13 Jan 2013

'We were really poor' - LFC legend blasts Rodgers for Man Utd 'mistake''. Agree...?

Liverpool legend Roy Evans has criticised Brendan Rodgers' decision to leave Daniel Sturridge's on the bench during the first half of this afternoon's 2-1 defeat to Manchester United.

Liverpool started with Luis Suarez alone up front, and the Uruguayan was totally isolated for most of the first half. Raheem Sterling was muscled out of the game and barely made an impact, and Stewart Downing also barely registered.

Analysing the game on LFC TV, Evans - who managed one of the most entertaining and exciting Liverpool teams of the last twenty years - praised the team's second-half revival, but bemoaned the 'really poor' first half performance, and the omission of Sturridge from the starting line-up. He observed:

"You give them [Man United] an advantage by not playing him [Sturridge] . Bring him in from the start and put them on the back foot.

"When he came on in the second half, we were such a different team. I certainly would've started with him, and not doing so, I think that's cost us".


Ex-Reds defender Jason McAteer agreed with his old boss, adding:

"I think Daniel Sturridge should've started after his goal against Mansfield last week. He [Rodgers] made a mistake. Suarez at times was an isolated figure, and we gave the ball away far too easily in dangerous areas".

I totally agree with this. Sturridge may not be 100% match-fit, but that hasn't stopped Rodgers playing Gerrard in every league game this season, even when his fitness was not at optimum level.

I really don't understand the logic behind paying £12m for a striker (after complaining all season we don't have enough strikers); starting him a couple of days after that, but then dropping him for the biggest game of the season (!)

The idea that Sturridge isn't match-fit enough to start is nonsense. If that's true, how could he be fit to play the entire second half?! Does player physiology somehow transform in the second half of games?

Sturridge transformed the game in the second half with his direct running, great close control, and effective positioning, and if he'd been on in the first half, the result might have been different.

What's the difference between starting Sturridge and subbing him in, say, the 55th minute, and bringing him on at half time? Ultimately, time on the pitch ends up being the same.

Just go for the throat from the first kick: play the strongest possible attacking line-up and then make changes later, if necessary.

Jaimie Kanwar


203 comments:

  1. totally agree with u jk, not the first time Rodgers has gone negative and left it to late, totally felt for suarez up there on his own.
    my only worry is I hope we don't have 2 greedy strikers who don't pass to each other when they should.
    Allen ive got to mention is just a rabbit in the head lights, cant tackle and struggles with basic passing, let alone a pass between players.
    weve got a good forward line now which is class, we need at least one winger, sneider would be a great signing, because gerrard should have been taken off today, he just wasn't up for it.
    our defence is hardly the same 4, wisdom is a great young talent but to much pressure for him today, he ok.
    lucas was good today. but gerrard and allen were ineffective , and carrik and cleverly found it to easy.
    bottom line, Rodgers cocked up, we could have taken the game to them from the start.

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  2. Completely agree with u. First we crib we don't have strikers and then we don't start him. Sturridge was excellent from d tym he came on.
    What is more important now is that Rodgers learns from this mistake and puts out our best squad against the likes of Arsenal and City.

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  3. In hindsight you say 'should have started Sturridge', who's to say he would have had the same impact if he did. In the first half pretty much the whole team was poor in terms of attacking, we were just sitting back, in the second half the plan was to obviously go all out attack and that's why Sturridge had such an impact. Don't slate Rodgers for every little thing, it wasn't a mistake, it was a gamble that didn't pay off. If he did start Sturridge and he played poorly you would be on here saying he shouldn't have started. Don't act like experts after the match, anyone can look like a genius with hindsight.

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  4. Hey man are u happy with our approach to transfer windows?? I think we are seriously getting left behind in terms of quality. Our midfield lacks goal Lucas Allen Henderson maybe good but they don't score often. Today we lost the battle in the midfield.

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  5. i think gerrard's good for 45mins now days , yes rodgers should have played sturridge from the off ,

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  6. even the tea lady at anfield knew that sturridge and hendo should have started....the only person who didn't was rogers.....thats why Ive no faith in him...like you say its crazy to pay 12m for a player who scores on his debut and then doesn't start him....but thats rogers all over trying to be smarter than he is .....Ferguson has played him like a fiddle in this game....and sublimely picked the liverpool team he wanted to face in this game

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  7. I understand what Roy and Jason are saying but if BR had started Sturridge, and Suarez never got on the score sheet which he never did today we would have been blaming BR for tinkering with a winning team in a big derby game.
    He couldn't really win today, but now he knows he must start Sturridge alongside Suarez in the future.
    Gave the game away in the first half, but got a good feeling towards the end of the game, future seems a little bit brighter!!!

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  8. Whilst what you say is absolutely correct, I would say that I'm surprised BR did not have the courage to change things earlier, as he did in a couple of other matches. Maybe it was the concern over the fitness levels of Borini and Sturridge, or maybe he jut thought that the flow of the game would just change, but the first half was really poor from Liverpool's perspective.

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  9. hes the manger so who should we blame? the coach driver....here are two facts1) Allen has been crap he started 2) sturridge scored, hes on the bench 3) hendersons been playing well, on the bench......now your right it may not have altered the game but playing strikers who score and players in form can only help the cause not hinder it

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  10. Yes, our first half performance was poor, but I still understand the thinking behind not starting with Sturridge. While in hindsight it may seem like a good idea to have started with him, he is, according to his own statement the other day, not fully match fit, and therefore wouldn't last an entire match. He has pace and to bring him on later in the game to really hurt a tiring defence isn't the worst of ideas to be honest.

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  11. Evans is spot on, I was very dissappointed when the line ups were announced to see Sturridge omitted who clearly changed us for the better offensively. It was clear after 20 mins that we had no control and that Suarez was isolated with the midfield and wingers offering nothing. 4-4-2 changed everything and to see the scum on the back foot for last 20 mins was awesome to see, with Henderson on the pitch too! Allen was totally lost today, 4 months in and I am struggling to see what he actually offers (a lucas cover?!)
    BR should have made the changes before the second goal, great managers see the problems and deal with them rather than persistent with a failing strategy and tactics...argghh!

    Johnson had again one of those poor days he has when you need him to be part of a solid unit. How can we be soo disorganised for a set play, just switching off is criminal!
    NO crosses were successful in an entire 94 mins! Downing/sterling were a joke.

    Such a shame Sturridge didnt get a second, we deserved it for the second half display. The last 40 mins, when he came on our pace in the final third just quickened, passing was slicker and sharper.... Basically want the real top 4 teams do for 90 mins.

    Frustrating as hell watching sideways / backwards short passes with a slow pace allowing the opposition to just pressure forward and bringing the defenders/midfield into mistakes - against strong opposition who we have failed to beat so far this season its naive.

    Creative midfield/attacker and a flying winger who loves to take on defenders is what we need! Just go for it is the mentality we need, instil that BR please!!

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  12. Rodgers put out a team that wouldn't take too much of a beating rather than trying to win the game. Hence Allen for Henderson and not starting Sturridge. He acts like he's still managing a newly promoted club. Its this mid-table mentality that will see to our chances of playing European football disappear for many, many years to come.

