FC Kaiserslautern 1-0 Liverpool FC: In game and Post Match Discussion

Is it worth watching?

What ponting batting first?

A extremely unimaginative Liverpool performance a bit like the last match, we will have F**k all strength in depth this year. Purslow isn't finished selling players.

Anyone still think woy is the man for the job?

What ponting batting first?

Nah, the match?

 Was their team their 1st team?

Can i take it that this game isn't really worth watching then?.

Can i take it that this game isn't really worth watching then?.

Not unless you've got a strong urge for suicide mate and if that's the case, I'd recommend any cold play album.

Roy's post match interview.  Good to hear that some of the lads have caught his eye.

Roy Hodgson expects Jay Spearing to be a regular member of Liverpool's first-team squad next season after the youngster impressed in Saturday's 1-0 friendly defeat to Kaiserslautern.

The Reds boss was full of praise for his fledgling side after they more than held their own against an experienced German outfit and he was keen to pick out the No. 26 for his impact on the pre-season so far.

"Spearing in particular has done well over the last two games and definitely deserves to be a part of our first-team squad," Hodgson told Liverpoolfc.tv. "I can understand why so many clubs are interested in loaning him. It's the same with Kelly, Eccleston and Amoo. They have all done well.

"It was an outstanding performance from the young lads. I'm disappointed for them because of the way they worked and fought throughout the game. We gave an unfortunate goal away and we got caught out. I expected that to happen more than it actually did.

"I'm a bit frustrated for them because we contained Kaiserslautern so well and I felt we should have done better with the possession we had. It wasn't as good as it should be. These young players are capable of passing it better than they did. But in terms of work rate and desire we can't fault them. It's a good end to the camp."

The young Reds went down to Iilan Micanski's first-half strike but always looked dangerous on the counter attack.

Hodgson felt their performance was worthy of the draw and is confident the majority of those on show will make an impact on the first-team during 2010-11.

"If we'd have drawn 0-0 I don't think anyone could have said we were lucky," he said. "I think they had their work cut out. The shape of our team after just 10 days working together was good and the movement of the likes of Amoo and Ince was also good.

"They are both Academy players, but you'd have thought they'd have been playing in the Bundesliga all their lives. It was the same at the back with Kelly and Ayala. They did a fantastic job.

"Most of these players here will be part of our squad. One or two are exceptionally young, like Jack Robinson and Victor Palsson and maybe they won't be that involved in the first-team squad, but a lot of the others will."

The boss has been pleased with the players' efforts over the course of their Swiss camp and is now looking forward to joining up with the senior members of his squad when they return to Melwood.

"Overall it's been fantastic," he said. "If we'd have got a result in this game it may have been perfect - maybe that's a good thing so that we didn't do too well. We can now realise that even if you do well there is still work for us to do. But again, I couldn't be happier with the way the players have responded to the work.

"We'll see how many seniors we get now. I want a squad of about 25 players and we'll see how many of these are involved in it now."

Good to see some players have caught Roys attention-

I would love to see Spearing get a run-in with the first team, although i dont know when as we have talented midfielders, i always think he makes that extra effort.

Spearing is not good enough if we are being honest, was over on Rawk while the site was down and they think that comment was a piss take by Hodgson.

What these 2 games show us as well, if we don't buy a striker we are in serious trouble. Not getting a striker last season cost us and it will again this season, Ngog is just not up to it. His all around game is absolutely awful, £6 million for him is a joke.

Spearing is not good enough if we are being honest, was over on Rawk while the site was down and they think that comment was a piss take by Hodgson.

What these 2 games show us as well, if we don't buy a striker we are in serious trouble. Not getting a striker last season cost us and it will again this season, Ngog is just not up to it. His all around game is absolutely awful, £6 million for him is a joke.

Stop on post mate. I agree on both accounts. Need another striker, and I don't think Spearing can cut it for us. At all.

Stop on post mate. I agree on both accounts. Need another striker, and I don't think Spearing can cut it for us. At all.

