Stoke 3-5 Liverpool: In game and Post Match Delightful Relief

Actually I think the reason Rodgers wants to move Gerrard there is because Lucas is now fourth choice.

I've got a sneaking suspicion he would rather have Allen and Henderson in there than the Brazilian.

I'd agree with that.
Seemed to be Lucas coming off for Allen when the latter was fit, however short-lived that was.

Neither Lucas nor Gerrard are blessed with great mobility.
It's something we saw transformed, although dictated by injury,
when we had Henderson and Allen in the team.

I think at full strength we'll be best suited to a 4-4-2 diamond.

                     Mignolet

Johnson     Skrtel      Sakho       Enrique

                 Lucas/Gerrard

         Henderson             Allen

                     Coutinho

           Suarez             Sturridge


Although, with the form of Sterling it could be 4-3-3,
with Suarez and Sterling wide of Sturridge.

I just seen it once and it all happened so fast. Just recall seeing Stevie connecting with a blinder of a header meant to score not to defend.

Bit like the one he scored in Cardiff against, or should I say, for Chelsea in the League Cup Final...

Cracking defensive midfield play wasn't it?

Was a fine save by Mig but the worry was at even 5-3 up with minutes to go they still hit the post and almost scored with that Gerrard header.

If you include corners I'd be surprised if we didn't concede the highest number of crosses in any game this year we were getting pelted from all angles, didn't matter what side it just looked like we had no defense at all.

Mig, again gets bailed out because of our fine attack, for a mistake Pepe would have been lambasted for. As Carra suggested in his post match commentary, I don't know if it's his confidence has dropped or what but mistakes are creeping in quite regular now. When you add that to a defence that looks disorganised at best then we have to play like Brazil (we'll score 1 more than you) as we've no other choice at the moment.

None of the back 6 can be happy with their performances, Gerrard has an excuse that he's just settling in to role, thankfully our attack was outstanding and dug them all out of what, on pretty much any other day, concededing 3 to Stoke at their place means you leave with nothing.

If we let the January transfer window shut without signing a full-back though we're asking for trouble.

Regarding Mignolet, I just think he's a young keeper who is also having to learn new skills AND play at a higher level.
He certainly didn't cover himself in glory yesterday, and nor did any of the defense, but I think people are underestimating the effect the weather had.
It was F***ing horrible, and I wouldn't like to have been out there trying to play in it.
I mean the heavy rain was going sideways at times. Really blustery and very heavy rain.
I think it contributed to a couple of their mistakes as well.

Rodgers (pre-match talk) : 'Only Norwich City have won at the Britannia this season. Tough game this!'

Luis Suarez only heard Norwich City.

Hahaha XD

Regarding Mignolet, I just think he's a young keeper who is also having to learn new skills AND play at a higher level.
He certainly didn't cover himself in glory yesterday, and nor did any of the defense, but I think people are underestimating the effect the weather had.
It was F***ing horrible, and I wouldn't like to have been out there trying to play in it.
I mean the heavy rain was going sideways at times. Really blustery and very heavy rain.
I think it contributed to a couple of their mistakes as well.

Exactly. We can all look like world beaters playing our football in sunny dry Barcelona. But ask Pepe how challenging it can be on a January evening in Stoke where it's very cold and pelting down with rain.

For that matter, ask Mignolet.

It was a scrappy win, but a great teamn performance. Mig will be fine becuase he's a very very good keeper but having a different defence in front of him every game can't be hlping him much. I have felt for a long long time that both Lucas and Stevie are our weak points in the team and it's where we must strengthen, either this month or in the summer.

It was a scrappy win, but a great teamn performance. Mig will be fine becuase he's a very very good keeper but having a different defence in front of him every game can't be hlping him much. I have felt for a long long time that both Lucas and Stevie are our weak points in the team and it's where we must strengthen, either this month or in the summer.

To come out with such statement after another poor performance from our defenders and 'keeper is quite funny.

gerrard man of the match ?, really come on guys, I love him as much as anyone but he gave the ball away far too often.

