14 Dec 2014

Confirmed line-up vs. MUFC: Huge surprise as BR makes 2 shock changes. Mistake?

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has made some big changes for this afternoon's Premier League clash with Manchester United, and with his job very much on the line, it's refreshing to see the manager taking some interesting risks.

FULL TEAM: Jones, Skrtel, Lovren, Johnson, Moreno, Henderson, Allen, Gerrard, Coutinho, Lallana, Sterling.

SUBS: Mignolet, Toure, Lambert, Lucas, Can, Balotelli, Markovic.

MAN UTD: De Gea, Jones, Evans, Carrick, Valencia, Young, Fellaini, Mata, Rooney, Wilson, Van Persie.

SUBS: Lindegaard, Blackett, McNair, Fletcher, Herrera, Januzaj, Falcao.

* Finally, Mignolet gets dropped. I've repeatedly called for Brad Jones to be given a run in the team, and Rodgers is sending a huge message by dropping the Belgian for the most important league game of the season. As noted in previous articles, Jones's stats are superior, and if he does well today, he will hopefully keep his place.

* Toure is back on the bench, which is a little surprising given his pre-injury form. That said, Lovren did okay in the last game, and there's no real need to rush the Ivorian back into the team.

* Lucas out? This is unfair, IMO. The Brazilian arguably deserves to be in the team more than Joe Allen, and unless Rodgers reverts to Gerrard as the deepest-lying midfielder, it looks like Allen in the DM role.

* Balotelli and Lambert on the bench? Ballsy move from Rodgers, which suggests that Sterling is playing up-front. Many Reds fans have called for the youngster to play that role, but once again, it means that Liverpool will play one up-front, which is not a successful strategy this season. Perhaps that'll change today...

* Why is Lallana playing if he has two broken ribs? I don't see how this is the best way to manage his fitness.

* Borini is once again dumped from the match-day squad. Clearly, Rodgers wants him out, but his treatment of the Italian is (arguably) bordering in vindictive.

* Ditto Manquillo. This is the fifth time this season the Spaniard has been exorcised from the match-day squad, which seems unfair given his solid performances overall.

* Given the personnel, it looks like Rodgers will go with a 4231 formation:

---------------- Jones

JOhnson ---- Skrtel --- Lovren ----- Moreno

---------------Allen - Hendo

------ Lallana --- Gerrard --- Coutinho

----------------- Sterling

With this lined-up, the team can revert to 451 when needed, which will be important when trying to counteract LCG's inevitable 352 formation.

You have to admire Rodgers for having the balls to make big changes in such a crucial game, and I hope they pay off.

My prediction: 1-3 to Man Utd

Author:


525 comments:

  1. Nevergonnacrackthecode12:48 pm, December 14, 2014

    Markovic should play and Emre Can




    Joe Allen needs to eb hounded out by the fans, boo him like chelsea fans boo rafa
    boo every touch alllen has

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  2. Nevergonnacrackthecode12:49 pm, December 14, 2014

    What does Joe Allen offer
    i am better then joe allen jay sprearing and poulsen are better then joe allen
    is he sucking rodgers
    seriously so fustratyed

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  3. Let's see how Jones does behind our back four today. It is about time Mignolet was taken out of the firing line.


    It looks like 4-3-3 to me


    Jones
    Johnson Skrtel Lovren Moreno
    Henderson Gerrard Allen
    Coutinho Sterling Lallana


    Not confident at all. Believe we are in for a hammering. Would like to be proven wrong though.

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  4. Come on Jones. Claim that place

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  5. Johnson just as much a weak link as Allen, God help us.

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  6. Nevergonnacrackthecode12:51 pm, December 14, 2014

    markovic has pace,skill and intensity
    henderson is a useless runner
    allen a usekless passer




    rodgers out

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  7. De Gea, Valencia, Jones, Evans, Young, Carrick, Fellaini, Mata, Rooney, van Persie, Wilson



    RVP and Rooney up top for the mancs.

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  8. Nevergonnacrackthecode12:52 pm, December 14, 2014

    yes but to be fair manquillo aint a million times betetr then glen


    emre can is a gazillion trillion gillion times better then allen

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  9. Nevergonnacrackthecode12:53 pm, December 14, 2014

    man u can play wilson


    but rodgers no balls to play sinclair
    tells you everything about two managers

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  10. Wish Flanno was fit

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  11. Nevergonnacrackthecode12:53 pm, December 14, 2014

    wish joe allen broke his leg

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  12. Common you Red Men

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  13. Lol werent you saying BR should be given time and blah blah a few days back

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  14. I've deleted two of your posts so far, and you know why. Stop posting comments that personally insult Rodgers/Allen. One more, and you'll receive a 7-day ban.

