Chelsea 1-1 Liverpool: In game and Post match discussion

There actually is a little bit of rationale behind bringing Lucas on in that it frees up the rest of the midfield knowing they have a rock at DM behind them. That then allows them to push up and press a bit more without worrying about getting burned on the counter. It didn't work out, but it was hardly like taking off a striker to shore up midfield.

The bigger issue was taking Lallana off when he was our best attacker in the second half.

Makes me laugh the lack of support our manager has received this year. We spent less than all the top four am I right? We were never in the top four? We lost our two main strikers ? We lost our 2 main midfielder for large chunks of the season ( Gerrard and Lucas ) . We lost sakho for months. I could go on and on and on. I honestly feel that with the squad he has and the funds he has done his best . I'm saying saying he is perfect but Jesus he is the manager of LFC  come on. Last year he was manager of the season and this year he was pipped to 4th by a team that spent over 200 million. Look I might be wrong with numbers and figures but taking Gerrard of is just a stick to beat him with. A few weeks ago people were slagging him for not taking him off at half time.

90 minutes is a long time in football so a few weeks ago is another world.

Even if the Gaffer had gotten us 4th or even won the league, what he said about taking Gerrard off for a standing ovation, and when he did it, is insane.

All a bit pointless really because Stevie then told the chavs to piss off in that interview

Good points Rush. Thought Lallana played well today. I am still F***ing tamping at the Gerrard substitution. Took him off for a F***ing ovation!

My patience is wearing thin now, it's not even down to us failing to make Champions League. It's these stupid F***ing decisions he makes, nothing to do with football. There is plenty of time for sentiment in Gerrard's last game, today was not the place.

Exactly

It's absolutely mystifying. If we were 3-1 up I'd understand, but 1-1 and needing another goal; it's perplexing

It's not taking Gerrard off that is the problem though... You don't take him off saying we needed a goal and then bring on probably the only player least likely to get a goal in his place.

While do agree that Lucas will not score a goal putting him in a holding role allowed other players to move forward and score. In reality we played the last few minutes with martin up front as well. I do agree but if we had another striker maybe it would have helped.

If he's still here... If we keep going for youth we're going to have no strong enough characters and I don't think Henderson is the right man for the captaincy either.

I don't think Henderson is the right man for the midfield

I don't think Henderson is the right man for the midfield

It'd be a short list I reckon if we asked the question of how many players are right for us, very few in my book.

While do agree that Lucas will not score a goal putting him in a holding role allowed other players to move forward and score. In reality we played the last few minutes with martin up front as well. I do agree but if we had another striker maybe it would have helped.

I'd rather risk losing a goal and just bring an extra attacking player on if we were chasing goals.

I would have thought bringing on Lucas, if we where leading, rather than when we where supposed to be looking for a vital winner, would have made more sense. But we are only the fans not the manager. Seemingly Brendan has f**ked up.

Makes me laugh the lack of support our manager has received this year. We spent less than all the top four am I right? We were never in the top four? We lost our two main strikers ? We lost our 2 main midfielder for large chunks of the season ( Gerrard and Lucas ) . We lost sakho for months. I could go on and on and on. I honestly feel that with the squad he has and the funds he has done his best . I'm saying saying he is perfect but Jesus he is the manager of LFC  come on. Last year he was manager of the season and this year he was pipped to 4th by a team that spent over 200 million. Look I might be wrong with numbers and figures but taking Gerrard of is just a stick to beat him with. A few weeks ago people were slagging him for not taking him off at half time.

No offence Red. Here is a little food for thought.

It's 1-1 with ten minutes to go in a game we must win.

Steven Gerrard - 501 Premier League games and 118 goals.

Lucas Leiva - 193 Premier League games and 1 goal.

You don't need to be a quantum physicist or Jose Mourinho to work that one out. Especially since Gerrard looked like our only goal threat prior to the substitution.

It wouldn't have been so bad if he'd thrown Allen on instead, but to throw Lucas on was suicide. A defensive midfielder when we are looking for a goal?

No offence Red. Here is a little food for thought.

It's 1-1 with ten minutes to go in a game we must win.

Steven Gerrard - 501 Premier League games and 118 goals.

Lucas Leiva - 193 Premier League games and 1 goal.

You don't need to be a quantum physicist or Jose Mourinho to work that one out. Especially since Gerrard looked like our only goal threat prior to the substitution.

It wouldn't have been so bad if he'd thrown Allen on instead, but to throw Lucas on was suicide. A defensive midfielder when we are looking for a goal?

