Southampton 3-1 Liverpool: In game and Post Match Debate

Awful awful performance from everyone. Is this complacency or what? It seems that everytime Liverpool go on a little run, they have a shocker against a team they should beat comfortably. Allen should never have started, and the midfield was outnumbered once again.

I've got totale faith in Rodgers, but I feel sorry for Jordan Henderson. A player who has been performing well put out of place by Allen whose form has been nothing short of atrocious. Henderson would have given a bit more muscle in the midfield, and given the fact he's been performing well of late, could have done a good job.

The next game will probably be 5-0 to Liverpool which will piss me off even more, because surely there's no excuse for a performance like that. Every player should be ashamed of themselves.

I haven't seen the game yet but the Allen decision appears a poor one from the boss.

Don't understand leaving Henderson out after he has got into a bit of form and then playing Allen who's form has been poor to say the Ieast.

It's a mental thing, I'm convinced now. It's attitude and fight. You have to have both, because believe it or not, attitude is more important than ability

Woeful performance..
Can't for the life of me understand BR's thoughts in playing Allen alongside Gerrard in midfield..Allen's supposed to be having a major op on his shoulder isn't he?..WTF was he doin in that starting 11..He was sh*te today Allen..
If we are gonna play 2 up top away from home why he didn't play lucas and / or Henderson i'll never know..
I'm not a happy man at the moment !!..
For those of you who have yet to witness that piss poor performance on your tv just watch how Rodrigeuz run's right through our midfield and back 4 to smash home the 3rd..There lie'th the answer...
30 points off the Mancs who are taking the piss in the league is f**king torture...
I need a large drink.........

get off martin's f**king back lads, no lucas to protect them, no outlet. everyone was crap. midfield was just crap. non existant. couldn't believe lucas was on the bench and our only midfielders were allen and gerrard. oh and jones not reina. no wonder everyone was shaky, no reina, carra or lucas.. no steel at all. none.

i don't feel comftorable starting against a championship team with allen and gerrard in the mid. way too light. lucas gerrard would scrape by as acceptable, but we've gotta have three bodies in there.

Absolutely, Martin, player of the year last year, is a convenient scapegoat. Brendan got it wrong today, the midfield offered no protection to the back four. Allen is not up to the job, that maybe due to his injury probem, but it looks more and more as if he is too lightweight.
Totally gutted with that result, two steps forward and three back. Gutless performance

Absolutely gutted with that terrible performance.

Not one player put their hand up today, Coutinho put half a hand up but that was about it.

Once again we do our best for the teams battling Relegation. Every season it's like we give one or more of them a helping hand in their quest to remain in the top flight.

When 2 of your back 4, Skrtel and Johnson, play without doubt the worst games I've seen from them, mixed with a useless Joe Allen in midfield, a clearly non interested player in Sturridge up front and a very angry Luis Suarez who became angry after just 5 minutes, you knew we were on a hiding to nothing.

I love Luis Suarez but I hate it when he gets angry and keeps mouthing off to the Ref. He loses his game intelligence and just gets frustrated at everything. We can't count on him in every single match, he was having one of those days. time for someone else to step up and become the Man, but no one put their hands up. It's as if they didn't want to be there and just wanted to get on the Bus to go back home.

Disgraceful performance from the lads. Most of us knew this would be a banana skin game and as it happens season after season, WE F***ing SLIPPED!!!!!!

Absolutely, Martin, player of the year last year, is a convenient scapegoat.

Agree with everything apart from the above, which, with all due respect, is rubbish

Today, Skrtel was a liability.

He couldn't tackle, gave away free kicks, couldn't clear the ball, and won about 2 maybe three clean headers all game. He also backed off one time too many today, and we conceded as a result. I know it was awkward (should he stick or should he twist?), but there's a reason he's been left out - he's playing poorly. And if Carra was 25 not 75, he wouldn't have played today either.

To a man they were poor, but saying Skrtel is a scapegoat you may as well say Johnson is a scapegoat.

Both today were tripe, Johnson slightly worse, I'll give you that, but Skrtel was tripe

just watch how Rodrigeuz run's right through our midfield and back 4 to smash home the 3rd

Sounds just like Villa's 3rd goal at Anfield (Benteke), right?

BR on Southampton and Lucas niggle

Brendan Rodgers pulled no punches when reflecting on Liverpool's 3-1 defeat at Southampton on Saturday, acknowledging his side were not at their best.

The Reds saw their four-match winning run brought to a halt thanks to goals from Morgan Schneiderlin, Rickie Lambert and Jay Rodriguez.

Philippe Coutinho netted with the score at 2-0 to give Liverpool hope, but it wasn't to be as the Saints claimed three points.

Rodgers told his post-match press conference: "We just weren't very good, it's as simple as that.
Whenever you start a game the way we did, it's very, very difficult at this level to get back. We only started to play when we went 2-0 down.

"We got it back to 2-1 and were better in the second half, but then conceded another very poor goal.

"If you concede the goals we conceded today, it's always going to be difficult to win games.

