Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool: In-game & post-match appeasement

Agger is half the player he was last Season.

Noted that.

I wonder if he's been so used to injuries and the odd 10-15 game spell in the side that a fully fit season is starting to affect him more than most?

w*nk w*nk w*nk. Worst display I've seen since, well the last game we played. Looks like no European football again next season. FFS this is a team near the bottom with a proper leaky defence and once again we can't capitalise.

Good to see not another post after this one once Hendo scored..a true supporter this one is; just drop in to have a shot and disappear once equalized.

Good to see not another post after this one once Hendo scored..a true supporter this one is; just drop in to have a shot and disappear once equalized.

 

Should definitely keep the 3 central midfielders playing together till the end of the season. And Sturridge/Sterling/Downing to fight for that place along with Coutinho and Suarez.

It's a strange one this season. Over the years we have been so good defensively and poor in an attacking department. This season, it is the exact opposite. We looked shaky at the back and desperately lacked another defender. At one point, the camera caught Skrtel in the background. Can't help but feel a bit sorry for him, especially considering how good he was last season. However, he has been poor of late and deserves to be where he is. Overall, happy with the final score and performance of the midfield and attacking department. I just worry about our defensive capabilities.

Our change in tactics this year to a more open and free flowing system with a high backline has certainly helped us open up the final third of the pitch.  But it has also exposed our back third and our defenders have really struggled to adapt to it, particularly our centrebacks.  Agger, I would have thought would have enjoyed a better season than what he has had and I anticipated all the others to struggle a bit.  Most surprised by Carragher though, he's been the best of our CBs and he used to epitomize the old, hoof it up field approach we had.  With that said, it's defending of set pieces that has been by far the most atrocious.  I can understand system errors with the changes we've undergone but set piece defending is about organization, composure and sheer will power.  I'm with all those calling for a defensive coach to clean up this aspect of game.

Just got back. Enjoyed the game, they huffed and puffed but were a little bit like Stoke - they didn't open us up. As in every game, we are vulnerable but Jamie was outstanding, and helped Danny. Johno down the right had acres of space, they didn't find anywhere near the space we found.

The difference for me was Luis, he looks like he is from a different league sometime. Outstanding effort, commitment and a magician.
Love him.

The skipper played well as did Hendo, Lucas was good in the second half.

Negatives - Downing, never, ever tries anything courageous.....

Just had a qu ick look back at the page amounts on the Southampton game!!!More than double for this WIN (25).Was'nt in the least surprised!
Seems obvious the agenda for "slagging is greater than "praise".Call me an old fool or whatever.But what on earth would our support be like if (god forbid)we ever got relegated!
I appreciate we are all entitled to an opinion.The Scum epitomise the fact that sometime you have to grind a win out,to get all 3 points.They have played some REAL sh*te this season and won.Today I thought we courage and a great team spirit to nut out that win."Some players may have been a bit below par,which in mho makes the 3 points even sweeter.Stevie mom for me.Walk On.

Motm Stevie

Most improved player, for me, is this fella:

Coutinho & Henderson amazing, but gave my vote to Gerrard for his goal-mouth clearance; I think it counts as scoring another goal.
However, I would definitely demand a better performance from Enrique & Downing who weren't at their best today. Suarez almost made a repeat of that European night in Russia, really selfish today, personally I wouldn't want to think he's interested in finishing top scorer than us claiming a goal wherever it may come from.

No Sturridge? A win! - Lucky Brendan!

Normally I can't stand Jon Champion but I couldn't stop laughing in the first half, when Suarez had about three offside calls in a row, and Champion said:

"Luis Suarez, foiled again by his nemesis: the linesman."

Good to see us kick on in the second half, thought Gerrard was excellent and obviously Coutinho too. Impressed we managed a win even with Suarez off form as well.

Just had a qu ick look back at the page amounts on the Southampton game!!!More than double for this WIN (25).Was'nt in the least surprised!
Seems obvious the agenda for "slagging is greater than "praise".Call me an old fool or whatever.But what on earth would our support be like if (god forbid)we ever got relegated!
I appreciate we are all entitled to an opinion.The Scum epitomise the fact that sometime you have to grind a win out,to get all 3 points.They have played some REAL sh*te this season and won.Today I thought we courage and a great team spirit to nut out that win."Some players may have been a bit below par,which in mho makes the 3 points even sweeter.Stevie mom for me.Walk On.

