Hearts 0:1 Liverpool in game & post match discussion.

Reina -8 did what little was asked of him well

Kelly - 7 made the goal but not at his best

Robinson -7 Thought he supported Stirling well and had a solid game against a tricky player.

Agger - 6 not at his best

Carra -6 think the criticism of him was a little harsh

Henderson -6 invisible for much of the game, played a couple of excellent through balls.

Adam - 7 probably our best midfield player on the night (until Allen came on) but still not good enough on this performance to challenge for a place in the team for Sunday.

Spearing - 5 not a great game by Jay, but Hearts didn't make it easy for him.

Shelvey - 5 probably our worst player on the night, hardly anything went right for him. Even when he made a great pass Borini was wrongly called offside.

Sterling -8 Excellent performance, but lack of other outlets meant he was overused and consequently heavily marked. M.O.T.M.

Borini -7  Did much better than against West Brom, worked hard and got in some good positions. Missed the easiest chance of the night when we hit the post.

I think only perhaps Sterling made enough of an impact tonight to affect his role at the club. Deserves a position on the bench and thinking of the alternatives probably a position in the team

Probably agree with most of that but I'd probably give Kelly and Robinson both a 6. There were a couple too many mindless punts up field by them. Like yourself I thought Shelvey had a bit of a shocker. He looked slow (always reacted slowly and seemed two or three paces behind the ball) and his passing was all over the place. Henderson - anonymous once again. I don't think I've ever seen a player quite like Henderson. Sometimes I think he's just a phantom of our minds. Totally ineffective in every way it seems.

Shelvey is starting to look like a young Gerrard the last few games. Just a few mannerisms in his play that I've noticed. The first was the way he has started to try knock the ball around an opponent sometimes with the outside of his boot if they are close by so he can pass out wide. The other was tonight and another reckless challenge. He had another tonight and lucky not to get booked I reckon. Too eager in that way.

Poor performance tonight, but I'm sure he'll learn and pick up from it, he's only young.

Have to agree on one thing Corbally said. Sebs must be sh*te in practice to be behind Carra at this point.

Or the more likely, we still haven't stamped out player power cliques in the dressing room.

On topic though, I'll take a 0:1 after such a heavy defeat against WBA.

I was a bit disappointed with the performance tonight from the boy, I know Hearts were really up for this game and the crowd was going to be with them early but overall thought we were very poor with the ball. Only players who stood out to me was Sterling who had a few great moment, Adam was decent though sometimes a little wasteful with the ball and Allen who looked great coming off the bench. Really disappointed in Borni who I have not been impressed with thus far (know it is early days), Hendo other than couple of nice chip passes was poor and Jonjo I thought was poor, especially in his passing.

I did not watch the game but can someone answer some questions please?:
Were we likely going to score? Were we dominating the game? and finally, how was our 3 CMs doing?
I bet Spearing was not good, Adam played some good passes but was not the most mobile...

Or the more likely, we still haven't stamped out player power cliques in the dressing room.

Mehhhh.

Quick sum up from what I noticed. Aside from what a lot of people think I actually thought Henderson as very good. His first touch was very good all night and at the point when we were looking a bit shaky at the passing he had a cool head. Downing is a left back. Sterling is frightening. Joe Allen is a massive upgrade on Spearing, and a win away in Europe is always a good result.

Quick sum up from what I noticed. Aside from what a lot of people think I actually thought Henderson as very good. His first touch was very good all night and at the point when we were looking a bit shaky at the passing he had a cool head. Downing is a left back. Sterling is frightening. Joe Allen is a massive upgrade on Spearing, and a win away in Europe is always a good result.

Was about to say the same thing. I think some here are being harsh on Jordan. I've been a big critic of his disappearing in games but he did no such thing to my eye today. He had some great passes to open attacks and he did his job efficiently with only a few mistakes. With some time and more experience in this system he could grow into a real asset.

Great result, OK performance

Just wish that Borini had scored the goal
 

It may of not been the best performance, but how many other big teams struggle against the so called lower end teams?

Performances will improve, put it this way, we never lost and we go the "away" goal.  Take them to Anfield, get the big guns in the team and then we can see improvement.

If we keep grinding out results like this, it will build confidence. 

Raheem runs like a T-rex

watch him run and you'll know what i mean

Considering the team we fielded we should be happy with the result, but we should of been able to score for ourselves and not rely on an own goal.I thought young Raheem Sterling was our man of the match,he terrorised their defenders and it was a pity that he never had backup with him at times.But a win away from home is not to be sneezed at.

