11 Nov 2012

Confirmed LFC line-up vs. Chelsea: Suso, Skrtel out. What happened to Shelvey...?

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has made some significant changes to the Reds starting XI for this afternoon's crunch game with Chelsea.

Martin Skrtel is ill, so misses out, which means Jamie Carragher comes into the team. Glen Johnson returns to the team, but Suso drops to the bench in what looks like a defensive move by Rodgers.

Pepe Reina took a late fitness test prior to the game and was due to be included in the first XI, but right at the death, Rodgers decided to stick with Brad Jones, which is (IMO) the right choice. Reina is, however, at Stamford Bridge.

The biggest mystery is the absence of Jonjo Shelvey from the squad. As far as I know' he's not injured, and in his press conference on Friday, Rodgers made no mention of any injury worries for the midfielder.

FULL LINE UP

Jones, Johnson, Wisdom, Carragher, Agger, Enrique, Allen, Sahin, Gerrard, Sterling, Suarez.

SUBS

Gulacsi, Cole, Assaidi, Henderson, Coates, Downing, Suso.


From the line-up, it looks like Rodgers will go for a 352/3421 formation:

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

--------- Wisdom --- Carra --- Agger

Johnson ----- Allen ---- Gerrard -------- Enrique

-------- Sahin ---------------- Sterling

----------------- Suarez

There are so many permutations to the possible formation (!) - What do you think it will be?


Jaimie Kanwar


102 comments:

  1. Why so defensive i thought we would attack there looks like rodgers went for a point there so disappointed very weird manager!

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  2. Good to see that Rodgers is able to change tactics depending on opposition and personnel available.

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  3. One thing doing it (fair enough, credit for trying it), another thing is whether he can get the team to execute the change in tactics well and effectively. Mancini has had problems doing this (managed a win today and changed the system half-way through the second half) but imo, more down to Spurs doing almost nothing to retain possession from the start of the 2nd half and bringing on Dzeko, than a change of formation)

    Hopefully we'll see some good potency from Johnson, knowing that he has potential defensive cover behind him. Would have been far too risky playing both Suso and Johnson on the right flank against Chelsea.

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  4. probs 5-3-2 like 2nd half v everton the other week.

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  5. Carragher = minimum of 2 goals conceded and a defeat a certainty.

    Rodgers OUT!!!!!!!!!! (save me time posting it later)

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  6. I don't see anything but a defeat here. We just aren't anywhere near top 6 anymore.

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  7. I am slightly concerned about this line up. Although he is a Liverpool legend Carragher worries me whenever he plays now. Whatever pace he had has now deserted him and his decision making is not what it used to be. I would much rather Coates play instead. Oh well, come on you reds....

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  8. Shelvey probably had a bust up with Rodgers. He probably told him he is passing the ball forward to often

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  9. I know any one of those three attacking midfielders can conjure up something out of nothing but I'm hoping that Chelsea's lack of rotation of those three works in our favour, as I think they have played a lot of games, Mata even played in the Carling Cup

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  10. its a good formation i see

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  11. think there must have been some fall out or hes lost the plot not to have him on bench at least feel the worse today hope iam wrong

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  12. Howard Webb, one of Fergies Dial-A-Ref Brigade takes charge of this one.

    Prediction Chelsea 3 Liverpool Nil 0, any chances created wasted, once a goal down match is over as the majority of players are spineless chokers etc, the usual story.

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  13. Sad, last season we went to Chelsea confident of a win. This season we go there confident of a defeat. Well done Rogers. Hopefully gone by the end of the season.

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  14. You're obviously not watching the game then. We've been dominating Chelsea for the opening 19 minutes. Then the ref intercepted one of our passes from which Chelsea subsequently won a corner and scored a very soft goal.

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  15. Fergies Dial-A-Ref makes his mark as usual, one way or the other.

    Game over.

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  16. terrible marking by Agger leaves Terry completely unmarked for an easy goal

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  17. ok it hit Webb but he didnt pass the ball to hit him nor did he not mark Terry on the corner.

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  18. Well considering Chelsea are their title rivals, wouldn't Ferguson want Webb to influence the game in our favour? I'm sure he would rather win the league, instead of seeing us losing a game.