Not making excuses for people but it is bank holiday weekend so perhaps they had less time available to post.

SG did well, and Suarez did well apart from his shooting, but giving the MOTM to Hendo. He closed people, chased guys down, and took his goal brilliantly, when after Suarez wasting some chances in the first half it looked like it might be one of those days.
Good away result.
Thought Carra was lucky not to give away more free kicks, and possibly a peno, for dragging Benteke around and pulling his shirt. Another day, he might have got punished.  But apart from that Carra did well.  Still think we look a bit shakey though from corner kicks and even hopeful punts up to big forwards.
Downing had another anonoymous game imo and Lucas was not at his best either.
Still, nice to see the lads take 3 points.

Hendo's celebration was maniacal. Great to see.

My last game thread was the comeback against Spurs

We're now joint second highest scorers in the league.

Just had a qu ick look back at the page amounts on the Southampton game!!!More than double for this WIN (25).Was'nt in the least surprised!
Seems obvious the agenda for "slagging is greater than "praise".Call me an old fool or whatever.But what on earth would our support be like if (god forbid)we ever got relegated!
I appreciate we are all entitled to an opinion.The Scum epitomise the fact that sometime you have to grind a win out,to get all 3 points.They have played some REAL sh*te this season and won.Today I thought we courage and a great team spirit to nut out that win."Some players may have been a bit below par,which in mho makes the 3 points even sweeter.Stevie mom for me.Walk On.

Having experienced a season when we were relegated it is not something I would want to go through again.I refer to what would our support be like well a RED will always be a RED come what may.I remember the old second division and we got some fantastic crowds at Anfield in those days.You are right we earned that win at Aston Villa but Villa put up a hell of a fight.

Just had a qu ick look back at the page amounts on the Southampton game!!!More than double for this WIN (25).Was'nt in the least surprised!
Seems obvious the agenda for "slagging is greater than "praise".Call me an old fool or whatever.But what on earth would our support be like if (god forbid)we ever got relegated!
I appreciate we are all entitled to an opinion.The Scum epitomise the fact that sometime you have to grind a win out,to get all 3 points.They have played some REAL sh*te this season and won.Today I thought we courage and a great team spirit to nut out that win."Some players may have been a bit below par,which in mho makes the 3 points even sweeter.Stevie mom for me.Walk On.

I'm the complete opposite, I only come on here when we win because I get so depressed and upset after losing that I have to detach myself from all football related media for a few days.

Loving the fact we came from behind today. It's a big win.

Great result today. A lot of work still to be done but slowly moving forward I feel. I think it's a case of 2 steps forward 1 step back which at the end of the day is a step above last season.

Sort out the defence and see where we are after that fix, IMO challenging for 4th...

3 points, some mixed performances. Gerrard for moment of the match, but I thought Coutinho was a different class than anyone else on the pitch.

I'm the complete opposite, I only come on here when we win because I get so depressed and upset after losing that I have to detach myself from all football related media for a few days.

Good to come from behind, and a valuable 3 points.  Played some great football at times, but once again suspect to the quick attack against us - probably due to being more attack minded.  While Coutinho adds greatly to our attacking threat, he does not track back - this often gives him more space when he receives the ball higher up the park, but also leaves Enrique exposed from time to time.  This is not a criticism just an observation of a change in focus - it was noticable that Sterling covered more when he came on, but also did not get the ball as often in space because of that.

Interestingly only one team has scored more than us this season (although we are the same as Arse and Chavs) and the on the commentary last night he said only Citeh have more clean sheets than us.

Thought Gerrard'd 2nd half contribution was massive - his pass to Coutinho was as good as the subsequent pass to Hendo IMO, and the clearance off the line was superb.  He is now one of only 3 players to have played every minute in the PL this season.

Not quite sure how Villa are in the bottom three as they look a much better team than many we have played this season.

How did Steven Gerrard get to that goal line clearance? The fact that Pepe was about to put his tongue down Stevie's ear shows how relieved he was.
The tackle on Henderson by Westwood was horiffic red card all day, could very easily have been stretcher job and a broken leg - studs up, straight leg, how he stayed on is a mystery.