Liverpool 1-0 Unirea Urziceni - Post Match Cuddles

I don't believe liverpool are playing poor, this is the "standard" and merit  due to RB TACTICS, the body language of SG is one of many sign's that things on the field are not to the teams likening. it hurts me to say that the Manc;s go for the "jugular" unlike RB....hold: contain: break for a-goal and ect, I have been a red for over 50 years and I have never seen a red/team that passes the ball "ACROSS" the field as much as the present one. So much for possesion, this is no indication of the better team on the field. RB is sapping the players confidence.

couldn't agree more. someone with common sense on here. will wonders never cease?

I sometimes wonder what game people were watching! Ngog can't cut it? Left on his own completely isolated, with 3 defenders around him, with really poor service, always given the ball to his chest and never to his feet. What else could he have done?

"why is that striker keep gettin the ball and turning away from goals, and run towards midfeild. He needs to run forward?"

He had to drop deep, he had no support, and he was facing away from goal because noone looked likely to slide a ball through their defence. He had no other options.
So if thats not cutting it, then you're right he didn't cut it....

Carragher MOM? I don't get it. He does a wonderful job at CB, but at RB, he's a real weak link. He offers very little going forward. He gets up there no doubt, and if he's a good 10m away from the defender and has enough time and space to stop the ball, he can put in a decent ball. But really any professional footballer should be able to do that, its not something out of the ordinary.
Carra is never going to beat that defender, he hasn't got the pace and most importantly he can't play the ball while it's moving!!

In a game like last nights we need strong overlapping runs coming from right and left back. Nothing was coming through. Kuyt and Carra on the right side are too slow, it's just too easy to defend. I actually would have liked to see Degen, come on at RM or RB at least when he comes on he has the pace to beat ppl and make things happen.

The whole team were pretty poor and I think the only positive that can be taken was that we didn't concede. But then Unirea really didn't come to attack, so that isn't much.

I am relieved in the end with the score, but like most others would have like us to attack more from the outset, but that is Rafa for you.

My opinion is, once again that gerrard was more dangerous after babel and pacheco came on, when he dropped deeper into a more creative position. Ive been saying all season that we need to use our greatest talent in the most influential position, and each time this has happened,  (after being reduced to 10 against Everton)  (late in the Arsenal match after babel came on)  and again late in this game  we look far better when gerrard drops deeper. 
Personally, I would like to have seen us play with babel and ngog up front with gerrard deeper from the start, but having said that its better late than never.
Credit to pacheco for the knockdown header, and to be fair for most of the 90 ngog got no service, but finished his chance well when it came.
Disappointed in Rierra, who does cut in too much for a winger, and I dont know why kuyt plays great one week and disappears the next, but I wish he cold find some consistency.
The defence were good, although not threatened too often, good to see cara getting forward on occasions.
On the subject of Aquilani, to be fair he has been wrapped in horse placenta for so long its hard to be too expectant too soon. Surely we need to see him play 4 or 5 full games on the trot to judge. I am not sure if he has ever managed that though with his injury history.  (fingers crossed) 

heres hoping we can finish the job in unirea

Maybe it's my personality but I took more positives than negatives from the match.

Our back four didn't put a foot wrong (though they hardly had anything to do). We held possession for better than two-thirds of the match. Another clean sheet. The subs came sooner than later, which is what we were crying for. Babel had a sense of purpose and showed what he can do when put to task.

I'm not blind to the fact that Aquilani was non-existent or that N'gog outside the 18 yard box is not much to look at OR that the left side was poor, but I'm very happy with a victory that took longer than expected to secure.

My motm could've been Babel for his passion but I gave it to Carra. He's marshalls that back line and will be missed when he is gone. Not to mention some nifty play from the right. He has improved at right back and, as usual, gives his all for Liverpool FC.

Honorable mention to Pacheco. What great awareness for such a young kid. The future is bright for him.

I see conversations of people at the games and get so jealous!

I know how you feel, man. One day soon I hope.

We were sh*te today, make no f**king mistake, but some people are on borderline idiocy.

Negative?!?!?! How the f**k is bringing on two attackers f**king negative?

I hate Liverpool fans' attitudes at times. I do.


Agree with the above how can the substitutions be deemed negative, they won us the match. fancy us to progress although teams like Shaktar would kill us if we played like that in later rounds

That couldnt have been the easiest games to have played in. Unirea were content to put 11 men behind the ball and show no interest in attacking. I know they are one of the poorest sides in a European contest but they were organised and werent easy to break down.