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  15. How would you like if somebody told you they wished you broke your face?

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  16. You're banned for 3 days (for this, and two other comments I've just had to delete)

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  17. Nevergonnacrackthecode12:56 pm, December 14, 2014

    sorry jaimie was jsut fustrated will calm down now

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  18. From one striker to none, RS & PC aren't exactly clinical in front of goal

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  19. Nevergonnacrackthecode12:59 pm, December 14, 2014

    so we need to play narrow
    lallana and couinho cut in
    while valencia and young at full back sthis is gonna be hard

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  20. Nevergonnacrackthecode12:59 pm, December 14, 2014

    makes some sence now tat ive calm downed
    hendo on teh right can counter ashley young
    while lallana also works hard to cut down valencia

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  21. I don't have a problem with this selection apart from Jones yet I understand why but he just cant save shots like mig...sure migs distribution is crap but jones really!! I guess we have no other choice and BR all credit for making migs realize hes not performing

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  22. rodgers should stick by his signings he isthe one who sold reina

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  23. Lets hope Jones teaches Mignolet a lesson and grabs his spot.

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  24. im nervous with migs corners set plays and distribution etc..but im confident on his stops I just don't know what to expect from Jones cause we have rarely seen him I just think its a huge gamble for this game against the mancs

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  25. Lets wait and see how Jones does

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  26. Bad game to be giving him his first EPL start in over a year its going to be a nervous start for him.

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  27. yeah lets hope all goes well full support for Jones hope he does well and gives migs a wake up call

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  28. Behind our defence? Hopefully Jones has balls of steel.

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  29. I'm just looking forward to seeing more screen time of Jone's epic hair style.

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  30. Mate every single one will be standing on end right now.

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  31. You've got it all wrong. It's genius from Rodgers. It will intimidate Rooney and make him cry.

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  32. Cheery as i can be atm mate im really tired and have got an early start.

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  33. He's going for his Barca style with either no striker or actually 4 strikers- hope he plays SG as far up as possible

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  34. 3-2 for LFC

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  35. what we need to happen is Gerrard or Hendo or anyone to mark that lunk falaini's card early and let him know he is up against it

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  36. A true statement that we have no striker. Good luck lads.

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  37. seems we are playing 3-5-2

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  38. coutinho you seriously bloody frustrate me

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  39. Couts calm down man

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  40. Like the way we are pressing higher up - they look nervy at back . Let's keep tempo up

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  41. sterling can't finish

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  42. Mignolet is what?

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  43. that was shocking

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  44. We are a team of poor finishers

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  45. Got us on counter which was what they planned to do

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  46. Gave over boys, how often do we come from behind to win games?

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  47. HOW THE HELL ARE THEY WINNING? THEY'VE BEEN CRAP. ONE OPPORTUNITY AND THEY SCORE. FFS STERLING...

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  48. thats football.....still a long way to go

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  49. Coutinho cant defend neither see sth ham too they were stiff

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  50. The goal isn't jones' fault. No protection. Nothing he could do


    Sent from Samsung Mobile

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  51. valencia getting the cross in too easy was the first problem

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  52. He dived the wrong way. That is the point.

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  53. They knew we would start fast ..... soak it up ( no strikers ) and get us on counter with pace . Same old

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  54. Take off Couts please

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  55. brad jones..ball goes left and he dives to the right. .what the hell is going on

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  56. And Rooney ran around like no one was there.

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  57. dude they were struggling to cope with us

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  58. oh seriously shut up logan.

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  59. BUT they did and SCORED

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  60. Plus point is we have the nippier players...think they'll get a red.

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  61. You forgot to mention the 3 defenders who made Valencia look like Ronaldo

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  62. sterling oh way

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  63. of all the important things you can blame, you blame Jones. Bloody hell.

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  64. Scum have got away with it last 5/6 games

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  65. Rooney was never going to hit that ball in Jones's right hand corner. The space was on the left of him.

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  66. WHERE ARE OUR 4 STRIKERS? Fell bad for Sterling on his own

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  67. For god's sake you're ating like he had 30 seconds to figure that out

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  68. rodgers needs the sack just for signing Joe Allen. how pathetic he looks. its a crime paying 15m for him

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  69. Liverpool are all over this, but yet again it's brainless defending that leaves us behind. Sterling could have had two by now.

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  70. Rooney had all the time in the world to place his shot. Goalkeepers concede goals, and that is a typical goal to concede. There's no error (from Jones)

    Sent from Samsung Mobile

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  71. mansc back is ouwful but somehow we cant punish

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  72. Why? He's had two clear chances and almost created another.

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  73. We are all over them. I can't comprehend it.

