Liverpool 0-0 Tottenham: In game and post match Deja Vu.

Yup, and I edited my post to reflect that.

Personally, I think Suarez is a bit like Maradonna, Cantona, Ballotelli etc. Genius, but a flawed genius. He's an awesome player, but I believe he gets a rush of blood to the head, and he's his own worst enemy. Sometimes he does things before thinking.

That I would agree with.. But I don't think that was the case last night.

My point was though you twisted my words, over head kicks happen all the time in the box, go back a couple of years when John Terry got cleaned out and took a boot to the face heading the ball away when ( I can't remember who now but was it the league cup against Arsenal?) attempted an over head.. No call for a red card there because it was accidental.
There is a difference in that and a mistimed tackle in open play for me.

That I would agree with.. But I don't think that was the case last night.

My point was though you twisted my words, over head kicks happen all the time in the box, go back a couple of years when John Terry got cleaned out and took a boot to the face heading the ball away when ( I can't remember who now but was it the league cup against Arsenal?) attempted an over head.. No call for a red card there because it was accidental.
There is a difference in that and a mistimed tackle in open play for me.

It was not my intention to twist your words. I apologise if you believe so.

Anyways, this is what the msm want; bickering over side issues when the main issue was, we totally controlled the 3rd placed 'best footballing team in the country' and really should have won.

Who'd you get in The FA Cup Keith?
Oh that's right, F**k off and stop being bitter.

Man of the match poll added.

It was not my intention to twist your words. I apologise if you believe so.

Anyways, this is what the msm want; bickering over side issues when the main issue was, we totally controlled the 3rd placed 'best footballing team in the country' and really should have one.

Well said mate.

I think we missed a chance inJan to bring some fresh ideas to the team. Drawing at home for Liverpool FC is as good as a defeat.
We didnt look like winning to be honest and it looked like we were being set up for a sucker punch.
The Cup game against UTD in the last 20 mins should be the minimum standard of aggression and purpose required for a home game we are just not nasty enough at home and allow the opposition to play their game.
It Kenny's only problem this season fix it now and we can still get 4th.

It was not my intention to twist your words. I apologise if you believe so.

Anyways, this is what the msm want; bickering over side issues when the main issue was, we totally controlled the 3rd placed 'best footballing team in the country' and really should have one.

No problems Rushy lad, I didn't mean to jump on you I just didn't want it coming across like I was some moron who thought wreckless tackles are ok. I just meant in terms of an attempted over head kick, it's most of the time pulled up as high feet in a crowded box, but as you said earlier most things are instinct and that's all I feel that was. Even if it turned out looking ugly.

No hard feelings lad.

Wasn't able to watch the game so came on here to get some feed back. Taken on board we deserved to win and Suarez and Carroll missed a chance each. I did hear Gareth Cheating Bale had a chance near the end for them, other than that, lot's of bitching about a suarez swing that might or might not have been a red card offence. Other than that I am still non the wiser to what reaaly went on in the game. Just knew it was a game we could not afford to lose, and we didn't. 3 points would have been nice but one will have to do. Good performance all round by all acounts so in good form going after the mancs. Still in touch with a 4th place so sounds o.k. to me. Just need to keep the momentum up now, in ALL matches until the end of the season.

Reina  - 6 Had little to do but stood up well and made the most important save of the match when it counted.

Johnson -7 Defensively was very solid, anticipated well and made some good interceptions. Final ball was lacking when he went forward, but he worked very hard to support Bellamy. Allowed Bale to get a run on him for the Spurs chance Pepe saved

Kelly - 7 Did an excellent job keeping Bale quiet and while he didn't get the opportunity to get forward as much as Johnson did put in one good cross from which Carroll should have hit the target. In fairness he did receive excellent support against Bale from Kuyt.

Skrtel - 7 Good game and with Agger dealt with Adebyore and the sporadic Spurs attacks comfortably. With Johnson switched off a little for the Bale chance.

Agger - 7 Good game and made a couple of good forays forward , maybe should have done better with the free header he had, but was probably unsighted. Exposed Bale as a diving **** which "surprisingly" seems to have been totally missed by the media.

Bellamy - 6 Worked extremly hard but couldn't make much of an impression on the excellent Walker (someone I desperately wanted us to sign before he went to Spurs ) Bellamys crossing like most of our crosses last night left a lot to be desired.

Gerrard - 8 My M.O.T.M. Was the only midfield player who seemed willing to try the difficult passes rather than taking the easy option every time. Looked for the first time this season fully match fit and sharp and will only get better now. Had Parker up his backside for most of the night but still managed to create more than the rest of the midfield put together.