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  13. im not a LFC fan but have been using the forum for a while now as i love to read and talk about football.

    But i also think that you should play you best team from the start and then change players when needed. Also i think liverpool look a lot better team when they stop farting around in there final third and play a quicker more attacking style of game.In the second have LFC played more like UTD and you could see the players enjoying it more and wanting the ball more. I think your comment is spot on and i hope BR learns from this.I have my doubts thou

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  14. he doesnt learn though ...ALLEN STERLING AND DOWNING SHOULD ALL BE DROPPED against city........in that order ..place your bets

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  15. liverpool4life5658:16 pm, January 13, 2013

    It's a learning curve for the group of players, but one two things are for sure we need another LB, wisdom is to young.... He wasn't good going forward, glen Johnson would of been better there, also Allen rest him, he looks tired for some reason? Henderson is better! Also I'm very happy with sturridge his partnership with Suarez is going to be first class.... Also ayre has said we have funds and he working on couple of deals? Hopefully good news! We need points again Norwich,arsenal and man city.

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  16. Totally agree. Not sure why Liverpool have struggled to stock the midfield with quality players, despite spending so many millions midfielders over the past few seasons. Suarez will score goals (Sturridge too) and the defence is OKish (although poor by last season's standards), the acquisition of even one quality midfielder will reap dividends.

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  17. gerrard can make rogers roll over and tickle his belly....he could put a biscuit on his nose and tell him to leave it...its pathetic

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  18. We can go on all we like about Sturridge not starting the match. If he started the match and made no impact then Rodgers would have probably subbed him at half time and then there would be comments on Rodgers damaging his confidence because of throwing him into the firing line.

    Our midfield was not doing all to well in the first half so would that not have had a negative effect if Sturridge started the match. Lucas went off, Sturridge came on and then we started giving UTD problems for the first time in the match.

    We lost the match by one goal. Teams that go down two nil at old toilet normally crumble and get a hiding. We definitely did not deserve to win the match looking at the our first half but going on the second half we could have drawn the match if it was not for atrocious defending by none other than Glen Johnson.

    Don't get me wrong, I am not happy with losing to the mancs but the positive from this match is that we let them panic in the second half and in return they could not give us a hiding.

    Lastly, very chuffed that we now actually have attacking options on the bench. Can't wait for the Borini, Sturridge and Suarez combination to take shape!

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  19. its not a learning curve ..we are not reading...its a team of multi million pound internationals .......im sick of people making excuses for rogers.it was a learning curve for roy h as well but all he got was stick

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  20. your being kind, the lad keeps doing clumsy challenges infront of the back 4 costing us free kicks!

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  21. In my opinion,Rodgers made one more big mistake,starting Allen ahead of Henderson.Henderson been playing better the last weeks than Allen,Allen lost confidence and Henderson should start ahead of him.i have high hopes for Allen but he needs time,Henderson is better now.also starting Downing ahead of Sturridge is a great mistake,as you mentioned too.in my opinion we should cut our losses and sell him,even for as low as 6,7 million.

    Sell Downing,Doni,Danny Wilson,Carroll and Spearing and bring player(s) worth of wearing the Red shirt.January transfer window doesnt offer chances of overhaul,but come summer i hope we perform much better than the past transfer windows.

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  22. its better to go like a bull in the ring than a bull in the slaughter house....rogers cacked it plain and simple he played not to lose not play to win he still thinks he at a promoted club ...he talks as though liverpool have just been promoted ...forget the fact hes forked out over 40million and the team already contained the likes of gerrard suaresz and co...but its okay to lose the positives are there

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  23. i think your right on most points but to start your new signing in one of the biggest games of the season shows you have faith in him and that should give the player all the confidence he needs.You should allways start your best team in the big games.Rvp had strapping on his legs and needs a rest but not this game.

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  24. He may yet develop into a good player, but he's not what Liverpool need now, or ever. If you look at our midfield, we lack quality. Gerrard is ageing capable of only 'good' performances intermittently, Shelvey and Henderson are learning their trade, Lucas is still not yet match fit, and as good as he's been for us. is still lightweight for a defensive midfielder.


    Liverpool will need to start addressing this lack of quality in the next couple of transfer windows. No progress will be made otherwise. With 3 strikers on our books hopefully focus can switch to the midfield.

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  25. How many teams have taken points off UTD at old toilet this season gilstrap?

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  26. What you suggest is what many Liverpool fans want. Making 1000 passes per game is irrelevant it's the quality and effectiveness of the passes that count. Under Kenny Dalglish, we played with the approach of which you speak. Unfortunately, our inability to put the ball in the back of the net was costly.

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  27. Patrick Sturridge was on the bench for the reason he showed, to be an impact player, and it nearly worked, but I agree, he should've started, him and Henderson who was doing well and at least wouldn't have been bullied like Allen was. Sterling shouldn't start anymore matches, he adds nothing to Liverpool, really cause he's too young and weak, not the player you want to play against United..

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  28. LFC will need time no manager no matter how good or how much money will turn it around in 1 year.It must also be a worry that LFC have not yet beat a top 10 team.You need to beat teams around and above you to finish in the top 4.UTD love or hate them have beat all the top teams this year

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  29. Why does site have no comment edit options grrr

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  30. johnson had one of his worst games in ages, allen is just too negative i even think shelvey is a better option, sterling, downing....we need top class creative midfilelder...i agree sneijder would be a great addition. he definitely cant be worse than the names above!!

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  31. to be honest , gilstrap , gerrards finished, when bob paisley was manager he would have got rid and used the money on fresh legs , didnt see scholes or giggs out there today

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  32. i think gerrard still could do a job but hes not going to take a game by the scruff of its neck and drive the team on to win any more. maybe a move might help him as he seems to of gone a bit stale in the last 12 months or so.But i cant see him leaving and never for another team in england

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  33. Todays result was a disappointment but this team is evolving. the team today had 2 guys in there 1sr full senior season..one guy back from a series and another guy in his first season with the team. People seem to be making far to many definitive decisions about both players and manager here based on not alot of games. At the end of the day poor defending at set pieces will aways cost a team and that is something we should be doing better. Far to many goals being conceded in this way. Sterling also looks like he need 2 or 3 games rest he's looking jaded, player alot of for a 18 year old...

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  34. that doesnt matter in this game its like liverpool everton....you need energy in these games not lethargy and negativity

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  35. I may be being a bit harsh, but don't you think Pepe Reina should have done a lot better with RVP's shot? the commentator criticising de gea for sturridge's goal however was extremely way over the mark. how did he expect de gea to process the thought of hitting the ball towards his post, after a low hard shot between the legs, that gave de gea a split second to react?

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  36. I m man utd fan but respect for lfc.
    Good luk with arsenal or city
    Please your boys bet man city.only liverpool can do this
    Start suarez and sterling vs man city

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  37. agreed... I think Suso shopuld have also been in over Allen (at least maybe Shelvey or Sahin - oh wait, he's gone :( )

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  38. bottom line: there was improvement. Went to bitter rivals, and league leaders... we competed well (not in the first half) and we maybe deserved something from the game (if we played better in that bloody first half).