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  74. oh come on lovren

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  75. They are quite astonishingly bad. Chelsea would have 3 by now.

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  76. they have literally had one single kind of any opportunity. we've had at least 4 or 5

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  77. we must press failannie and valencia then they will mess it up, give them time and they think they are world class

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  78. ONE shot on target and scored - they have finishers
    in side

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  79. And who is gonna score for us

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  80. Rodgers has picked the right team, they just need to get it done and finish off one of these chances.

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  81. oh you're joking. 2 shots and 2 goals

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  82. Utter garbage we will get battered now

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  83. well the way things are going a deflection or a penno

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  84. mata a mile off side

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  85. clearly off...what a terrible decision

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  86. I hope a bird craps in Ashley youngs mouth again

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  87. ffs is offside

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  88. Offside or not, Brendan has to go now.

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  89. thought that in real time

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  90. Picked the right team? I beg to differ.

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  91. yeah couldnt agree more

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  92. Go watch the replay.

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  93. As I said we gave it our all needed that wee bit of luck bla bla bla

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  94. 2 shots, 2 goals. Bloody frustrating.

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  95. Damage limitation now

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  96. If thats the case there is a lot of players need sacking too.

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  97. BR didn't leave Mata alone. BR didn't get nutmegged by Valencia.

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  98. This season is a joke

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  99. Also BR didnt select the team and formation

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  100. Get over it - you're just angry because we're losing but the manager could do nothing about that. What a silly reaction.

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  101. Why? Is that all you have to say?

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  102. I get absolutely frustrated by people like you who argue that the manager is not accountable for anything that happens on the field.

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  103. Nevergonnacrackthecode2:16 pm, December 14, 2014

    atleast we are creatinhg chamces

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  104. I'm not bothered by this game... not at all. Am talking about the fact if someone scores against us now we should be lucky to pull one back.

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  105. It was still woeful defending

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  106. Extra toppings thin crust - that's what's on that bit of paper

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  107. Our defense is bad enough without blind assistants....seriously neville saying he missed it on three replays. He was busy wetting himself on how united are two up!!

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  108. It absolutely wasn't, he was clearly offside, the line did it's job.

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  109. 200m spent and a 19 year old academy kid is our best player and its certainly not the managers fault

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  110. but the players he picked or coached or bought did

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  111. How was it not!? That ball was 1 mm from going over the top of RVP's head. The defenders had no idea that Mata was even there.

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  112. Anything that BR does is a mistake, not a surprise. If he survives after the ManU loss, I don't know what else could make FSG to sack him.

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  113. We had our chances so we have the right guys in there. Lazer in for Hendo since Hendo is thoroughly outplayed now.

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  114. some fans cant see the wood for the trees ...its rodgers team he carries the blame

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  115. Not the manager's fault?? Who chose the players we spent on???

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  116. The ball wouldn't have fallen to Mata without the knock on but the defending was terrible too.

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  117. You misunderstood my post

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  118. Is Johnson a CB??? and then pair him with a CB pairing who have been shipping goals for fun.


    Henderson has gone completely off the boil. Why not start with Emre Can. What has Lucas done to deserve the drop?


    Does that suffice?

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  119. Not all of it. He carries his share of the blame. It's just as nonsensical to argue that he is totally absolved. It's the players and the manager, that's simple enough.

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  120. the defenders held their line which ment to score mata had to be in an offside position....if they had of followed in with him everyone would be screaming for us to play the offside trap

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  121. Like we are ever going to make it to top 4 without Suarez and that too under BR

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  122. Johnson wasn't playing badly and was doing the job well enough. Lucas has played a lot of football recently but would probably agree about Can.

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  123. I am not sure if Jones could have done more or not but why the hell did he dive the wrong way? Unfathomable.

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  124. 1mm ... it doesn't matter how close it was, it was a clear deflection.

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  125. To many excuses being made on behalf of our manager. He is out of his depth.

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  126. Nevergonnacrackthecode2:24 pm, December 14, 2014

    can for allen
    markovic for coutinho

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  127. I was told to shut up for making the point you just did.

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  128. Our players made Valencia look like Ronaldo ..............you can blame Jones all you want

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  129. We've had some clear goal scoring opportunities. Just wish it was Suarez there and not sterling. Would've been a complete different score. Clearly comes down to bad transfer business that we have no decent strikers. Gets worse now super Mario coming on.

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  130. Balotelli life jacket on the way

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  131. Thanks for the permission like. Well done in engaging with my point.

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  132. Not by you. Read through the posts.

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  133. Sarcasm? This is awkward...

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  134. Rooney hit it just too fast doubt anyone would have stopped it.