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  19. Very weak attempt at marking by Agger. Got to expect movement and players getting in the way. Nowhere near Terry. Had to be him, Terry, of all people :( Always has been good at corners but still, Agger should have been a lot more tighter than he ended up being.

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  20. what game you watching chelsea are tearing us to pieces we may have more possesion but that dosent win games

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  21. Liverpool don't 'do' goals.

    Game over.

    PS: Allen is GARBAGE.

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  22. Not even half an hour played, Chelsea hardly look like a team that has been assembled for hundreds of millions of Pounds, so, no, game not over.

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  23. chelsea are going down the middle at will, Gerrad and Allen are not plugging it up, Carra and Agger look a weak pairing, Torres is up for it today

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  24. Chelsea not at the best but the front four are causing problems simply with their movement in front of defence and defensive midfield area. Allen needs help, when they are running at the middle area as they move so quick. Its dangerous when Stevie and Sahin are caught forward. We might have a fair chunk of possession but we are slower with it, which is not working at the moment in relation to cutting Chelsea open. Same old, same old for us, in that regard. We commit a lot of players forward too, which means Allen and Defence have got a big work load when we lose the ball.

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  25. Game over for Terry. First I thought 'Couldn't have happened to a nicer person', but after seeing it again, ouch, that hurts a lot.

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  26. let me be the first to say it suarez well played i commend you for showing good sportsmanship

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  27. Good analysis by Niall Quinn, Chelsea have less possession but have more productive possession, 28% to 12% in the final 18 yards

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  28. No harm in being in slow and dominating with possession, as long as you have guile and creativity to back it up (which is what Barca have), which we don't. Hope Rodgers changes the tempo like he did in the second half against Newcastle, where we were more direct, quicker and forceful with our passing (not necessarily long but get to the danger areas quicker). Needs a lot of work this plan A.

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  29. Should be 2-0 down, a chance made by stupid defending again

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  30. so what if you think we have more posesion, that doesn`t score goals, as we have seen so far this season. And before you mention strikers. Rogers had 30mil plus sales and didn`t buy a striker. 2 midfield instead.

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  31. allens had a nightmare saying that unfair to single him out

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  32. Agree - Plan A needs lots of work, but 50% of that is new players needed. From the current first XI (playing today), I would only keep the following long-term:

    Agger
    Suarez
    Allen
    Wisdom
    Sterling

    The rest need to be replaced, and I include Steven Gerrard in that. There's no room for sentimentality: SG is just not influencing games the way he used to, and the club's sentimental allegiance to him will be costly in the future.

    Sahin is a good player but he's not the long-term answer either IMO.

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  33. does not matter he caused us to lose the ball

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  34. I would not keep Allen, he touched the ball 3 times in the 5 minutes added time, 2 backpasses and a header that set Mata free and who should of made it 2-0. I have never gone home from a match this season and said wow that Allen made a superb pass to set up a goal, wow Allen had a wonderful run, wow Allen scored a great goal. I think most of us who go the game are wising up to him he offers very little.

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  35. you have the nerve to critisise suarez for his behavior but are glad terrys injured pot kettle

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  36. agreed apart from Allen, a woeful buy

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  37. When Allen gets isolated in the middle, whilst Sahin and Gerrard go for a wander, the Chelsea quartet are causing him & CBs big problems with their interchanging and movement. In hindsight, playing with 3 CBs and Allen not getting enough in midfield means Chelsea are finding it too easy and quick to bypass the midfield. Allen has had a poor game but he should be getting more help than he is getting in midfield.

    Very disappointed that we haven't exploited the Chelsea attacking midfield trio's defensive weaknesses (i.e. in helping out their full backs, they get caught too forward to help quickly enough at times this season).

    May need to switch back to a flat four defence to help us in regards to what I've said in first two paragraphs. E.g. Johnson on the overlap with a wide player, to get Chelsea's full back working harder, instead of Johnson the sole wide right threat. Need to take a gamble sooner or later to overload Chelsea's full backs.