    Beyond that, the score was better (0-2 vs 2-1), there was not a red card, a ban or a crazy incident (bar a couple of shocking decisions by linesmen oin guess who's favour).

    Biggest positive for me was the link play between Suarez and Sturridge...

    Lets hope we can beat a team in the top 10 this season and then keep doing it!

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  39. I don't think gerrard is finished at all. there is to much pressure and expectancy on him each week and he cant do it week in week out. we need a player who can replace him like for like.
    easier said than done. sneidjer maybe ??

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  40. not really the ball comes over in a flash, and rvp uses the pace of the ball to put more on it hard and low. known fact keepers struggle with these, its what you taught as a kid!! replays show it a lot slower than it was.
    reina was brave having nearly got sparked out later on.
    poachers goal from sturridge, rio etc flat footed

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  41. Go look at how many times we have taken 3 points at old toilet since the EPL began. You seriously need to get over your gripe re Brendan Rodgers...

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  42. your probably right, we will get a result from city.......but its wrong!!! (joking) we just cant beat arsenal most the time, outplayed them last season and still lost.
    respect ;0)

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  43. sneidjer is great player but both utd and city would not pay his wage demands when that was added to the fee for him it was just to much. but this might of changed now hes not playing as much.But i think he would want champ league football.Maybe a loan but thats just putting him in the shop window for other clubs like tevez to west ham

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  44. This isnt the first time by a long way that Liverpool have shown too much respect to man u. Man u were there for the taking and once again theyve taken all the points. You only have to look at their team sheet, Not many players to make you worried or you'd want Liverpool to buy. Wonder if Brendans kicking himself tonight....Wonder if he'll learn?

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  45. thats why paisley was a great manager no sentiment he dropped case , hughes smith without a thought ....rogers wont drop gerrard no matter what.....thats why rogers will never be great

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  46. whats hilarious is for rogers system to work the middle 3 have to chase when out of possession.....so who does he sub the one whose chasing ...and he leaves on the two which arnt.........the guys clueless he doesn't even know which players suit his own system..... thats why hendo looks good he harries and pressures when we haven't the ball..........it just reinforces to me that rogers is out of his depth by refusing to drop his lover-boys at the expense of the team........

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  47. It wont happen ...come rain or shine hell play allen........if you visit any liverpool forum or site they all say hendo should have started.....but rogers knows better .....i feel sorry for coady and co they must look at this guy in training and think hows this fair

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  48. Always play your strongest team and make changes later in the game if someone is tired.....

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  49. dont bank on it pal.....hell drop sturridge & play allen sterling and downing..and swap wisdom for coates

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  50. when he stops bumming up crap players and starts playing form players ill get over my gripe until the its full steam ahead .......

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  51. The game was lost in the first half and we were lucky not to be 3-0 down. Sturridge's introduction changed the game, but so did the withdrawal of Lucas. I'm not criticising Lucas here, in fact, I'm just criticising the fact that we were too defensive from the start. Given how shaky the defence of Man.UTD is and how strong their attack is, the best form of defence against them is attack.


    Rodgers corrected this mistake in the second half but by then it was a bit too late.


    Regarding Rodgers not starting Sturridge, I think it was not a bad decision. Sturridge is still regaining fitness and how a player debuts sometimes has a huge effect on how he will play for the rest of his career. Bringing him on later in the game meant that Sturridge's fight for fitness was equalled out compare to the UTD players because they had played an hour already.


    Sturridge looks like a good signing because he gives us pace, a physical presence upfront and good finishing. (which can be improved more) Whether Rodgers did the right thing not the start him, it's hard to say when you consider everything. I guess it boils down to how much you value certain characteristics to judge whether the decision was right or wrong. For me, the biggest two errors were starting too defensively and with the wrong mentality. Once those were corrected, we looked like the best team and gave Man.UTD no chances.

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  52. It is about time you go stop off at Mcdonalds.

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  53. i thought mr 120g a week should have done better as well...but he always lets goals like this in...how we never sold this guy for 20m amazes me ..jones is a better keeper...

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  54. SA Red, were you also a Lucas 'admirer'?

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  55. Initially i was not... I always recognised his ability as a tackler, but the rest of his game stunk. Then he buffed up, improved and was a revelation. But that said, how many games did we draw or just not have enough firepower to win because of Lucas' development? When is it a smart time for a manager to see when something is not working for the moment and switch it up?

    My biggest qualm about today was that the strongest 11 were not on the pitch from the start!

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  56. Sturridge wasn't fit to play for the full 90, he was brought on as an impact player and, well, made an impact. Once he's fully match fit (like he has said he isn't) he'll score bucket-loads for us.

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  57. I tried recently to say the same thing. A quality midfielder should be a priority during this window before it becomes too late and we get left behind this season. That one top player, added soon, could make all the difference. The Sneidjer rumour might, just possibly be the answer. (I understand the wage thing and do not condone paying ridiculous wages, but if we got him cheap enough, that could offset the finances enough to still be able to offer a half decent package and a chance to become a hero.)

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  58. Totally agree with you on Sterling, he's seems to have lost that little fizz. A few games out would not hurt, (impact sub?) The same applies to Allen as first impressions have started to fade. He needs some games out. Although we are evolving, the potential will take longer to materialise if it has no experience around it to learn from, and that potential may not then even be fully realised. We must get a quality midfielder in now to ensure we don't get left too far behind. If we continue this level of inconsistency I can't see any higher than where we are in the table now.....

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  59. What is the difference between Sturridge playing the first 45 minutes and being subbed, and starting on the bench and playing the second 45 minutes? There is *no* difference. If he's fit enough to play the second half and do well, he was obviously fit enough to play the first 45 mins.


    If he had, the result may have been different. It was clearly the wrong decision to keep him on the bench.

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  60. Who said anything about playing an entire match? He could've started, and then gone off after 45-50 minutes if necessary.


    The argument about pace and tiring defences doesn't really hold water because he came on half time - after 15 minutes of rest for everyone - not after 70 minutes.


    If he's match fit enough to play the second half, then he's match fit to start the game, and he should've.

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  61. You're posting as a guest. If you sign up for Disqus and post then you'll have the option to edit.

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  62. I thought a draw was as good as it was gonna get today, but it was not to be!

    Allen for me especially in the first half was poor, he either got caught on the ball or produced a way ward pass. There was way too much space between Suarez and the midfield, a real lack of support. Sturridge came on and what a relief to see another Pool shirt in the box for once.Would like to see at least one more player before the close of the Jan deadline!
    Still building, still have faith YNWA! ..
    Note: Dan aim for the far post when you shot gives the chance of a ricochet.

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  63. I hoped to see him start alright, but he's not 100% yet.

    Gerrard horribly at fault for first goal, he lets Kagawa go and as a result Downing drops off Evra to cover, Evra free and simple cross :(

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  64. to be honest we should have beat them at anfield, no team in the world should expect to beat the scum away. but there were a couple of possitives in that sturridge got a debut prem goal, and saurez, sturridge and borini looked great as a front three. are front three is now alot stronger. now sterling and downing can be used as a subs. allen needs to go back to the championship he can't even make simple pass's he is a total waist of space (and £15m).