I'm not saying what he did was the right or wrong decision. I was merely pointing out the fact that its another thing for him to be bashed with and recently it seems to take very little for people to do that. I respect your and everyone's opinion but I'm going to support the manager all the way. I do agree with you it was silly especially the reason but I'll judge the manager on results and overall success with the resources available. I still feel he has done what he can. Fifth for me is were we are ATM considering the lack of investment, injuries and the spend of the teams around us. Nobody will ever agree on the managers decisions I remember the Rafa one on Gerrard and I was screaming at the time. But I still supported Rafa all the way. With Brendan though people seem to be waiting for the next little thing to have a go. Like I said though everyone has an opinion I just feel regardless if opinion we should  " support" .

somebody please post the whole stevie interview.

https://youtu.be/5Og4_IJy55g

I'm not saying what he did was the right or wrong decision. I was merely pointing out the fact that its another thing for him to be bashed with and recently it seems to take very little for people to do that. I respect your and everyone's opinion but I'm going to support the manager all the way. I do agree with you it was silly especially the reason but I'll judge the manager on results and overall success with the resources available. I still feel he has done what he can. Fifth for me is were we are ATM considering the lack of investment, injuries and the spend of the teams around us. Nobody will ever agree on the managers decisions I remember the Rafa one on Gerrard and I was screaming at the time. But I still supported Rafa all the way. With Brendan though people seem to be waiting for the next little thing to have a go. Like I said though everyone has an opinion I just feel regardless if opinion we should  " support" .

Every interview since the United defeat has been a cringe fest. I am standing by Brendan, though i must admit it is getting harder to do every passing week with every passing ridiculous comment and decision.

Try to look at it from a supporters point of view? We are drawing a game we need to win at all costs and we pull Gerrard off and replace with Lucas.

Do you not understand why people are pissed off? I am in support of Brendan, there are some things that are indefensible though.

It's not just the decision though Red, it's the reasoning behind the decision, which had nothing to do with footballing matters may i add. It looked like Brendan cared more for the ovation than Gerrard did.

I've stated on many occasions that i wish Brendan to have another Season to prove his worth and ability. I must also admit that every week it is getting that little bit harder to make that case hold water.

Thought we played well albeit against a Chelsea side that never really got out of second gear and played a second string midfield.

Anyway draw wasn't good enough we didn't get the win again when we needed it sums up our sh*t season really.

On to next season make or break for Brendan.

Every interview since the United defeat has been a cringe fest. I am standing by Brendan, though i must admit it is getting harder to do every passing week with every passing ridiculous comment and decision.

Try to look at it from a supporters point of view? We are drawing a game we need to win at all costs and we pull Gerrard off and replace with Lucas.

Do you not understand why people are pissed off? I am in support of Brendan, there are some things that are indefensible though.

It's not just the decision though Red, it's the reasoning behind the decision, which had nothing to do with footballing matters may i add. It looked like Brendan cared more for the ovation than Gerrard did.

I've stated on many occasions that i wish Brendan to have another Season to prove his worth and ability. I must also admit that every week it is getting that little bit harder to make that case hold water.

Yeh I do agree with you on some points. I think for better or worse . Maybe Brendan had already closed the curtain on Gerrard's career at Liverpool and Liverpool's chances of top 4 and that was a factor in it. I'm not saying that right either BTW before people jump on that. I'm just saying that even if we won today I feel it was too little to late. Next tear will be make or break for the manager I feel.

Also I feel if I hear " outstanding " one more time I'll pull my own head off :-) :-) :-)

Every interview since the United defeat has been a cringe fest. I am standing by Brendan, though i must admit it is getting harder to do every passing week with every passing ridiculous comment and decision.

Try to look at it from a supporters point of view? We are drawing a game we need to win at all costs and we pull Gerrard off and replace with Lucas.

Do you not understand why people are pissed off? I am in support of Brendan, there are some things that are indefensible though.

It's not just the decision though Red, it's the reasoning behind the decision, which had nothing to do with footballing matters may i add. It looked like Brendan cared more for the ovation than Gerrard did.
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Every interview since the United defeat has been a cringe fest. I am standing by Brendan, though i must admit it is getting harder to do every passing week with every passing ridiculous comment and decision.

Try to look at it from a supporters point of view? We are drawing a game we need to win at all costs and we pull Gerrard off and replace with Lucas.

Do you not understand why people are pissed off? I am in support of Brendan, there are some things that are indefensible though.

It's not just the decision though Red, it's the reasoning behind the decision, which had nothing to do with footballing matters may i add. It looked like Brendan cared more for the ovation than Gerrard did.