Finished watching this one this morning....had it recorded. Exciting game. Still giving away space much too easily at the back, lucky we have some proper strikers playing for us. 3 points needed, 3 points won, that's all that matters. On to the next one. Voted Danny MOTM.....was still in doubt right up towards the end. The work he did with Suarez sealed the deal. Good enough for me.

Fair play I thought he was poor. Not using him as a scapegoat as we won the game no need for one
Was amazed by Hamann and carra's analysis. Think the old friends act was in force there

I can't get my head around this.

No need for a scapegoat because we won?

So when we lose, people (some) immediately look for a scapegoat, and think one is needed?

F***ing unbelievable comment.

"Garish"? What the actual f**k are you on about?

Was going to ask the same about you with those hilarious player ratings. Don't think you saw the game.

I can't get my head around this.

No need for a scapegoat because we won?

So when we lose, people (some) immediately look for a scapegoat, and think one is needed?

F***ing unbelievable comment.

Agreed SWAB.


It is matches like these .... Stoke in rainlashed January where the blood sweat and tears are put in.

It WAS a pivotal game and one we took three hard won points from.

I can't get my head around this.

No need for a scapegoat because we won?

So when we lose, people (some) immediately look for a scapegoat, and think one is needed?

F***ing unbelievable comment.

Win, lose or draw, usually some good, some bad and some Aspas .  Don't see a problem discussing it, but the scapegoat thing, I've never got as much as I've not got discussing players performances, good, bad or indifferent.

Not a go at you Swab, just an added bit to your spiel.

Was going to ask the same about you with those hilarious player ratings. Don't think you saw the game.

I was thinking the same someone tell me did we get walloped yesterday?

Was going to ask the same about you with those hilarious player ratings. Don't think you saw the game.

 

Has anyone mentioned the weather?

Absolutely appalling and probably accounts for some of the mistakes made in the match by both teams.

Three points. That'll do.

Cold and wet?

Was going to ask the same about you with those hilarious player ratings. Don't think you saw the game.

Hahaha he saw the game alright, had to fan the skunk clouds tho' to keep up.

Louis post match comments," it's more important we finish in the top 4 "  Well yes it is, but what if we failed to ? Is that a Louis ultimatum. Perhaps thats a sign Mr Henry needs to get his wallet out this Jan.

with the arsenal result today.  yesterdays win for us was just massive.  EVERY team around us won... from manure (7th) and up. 

looking at team stats too... one troubling trend is the amount of goals we let in.  we really got to tighten up our defense.  as much as we like our offensive power, against top sides, if we can keep a clean sheet on our end, the worst we can do is a tie

if we can keep a clean sheet on our end, the worst we can do is a tie

No sh*t haha

It was a real see-saw game and I don't mind if we keep winning 5-3 every week till the end of the season. Our midfield will need a major revamp. If we had stopped 1/2 the number of times Stoke walked pass us in midfield, we could most probably have stopped 1/2 the number of goals conceded. 

Again, our defence will need to do better and the most frustrating thing is Skrtel could have prevented one of the 3 goals by not retreating and allowing Charlie the space and time to shoot. He did put in the early tackles in the 2nd half and in all fairness he had a good game.

Don't know what to say about Sturridge goal except a "must" contender for goal of the season.

By the way not sure what Cissokho is all about and why we loaned him from Valencia in the first place. The nunber of backpasses is shocking and the way he allowed the number of Stoke's crosses coming into our box is shocking.  I'm questining the purpose of him in the team.

I can see a pattern developing here by opposition teams, they seldom make crosses from the byline into our box but drift the ball back a bit somehwhere at the corner of our box and float the ball in and we must stop these crosses coming in from that position and to defend better against these crosses.

Can see the confidence in the lads growing and it is difficult games like these that we will need to win if we are to finish top 4 or higher.

Well done lads.   

West Bromwich Albion
Fulham
Southampton
Manchester United
Cardiff
West Ham
Norwich
Crystal Palace


Remaining away games.
Anyone scary in there ? No.

West Bromwich Albion
Fulham
Southampton
Manchester United
Cardiff
West Ham
Norwich
Crystal Palace


Remaining away games.
Anyone scary in there ? No.

I'd say possibly Southampton would give us a game, that's about it though.