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  65. Very inciteful there, what about the defense for the goals. Johnson to blame or was that Allens fault too. Unless it is a individual error ou win and lose as a team.Managers make mistakes,players make mistakes.

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  66. Completely agree. Crazyto say that theguy should have started. There's a world of diffence from playing mansfield and the scum

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  67. Ayre came out and denied the rumour it's on skysports, oh dear i think if br wanted to get sneijder then whould he drop allen, no way, allen has to be in the team no place for wesley i guess

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  68. We need to sort our defense, a left back and a strong def/mid to shore up our weak midfield, Allen gave the ball away so many times today, along with Downing, Wisdom looks out of his depth passing backwards 99% of the time. Roy Evans is right and echoes what i wrote 3 months ago! we should play our best team from the start, if we struggle then we make changes, that's the "old Liverpool way" pity we didn't appoint Roy Evans after KD was sacked..

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  69. Why is it cracy to suggest Sturridge should've started? The fitness issue is a total red herring. Someone - anyone - please tell what the difference is between playing the first 45, and playing the second 45!

    Can anyone answer that?

    There is no difference! Sturridge could've played the first 45 and then gone off at half time, no? Start with your best possible team and then sort it out from there.

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  70. I would have started him, but in answer to your question- you've played the game, there is a difference especially for a pacy forward. Coming on in the 2nd half when the defenders are more fatigued is different than playing them from the start at full strength.
    In the end Rodgers' mistake was setting the team up to try to contain Utd when they should have gone for them from the start, playing Allen in a tough fixture, and starting with an out of form Sterling and Downing .

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  71. the 15 minutes of rest doesn't compensate for the 45-48 minutes hat players have already played, that's a red herring itself. i agree with Soulshalize, fingers would have been pointed at Rodgers had he started Sturridge then Suarez drew a blank
    That said, I would have started Sturridge because Vidic and Ferdinand would have had a hard time coping with the increased movement. And that's down to Rodgers.

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  72. Come on, Mike. After 15 minutes of rest at half time, it's not like defenders are massively fatigued, is it? These are professional sportsmen; athletes some of them; the difference at the start of the game and at the start of the second half is arguably minimal, and certainly not so massive that it would've made an difference if Sturridge had started.

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  73. Mufc 2 1 LFC....The person we can blame is B.Rodgers.He using wrong formation tacktical 4-5-1 when playing away.All fans want to see is Suarez will get new partner with Sturridge.First half Mufc get many ball posession.Yes !! we give mufc many chances and advantage with keep sturridge in the bench first half.Suarez walk alone to penetrate mufc fortress.Midfielder look very struggle to support suarez.If LFC want to used 4-5-1,high level winger must involve with this formation.Downing never exist and only with a little chance.And we can see the performance downing with biggest game.He is still not good to wearing LFC jersy.Sell him when good offer on the table.Sterling this young player holding the ball too longer and dribble too much while foward players are waiting in penalty box.He always missing the ball because keep the ball too longer.What i learn from this games is LFC need to bring new left and right winger and 1 more CDM.Many mistakes come from midfielder,especialy CDM....Lucas Biglia,Yann M'villa,Mousa Sissoko and Benat Extrebaria is best candidates players to join LFC.But more prefer to Benat.He have many option skill and special player to get sign.Our current squad is just not mentality winner and not to good enough.Please keep spend and spend untill the team are stable and able to be champion.Do not too stingy to break the bank for fishing the good players......YNWA.

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  74. Rodgers really has to sort out this fundamental..

    Tell his strikers to shoot across the keeper!!!!

    Lost count of the number of times I saw a player shoot hopelessly into the side netting on the near side where the keeper ( well apart from Reina) is really unlikely to concede a goal.

    The Sturridge goal was a classic case in point. if Rodgers can force our forwards and midfielders, even our full backs ( remember Wisdom's effort?) to shoot across the keeper then some of the miscues and some of the good efforts also will be put in by forwards following up, by strike partners directly, and even by defenders trying to clear. Who knows, they might even score directly!

    Sure, we can sometimes get it in near post. But if the default choice is to go across the keeper we will score more goals, and that's undeniable

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  75. Allen is getting used to playing at a completely new level pressure wise..I think he'll improve a lot with a year more experience...but at the moment I don't think there is much doubt that he's not influencing the team enough...i think we need a midfielder with a bit of physicality the team is looking a bit sort of height and strength...barca can get away with that but we're no barca...

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  76. One of Lucas and Allen had to go. I would have preferred if Allen was taken off, but it was Lucas on a yellow. When either of these 2 play, Henderson must play, otherwise we leave too many gaps and give the other team time to get organised. The real error for me was not having started with Henderson.

    United had us where they wanted us. They could get players into our box comfortably. There were 3 players in our box waiting in almost a straight line for Evra's cross that RvP turned in. They actually had another option beside RvP and somebody else arriving far post which happened to be our blindside at that moment. The moment I saw our guys scrambling back and their players arriving, I thought "Goal." Sure enough, RvP popped it in.

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  77. Spot on! This and keeping it compact till our players can arrive in the box.

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  78. Greg | Liverpool Kopites12:29 am, January 14, 2013

    Especially with 'sports science' as it is now - the 15mins is not just about rest but refuelling. If Sturridge had started and we put them on the backfoot from the start (like how we did in the second), then Utd would have been more cautious the whole game which would have been to our advantage, rather than treating us like flies. BR simply made the wrong decisions but we're not allowed to say it because we must back him blindly.

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  79. Greg | Liverpool Kopites12:32 am, January 14, 2013

    Agreed. Gerrard is no longer good enough. He might be useful if we want to go for broke in the last quarter of an hour where we could benefit from his hail marys but otherwise he has looked a mere shadow of his former self and can't keep up anymore.

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  80. Usually when you are losing a game, the best players are those who didn't play, but... Rodgers made big mistakes and lets face it: When you are playing against a better team, you can make no mistakes. I don't think that Rodgers made a mistake with Sturridge, he wasn't ready for a 90 mins game. But he prefered Allen and Sterling, two players that they are not ready for this level. Henderson plays well every time and doesn't get the chances he deserve, Gerrard doesn't behind striker (position that make him the 1st scorer of ELP in 2008 - 09 season), and we don't use alternatives like three CB (formation that will make less obvious the absence of Enrique)... The question is: Can Brendan Rodgers, learn from his mistakes? I can't really answer to that...

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  81. I agree, we never win there, or hardly ever. We were poor the first half, but all things considered, we came back ok. Of course I would want us to win, but we were the better team the second half, and Sturridge looks the part, once he is fully fit and playing from the start with Suarez, who he linked up great with, I reckon we will hammered a lot of non top four teams. I still think we aint top four stuff yet, but no reason why next season we cant be. The bad start ruined our chances this year.

