I hear the train a comin'

anny road · December 6, 2009

and I havn't seen the sunshine since.....I dont know when...

It's hard currently isnt it? Even going the match seems like n effort as you dont dare think about what will happen. Knowing one defeat (or in yesterdays case a draw) means having to defend the club and the manager again,.....to numpties in the pub and those amongst our support who have deemed time is up.....

Yesterday was poor.......it was obvious from minute one we were in for a performance that lacked verve and drive, and once you start like that it is really difficult to turn it around, and sometimes it is down to the opposition to do something to pull you of the malaise you are in, and that didnt happen.

We were unlucky in a couple of instances but overall we didnt deserve to win and could have easily lost it,

It is bleak and not sure where we go in the immediate future.....We certainly need to rest players on Weds as half that team yesterday looked out on its feet.....One encouraging performance was Gerrard...he looked like he was much more mobile than last week, and I think given a week off he will be back to his best v Arsenal. It would also be a massive boon to get Torres on the field, he makes a massive difference

We are still leaking chances though which is a concern.....I do think Agger and Carra look alot better but we are offering one or two glorious chances a game which needs to be cut out asap.

I also think the Aquilani situation is becoming an albatross.......Whilst I wasnt suprised he didint come on yesterday, but it would have got the crowd going and given us a lift....I think Rafa is paying for over caution here.........Hopefully he plays a good 60 / 70 on Weds and puts in a decent shift, ready for Sunday....

Finally.....Out supporters...i can understand the frustration at the moment, but we were poor again yesterday...I know what is happening on the pitch directly affects the crowd, but we need to our bit which we are not...too many are standing there shaking there heads muttering instead of backing the side.......

Oh well......

Gunga Din · December 6, 2009

Leo made an excellent post last night about our play at the minute. the fact that we are too slow through midfield and he has hit the nail on the head. for a team like us to have more of an attacking threat from our defenders than we have from our midfield is, quite frankly, embarrassing. i said on here about 6 weeks ago we would struggle for fourth, and i got nothing but stick for it. if we dont get our act together soon, then to be honest, i think 4th place will be over the hill and far away by christmas.

every game is now starting to look difficult. Rafa needs to change things and quickly. we need to get back to playing to OUR strengths. we need to stop playing with a "dont lose" mentality and start playing with a "lets win this" mentality. the most sickening thing yesterday is we settled for a draw. that is what is the most galling.

anny road · December 6, 2009

Leo made an excellent post last night about our play at the minute. the fact that we are too slow through midfield and he has hit the nail on the head. for a team like us to have more of an attacking threat from our defenders than we have from our midfield is, quite frankly, embarrassing. i said on here about 6 weeks ago we would struggle for fourth, and i got nothing but stick for it. if we dont get our act together soon, then to be honest, i think 4th place will be over the hill and far away by christmas.

every game is now starting to look difficult. Rafa needs to change things and quickly. we need to get back to playing to OUR strengths. we need to stop playing with a "dont lose" mentality and start playing with a "lets win this" mentality. the most sickening thing yesterday is we settled for a draw. that is what is the most galling.

I agree to an extent, however 4th wont be out of the way as there are alot of teams who will lose points (and I include Arsenal and City in that)......

I agree about how slow we are, and with the mentality......However, I maintain alot of that comes from the players on the pitch and not the manager.........They are instincively nervy at the moment from a combination of poor results and lack of fitness.....I can see the latter improving now, but only a rund of results will turn the former around.......

Gunga Din · December 6, 2009

I agree to an extent, however 4th wont be out of the way as there are alot of teams who will lose points (and I include Arsenal and City in that)......

I agree about how slow we are, and with the mentality......However, I maintain alot of that comes from the players on the pitch and not the manager.........They are instincively nervy at the moment from a combination of poor results and lack of fitness.....I can see the latter improving now, but only a rund of results will turn the former around.......

Dave, the manager puts the players on the pitch. its his tactics we use. we have recently started a very worrying trend of at times dropping to a line of 7 at the back. the gap between the centre mids and the wide players and attackers is so big that the forward players are dropping too deep to get the ball, meaning when they do get it the opposition have enough players back to stop any attack in its tracks. we have Masch and Lucas at times stood 5 yards ahead of the fullbacks, we have no one bombing forward through the middle, and when we have the ball there is a lack of mobility and movement from so many of our players we end up going side ways and backwards. we are always looking for a safe sideways pass, and dont get enough players in goal scoring positions.

