Ratings & Reactions: Liverpool v Villa

[Villa87]

Luiz was **** awful today. Hate to state the obvious - we massively miss Grealish big time. 

[Davkaus]

I'd clearing in the woods Barkley over the head with a frying pan repeatedly, and sell him to an unscrupulous kebab shop. 

[barry'sboots]

4 minutes ago, KentVillan said:

What formation / team was he supposed to play? Grealish and Sanson injured. Barkley and AEG been crap for ages. 4-4-2 would have been suicide in midfield.

How about a 4-3-1-2 with Trez off Watkins and Davis??

Get's the poor wingers off  and get's two strikers up top and help for Watkins.

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

... We legit threw that game away... again... with a combo of poor decision making by players, and subs IMO.

That was the difference today I feel, aside from that, they were there for the taking.

There is nothing worse than sleep walking to a loss.

Don't want to be too critical because on the whole it was " Ok ", but those fine margins are what make differences.

I genuinely don't get Dean's sub strategy sometimes. What has Barkley offered recently that Davis could not?

I mean Barkley wasn't terrible but he didn't really offer anything different either IMO.

Very dissappointing.

[thunderball]

Jeez, it’s like Twitter on here.

[hippo]

2 minutes ago, Sulberto21 said:

Davis should have come on today their defenders looked weak and poor positionally and Watkins could have had more. McGinn is a very very poor player. Numerous times he kicked the ball rugby style aimlessly into space for Allison to collect. 

Didn't Davis get an assist last week ? - very strange subs today.

 

[OutByEaster?]

The plan was good I think, we played deep and tried to break on them - we created three or four really good chances and probably should have scored more than one.

It's not pretty when you do that, it means Liverpool have lots of the ball and dominate territory, but I think we generally defended okay, ultimately I thought we were caught out by a bit of quality from TAA and the energy of Andy Roberston. 

Individually, I thought Cash and Target were good as was the keeper, Martinez was his usual picture of excellence and Konsa and Mings were decent with the exception of Ming's foul up of the day - he really does need to remove those from his game.

In the middle I thought McGinn did well and also didn't, a performance with energy and spirit and carelessness, Luiz likewise did well for the most part but needs those little lobbed passes that go nowhere slapped out of him, Nakamba did okay without much impact.

Our wingers aren't good enough - Trez makes terrible decisions, works hard and lacks a bit of quality, Traore makes poor decisions, drifts out of games, doesn't work hard enough but has moments of quality and El Ghazi is somewhere in between - none of those three are our future in my opinion.

Watkins is - he continues to work hard, pressure defenders and score goals.

I thought Barkley did okay, there was a bit more intent if not the confidence that might have brought him more joy with a long shot. Ramsey showed a lot of desire and some nice touches, he's got lots of good little moments in him, but he needs to have one or two big moments.

I think we've been a little unlucky. We lack quality on the flanks without Jack but we're working hard elsewhere and we're hard to break down.

Liverpool are a good side, at home, they've got rubbish centre backs but quality elsewhere and I thought Robertson was the best player on the pitch. Trent still isn't as good as Reece James and with Southgate desperate to pick Trippier and Walker I still think he'll be at home in the summer.

[PaulC]

2 minutes ago, bose said:

That game was there for the taking. Liverpool were poor but we didn’t have the quality in the end.

Traore was dreadful. Barkley for Nakamba was a terrible sub and just baffling. Don’t see why Davis didn’t come on as well. For me poor subs by Smith and he should rightfully take his part of the blame.

Martinez excellent as usual, thought Luiz and Trez were fine as well. Ollie did very well despite the lack of service.

Yes thats the way I saw it. 1-1 and you take off a defensive midfielder for an attacking one. Bonkers. 

[Woody1000]

1 minute ago, StefanAVFC said:

Because he's young he's exempt from closing down? A basic of the game?

Nah.

I never said that. You’re overreacting, I understand it’s the heat of the moment, but these early years are a learning curve for players like him. He’ll learn from it, it’s cost us today but we move on.

[The_Steve]

Just now, Sam-AVFC said:

Are people under the impression Liverpool were never going to win a home game again?

Only when you've got a narrative to push

[The Fun Factory]

Just now, Sam-AVFC said:

Are people under the impression Liverpool were never going to win a home game again?

You could only hope. Famous atmosphere.

[DaveAV1]

5 minutes ago, thunderball said:

Deserves to lose. Midfield sloppy and poor, could have got something if we didn’t keep giving it away so cheaply.

Massive over reaction to Barkley who I think offers more than McGinn or Luiz who offer nothing nor have done most of the season.

Should have used The bench better, Smith is so reluctant to admit he gets it wrong and makes it worse by sticking to a losing formula.

Hope Trez is OK

Massive over reaction? What here in VT? Surely not.....

[Don_Simon]

8 minutes ago, Kuwabatake Sanjuro said:

Pretty awful, that Liverpool team were there to be beaten unfortunately it was a subpar limp performance.

I would suggest that is our par now. So much work to do this summer. 

[Demitri_C]

Just now, The_Steve said:

Trez hits the post, Trez's penalty shout, Barkley's error, AEG's header that landed on his shoulder. We had chances in the second half.

 

We had one chance the bar we did nothing else that 2nd half. We were crap. We got exactly what we deserved.

Another last minute goal conceded like Newcastle  fantastic stuff

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

Just now, Villa87 said:

Luiz was **** awful today. Hate to state the obvious - we massively miss Grealish big time. 

We could have won that game without Grealish... for certain... That wasn't the issue today, Pool were there for the taking.

[The Fun Factory]

1 minute ago, Villa87 said:

Luiz was **** awful today. Hate to state the obvious - we massively miss Grealish big time. 

Yeah I can barely remember if he did anything. Disappointing.

But he will get signed by Man City in the summer.....

[StefanAVFC]

Just now, Woody1000 said:

I never said that. You’re overreacting, I understand it’s the heat of the moment, but these early years are a learning curve for players like him. He’ll learn from it, it’s cost us today but we move on.

And what's the relevancy?

I gave him -10/10 for this game. I didn't say we shouldn't give him time or he won't learn from it.

[hippo]

1 minute ago, The_Steve said:

Trez hits the post, Trez's penalty shout, Barkley's error, AEG's header that landed on his shoulder. We had chances in the second half.

 

I also TTA was lucky he seemed to block and elbow - I think it was Watkins or Trez 

[Davkaus]

1 minute ago, dcdedi said:

having spent more money than any team in Europe over the last 2 seasons

Is this true? Do you have a source? 

[Louis]

Frustrating. We did look sloppy first half, but better 2nd but still lost.