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  82. Disagree on this, his changes were all attack minded, he put three out and out strikers onto the pitch and removed a DM. That showed he wanted to try and win it

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  83. bangin the drum again about reina again he is suppose to organize his defence 2 nd goal the wall had gerrard and skirtel in it 4 fucks sake a centre half and sg who wins his fair of
    share of headers in his own box in the wall when the ball goin in the mix any one else pick up on this? basic u have your centre half on the recieving end not in the fuckin wall

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  84. agree let him do a70 min shift then replace him .he had to start but br has not got the insight to c that fuckin watford reading or swansea thats his cv and his level

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  85. jesss u back again borin the tits of everyone again. tell u what u go to Macdonalds

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  86. we will lose to city on purpose so that they will be right behind yous.

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  87. What a woeful performance from the entire team. We lacked direction, we were handing manure the ball on a silver platter, If they had taken their chances we would have been down by 5 in the first half. The MF was a total shambles.
    With Sturridge from the off, would have made no impact as we were a dysfunctional unit as a whole. Buck up Rodgers. No more excuses. patience amongst fans is wearing thin. A performance like that against manure is unacceptable.

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  88. jamie snow is forcast how are we goin to get kenny back if hes on a cruise SOS we need u back cos we are are in deep shit with this used car salesman .full of shit

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  89. It's a disappointing result for us, again, but I try to make things look positive here. For 12 mil pounds, I think we have a bargain in DS. He should be banging in goals regularly once he gels completely with the team. He should be the center man with Suarez out wide in a 442 formation. Let's see what BR can do with him. We fans must pray hard that he will not be starting on the bench constantly and is used only in the last 35 mins of games.

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  90. I do agree on this one. And more importantly, who knows, maybe he is fit to play effectively for 70-75 mins. BR really must be daring enough to play for win when he faces these big shots in the league.

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  91. what did kenny say i get more sense out of my baby daughter than fergie bring back the KING asap .we went to 2 cup finals and took many scalps on the way . gone back wards from last season sack rodgers now .irish bluff merchant

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  92. i agree with you that starting hendo for allen. Hendo's pressing style would force them back alittle.. Allen was being given the round around..

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  93. The real issue was that Henderson should have played from the start as he is in much better form than Allen. Rodgers appears to have his favourites and has started making the same mistakes as Kenny i.e. playing people who are not good for the team in order to justify buying the player. I am not a Henderson fan but the balance he gives the team at the moment can't be ignored.

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  94. Im sick of this Allen bashing. When he first started people were singing him praise saying he was the next Xavi. This is reflective of how exaggerating the media is. The truth is he is a good player and will be even better in the future. Furthermore he fits into our system. He is just going through a rough patch right now and yes he should be dropped...but he is certainly not a waste!

    JK, it is so stupid to say that you should always start your strongest team. Its that sort of absolutist, one-dimensional thinking that reflects your lack of knowledge of the game. I mean technically by definition "strongest team" is the best team to start. But in reality i think you mean the best 11 players. First of all "the best 11 players" does not exist - players perform differently in different situations. Secondly ask any manager in the world about sometimes approaching games either defensively and sometimes offensively and they will agree that it is necessary. So, for example starting Ryan Bertrand in the CL final worked out pretty good for Chelsea didnt it? CF. Starting Harry Kewell in the CL final = didnt work out well. The point is the game is so much more complicated than a simple "play the best 11."

    BR had a plan and it almost worked. Liverpool were playing it out and ManU were pressuring high. This meant that if we did play it out successfully then we would be in a fantastic position offensively. You could see this in the second half when we succesfully played it out and ManU were on the back foot. Unfortunately we were not good enough to play it out in the first half and that was our only problem. ManU, to their credit, pressured well. This is what made us look "so bad." But its too short-sighted to say "we should've kicked it long." Allen had to play deep in order to help us play it out. But playing one of the best teams in the world at high pressure (away from home) was just too difficult for him and everyone else at times.

    Ofcourse we looked a lot better in the second half, especially after about 25 minutes, because ManU dropped deeper. This meant that we could play it out and had more possession in our attacking third. Why did they do this? Because we had them worried. Why did we have them worried? Because we were successful at playing it out. This was part of BR's plan. My only concern is we didnt create a heap of CCC. We created a few but i fear we lack the creative flair to break down a well-drilled deep defence.

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  95. Rodgers has done this all season. He has put out teams that are way too cautious in the first half. That formation and player selection proves that. Playing from the back against a top team that knows how to close down, refusing to play long balls is always going to be a big ask. Has anyone bothered to understand that when Liverpool concede the first goal with negative tactics like this, we have no answer or response at all. Then Rodgers has to put out changes and substitutes to change the game. Its psychologically down grading to the players as well, because they were set up as if they were trying to stop a United onslaught instead of being hyped up, and tempo seeking. First half tactics will only work if you somehow grab the first goal, it gives you a good platform to see out the game and attack when the opponent is more open. But for a big game like this you have to heap pressure on United from the start, and a team like Liverpool should be able to do that high up the pitch, not because they lack depth, but because they are LIVERPOOL. Rodgers needed to be brave with his starting line-up but he wasn't. Second half was what I expected and loved. Even if Sturridge got that second goal, that first half would still irritate me.

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  96. I think the big tactical error was picking Allen over Henderson, personally.


    I'd have started Sturridge, especially if Borini was fit enough to replace him later on. Easy with the benefit of hindsight though.


    I'm excited about the potential of a Sturridge/Suarez/Borini front 3. So much movement and each brings a different element:


    Sturridge = Pace and directness
    Suarez = Class and guile
    Borini = Goalscorer's instinct and familiarity with Rodgers' style


    They all move a lot and they all put a shift in (I'm not as sure with Sturridge, but he has worked hard so far). It'll be nice to have 3 players who all naturally want to score. If a full back gets on the overlap, he'll have 3 good options, with Suarez deep and Sturridge and Borini on the far and near posts (depending which side the ball is getting played in from).


    I know Borini isn't especially silky, but it never held Dirk back. You need balance. You'd hardly call most of United's players world beaters individually but they work so well together.



    Then hopefully you'll have Downing, Sterling and Ince (or someone else, I'm hoping for one winger type player to get brought in) to rotate into that 3 to give us different options.

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  97. This is spot on.

    No-one likes to lose to United, but we lost by 1 goal (an offside goal, which I'm not that annoyed about because it was hardly an obvious call- by the why didn't Vidic tell the ref he was offside!?!?!?!? He's wrecking football single-handedly!!!!) and as redforlife has said, most teams get done in after going 2-0 down at OT.

    Also, (I think I heard this right, but it sounds mental) they've never lost a game under Ferguson at Old Trafford after leading at half-time. I remember reading another stat last season (after we blew a lead against QPR) that said United have something like 98% of all the games in the Premiership when they've had a 2 goal lead, so we made a decent fist of it.

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  98. i know, but it was kind of down the centre of the goal, but still, i'm probably too harsh. it wasn't a bad game otherwise

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  99. this is why we need sneijder...

