Liverpool 0-0 Braga (0-1 on agg) Post match emptiness

Worth reminding ourselves of what Kenny has had to work with in Europe

Sparta v Liverpool: Reina; Johnson, Carragher, Kygiakos, Wilson; Aurelio, Maxi, Lucas, Meierles; Kuyt, Ngog
Subs: Gulasci, Cole, Pachecho, Jovanovic, Kelly, Coady, Skrtel

Liverpool v Sparta: Reina, Kelly, Kyrgiakos, Agger, Wilson, Poulsen, Lucas, Kuyt, Meireles, Cole, Ngog.
Subs: Gulacsi, Pacheco, Jovanovic, Maxi, Carragher, Spearing, Skrtel.

Braga v Liverpool: Reina, Carragher, Johnson, Skrtel, Kyrgiakos, Lucas, Poulsen, Spearing, Cole, Meireles, Kuyt.
Subs: Gulacsi, Pacheco, Carroll, Wilson, Ngog, Maxi, Flanagan.

Liverpool v Braga: Reina; Johnson, Carragher, Skrtel, Wilson; Maxi, Lucas, Meireles, Cole; Carroll, Kuyt.
Subs: Gulacsi, Pacheco, Kyrgiakos, Ngog, Spearing, Poulsen, Flanagan.

1) No Gerrard
2) No Suarez
3) Carroll - 1 game plus 30 mins
4) Kelly (many people's pick since Kenny came back) - 1 game
5) Agger (many peoples pick at c/h and best ballplayer in defence) - 1 game
6) Aurelio (closest to a left-back we have) - 37 mins

I'm not saying we shouldn't have done better - but let's be balanced and realistic

Be careful mate, a balanced and realistic view on things will have the KK bashers out in force !

Doesn't matter whoose on the pitch for me, it really doesn't.  I just expect 90minutes of hard work and for all 11 players to show a bit of pride, show to the kop they actually want to be there.

I can accept defeat, I accept defeat happily if the opposition are just better than you on the day, or maybe lady luck didn't fall in to place, but what i cant accept is people giving in my opinion half hearted performances week in week out. And I've seen too much of it over the past 2 seasons.

Doesn't matter whoose on the pitch for me, it really doesn't.  I just expect 90minutes of hard work and for all 11 players to show a bit of pride, show to the kop they actually want to be there.

I can accept defeat, I accept defeat happily if the opposition are just better than you on the day, or maybe lady luck didn't fall in to place, but what I cant accept is people giving in my opinion half hearted performances week in week out. And I've seen too much of it over the past 2 seasons.

Great teams needs players of ability and character - don't think there'll be much dissent to the notion we need more of both.

But that was true before Chavski, after Mancs and before last night.

We need to improve - we will

To be honest, it was a big mistake dropping poulsen.

I bet you're serious too!

Bloody awful game, we need to get our act together for the league now and finish as high as possible, 4th place seems like a pipe dream and 5th is still not guarenteed! now Carroll has some more match time we can just hope that he will link up well with Suarez and restore some credit for the rest of the season.


And another thing, who got rid of the spel checker?

I don't buy the we have injuries so we can blame that. Every team has injures, part and parcel of football. If we can't deal with injuries then we won't win F**k all. We have enough numbers in our squad to cope its just that we don't have enough quality players in our squad.

Quality over Quantity.

Exactly, any injury to a top player in our squad is a huge loss, because we do not have the players to step up and fill in, especially in the attacking areas.

I don't buy the we have injuries so we can blame that. Every team has injures, part and parcel of football. If we can't deal with injuries then we won't win f**k all. We have enough numbers in our squad to cope its just that we don't have enough quality players in our squad.

Quality over Quantity.

That was what my point was lfc_ynwa  - we can't cope with this squad. I wasn't saying we're good enough, just been unlucky. Just pointing out what he's worked with in Europe and it aint good enough.

I think that the only difference between Braga and yesterday matches has been the stadium. Performances has been similar, with a sterile ball possession and very few shots. But for us play at Anfield is a godsend, and for the umpteenth time our magic arena (with the fundamental support of the kop) has nearly qualified us. Yesterday night Wilson played bad, Lucas inconsistent, Joe Cole and Maxi two ghosts and Carroll and Dirk so much effort but little substance (they were also absent-minded, too much times in offsides!!).

So much - too much - bitterness!

I'll sum the match up as best I can.

Loads of hoofing.

Midfield shy of assuming responsibility.

Kuyt caught off side more times than John Terry.

Kuyt caught off side more times than John Terry.

It was ridiculous mate the number of times he was flagged, in saying that he is obviously not equipped to deal with the trap Braga set out. A more skilled player in the art of beating the trap would have used their negative tactics to the advantage but he was in that position through necessity rather than choice.  

He was caught offside ten times over two legs.

Why is questioning Kenny insane, sentiment does not come into football, any other manager would be questioned. That is the same way he has to be judged. Delighted it is NESV making the decision and not the fans

I would say that is why going back to the discussions of contract length why NESV does 2 year rolling....things can change quick and they don't want to be locked in if another opportunity comes forward.

That being said I think KK deserves a chance over the next 2 years with proper players and investment from the owners. After that 2 years if despite improving the quality in the club we are no better off then perhaps a different direction is needed.

It was ridiculous mate the number of times he was flagged, in saying that he is obviously not equipped to deal with the trap Braga set out. A more skilled player in the art of beating the trap would have used their negative tactics to the advantage but he was in that position through necessity rather than choice.  

I'm not even sure it was that mate, Kuyt was trying to work the channels but with the ball being played backwards most times and all the hoofing going on, when the eventual forward pass or hoof up field came Kuyt had already made his run, thus resulting in him being caught off side.