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  38. people say hes playing out of posision well he got forward once today and was like a rabbit court in a headlight clueless

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  39. allen again caught in possession and booked

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  40. Oh, then I failed to get my message across to you, because I thought I had it made clear that having seen the replay my empathy got the better of me and I don't feel ashamed a bit for that. Empathy. Maybe it's a concept that is alien to you.

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  41. To be fair, Allen has been caught in possession time and again today. Poor showing from him, especially given how confident he usually is in possession.

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  42. Absolute DROSS!.

    Tikka Tika?

    More like Chicken Tikka!

    Rodgers, Pascoe, Marsh OUTTTTTT!!

    Rafa, Hyppia, Fowler IN!!!

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  43. My word, that was absolutely awful from Allen. The central midfield has been garbage, in terms of protecting and distributing, garbage.

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  44. What exactly did Chelsea do until they scored? Nothing. What's your problem. Given your young age you may ask your dad, guess it's him in the picture, to read out the comments you comment on. I was talking about the first 19 minutes.

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  45. carra looks every inch a championship centre half should be finishing his career at likes of Sheff Wednesday now

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  46. I agree, he has been very poor today, him and the central midfield in general. In terms of the basics for central midfield, distribution and protecting the defence, its been rubbish from those three.

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  47. Don't waste your time on Billy and a few others on here. According to them everything is Rodgers' fault. They obviously don't understand what the 'support' in supporter means. Our worst enemies are amongst our own fans.

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  48. Looks like a change in formation

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  49. they had a good chance something we have not had after an hour i know watching it on a stream can be slow but try watching it on a different stream lol

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  50. Yep, like I said earlier, very poor showing from him. Been very poor the central midfield.

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  51. As long as its 1-0, anything can happen. Come on lads

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  52. yes your right

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  53. :)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

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  54. like 1-1 hehehehe ;)

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  55. Disaster for BillyDeane and young Jason Carr and their ilk. Liverpool have equalised.

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  56. good job Suarez is playing yet again,, anteater go and do one

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  57. Different formation & quicker tempo making us more likely to cut Chelsea open instead of the first half set up, even though the defensive problems (or at least different issues have arisen) haven't gone away.

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  58. suso for sahin has made the difference

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  59. Will BR get any credit for changing things around sooner rather than later?

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  60. totally agree with you people who will put up with any rubbish need to galvanise themselves

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  61. 1-1, I'll take that. If only we could play a better tempo and varying our approach in the first half of games, like we did in the second half against Newcastle and today. Rodgers may have to sacrifice some parts of his main playing style (yes, different formation in the first half than usual but the main slow tempo remained), at least for the short term, as we don't seem to have the guile to execute his plan A at the moment. Credit for Rodgers for changing it around in the second half but questions over the first half yet again.

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  62. ‎1-1...draw was the most likely result with the way both teams played. Btw, Chelsea scored from a corner came from play deflected by Howard Webb and he apologized to Liverpool bench later. Shit happens...!! 13th on the table...god..!!

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  63. You're such a funny kid, Jason.

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  64. I haven't seen many rubbish performances by Liverpool this season, but then I didn't expect any miracles after losing quite a few experienced players and given how many youngsters we play. If we had spent 100+m on transfers last summer, then I surely would expect more.

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  65. So, how do you score goals if you don't have possession?

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  66. Barcelona play tiki taka football in opposition's half whereas we play tiki taka in our own half.

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  67. I'd be happy with Steyg out, Liverpool supporter in.

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  68. Great to see someone else on here being a bit more positive and not writing us off after 20 minutes.

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  69. You're having a laugh?

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  70. Why do you bitters always come on Liverpool boards? Aren't there any for Everton?

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  71. You should do one and take the rest of the anti-Liverpool lot with you.

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  72. Can everyone stop the bickering now, please. Thanks.

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  73. Suarez saves us again.


    I await the "Dirty Suarez deliberately does plucky John Terry" headlines, or "Cheat Suarez pushes unlucky Ramirez out of the way and ball ricochets off him into roof of the net" articles.
    In fact I will be hugely disappointed if I wake up tomorrow and JK has not managed to put a negative spin on events.

    Some good work from Enrique and Johnson, and a nice cameo from Suso when he came on, but other than that, pretty poor again.