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  100. man utd dropped deeper because the lfc midfield was reorganised for the better. you could tell by fergie's reaction as he got up from the dugout and walked to the sideline, that man utd were supposed to maintain the pressure of the first half and put us to bed.

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  101. It's funny how when we acquired Sturridge many of y'all said it was a waist of money including some these LFC legends. Now it's like he is the best player on the team. However BR should have made subs in the first half not wait till second half.

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  102. What you people have failed to realise is that despite Sturridge starting,that would have completely changed nothing because in 1st half Man U had our game read out,you could see they had planned and prepared for us,they were playing 4.5:1 and had zoned us out so despite sturridge being on there couldnt have been a difference,but in the second half if you are very keen you could notice that we played 4:4:2,after 1 CM was dropped,which man U hadnt planned for thus,the few chances we created.

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  103. This Sturridge not matchfit nonsense is getting on my nerves. The guy was part of the Chelsea squad. What did he do there when they were training? Go fishing? He also played for Chelsea this year so how can he not be match fit. It's a load of tosh. Just like Rodgers' rubbish on the club site. "We deserved more". You can't decide to only show up for only thirty minutes out of a ninety minute game against the league leaders and expect to get something from it. This man seriously needs a reality check. If you're going to have Suarez up against Vidic and Ferdinand, arguably the best defensive couple in the league, your wide players need to be able to get past the full backs to lure the center halfs out of position. Seeing as neither Sterling, nor "Super Downing" managed to do so, it was blatantly obvious from the tenth minute that we needed an additional man in the middle. I like the style of football that Rodgers wants us to play but he needs to have a plan B and he needs to stop talking rubbish.

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  104. So zantos from what your saying is that he didn't want to win the match from the start??Personally I don't understand why there were two DM's out there.

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  105. Didn't claim that anyone said that he should have played the entire match. My point was that he wouldn't have played the entire match and that the idea probably was to use him as an impact player. Furthermore the idea probably wasn't to be as bad as we were in the first half so I'd like to think Rodgers didn't plan before the match to bring him on at half-time.


    As I've said (and Hussain said it, too), in hindsight you are possibly right, he should have started, but it doesn't guarantee that he would have made the same kind of impact. Just imagine he had started and didn't have a positive enough impact. We'd read now that Sturridge shouldn't have started.


    It would be great if the manager (any manager) gets his line-up right every week, but this probably won't ever happen. I am fine with a manager who can see that his line-up doesn't work the way he wished and makes early changes. In the past we've had managers who didn't do that and it did my head in. In other words, it's better to get something wrong and correct it as soon as possible, than getting something wrong and wait until it is probably too late to make changes.

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  106. Gerrard isn't a DM, and Allen isn't either. Lucas was the only DM out there.

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  107. And may I add that the one goal we lost to may well have been offside. Using the same logic behind a weeks coverage of Suarez's hand making contact to the ball at Mansfield, I think it's fair to say that Evra and Vidic should have owned up and told the ref that the ball hit the latter's back and that he was off-side. As they didn't I'd expect at least a week of coverage of the incident with many media outlets and several pundits castigating the Man U players (for not owning up and being cheats).

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  108. And all those folks (everyone) he bores the tits off vote his (or her?) comment up? Doesn't make any sense at all.

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  109. It's pretty refreshing to see quite a few people on here who don't think everything is doom and gloom. And don't think singling out a single player is a good thing to do!

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  110. Yep. I don't have anything at all against Lucas, good player, but a stronger, better defensive midfielder wouldn't go amiss, imho.

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  111. If Gerrard isn't good enough, what does that make the rest of our central midfielders who have failed to outperform him this season??

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  112. Henderson maybe, but Suso and Shelvey, erm, no, sorry. I like both of them and they are both fine talents, but they weren't exactly in great form recently either. One of them even deleted his twitter account because some know-it-alls felt the need to tell him just how poor he recently played.

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  113. Really? In his (Lucas') early days with us I thought his tackling let him down big time. He gave away many free-kicks in particular dangerous positions. No, I'm not having a go at him.

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  114. He will learn, he is that kind of guy.

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  115. I like what you are saying Zanz, but i doubt we will sign any midfielder s until the summer.

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  116. You reckon its just as easy to play 90 as 45 no way Jamie especially when u have fitness issues.

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  117. A few people on this forum think Gerrard has become sh*te all of a sudden. He is still our best midfield player, having scored 4 and made 8 so far, no one else comes close. the only argument i agree with is he should be protected more by starting on the bench. Alas we all grow old but recently there have been articles about gary mac and the pivotal player he was at 35......

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  118. O btw nice to hear BR still talking about how thin the squad is.....its starting to sound like a broken record. Cant wait until feb 1st.

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  119. Sneijder is not the answer...We need a physically inposing midfielder. That liverpool team yesterday looked light of strength as it has a few times this season.

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  120. The fact of the matter is that when you play MU, especially at OT, you need to start with all guns blazing and dominate them completely from the get-go. With only one striker who looked lost, and Joe Allan in midfield, that was never going to happen. SG should have been behind LS and Hendo should have started instead of JA who was totally owned by Carrick. BR let his players and the fans down with his naive team selection and tactics.

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  121. He still does... but his tackling and interception has always been good. I thought it was his bad bad passing that used to let him down.

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  122. sorry guys. to me its a bit of a joke to say we lost due to offside goal. we lost because we did not play for the first 45 minutes.



    i am not sure if it was sturridge coming on giving us a bit of pace + the ability to cover the ball ( i dont think he lost it without being fouled a more than couple of times in whole game) Or was it something BR said to players during halftime. anyhow it was like watching two different games. you have to play for full 90 minutes in order to take points in premierleague. united was unable to kill the game, but for us the 45 mins were still too little too late to turn the game.


    Allen has been criticised for his central midfield display, and he didnt play that well imo. then again i dont think we entirely lost the game in middle of the pitch. we were able to pass the ball and keep possession there, but on instant we started using our flanks, downing and sterling it was where we lost possession.

    Downing shouldnt be played, he should be sold. he is one of our highest earners and one of our worst players.


    Sterling should be benched. for last couple of games and few before his chip goal, he has done nothing exept tried to run directly against defender an lost the ball + if he gets trough his last pass is horrible. the kid isnt starter yet.


    (id rather play hendo in the flank than downing. even knowing he is out of position there)


    Borini is fit. which is a good thing.



    id like to see in coming games all 3 borini suarez and sturridge start. then we got ourselves a genuine goal threat up front.

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  123. just watched the match again and allen is a complete waste of space hes to lightwieght people said he was playing out of position well now hes got his perfered role hes even worse,i truely cannot see a goal or assist from this player all season

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  124. Same old story....Until LFC stopped buying 'Made in Britain', the problems will continue....FACT!. What would we give right now, to have the quality of say ALONSO, MASCHERANO etc, don't these so called managers ever learn???.

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  125. biggest mistake of brendan rodgers is to put daniel sturridge on the bench and eventually he doesnot worth to be the manger of liverpool football club and may be at the end of the season brendan rodgers should be sacked he doesnot deserved to be the manager!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  126. Allen is shit it's simple as ! He shouldn't be allowed no where near the squad !