Seconded. We need to ship N'gog out and Spearing is a sub at best. He's too reckless and not good enough

I wouldn't look anything into Hodgson, he was just trying to find positives in 2 extremely negative performances, we didn't create a decent chance in 2 games. Since we sold Keane for £12 million in January last year we have never replaced him.

 Ngog is as mediocre a striker as there is in the Premership. Absolute vital we buy a striker but then I'm saying that since we sold Keane.

Ngog can't hold the ball up, his head goes down too quickly, he's a lightweight and needs to cowboy up a lot
Spearing is good but will never be a great
Lucas looks just as ordinary as ever - regardless of who we play
Shelvey and Ince show real promise
Ayala and Kelly look sound enough though Ayala was caught napping a few times, perhaps a bit out of position - nothing experience can't fix
Deggen is just...not very good at all
Darby looks good too, nothing special but a solid display, looks comfortable in the back
Eccleston, busy in 2 games with zero end product
Amoo looks tricky but was caught in possession way too much time on the ball, he'll learn


That's 180 minutes of football and not one save made by the opposition's goalkeepers. Even if it was 180 minutes of actual training, you'd have to raise an eyebrow.

That's 180 minutes of football and not one save made by the opposition's goalkeepers. Even if it was 180 minutes of actual training, you'd have to raise an eyebrow.

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Yes very worrying tha lack of threat in the last two games

I really rate Ince and Amoo.

I blame Rafa!

Thought Ngog just wasn't on same wavelength as the others, couple times reacted too slow to forward passes, needs to show more urgency, far to languid, Kelly played well I thought. Not too confident in the keeper.

Thought Ngog just wasn't on same wavelength as the others, couple times reacted too slow to forward passes, needs to show more urgency, far to languid, Kelly played well I thought. Not too confident in the keeper.

Languid describes Ngog perfectly

As for goalkeepers, I was really impressed with Gulacsi the other night

I fully expected us to lose this game today, Kaiserslautern are a big step up from Grasshoppers. It's all about seeing which youngsters have promise at the minute.
Last year we had a very bad pre season and it effected our confidence for the premier league, but last year in our preseason matches a lot of our first team players were involved. This time it's a lot of players who won't see a lot of first action.

I won't be panicing over this result, although it might make Roy rethink his team for the Europa match.

Ngog can't hold the ball up, his head goes down too quickly, he's a lightweight and needs to cowboy up a lot
Spearing is good but will never be a great
Lucas looks just as ordinary as ever - regardless of who we play
Shelvey and Ince show real promise
Ayala and Kelly look sound enough though Ayala was caught napping a few times, perhaps a bit out of position - nothing experience can't fix
Deggen is just...not very good at all
Darby looks good too, nothing special but a solid display, looks comfortable in the back
Eccleston, busy in 2 games with zero end product
Amoo looks tricky but was caught in possession way too much time on the ball, he'll learn


That's 180 minutes of football and not one save made by the opposition's goalkeepers. Even if it was 180 minutes of actual training, you'd have to raise an eyebrow.

Is right,top post mate,well in.

Some good posts in here regarding the individual players- im glad we all agree!
When i have said something negative about Ngog- i get aload of bollocks about how good he his and he is still young, blah blah blah...

Ngog would not get a first team place in any other premiership club, he should stay in the reserves where he belongs.

I am hoping with Roy as our manager who will have a different take on things to Rafa- we will not be seeing Ngog unless we are 3 or 4-0 up.

Some good posts in here regarding the individual players- im glad we all agree!
When i have said something negative about Ngog- i get aload of bollocks about how good he his and he is still young, blah blah blah...

Ngog would not get a first team place in any other premiership club, he should stay in the reserves where he belongs.

I am hoping with Roy as our manager who will have a different take on things to Rafa- we will not be seeing Ngog unless we are 3 or 4-0 up.

I agree I thought after getting so many games last year that he would have benefitted from them this season, but he still looks like a headless chicken, even against weak opposition. He cannot be our back up for torres for another season!