Birmingham 0-0 Liverpool: In-game & post-match midfield bashing

Unbelievable.

It's a freaking no brainer that two defensive midfielders don't work even if you have the world's complete player and world's best forward in front.

It does work mate but you need 2 very attacking fullbacks and 2 amazing wingers. All we have is Glen Johnson. It will never work for liverpool. I agree with you 100% this needs scrapping for LFC. Personally I'd like 1 defensive midfielder, wait for it........ Lucas. I know he's not the most capable player in the world but I think he could step up and do a job until the transfer market if not permanent, somewhat in the role of Didi. If Lucas is good at something then its breaking up play, putting a foot in, + he has bags of stamina.

Also I'd like to point out Gerrard playing behind Torres( I know Cole was suspended), 2 seasons ago maybe, but each time I see this play I'm less convinced. I would like to see Stevie more center of the field as I feel since the Alonso days we are missing the key forward/through balls which neither Poulsen or Lucas could dream of providing. That's the key link we are missing, we look okay until the final third. All these backwards and side passing doesn't benefit the team and with Stevie's natural ambition to drive forward I believe this would be key.

I would like Gerrard and Meireles behind Joe Cole, like most fans but to be honest after today's game that Meireles looks like he likes to get forward to much(good thing) to play a defencive role at the club, that's why I feel Lucas behind the back two followed by either Gerrard/Meireles( Cole wide) or Gerrard/cole could work.

Bring on the bad karma.

All I can say is think Xabi Alonso, he knew where the ball was going before he even received it himself, think Poulson and Lucas, they have no idea what they are going to do with the ball the moment they receive it, it makes a great difference to your offensive play.

Not true at all.  Poulsen knows exactly what he is going to do with the ball.  Stop, turn around and pass it backwards.

In fairness Lucas had a terrible game I would of taken him off after 20 minutes he was that bad. Not convinced by Konchesky either the bad out weighed the good in my opinion, he gave alot of balls away with bad passing but I cant fully slate him its only his first game but he was a quick fix buy, cant see him lasting hope im wrong though. On a positive note there was signs of the squad getting back to normal early on but only lasted a bit. One or two more games and the team will gel better

Konchesky put a decent ball in from the left which Torres miscontrolled.

I didn't deem that sh*t pass backwards to the edge of the box as a cross.  Not in my book.  More like a pass from someone out wide.

Torres could have wore a 10 gallon hat today and still nobody would have been able to have hit his head.

sh*t, sh*t, sh*t, ........................ ..........

Its a loooonnng week ahead now until Thursday. Our next match in Europa.
We fail again to capitalise on rival teams bad result.

I didn't deem that sh*t pass backwards to the edge of the box as a cross.  Not in my book.  More like a pass from someone out wide.

If you are looking for rain, you'll spit in your own eye to find it I guess...

It was a good run and pull back, Torres should have left it for Stevie.

Must remind people that Torres didn't have a particularly good game.

Must remind people that Torres didn't have a particularly good game.

Difference being we all know Torres has ability and is one of the best players in the World where as the likes of Poulsen has no ability and will never in all eternity become a very good player let alone a world class player. Also there is only so much Nando can do on his own so if the service isn't there then he isn't going to have a chance to play at the level he can.

Difference being we all know Torres has ability and is one of the best players in the World where as the likes of Poulsen has no ability and will never in all eternity become a very good player let alone a world class player.

Yes. But don't worry guys we've got the cavalry coming in in the form of Mereiles and Cole, One if not both of Lucas and Poulsen will be dropped  as well as the improving fitness of Torres! Come on let's be optimistic!

Let's f**king do it!

Really? I must watch again as I didnt see anything from him to suggest he's a prem league player let alone a Liverpool one. Watch in the first half were he smashes into the back of Poulsen as they both go for a header. To me thats Lucas Liverpool trademark only tackles he goes full in on and wins are against team mates!! Id sat he averages 1 a game 

Lucas didnt do well today but what about rest of the team then? stray headers from skrtel? not one single cross in the whole game from both wide players? whole team (excluding reina) was sh*te. period

 I am disappointed with the class of football we played at Birmingham and so pleased that we had Reina in goal,definitely man of the match for me.I could not understand why we did not play Merelies from the kick off,when he came on we did appear to get some life in the team and you could see that he has got a football brain.Most of the players were ineffective but I could not work out what position Maxi was playing(could it be my old age I wonder.As mentioned by an earlier poster it was like watching one of last seasons games and that type of football is not good enough for L.F.C. 