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  127. That's not what I said at all. My questions is what difference does it make if a player plays 45 mins in the first half, or the second half?

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  128. Terrible first half with no plan or ambition, an utter shambles. BR should be ashamed of himself, he made a right mess of it, look at the 2nd half when we really went for it, learn your lesson or else.

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  129. Zanatos ur a cunt !

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  130. The difference is that if you put him on in the second half, the other 21 guys on the pitch have already played a half. Ergo, they're more tired than they are at the start of the match and as such Sturridge's speed and directness have more impact on the defenders than it would in the first 45 minutes.

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  131. Question is, why is he not fit? What has he been doing at Chelsea the last couple of months?

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  132. Your right, Sturridge should of started the game and in my opinion BR is starting to make a lot of managerial mistakes. It took him 80mins to take of Allen who was poor all game....
    Keep playing and having faith in players in poor form?
    Our last manager made that same mistake.

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  133. BR’s negative record as LFC manager continues as he seem unable to guide the team to wins against teams that are above us (ManU, ManCity, Chelsea, Tottenham, Everton, Arsenal, West Brom). He didn’t even manage to guide the team to wins against teams that are below us as Swansea, Stoke, Newcastle, Aston Villa. That says a lot. In another game against strong/tough opponents he got it wrong. He started the game with the wrong formation and team selection. The only thing we see under his reign is the passing/movement of the ball. The three lines (defensive-midfield-attacking) continue not being connected with each other something that cost us in games with strong/touch opponents. This is the kind of work managers puts when they work for average mid-sized teams. LFC is a sleeping giant and its current ownership and manager seem unable to understand what it takes as to weak it up!

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  134. Rogers isn't good enough pure and simple. I knew that from the start. He's just a cheap option for FSG, nothing more. They want to gain success without dipping too hard in their pocket. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. We are playing better football but the standard of some of the players are a joke. I wasn't expecting anything more than mid table mediocrity this season and thats what we've got. I thought Allen was abysmal yesterday but stayed on for most of the match. Why? Hindsight has nothing to do with it. Anyone in their right mind can see we needed to start off on the offensive from the start at OT. Instead this clueless idiot decides to let United have it easy for the beginning of the match and we end up having to chase the game because he's too bloody cautious. I'll will follow this club regardless but I do not agree we have the right manager or the right owners tbh.

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  135. Greg | Liverpool Kopites10:56 am, January 14, 2013

    If they have failed to outperform him, one possibility is that they could be worse. However, they might also be kept out of the team because of Gerrard's status and BR worrying about hurting Gerrard's ego.

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  136. Yunus - I Agree 100 % .BR should know football is played for 90 minutes + stoppage time and not 20 minutes, Allen ,Sterling and Downing did nothing for me and yet he BR stood there like Hodgson not knowing what to do, tactics were all wrong from the beginning, we spend 12 m for the player to be bench , unbelievable and pathetic

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  137. Exactly right mate! I can't agree less with you. Nice post.

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  138. There was only one DM, neither Allen or Gerrard are DM`s.

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  139. To be honest Allen had a poor game. I do not think BR is going to drop him anytime soon, he was getting bullied by the United Players. Also I think BR threw in Lucas way to early. He needed to be integrated again slowly.

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  140. If downing and Sterling was on opposite flanks i think it would of had a bit more impact because when United came to Anfield Evra was scared of Sterling's pace and he was pushed back in his own half however this time he was facing Downing and psychologically he knew he had the advantage thus bombing forward more

    Another mistake BR made was not starting Henderson he is our best player when it comes to pressing and in the first half there was no desire to press

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  141. Liverpool For Life11:50 am, January 14, 2013

    Team selection was poor , so who chooses the team and who decides on tactics. Brendan does . Teams in the relegation zone have taken United on and scored three , alas they ended up losing but they came close.
    Liverpool in the first half were extremely sterile. If you want to be Champions you take risks and you attack . Yes no one knows what the outcome would have been if Brendan started with Sturridge but you go out and try . United have been extremely vulnerable this season , its mainly Van Persie that gets them out of a tight spot , so have a go. Not just at United but against all comers.
    Yes , you are likely to concede more but you will score much more than when u sit back. Suarez received no service and support in the first half . Scoring a few goals early on can knock the confidence of the opposing team and at the same time boost your own confidence levels . Attack is the best form of defence .
    If you want to be a Liverpool manager , Brendan than play to win.

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  142. Rodgers wasted more than £25 mil on Allen and Borini not to mention the monies spent on Sahin and Assaidi whom he consistently ignored.He is continuing the tradition of our managers in wasting the resources.How much have been wasted by Houllier,Benitez,Dalglish in recent years and now by Rodgers.They cumulatively only had Torres,Alonso and Suarez who could compete with the best.One Suarez is better than Carrol,Downing,Henderson,Borini,Allen etc put together.

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  143. Sturridge came on when the team had no option than to go all out i wonder if Liverpool were 2/0 up at half time whether Sturridge would have even got a run.

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  144. really ? why ? ok then its pizza hut for you !

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  145. Exactly right mate! I can't agree less with you. Nice post.

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  146. lucas is a shitty player...how many times do i have to say this? he gave away 3 free kicks in dangerous positions with his piss poor tackling yesterday. It took him 2-3 seasons to reach a decent level as a DM before he got injured. how many more seasons do we have to wait now for him to regain his form? he should be sold as he is not good enough for us and Allen is no better either...no wonder we loss the midfield battle with such dross in the starting 11.
    anyway at least our front 3 of suarez, borini and sturridge look promising.

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  147. Exactly...Nobody seem to have noticed but Van persie goal would have been saved by any other goalkeeper in the league. Van persie literally passed the ball to him but he still could not do shit! It was neither a bullet shot nor was it at the far corner of the post...it was a WEAK shot in the CENTER(where he was standing), but his delayed reaction cost us the goal.

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  148. Rodgers has very little experience of top flight football. What else do you expect, mediocre manager, mediocre team.

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  149. not supporting that comment BR did nonsense yesterday yes but we are still a club in progression give him time we have payed some great football imo this season rodgers just needs to stop playing favoritism when a player (allen) is off the pace drop him we have other midfielders come on sigh

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  150. LFC needs a proven, world-class manager, period!

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  151. No doubt the decision not starting Sturridge was a massive blunder but what we can expect when Rodgers is barely out of the rookie category...He doesn't appear to have the mentality to inspire wins against the bigger teams.

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  152. Dear Jaimie, it is time you face it, BR is just a poor manager who makes poor buys and poor tactical decisions. I think you should stop finding excuses for him.

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  153. Who knows what he has been doing probably blowing a few doobies and visiting art galleries for all i know.

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  154. I find "dross" a bit harsh an assessment, but generally I, too, would expect more of Lucas and Allen (as well as Skrtel, Downing, up until recently Enrique, more consistency from Johnson and so on). You get my point, I find it strange singling out those two, when currently quite a few of our players seem inconsistent and/or don't perform to the level we know they can.