"Offensively we were bright, created chances and could have scored more than one goal, but we didn't defend well enough - and you have to give credit to Southampton as well because they played well."

Rodgers made two changes to the side that started against Tottenham last week, with Martin Skrtel and Joe Allen replacing Jamie Carragher and Lucas Leiva.

Carragher was ruled out with a knock, while the boss confirmed Lucas also sustained a niggle this week.

He said: "We've played a lot recently with three midfield players in there and it gives us the chance to control and dominate the game.

"Unfortunately this week, we had a couple of players that had niggles and hadn't had a full weeks' training - like Lucas Leiva. We put Lucas on in the second half and he was excellent.

"We just didn't quite have our rhythm today and that was across the team. We've no excuse.

"We were beaten today and we have been much better than that. Today was just a poor day at the office. The problem now is you've got to live with it for a couple of weeks and make sure at Villa we're back on form again."

On how much his side missed Carragher in the centre of defence, Rodgers said: "There's no question.

"For us, it's an area we feel we need to be better in. There's no doubt about that and that was one of the reasons for bringing him back - for his leadership qualities.

"But it wasn't the sole reason. We haven't been giving soft goals away like that for a long time now. That has given us greater confidence within the team.

"I know where we need to improve and where we need to develop as a group. Unfortunately today was a day where we didn't play as well or defend as well as we have done. I know as a coach and a manager the areas where we can improve."

Asked about Liverpool's aspirations of securing European qualification, Rodgers concluded: "There are still a number of games to go. We've still got eight games. It's just about us concentrating and keeping our focus on the next game. We can't get too far ahead [of ourselves] - there's still a lot of work to do here.

"We've had a lot of plaudits in the last few weeks because of our goals and how we've been working, but today is a reminder for us that we still need to build our squad and look to improve.

"The players have been brilliant - I can't have asked anymore from them. You can't be perfect every time you play."


http://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/latest-news/br-on-southampton-and-lucas-niggle

To a man they were poor, but saying Skrtel is a scapegoat you may as well say Johnson is a scapegoat.

Both today were tripe, Johnson slightly worse, I'll give you that, but Skrtel was tripe

True, Skrtel has been poor all season. So has the back 4 as a whole.
The question is why. The same back 4 that started today was the second best in the league (behind City) last season.

Maybe its partly unlucky individual loss of form, but organisation and tactics have something to with it too.

We seem to be playing a system were we take an awful lot of risks with square passes and backpasses when we are round about our own 18 yard line, while on the other hand when we get the ball in midfield and get our heads up we keep looking to play 40 yard passes over the top for the strikers to run on to, rather than keeping possession. ( We did the same thing against Spurs by the way- that game was not a great performance either, just a good result.)

That combination is always going to put a lot of pressure on your back 5 - they have to keep taking risks in possession, while the midfield keep giving the ball up for the opposition to have another go at them. Not surprising they start getting twitchy (and Jamie C ain't immune either - he gifted up a scuffed backpass last week I seem to remember).

On top of that BR basically did publicly scapegoat Skrtel earlier in the season, which imo is just generally not good man management, and certainly doesn't seem to have had the intendeded effect.

Tough one to watch today, but can't say I didn't see if coming. Just fits into the pattern of 2 steps forward, 1 step back. Finally show some character and spirit against Tottenham only to sleepwalk against Southampton.

It all started in the midfield. I would have played Henderson either in place of Allen or in a three man midfield with Allen and Gerrard, but to be honest I think Lucas needed to be in there from the word go. Easy to say in hindsight since it looks like Rodgers was trying to protect Lucas, but our woes really began there (especially with Gerrard looking quite uninspired until Lucas came on).

Those woes were exacerbated by missing both Reina and Carragher. I'm not going to pile on Skrtel because I don't think he was any worse than any other defender out there today, but we really missed Carragher's leadership.

Glen Johnson needs to sit a spell. I've been concerned about him for a few weeks now and today just solidified it. Something needs to be done to light a fire under him and I think that something is Andre Wisdom. He won't offer the attacking force, but defensively I don't think he could be worse than Johnson has been lately.

It's hard to judge Coutinho, Suarez, Sturridge and Downing because there wasn't a lot for them to work with. Coutinho took his goal well but was otherwise quiet. Suarez ran about but lacked that usual magic. Sturridge was absent. And Downing didn't do anything particularly bad but he didn't do much positive either.

Funnily enough I thought the only player deserving of much praise was Brad Jones, who saw three goals go in but did well to prevent it being five or six. And that feeling alone says a ton about the performance in general.

We seem to be playing a system were we take an awful lot of risks with square passes and backpasses when we are round about our own 18 yard line, while on the other hand when we get the ball in midfield and get our heads up we keep looking to play 40 yard passes over the top for the strikers to run on to, rather than keeping possession. ( We did the same thing against Spurs by the way- that game was not a great performance either, just a good result.)

That combination is always going to put a lot of pressure on your back 5 - they have to keep taking risks in possession, while the midfield keep giving the ball up for the opposition to have another go at them. Not surprising they start getting twitchy (and Jamie C ain't immune either - he gifted up a scuffed backpass last week I seem to remember).

