Basel 1 - 0 Liverpool: In Game & Post Game Wonderings (again).

Markovic won the ball well there to start the attack

Good work Balo

Markovic is actually not doing too bad today, not great, but better than he has been.

At this stage that's all we can ask. At least there's a slight improvement, some are going backwards at an alarming rate!

From whatever I have see so far (about 10 minutes), I think quite simply one on the front does not work.

i don't understand why Brendan Rodgers persists with it. He need to put someone up with Balotelli. BTW: Balotelli is really trying.

Little corner of RED.

Need to get two up front after half time, hoping to see this at some stage... Moreno, Lallana and Borini on..

Mig
Manquillo - Skrtel - Lovren - Moreno
Gerrard
Lallana -- Henderson
Sterling
Borini - Balotelli

1 up top doesn't work.

With Sturridge or Suarez, yes, with Balotelli no

Little corner of RED.

Poor bleeders paying all that good money just to watch the same old abject sh*te

Not a great half, would have thought we'd have scored by now but they've had the better of the game so far.

Not a great half, would have thought we'd have scored by now but they've had the better of the game so far.

We can only get better 2nd half, can't we?

Away from home in the CL, that was a comfortable first half. Decent possession. Up front a bit lacking, but nothing new there. No reason why we should not be looking to go and win this in the 2nd half.

Just back from work..0-0 half time but reading through, looks like we havent clicked yet then..
COME ON YOU REDMEN!

Balotelli the stand out player. Everyone else.. pretty poor.

Sterling frustrates me the most. He was an exceptional player at the start of the season, but right now, he's barely mediocre. His "runs" are appalling. 'Hit... run... ooops... I lost it'. It's like he's run out of ideas.

All round, players are sloppy and loosing the ball. Can we get any worse?

We are just so poor at the minute. Now that we have adopted this wide crossing style we are even worse. Bar Coutinho we had absolutely nothing going forward. The 1 upfront doesnt work with this lack of movement in and around Balo. He himself has shocking movement and the 2 wide men are just as flat. 2 full backs are defending poorly, positionally both are all over the place. Manquillo has been wasteful going forward.

Its so frustrating to watch a team devoid of confidence.

It's like watching last season all over again.

Except in slow motion.

No link up play, no tenacity, it's like the players are just going through the motions and not really looking to achieve anything. We look completely lost.

Mario, as hard as he's trying without the ball just doesn't complement our play. Things seem to slow down when he has the ball, compared to when Sturridge or Luis have it. They look to run forward, play quick, and release the ball but Mario just runs it himself and holds it up.

Enrique has been absolute dross.

Need Lallana on and wouldn't mind playing a 4-2-2-2 with Fabio next to Mario in front of Lallana and Sterling.

very open game. Have to say Couts has played much better tonight, but both sides are not really pressing which suits his game. We haven't done a lot, but we haven't given them a goal either.

I said earlier a 0-0 wouldn't be the end of the world.

Away from home in the CL, that was a comfortable first half. Decent possession. Up front a bit lacking, but nothing new there. No reason why we should not be looking to go and win this in the 2nd half.

Exactly how I see it.

Last season, we would have wiped the floor with Basel.

Pretty ordinary so far. What happened to us?

If Basel had of committed more people forward on corners or had a few better touches they would be beating us no end.

I really dont mind when we lose, if we show heart, try hard and play well. This is lethargic, lacking confidence and effort.

very open game. Have to say Couts has played much better tonight, but both sides are not really pressing which suits his game. We haven't done a lot, but we haven't given them a goal either.

I said earlier a 0-0 wouldn't be the end of the world.

Right now, I'd take 0-0.

Something this team is lacking is intelligence, especially from our front men.

Bring on Lallana, and take off one of Sterling or Markovic (preferably Markovic). Enrique has been brought in to provide more resilience to the defence but that hasnt been the case. Bring on Moreno and his pace will give Basel something else to think about.

Starting Lucas instead of Gerrard may have been a decent call also. Just need to slow it down and be a little more precise when going forward. It's playground hit and run stuff.

Last season, we would have wiped the floor with Basel.

Pretty ordinary so far. What happened to us.

I remember last season people were saying we would win the CL this year playing like that. Dynamic, fast, countering and goals galore... Real Madrid like. This is Stoke like.

Need Lallana on and wouldn't mind playing a 4-2-2-2 with Fabio next to Mario in front of Lallana and Sterling.

Yes except I'd switch Sterling for Lallana keeping Coutinho.

Sterling is having a very bad game for his standards.