That said, we were F***ing brutal. The only positives are a clean sheet and a goal. Too many passengers in the side. I was looking forward to seeing Aquilani against an average joe in midfield and i know who won the battle, it wasnt the little prince.

Ngog was poor but did have sympathy as he had no support. I genuinley believe that Gerrard works best in his advanced role if he is playing behind Torres, not Ngog. If Torres isnt playing Stevie should be in midfield IMO. We have no backup plan or ever alter or system.

To play 4 at the back followed by 2 defensive midfielders and only 1 up front against a team who didnt want to cross the halfway line was riddiculous but im pleased Rafa eventually put on two attacking players which won us the match however our formation is just too negative for me.

Babel and Pacheco did more in the short time they were on than most of the others.

In the return they will have to come at us so should be easier to get in behind them.

Thought stadium was quiet and to top it all off i missed the darts. Bloody Thursday night football 

We were sh*te today, make no f**king mistake, but some people are on borderline idiocy.

Negative?!?!?! How the f**k is bringing on two attackers f**king negative?

I hate Liverpool fans' attitudes at times. I do.

Agree with everything said here and lets not forget that during the treble season we drew 0-0 at Anfield with Rapid Bucharest.

Wasn't the greatest game ever and the way they played didn't help matters, but job done, away goal over there and it will be game over.

Highlight for me was the N'Gog song after he scored, laughs all over the shop when some fans finally realised what the song was we were singing 

Some questions on here about Kuyt it might be down to for some strange reason after scoring 4 in 4 up front Rafa in the last 2 games has started playing him right midfield again where he has been F***ing awful all season.

 If Rafa is intent on playing with 1 up top while Torres is injured surely for matches like City Sunday it has to be Kuyt he gives us a lot more than Ngog and I think if Ngog plays Sunday he will be swallowed up by Lescott and Toure like he was by Vermalen and Gallas.

We were sh*te today, make no f**king mistake, but some people are on borderline idiocy.

Negative?!?!?! How the f**k is bringing on two attackers f**king negative?

I hate Liverpool fans' attitudes at times. I do.

Agree with the above how can the substitutions be deemed negative, they won us the match. fancy us to progress although teams like Shaktar would kill us if we played like that in later rounds

Tezmac said the tactics were negative, not the substitutions, and I agree with him.

We should have been going for the throat against this lot, with Kuyt and N'Gog up-front, Stevie and Aquilani in the middle - but it wasn't to be.

I'm also confused as to why Lucas was brought on for N'Gog, wouldn't that mean we're playing 4-6-0?

I'm also confused as to why Lucas was brought on for N'Gog, wouldn't that mean we're playing 4-6-0?

N'Gog came off with an injury, Pacheco dropped to the right, Kuyt went up front.

As Kenny said earlier it was a mystery to me why Aquilani was playing so deep surely it's gotta be the other way around with him and Stevie but having said that no one really shone until the late subs.

Some questions on here about Kuyt it might be down to for some strange reason after scoring 4 in 4 up front Rafa in the last 2 games has started playing him right midfield again where he has been f**king awful all season.

 If Rafa is intent on playing with 1 up top while Torres is injured surely for matches like City Sunday it has to be Kuyt he gives us a lot more than Ngog and I think if Ngog plays Sunday he will be swallowed up by Lescott and Toure like he was by Vermalen and Gallas.

I think this is quite right. Ngog can't play all on his own upfront, I would prefer to see Kuyt playing that role. However from Rafa's point of view, who does he put at right mid if benayoun isn't back?

Also anyone who thinks Aquilani is getting anywhere near the starting line-up on sunday (bar injuries) is a crazy man.

As Kenny said earlier it was a mystery to me why Aquilani was playing so deep surely it's gotta be the other way around with him and Stevie but having said that no one really shone until the late subs.

I thought that Rafa bought Aquilani to replace Xabi, and Xabi allways played deeper than Gerrard?

Look on the bright side. Our beloved leader's substitute alarm clock is working perfectly.

No matter what the players are doing, with a couple of them playing absolute  rubbish, don't bring any subs on unitl 60 minutes or later.

Brilliant, Absolutely brilliant.

25mins, when some dude was taking a free kick. Check out the handsome b***ard on camera wearing the grey coat

I made the decision last night to stay outside, I had a ticket but in the end me and Mottman went rond all the chippys and pbs giving flyers out for the benefit night, watched bits and pieces but every pub we went in they were all moaning about the game.

