren't there.. We could really have done with a couple of top quality options on the bench to freshen up tiring legs and give them more to think about. Our first 11 is starting to look leggy.

Chelsea have a right to set up how they want but the main thing I didn't like watching back is how dirty they were off the ball, Cole especially targeted Luis, did a few little nasty things off the ball and went through him twice as well.

It's not over yet.

We are still top of the league and there are 2 games left...anyone really that unhappy?

Martin Atkinson acted a complete spineless b***ard not giving them yellow cards for blatant time wasting - which incidentally led to added on time in which they scored - I wasn't giving a flying f**k about added on time, the fact is they illegally disrupted the flow of our team, and no amount of added on time can reclaim that sense of injustice. Like an orchestra in full flow, you don't want to stay there for a few minutes more when their performance is interrupted.

There is much talk of our rivalry with Man Utd on this site. I hate Man Utd, and they hate us - it's a battle between two grand institutions with great history. I hate them because they are our rivals. Simple as that.

But my pure hatred for Chelsea goes beyond that.

Chelsea are another club 200 miles away, the mancs are the eternal enemy down the road. There's no comparison.

The ref gave us 10 extra minutes to play from the time wasting. If he only gave us half it, we'd be complaining about it too.

Everyone time wastes, we do it ourselves when we have to. Just last week, we spent the last 10-15 minutes against relegation fodder defending deep in our own half, time wasting by keeping the ball in corners and making substitutions, clinging onto a game we should have closed out long before. It was hard to watch at times, but the job got done and we were all happy with the three points.

They controlled the game by parking the bus to dictate the game, which frustrated us. Jamie gave an honest view when asked about it on Sky. He'll probably be called a bluenose now for not following the party line.

Chelsea are another club 200 miles away, the mancs are the eternal enemy down the road. There's no comparison.

The ref gave us 10 extra minutes to play from the time wasting. If he only gave us half it, we'd be complaining about it too.

Everyone time wastes, we do it ourselves when we have to. Just last week, we spent the last 10-15 minutes against relegation fodder defending deep in our own half, time wasting by keeping the ball in corners and making substitutions, clinging onto a game we should have closed out long before. It was hard to watch at times, but the job got done and we were all happy with the three points.

They controlled the game by parking the bus to dictate the game, which frustrated us. Jamie gave an honest view when asked about it on Sky. He'll probably be called a bluenose now for not following the party line.

What the F**k are you onnabout?

I brought myself to watching the first half back last night and even though it has done little to soften the blow there was a couple of slight positives I can start to see beyond the fog.

We were in complete control apart from a header from a corner from that young kid he probably should have hit the target with, however we had full control over the pace, we had worked out that they were defending deep with two banks of 4 basically within the lines of the 18 yard box to try to stop us playing through them and also to get in behind them with our pace.. But what we were doing very well which straight after the game I couldn't bring myself to think of was that we were probing very well, we were pulling them across and playing some lovely stuff in tight areas, everyone looked comfortable on the ball and the lads were in control..
For me had the mistake not happened just on half time we would probably have probed a couple of openings in the second half when they started to tire of being pulled around.

That's a good thing in the bigger picture as people I've heard talk since have said we have one way to play and that we will face those tactics more and more.. Well fine because we weren't playing how we normally play as we couldn't and we had complete control over the game with the ball under our possession..
I genuinely feel had we not conceded then we go on in the second half and work openings, if teams want to sit deep and let us have it we are starting to become a side so comfortable with the ball.

Small comfort right now but comfort all the same for our development.

If you watch the slip Stevie actually spots a pass in behind Cole and looks to play it quick over the top and the quick change of mind allows the ball to get away from him..
He wanted to catch Cole out ( not the first time he's been caught out) in behind.
These things happen.

That goal allowed Mourinho to set them even deeper.

Brendan tactically actually had a decent day, he saw that they were clogging the midfield so put Raheem wide to stretch them, he went left and right and then late on even as a full back to get wide.. However he didn't insist we continue to go wide as that was playing in their hands with the numbers and height in the box that's what Chelsea wanted so he at times brought Sterling Central and at times to try to get beyond Suarez.

I think we will have learnt a lot from that game no matter how much it hurts now.