Missed the game. My alarm didn't go off so i didn't wake up in time.

I saw the lack of creativity thread as the first one in the Kop board and thought '0-0. Damn.'

I'll watch the full replay tomorrow, but on the highlights i watched:

Pepe Reinaaaaaa!!! What a beast!

Poll added. As i said, didn't catch the game so i added everyone who played in the game.

PS: Looking at match reports and subs, why did Roy once again wait until the 76th to make a sub? More so, why did he not bring Pacheco on?

Erm we've got a joker in the pack! Come on! Who voted for Lucas?!

While this was a shocker, I'm taking some positives from the game.

First of all, I think Lucas played fairly well second half and tried to get forward more than usual.

Secondly, although Poulsen was dreadful (the worst CM I've ever seen in a LFC shirt) he did play a lot better once Lucas went off (perhaps a sign?)

Lastly, I feel that these two won't play together much more, now that we have Cole back and Meireles coming into the team.


                  King Pepe

Kelly      Carra           Agger       Konchesky

G.Johnson   Stevie   Raul.M      Babel/Pacheco/Jova

                    J.Cole

                    Torres



That team doesn't look half bad to me!

It was a good run and one of the only times we won possession high up the pitch and then a decent enough pull back, Torres should have left it for Stevie.

Changed it to something a bit more accurate i'd say.

When you see the best football we played under Rafa it was when we were pressing high up the pitch, trying to win possession and break quickly. We saw none of that last season or this. Its one in a long list of problems left unfixed.

Erm we've got a joker in the pack! Come on! Who voted for Lucas?!

Wasn't me. Honest

Missed the game. My alarm didn't go off so I didn't wake up in time.

I saw the lack of creativity thread as the first one in the Kop board and thought '0-0. Damn.'

I'll watch the full replay tomorrow, but on the highlights I watched:

Pepe Reinaaaaaa!!! What a beast!

Just make sure you remove any sharp objects that may be in your immediate vicinity while you watch - just in case you feel the impulse to commit suicide.

In the context of how the match unfolded, one point is probably a good result for us.

What I don't understand, is how come despite the hundreds of posts expressing the view that our highest class player (Gerrard) should be playing in the main creative role in central midfield, that he is not. Surely so many observers can't all be wrong, and yet this concept does not appear to filter through to the manager, or if it does it is lost on him.

We all know we have a world class striker in Torres, and we did have world class players in Mascherano and Alonso, and most were hopeful we had another world class prospect in Aquilani, but in this current team there is only one man who has the ability to dictate the play. Players who have been added such as Cole, Merelies, Poulsen and Jovanovic will become better players if they have Stevie at the heart of everything bringing them into the play.

The only possible reason other than the manager being tactically inept, that I can see is maybe Gerrard himself has told him he does not have the gas left in his tank to play that role.

i heard of a saying..a footballer who never gets injured in his life..is not a footballer...
Goes well with (guess who??)...when was the last time he was out with an injury...every other player in our team got a knock atleast once.

Last season we were crying about masch-lucas combo...now whats with this Paulson-lucas combo....i find Puulson even worse then lucas.

Torres looks demoralized and slow, gerrard is no way near the standards that we expect.

Jova got pace but doesnt know when and whom to pass.Will improve with season.

And last i said in the starting and i still say..'we will miss Rafa....Roy is too conscious and nervous with his job.'

1st game he played all his subs..and became pretty difficult when agger got a concussion.

Since then he just overturned it, and now not playing his subs at all..

Played just one defensive Mf with man city in their ground, while playing 2 against w.brom at home.

Not a good sign of a good manger in these circumstances...:|

The formation he set out last night shows we were going to play not to lose, and not for the win.

Just make sure you remove any sharp objects that may be in your immediate vicinity while you watch - just in case you feel the impulse to commit suicide.

Might be better if i go through with it, at this rate.

Lucas and Poulsen have votes! I'm not one to pick at choices usually, but honestly, really?!