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  74. I agree, a slightly more direct approach is needed because he doesn't have the personnal to pull of his attacking plans. We rely way too much on suarez and would like to see a striker and winger in January of higher quality than borini and suso.

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  75. Another pop at Stevie from the man who thinks Barney Rubble Liverpool's greatest ever left back . Give it up divi .

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  76. I can't help but feel it does matter.

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  77. you really are bitter i will agree to disagree adios

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  78. Luckily he proved you wrong ;=)

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  79. No, I am not bitter and I am not a bitter either. How come you think that? Do I post only negative destructive comments or is that someone else who's doing that. Do I visit websites of clubs I hate and have nothing positive to say about? Again no.

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  80. I think Shelvey had a drop in form , so not so strange I think ?

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  81. super fan lets support them and the manager no matter how far we fall behind iam sure fsg and rodgers would like all supporters to be like you then they can put what ever dross on the pitch they like and we can go and play in the confrence but you will still be there well so will billy and myself but unlike you we have a backbone and opinion which will always stand the club in goodstead you as a supporter wanted rafa and kd out but yet you have the nerve to attack anyone who is not happy with rodgers and ask us to give him time well you did not give kd time ,i might be staunch in my views but at least iam consistant

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  82. Where should it stop ?
    Get out Rafa - get out Hodgson - get out Kenny -get out Rodgers .
    There comes a time when we have to let someone go the whole way and build the club up again ..
    Who else do you think you can get that will stay for 10+ years and build the club ? Mourinho , Advokaat and copaches like that are not staying more than a few years.
    Lets build for a future and not keep breaking down .

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  83. Roy Hogson,King Kenny,Rafa Benetez and now Ridgers.
    Is it payable to buy 'rubbish' players and playing long range football thus competeing always for the 4th spot and even 2nd spot,then clinching the CL and winning trophies. Benetez:
    Or is it payable to buy excellent players and be playing a more fancy entertaining tikki-takka at our quarter half thereby plying for a mid table position. Rodgers.
    Or is it payable to buy good players and playing mix tikki-takka and flowing football and plying for a Europa League spot. KK
    Or is it just coming from nowhere and neither playing tikki-takka nor long range like Rafa and achieving nothing. Roy.

    I prefer the first.Rodgers should stop this tikki-katta and our quarter half.Let our defense players send long range ahead as Enrigue did to Suarez for him to score such a wonderful goal,
    Or Rafa Benetez should come in.But am afraid Benetez may be benching Sterling and those young players.Thats my fear with Benetez for now.

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  84. Sahin has done nothing for about 5-6 games now and I'm glad people are starting to pick up on it. I don't know how much of Gerrard's current play is because he doesn't trust his team mates and much is due to his lack of mobility nowadays. Either way, it is shite. Allen is drifting into Downing territory- he started brilliantly but has been getting worse and worse. I do have long-term faith in him though. That doesn't change the fact he was utter dogshit today. Agger hasn't been up to his own high standards of late. Very unusual.

    Good to see Johnson back out there. He looks like a leader out there this season. I think he probably relishes playing with the younger players. Sterling battled well today. He looked up for the physical side of the game. Wisdom looked knackered by the end. Not the best day for him.

    Confirmation arrived today that we are totally reliant on Suarez now. 12 goals scored in the league, 10 scored/set up by Suarez. He is the league's top scorer now as well (joint with RVP). Shame he couldn't take it round Cech late on in the game. We didn't deserve more than a draw though. Both teams weren't up to much.

    Enrique was a bit hit and miss but doesn't look too bad at left-mid. It might be worth playing Suso in the middle and Enrique on the wing. I don't think Suso looks comfortable out wide and he becomes too isolated.

    Nice to see Webb do his part in setting up a Chelsea goal. If he made the kind of mistakes he regularly makes against Liverpool against another side in the league (say, Man United), he'd not ref one of their games for years (even Clattenburg didn't do an Everton game for 3 years after his performance in the derby).

    Decent result though, away from home (provided you can actually win home games).

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  85. Another pop at Stevie from the man who thinks Barney Rubble Liverpool's greatest ever left back . Give it up divi .