Adam - 7 Good solid game, spread the bal,l made some good interceptions and tackles, but took the easy option when the more difficult ball was the right option at times. Seemed more frightened of making a mistake than usual, I expect a little more from Charlie going forward.

Spearing - 7 Started well, came closest to scoring the all important goal with a good shot, but drifted out of the game for long periods and didn't cover as well as usual. Bottled a few passes when he did get forward imho, taking the easy/safe option out to the wing when the better option was inside. 

Kuyt - 5 Totally anonymous going forward, but gave good support to Kelly against Bale. Doesn't seem to have the legs any more to get up and down the pitch in the same way as he did in years past. Worked hard but I would have exchanged him for Suarez at half- time.

Carroll - 8  Another good performance from Andy who would no doubt be mine and most peoples M.O.T.M. if he had just put away the chance he missed. Still spends too much time on his heels (and the floor) but has come on in leaps and bounds over the last few games. Got little help from the ref last night but continued to battle. Just needs a little luck in front of goal now to really kick into top gear. 

Kenny 7 Could have made his subs a little earlier and maybe a better one than Downing, although it's not Kenny's fault that Downing was so poor. I would have liked to have seen a bolder sub of Henderson for Spearing or Adam as we tried to push for the winner. 

I thought as a whole we gave Spurs a little too much respect and we didn't play with the confidence that our recent good performances should have given us. 

Disappointing not to take advantage of another slip-up by Chelsea, but Spurs are a very good side, so a point is not a bad result.  My only real complaint is not that we didn't manage a goal, but that all too often we are far too predictable with our attacks.  There were a few occasions when we had an opportunity to break at speed and hit Spurs on the counter, but we slowed the ball down and allowed them to get back into position and regain their defensive shape.  Once we did that, we simply played the ball around and would end up hitting long shots or predictable crosses which were calmly dealt with by Spurs.  I have to agree with one of Saint's sentiments that Gerrard looks the only midfielder we have who will make a dangerous, defense splitting pass. 

My only critique of Kenny is questioning why he did not play Suarez from the start.  In my opinion, he has been our most important player this season as he is our best option (and sometimes only option) for unlocking stingy defenses.  I realize it was his first game back, but you don't leave your best player on the bench in a game that could have taken us to within one win of 4th place.....

Well Gerns,if imo you where looking for a report on the game, you just got a very good answer above ^ ^ ^.Great post Saint.Saves me and my oh so slow typing about half an hour.
Just one observation from me.That was how frustrating Dirks passing was last night.If the saying "tried TOO hard"is anything to go by,the pressure of wanting to be a starter more regularly may be too much for him.

                                                                                                                        IKWT. 

Not labouring the point much longer but interesting that on the radio in the last 15 minutes ex Ref Dermot Gallacher and Spurs assistant Kevin Bond have said it wasn't a red card. Nothing malicious in it.

I didn't think anyone played badly in particular. Just Kuyt with his poor touches and lack of good use with the ball but that's almost normal!

We played well enough to win the game. Like I've been saying, our performances have been pretty much top four standard but the results haven't been there.

The day after...

After the game, I was really disappointed with a draw, but today it doesn't seem such a bad result - taken as a single isolated result rather than yet another home draw. We controlled the game for large parts, were the better team overall and also the only team to want the win.

It isn't so bad the day after and 4th place is still very much achievable.

KK is putting together a good side but it's going to take time to gel properly. Benitez got us to 2nd but not in the first season. Granted he won the European Champions League, but that's different.

Andy Carroll is getting stronger every game, and i belive the reason for that, is his fitness. He's been hampered by injury and thus his fitness levels have dropped. It's only now he's starting to perform, and I still think he's only operating at around 75%.

We all talk about Suarez, and rightly so, we know what he can do, but I'm starting to think we really have unearthed a gem in Carroll.

Right now he's the biggest, strongest striker we have, and have had for years. He's going to be an absolute nightmare for defences when he's fully fit.

Suarez is going to be twice as good now that Carroll is starting to win those headers.

Amongst our other modes of attack, defenders are going to have to deal with the that 'second ball' now.

Suarez, small, mobile, skillful
Carroll, big, strong, direct

It's perfect, a match made in Anfield

I love it

Gone for Skrtel for my MOTM. Was a very difficult choice though. Didn't think there was much to set most of our lads apart from each other. All played well I thought.

In terms of the game Spurs came to do a job, they were happy to leave our place with a point and if they nicked something on the break then they would have delighted.

We controlled the game for long periods but we played in front of them a bit too much, what we are lacking at times is midfielders that go beyond the opposition, Stevie is the only one who really drives at them and stretches them. I thought Stevie was great last night and when Luis is back up to speed those two could be electric.
Charlie Adam doesn't drive at them or get beyond the opposition, he did nothing wrong in the game, in fact was good, ticked over well kept the ball moving but Spurs didn't get at him and let him play. The wide men don't get beyond them often either, we need them to commit the full backs and get some good whipped balls in from the by-line.