Yes we played crap last night ! and it's so easy to slate the players and the manager isn't it? but if the opposing team had 4 top players we could take out would they be expected to perform the same? ...no, we have been unable to field our first 11 in europe this year ,with Suarez ,Gerrard, Kelly, Agger ,Aurelio missing ( yes i know Suarez is cup tied ) but if we had been able to field this team we would have beaten this team easily i'm sure , Braga came with the intention of holding onto a 1-0 lead and so parked the bus ! Kenny for me must remain manager long term ,he shows passion,and commitment and has brought a . new lease of life to Anfield ,we do lack 2-3 quality players for sure and Kenny will know that better than we do ! let's just concentrate on the title next year ,it's there for us to take !

HEY YOU GUYS 
I come back to home in this morning. The time spent in Liverpool was amazing ! I love the city..
Yeah St.Patrick's day ! 

I felt welcomed by all LFC fans, and the people of the city of Liverpool are very happy and pass it to us.
Well.. Anfield is just what I was thinking. A fenomenal atmosphere, and a lot of respect by the two sides.

I was right wend I told that I would leave Liverpool with a big smile 
Was a great night for us.. Many celebrations inside and outside of the stadium, as well as here in Braga. Was a great achievement for us 

Like that old song.. (ob-la-de ob-la-da) LIFE GOES ON 
Cheers !

Well played Magic.

Did not came in here last night,, was so gutted didnt' bother
 Not blaming KK or clark,  the best we have available were picked
    lets face it cannot blame that SG or DA were missing  let alone suarez(cup-tied)
  it seems the whole squad had a good reaction when Kenny came in but now it seems they all went back to the "roy's mood" again
  I hate the 1,2,3,4, and more passes square by our defence , its really boring ,
 OK we got carroll , but that does not mean Carra have to kick the ball up at Andy (when not pasing square), that type of game is gone now
 I envy teams (even the lowest in the table fighting and pressing more than ours for the ball for the whole game, it seems we are too LAZY trying to get the ball back, maybe its me seeing it wrong ,, but!!
  Kenny has to do something about the lads' passion for the club , to be honest I don't see it in most of them
  its going to be a very important summer  transfer wise for us , hope the owners back Kenny(hope he is offered a  permanent job)  all the way

 YNWA
 
   

HEY YOU GUYS 
I come back to home in this morning. The time spent in Liverpool was amazing ! I love the city..
Yeah St.Patrick's day ! 

I felt welcomed by all LFC fans, and the people of the city of Liverpool are very happy and pass it to us.
Well.. Anfield is just what I was thinking. A fenomenal atmosphere, and a lot of respect by the two sides.

I was right wend I told that I would leave Liverpool with a big smile 
Was a great night for us.. Many celebrations inside and outside of the stadium, as well as here in Braga. Was a great achievement for us 

Like that old song.. (ob-la-de ob-la-da) LIFE GOES ON 
Cheers !

Well played fella - classy touch. Hope you beat Kiev

I'm not even sure it was that mate, Kuyt was trying to work the channels but with the ball being played backwards most times and all the hoofing going on, when the eventual forward pass or hoof up field came Kuyt had already made his run, thus resulting in him being caught off side.

Agreed - because hee-haw was happening in the middle. Carroll needs to bend his runs a little, but that'll happen with experience

Went to the game last night and not had time to come on here since.

Proper gutted we lost, but Braga did their job well, so credit to them.
A lot of the match was very frustrating 90% of the time when someone in a red shirt got the ball they just didn't know what to do with it, no one seemed to know the idea is to move forward with the ball! So many balls went square or backwards. Also, we had no width what so ever. I know it's a continuous problem but it just seemed even worse yesterday.

Some 'fans' were comical last night though, calling for Carroll's head, god knows what they expect for a player coming back from an injury and into a whole new team!

Feel as disappointed as anyone, felt this competition provided us with a chance of winning some silverware. Hopefully Kenny will have a proper chance next season to work with the players from the start with a few new signings and bring back glory to the club.

I would have played Jovanovic and Pacheco out wide for crossing ability and let mereiles have the freedom behind again, but we can speculate what would have worked ans what wouldnt all day long, it comes down to the player who were in that team played sh*te.

I agree. I cannot understand why Pacheco doesn't get 10 minutes here, 20 minutes there! He has tremendous ability, verve and enthusiasm, I hope he doesn't get disillusioned by the lack of game time.
He surely isn't a big risk to blood into the team in small increments. It bewilders me.

As for Jovanovic, I know he can run down blind alleys, but earlier in the season, I was impressed by his energy and willingness to attack. I'll take that coupled with a few mistakes rather than stale and staid performances by some of our players.

HEY YOU GUYS 
I come back to home in this morning. The time spent in Liverpool was amazing ! I love the city..
Yeah St.Patrick's day ! 

I felt welcomed by all LFC fans, and the people of the city of Liverpool are very happy and pass it to us.
Well.. Anfield is just what I was thinking. A fenomenal atmosphere, and a lot of respect by the two sides.

I was right wend I told that I would leave Liverpool with a big smile 
Was a great night for us.. Many celebrations inside and outside of the stadium, as well as here in Braga. Was a great achievement for us 

Like that old song.. (ob-la-de ob-la-da) LIFE GOES ON 
Cheers !

Nice to see a fan from an opposing team come in here and not spend their time gloating.

Glad you enjoyed your journey mate, you deserved the win and best of luck in the next round.

 

Nice to see a fan from an opposing team come in here and not spend their time gloating.

Ha Ha I think I done enough gloating over redcafe for us all.

Can't believe I havent been banned.