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  86. Don't think so. FSG don't want to lose money on Liverpool so why would they want us to be relegated to the Conference? Sometimes I get the impression that your comments are basically aggressive, utterly negative and not very well thought out. I too have an opinion, but it is not as negative as yours. I don't expect to be fighting on all fronts after losing quite a few experienced players who are now replaced in the starting line-up by kids. I don't know whether you even support the same team as I do to be honest. And it's obvious that you don't have any patience whatsoever. And who can blame you. Wanting everything and now is the current zeitgeist, isn't it.

    And I beg to differ. I did not want Rafa out in his first few years. You want Rodgers out right from the off. Can you spot the difference.
    I didn't think giving Kenny the job full time was a good idea and told so one of my closest Liverpool supporting mates. I didn't boo the team and made my concerns about his tenure known to the public a lot later than you do with Rodgers. Mind, Rodgers didn't have 150m to spend on the players he thought were needed to build a squad he likes. That's something you also don't want to acknowledge. Rodgers has to work in the mess that has been left by his predecessors and had relatively little money to rectify the mistakes of transfer windows past. I can see what he is trying to do. There is a system, not 'go out and enjoy yourselves'. And it is not defensive counter-attacking relying on a quick centre forward. Don't know whether this will work for Rodgers, as I am not sure whether FSG back him enough in the transfer market and mainly because too many of our fans seem to want instant success and deliberately fail to see the circumstances Rodgers has to work in. Or they are plain anti-Rodgers because they are still owned by Kenny or Rafa.

    If Rodgers overspends on dross like Kenny did, plays negative tactics that only get you so far and causes unrest at almost every level of the club and if there isn't any progress within a few years, then I may well change my opinion and hence am consistent, too.

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  87. If you had watched LFC for more than the last year or 2, you would know that Carra is one of the best defenders in the English game. Granted he's lost some pace now that he's older, but his footballing brain is up there among the best.
    Case in point : He completely NULLIFIED Torres in the game today.
    23 Carra Gold - Living Legend Who'll Never Walk Alone...

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  88. but carra is still quicker than coates and reads the game better. coates for a young lad is so slow

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  89. Wise up mate, to say that about a Liverpool legend is an absolute disgrace. He set up the goal but apart from today he has played 700 games for this club, so don't be bitchin about him when he's in the twilight of his career.

    Why are these people expecting success instantly, we dont have the players or money to make it happen over night so calm down and realise this will take a while.

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  90. Idiot. I can say no more....

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  91. Speak the truth mate ! Dalgish wasted so much money it set us back big time! LFC's legacy in the transfer market has been awful the past 10yrs!

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  92. After reading through this and many other posts by Jaimie (not that I agree with everything you say, but you seem to argue your points more concisely than others), I just want to say that as a lifelong Liverpool fan, I cannot stand Liverpool fans and will do everything I can do distance myself from them if this is what we sound like. I'm embarrassed by the comments here and wouldnt ever recommend that anyone interested in our club should read here, because I'd be afraid of what they'd say and that they'd associate this amazing club with the swill that is exhumed in the comments section. My other passion is Spanish football and I encourage people here to go to Barcelonafootballblog and see what a decent fanbase has to say about their club. Doesn't matter whether it is glory days like now or back in the tropyless run around a decade ago, there has never been the rubbish that is commented here. Having said that, you support your way and I'll support my way. Jaimie, keep up the good work mate, you run a good site and I'll keep reading the articles, just not the comments. YNWA

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  93. It may have passed you, but Shelvey has missed a few sitters in the past few games. He isn't exactly on form. Don't know why some folks want to read something like 'probably had a bust up' into every failed selection.

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  94. so you support 2 clubs by that must be nice shame some of us only support one or we could have our cake and eat it

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  95. This mans comes across as a very well educated fan jason you just come across as a negative fool with no patince

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  96. Ah so superior, as are all keyboard warriors. I watch every Liverpool game and I love watching Barcelona play, what's your beef? I'm a huge fan of my local team too. I have a favourite team in just about every league. Is the air thinner up there on your high horse or are you naturally like that?

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