I've stated on many occasions that i wish Brendan to have another Season to prove his worth and ability. I must also admit that every week it is getting that little bit harder to make that case hold water.

I've stated on many occasions that i wish Brendan to have another Season to prove his worth and ability. I must also admit that every week it is getting that little bit harder to make that case hold water.

My pale emptied a while back mate , just got this horrible feeling that he ain't it , now if he stays and proves me wrong I will be as happy as the next man and hold my hands up and say so , I dont think its all his doing , as I think we have cnuts for owners , but at the end of the day the buck stops with him he has acted bizarly on times this season and it dont look good from where I am standing .

Yeh I do agree with you on some points. I think for better or worse . Maybe Brendan had already closed the curtain on Gerrard's career at Liverpool and Liverpool's chances of top 4 and that was a factor in it. I'm not saying that right either BTW before people jump on that. I'm just saying that even if we won today I feel it was too little to late. Next tear will be make or break for the manager I feel.

With Gerrard gone next Season Brendan is going to find it even more difficult. I'd love to say that FSG will spend big but we all know that isn't going to happen.

Souness hit the nail on the head, who do all these youngsters look up to next Season? Who guides them through their learning curves, who is (as Souness so eloquently put it) the standard bearer when Stevie goes?

Who epitomises what we are about? First Carra, then Suarez and now Gerrard.

The only other player i can think of is Skrtel, but at the rate we are f**king him about on his new contract he might be off too.

It's no good having a class of potentially excellent kids if there is no teacher to guide them.

FSG are an absolute f**king joke.

Chelsea were there for the taking but like most of the season we were simply not good enough.

With Gerrard gone next Season Brendan is going to find it even more difficult. I'd love to say that FSG will spend big but we all know that isn't going to happen.

Souness hit the nail on the head, who do all these youngsters look up to next Season? Who guides them through their learning curves, who is (as Souness so eloquently put it) the standard bearer when Stevie goes?

Who epitomises what we are about? First Carra, then Suarez and now Gerrard.

The only other player i can think of is Skrtel, but at the rate we are f**king him about on his new contract he might be off too.

It's no good having a class of potentially excellent kids if there is no teacher to guide them.

FSG are an absolute f**king joke.

Yeah that's a really tough one. But this really is the clubs problem. How hard did they try to keep    Jamie and Stevie at the club. Still amazed Jamie didn't become part of the backroom. But I suppose Rodgers has a thing with his " boys" . they are his staff. As for experience I know its not everyone's thing but I think keeping Lucas and kolo will be a start. Not for their match time but for dressing room experience. Beside that we need to buy a Suarez. ( a winner ) that's what I feel we missed this year more than his goals is his hunger to fight for evey minute of every game. At times this year we looked slow and disinterested.

I only got updates of game on live score. Pissed off we went behind inside 5ins. Was checking the stats and it seemed we were up against it, but gradually we got on top and had  superior Posession and more shots at goal. All in all a decent result which we could have nicked.
On the Brendan issue, I think he has made another decision that questions his credentials as s top manager and not sure if he can take us any further without top class signings. His ability to do that so far has been a failure.
His quest for marquee, top drawer signings for next season surely doesn't include Ings does it ?
Hmmm... Is that what top drawer means to us now ?

"I think he has made another decision that questions his credentials as s top manager and not sure if he can take us any further without top class signings."
Can any manager take us above the current top four without top class signing??

Gerrard should have played up front not as a holding midfielder bringing lucas on was right he should have started if we wanted to win the game as Chelsea were only in first gear as the EPL was already won.

One more win will see us in finish 5th which will save us having to qualify but we really could and should have finished top four it was there for the taking overall I am disappointed  with most of the season as I think we could and should have finished above utd, we through it all away and it's left me scratching my head.

I'm not saying what he did was the right or wrong decision. I was merely pointing out the fact that its another thing for him to be bashed with and recently it seems to take very little for people to do that. I respect your and everyone's opinion but I'm going to support the manager all the way. I do agree with you it was silly especially the reason but I'll judge the manager on results and overall success with the resources available. I still feel he has done what he can. Fifth for me is were we are ATM considering the lack of investment, injuries and the spend of the teams around us. Nobody will ever agree on the managers decisions I remember the Rafa one on Gerrard and I was screaming at the time. But I still supported Rafa all the way. With Brendan though people seem to be waiting for the next little thing to have a go. Like I said though everyone has an opinion I just feel regardless if opinion we should  " support" .

I fully support the manager and recognise his mistakes at the same time.

Entirely possible.