That's my only critism really, most of the midfield are happy to play in front of the opposition rather than really get at them and inject pace into the game. Only Stevie really does that.

But we created a couple of really good chances and these games between two good sides you only tend to get one or two, then it's a case of take it and job done. We created two good ones, one for Andy and one for Luis. They in turn got Bale away for their best chance. That's how tight the margins are in big games.

Positive sides:

Stevie was great, is really getting back to his best.

Agger and Skrtel are just getting better as a partnership.

Both full backs : Jonno fantastic at left back and Martin Kelly showed again how big a future he has.

Big Andy showed signs again that he is settling and becoming a player for us.

Luis back, showed a bit of rustiness but there were glimpses that he and Stevie will link up going forward.


Disappointing not to win of course but another step forward to show we can play so well against top sides, we are only a tiny bit away and one or two players from being right up there again. ( And a bit of luck)


Big game Saturday. Can't wait.

Kelly was great defending, awful going forward. He did a great job keeping Bale in line and making sure he didn't get any sniffs on the ball. Modric was nonexistant and didn't threaten. We played well, we're moving in the right direction. It's time to destroy the Mancs in their place, and then keep winning.

On the point barney i was saying last night as i have been for the hole season. Kelly is a centre half he is a top class big strong defender but i dont think he offers much going forward. The new carra i think he was at full back for years. Id like to see him move more central next year

On the point barney i was saying last night as i have been for the hole season. Jelly is a centre half he is a top class big strong defender but i dont think he offers much going forward. The new carra i think he was at full back for years. Id like to see him move more central next year

Who's Jelly? We sign someone in the January transfer window?

Who's Jelly? We sign someone in the January transfer window?

my fat fingers playing havoc on the iphone haha.  Fixed

Sorry I haven't been posting more. Been so busy lately.

I think it was JD who said going into the match a draw would have been good, but at the end of the game we should have gotten maximum points. I agree with that. Spurs are a good side and deservedly in third place, so a draw would have been good. But, they were there for the taking yesterday, and that's disappointing to once again see terrible chance conversion from us. Carroll had a few and so did Suarez.

Overall, our defense was very good. Johnson's actually really good shifting over to LB. He could honestly be playing there for England at the Euros if Cole keeps slumping and is injured. Agger and Skrtel did very well yesterday, and the tackling was hard, but clean. Kelly is a good defender, but for me misses a good attacking element (at least yesterday).

I think, though, that we really lacked that killer, creative pass in the final third, especially in the first half. It's almost like some of our players are afraid to take a risk and make that pass.

Finally, I see around the Web some people are claiming Suarez "intentionally" kicked Parker. I really do question whether these people have ever played football, let alone played as a forward. Suarez shoved Parker out the way to give himself room to volley, he just didn't move him enough. Not to mention he was following the ball the whole time. Some people hate just to hate.

I think we missed a chance inJan to bring some fresh ideas to the team. Drawing at home for Liverpool FC is as good as a defeat.
We didnt look like winning to be honest and it looked like we were being set up for a sucker punch.
The Cup game against UTD in the last 20 mins should be the minimum standard of aggression and purpose required for a home game we are just not nasty enough at home and allow the opposition to play their game.
It Kenny's only problem this season fix it now and we can still get 4th.

I agree with your first sentence but i'm not sure what game you were watching if you didn't think we were an attakcing side yesterday. We certainly didn't let Spurs play their game in fact i'd argue they emplyed the same 'park the bus' tactics that every other lower end club has played this season. Quite the opposite to their normal game in fact. The intent to attack was there, the lads played with a good tempo as well and Kenny's substitutes were also positive but once again, inthe final 3rd the quality wasn't there unfortunately.

We were attacking alright, but how many clear chances did we have? A handful at best, and could easily have lost the lot if a forward was through on goal instead of Bale. When you're attacking, you have to ask questions of the defence. We didn't do it very often.

The final ball was often wayward if it came at all, a 40 million Euro forward unmarked in the box with time and space, hit his best shot 10 yards off target. We couldn't take a corner properly late on, and when we had to throw the sink in, Johnson's cross into the box in the last minute ended up well away from everyone. Spurs didn't really close the doors, obviously they had to defend late on as away teams do, but they weren't hanging on, as we didn't really look like we were going to break them down. It was awful stuff to watch, but we've seen it so many times this year.

The result isn't a disaster alone, it's the first time we haven't lost to them in 2 years, but 8 home draws this season will be very expensive at the end of the year. You know the expression "...if you can't win your home games..." We know what follows.

Deja vu indeed.