Besiktas 1-0 LFC (1-1 agg / 5-4 on pens): In game and Post Match Debate

And having played for 105 minutes, why not just leave him on so he can take a penalty?

Because he is sh*t at pens and Lambert is a penalty expert.

Playing Sturridge for 105 minutes was a bizarre decision by Rodgers. Should have been subbed for Borini or Lambert at 70 min mark.

More bizarrely is Rodgers persistently playing Balotelli as a 2nd striker or a roaming forward when he starts. He should be stuck up top, in the middle for the majority of the time and allow Sterling and Sturridge to play off him.

Berbatov vs Arsenal is a perfect example of how we should be utilizing Balotelli.

Not sure why Rodgers goes all cagey and defensive in Europe, we just can't play that way, we are not Chelsea.
Should have stuck to what we do best which is attack, which sort of suggests to me Rodgers was not overly bothered with the EL.

It's fair to say that is what we did in the first half mate, played with two up, pressed the ball at times and created chances. I don't think we had the legs to sustain it though and from the moment they got on top of us in the 2nd half he should have got Lallana on to match them in the middle of the park. That's what cost us.

It's fair to say that is what we did in the first half mate, played with two up, pressed the ball at times and created chances. I don't think we had the legs to sustain it though and from the moment they got on top of us in the 2nd half he should have got Lallana on to match them in the middle of the park. That's what cost us.

Your right mate we lost control of the Middle of the pitch  mainly due to mis placed and sloppy passes and the front 3 unable to hold onto the ball.

Unfortunately Rodgers had different ideas.

Today was nice example how bad we are missing creative player like Cou. When he is not playing we have no idea going forward. We urgently need someone to play whit him and to have one in team when one is injured or can't play.

thats why i hope we bring back Tex next season from his loan

Limping out without trying to win is just poor.

I wouldn't be half as pissed off if we went at them the whole 90 mins and got beat 5 nil.

No passion, no desire, no threat and no attacking.

Credit to Besiktas... At least they tried and they deserved to win tonight.

Totally agree with this.Really thought we would have a go in the second half. If we had went out by going for it for 45 minutes or even after they scored fair enough but this was poor

You're pleased we're out? What the F**k? And your not the only 'supporter' saying it.

Now that we are out I can take some positives out of us not playing on a Thursday and a Sunday but am I F**k pleased that we have just gone out of Europe due to a piss poor performance against a side that we should be comfortably beating.

Can't believe people are happy about it.

Agree 100% mate.

I'm gutted we're out.

You're pleased we're out? What the F**k?

Yes mate I'm pleased were out, we've had a sh*t start to the season, we've just got our league form sorted out and got ourselves into a position where qualifying for the champions league is pretty much in our own hands.

As much as it would have been in our own hands in the europa, its a lottery them two leg affairs and penalties as shown tonight, I stated my reasons, I'd have hated for us to get distracted by europe, our league form stutter, finish 5th or 6th and not win the europa.

All that work 'Building a squad' last summer would be undone when we started to sell players to fall in line with the lack of revenue, F**k that I want us to qualify for the Champions League by finishing as high up the league table as we possibly can, starting by beating shitty at the weekend.

Yes mate I'm pleased were out, we've had a sh*t start to the season, we've just got our league form sorted out and got ourselves into a position where qualifying for the champions league is pretty much in our own hands.

As much as it would have been in our own hands in the europa, its a lottery them two leg affairs and penalties as shown tonight, I stated my reasons, I'd have hated for us to get distracted by europe, our league form stutter, finish 5th or 6th and not win the europa.

All that work 'Building a squad' last summer would be undone when we started to sell players to fall in line with the lack of revenue, F**k that I want us to qualify for the Champions League by finishing as high up the league table as we possibly can, starting by beating shitty at the weekend.

Couldn't disagree more Daz and there is no guarantee we will finish 4th just because we have a few games less to worry about by being knocked out of this.

10 years ago we made history in that very stadium.

How times have changed

Couldn't disagree more Daz and there is no guarantee we will finish 4th just because we have a few games less to worry about by being knocked out of this.

The issue is the Thursday/Sunday schedule mate it's just a killer in terms of a disadvantage compared to CL where you get another days rest.

The issue is the Thursday/Sunday schedule mate it's just a killer in terms of a disadvantage compared to CL where you get another days rest.

Personally I think that's a load of bollocks and to easily used as an excuse.

No different to playing Wed/Sat if we were still in the CL.

Personally I think that's a load of bollocks and to easily used as an excuse.

No different to playing Wed/Sat if we were still in the CL.

You can say that but the stats and history of teams in EL would suggest the opposite.
Also you need to add in we are still in the FA cup.

Personally I think that's a load of bollocks and to easily used as an excuse.

No different to playing Wed/Sat if we were still in the CL.

Agreed mate, Rafa had to put up with it for 6 years.

You can say that but the stats and history of teams in EL would suggest the opposite.

What do the stats suggest then?

Couldn't disagree more Daz and there is no guarantee we will finish 4th just because we have a few games less to worry about by being knocked out of this.

No theres no guarantee, same as there is no guarantee we'd have won the europa, but I'd rather we put all our eggs in one basket regarding the league to accomplish CL qualification,  United are looking bang average, Southampton's goals have dried up top 3/4 is there for the taking, truth be told, I think qualifying through the Europa looks harder on paper.

The penalty shootout situation was even more annoying tonight as we had quite a few good penalty takers who were either not in the squad or weren't on the pitch. Just happened to be suffering from a number of injuries when penalties come calling. Should have done enough to finish the tie in normal time though!

No theres no guarantee, same as there is no guarantee we'd have won the europa, but I'd rather we put all our eggs in one basket regarding the league to accomplish CL qualification,  United are looking bang average, Southampton's goals have dried up top 3/4 is there for the taking, truth be told, I think qualifying through the Europa looks harder on paper.

This.

After the hard work we made of trying to beat Besiktas, had we even qualified to the next round on pennos, the next EL games were only going to get more difficult and would have unquestionably effected our PL performances to the point we would seriously struggle for top 4. Now I feel much more optimistic about our top 4 chances.

The Bitters may have qualified to the last 16 but their league performances have suffered hugely this season as a result and will continue for as long as they continue in the competition.

Getting knocked out this early is a blessing in disguise.

The penalty shootout situation was even more annoying tonight as we had quite a few good penalty takers who were either not in the squad or weren't on the pitch.

Never mind not on the pitch mate. There was a perfectly good taker on the pitch but had Lovren ahead of him. Out of the players left I'd have felt more than comfortable that Kolo would have scored.

This.

After the hard work we made of trying to beat Besiktas, had we even qualified to the next round on pennos, the next EL games were only going to get more difficult and would have unquestionably effected our PL performances to the point we would seriously struggle for top 4. Now I feel much more optimistic about our top 4 chances.

The Bitters may have qualified to the last 16 but their league performances have suffered hugely this season as a result and will continue for as long as they continue in the competition.

Getting knocked out this early is a blessing in disguise.

There is no gurantee this will help us 'win' the race for top four either.

I'd sooner be still in it with a chance to win the thing than 'celebrate' being knocked out.

If this is what football is going to be all about then I can easily see me showing it less and less interest as the years go on as it is a load of bollocks.

Well, this was a sh*t match, but we should forget about it and focus on Sunday. Upwards and onwards!

F***ing gutted. Cant believe some guys are cool with being beaten. We are out of a major competion (granted its not the CL, but we were here cause we were out of that one too), and its not ok. Or it shouldnt be...

There is no good news here. We played badly and are out of another major European competition.

Move on yes but lessons must be learnt from these defeats.