Portsmouth 2-0 Liverpool: Post Match Depression

Ive turned or Rafa . . . get the f**k out you aint gonna win sh*t!

And what would your answer be as a replacement Einstein?

Rafael Benitez has been this clubs greatest manager since Kenny Dalglish, a bad run of form and bell ends like you are calling for his head.

F***ing shameful.

And what would your answer be as a replacement Einstein?

Rafael Benitez has been this clubs greatest manager since Kenny Dalglish, a bad run of form and bell ends like you are calling for his head.

F***ing shameful.

Glad you mentioned Kenny, BRING KENNY BACK AS MANAGER!!

Why? So you and everyone else like you can wallow in nostalgia?

Glad you mentioned Kenny, BRING KENNY BACK AS MANAGER!!

Lmao, so not are you only letting the media lead in blind faith in calling for Rafa's head, you have not had the insight to think about a possible replacement and have needed a fellow forumite to lead you in blind faith to choosing King Kenny as our Saviour.

F***ing hell lad don't let your mind wander it's far too little to be let out on its own.

Glad you mentioned Kenny, BRING KENNY BACK AS MANAGER!!

Why did he take the Ambassadors role at the club?

Is it because he doesn't wany any management job soon, because Marina is still in remission from suffering from cancer.

He may be the King, but he won't be our saviour for the next couple of years!

I'm finding it hard to come to terms with what's now going on at my football club. Even when we win we don't seem to take any confidence from it, we still follow it up with another lackluster, passionless, going through the motions match. That's exactly what yesterday was. Passionless. They just turned up in body but certainly not spirit.

Their first goal came from more defensive mistakes from our full backs - there's a surprise (!). Insua didn't do enough then switched off while that Belhadj fella strolled in behind him and where the F**k Johnson was trying to head the ball to I don't know. Still, great finish from the Pompey lad.

Their second goal came from more defensive mistakes, this time the two centre halves. Agger allowed Boateng (I think) to put a cross in far too easily, especially considering where he was on the pitch and then Carragher allowed that Piquionne lad to get in front of him, control it and finish without our number 23 even putting in a challenge.

The rest of the team just wasn't up to scratch and hasn't been for most of the season. A midfield of Kuyt, Lucas, Mascherano and Dossena isn't gonna create anything - period.

Then you've got Gerrard walking around with a face like a slapped arse just because he isn't gonna win the league. Well I've got news for you Stevie lad, as captain of this club and a boyhood fan it's up to you to F***ing drag this club through the bad times. It's all very well doing it in finals, but it's at times like these where we really need your leadership to shine through. Where you need to show your true quality as a footballer not as a spoilt kid. It sickens me to the bottom of me stomach to have a go at Gerrard but he's not untouchable and when he's not performing to the level a Liverpool captain should be, he has to expect some criticism coming his way.

I don't expect Stevie to be the match winner every single week, others around him also have to pull their F***ing fingers out, but right now Stevie doesn't look like he's even arsed. Doesn't look like he has it in him to drag us through the bad times. It's all very well taking the plaudits when things are going smoothly but when times are hard, that's when the real characters stand up and be counted.

Unfortunately, with the exception of Reina, I don't think anybody is standing up.

Back to the Pompey game, I didn't understand not bringing Ngog on. The one lad who does seem to have a bit of confidence, the one lad on the bench likely to grab a goal is left sitting on the bench freezing his arse off. I'm all for Spearing getting given a go but not when we're two down with two minutes to go in a must win game. I'm sorry but Jay wasn't gonna do anything to change the course of that game. With 10 or 15 minutes to go (if not F***ing earlier) Ngog could of come on and maybe grabbed himself another or at least given Torres a bit of support so the Spaniard didn't have to try and take on six every time he picked the ball like he was for much of the game.

