Spartak Moscow 1-1 Liverpool: In game and Post Match discussion

That will do for you? Really? Do you think any of the big boys in Europe would be happy with a point away in Moscow or would they expect to win? I understand optimism and even realism but at some point don’t our expectations have to move beyond a point away being a positive?

It's sh*te when you look at it in the right now but we scraped through the group  stages in 04/05.

Olypiakos anyone?

Should've won by a landslide tonight but we may look back at tonight in a few months saying it was a valuable point.

Maybe.

I think we euopra league level we still need about 5 top players or least better that what we have to go for champion league win it or least go far in it same with league we be poor most games so far these year

They were awful for a team that was in Pot 1, and that is definitely 2 points lost rather than 1 won.

Lots of people saying that we need to change things around, but the problem is we are making good chances as it is, and the finishing is to blame.  Changing things round probably won't get us making any more chances and won't improve the finishing - so what is the benefit from changing it round.  It's the finishing not the way we are playing that needs addressing.

Studge is our only real natural finisher, but the odd minutes here and there is not getting the best from him really.  Thought he needed to come on at half time replacing Bobby today (who was pretty poor).

Karius is not a better keeper than Migs, so why he is getting any game time is beyond me.  He was not able to do the only thing he had to do tonight, and it was not as if it ended up in the top corner.

It's sh*te when you look at it in the right now but we scraped through the group  stages in 04/05.

Olypiakos anyone?

Should've won by a landslide tonight but we may look back at tonight in a few months saying it was a valuable point.

Maybe.

I think we're still poised to go through at this point, but damn, we don't half make things hard on ourselves.....

I think we euopra league level we still need about 5 top players or least better that what we have to go for champion league win it or least go far in it same with league we be poor most games so far these year

Six in my opinion. Entirely new back line, including a new goalkeeper, plus a clinical forward. Stick a 13/14 season Sturridge between Mane and Salah and combine it with the back line from 08/09 season and we'd walk this league. To think, in less than ten years, we've gone from Masch as the deep lying Midfielder, with Carragher, Hyypia, Agger and Skrtel as our four Center Backs, Aurelio and Arbeloa as our fullbacks, with Pepe in goal, to this shower we have now.

Another chance goes begging, this time against a completely inferior side who couldn't even match us for fitness never mind ability. How they are level on points with us is anyone's guess, let's be frank here that Moscow side were a poor outfit and we should be beating sides like that with relative ease.

Karius - Well, I'm just waiting for FMS and the usual stalkers of Mignolet to call out that piece of Sunday League keeping, it was Bournemouth all over again, and that level of keeping for that free kick has no place in this tier of football. Truly awful. 3

TAA - Had a steady game, wasn't asked too much defensively and offensively he tried but the final ball was lacking which is surprising because this kid is capable of supplying some wicked crosses. Had one left footed shot unleashed to no avail. 6.5

Lovren - Like the rest of the defence he wasn't really called into question, what he did do he did well; no brain farts so we better count our lucky stars for small mercies. 7

Matip - Similar to Lovren. Couple of wonky passes went astray but never tested defensively. 6.5

Moreno - Poor final balls let his game down when he had little to do defensively. 6

Henderson - It's exact games like this where Henderson looks comfortable and isn't questioned as a the DM, so to speak. Had a decent game, needs though to up the tempo of the pass from the quarter back roll and shift that ball about quicker. Played in a good few passes and over all covered well. 7

Can - Another game to forget him. Sloppy in possession, sloppy in the tackle, shame he didn't get hooked earlier. 4

Coutinho - Was much brighter in the first half than the second and his give and go with Mane was something else and he capped that with a lovely finish. Along with Mane he is our most influential player and is in tandem with Mane the catalyst for Liverpool's infamous attack. 7.5

Mane - Great to see him back in the team and we look a completely different prospect when he's on the field. Vital player for us. As soon as Klopp hooked him the hope drained from me, and it turned out to kill off any fluidity and threat that we had previously carried. 7.5

Salah - Works away on the flank, had a couple of half chance opportunities to score but didn't haven't much of an impact in the end. 6.5

Firmino - Another anonymous performance from Bobby I'm afraid. I couldn't believe Mane was hooked and not him, should have scored from a header in the first half, had a couple of decent opportunities to play his teamates in with a final ball but the final product was sloppy and it never reached its target. 5

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Gini - 6

Sturridge - 5.5 Missed a couple of chances.

