FC Augsburg 0-0 Liverpool: In game and Post match debate

0-0 European away 1st leg isn't a bad result.

Another game back for Sturridge, Coutinho, Origi and now a whole week off.

It would have been nice to win 5-0 and rest players ahead of the cup final - but you know - we're Liverpool and that's not how we do things.

Henderson anonymous.  Looks like injuries/ongoing foot pain have taken their toll.

So even though the scum lost today, they can still go through with a 1-0 win same as us.

They can't (automatically) go through with a 2-1 win though.

It's not so much the result but the performance, was piss poor. There can be no denying it.

I don't think it was mate, that first half I'd agree much more with you we had total disconnect in midfield but I was really encouraged by our start in the 2nd half, we were really really good there and could go on and get 3 or 4 goals. We certainly deserved at least 2 but hey, if we want to drag it down we can say it was sh*te enough times and people will believe it.

Jürgen spot on again in his post match basically saying it's our consistency costing us how in one moment in the match we're "wow, wow, wow" and the next we're letting them right back in and allowing them to get a foothold again which is not necessary.

I'm not saying it was a great performance, I'm saying judging in terms of away from home against a team in pretty damn decent form that was alright. We can be an awful lot better but I think people are being very harsh on this if they're calling it piss poor, but your opinion.

It's not so much the result but the performance, was piss poor. There can be no denying it.

Couldn't agree more. I actually didn't think they were that good tonight too. Definitely there for the taking.

There is a massive problem with our midfield and sad to say it I'm going to pick out Henderson here.
Our central defenders have come in for a lot of flak this season and rightly so. But tonight, when our defenders were on the ball or when they won the ball in the air, there was no one available from the midfield to take it forwards. There were a number of times in that match where Sakho won the header yet there was no one, NO ONE, to pick up the second ball. Where is Henderson in these areas?

The captain HAS to be making himself available for those around him yet is going missing when we need players to scrap for and pick up the second balls. It must be disheartening for Kolo and Sakho to head the ball forward only for it to be coming right back at them down the middle or down the wings. On the ball, Jordan is failing as well. He's shirking from getting involved and his instinct seems to look for the option alongside him or behind him. I've read a lot of comments coming out against Milner in this thread and while I didn't think he was good in the first half, I actually thought in the second half he offered himself to be a handy outlet on the right wing, posing Augsburg a few problems and being involved in a couple of nicely constructed attacks. Henderson wasn't.

Laboured in attack, laboured in defence. Case in point, there was a moment early on in the second half when Jordan was horrendously ruled to be offside. Regardless, Jordan did not know of this yet when he had the ball at his feet in an incredibly advanced and fairly central position on the left hand side, he proceeded to take freeze with the ball at his feet before drifting a sorry ball into the hands of the Augsburg goalie. There is absolutely no instinct there and where there is no instinct there is little thought.

If he isn't passing sideways, he's passing backwards. His timing of when to move forward and backwards off the ball is all over the place exposing us to bad gaping holes for the opposition to exploit. As experienced as he is at this stage of his career and wearing the captain's armband I really expect more from him. He's got a lot of work to do.

There is a massive problem with our midfield and sad to say it I'm going to pick out Henderson here.
Our central defenders have come in for a lot of flak this season and rightly so. But tonight, when our defenders were on the ball or when they won the ball in the air, there was no one available from the midfield to take it forwards. There were a number times in that match where Sakho won the header yet there was no one, NO ONE to pick up the second ball. Where is Henderson in these areas?

The captain HAS to be making himself available for those around him yet is going missing when we need players to scrap for and pick up the second balls. It must be disheartening for Kolo and Sakho to head the ball forward only for it to be coming right back at them down the middle or down the wings. On the ball, Jordan is failing as well. He's shirking from getting involved and his instinct seems to look for the option alongside him or behind him. I've read a lot of comments coming out against Milner in this thread and while I didn't think he was good in the first half, I actually thought he offered himself to be a handy outlet on the right wing, posing Augsburg a few problems and being involved in a couple of nicely constructed attacks. Henderson didn't.

Laboured in attack, laboured in defence. Case in point, there was a moment early on in the second half when Jordan was horrendously ruled to be offside. Regardless, Jordan did not know of this yet when he had the ball at his feet in an incredibly advanced and fairly central position on the left hand side, he proceeded to take freeze with the ball at his feet before drifting a sorry ball into the hands of the Augsburg goalie. There is absolutely no instinct there and where there is no instinct there is little thought.

If he isn't passing sideways, he's passing backwards. His timing of when to move forward and backwards off the ball is all over the place exposing us to bad gaping holes for the opposition to exploit. As experienced as he is at this stage of his career and wearing the captain's armband I really expect more from him. He's got a lot of work to do.

