Tottenham 2 - 1 Liverpool: Post Match Anger

Comedy reading some of the opinions here tonight.

The bold fact of the matter is, that was one poor team performance. It was only Pepe who turned up to do his job properly. He kept us from being embarrassed. And the team as whole didn't embarrass us. But they certainly forgot the notion of wanting to win a game.

The Skrtel/Carragher incident certainly had an effect on our game. We were giving the ball away when we went forward before that but once they collided, it was like there was a massive sense of uncertainty in our back line and this rippled through the team. Every time Carragher got the ball, he hoofed it up without any idea where the ball was going. Skrtel tried his best to carry on but it was clear he was troubled by his jaw injury.

Gerrard didn't get the game by the scruff of it's neck - he can't be expected to do it every game that starts slipping out of view in all honesty. For me, he was very guilty of giving the ball away though. Torres looked like he'd been up all night with the baby. He was poor.

Mascherano tried, but looked rusty. Lucas tried but looked too comfortable.

Babel was garbage.

Kuyt was poor.

Insua was caught out of position but at least tried to make things happen. Same goes for Johnson, but he looked more assured and deserves credit for the determination that led to our only goal.

Why Benayoun was left on the bench I'll never know. First game of the season you need your tried and tested players on the pitch. Benayoun is settled here now and he can easily create something. Rafa fu**ed up on that one I think.

The rest of our bench activity speaks for itself really. There's no doubt we lack.

If I had my way, I would have made a double sub. I would have brought on Benayoun in the first half for Babel and I would have brought on that imaginary dangerous striker on that we haven't got to inspire Torres. Gerrard could have dropped back to midfield - where we were lacking creativity - Kuyt could have a rest and Lucas could go on the right.

But I didn't have my way. And we got beat.

Got to do better on Wednesday.

It's not good that we have to rely on that imaginary dangerous striker. It's shocking that we don't have more than one world class striker. Sorry to be negative, but how can you win the league with one world class striker, and pretty much no backup?

It's not good that we have to rely on that imaginary dangerous striker. It's shocking that we don't have more than one world class striker. Sorry to be negative, but how can you win the league with one world class striker, and pretty much no backup?

That is the issue when you play a 1 striker system, no world class striker in the world is going to come play for us and pretty much be a sub player.

Speaking of bench where was Riera at tonight?

Injured.Yes we do need a back up striker.Aguero would be perfect do we have the money? who knows.
Silva would be perfect if we kept the same formation.
Aguro if we went to two strikers.

The thing is, we shouldn't have to rely on one system.

We can't rely on just Torres to lead the line in every single game. There'll be games where he's suffocated by defenders and then it's up to Gerrard and co to wade in with their presence. Eight times out of ten, we'll probably be able to assist Torres.

But today was an example of the need to grind out a result and we were lacking all over the pitch.

I really think we need to be versatile this season to make eight times out of ten into ten out of ten. We need a quality striker who wants to win things. Not a world class striker who gets a strop on if he's on the bench.

Rafa, do your stuff.

Problem with that Ken mate is if the defence suffocate Torres and then just mark Gerrard out the game, we have no other option whatever system we use. The rest of our players aren't capable, for long periods of time, to be creative enough or score enough.

Benayoun today looked decent, threatening but it had no end product because Stevie and Nando were so static in their movement.

We might be able to get by the odd game, but if teams continue to do what Spurs did then we're in for a difficult season because I don't see enough money being available to sign the player(s) we need. Teams have worked out how to stop Liverpool and if they do, our other players aren't of enough quality to do it on their own or they don't want the responsibility of trying to do it.

by the end of the game i just couldn't understand why there wasn't more selling and buying going on this summer. Vronin and Babel were worthless and need to be sold before they lose any value. That plus some of the Xabi money should be spent on another striker.

On the positive side, Johnson looked good. My inner optimist also says that this is a crappy start to what is going to be a fabulous season... maybe if i put my ruby slippers and say that enough it will come true 

The biggest weakness was in the centre of the park. Tottenham ran over Lucas and Monster, and cut off our supply to Nando up front. He looked so frustrated from beginning to end. From the first half, the little calls were not going our way, whereas Tottenham were getting the calls. The foul leading up to their first goal is good example.

Stevie tried hard as always, but we just weren't hungry enough. Benayoun improved things when he came on. Makes me think that maybe he should have started. Babel needs to get a bit more mongrel into him. Insua did well, I thought. Thank God for Pepe. They should have scored 5.

I pray that this has given the lads a kick up the arse and our next game is going to be a MASSIVE improvement.

We missed Xabi big time yesterday. Lucas needed to step up to the plate but just did not deliver. Masch did well I think at what he's supposed to do but he's not going to supply Gerrard and the wide men with the space they need and by Lucas's showing yesterday he won't either. I thought Skrtle was hopeless, probably because of the injury.