All in all, a disgrace. A team filled with players who simply aren't playing well enough for this club. There's no fight, there's no passion, there's no F***ing effort. Changes have to be made, either the selection of players or the tactics. The longer we persist with this group of players and/or this system, the worse it's gonna get. We can't consistently play players and just hope they find form, if they haven't found it between the season starting and Christmas then that tells me they're not gonna find it anytime soon.

We have to try something different, whether that's revert back to a 4-4-2 for a couple of weeks like we did when we twatted Hull 6-1 with Stevie in the middle and Kuyt partnering Torres up top or whether we just say F**k it, Kelly you're coming in for a couple of games and Johnson you're going right wing. Pacheco you're gonna get a run out for a few weeks, Stevie you're dropping back into the middle and Lucas or Masch you're being dropped.

We have to do something drastically quick because this run of (bad) form has gone on for too F***ing long for it to be considered just a blip. And the Portsmouth game was the worst of the lot, so ahead of the Wolves game we're gonna need to change something.

With the teams ahead of us starting to pull away, we're in danger of being left behind fighting it out with Birmingham, Fulham and Sunderland for ninth. So the time for change is now.

At the end of last season I couldn't fathom I'd have to watch my club go under with performances like we did against Portsmouth but unfortunately we are.

Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano will serve a four-match ban after his sending-off at Fratton Park on Saturday.

The Argentina captain was shown a straight red card by referee Lee Mason and now faces his second suspension of the season.

Mascherano will miss the forthcoming games against Wolves, Aston Villa, the FA Cup third round tie at Reading and the league clash with Tottenham on January 10.

However, his participation in at least some of those games would have been in doubt anyway as he had to be helped off the field having been shown the red card and is believed to have sustained medial knee ligament damage.

The absence of the Argentine star, who was just starting to rediscover his form, will be another blow to Benitez.

http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Liverpool-midfielder-Javier-Mascherano-to-serve-four-match-ban-for-Portsmouth-red-card-article264411.html


Guess we will see more Aquilani soon.

Rafa will probably stick Plessis in there just to piss us off.

I'm finding it hard to come to terms with what's now going on at my football club. Even when we win we don't seem to take any confidence from it, we still follow it up with another lackluster, passionless, going through the motions match. That's exactly what yesterday was. Passionless. They just turned up in body but certainly not spirit.

Their first goal came from more defensive mistakes from our full backs - there's a surprise (!). Insua didn't do enough then switched off while that Belhadj fella strolled in behind him and where the f**k Johnson was trying to head the ball to I don't know. Still, great finish from the Pompey lad.

Their second goal came from more defensive mistakes, this time the two centre halves. Agger allowed Boateng (I think) to put a cross in far too easily, especially considering where he was on the pitch and then Carragher allowed that Piquionne lad to get in front of him, control it and finish without our number 23 even putting in a challenge.

The rest of the team just wasn't up to scratch and hasn't been for most of the season. A midfield of Kuyt, Lucas, Mascherano and Dossena isn't gonna create anything - period.

Then you've got Gerrard walking around with a face like a slapped arse just because he isn't gonna win the league. Well I've got news for you Stevie lad, as captain of this club and a boyhood fan it's up to you to f**king drag this club through the bad times. It's all very well doing it in finals, but it's at times like these where we really need your leadership to shine through. Where you need to show your true quality as a footballer not as a spoilt kid. It sickens me to the bottom of me stomach to have a go at Gerrard but he's not untouchable and when he's not performing to the level a Liverpool captain should be, he has to expect some criticism coming his way.

I don't expect Stevie to be the match winner every single week, others around him also have to pull their f**king fingers out, but right now Stevie doesn't look like he's even arsed. Doesn't look like he has it in him to drag us through the bad times. It's all very well taking the plaudits when things are going smoothly but when times are hard, that's when the real characters stand up and be counted.

Unfortunately, with the exception of Reina, I don't think anybody is standing up.