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Klopp - Rotating the keepers like this, just to keep Karius happy is a recipe for disaster given what we've seen tonight. People bemoan Mignolet, but he would have never let in a cheap goal from distance like that, that was awful. I understand why Mane was subbed but don't agree with it, that killed off any impetus we had and instead of making that last 20 mins hell for Moscow that sub made their life easier. 7

People bemoan Mignolet, but he would have never let in a cheap goal from distance like that

Bet you were laughing when you typed this.

Bet you were laughing when you typed this.

Bet you weren't laughing when you saw them score tonight!

I see all the should've, would've, could've posts are coming out.

End of the day that result wasn't good enough, given the lowly level of opposition we played.

If we want to progress in this comp, it's teams like that that need their noses rubbing in it.

The biggest positive for me is the defence cannot be blamed for this unfavourable result. The biggest worry is we are starting to develop problems at both ends of the pitch now. No matter how many chances we create, if we don't finish them we can't win matches. Hopefully this might be a case of early days in the season and we should our stride soon. Nothing much needs to be changed but I would like to see a couple of alterations.
Karius has got enough chances now and it's time for Ward to be given his. Sturridge should start for us with Firmino coming on as a sub. He has had two bad games now and it's time to see what Danny can do with some regular game time.

The biggest positive for me is the defence cannot be blamed for this unfavourable result. The biggest worry is we are starting to develop problems at both ends of the pitch now. No matter how many chances we create, if we don't finish them we can't win matches. Hopefully this might be a case of early days in the season and we should our stride soon. Nothing much needs to be changed but I would like to see a couple of alterations.
Karius has got enough chances now and it's time for Ward to be given his. Sturridge should start for us with Firmino coming on as a sub. He has had two bad games now and it's time to see what Danny can do with some regular game time.

You are a brave man. Bobby played very poorly tonight l, but all Daniel did was come in and kill any chance of us getting a goal. He doesn't fit with our attack. He tries to go isolation on defenders ALMOST everyone he gets the ball and kills any momentum we have. He only looks to shoot. He killed atleast 3 really good chances with this kind of play. Bobby needs to play better, but IMO your offense works better with him in playing badly than when Studg is in at all.

Moreno and Loverns good games are when they don't make mistakes. Outside of the first Sevilla game what chances has Berto created with crosses? I like his energy and he has defended better (because he hasn't had to manly) but his crosses just don't have anything lively on them. Robo needs to play more.

Hendo controlled the Midfield well again. We need him to keep it up.

Karius is our 3rd best keeper. I know it's his personality/demeanor, but it looks like he could care less when he gaffs up.

Sometimes I think Can makes us worse. He is so slow, yet insist on playing with the ball in traffic. Really bad game for him. I kind of want to see Milner in his spot more.

When Bobby sailed that shot 20 feet over goal Salah was so open to his left and the keeper was going right. In all honesty the reason we keep botching these chances (someone already mentioned 121 shots and 6 goals) is because we are playing so nervy and tense. If he waits .3 of second longer he sees that pass and Salah misses it to the left (hahaha, I joke). We just need to slow down. Having Mane and Couts on together will help us with this.

We are going to beat someone by 5 goals one day very soon. These chances won't always go by the wayside. Someone is getting fu**ed up.

You are a brave man. Bobby played very poorly tonight l, but all Daniel did was come in and kill any chance of us getting a goal. He doesn't fit with our attack. He tries to go isolation on defenders ALMOST everyone he gets the ball and kills any momentum we have. He only looks to shoot. He killed atleast 3 really good chances with this kind of play. Bobby needs to play better, but IMO your offense works better with him in playing badly than when Studg is in at all.

Moreno and Loverns good games are when they don't make mistakes. Outside of the first Sevilla game what chances has Berto created with crosses? I like his energy and he has defended better (because he hasn't had to manly) but his crosses just don't have anything lively on them. Robo needs to play more.

Hendo controlled the Midfield well again. We need him to keep it up.

Karius is our 3rd best keeper. I know it's his personality/demeanor, but it looks like he could care less when he gaffs up.

Sometimes I think Can makes us worse. He is so slow, yet insist on playing with the ball in traffic. Really bad game for him. I kind of want to see Milner in his spot more.