Not a very good performance. The positives are, we won and Sterling is going to be some player for us. The one thing it does prove is that we are crying out for cover for the right wing position. Hendo tryed his best but hes not a right sided forward. He would of been better in Shelveys position who I thought was his worst performance i,ve seen in a red shirt last night. Who else thinks that Downing would make a better left back than a left winger ? (just putting it out there).

In Brenden's system he could play well there  (downing) i think we'll see more of sterling in the cups and europa, but i think he will have assaidi on the other side doing the same as they seem like quite similar players.

we REALLY needed someone with true pace on the other wing last night the pull the game open, but that will come

Could the fact that Carra played yesterday mean that Coates will start on sunday? I would have thought Seb would play yesterday and Carra on sunday

Poor overall team performance during the night looking at it in the context of where we need to be.

POSITIVES:
1. We got a win and a clean sheet away from home in Europe using mainly fringe players against a good British opposition which has started playing competitive football before us so where evidently fitter than our team. For me a win is a win, many games last season under King Kenny where we played great but didnt win.

2. Raheem Sterling playing 90 minutes, away from home in Europe and being the stand out player has to be the best thing i can take out of this match. Enough of the age thing, if the player is good he needs to play, Pele was 17 when he won the world cup, Messi started playing for Barca at 16/ 17 years in an over 80,000 capacity stadium with the best players in the world, Owen broke into the Liverpool first team at 16/ 17 and at 18 played in the world cup for England. If the guy is good please he needs to play. Enough of this protecting him cos he is young. Damage was done with Dani Pacheco, i hope they allow the boys talent to flourish. Hope to see him in the first team regularly cos i believe he is much better than those playing there at the moment.

3. Martin Kelly is developing into a decent player, hope to see him play in the center of the defence instead of the right wing position. With his pace, physical presence, though still lacking experience is a candidate for that position ahead of Carra who should just retire.

4. Jack Robinson got a decent run out and i see as a budding talent.

5. Joe Allen seems to be a good buy and miles ahead of what we currently have in the middle of the pack. Would be interesting to see how effective his game play would be.

NEGATIVES:

1. Jonjo Shelvey had his worst game in a Liverpool Shirt. Wouldnt read too much into that. Hope its a one off performance. He is still a good prospect which should be encouraged.

2. Charlie Adam needs to leave the team. He is not just up to grade. He is a small club player. Would flourish better at a smaller club. This dosent necessarily make hima poor player. I just believe the club is too big for his talent.

3. Spearing isnt good enough. He needs to be shipped out. I believe Connor or even Suso would be better use of that space in the squad. Guthrie was better than hima nd he didnt make the grade.

4. Carra needs to retire and quickly too before he costs us some games. Need to know if Caotes is any good, if he is then he needs to start playing.

NEUTRAL:

1. For me the jury is still out on Hendo and Downing. IMO i still think they would come good for the club this season especially Downing provided he is used where he best fits which is out in the wings. Hendo would progress gradually as time goes on.

2. Borini for me is average at best. He is more of a support cast than a point man or a confirmed first team regular. But i see him adding some vital goals during the course of the season.

3. Still have my eyes on PEPE. its still early days.

4. Agger hasnt started the season well either.

But all in all, the team still has a long way to go if we want to zero our selves to one style of footbal which i wouldnt subscribe to. I believe in variation of play and using the right system as required. The team is too one dimentional at the moment and damn too predictable.

When the players are closed down they cant seem top get rid of the ball quickly. The issue isnt just about time to gel and get used to the system, i believe abiblity of the squad in general is also a main issue.

Lets see what the weekend will bring forth when the big guns return.

Probably echoing a few points made already but anyway...

Henderson - I've always liked him and can see his quality but he needs to play in his proper position as a CM. I know theres tough competition there but I'd rather have him play less games in his proper slot, rather than have a forced performance on the right and him end up getting slated.

Borini - Good movement. Given offside 3 times, wrongly IMO.

Sterling - MOTM. Great running and I was surprised how strong he is as he looks small.

Downing - Best performance in ages and at LB.

Reina - Hopefully getting back to his best. Not a lot to do but a good save near the end. His pedigree is there.

Glad we won. A win is a win.

YNWA

would love to see Kelly, Skertel instead, with Johnson playing on the right

No MOTM poll, or are we just awarding it to Sterling?

It's up mate, Been on the piss?

Not showing for me.

Not showing for me.

For me neither

It's ok lads just trying to get ya paranoid 

I'm not paranoid, but some of the voices in my head are and they're all out to get me.

Thought the system looked fucke dfirst half just sitting back but when Joe Allen came on we looked a different side I was very impressed by him.
Kelly again was solid and made a goal and I just dont know why he doesn't play more he is so reliable.