This is the problem with our midfielders, they are simply average on the ball. Look at Verratti as an example yesterday, a player that's predominately a box-box player, but how good was he at playing a more reserved role (due to injury) and helping to control that midfield by keeping the ball ticking? It really does make me wonder if I've been over hyping Hendo that tad too much.

I do worry for his future as a starter if Klopp decides to buy a midfielder and Grujic actually turns out beastly.

Klopp bemoans Liverpool FC 'wrong decisions' after Europa League frustration
23:12, 18 FEB 2016 UPDATED 23:12, 18 FEB 2016
BY JAMES PEARCE
Reds boss points finger at lack of patience - but insists his team didn't underestimate stubborn Augsburg

Jürgen Klopp was left unimpressed as Liverpool fought out a dour 0-0 draw with Augsburg in the Europa League.

The Reds boss bemoaned a lack of patience and poor decision-making as his side were frustrated by the Bundesliga strugglers in the first leg of the last 32 tie.

It was an underwhelming return to Germany for Klopp, who was relieved to see substitute Ji Dong-Won hit the post when he could have won it for Augsburg late on.

“It's not too easy to find the right words,” Klopp said. “I could say it's a draw, 0-0 away, everything okay, we can win at home, everything cool.

“But in our situation I'm always interested in the performance.

“German teams on a tactical side are really strong. In the second half you could see the spaces we could use. If you have rhythm then you can do this better.

“We had good moments, good passing in second half, but other moments I wasn't happy with. It's 0-0 but I am not 100% satisfied.

“We could have created more chances, that's clear. You saw the moments when we played the wrong pass, lost patience, took the wrong decisions.

“I could say 0-0, top result, let's go home, but it's important we speak about this as a team here and improve things.”

With the tie very much in the balance, Klopp won't be able to rest players in the second leg, which comes just three days before the League Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley.

However, the Reds boss insisted he never believed he would be able to have that kind of luxury.

“As strong a team in the second leg? Yes. I think so,” he added.

“We should not think too much about the final. I will not ignore it of course, but it doesn't complicate my plans.

“How could it here? Winning 5-0 and then have a friendly game in the rematch at Anfield?


“You should respect German teams more. It is not possible to beat Augsburg 5-0. And if we win 1-0 or 2-0 then nothing is decided.

“We have to be really concentrated in the return and show we want to go to the next round.

“We should be concentrated next Thursday and the Sunday will take care of itself.

“It is 0-0. We should have scored, and now Augsburg will come to Liverpool. They will defend and look to counter. So we have to find a way.

“The players didn't underestimate Augsburg. When we play in the return we will be very well prepared.

“We need to improve on things. We have a big final ahead of us.

“My problem is that I think, with our quality, we should do better. But I have to be patient.”

I think Klopp sums that game up perfectly.

This is the problem with our midfielders, they are simply average on the ball. Look at Verratti as an example yesterday, a player that's predominately a box-box player, but how good was he at playing a more reserved role (due to injury) and helping to control that midfield by keeping the ball ticking? It really does make me wonder if I've been over hyping Hendo that tad too much.

I do worry for his future as a starter if Klopp decides to buy a midfielder and Grujic actually turns out beastly.

It's so important to have those players in midfield who on first touch and instinct can control and pass the ball. Our defence will never be entirely settled until they KNOW that the balls that they are sending back out are not going to come back and that a ball headed out will be competed for and won for. If they are coming back then there are big technical deficiencies from the players in our midfield.

If we're not competing on a technical or physical level, as Henderson is, then progress ahead is hopeless.

This is the problem with our midfielders, they are simply average on the ball. Look at Verratti as an example yesterday, a player that's predominately a box-box player, but how good was he at playing a more reserved role (due to injury) and helping to control that midfield by keeping the ball ticking? It really does make me wonder if I've been over hyping Hendo that tad too much.

I do worry for his future as a starter if Klopp decides to buy a midfielder and Grujic actually turns out beastly.

Agree mate and while there are mitigating circumstances (injury) I think FMS sums it up very well in the post you're replying to. So even if he does battle through his injury I don't think he even comes close to offering enough from such a crucial role in the team.

I think Klopp sums that game up perfectly.

Funny isn't it mate because we seem to disagree in the performance level but I agree with you completely on this, perhaps we're not as far away as it might at first appear on reflection.

Never saw the game and it appears I didn't miss much. Got to say though I'm very surprised at some of the negativity. In all seriousness, what did people expect? These are a very decent team and a 0-0 is an excellent effort. In these away European ties it's all about getting the job done and coming home. That's what we did, how we played is quite frankly irrelevant.

Missed the game again but it doesn't seem like I missed much.

0-0 isn't too bad but not scoring has me a bit worried for the second leg considering our awful home form this season.

