Liverpool 3 – 2 Villa; The scoreline flattered us

If you actually watched the game live, you’d probably be saying that we played far too deep, for far too long.
Something I’d agree with at face value.

But my more overwhelming feeling is that we didn’t help ourselves as a team.
How many times were our players too easily dis-possessed by Liverpool players who were working at a great tempo and looking to get the ball back all the time?

Going one down after the first minute or two, when Milner found loads of space amid a slack defence didn’t help and we had to be careful, as they were creating chances all over the place. But only because we were allowing them too, by us being nowhere near sharp enough.
Ok, we only went in one down at half time, but it could easily have been way more, with Liverpool creating chances and finding acres of space at will.
You know we’re in trouble when Sinclair is playing most of his game helping out Hutton, who was constantly under the cosh.
So, basically we were facing an onslaught for the whole first half, but still went in one down.
We were lucky, although Gestede had a blinding chance, where he only had to shoot straight at the goal to have a decent chance of a goal. It went wide.

I’d have liked Traore on when we came back on, as I felt we needed to give them something to think about, but it didn’t happen and there were no changes.
And then they went two up with a very decent goal from Sturridge.
It seemed all over, only for us to actually get the ball out wide for once for Amavi to cross and Gestede, who hadn’t been involved and looked poor, scored.
A minute later though, Sturridge had a similar chance to Gestede’s first half one, one at a much wider angle.
Needless to say, he buried it.
3-1 then and again it looked all over, only for Gestede to score with a stonking header, that left Mignolet no chance.
And then after the subs that Sherwood made, we upped the pressure and started chasing the ball and pressing, as Pool had done previously.
And we got back into it, so much so that a 3-3 result wasn’t off the table.
But it was too little, too late.

So while the tactics were probably designed to try and stifle Pool in the first half, with the new lads coming on later (a tactic that did work to some extent, as Liverpool’s players tired), it was disappointing how the first half team couldn’t up the pace/sharpness when required.

So, a self-inflicted loss for me then, made more disappointing when you consider that Liverpool are poor in defence.
They look very beatable if you actually attack them and Rodgers’ dismissal has only been delayed in my opinion.
No sour grapes there though, they deserved to beat us easily.

As for us, it’s now beginning to become worrying.
There’s no doubt in my mind Gabby would have started today if he possibly could have, for example.
And he’d have offered less than Gestede, given that he doesn’t head the ball that well.
We need to start the likes of Ayew, Gana, Vertout and Traore everytime.
And play those that haven’t worked previously, after, if the new lads can’t do it.

71 Comments

Page 2 of 2 1 2
  1. jvillan
    jvillan September 27, 2015 at 1:05 pm . Reply

    just after hearing sherwoods comments about all young players we bought in summer what the club wanted ,not what he wanted is that what he means,if we stay in this division we ll be better next ,when he came in did he not say no more relegation battles has his bottle gone already, rudi has more goals in 2 matches than gabbysince last october yet gabby has started 5/6 this season already ,westwood what does he provide answers please no asissts goals ,plenty passes in own half backwards sideways ,guzan gives me no confidence at all.hutton yes he put in cross for rudi goalplus one in first half but that was it can t tackle his crossing is always shocking,lescott 7 goals in 3 games to late a signing

  2. kerryvillan
    kerryvillan September 27, 2015 at 4:25 pm . Reply

    Clark is far better than lescott and is only getting better where as lescott is on a sharp decline! Really don’t understand why we bought him especially as we hav okore to come back into the team and the young guy from pool! We hav to play a 4231 formation as our best players are attacking mids

    Hutton/bacuna on the right both hav advantages and disadvantages, Richards and Clark in center and amavi picks himself, gana and sanchez in the middle wit grealish out the left adama out right and either gil or vertout in CAM and gesture up front and instruct adama and grealish to cross all day long! And if it’s not working bring on aweye and hav the attacking 3 playing balls in behind or passing into feet and running behind. We have options but tim persists with the same crap which pisses me off! With that back 4 and sanchez and gana holding midfield against the teams around us or the lesser teams (if there are any) or attacking 3 mids should be kept high up the pitch and not defending in our half then opposition teams will not be able to commit so many forward or of they do we will destroy them on the break! We hav players and we hav options now we just need a fucking manager!