the tendancy is to mock the media and claim an Anti Liverpool agenda when they tell us we are almost totally dependant on 2 players, yet this run has shown them to absolutely correct. with Torres absent, and Gerrard half fit (and even half fit he is our best player) we are little more than a lower mid table side

anny road · December 6, 2009

Dave, the manager puts the players on the pitch. its his tactics we use. we have recently started a very worrying trend of at times dropping to a line of 7 at the back. the gap between the centre mids and the wide players and attackers is so big that the forward players are dropping too deep to get the ball, meaning when they do get it the opposition have enough players back to stop any attack in its tracks. we have Masch and Lucas at times stood 5 yards ahead of the fullbacks, we have no one bombing forward through the middle, and when we have the ball there is a lack of mobility and movement from so many of our players we end up going side ways and backwards. we are always looking for a safe sideways pass, and dont get enough players in goal scoring positions.

the tendancy is to mock the media and claim an Anti Liverpool agenda when they tell us we are almost totally dependant on 2 players, yet this run has shown them to absolutely correct. with Torres absent, and Gerrard half fit (and even half fit he is our best player) we are little more than a lower mid table side

Thats is far too simplistic and you know it

Firstly, I watched the manager at times going ballistic on the touch line gesturing them to get out of defence...i dont think for one minute the manager is telling the playrs to drop that deep...

We are not a two man team, however we have two of thw worlds best players and will miss them if not fit.....We are better than most sides in the division, but the injuries we have had as exposed a paper thin squad, and means we have rushed players back too early.....Even with all the injuries and problems we are seventh and only three points off 3rd...before anyone jumps at me, I am not saying that is acceptable

A combination of the above, and a drop in confidence has led to us playing as we are....

I think the manager has made some mistakes, but he doesnt want the players to play without confidence and drop deep...>Sammy Lee was also going mad second half on the touch line....Confidence is the one area you cant just put in players, it comes back gradualy and will take time......

Edited December 6, 2009 by anny road

Superjay · December 6, 2009

Any side in the prem would find it tough if you took out theyre 2 best players.

Our problem came yesterday from the same thing that has driven us mad for years. Our ability to break down a 10 man defence. Blackburn defended brilliantly yesterday and were very snide in not letting us get a head of steam. How many times did they drag down a player after breaking away from a tackle? Again if you can get away with it's good defending.

Gunga Din · December 6, 2009

Thats is far too simplistic and you know it

Firstly, I watched the manager at times going ballistic on the touch line gesturing them to get out of defence...i dont think for one minute the manager is telling the playrs to drop that deep...

We are not a two man team, however we have two of thw worlds best players and will miss them if not fit.....We are better than most sides in the division, but the injuries we have had as exposed a paper thin squad, and means we have rushed players back too early.....Even with all the injuries and problems we are seventh and only three points off 3rd...before anyone jumps at me, I am not saying that is acceptable

A combination of the above, and a drop in confidence has led to us playing as we are....

I think the manager has made some mistakes, but he doesnt want the players to play without confidence and drop deep...>Sammy Lee was also going mad second half on the touch line....Confidence is the one area you cant just put in players, it comes back gradualy and will take time......

its not simplistic. against City, in the last 10 minutes Rafa was telling the team to get deeper. if they had got any deeper they'd been sat by me in 104. the team will follow the managers instructions. Rafa does not come across as a man who will play someone who doesnt do on the pitch what he tells them to.

And if it is the case (i dont think it is, but lets just say it is) that Rafa is telling the team to do one thing and they are doing the other, what does that tell you?

Andy @ Allerton · December 6, 2009

Leo made an excellent post last night about our play at the minute. the fact that we are too slow through midfield and he has hit the nail on the head. for a team like us to have more of an attacking threat from our defenders than we have from our midfield is, quite frankly, embarrassing. i said on here about 6 weeks ago we would struggle for fourth, and i got nothing but stick for it. if we dont get our act together soon, then to be honest, i think 4th place will be over the hill and far away by christmas.

every game is now starting to look difficult. Rafa needs to change things and quickly. we need to get back to playing to OUR strengths. we need to stop playing with a "dont lose" mentality and start playing with a "lets win this" mentality. the most sickening thing yesterday is we settled for a draw. that is what is the most galling.

23 Games to play and 2 points off fourth and you think it's going to be unattainable?

You must have missed our late attacks and us hitting the crossbar and pouring at on at the end.

Gunga Din · December 6, 2009

23 Games to play and 2 points off fourth and you think it's going to be unattainable?

You must have missed our late attacks and us hitting the crossbar and pouring at on at the end.

well done on missing the point.

Andy @ Allerton · December 6, 2009

well done on missing the point.

You said.. "the most sickening thing yesterday is we settled for a draw"

From the BBC Website live coverage.. The last 10 minutes..

90:00+0:16

Dirk Kuyt takes a shot. Paul Robinson makes a save. Short corner worked by Steven Gerrard.