Manchester United 2-1 Liverpool: In-game & post-match wake-up call

F*ck sake i'm sick of this fickle supporter reactionary criticism sh*te! We lost away against the league leaders to an offside goal. We were the better team in the second half and deserved a draw at least. For the first time this season we have attacking options up front. If we started the game with Sturridge and Borini I have no doubt we would have won. They made a huge difference in the second half and for the first time this season I feel we might have enough firepower to challenge for 4th place. There are positives here pity so few can see them.

I don't think our squad is remotely as bad as many on here seem to believe.

Whether Sturridge works out for us remains to be seen, but he is definitely the right type of striker we needed.
I would like to see us stick with him, Suarez and Borini til the end of the season, not try and bring in any other strikers this window and see how they go.

Midfield is trickier. If we are going to play 3 CMs then yeah we probably need a top class creative midfielder. But if BR is gonna play 4-4-2 now Sturridge is here we probably don't. Gerrard and Lucas (with Allen, Henderson etc as backups) would be a good central midfield pairing.

The question with 4-4-2 would be more - do we need a wide player?
Basically - yes. Buts its still not as desperate as some make out. Depends partly on what's happening with Assaidi. Personally I'd like to see him and Sterling on each flank - to me that'd be 2 proper tricky wingers. Ideally we'd get rid of Downing and bring in a superior replacement to give competition/back up, but if we cant get decent money for him then he can still do a job as a squad player. We also have other players who can play wide if needs be - most notably for me Glen Johnson would be a very good right winger (once Jose Enrique's is back at left back).

Basically what I'm saying is that our squad is actually quite promising and does not imo need major surgery. I'd like to see Rodgers stick with the young guys and see where we are come the summer. Which is what I think is gonna happen anyway given the finances.

The bigger question for me is whether Rodgers can forge them into a real team, really well organised and with a winning mentality. The jury is still out on that, and it'll take time to find out.

Brian Durand ‏@BrianDurand56

I am confused. Surely Vidic has to tell the referee that was a corner. Surely Fergie?

 Debi McMillan ‏@DebiMcMillan96

Proud of travelling Reds for their refusal to retaliate in the face of more sick taunts. Will this be picked up in media? Not a chance.

Can't say I heard anything

Unfortunately Vidic wasn't offside. He was level with Evra when Evra headed the ball. Rogers picked the wrong eleven to start. He can't afford not to start Allen after paying so much for him and saying how he was going to be a colossus. Allen is too slow, is easily knocked off the ball and gives away too many free kicks. Sterling is too light weight at present and apart from his speed doesn't seem to have any idea of what to with the ball when he gets it. Downing- 'nuff said. Our captain seems to be very tired and was only operating on half power.
We need guys who are prepared to fight for every ball, and I'm afraid today very few of our players looked interested until Sturridge came on.

He can't afford not to start Allen after paying so much for him and saying how he was going to be a colossus.

Instead he'll bemoan the players he inherited and not look beyond his own nose at his own dubious signings.

We missed Shelvey in the middle today

We missed Shelvey in the middle today

He would have linked up well with sturridge had they both started.

Debi McMillan ‏@DebiMcMillan96

Proud of travelling Reds for their refusal to retaliate in the face of more sick taunts. Will this be picked up in media? Not a chance.

Can't say I heard anything

"Murderers"

"We won it 3 times without killing anyone"

"Always the Victims, its never your fault"

All sung at various points throughout the match mate, and we're not talking about a minority either. Horrible shithouses.

Unfortunately Vidic wasn't offside.

Yes he was. Sky Sports showed that clearly. They also showed the position of the linesman who was considerably behind play.

We were pathetic, it wasnt till Sturridge came on that it looked like we had any teeth. It was refreshing to see him come on and Borini looked sharper than the rest of the team too.

Downing... Where do you start? He has to be the worst signing we've ever had, I couldnt beleive he started ahead of Sturridge.

"Murderers"

"We won it 3 times without killing anyone"

"Always the Victims, its never your fault"

All sung at various points throughout the match mate, and we're not talking about a minority either. Horrible shithouses.

Fergie and mancs, well suited for one another

They are vile, absolutely horrid

Fergie and mancs, well suited for one another

They are vile, absolutely horrid

Inferiority complex, after all their "successes", they are still obsessed with LFC. We call them scums for very good reasons.

Yes he was. Sky Sports showed that clearly. They also showed the position of the linesman who was considerably behind play.

Must admit I was shocked not to see him go and tell Webb he was offside and so shouldn't be given.  In truth if the goal is given to him, then it shouldn't really be given, but that is not really why we lost.

Looking at the teamsheets before the game, and to be honest the only player of theirs I would really want is the obvious RVP, with Valencia also a possible.  Looking at their team I do wonder how they do so well - but it is because they play as a team (not the bunch of high paid stars like Chelski and City).  That is the route we are taking, and if you get it right it is more likely to bring the long term success that we all desire, but it takes longer than the "splash the cash" method.

