PL: Liverpool h Ratings & Reactions

[PompeyVillan]

Petrov looked dead on his feet after 60 minutes. I'm not one who subscribes to the view that this happens every game, but it was certainly evident tonight.

I thought of a positive, Marc Albrighton getting a bit of playing time and not looking out of place.

[snowychap]

snowychap: Not misunderstanding what your saying...

You say Torres is a World class player

Which isn't what I said. I said he is a world class striker, someone who has a very high percentage success rate when presented with a chance.

...only then I would say if he wasn't up to it, if we had Torres in front rather then Gabby we would have been 2-0 up, simply because its a sweeping statement. Thats the only point i'm making.

The point you are making is, frankly, rollocks.

I specifically said that what I said was an unfair comment on Gabby and a fair comment on the game (which would suggest that I was thinking more about the types of chances which came the way of our striker rather than directly comparing Torres and Gabby) and that it wasn't about Gabby's contribution, talent or potential.

I'm not sure that you actually bothered to read what I wrote let alone tried to understand it and if you can't be arsed to do either then please don't bother in responding (especially to something which I didn't say).

As for Downing' I'd put money on the fact he's sitting somewhere right now wondering how he missed that.

I agree, I would also put money on him thinking that.

I'd also put money on him thinking, after watching the game, "**** me, how did Reina react like that and save it."

[markavfc40]

We deserved at least a draw but due to a last minute **** up got nothing. Thats the way it goes sometimes but I saw enough tonight to suggest we still have a great chance of finishing in the top 4.

I'm gonna do a Rafa and guarantee we will finish above Liverpool at least.

Oh and the ref and linesmen were totally inept tonight.

[Malachite]

Hanky: I agree, we desperately need a creative midfielder of the highest order if possible, unless by some twist of fate we get a Maradona who has the ability to run with a ball form his own box to the opponent box and score, that's what we need, as for Gabby, the amount of times i watched him receive a ball tonight backing into his marker with back to goal was incredible, and then laying the pass of, lets remember what Gabby has is pace, he need to be facing onto his marker the way Lennon does to strip past him.

[CrackpotForeigner]

FFS we were shit. Poor performance against arsenal, now this. We are a hit and hoof team and don't deserve 4th spot with performances like this.

This was a SIGNIFICANT improvement on the Arsenal performance.

In horrendous conditions, there was no shortage of skill, passion and desire to win. MON got the tactics spot on and made, I believe, the correct substitutions. He went to win the match and for the last 20 mins we had Liverpool petrified.

Agree. As sickening as it is to lose a game in that way, there were a lot of positives:

Albrighton didn't have a lot to do, but what he did, he did well. I think he has as much to offer as Ashley Young at the moment, especially with Young out of form and being triple marked all the time.

We were at least as good as Liverpool for 92 minutes.

Reo-Coker played very well.

James Milner seems to be getting low ratings from everyone, but I thought he was just as good as ever. He is truly brilliant, astonishingly good at picking a pass.

On the down side, I remember thinking after 5 minutes of the second half "We aren't going to score in this game." As many have said, we lack a class striker. Carew tried reasonably hard, but nearly all of his flick-ons were badly directed. Gabby was quite good, but miles off top class on this display. He never looked like scoring at all.

Like at Arsenal, we were as threatening as kittens in the final 3rd. Worrying, that.

[Hanky]

Downing was rubbish tonight I thought, really let down by him, did he make one cross the whole game? We rely too much on Gabby as well, Heskey and Carew just aren't cutting it (well Heskey isn't fit half the time tbf as he did ok before going off against Stoke).

[Milfner]

We missed Heskey. With Carew, we just seem content to hoof constantly. And he is unbelievably lazy. Reo Coker breaks with the ball and on the edge of the box, Carew is playing defensive mid.

We missed Young. All our attacking came down the right today, as Downing just didn't want to come forward. He is just a left sided Petrov. For a winger he has no attacking threat, just turns and plays a square/backwards pass.

Why MON started Reo-Coker and Petrov in the middle is beyond me. Two defensive minded players in the middle in a 4-4-2 will never work. We had nothing in the middle today, nothing.

I thought Sidwell did well when he came on.

And the difference between the two sides? They have two world class players. And we don't. (I'm not saying Gerrard was world class tonight, but he is).

One chance, one goal.

[Malachite]

snowychap: Not misunderstanding what your saying...

You say Torres is a World class player

Which isn't what I said. I said he is a world class striker, someone who has a very high percentage success rate when presented with a chance.

...only then I would say if he wasn't up to it, if we had Torres in front rather then Gabby we would have been 2-0 up, simply because its a sweeping statement. Thats the only point i'm making.

The point you are making is, frankly, rollocks.

I specifically said that what I said was an unfair comment on Gabby and a fair comment on the game (which would suggest that I was thinking more about the types of chances which came the way of our striker rather than directly comparing Torres and Gabby) and that it wasn't about Gabby's contribution, talent or potential.

I'm not sure that you actually bothered to read what I wrote let alone tried to understand it and if you can't be arsed to do either then please don't bother in responding (especially to something which I didn't say).

As for Downing' I'd put money on the fact he's sitting somewhere right now wondering how he missed that.

I agree, I would also put money on him thinking that.

I'd also put money on him thinking, after watching the game, "**** me, how did Reina react like that and save it."

snowychap: This is what you said.

Gutted.

I like Gabby and think he'll make up into a cracking player but swap Gabby for Torres and we'd have won 2-0 tonight.