I'm just so angry because that was a team yesterday we could have beaten but instead got played off the park for large periods. We were lucky not to have been beaten by more. And what's really annoying me is that we are already 3 points behind the other challengers. I know its only after one game but we all saw last season how you need to be almost perfect to win the league.

Thank God for Pepe Reina , if it wasn't for him we would've been humiliated . We lacked going forward . Torres and Gerrard were just not up for it . I actually thought Lucas played well ..at least better than Masch , Kuyt tried hard as always , and Benayoun brought that extra spark and he should've started instead of Babel . This games proves that we need extra cover upfront . Voronin doesn't cut it . .But credit to Totenham they played well and they stopped us where needed . And where the hell was Riera ....I thought he was going to play ? I've never cried so much before ( I'm an emotional softie) so whenever Liverpool lose I break out into this water tank .

But remember guys. Barca lost their first game to Deoptivio La Conrua and went on to win the treble . I'm just hoping this is a kick up the arse and we go on to win our next games  ! It's only the first game if the season we have many more games to recuperate the loss .

YNWA !

We let ourselves down plain and simple.

Relax guys, this was only the first game. United always starts very slow at the start, but pick up the momentum during important phases of the season. Lets hope the reds bounce back from this defeat!!

Why are people critisizing Johnson? I thought he played well. His inspirational runs awarded us a penalty.

The thing is, we shouldn't have to rely on one system.

We can't rely on just Torres to lead the line in every single game. There'll be games where he's suffocated by defenders and then it's up to Gerrard and co to wade in with their presence. Eight times out of ten, we'll probably be able to assist Torres.

But today was an example of the need to grind out a result and we were lacking all over the pitch.

I really think we need to be versatile this season to make eight times out of ten into ten out of ten. We need a quality striker who wants to win things. Not a world class striker who gets a strop on if he's on the bench.

Rafa, do your stuff.

exactly. we need options, more than one formation, more than one decent 11. People have been saying we can't sign a world class striker because they won't get a game. I think that is a fallacy as it leaves us completely dependant on the Torres/Gerrard partnership. As we saw yesterday when they are nullified/don't play well we have nothing else, Yossi did ok but he tends to overplay the ball. After that we had no else on the bench who could have made a difference indeed the Spurs bench was far better than ours.

It was awful to watch  the whole time i thought we did not look like we were going to score a goal we were relying on pens to keep us in the game and yes we should have had two at the end the Voronin 1 and the hand ball but in all honestly we should be relying on scoring goals in open play which did not look likely. Yossi as DLS said was the only positive when he came on things started happening and we seemed to get into the game he was the only one trying things and made a few chances. Kuyt IMO was not in the game, Lucas bullied, Babel useless. Really gutted was hoping for a better start.

Why are people critisizing Johnson? I thought he played well. His inspirational runs awarded us a penalty.

Because his position is right back and he was sh*t in defence.

 Disappointed with what I term an inept display,I know it was our first league match but we have had enough Pre- season games to have played better than we did.I  was hoping Babel would of grabbed the chance to nail a first team place but sadly feel he let us down badly and fully deserved to be replaced by Benayoun.WE only had about 3 players who came away with any credit.Even Stevie looked tired and I said to my grandson he looked as though he had not slept for a couple of nights.One thing for sure things can only improve from here on in,lets start against Stoke and put this bad dream behind us.

Thought this might cheer you guys up ...even the Tottenham fans think that they'll screw up  later on :

Dont worry guys. We will improve as the season rolls on. Riera, Aquillani, Agger, Aurelio have yet to come back into the squad.

Thought this might cheer you guys up ...even the Tottenham fans think that they'll screw up  later on :

That is a welcome post.I think the spurs fans are right about screwing up, its just a pity they did not screw up against us.

Relax guys, this was only the first game. United always starts very slow at the start

Yeah but they carved out a win with their makeshift team where we couldn't.

Sorry hav'nt read every page on this thread.However it was a forgone conclusion that a lot of us have Babel as the sacrificial lamb to the slaughter.Well imo it wasn't Ryan Babel s fault we put in such a lacklustre performance like that.Stevie(worrying about the groin maybe ?)was defo not himself in his movement/usual passing skills.Nando obviously not served very well but also his movement not evident.Johnson,Insua,Lucas gave steady performances.Glad Pepe was on the ball or it could have been a real humiliation.Benny has to start against Stoke he's buzz in like he was 2nd half of last season.We'll be ok I'm sure of that cos IRWT.

Poor performance especially in the first half.

Hopefully it was our Boro away from last season and we'll be back on form and get 6 points from our next two home games.