When Bobby sailed that shot 20 feet over goal Salah was so open to his left and the keeper was going right. In all honesty the reason we keep botching these chances (someone already mentioned 121 shots and 6 goals) is because we are playing so nervy and tense. If he waits .3 of second longer he sees that pass and Salah misses it to the left (hahaha, I joke). We just need to slow down. Having Mane and Couts on together will help us with this.

We are going to beat someone by 5 goals one day very soon. These chances won't always go by the wayside. Someone is getting fu**ed up.

You're right about Sturridge tonight. But before writing him off completely and all in theory of course let's see him get a run of games alongside Mane, Coutinho and Salah, instead of having Firmino shunted to the left every time he plays. The left wing dies on it's arse with Firmino out there and Sturridge isn't flanked by the same quality that Firmino usually is. You're right, he doesn't fit with Firmino on the left who offers nowhere near the level of threat and quality Mane does, we've yet to see Mane with Sturridge though. And I wouldn't be too quick to write that off without seeing it first.

Yes, Sturridge didn't fair any better tonight and was guilty of missing a couple of chances and dribbling down blind alley's but Firmino's form has suddenly evaporated again - which isn't uncommon for him I'm afraid and is usually a recurring theme throughout the season, like other players to.

I don't think Sturridge is an "impact player" or "super sub", he is proven quality and deserves IMHO a run of games to see what he can make of things in this system. He's the type of striker who you could almost note isn't on the field at times (not all the time), and then bang out of nowhere he's capable of scoring that all important goal or two, like Torres, Fowler and Owen before him. But he needs Klopp to have the confidence in him and to stick by him for a run of games, Sturridge is a slow burner and these 20 min cameo's here and there are of little use in getting the very best out of Daniel Sturridge.

I'm not even sure the system suits him but it has still got to be worth a look at, instead of writing everything off merely because Klopp won't try it. If Karius, an unproven keeper deserves calls for a run of games, then a proven goalscorer with his record - remembering the adage that 'form is temporary & class is permanent' then Sturridge deserves that run, especially when we're, our amazing attack is struggling to score goals. Klopp is keen to rotate the defence, keeper and midfield he should also rotate his attack especially when it's miss firing or the form has dipped from one of his players, otherwise what's the point? We won't lose anything by trying it.

And if Sturridge with ample opportunity fails to take his chance come the season's end, then it's my opinion that Klopp needs to go out and buy such a striker next summer.

I think Klopp has a few blind spots with his players and I'd strike his persistence to call on Bobby one of those.

Sky sports news presenter last night: Liverpool must be kicking themselves

Me: they would probably miss that as well

I must be the only one who thought it was a brilliantly struck free kick then.
That shot had so much pace and considering that it went over the wall, i couldnt lay the blame at Karius for that.
Its at the point where every goal we concede is as result of our useless goalkeepers or defence, however i have said it before, this team was picked and assembled to score goals, which they have failed to do in the past few games.
I stand by it, that until JK buys a proper defender, he is solely relying on his front men to win us games. They are not doing their job at the moment and he needs to change things up a little.

Bobby was poor for the past 2 matches and he needs to be rested with Sturridge/Solanke being given a run. They may be sharper and more clinical, which is what we need to get our confidence back. Once this team goes on a winning run, then goals will continue from everywhere in the team and inevitably clean sheets will follow.

I see all the should've, would've, could've posts are coming out.

End of the day that result wasn't good enough, given the lowly level of opposition we played.

If we want to progress in this comp, it's teams like that that need their noses rubbing in it.

Really?

Jürgen's first home game was against similar opposition, Kazan, 2 years ago. The game went more or less the same as this one, with the same scoreline.

We ended up in the final.

Our job is to get through the group, and we're currently unbeaten and 2nd. We play that lot in our last game, and it's at home. The job should be considerably easier then.

I must be the only one who thought it was a brilliantly struck free kick then.
That shot had so much pace and considering that it went over the wall, i couldnt lay the blame at Karius for that.
Its at the point where every goal we concede is as result of our useless goalkeepers or defence, however i have said it before, this team was picked and assembled to score goals, which they have failed to do in the past few games.

It wasn't a bad free kick but when it crossed the line the ball was about two yards inside the post, and I just feel he should be good enough to save that.

