Liverpool 1:2 Chelsea. In game and post match déjà vu.

Initially a bit shocked by the line up but really he's using players as competition against each other to psyche them up more, which may lead to a higher level of intensity and desire.
I won't ever get the Balotelli on his own business though.

Hopefully this is his intention. But if Balotelli doesn't perform again today Rodgers will have no more excuses for selecting him.

Think we're gonna win this.

That feeling lasted all of 15 minutes after play commenced. Chelsea were man for man better than us all over the park and by some distance.

I didn't mind the initial line-up but a change of some sort should have come at HT or prior to their second goal, not after. Serious questions will now be asked of Rodgers and fair enough, rightly so.

They pressed us very high and we f**king dithered at the back with the ball, it was a train wreck to watch once Chelsea got a foothold in the game. Rodgers again persisted with Balotelli up front on his own which again failed... Anyway, here's my ratings:

Mignolet: 6 Unlucky for their first goal IMO and with a dithering defense in front of him he looked like a rabbit caught in headlights with the ball at his feet. His goal kick distribution wide of the box had no pace by the time the ball reached the 18 yard box Chelsea had a player baring down on the the defense.

Johnson: 5 Made a very good block in the first half from a Hazard shot, other than that, his passing and lack of athleticism didn't make him the marauding RB he once was.

Lovren: 3 Worst player on the pitch. Absolutely woeful.

Skertel: 4 Not much better than Lovren. The pair of them from set-pieces, or dithering at the back were just abysmal to watch.

Moreno: 5 Not good enough today and he doesn't look half the player he was at Spurs. Mind you, Alan Hansen would look lost along this back five.

Gerrard: 5 Pretty much ineffective. Found myself wanting Lucas on the field.

Henderson: 4 Gnash. Utter sh*te. Second worst player on the pitch.

Can: 7 Easily our best CM and looks a very good prospect, shame he had to work the midfield pretty much on his own.

Sterling: 7 Our MoTM. Tried. Ran. Had no support from his teammates in an attacking sense and looked the best of an average bunch, bar Can.

Coutinho: 6 Started very well and looked a real threat just faded but wrongly subbed IMO.

Ballotelli: 5 Yes, his work rate was there, shame his brain wasn't. Rodgers has got this wrong here.

A f**king terrible day of football witnessed at Anfield and the manager rightly has to take the brunt for this.

Fuming, doesn't even come close.

So this is his best line-up then. F**k the club, the league and the supporters, just play Ballotelli and Lovren until they eventually have a good game.

Think we're gonna win this.

I hope so mate, I really hope the none performers of recent weeks justify their selection

WTF?

Balotelli on his own again. crap.
BR just doesn't learn. So we are going to park the bus as we can't score with Balotelli on his own upfront.

Extremely disappointed with the team and BR.

The team better win otherwise I have had it.

Had a late night last night and slept through my alarm, thank God for the delivery guy banging on the door just now and setting the dogs off! 

Let's F***ing smash em!! 

At least our players should be fresh while Chelsea hopefully will be knackered after playing again so soon.

Like most I feel a little sorry for the players who played well in Madrid but sometimes you just have to go with your strongest team.

I hope Brendan is smart enough today to know that Gerrard is much better adding to the attack than playing in that defensive midfield role.

An attacking Gerrard for 70 minutes is better than a defensive Gerrard that gets found out easily.

Pure Can in the DM role then later bring on Lucas or Allen for Gerrard.

Think we're gonna win this.

 

WTF?

Balotelli on his own again. Cr@p.
BR just doesn't learn. So we are going to park the bus as we can't score with Balotelli on his own upfront.

Extremely disappointed with the team and BR.

The team better win otherwise I have had it.

Don't let the door hit you in the way out

Oh F**k I just looked at the team selection.... what the F**k? I feel bad for a few of them that have been thrown back on the bench! I'd feel like a mug if after giving a performance like Toure did against Real, someone like Lovren took my place...

Don't let the door hit you in the way out

Thanks.

I'd imagine that BR's team talk before the Madrid game involved asking the players he'd brought in to go out and prove to him that they deserve a run in the team. Yet here we are, the best performers from midweek dropped to the bench again.

Agreed and would be very interested to discover exactly what the explanation is for playing the likes of Johnson; he has proved this season at least that he is a liability and a square peg in the line up.
It is so obvious that if I didn't know better I would say BR was being perverse and making the wrong decision for that very reason.
He is obviously not of that mind set but there has to be an influence that convinces him to play someone whose better days were yesterday.

It's difficult to expect better performances from the likes of Johnson, Lovren and Balotelli when they know they can waltz back into the team no matter how well their replacements play.

With the exception of Johnson the manager no doubt is waiting for the click, the sync when the cogs engage and the machine runs smoothly - today could be the day.

I think BR will lose a bit of respect within the media and possibly the dressing room with this team selection.

The media are a F***ing joke, a disgraceful F***ing joke and not worth the steam off your piss, the squad are aware of the issues the manager is confronting.

I can not believe Lovren just walks back in

Initial reaction to the team sheet is disappointment because I don't think Lucas and Lallana, especially Adam, deserved to be dropped on the back of their performances vs Real. Toure was another harsh dropping, and you could make the case Borini in very limited minutes has played better than Balotelli (or at the very least actually F***ing moved off the ball). Johnson and Manquillo both have their deficiencies,  so that's only minorly annoying to me.

That said, the XI is what it is. If Gerrard, Balotelli and Lovren (and to a lesser extent Henderson) don't have their best games of the season after missing out at the Bernabeu, to the bench they go from here on out.

COME ON YOU REDS!!!!!!

i can't stop laughing at the team selection, the man is a F***ing joke

F***ing halfy half scarves being held up in the Kop... I counted at least 6 in that shot... Who would want to have anything to do with that horrible club?

Come on Liverpool!

Come on you red men!!!!!!!

COYR!

Come on, boys !

Coutino and Skrtel score :-) I think, we win 2:1.

COME ON !!

Come on lads, surprise us....

RIP to all those who gave their lives in both WW's so we could enjoy our freedom 

Beautiful silence.