Never saw the game and it appears I didn't miss much. Got to say though I'm very surprised at some of the negativity. In all seriousness, what did people expect? These are a very decent team and a 0-0 is an excellent effort. In these away European ties it's all about getting the job done and coming home. That's what we did, how we played is quite frankly irrelevant.

When you play Sturridge, Firmino and Coutinho off the back of a 6-0 win in the league (albeit against a shambolic tragic side) and turn up next game to draw 0-0 then there's always going to be negativity. Add in the factor that we have failed to prove ourselves in a European game for 6 years straight, there is an angst or restlessness that will only be helped if we can be sure of progress in this. They did nothing tonight to calm concerns.

Henderson's putrid form of late has seen him revert to his 2011 form frustratingly.

As for Milner, he seems to be an easy target for some reason. He's a work horse (which are essential in any team) who can get involved in successful attacking moves as the second half proved but he's not the key to unlock things when we're struggling to break teams down (see the first half). That's not blaming Milner primarily as it's the failings of those around him.

There's been a shocking negligence in key areas over the last few years. Notably the striker role and failure to replace Suarez with the Balotelli f**k up and the Benteke decision but everything's been said about that already. We don't have a capable holding midfielder either - Can was yet again a slow lumbering brain addled mess tonight, while Lucas can't be relied upon as he blows hot and cold constantly. We've never replaced Mascherano - that is another brutal fact.

And so many attacking players have been bought, but none of them wingers it seems. No pace on the wide channels apart from full backs who shouldnt be relied upon to solely give us that width. Horrible negligence - it looks like a team built via committee with square pegs in round holes (thank you to those dunderheaded half wits Hunter, Fallows, Edwards and Gordon) and unreasonable management buys (come on Rodgers, Benteke only works best with teams that apply width).

The squad is horrifically unbalanced but that's what we deserve for letting an ownership and committee structure run amok by buying players merely as stocks with future value as opposed to buying players we need.

I had a bet on us tonight to win and as soon as the game started, I regretted my decision. Not a great performance by us and I suspect I will end up feeling depressed if I read back some of the replies, so I'm going to give that a miss and hope we can play better in the home leg and win of course.

0-0 away bad result for us as they know they get 1 away goal, its going to make it hard for us unless they have a melt down

It feels as if we are not taking the cups seriously to me. I understand that the league is key, but we can only come 5th realistically and qualify for Europa again, so why not give them a real go? I know we started some of our best attacking players, but it felt like a bit of a stroll in the park after Sunday. Klopp knows what he is doing thought, he will get it right and we only need to win by one at home, so got to be odds on even without an away goal.

0-0 away bad result for us as they know they get 1 away goal, its going to make it hard for us unless they have a melt down

If we get one goal, with Studge, Bobby Firmino and the little Magician playing together, at home, in front of the crowd on a European night, we can consider ourselves unlucky, but at least we'll go through. A little optimism, yes?

Turgid, uninspiring, gutless, boring not what I expect from Liverpool Fc. 0-0 also a dangerous score at home. However a few players scored a plus tonight, Moreno, Milner, Firmino and Coutinho.

Funny isn't it mate because we seem to disagree in the performance level but I agree with you completely on this, perhaps we're not as far away as it might at first appear on reflection.

I don't think we are mate. I thought we were very average... not piss poor. Maybe our judgement of the result is the main difference between us. I was very disappointed that with what is supposed to be our best side out we couldn't come away with an away goal (at least). 1-1 or 2-2 and I would be a much happier chap.  Obviously 0-1 or 0-2 would have made me happier still

I didn't rate them, thought they were a well drilled team but nothing exceptional, we just didn't do enough to beat them. Both sides seemed more concerned with getting men behind the ball than with creating and I was simply bored for a good part of the match.

I thought Coutinho was the only one one on either side who looked like he had any ideas and he was so well marked that even he could do little to liven things up.

A very average performance against a very average team...0-0

Just finished watching. Pretty boring performance, not a whole lot of imagination. Glad we didn't concede but that's really the only bright spot. Thought Sakho was our best player this evening, was immense in the air.

Bunch of sh*t! Henderson can't be captain next season, he doesn't have it in him to grab a game by the balls.

Can or Milner ?

Or let see what inspiration August brings .

So Milner goes off, Henderson takes the corners and hits the first man!! How in this day and age can a player earning 100,000 a week fail to get the ball into the box from a corner?

Very uninspiring match, only Moreno and Kolo looked to be putting in full effort. That Augsburg team are pretty average and we should have been too strong for them, no reason why we shouldn't walk them at Anfield if we step it up a gear.

Snooze fest that.

We've made this one much harder now with 3 days before the League Cup Final.

Can't believe some are pointing to Augsburg's form as a way to talk up a bore-draw against a team who sit 14th in their table. 

F**k me, it's almost as embarrassing as Hodgson's 'formidable' Northampton quip!