Liverpool 1:2 Chelsea. In game and post match déjà vu.

What a pathetic defensive display by our so called Liverpool Reds, maybe JD could send Brendan a copy of this thread to let him see posters dissatisfaction. The amount of times our goal comes under pressure because of this square passing in the goal area is no joke, defenders pass the ball to another defender and after half a dozen passes they have not advanced one inch towards the opposition goal. It is time for Brendan to come clean and tell us just who is responsible for the type of football our defenders are playing.

What a pathetic defensive display by our so called Liverpool Reds, maybe JD could send Brendan a copy of this thread to let him see posters dissatisfaction. The amount of times our goal comes under pressure because of this square passing in the goal area is no joke, defenders pass the ball to another defender and after half a dozen passes they have not advanced one inch towards the opposition goal. It is time for Brendan to come clean and tell us just who is responsible for the type of football our defenders are playing.

Brendan of course who else could it be.

The really odd thing about the defence and our lack of confidence when we are pressed, is that we posess a really useful outball option and never use it/him. Despte being quite frankly a royal pain in the @rse as far as the football is concerned ever since he's arrived, Balotelli holds it up really well when he's hit from distance. Quite why we are so reluctant to mix it up at all when teams press with two or three players up high is a complete mystery to me. They couldn't do it when we had Suarez because they were too fearful, but of course they'll do it when we have Mario alone up top because he doesn't run in behind. Why then don't we utilise the Italian for the one and only thing he has proven to be any good at? I don't get it to be honest.

The problem with us being pressured at the back isn't so much that it's costing us goals (alhough we are conceding chances through it) but it is absolutely sapping our confidence and rhythm. Many times today I was imploring the defender or the goalkeeper to put their foot through it, sometimes playing the game in their half ain't anything to be ashamed of.

Brendan of course who else could it be.

Oh I thought it might of been opposition managers prior to playing us.

At the end of the day the buck stops with the manager. He selects the team, he chooses the players. If the net result of this is substandard then history will tell you where this is going if it continues.

I think a lot op contributors on here are finding it difficult because of how close we came last year and contrast that with how far we have fallen now. We sold one (all be it world class player) but have failed to add anything meaningful anywhere on the pitch to any position. Pepe is the big one for me, just how is our new keeper better?

Now is the time Brendan will have to prove his worth. Forget the tribulations of today, the managers antics and fiddling in the past 7 days gave us a net 2 losses. Not good enough.

Oh I thought it might of been opposition managers prior to playing us.

 

I  didn't get to  see thegame and have only got into the house after work and I have to say I was extremely pissed off when I seen the starting line up.

A few of us asked the question if Brendan really dropped those players midweek or if it  was a planned 'rest' to get his 'first team' ready for Chelsea and it now is painfully obvious that is what it was, even if I still think it took courage for him to select that sdie away to Madrid.

I seen JD say it was one of the worst performances he has seen for some time and that says it all really and it's about time Brendan picks players on form and opens his eyes to what is going to work from his squad.

I  didn't get to  see thegame and have only got into the house after work and I have to say I was extremely pissed off when I seen the starting line up.

A few of us asked the question if Brendan really dropped those players midweek or if it  was a planned 'rest' to get his 'first team' ready for Chelsea and it now is painfully obvious that is what it was, even if I still think it took courage for him to select that sdie away to Madrid.

I seen JD say it was one of the worst performances he has seen for some time and that says it all really and it's about time Brendan picks players on form and opens his eyes to what is going to work from his squad.

In fairness I can't agree with JD's assessment about how bad we were. I think we've played far worse than that this season (not much of a recommendation I know but anyway) and for parts of today we played pretty well. We were ultimately though against a very good side, that's the truth of it (IMHO obviously).

In fairness I can't agree with JD's assessment about how bad we were. I think we've played far worse than that this season (not much of a recommendation I know but anyway) and for parts of today we played pretty well. We were ultimately though against a very good side, that's the truth of it (IMHO obviously).

You not a bit pissed off with the same old faces in the starting line up Mick when a few of them have done F**k all this season to deserve to keep their places?

You not a bit pissed off with the same old faces in the starting line up Mick when a few of them have done f**k all this season to deserve to keep their places?

