Davvo

Does seem weird given he hasn't played in the Europa this season, doesn't fit any of the reasons that the whole cup-tied thing exists. Who cares that Chelsea are now in this comp, he's not on loan.

Yep, incredible effort with what we had at our disposal. The failures of the Summer window are the reason we're not right up with the race for 4th, or through to the next round of this. Sturridge and Coutinho rectifies that, and it's such a shame we couldn't use them tonight.

Exactly.

Of course, but he doesn't get any credit for the sterling effort to get back into the tie, oh no.

Yep, been jumping in since about the 86th minute. I'd hate to be that f***ing negative and cynical. Disappointed I understand, but you can write the posts of some before they do when things don't go exactly as they'd like.

Great effort against the odds, let's not spoil it with trying to find fault eh ?

Subs were fine. Think Hendo and Allen had been told to run themselves into the ground for 60, need fresh legs for the last 30. Both were blowing, not surprising after the effort they'd put in.

This sums your recent posting up. I really hope you're on the wind up, at least you'd have an excuse, albeit weak.

The squad is definitely better than where we sit in the league, I agree with that, but then there are more teams competing for those top 4 spots now too. In terms of squad strength, I think we are one of six teams that realistically should start the season wanting top 4, and obviously not all can make it, and it's not a big stretch for one or two to drop to 7th or 8th, as we did last year, with a few of the mid table sides also putting a big effort into chasing a European spot. On September 1st I thought we had a real battle on our hands to get within striking distance of top 4 by January, and pray for reinforcements. We were, I think, on the edge of getting into that race, and whilst not out of it yet mathematically, the WBA defeat could well prove to be the differrence. All in all, we're around where we deserve to be, and the true test is how we kick on now we have a little more strike power, and the players have had two thirds of a season getting used to the new manager. Finish the season well, 6th, 5th, 4th (or within 3-5 points of), and there should be universal optimism that we can kick on next season with a little more investment.

is 'haven't beaten a team in the top 10', really going to change to 'only beaten 1 team in the top ten'. That's a worrying stance if people are going to start peddling that s***, the stats gone, drop it.

Decent summary, but I'm not sure about these 2 points. The first is a matter of opinion, but I feel Lucas is simply struggling to regain form, showing glimpses of his old self, and also glimpses of his old old self. The points return, given where we were at the end of last season, and going into this 2 forwards light, aswell as many other mitigating factors, is within ball park of where it might be expected. We're at the same points total as this stage last season, and given how we fell off a cliff at the end of that season, and how we now have Sturridge & Coutinho to strengthen the forward options, we have every chance of progressing by at least 10 points over last season. Our points per game right now is higher than last year's end of season total, so we're on target to show progression.

I'm more than happy for peope to say they're not convinced by BR yet, but to continually come up with reasons to belittle good performances, and jump so quickly on poor ones, suggests there are people who have made their mind up.

I don't get why people are so quick to find reasons to belittle our positive performances, that's the kind of comment you'd come up with to take the gloss off an Everton win surely ?

Our manager should be targetting 4th as a minimum til it's mathematically impossible. Being critical of him for it, and calling it fanciful ? Odd that Mooks. What of it ? Better than saying he's targetting 7th isn't it ?

aye, the fact that the PFA have had discussions with 7 or 8, suggests there's many more I'd have thought ? You'd think it's one of the hardest environments to 'come out' in, in any shape or form, given the masculine nature of it, so there's likely many more who wouldn't feel comfortable talking to such fools as Clark Carlisle or Gordon Taylor. Or not, who knows I guess. it would be nice if it wasn't even a talking point really, but given the sport's appeal to the tabloid nation, it always will be.

Aye, I don't particularly love the fashionable use of false anything, but he's a proper false winger, no doubt about that.

Get the impression he's one of those the players like to schmooze with at celeb type things, but laugh their c***s off at when they're back at Melwood. Probably not a small club that mind.

Abramovich spent £50M on a flaxen haired senorita, what else is there to say.

Indeed. Infact, it was probably Gomez himself.

Not at all, just striker selfish, in a good way. He'd make Chelsea a better side too, which is nice.

I saw a couple of his tweets earlier, he really is a bit of a c**k isn't he ? Don't think he's got any insight into FSG at all, just trying to read into stuff, like the rest of us. Could be right, could be wrong, but he's guessing.

Henry ?

Slipping on my finest Liverbird blinkers for a second, there's half a chance someone advises him to take another step between Ajax and Barca/Madrid. I know I know, I hate to think of LFC as a stepping stone in someone's career(and anyway, once he's here he'd realise this is where his future lies), but we've regressed, quite clearly , and, nah it's not going to happen is it.

Yep, if Coutinho settles nicely, and we can bring in one more quality forward player, then we get to a point where missing one of the key forward players doesn't break our entire system. We were two forwards short after the Summer window, so it's no surprise we look massively better now Sturridge is here. Scoring goals takes a lot of pressure off the defence too, who must be on pins a lot of the time knowing one mistake could cost us a game. Replace the admittedly hugely improved Downing, with someone more of the level of the other forwards, and that's a quality first choice front four.

Trying to get a game of pass the pound going ?