Our players were confused after rafa sent them out to play rugby rules. The team rule was you must pass the ball backwards.

In the dying embers, one of our much maligned and least played twitterers (babel) stuffed up and crossed the ball slightly in a forward manner.
two other maligned youngsters, (ngog and pacheco) broke the team rule and ran into the 6 yard box and exchanged headers to poke it in the onion bag. All the first team regulars looked on in amazement as they wondered how these youngsters would dare to break the rules and attack the opponent.
The first team regulars took heart in the fact that these 3 rebels will receive punishment for their sin and wont be featuring too often in the near future.

correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this his team? he constructed it, he bought the players, he determines the tactics. there are none so blind as those who refuse to see.

Yeah, its his team. But he is trying to construct a Ferrari out of parts for a Volvo, basically. He wants to build a great side as much as any of us, but the fact is a lot of players we have were not his first choice either. He is keeping us in a position to qualify for Europe on a budget that Birmingham would scoff at! And the tactics he employs work when the players play to them. Pretty sure he was the manager when we were playing the best football in the world last season. And that was because the players were playing to their best as well as knowing the system. I don't think Benitez has changed THAT much that the players just suddenly don't know what they are doing!

Our players were confused after rafa sent them out to play rugby rules. The team rule was you must pass the ball backwards.

In the dying embers, one of our much maligned and least played twitterers (babel) stuffed up and crossed the ball slightly in a forward manner.
two other maligned youngsters, (ngog and pacheco) broke the team rule and ran into the 6 yard box and exchanged headers to poke it in the onion bag. All the first team regulars looked on in amazement as they wondered how these youngsters would dare to break the rules and attack the opponent.
The first team regulars took heart in the fact that these 3 rebels will receive punishment for their sin and wont be featuring too often in the near future.

As always, really just sh*t, that. Pacheco 'maligned'?

And for the rest of it, just sarcastic drivel. Seeing too much of that from people lately!

We were f***in woeful TBH, But its a win and a clean sheet, There's not a lot we can take from this game and was typical of our play this season, I thought the first 5 mins were pretty encouraging but once they got behind the ball it was very difficult to break them down, Don't forget we were without Benny who would have opened them up and of course no Nando to F**k up their defence, So all in all its a win and i cant see them posing too many probs at theirs. I to hope that Nando will be back for the return leg, I just hope to F**k Reira misses the plane.

I thought that Rafa bought Aquilani to replace Xabi, and Xabi allways played deeper than Gerrard?

Xabi did indeed play a deeper roll than Stevie as for a replacement nobody could replace him and Aquilani will no doubt eventually take up a forward position.

Just leave it out eh fella. Your getting snidey comments because like Joey said, Thick and Thin.

Get tired of seeing all the bitching when we lose so lets not have it when we win too. Lets look for the positives for once instead...

I'd still support Liverpool if they were playing in the Championship.

The problem i am getting, more and more recently is looking for positives in games. Its a depressing state of affairs when the negatives far outweigh the positive.

Babel pulling his finger out and Pacheco getting another chance and an assist was great. Even Rafa pulling players off earlier than his usual post 65mins was a welcome change.

However, it was the same boring side to side football thats becoming a worrying trade mark this season. We move the ball too slowly. We don't have players who can go past other players. There is practically no movement off the ball. On the rare occurences we do get the ball into the box theres no one on the end of it. We're lucky if theres anyone there at all. Aquilani still looks lost in the middle of the park. There is no penetration through the middle. The only time it looked like anything might, it was when Gerrard was moved back into a central position. 

 

We don't have players who can go past other players. Aquilani still looks lost in the middle of the park.
 

Don't agree with the first bit, Torres and Yossi can ghost past players with ease, Johnson can get past his man too. Thing is these 3 are all out injured
But Babel can when he is up for the game, as can Riera and Gerrard.

Aquilani is looking lost there because he shouldn't be playing there, end of story. I don't care what other people say with regards to "well he played there and done a good job for Roma" Roma is an Italian team, Italian teams play at a slower tempo and that is something you cant get away with in our League. He is made for that position in Italian football, in English football he is much more effective in the Gerrard role from what i have seen and when he has played there he has looked like a good signing, has much more of an influence on the game. IMO he should always play there and shift Stevie 'I want to throw my arms about' Gerrard either on the right wing or into centre mid.

I think people are too quick to write off Alberto in the middle of the park. I think he can be a dynamic player in the centre, but just needs time.