Ok, you have absolutely no evidence of that whatsoever only what your putting down to stats, and at the same time your comparing the fact that had Torres been in the Villa side we would have won 2-0. How do you know that, you simply don't

Please show me the proof of that.

So we will have to agree to disagree.

[reddwarf]

Gutted. Was reo-coker carrying an injury for him to be replaced? As me and my mates was saying it should have been petrov that got taken off, as he couldnt run 10yards in that second half, he looked knackered

Agreed - but MON will never sub petrov.

We did mount an attack of note for about 20 minutes after coker left the field.

Thought Cuellar looked a bit suspect tonight - hurried clearances and tangles of his own making.

I know yeh, its just annoying that we can see it but MON cant see it about petrov

where does this take us though.? Decent player though Petrov is - we need better - Try as he might MON can't seem to attract anyone better.

We aren't good to dismiss the jan window either.

[commander]

I think as much as a difference torres made tonight for liverpool in a good sense Carew made for us in a bad sense.

I have never see anyone so lazy ever...

I'm not going to suggest that big John was brilliant tonight but did you actually watch the game?

Certainly, early on, he was really up for it.

He sprinted back to the edge of our box at one point in the first half to win the ball back for us (off whom I'm not sure) and pulled up afterwards. I thought he was injured; I was wrong.

I certainly did watch it, and at the ground so could see all the off the ball "work" he does or doesn't do. Sorry if i'm presuming you watched it on tv, but seriously he was 20 yards off the pace nearly all game

[slowandlow]

think some are being a bit harsh on Carew - he was obviously asked to drop deep into midfield to make it a 5. this is a role he is not accostumed to, and i blame the manager for this. If you want five men in midfield, play five **** midfielders, dont expect Carew to do this job. On the occassions he did stay up front he won nearly everything aerially even if he was a bit of a mess on the floor. Gabby has hardly ever read a flick-on he doesnt have the brain to imo, so it is pointless opting for this tactic.

why NRC got brought off i will never know - he was playing better than petrov and certainly looked less knackered, so it was a retarded substitution imo.

we had a fifteen minute spell second half when gabby was running them ragged, making runs down the channels, giving people an option to pass. Then he stopped making the runs and we were forced back to the old hoof game.

extremely frustrating, we deserved a point imo and possibly all 3

[Rudy]

Carew was back defending a lot tonight presumbly under orders from MON? he then can't get upfield to support Gabby. I'm not a great fan of Carew but thought tonight he did ok. Liverpool were there for the taking but we seem to lack confidence the longer the game goes on aginst the top sides i.e Man City / Spurs we sat back

Downing has been disappointing for me. What does he add offensively?

[R.I.C.O.]

Dunne for captain. Petrov does **** all.

We ain't gonna finish higher than 5th, not with this team.

[TrentVilla]

I'm stunned at some of the votes cast in this poll I really am.

[Rudy]

Agree. Dunne should replace petrov as captain. Bring in NRC for Petrov in midfield, but we know MON won't do that

[benevans]

Not read through the entire thread but how can people say the goal was partly Warnock's fault? He layed the ball back for Dunne to hit upfield and Dunny slipped on the turf. Recreate that situation another 9 times and it's going way past the half way line. It was just incredibly unfortunate, as was the place where the ball ended up after Gabby's tackle on Benayoun.

Extremely disappointed, but we move on.

[Don_Simon]

FFS we were shit. Poor performance against arsenal, now this. We are a hit and hoof team and don't deserve 4th spot with performances like this.

This was a SIGNIFICANT improvement on the Arsenal performance.

In horrendous conditions, there was no shortage of skill, passion and desire to win. MON got the tactics spot on and made, I believe, the correct substitutions. He went to win the match and for the last 20 mins we had Liverpool petrified.

Agree. As sickening as it is to lose a game in that way, there were a lot of positives:

Albrighton didn't have a lot to do, but what he did, he did well. I think he has as much to offer as Ashley Young at the moment, especially with Young out of form and being triple marked all the time.

We were at least as good as Liverpool for 92 minutes.

Reo-Coker played very well.

James Milner seems to be getting low ratings from everyone, but I thought he was just as good as ever. He is truly brilliant, astonishingly good at picking a pass.

On the down side, I remember thinking after 5 minutes of the second half "We aren't going to score in this game." As many have said, we lack a class striker. Carew tried reasonably hard, but nearly all of his flick-ons were badly directed. Gabby was quite good, but miles off top class on this display. He never looked like scoring at all.

Like at Arsenal, we were as threatening as kittens in the final 3rd. Worrying, that.

Agree with all youve said, bar the Milner comment.

He is just not as good as being described at the moment. His passing today was at times ok, at others totally woeful, bearing in mind when he went into the middle he was supposed to be our most creative outlet as an attacking midfielder.

If we were to buy one player in Jan, I hope its an attacking midfielder with craft, imagination and vision.

[Hanky]

That pass from Warnock would have easily got to Dunne if he hadn't of slipped, no ones fault really.

[reddwarf]

Dunne for captain. Petrov does **** all.

We ain't gonna finish higher than 5th, not with this team.

I did wonder tonight how someone who does as little as Petrov - can look so spent after an hour.

[mattyburge]

on the last 2 games, the only thing that has really cost us is our lack of "polish", Fabregas free kick - free kick there? probably not, not much you can do about it, Fabregas 2nd goal - from a direct turnover due to a poor milner pass, Diaby goal - 2 zip down in stoppage time games over intencity dropped away and they get a soft one, Torres goal - turn over from warnock/dunne slip, and niether of them are to blame for the result, but we havent really been beaten by not being good enough just need to get these little mistakes (passing/balance/awarness)