Still hurting from yesterday's game. Are we really this bad (especially in the first half)? We were not even able to string a couple of passes together (in spite of the second half). How can we let Carrick (Carrick! yes, Carrick) dominate the midfield?

Fergie and mancs, well suited for one another

They are vile, absolutely horrid

And that is their nicest qualities,I so wanted us to give them a hiding.

Hurts like f*** hell.

Should have brought on Shelvey for Allen, as Allen delivered a performance on a par with Joe Cole

Brendan has got to realise he needs Plan A, B, C, D etc - and set up his team acccordingly. we only looked better when Sturridge was linking up with Suarez, but that was limited with Allen in midfield

Always hurts losing to the Scum.

Only thing  that can be said is that is was kept to a reasonable score .

Fergie and mancs, well suited for one another

They are vile, absolutely horrid

Does anyone else think that when that old tw*t retires the whole media will come forward with stories of how he has had them over a barrel for years and the conspiracy theories were all correct...it is so one sided and biased that it just isn't funny anymore, what other manager talks about other teams players like he does ? none, nobody - he is also getting worse as he nears the end and you can see him thinking I dont give a F**k any more I'll say what I want....disgusts me.

Thought Sterling was non existent yesterday, needs a rest maybe? Downing, who?

I agree with the opinions about Allen's performance but don't be so knee jerk when you say for most of the first half of the season that he was a great buy and worth the money paid if you don't mean it. He needs a slightly longer break than Sterling. Allen has played a lot and coming from Swansea probably isn't conditioned enough for it.

Agree with Agger opinions too, he didn't seem to give 100% to me.

Wisdom had a great game IMO, only negative is I think he should have passed to Suarez when he shot and slipped.

Gerrard had a superb second half.

I'm excited to see a front three of Sturridge Suarez and Sterling/Borini. Liked how they switched positions throughout the second half.

In fairness I like how we are playing 75% of the time. Beautiful football. We need to strike force to convert our chances and maybe a different player to Allen in midfield to create the link up play needed to feed Suarez and Sturridge. I just wish we would press much more than we do. Gerrard in the second half should be an example of how to press properly!

 I'm not going to scout through the previous dozen pages for all the over-reactions. I remember when we had the cheek to lose 2-1 at Spurs and reaction to that to know well what will have been written.

 My reaction from a no doubt slightly more positive viewpoint:


 We didn't start for an hour, they weren't that great either. My feeling is that chief amongst the reasons for our poor play was an over determination to play it out from the back, ineffective displays from Downing and Allen, and the selection of Sterling which was IMHO a mistake there.

 If Manchester City come sniffing around again for Agger, we should sell him for big money and buy somebody who defends better. Both goals yesterday were very poor, and we need a centre half who does what centre halves are supposed to do.

 Andre Wisdom is going to be a fine player. In time, he may even be that centre half I'm talking about. Sterling already is a fine player, but he's currently become bogged down in doing stuff which although being laudible (tracking back etc), has taken away his youthful determination to take people on. He had opportunities in the first half yesterday to go at people and ask questions, he didn't take them.

 Stewart Downing unfortunately isn't going to be good enough. If we can get 6-8 million, we should take it.

 Joe Allen and Lucas together doesn't really work with the rest of our team. Given they are both supposed to be defensive midfielders, we concede far too many chances with them together, and create little. My guess is that the manager is going to have to pick one of them, my preference would be comfortably for Allen. In the second half yesterday I thought he was very good, whil I still don't think Lucas is anywhere near his best. He never was quick, but right now he looks like a carthorse.

 Daniel Sturridge really does look like a very good player indeed in a red shirt. He's instantly got chemistry with Suarez and Gerrard our other best two players, and it looks like he's going to score heavily for us. Well done to the manager for buying him. Equally, it's great to see Fabio Borini back. I stand by my prediction that he will look like a very good signing before too long.

 I still believe despite the fact that we lost away to the team that is beating everyone at the moment and is a mile clear in the league, that we are improving and are coming together. I am 100% bhind the manager and what he is trying to do, and I now think we will finishj inside the top six this season, our best finish for four seasons. I hope the owners don't pay too much mind to the forums and those who completely over-react each time we don't win.

Joe Allen and Lucas together doesn't really work with the rest of our team. Given they are both supposed to be defensive midfielders

Joe Allen was never a defensive midfielder for Swansea City, and the gaffer said his usual position is playing further up the field

"Murderers"

"We won it 3 times without killing anyone"

"Always the Victims, its never your fault"

All sung at various points throughout the match mate, and we're not talking about a minority either. Horrible shithouses.

No worries, our time will come and we have plenty of time to compose something for fergie when he's not around anymore. I can now think of a few already - the referee, the extra time, the linesmen etc etc. Feel free to add on.