Henderson was a miss but not for the obvious engine but he actually naturally gets beyond our forwards as well which Allen ( who I thought had a good game) and Lucas don't.. If you get someone running beyond it just gives Luis that touch more space to do something.
We need depth, as well as we have done we had no real game changers on the bench, Sturridge didn't look fit when he came on at all, seemed to be wary of his hammy as his burst and touch weren't there.. We could really have done with a couple of top quality options on the bench to freshen up tiring legs and give them more to think about. Our first 11 is starting to look leggy.

Chelsea have a right to set up how they want but the main thing I didn't like watching back is how dirty they were off the ball, Cole especially targeted Luis, did a few little nasty things off the ball and went through him twice as well.

It's not over yet.

This was nice to read, thank you.

We are still top of the league and there are 2 games left...anyone really that unhappy?

Not at all.

jamie carragher reckons liverpool should have no qualms over chelseas tactics, as our team has done EXACTLY the same thing over the years with success.

is he wrong too?

In short, no.

During the 70's and 80's in Europe we went to stifle teams, keep the tie close and then take them apart at Anfield. Rafa was a master at doing it here, in fact he did it TO Chelsea in 2005 and 2007. So lets not try and kid ourselves in to thinking it was a disgusting crime against football, I'd have happily soaked up pressure at the Chavs in December and hit them on the break to claim all 3 points, and I think if anyone in here is trying to convince themselves differently they're being very naive.

Mourinho knew what he was doing, he slowed the game right down, quelled the crowd and allowed us no space. It was un-sportmanlike, it was boring as f**k to watch but there was nothing wrong with it, and ultiamtely we're going to have to learn how to play against that, because more and more teams are going to do it against us. We can't blow every team away in the first half.

I said on Sunday, he's a horrible, piss flap, c**t of a man, but he had out number on Sunday, and there wasn't much we could do about it. Nevertheless, it's not over yet.

I brought myself to watching the first half back last night and even though it has done little to soften the blow there was a couple of slight positives I can start to see beyond the fog.We were in complete control apart from a header from a corner from that young kid he probably should have hit the target with, however we had full control over the pace, we had worked out that they were defending deep with two banks of 4 basically within the lines of the 18 yard box to try to stop us playing through them and also to get in behind them with our pace.. But what we were doing very well which straight after the game I couldn't bring myself to think of was that we were probing very well, we were pulling them across and playing some lovely stuff in tight areas, everyone looked comfortable on the ball and the lads were in control..For me had the mistake not happened just on half time we would probably have probed a couple of openings in the second half when they started to tire of being pulled around.

I agree mate, first half we worked the ball well, switched play quickly and often to keep pulling them out of position and it was very much a probing performance. The goal changed the mind-set of the players, and particularly of the skipper and the lads lost their composure and patience as a result in the 2nd half.

As has been said the slip by Stevie gave bollocks the opportunity to exaggerate the negativity, if that were possible, forcing the lads to press even further to confront their first line of defence. The chance of a mistake made even more likely in the closing minutes of the game when Mignolet painted a lonely figure in our own half.
For a club with probably the most expensive squad in the country to resort to such tactics and dumb down the talent they possess is in truth a failing.
Chelsea will win F**k all and deservedly so.

I agree mate, first half we worked the ball well, switched play quickly and often to keep pulling them out of position and it was very much a probing performance. The goal changed the mind-set of the players, and particularly of the skipper and the lads lost their composure and patience as a result in the 2nd half.

Exactly as I see it mate

The slip was caused as well by Stevie trying to switch it quickly.

Unfortunate really but positives to take

I tell you what though mate if like people are saying Pulis plays the sane way and try's to sit as deep and gives us 70 odd % of the ball then watching that back I'd back us to break them down with ease how we were probing and moving them

The biggest irony is that with all their time wasting the 2 goals were both scored in added time.

jamie carragher reckons liverpool should have no qualms over chelseas tactics, as our team has done EXACTLY the same thing over the years with success.

is he wrong too?

Unfortunately you have to show unbias when you become a reporter, so expect Carra to say 'weird' things now and again (just like the munts think Neville is all out against them). Not saying Carra is right, just saying in an attempt to be 'unbiased' for his new bosses, they tend to go a bit too extreme in the other direction

As to the question, sure we've run the clock down, but not from the first minute and not so blatantly as they did so.

jamie carragher reckons liverpool should have no qualms over chelseas tactics, as our team has done EXACTLY the same thing over the years with success.

is he wrong too?

parked the bus?

As to the question, sure we've run the clock down, but not from the first minute and not so blatantly as they did so.

Especially when we needed a win.

jamie carragher reckons liverpool should have no qualms over chelseas tactics, as our team has done EXACTLY the same thing over the years with success.