No I am mate and I said I didn't like the starting line up pre match. I thought Toure in particular and Lucas to a slightly lesser extent (obviously haha) were very unlucky not to play here, and one or two of those that did are having too many chances. Henderson escapes flak on here but I think he's been absolutely gash all season (he was here too) and although I like Lovren, he simply isn't defending well enough IMHO to warrant a place in the team. Ditto Johnson, and in Glens case the argument that his monster play going forward makes up for the occasional defensive lapse holds no water anymore, as he does f*ck all going forward anyway. Balotelli was an odd one, because as it turns out had we played to his strengths I think he could have caused them a lot of problems. As it is/was, we seem very reluctant to do that and therefore I wouldn't have played him. Infact, unless we are at least sometimes going to hit him long, it's barely worth playing him at all. As for Lallana, I cannot believe Chelsea were more concerned about Ricky Lambert coming on than they would have been about the little trickster. We need to get him on the pitch (Lallana) and get him on the ball, in the oppositions box ideally.

Didn't see the match, had someone texting me scores - brilliant that Can scored, he's deffo looked promising in last couple of game, and once settles in more and gets up to full match fitness, could be a real player. Looks an assured young lad. Letting them back in minutes later, not so good, and seeing the pics of the 4 chav players standing in front of Migs is a bit surreal. And Costa did what he does to win it.

Still, though really disappointed to loose, wasn't hugely surprised. Defeatest? Well Chelsea are top of the table, we're on a run of poor form - would have been great to kickstart an upturn, but it was always gonna be tough. Terrible to say that, given we're at home, with last season behind us, money spent etc. - but them is the cards right now.

Yea, could try swapping the striking chairs on the titanic again but just don't think have the quality up there, we'll continue to struggle for goals, and hard to see that changing short term.
Surprised Lallana didn't start - think he's as likely to nick a goal as any one of them. SG and Hendo sound like below par again. But not sure swapping in Lucas/Allen/Markovic is really going to change things significantly. We've been playing crap since Spuds, have mixed things up, but no real sweet spot hit yet.

At the back though, think we have decent quality - certainly enough to be a lot better than we are. That's somewhere imo we could deffo improve on a LOT if we put our minds to it/know how to/got someone in. Nothing wrong with winning a game 1-0, until a striker shows up. Moreno & Lovren - they have potential, but just not seeing it (well, in flashes). Have said it before though, BR hasn't showed that he is someone that can tighten things up in defense - so not sure were this is heading - but if I was him, I'd be looking there, cause there's more buck there for him to get bang from, than up front.

No I am mate and I said I didn't like the starting line up pre match. I thought Toure in particular and Lucas to a slightly lesser extent (obviously haha) were very unlucky not to play here, and one or two of those that did are having too many chances. Henderson escapes flak on here but I think he's been absolutely gash all season (he was here too) and although I like Lovren, he simply isn't defending well enough IMHO to warrant a place in the team. Ditto Johnson, and in Glens case the argument that his monster play going forward makes up for the occasional defensive lapse holds no water anymore, as he does f*ck all going forward anyway. Balotelli was an odd one, because as it turns out had we played to his strengths I think he could have caused them a lot of problems. As it is/was, we seem very reluctant to do that and therefore I wouldn't have played him. Infact, unless we are at least sometimes going to hit him long, it's barely worth playing him at all. As for Lallana, I cannot believe Chelsea were more concerned about Ricky Lambert coming on than they would have been about the little trickster. We need to get him on the pitch (Lallana) and get him on the ball, in the oppositions box ideally.

Pretty much agree mate.

Amazed as to what the manager sees in Glen these days. Touse and Lucas should have started and I'd have even started Borini instead of Mario.

Mystified about Lallana as I said in his thread and I'm not sure what he has done to become the managers top summer target to being the guy who always misses out.

Lallana is something I cannot understand. We spent half the Summer chasing him at the expense of a striker and paid more for him than any one else yet despite coming back from injury and impressing in his appearances, he can't nail down a regular starting place. What was the point of it all if he's only a squad/impact player?

