Europa League Thread

[shravi]

Suso was leagues above any Liverpool player yesterday. I hope he gets played centrally more often.

Suso vs Anzhi on Vimeo

 

[Haarithan]

Yep CAM clearly is his natural position. What a spark he provided since coming on!

Also gonna have to question Brendan's selection policy IF Assaidi doesn't feature against Chelsea. Sounds ridiculous that he opted for Joke Cole over Assaidi against Anzhi in that case!

Hendo had his first awful outing in a Liverpool jersey this season. Should have gone for the shoot when he was clean through!

Flanagan and Downing impressed me offensively and defensively respectively as wingbacks.

Disappointed with Coates, reminds me off David Luiz in that he gets switched off often.

Nothing much to say about Adam Morgan barring that sublime pass to Henderson who really should have buried it.

And finally, I don't wanna see Joe Cole wearing a Liverpool jersey, ever again!

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And talking of Liverpool, we only need to beat BSC Young Boys at Anfield on Matchday 5, and hope Udinese don't win at Anzhi, in order to progress.

 

[ste_mc_efc]

Suso was leagues above any Liverpool player yesterday. I hope he gets played centrally more often.

Suso vs Anzhi on Vimeo

I only watched the 2nd half but suso looks like he could be a very good player indeed.

 

[shravi]

I only watched the 2nd half but suso looks like he could be a very good player indeed.

He only played the second half anyway. The game as whole was pretty dull. Disagreed with Rodgers assessment tbh. Sure, there was lots of possession but zero penetration. Usually we at least create chances and miss horribly, but even that didn't happen. Of course, it was a B team though.

 

[ste_mc_efc]

He only played the second half anyway. The game as whole was pretty dull. Disagreed with Rodgers assessment tbh. Sure, there was lots of possession but zero penetration. Usually we at least create chances and miss horribly, but even that didn't happen. Of course, it was a B team though.

I was a little bit baffled at the commentary team making it out as if it were a smash and grab by anzhi, granted I missed the first half so i don't know if the lead was just or not, but the commentators made out as if it was grossly unjust that anzhi won.

when really i think the 1-0 scoreline flattered liverpool a touch, anzhi just sat back and soaked up what wasn't really any sort of concerted pressure and countered really well and created far more good chances, and definitely should have scored at least one more in the 2nd half.

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Actually i am not baffled. it was itv so obviously there were terrible

 

[shravi]

Holy fearsome tweak, I thought Di Natale scored there for a second. Glad we got through. Must say, even though it's the Europa League and this isn't the hardest group ever, topping the group is quite an achievement; especially considering we used our fringe players for majority of the games. It hasn't been convincing and at times it's looked like possession for possession's sake, but I'm quite pleased.

 

[Haarithan]

Phew that DiNatale moment had my heart in my mouth! ?krtel was absolutely immense and so was Udinese's GK, Padelli, who was a Liverpool reject....

#13 proving to be a real curse for Su?rez, who's now 5 games without a goal in all competitions, ever since his 13th goal of the season against Wigan in the league.

And to be fair Shravi, our group was dubbed the Europa League's "Group of Death" this season, so there's much to be proud of the team, having topped the group. Personally thought Young Boys deserved to join us in the knockout stages, but oh well...

 

[War]

So is everyone cool with all the talk of Bale being as good as Ronaldo now?..ha

 

[puddleduck]

Not at all. He missed an open goal and failed to bury the double chance that came to him. Finally coming good on his free kick promise though. He has a while to go before he's classed in the same bracket as someone who has scored 183 goals in 178 odd games.

He's playing very well at the moment, he's quality, but he has some way to go before he's classed in the same bracket as the 2nd best player in the world

 

[Epic]

I think too much is said of Bale, when in actuality we should be praising the man behind all this, AVB. Glad to see he's doing well after the whole debacle at Chelsea.

 

[puddleduck]

At the same time, Spurs would be sitting 2nd in the league and potentially right on Man U's tails if we hadn't been using a mixture of Adebayor, Dempsey and Defoe all season. A world class striker as a focal point and we'd be very dangerous.

 

[Haarithan]

In other news, in Brendan we rust.

I think too much is said of Bale, when in actuality we should be praising the man behind all this, AVB. Glad to see he's doing well after the whole debacle at Chelsea.

This.

19/05/12:

Andre Villas-Boas set for Liverpool interview - ESPN FC

but Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers and Borussia Dortmund's Jurgen Klopp - who led his side to a league and cup double this season - have both turned down the chance to be interviewed.

Where did it all go wrong then?

 

[Epic]

At the same time, Spurs would be sitting 2nd in the league and potentially right on Man U's tails if we hadn't been using a mixture of Adebayor, Dempsey and Defoe all season. A world class striker as a focal point and we'd be very dangerous.

There's always next season.

In other news, in Brendan we rust.

Tbh, I really don't think it's fair to judge Brendan Rodgers on one season, especially not after the kind of hole Kenny Dalglish dug you guys into. I know it's tough, but just be patient, all you can do as a support.

 

[puddleduck]

You only have to look at how much better players like Henderson and Downing are now performing. Suarez's goal ratio this season, how Gerrard no longer looks past it. Maybe a bit worrying that your defence is now a shambles, but definitely signs are things are going in the right direction. The club needs to start building long-term, it's the only way they'll crack the top 4/5 anytime in the next decade

@Epic. Problem is, next season Man City will strengthen themselves again, Man U will probably still be imperious and Chelsea might even sort themselves out... So we not only need to finish top 4 this year, we also need to invest very wisely and not lose key performers like Bale, Bale and Bale.

Although, it'll be nice when Kaboul comes back in again, as he was a massive part of our successes last year, and we're really missing Sandro already, Parker just isn't quite up to it anymore.

 

[Haarithan]

Like I'd said earlier, I definitely do rate Brendan over Kenny Dalglish. What I can't understand though is the FSG's decision to NOT appoint AVB (who wanted our job), and instead roped in Rodgers, who with all due respect has/had next to nothing to show for, in his CV, that he is/was the right man for the Liverpool job (got sacked within 12 months at Watford and Reading). Not to forget how he initially rejected us, although he does say it was down to us being heavily linked with Roberto Martinez then, thereby endangering his future at Swansea.

Seeing a number of Liverpool fans tweeting this now:

"The only team to have 'progressed' due to Brendan Rodgers is Swansea City!"

Sad but true.