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  135. Bring back both Mario and Lambert and try long direct balls ...since everything else has flopped. Coutinho and Lallana are too similar to play on the same team. Coutinho does not track back and Marko should have started with his pace..... I just hope 2nd half brings some positive changes. I just don't understand what to do or what is happening......

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  136. Nevergonnacrackthecode2:26 pm, December 14, 2014

    the positive is we have some shots on goals we look quite dangerous if sterling had ronaldo finishing we would win 3-2

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  137. The SkySports commentators used a boxing analogy.Man Utd hit us with two shots and our weak chin/defense couldn't take the power.Liverpool have hit them with jabs in comparison.
    DS needs to lend Raheem Sterling his shooting boots!

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  138. Nevergonnacrackthecode2:26 pm, December 14, 2014

    no way we look fluid
    lambert and balo are turgid

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  139. Rodgers is going to bring himself on to try and rescue his job now. Lone striker...

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  140. I'd fancy him to stick one of those sterling chances away though...but will he get into those positions??

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  141. I agree, but perhaps having someone to finish those chances up top would work as well. We only have 2 subs left, so we need to plan wisely.

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  142. hes dropped lucas because he favours allen it has nothing to do with games ...and can cant get a start for luck no money money because his face musnt fit

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  143. No error? Diving the wrong way is not an error?

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  144. We may as well have no keeper this season and stick a player upfront. Get it on target and you'll score against us.

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  145. Nevergonnacrackthecode2:28 pm, December 14, 2014

    i doubt balo or lambo will suddenly find shooting boots so much better in terms of creating cahnceswithout them

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  146. Why should he shut up? I am not sure that Jones could have saved it but diving the wrong way is worse than not diving.

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  147. I have to say Allen is absolute joke

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  148. We cannot even put one past a inept UTD defence either. Laughing stock.

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  149. that offside was just <3 ..... i didnt even feel like cursing.... i wish plague on house of that incompetent linesman.

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  150. None of those players have been involved in any of the key moments in the game.

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  151. Solely blaming the keeper for that goal. He's being f***ing ridiculous.

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  152. Nevergonnacrackthecode2:30 pm, December 14, 2014

    balotellis is coming on according to lawrenson

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  153. The difference between us and Man U is simple. They have a keeper, we don't

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  154. What difference would it have made if the goal was disallowed. You think we going to win this match?

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  155. Play the same way...just take the chances and win the second half. Keep fingers crossed for no defensive lapses. I think they will get nervy if we pull an early one back.

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  156. Nevergonnacrackthecode2:30 pm, December 14, 2014

    with cbs you dont need lucas

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  157. They also have a few strikers

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  158. Oh yea, forgot that bit

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  159. Seriously mate, Jones had just about as much time as a penalty to react.

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  160. has United been that much better that we stand no change then?

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  161. Like I said he may not have been able to do anything but why did he dive that way? If he stayed still he could have stuck a leg out and had more of a chance.

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  162. Just wish Sterling had the end product as we could have been 2 up by now....

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  163. Hope so. If we can pull one bk early on then it's game on. We're playing a weak Man U defence.

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  164. Thank DI Maria is not playing.............He would have tore a lot of holes in our defenders

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  165. They have scored and look likely to score more.


    WE CANNOT SCORE :-)

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  166. I did. You're an absolute moron to solely focus on Jones re: that goal.

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  167. Nevergonnacrackthecode2:32 pm, December 14, 2014

    but Then mata would not ahve played

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  168. In fairness one down is a lot better than two down against this lot, They are vulnerable at the back as well I still think they'll get a red.

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  169. I want Jones to get shot, but I dont think this is the game to give him a start. 3 or 4 goals in and he has no confidence and everyone will be on his case.

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  170. Gonna come at us get ready for more goals

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  171. Now Sterling has to carry the brunt of it. He can finish but his manager is expecting to carry the team now.

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  172. Did he? That is not what I read. There is plenty of blame to go around but mentioning Jones going the wrong way seems fair. Allen getting megged was also awful.

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  173. not Lallana...Allen surely

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  174. Allen STILL on pitch BR JUST FLUFF OFF

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  175. It's time for the Liverpool coaching staff to swallow their pride and realise that they don't know how to teach this team to defend. Going forward we've been clearly the better team but United don't fall apart at the back.

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  176. balotello lads, hedeeewww

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  177. He had enough to dive the wrong way. He could have not dived if it was all that fast. Sticking a leg out on instinct would have been better.

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  178. Think he's more into paella these days ;-)

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  179. He's not the best keeper, granted, but I don't want him to get shot ;)

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  180. And we have Allen and they don't.. And you can't buy that quality in the shops you have to call or go online

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  181. Truth is its making no difference to the result.

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  182. Hendo...crimeny that should have been on target.

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  183. thats what it slike to get an elbow failannie

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