I also don't think the team that was put out cost us the victory today because I don't believe any team we are capable of fielding would have beaten that Chelsea side, nor do I think if Brendan was managing Real would they have beat it. The organisation isn't there. You look at Mourinho's team they're always very organised, very difficult to break down when they don't have the ball. That's just something we lack under Rodgers and it's something he could do with learning, especially when we lack the strikers needed for a more cavalier style of play.

Lallana is something I cannot understand. We spent half the Summer chasing him at the expense of a striker and paid more for him than any one else yet despite coming back from injury and impressing in his appearances, he can't nail down a regular starting place. What was the point of it all if he's only a squad/impact player?

I also don't think the team that was put out cost us the victory today because I don't believe any team we are capable of fielding would have beaten that Chelsea side, nor do I think if Brendan was managing Real would they have beat it. The organisation isn't there. You look at Mourinho's team they're always very organised, very difficult to break down when they don't have the ball. That's just something we lack under Rodgers and it's something he could do with learning, especially when we lack the strikers needed for a more cavalier style of play.

The Madness of SAS disguised the shortcomings of Brendan as a coach unfortunately this season he has average players all over the pitch who cannot help him.

We had a fantastic season last year but this season is the polar-opposite of that and although Brendan bought himself some time it is already just a memory and one I am not sure Brendan could repeat, one thing has stayed with us and that's the defensive mess this is BR's third season and you would hope to see progress at the back year on year if anything it's as bad now as when BR started the job and that's just not good enough for a club like ours.

I hate to see a young British manager get sacked but unless BR can turn our mishaps into progression I fear for the guy already it's looking that we will not get anywhere near the top teams this season and thats sad after last year but good teams are always built on a strong defence and a strong spine down the centre but what we have is players who play as individuals and play a lot of square balls that go left right left and back to the keeper who then kicks long or we go through the left and right and back again it makes the possession stats look good but don't do to much for scoring goals.

Gerrard one of the greats for our club is being left to wilt in front of our eye's Brendan should be making decisions for him imagine Stevie getting 20mins at the end when he could come on as an attacker to help open up stubborn defences SG is not a defensive Mid and today showed that when both he and henderson kicked the same ball and both got in each others way I believe it ended coming back and being put out for a corner, the next corner when we once again kicked long they scored from.

They were much the better team and each player of theirs did a job and knew what and where and when to move, we couldn't live with them for their switching defence into attack, they were decisive and cut though our midfield so easy it was hard to take and has left me feeling like crap if I feel this way give a thought to BR he must wonder where to go from here, he left his first team sit on the bench tues and then plays the same team that did so badly at N'castle except for Can, I also thought his subs today were poor bringing whom I thought was our best player off in Can was a big mistake. Today we did look ok at the start but once we scored and the Chavs stepped up a gear we found them hard to live with and but for luck and many blocks I think they would have scored a lot more, we have a long way to go.

No I am mate and I said I didn't like the starting line up pre match. I thought Toure in particular and Lucas to a slightly lesser extent (obviously haha) were very unlucky not to play here, and one or two of those that did are having too many chances Balotelli was an odd one, because as it turns out had we played to his strengths I think he could have caused them a lot of problems. As it is/was, we seem very reluctant to do that and therefore I wouldn't have played him. Infact, unless we are at least sometimes going to hit him long, it's barely worth playing him at all.

What are Balotelli's strengths, bar get caught offside and give the ball away? He can't shoot on target, can't score goals, can't stay onside, can't be a team player in general, he is literally a waste of space imo. Worse than Carroll, and Rodgers didn't want to know about him.

Don't get the love-in over Toure tbh. Fair enough, he was ok in Madrid, but he still has his moments like in injury time against Middlesbrough, Fulham, and West Brom. There's a reason City let us sign him.

Today we played well for half an hour. We had decent shouts for penalties alright, but the ref didn't have the bottle to give them. That's nothing new of course, 10 years ago Carvalho practically caught the ball in the first half and threw it into the Kop. Penalty? You must be joking. Carra then put the ball in his own net after half time. Today was as frustrating as then.

6 months ago, the fixture felt like turning up at a reception and finding it had been delayed, then cancelled. Today we just kind of accepted where we stand, ie 11 points off a side who just lost half a team. Losing just one player should not have instantly torn up our way of playing the game.