I totally agree with this. It makes no sense sometimes. We are supposed to be this great passing/possession team. Yet today the attacking philosophy was all about lobbing it forward for no good reason. The CB seem to always be looking for that short ground pass, but Johnson, Enrique and Gerrard are constantly looking to go long. Noticeably when Lucas came on we seemed more willing to play the ball on the ground throughout the team.

If Lucas had a niggle, then Henderson was the better option to start, considering Allen is also carrying an injury.

The team was absolutely flat today, and I don't think anyone had a good game.

sh*t happens.

If Lucas had a niggle, then Henderson was the better option to start, considering Allen is also carrying an injury.

The team was absolutely flat today, and I don't think anyone had a good game.

sh*t happens.

Yes, yes, and yes

Flat all around

I've never seen Suarez so flat, so deflated, and I hate to say this, but toward the end of the game, I started worrying about the future. Can't put my finger on it, but for some reason, for the first time, I just got the impression that Luis is starting to get a little disillusioned with our up and down form. Maybe it was the final door slamming shut on our ECL place this season, maybe it's just paranoia. But I'm willing to bet that something ever so slightly changed with him today.

Hope I'm wrong, but gut feelings and all that

Only good thing about today is that Southampton are safer and QPR are really in trouble now. Fair play to the Saints. We weren't at the races. OK this season. If it continues next season then I will get worried for Rodgers future!

Didn't have a chance to watch the game today. Sounds like that's probably not a bad thing. Can't believe we didn't come out and batter them. Don't understand why the boss feels it necessary to leave out Henderson in favor of two injured players. Hopefully they can rally from this and who knows what happens. Maybe we win out? Unfortunately it's the story of our season, up and down, two steps forward one back.

Absolutely, Martin, player of the year last year, is a convenient scapegoat. Brendan got it wrong today, the midfield offered no protection to the back four. Allen is not up to the job, that maybe due to his injury probem, but it looks more and more as if he is too lightweight.
Totally gutted with that result, two steps forward and three back. Gutless performance

Balls to all this sticking up for Martin crap. Hes been sh*te this season and he backed off Rodriguez for there last goal instead of challenging. If we want to ever get back to where we want to be it will be without him in he team

Worried about Sturridge. Seems we have a lazy striker, and chicken to boot. Allen appeared to be totally lost (not a shoulder operation he needs it's a new backbone.)and Rodgers is to blame for putting him in instead of Lucas. Johnson had a mare of a game, and I still think he's not a fullback. Martin looks as though he knows he is on his way out in the summer. Maybe its time for Rodgers to try Kelly as centre back with Agger.It's the worst I've seen us play all season.

Worried about Sturridge. Seems we have a lazy striker, and chicken to boot. Allen appeared to be totally lost (not a shoulder operation he needs it's a new backbone.)and Rodgers is to blame for putting him in instead of Lucas. Johnson had a mare of a game, and I still think he's not a fullback. Martin looks as though he knows he is on his way out in the summer. Maybe its time for Rodgers to try Kelly as centre back with Agger.It's the worst I've seen us play all season.

Not so much lazy but he seems to get a cob on every time Suarez is selfish with the ball then mopes around feeling slighted. Yes they should work together but he needs to be a bit more selfish himself rather than having a strop.

I can't believe how bad Allen was to be honest.  I swear it looked like we were playing with 10 men the entire first half.  Jones put in way too many long balls for me, I was getting upset because he just kept hoofing it.

What happened to our short passing the last few games, everyone was trying to make these 40 yard passes every time.

Coutinho looked good, and I would have to say Enrique was my motm.

Soton had a really tall team, and seemed to just push everyone around most of the match, but mainly our passing was too long.

Think that was the first time I delibratly stopped watching a Liverpool game before full-time, ever!

So, so disappointing! But for me at least this puts our chances of reaching top 4 into perspective!

Ahh well, gonna be a long two weeks, but I'm sure we'll react against Villa! YNWA!

I found Allen's inclusion baffling. I can understand resting Lucas if half fit but from what I've heard, Joe Allen is in the same boat with his shoulder. Why isn't Henderson in contention of late? I'd even fancy giving Coady a run out. What does Allen have to do to warrant getting dropped by Rodgers?

That said, I know it was a mistake putting Allen in but Rodgers actually responded and made the change we all wanted at half time, which is one positive. I thought we looked a bit more comfortable second half, gaining a little more of the midfield back. But tactically, Southampton battered us. Pressured every ball, harassed our players and took them out of the game. We were bad, but Southampton were very effective in making us look worse.

Want to say so much, but it would be just going over old ground. Speachless !!!!

 The worst aspect of yesterdays game was how we did not take advantage of the luck we had in starting the second half 2 - 1 down. We were very fortunate to only be down by one goal and should of really took the game to Southampton in the second half. We played better in the second half, yet there was not a lot between the two teams.

 We had a great chance in the second half to build on the Spurs game, bitterly disappointed