    1. Dave67
      Dave67 September 27, 2015 at 4:57 pm . Reply

      Kerryvillian and B6 I agree with your team selection . we are weak down the RB position . Maybe Richards can play there is that leaving us short in the middle. I believe we will come good , Tim needs to start the players he signed.

    2. OohAhPaulMcGrath
      OohAhPaulMcGrath September 27, 2015 at 5:38 pm . Reply

      Agree Kerry Lescott as cover when desperate fair enough otherwise forget it

  3. Benno
    Benno September 27, 2015 at 5:26 pm . Reply

    Yup I agree with the team above: 4-2-3-1. Gana and Sanchez as defensive mids with Gil/Veretout in front of them, behind Gestede. Grealish left and Traore right. This is a very good side on paper. Sinclair, Ayew and Westwood on the bench.

    There is a chance that Richards could go RB when Okore is fit, but I think he is more a CB….and is playing well there. I would rather see Hutton there thatn Bacuna, as he has struggled defensively there this year. Maybe we will sign a RB in Jan. Has Trippier even played for Spurs yet…maybe a cheeky 4m bid??!!

  4. Adam
    Adam September 27, 2015 at 8:13 pm . Reply

    Stoke game is huge, a loss and were already in a position where we have to win two on the bounce just to get out of the relegation places. It’s going to be a long season.

    1. OohAhPaulMcGrath
      OohAhPaulMcGrath September 27, 2015 at 8:33 pm . Reply

      That’s why Sherwood has to go we are one game away from being cut adrift once that happens it’s very difficult to get out of it. Lamberk just about kept us above that but Sherwood has taken us below that level.

  5. sasa c
    sasa c September 27, 2015 at 9:26 pm . Reply

    I have waited prior to posting. On Monday, on here, there was a blog about Gestede not really being the answer, there were a few on here suggesting that Blues would beat us, one idiot even posted about how he had gone to the bookies and bet against us….
    Oohaha, I get that you are frustrated, but seriously, get rid of TS and who comes in, Klopp or Carlo…. course fucking not, or do you want Fat Sam?
    This team will improve and will finish top 12 – there are two things TS needs to do:
    Drop Guzan – he knows he is a dead man walking & this should have been handled better.
    Forget Gabby and leave Gabby out of the squad.

    We all need to accept that we have a rookie manager with a rookie team – and by Xmas I am sure it will all have come good – with both parties given time – we are better than last year even if the position at this time does not reflect it
    UTV

    1. OohAhPaulMcGrath
      OohAhPaulMcGrath September 27, 2015 at 10:42 pm . Reply

      Sasa c I disagree. Firstly you are right about BFS coming in not ideal but would keep us up. Sherwood won’t. Sherwoods record is now worse than Lamberks and he’s only been here 5 mins. No one really knows about Gestede yet though he’s given himself a lot of goodwill with 3?goals in 2 games and scoring the winner v the scum always helps. Have to give him a run if a dozen games to see if he will work long term. As for Guzan who do we replace him with. Bun? He us worse than Guzan this should have been sorted in the summer. Agree with you about Gabby either drop him or try and reinvent him into another position maybe attacking midfielder but needs a brain for that.

      1. Benno
        Benno September 28, 2015 at 2:44 am . Reply

        Gabby as an attacking midfielder??!! If that happens, I will give up on football. No, actually I will give up on life!

  6. Bill Pearson
    Bill Pearson September 28, 2015 at 7:13 am . Reply

    RIGHT OR WRONG? WHAT DO YOU THINK?
    Words that are at the bottom of you postings, Oohahs not far of the mark in what he’s says, except for Abonglahor statement, Sherwood is not at the moment convincing many fans in his method of selected players, out of position, playing out of form players, and not playing a certain forward , so this is why some of us say what we think, I’m not happy with Sherwood because of things he’s doing, you will get fans posting anger at him for it, up till now we are heading for trouble the way he’s playing the team, OK ,I’ll give him till November,after that I’ll attack him as being useless and the reason Tottenham got rid of him.

  7. badger123
    badger123 September 28, 2015 at 11:42 am . Reply

    And you’re fully entitled to your opinion Bill, no worries.
    I just think you’re wrong.
    Or at least I hope so.

    1. Bill Pearson
      Bill Pearson September 28, 2015 at 12:43 pm . Reply

      So do I Badger, but you have to admit things are not Rosie at the minute, another grand plus this year from us and getting pissed off now.

Leave a Reply to badger123 Click here to cancel reply.