The players have 15 days rest before two months of two games a week every week. It'll either make or break the season. Let's hope it's the former, as we can't afford the latter.

I can forgive occasional poor performances, they happen.  Individual mistakes as well, as long as they aren't repeated over and over again, but what is unforgivable is that, 11 league games in, we look like a team that 1st met 20 minutes before kick-off, week in, week out. 

The Madness of SAS disguised the shortcomings of Brendan as a coach unfortunately this season he has average players all over the pitch who cannot help him

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/how-liverpool-fc-play-without-7402574
actually we did ok last season without him.

The Madness of SAS disguised the shortcomings of Brendan as a coach unfortunately this season he has average players all over the pitch who cannot help him.

Get out of it. Last season he got his tactics spot on many times. He also got his tactics wrong a couple of times. There's been times this season where his tactics had nothing to do with the result. He's got enough of the blame to shoulder without suggesting last season's success was down to two players and had nothing to do with the rest of the team or the manager.

Get out of it. Last season he got his tactics spot on many times. He also got his tactics wrong a couple of times. There's been times this season where his tactics had nothing to do with the result. He's got enough of the blame to shoulder without suggesting last season's success was down to two players and had nothing to do with the rest of the team or the manager.

So what's the issue this season? I think he has spent badly and he has no idea to us, maybe Not to him what he should pick or do.. Typical manager syndrome where he believes in his his purchases.

So what's the issue this season? I think he has spent badly and he has no idea to us, maybe Not to him what he should pick or do.. Typical manager syndrome where he believes in his his purchases.

I never said he's blameless, I said that to suggest that last season was down to Sturridge and Suarez hiding his ineptitude is ridiculous, after all, how well would Real do without Ronaldo and Benzema, or Barcelona without Messi and Suarez and we all know how well Chelsea did without Costa last season so would the blame lie with those managers too? No manager gets his tactics right 100% of the time. He's to blame for picking the same failing side each week and he's to blame for the same failing tactics each week but he isn't the root of all Liverpool's problems.

Yes, he's guilty of buying badly, something I said pre-season, and our biggest problem on the pitch is not scoring goals, something that's a direct result of his buying badly in the Summer. Not scoring goals is exposing our defensive frailties which I think is causing low confidence amongst the players and is partially to blame for their mistakes. It's not like the defence was rock solid last season, is it? We just had the luxury of being able to outscore any opponent.

There's also clearly an organisational problem in player positioning which I believe is down to miscomprehension of the tactics because no manager is going to coach their players to be the wrong side of an opposition attack in the box. People are forgetting that our susceptibility to set pieces isn't a new thing and existed throughout Rafa's tenure, a manager who also used zonal marking which further leads me to believe there's a problem in player's understanding this system.

I don't like to say it, but I thought they were better than us yesterday, particularly in the way they were so well organised (like all Mourinho teams) but they have added that speed of attack which we did so well ourselves last season.  Unfortunately I think that the players they bought in the summer (and other teams too) have not chosen to play for those teams as much as they have chosen to play under their managers.

Our "top" target, who I think has actually been a very good buy, can't get in the team and when we need someone to get us back in the game is overlooked for Allen, Borini and Lambert.  That is the biggest wonder over team selection yesterday for me.  I can understand the starting 11 (just) - but cannot see how Lallana would not have made a difference.  Against their defence speed and intelligence around the edge of the box is what is needed and let's face it Allen does not provide that.

But as disappointing as anything is that a questionable decision denies us the opportunity to equalise with 3 to go.

On a positive note I thought Can looks like he is getting better with more time on the pitch, and has the attributes to do well for us - big, strong, quite aggressive and has a decent touch.

Seriously? We are not going to vote for the MOTM?

Watched the game again. We were not half bad really.

The first goal they scored was unfortunate and our keeper gage a good account of himself. Chelsea celebrated that goal like the bitches they are.

The second goals was Coutinho's fault really. A yellow card would have worth a lot more than getting beaten like that. The Skrtel lost his man who was left all by himself in the 18 yard box.

However when we attack, we have too many delayed reactions and responses to occasional show of brilliance by our team members. That is the problem with our attack. It's like the players don't expect moments of brilliance from each other.