That said the attack was far more culpable for the dropped points.

Spartak were there for the taking for 80% of the match, after we gifted them a goal they got confident for about 20 mins, but then went back into retreat.

ive said it time and time again but our decision making is shocking, all over the pitch we made silly errors.

im also scratching my head about why we brought Ox for? and bringing on Gini for an away match to chase a goal is absolutely pointless.

Really?

Jürgen's first home game was against similar opposition, Kazan, 2 years ago. The game went more or less the same as this one, with the same scoreline.

We ended up in the final.

Our job is to get through the group, and we're currently unbeaten and 2nd. We play that lot in our last game, and it's at home. The job should be considerably easier then.

Yes. Really.

We should be beating teams like that no ifs, buts or monkey's nuts and making our situation considerably easier now.

Really?

Jürgen's first home game was against similar opposition, Kazan, 2 years ago. The game went more or less the same as this one, with the same scoreline.

We ended up in the final.

Our job is to get through the group, and we're currently unbeaten and 2nd. We play that lot in our last game, and it's at home. The job should be considerably easier then.

The problem with this argument is that we have a busy October and November. Had we got more points from our previous games, especially from yesterday's game, we will be sitting pretty. Ideally, given the group we have, we should be qualifying by the fourth game, thus helping us to focus on the league games. But, now the Maribor away game becomes a must win. And, you know the problem with that? It is sandwiched between games against United and Tottenham. The Sevilla game comes before the Chelsea game and the Spartak game comes before the derby.

We are only making it difficult for ourselves.

It wasn't a bad free kick but when it crossed the line the ball was about two yards inside the post, and I just feel he should be good enough to save that

It wasn't a bad free kick, it was a great free kick, and if Coutinho scored it for us, we would be praising him not condemning the goalkeeper.

But he didn't and we are. He gets blamed for every goal that goes in, as does Migs. Powerful shots, offsides, fouls against them, the lot. And if they avoid those calamities, well there's back passes, punches, and kick outs to be blamed for.

We once had Grob who was known as "the clown". Wobbly legs, kitbags on his head, butterfingers on the goalline, that sort of thing. Despite all that, he played here for over a decade and we won everything and the kitchen sink.

I don't think we have the next Ray Clemence. But I am fed up of the same  players getting blamed all the time for stuff that isn't their fault. If you want to blame anyone, blame Can for losing the ball in the build up to it. You see, somebody different is responsible for a change.

It wasn't a bad free kick, it was a great free kick, and if Coutinho scored it for us, we would be praising him not condemning the goalkeeper.

But he didn't and we are. He gets blamed for every goal that goes in, as does Migs. Powerful shots, offsides, fouls against them, the lot. And if they avoid those calamities, well there's back passes, punches, and kick outs to be blamed for.

We once had Grob who was known as "the clown". Wobbly legs, kitbags on his head, butterfingers on the goalline, that sort of thing. Despite all that, he played here for over a decade and we won everything and the kitchen sink.

I don't think we have the next Ray Clemence. But I am fed up of the same  players getting blamed all the time for stuff that isn't their fault. If you want to blame anyone, blame Can for losing the ball in the build up to it. You see, somebody different is responsible for a change.

Oh do give over you daft f*****  .

In Jürgen i Trust. He will always have my support as long as he is the manager. The thing is that it is impossible to please every fan, there will always will be people who wil questioning a move or a change.

The problem with this argument is that we have a busy October and November. Had we got more points from our previous games, especially from yesterday's game, we will be sitting pretty. Ideally, given the group we have, we should be qualifying by the fourth game, thus helping us to focus on the league games. But, now the Maribor away game becomes a must win. And, you know the problem with that? It is sandwiched between games against United and Tottenham. The Sevilla game comes before the Chelsea game and the Spartak game comes before the derby.

We are only making it difficult for ourselves.

We have a busy schedule, but we wanted to play in Europe, so we have to deal with the demands it brings.

Chelsea are playing in Europe, Spurs are playing in Europe, the mancs are playing in Europe, the neighbours are playing in Europe. They all have European commitments to deal with, and they're not over until they either qualify, or have won the group.

We have 6 games to get the job done. It's nice to have it done and dusted in 4 games, but not essential. And it rarely is sorted that early. But if it means the last 5 minutes as against Olympiakos, so be it. Just get it done.