He's spot on.  People have short memories - we won a treble in 2001 thanks in part to being clever (or mind-numbingly defensive) when we needed to.

The Chelsea result was harsh.  If Stevie hadn't slipped then it almost certainly would have ended as a nil-niler. 

But like I said elsewhere - we're going to have to develop some form of plan B because next season the likes of Man City, Arsenal, Spurs, Everton etc are not going to be as expansive when they come to visit - and we will find a lot more teams even aim for a point at their own grounds against us.  Not to mention what will happen in the Champions League if we go there gung-ho.

It may have worked for Barcelona for a couple of years - but they had a slightly better set (and more experienced) set of players than we have.

I've read some comments from people saying that 'I'd hate to win the title playing like Chelsea'. Ridiculous statement and

1) It's a lie
2) Do they know nothing about Liverpool's history prior to January 2013
3) Chelsea do not play like that week in week out - they get the result they believe they require
4) We would be deliriously happy right now if we had played out a 0-0'er.

But like I said elsewhere - we're going to have to develop some form of plan B because next season the likes of Man City, Arsenal, Spurs, Everton etc are not going to be as expansive when they come to visit - and we will find a lot more teams even aim for a point at their own grounds against us.  Not to mention what will happen in the Champions League if we go there gung-ho.

I agree to an extent with the CL comment JD but I don't see the why teams in the EPL will necessarily change how they've played us this season. 

They've all watched how we've been playing for 15 months, they've had ample time to work out how to nullify us but so far only the chavs have had the personnel to actually do something about it.

They've all watched how we've been playing for 15 months, they've had ample time to work out how to nullify us but so far only the chavs have had the personnel to actually do something about it.

We've been improving over the past 15 months yes - but we've been excelling over the past 3.  Teams have short memories in football.  They'll remember their last match - which for most of them has been thoroughly unenjoyable.

But like I said elsewhere - we're going to have to develop some form of plan B because next season the likes of Man City, Arsenal, Spurs, Everton etc are not going to be as expansive when they come to visit - and we will find a lot more teams even aim for a point at their own grounds against us.  Not to mention what will happen in the Champions League if we go there gung-ho.

Playing in front of mass defences at home is nothing new for us, even with Brendan. The difference between the others and Chelsea is that Chelsea have the resources to sit there for 90 minutes if necessary and the discipline not to crack, like most defences would at some point. Brendan should have known what was coming and worked out how to get around it. He used to work for Mourinho after all. I knew what was coming, ffs.

When you look at the Sky analysis, it's rather pathetic the way we went about it. We let Chelsea time waste by not getting at them and closing players down before half time, and played into their hands after it. When we made mistakes, they were ruthlessly punished.

It's the first time we've lost to them at home since Steve's back pass went wrong 4 years ago. That day, the result was a blessing in disguise as it protected our title record a while longer. Sunday was the first opportunity to rectify it, and we fell woefully short. It was a learning curve in how to win a dull, cagey, critical game of football at the business end of a season, and it's one that we must learn. 

We've been improving over the past 15 months yes - but we've been excelling over the past 3.  Teams have short memories in football.  They'll remember their last match - which for most of them has been thoroughly unenjoyable.

That's true but maybe Brendan already has plans in place to develop and expand our playing style so we can take them all by surprise again next season 

I think the saddest thing is that if we had just approached this game the same way Mourinho did, then we'd still be in control of our own destiny.  We could have literally kicked the ball around the back 4 for 90 minutes, taken a point from the game, and still been ahead of City even if they win their game in hand. 

However, I'm glad that we didn't!!  At it's core, a footballer's job is to entertain. If they do not entertain then the fans will leave and the business of football will go under. However, it seems that at some point winning became synonymous with entertaining and fans of a particular team would rather watch boring football if it means lifting trophies.  This is why Mourinho is accurately being labeled as "Anti-Football" -- if every team approached the game the way Chelsea did against Liverpool then there would loads of 0-0 draws, very little action, and ultimately, very little entertainment. Fans would get bored and turn to another sport where they can at least be treated to a spectacle....

I'm proud that we still try to play the game the right way even if it would have been smarter to be a bit more pragmatic in this game.  Keep it up Brendan!!  YNWA

However, I'm glad that we didn't!!  At it's core, a footballer's job is to entertain.

Disagree Harry.

When  it all boils down a footballers, and managers, job is to win.

Entertaining football is a bonus.