Back to the Pompey game, I didn't understand not bringing Ngog on. The one lad who does seem to have a bit of confidence, the one lad on the bench likely to grab a goal is left sitting on the bench freezing his arse off. I'm all for Spearing getting given a go but not when we're two down with two minutes to go in a must win game. I'm sorry but Jay wasn't gonna do anything to change the course of that game. With 10 or 15 minutes to go (if not f**king earlier) Ngog could of come on and maybe grabbed himself another or at least given Torres a bit of support so the Spaniard didn't have to try and take on six every time he picked the ball like he was for much of the game.

All in all, a disgrace. A team filled with players who simply aren't playing well enough for this club. There's no fight, there's no passion, there's no f**king effort. Changes have to be made, either the selection of players or the tactics. The longer we persist with this group of players and/or this system, the worse it's gonna get. We can't consistently play players and just hope they find form, if they haven't found it between the season starting and Christmas then that tells me they're not gonna find it anytime soon.

We have to try something different, whether that's revert back to a 4-4-2 for a couple of weeks like we did when we twatted Hull 6-1 with Stevie in the middle and Kuyt partnering Torres up top or whether we just say f**k it, Kelly you're coming in for a couple of games and Johnson you're going right wing. Pacheco you're gonna get a run out for a few weeks, Stevie you're dropping back into the middle and Lucas or Masch you're being dropped.

We have to do something drastically quick because this run of (bad) form has gone on for too f**king long for it to be considered just a blip. And the Portsmouth game was the worst of the lot, so ahead of the Wolves game we're gonna need to change something.

With the teams ahead of us starting to pull away, we're in danger of being left behind fighting it out with Birmingham, Fulham and Sunderland for ninth. So the time for change is now.

At the end of last season I couldn't fathom I'd have to watch my club go under with performances like we did against Portsmouth but unfortunately we are.

Summed up perfectly DLS! Gutless and heartless from all of them yesterday and like you say we need someone like Gerrard to stand up and take this lot by the scruff of the neck and say look, do you realise who we are playing for here?? Lets show a bit of balls and play like we know we can!

I'm finding it hard to come to terms with what's now going on at my football club. Even when we win we don't seem to take any confidence from it, we still follow it up with another lackluster, passionless, going through the motions match. That's exactly what yesterday was. Passionless. They just turned up in body but certainly not spirit.

Their first goal came from more defensive mistakes from our full backs - there's a surprise (!). Insua didn't do enough then switched off while that Belhadj fella strolled in behind him and where the F**k Johnson was trying to head the ball to I don't know. Still, great finish from the Pompey lad.

Their second goal came from more defensive mistakes, this time the two centre halves. Agger allowed Boateng (I think) to put a cross in far too easily, especially considering where he was on the pitch and then Carragher allowed that Piquionne lad to get in front of him, control it and finish without our number 23 even putting in a challenge.

The rest of the team just wasn't up to scratch and hasn't been for most of the season. A midfield of Kuyt, Lucas, Mascherano and Dossena isn't gonna create anything - period.

Then you've got Gerrard walking around with a face like a slapped arse just because he isn't gonna win the league. Well I've got news for you Stevie lad, as captain of this club and a boyhood fan it's up to you to F***ing drag this club through the bad times. It's all very well doing it in finals, but it's at times like these where we really need your leadership to shine through. Where you need to show your true quality as a footballer not as a spoilt kid. It sickens me to the bottom of me stomach to have a go at Gerrard but he's not untouchable and when he's not performing to the level a Liverpool captain should be, he has to expect some criticism coming his way.

I don't expect Stevie to be the match winner every single week, others around him also have to pull their F***ing fingers out, but right now Stevie doesn't look like he's even arsed. Doesn't look like he has it in him to drag us through the bad times. It's all very well taking the plaudits when things are going smoothly but when times are hard, that's when the real characters stand up and be counted.

Unfortunately, with the exception of Reina, I don't think anybody is standing up.