    Should Lucas not show his best form by the end of the season, I wouldn't be against selling him and get a defensive midfielder in who is a bit stronger. Personally I think that Yann M'Vila guy somewhere in France (is it Rennes?) may well be an exceptional talent we should go for.

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  155. Sorry, I don't get that. Which meaning of burger do you want to understand me now? http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=burger

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  156. so long we keep on buying young talent there is nothing much to hope for. Do they not realize that young talent when become matured could be hijacked by other rich clubs. what is the point of grooming them. Liverpool should first buy experience players then later add on young players. Please listen to Gerard he knows this too but because he is a captain he is not attacking the management . So far only Sterling made his way and that too we are not sure he may still be bought by other clubs in a year or so.Please buy ready made quality experience players if Liverpool wants to achieve something in the next few years.

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  157. We, the LFC's fans around the world must unite our voices and send loud and clear messages to FSG. Enough is enough with mediocrity choices and its experiments!

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  158. I think both Jaimie and Anteater are right here.


    If Sturridge was fit enough to play the second half of the game, he would have been fit enough to start.


    But there's reason to believe he wouldn't last the full 90.


    I don't have a problem with Brendan having him come on as a substitute, but I think he should have made the switch a bit before halftime. If the kid played the last 55 minutes, I think he would have been fine considering he played roughly the first 55 minutes last week at Mansfield. But I would not have expected him to play the full 90 though.


    My bigger issue was with why Allen started over Henderson. We were having issues getting the ball back and Henderson would have run around tirelessly to do so. Allen was simply offering United chances for the entire first half.

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  159. But why give BR any favourtism? Dalglish guided the club to 5th or 6th aftering near bottom in the season before last, and brought us 2 great cup runs, played some good football, yet was sacked. So tell me why should we be giving BR any special treatment?

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  160. @Mel...almost worked Mel, means....IT HAS NOT WORKED!, right or wrong?.

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  161. well....is just as much a coach can do when left only a couple of quality player, he has gotten the most out of suarez and gerrard this season, but when we need to start with poo players like shelvey, henderson and downing a lot of matches...we will loose alot of them...and at least against the top teams like manure...even when manure are poor like y-day.

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  162. Roy Evans had his chance and won 1 trophy in 5 years managing liverpool after inheriting a poor side. He had his chance, let Rodgers have his without the ghosts of Liverpool past haunting him

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  163. Jaimie.. an interesting stat to see would be Allen's first half of games for LFC with his last half of games...

    I think you fill find a trend of diminished performance. He's definitely dropped quite a few levels from the player we started out with... anyone else see that?

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  164. Honestly, I would have chosen any of the other midfielders over Allen for this game... He's been in bad form

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  165. Rogers should have gone for it... started the strongest team available. Downing and Allen was a mistake, and he sure as hell should not have played Sterling with those two mentioned...

    it should have been Suso/Shelvey/Hendo for Allen, with Sturridge up front instead of downing. United honestly looked weak in the first half (although we were much much weaker granted).

    If we ran out at them, got a lead, then switched to a slightly more defensive tactic second half it woulda shoulda coulda blah blah...

    anyway, what astounded me the most was our inability to keep the ball off a throw in!!!

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  166. Allen was poor (not worse than some others, but still), agreed, but the thinking behind playing him may be his ability to win possession (not that he has shown this ability enough yesterday). http://www.eplindex.com/24347/premier-leagues-top-players-top-5-scorers-creators-passers.html/4

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  167. I have read the Sky Sports article as well and as they seem to be reliable I favour their word. However, the story just doesn't seem to want to go away and there are also rumours that Spurs are interested. I was so optimistic about our future prior the United match, but I'm afraid it has highlighted our weaknesses. We are simply not able to get that killing edge and beat anyone above us in the table. I fear Spurs will continue to make signings and at this rate at least one or two will work out for them. That in turn just pushes us further behind.

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  168. Would you like me to pay for you Happy meal? It is not going to make a hole in my pocket so just shout mate.

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  169. Rodgers has said a few times that he doesn't have the squad where he wants it yet and has pointed out it will need a few more players. If he is giving names of who he would like to bring in, I fear his pockets are not deep enough to purchase them himself. I think that's why some people defend him as that side of it can't be blamed on him. I do support him but that does not blinker me when I think he has made a mistake.

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  170. Maybe the thinking was that although the 45 minutes would physically be the same, whichever half, for Sturridge himself; tactically he would be better against opposition with already half a match fatigue. Not saying that's what I would have done, but just an idea why it was.

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  171. Didn't see your comment earlier but I just wrote more or less the same thing. Not saying the decision was right but it was probably the thinking behind the decision.

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  172. I back him but I'm not blind. I'm pretty sure that if we get to the end of the season, looking towards 2013-14 like we will still really struggle for top four then I think even his most devout supporters will begin ti thin out very sharpish. (that includes any support FSG may have acquired for themselves)

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  173. Strength in midfield with a little creativity would definitely not go amiss right now...

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  174. Damn Jason, I actually agree with you 100%

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  175. I don't think that will happen. He will start the next match......Can they really afford to leave him out again?

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  176. lucas was the worst player on the pitch AGAIN please dont play him ever AGAIN

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  177. allen is twice as good as lucas,lucas gives us nothing silly fouls and needless bookings,midfield so much more balanced without him in it,play allen and henderson,get lucas of the wage bill,game passes him by

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  178. The better team won; Plain and Simple!

    LFC have a frail keeper, and the longer they persist with a calamity in goal, the longer they will be mid-table fodder!
    Reina needs to get out of LFC!!!
    And any manager sanctioning his place, needs to get out as well!

    United took their chances when it came, and they lead from the front.

    Joe Allen; Brendan Rodger's pet will be the sacking of that man!

    Allen had no place in that starting 11, he was nowhere and offered the team nothing!

    Henderson has had his fair share of critics, but he was much better positioned to play this game and again, the poor selection of the manager has shown Liverpool the defeat they deserved. Brendan Rodgers has brought some good football philosophy, but he needs to buy himself a second season in charge and the likes of his ineptness today has deserved a ticket out of John Lennon airport!

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  179. (an offside goal, which I'm not that annoyed about because it was
    hardly an obvious call- by the why didn't Vidic tell the ref he was
    offside!?!?!?!? He's wrecking football single-handedly!!!!)
    lol...im surprised you can say this when Gerrard said he will take a handball goal.

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  180. just been on that web sight ha ha brillant mate!!!!!!

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  181. dont think we have seen enough of borini to judge him yet but waisted 15 mill on allen any better than spearing err no

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  182. While it's great that you like the site/description, I still don't get the phrase you used. Come on, please explain to me what it's supposed to mean.

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  183. Seriously?

    He came on at half time and scored 12 minutes later, would he have scored after 12 first half minutes? We'll never know. But having a player who's only fit enough, right now, for 60 minutes, it's best to play the last part of the game as he'll be fresher than the opposition who have been playing from the start. THAT, Jaimie, is a physiological fact.



    Listen, I'm as pissed off by the result as anyone else associated with Liverpool Football Club. What I won't be doing, though, is sending my CV to Anfield to be considered for the next manager's job.

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