Back to the Pompey game, I didn't understand not bringing Ngog on. The one lad who does seem to have a bit of confidence, the one lad on the bench likely to grab a goal is left sitting on the bench freezing his arse off. I'm all for Spearing getting given a go but not when we're two down with two minutes to go in a must win game. I'm sorry but Jay wasn't gonna do anything to change the course of that game. With 10 or 15 minutes to go (if not F***ing earlier) Ngog could of come on and maybe grabbed himself another or at least given Torres a bit of support so the Spaniard didn't have to try and take on six every time he picked the ball like he was for much of the game.

All in all, a disgrace. A team filled with players who simply aren't playing well enough for this club. There's no fight, there's no passion, there's no F***ing effort. Changes have to be made, either the selection of players or the tactics. The longer we persist with this group of players and/or this system, the worse it's gonna get. We can't consistently play players and just hope they find form, if they haven't found it between the season starting and Christmas then that tells me they're not gonna find it anytime soon.

We have to try something different, whether that's revert back to a 4-4-2 for a couple of weeks like we did when we twatted Hull 6-1 with Stevie in the middle and Kuyt partnering Torres up top or whether we just say F**k it, Kelly you're coming in for a couple of games and Johnson you're going right wing. Pacheco you're gonna get a run out for a few weeks, Stevie you're dropping back into the middle and Lucas or Masch you're being dropped.

We have to do something drastically quick because this run of (bad) form has gone on for too F***ing long for it to be considered just a blip. And the Portsmouth game was the worst of the lot, so ahead of the Wolves game we're gonna need to change something.

With the teams ahead of us starting to pull away, we're in danger of being left behind fighting it out with Birmingham, Fulham and Sunderland for ninth. So the time for change is now.

At the end of last season I couldn't fathom I'd have to watch my club go under with performances like we did against Portsmouth but unfortunately we are.

Summed up everything I've felt since the match exactly.

It's like we're doing nothing to get out of this terrible streak, just throwing on the same lads in the same formation and hoping for the best. The players are doing awful, the owners have always been sh*te, and Rafa is sticking to tactics and team selection that just haven't been performing.

Worst match I've seen in a long, long while. I haven't been that angry in ages, and haven't posted on here to avoid saying things in anger that I might not really mean.

This match was a disgrace to the history of the club, to the shirt and everything it means, a disgrace to us, the fans, who follow them so passionately. A defeat I can accept, but a heartless, pathetic performance without an ounce of effort or fight will never be acceptable to me.

Everything was wrong, and it is up to the players and manager to change that from now until the end of the season, if they have any respect for themselves and us.

The team is unrecognisable right now.

From Shankly to Rafa, we've followed our team.
Rome to Istanbul, we've all lived the dream.
Our journey is long, our goal stays the same.
To keep for our children, the famous red name.
Wherever we are, wherever we stay.
Be sure the Kopites will seize the day.
For this is our destiny, our passion and pride.
Liverpool Football Club, the worlds greatest side.

i wanna see kuyt and torres up front. babel and benayoun on the wings. give aquilani a chance in the middle with mascherano and gerrard. then carra in the centre of defence wirh aurelio and johnson either side, with reina in goal obviously. on the bench ngog, riera, skrtel, agger, and whoever else you want to chuck in. seriously, it couldn't be any worse than now...

Carra on his own in the middle of defence?

Have you lost your f***in mind?!!

Carra on his own in the middle of defence?

Have you lost your f***in mind?!!

With 2 players next to him whose defending is questionable at best

Thank F**k Rafa is in charge

With 2 players next to him whose defending is questionable at best

Thank f**k Rafa is in charge

Naa, go 'ead, give him Rafa's job.

As he says;

seriously, it couldn't be any worse than now...

It'd be hilarious!

It would end in suicide, but it'd be hilarious.

Regardless of the match. Everton are only (2) points from Relegation!

A bit of good news in a sea of negative.

Regardless of the match. Everton are only (2) points from Relegation!

A bit of good news in a sea of negative.

We should have a 'Going Down Thread'.

We should have a 'Going Down Thread'.

Cue RedLFCBlood.

Queue RedLFCBlood.

Ahem, cue RedLFCBlood.

Ahem, cue RedLFCBlood.

Just testing you.

At the end of last season I couldn't fathom I'd have to watch my club go under with performances like we did against Portsmouth but unfortunately we are.

Good points Billy. Especially this. Reckon the team need to get last season out of their system now. It's gone.

F***ing hell, didn't bother reading the whole thread ...still too shattered to relive that game again.

What the F**k is going on with our beloved club?

No commitment, no passion and no fight. It's not the Liverpool we know.

As DLS said, something's up with Stevie. He just looked like he couldn't be arsed.

As much as I love Nando it's time he went back to those black boots, to me he looks a bit out of touch and he just keeps distracting himself by getting angry all the time.

Dirk was just terrible, can't understand why Rafa is keeping persisting with him.+

What gets me most though is Rafa's team selection and subs, most importantly the subs.

Fair enough that the team he put out there should have accounted for the team last on the ladder. OK so we go 1 down, what's new? Then we lose Masch...down to 10. We make it to half time 1 goal and 1 man down.

At this stage I think, OK make the subs Rafa. Take Insua off,put Aurelio on (attacking player when it comes to set pieces and delivery). Take Dossena off put Benni on (creative and attacking) . Take the terrible Kuyt off and put N'Gog on (attacking).
Go 3-4-2

Then we have a team that looks like this.


               Pepe

   Johnson Carra Agger

Benni  Gerrard Lucas Aurelio

          N'Gog Torres

It now means we have 6 attacking players on the pitch instead of the 3 he had on before the subs were made.

We're chasing a game with a man less. Instead of being more defensive, go for it. If we get hit on the counter going for it, I'm not gonna feel as sick as I do now, knowing that we didn't go heel for leather for the win. Rafa was just trying to not concede another goal when he really should have been going all out to win it.

Of course the inevitable happened and we got hit for another one. What a F***ing shame that on a day one of our best ever players to pull on a RED shirt, was supposed to be celebrating a wonderful achievement of reaching 600 games, the lads and the Manager didn't put in the effort to make it a memorable occasion.

Oh well, like a lot of us on here, I just want this F***ing year to finish ......roll on 2010 and hopefully the lads can pull their fingers out. At the moment it just feels like the hole world is against us. Sooner or later we'll get things right and before anyone says it, I still hope Rafa is the man to lead us down the right path. I just want him to think more attacking for the rest of the season and see where it takes us.

Tal Ben Haim has accused Fernando Torres of leading with his elbow when challenging him in Portsmouth's win over Liverpool on Saturday.

The Israeli centre-half enjoyed a fine game in helping his side keep a clean sheet but was in the wars, as first Javier Mascherano was red carded for a crunching tackle on him, before Torres appeared to catch him with an elbow.

Ben Haim admitted he had to stay calm to protect the lead against Rafa Benitez's men and boost his side's hopes of Premier League survival.

"I thought he came with the elbow," he conceded.

The former Chelsea player insists Avram Grant's men had the last laugh by earning their valuable win.

"At the end of the day this challenge and other challenges are not important," he said.

"In the game there are many challenges that you could say maybe it's yellow or maybe it's red. It's part of the game and you need to continue playing.

"I don't pay much attention to that stuff because after that immediately you have to be focused and you don't want to make stupid challenges to get yourself sent off and leave your team-mates a man down. You need to control yourself. It was good for me to be like that."

Ben Haim was also involved in the tackle that led to Mascherano getting a straight red card in the first half, which Benitez felt changed the game.

"I thought that it was a good decision by the referee," he said.

"Especially as I moved the ball when he came. It's part of the game so you have to take it."

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_5790238,00.html

Squealer. Deserves a wedgie this softie.

Didn't see Lucas squealing in the press when he was elbowed and bled.

Ben Haim's little payback towards Torres. Still bitter perhaps that he was the first of many to be served by Torres in the league!