Liverpool FC

[outragous76]

[The Camel]

Liverpool did have 59% possession, which when all is said and done is the most important stat.












Apart from the final score of course.

[kinboshi]

Awful.

No depth in the squad, and nicely shown by the performance today.

Coates,  Jones, Robinson, Borini all showed why they aren't good enough. A long way to go until the squad is at the level it needs to be to compete on all fronts (any fronts).

Oldham out-muscled and out-fought Liverpool in midfield and the defence was not close to being up to the task. Also think Rodgers got it wrong, but I guess Wednesday is a more important game. Will have to play better to get anything against Arsenal.

[BorntoBubble]

Awful.

No depth in the squad, and nicely shown by the performance today.

Coates,  Jones, Robinson, Borini all showed why they aren't good enough. A long way to go until the squad is at the level it needs to be to compete on all fronts (any fronts).

Oldham out-muscled and out-fought Liverpool in midfield and the defence was not close to being up to the task. Also think Rodgers got it wrong, but I guess Wednesday is a more important game. Will have to play better to get anything against Arsenal.

surprised you didn't bring Gerrard on earlier he changed the game. Too good to be sat on the bench at 3-1 down. Mabye even should have come on at half time!

[outragous76]

Awful.

No depth in the squad, and nicely shown by the performance today.

Coates,  Jones, Robinson, Borini all showed why they aren't good enough. A long way to go until the squad is at the level it needs to be to compete on all fronts (any fronts).

Oldham out-muscled and out-fought Liverpool in midfield and the defence was not close to being up to the task. Also think Rodgers got it wrong, but I guess Wednesday is a more important game. Will have to play better to get anything against Arsenal.

I only listened to the game, and this isnt me sniping, but can Liverpool honestly say that beating Arsenal is more important than trying to win the FA cup!

Obviously your 2nd string side should still beat Oldham, but I just think, winning  a cup can be a real spring board for any team - look at the Rafa years. Liverpool fed off winning a trophy every now and again!

You can "lol milk cup" as much as you like, its better to have a medal than finish 6th in the Premier League. I just think Rodgers has got it all horribly wrong

[outragous76]

Rodgers is deluded!

"we came into this game in a rich vein of form"

Won 6
Lost 4 in last 10 -

[vegaslover]

Today pretty much sums up why I dislike Rodgers as a manager. Often gets the team wrong and this was magnified today.
Pretty much the worse game/conditions possible to bring in players such as Coates and Robinson.

Borini has been a pile of shite since he came in, not worth £11 never mind £11m.

[bobby1]

Badly needed an Andy Carroll type to come on there too, but not sure Mr pass pass pass would have resorted to that type of football anyway.

[77dave]

Should of been a 5 man midfield with some steel in the middle

A starting midfield of Allen Hendo and Sterling was never going to control the game against Oldham and in those conditions.

[The Camel]

Seemed like a strange team selection indeed.

If you want to rest players, why play Suarez and especially Sterling?

[MANTIS01]

We have seen lots of big teams crash out of cup competitions to lower league sides this week. I think the reality is a lot of big money players just don't have the appetite for it. Fringe players should relish the opportunity to put on a display but it seems if it's not premier league football or champions league football the passion goes missing. I don't think this is a Liverpool specific problem, it's symptomatic of football in general at the moment and the attitude of fancy dan players who overrate themselves. Blaming Rodgers isn't the answer either because whatever team he put out should have bashed Oldham up. I mean when do you give fringe players experience if it's not in a game like this?

[kinboshi]

We have seen lots of big teams crash out of cup competitions to lower league sides this week. I think the reality is a lot of big money players just don't have the appetite for it. Fringe players should relish the opportunity to put on a display but it seems if it's not premier league football or champions league football the passion goes missing. I don't think this is a Liverpool specific problem, it's symptomatic of football in general at the moment and the attitude of fancy dan players who overrate themselves. Blaming Rodgers isn't the answer either because whatever team he put out should have bashed Oldham up. I mean when do you give fringe players experience if it's not in a game like this?

I agree it's not just Liverpool, but disagree that Rodgers can be absolved of all blame. Midfield far too weak in a game that he knew would be a battle. He did the same against Stoke and in other games this season.

Of course it's the players' fault, but Coates, Robinson, Borini and at the moment Allen just aren't good enough and Rodgers is the one who plays them or not.

To Guy, last season Liverpool won a cup, lost in the FA Cup final. Yes it's nice to go on a cup run, but for the development of this squad the club needs CL football. I also don't think Rafa lived off winning one cup,  but it probably did buy him more time.

[Waz1892]

I just dont get the "resting players" theory.  Especially when it's done half-heartledly.  That makes even less sense.

You (assume) want to progress.  Cup finals are good to go on, and trip to wembley, trophy etc.  At end of day, a club success is built on trophies. Only 3 of them for most clubs. 4 max, so precious commodities.

So why rest players when the objection is to qualify firstly -surely - then get out of the game unscathed, fitness/injury wise.

Resting Gerrards etc then having to bring them on after 55-60-75mins defeats the object, as now they are working harder to chase the game, with more intensity and gusto - more stressful on mind and body you'd think.  Then de-moralising for the whole club after the defeat itself.

Play your best team for 45-60mins.  Kill the game, then take the Gerrads, Saurez's etc off after its done and dusted.  Gerrards preparation would have been no different to Allen's who started the game, so why not start then rest.  Does an extra 30-45mins really make that much difference?

Gerrads (others included just my named example) 35mins he played would have i bet been harder work than if he'd played the first 60mins.

A cup run breeds confidence and a happy club from top to bottom, gives you something to play for in the up and coming months, keeps the focus, and attention to details, whereas if you've got league game after league game and in 7-8thplace, minds will switch off, focus lost - its human nature.

So why Rodgers spoke, only this week of a great atompshere in the dressing room with lunches and fun wagers, he has destroyed all that in 90mins.

But to add to the above, if you're going to rest, and thus risk going out with a weakened team because you feel your squad can't cope with 2-3 games in 14 days, then rest them all.  Why risk Suarez......thats just stupid.  If any player in our squad needs "protecting" from tiredness/injury it's him!!!

AND on top of all that - WTF are we resting them for?...title games? CL games?  Top 4 games....get a grip!!

Rant over.

[MANTIS01]

We have seen lots of big teams crash out of cup competitions to lower league sides this week. I think the reality is a lot of big money players just don't have the appetite for it. Fringe players should relish the opportunity to put on a display but it seems if it's not premier league football or champions league football the passion goes missing. I don't think this is a Liverpool specific problem, it's symptomatic of football in general at the moment and the attitude of fancy dan players who overrate themselves. Blaming Rodgers isn't the answer either because whatever team he put out should have bashed Oldham up. I mean when do you give fringe players experience if it's not in a game like this?

I agree it's not just Liverpool, but disagree that Rodgers can be absolved of all blame. Midfield far too weak in a game that he knew would be a battle. He did the same against Stoke and in other games this season.

Of course it's the players' fault, but Coates, Robinson, Borini and at the moment Allen just aren't good enough and Rodgers is the one who plays them or not.

To Guy, last season Liverpool won a cup, lost in the FA Cup final. Yes it's nice to go on a cup run, but for the development of this squad the club needs CL football. I also don't think Rafa lived off winning one cup,  but it probably did buy him more time.

If in all reality £15m Joe Allen, £11m Fabio Borini and £7m Sebastian Coates aren't good enough to face Oldham Athletic then Liverpool really do have fundamental problems with their player recruitment strategy. Let's not forget £35m Andy Carroll wasn't good enough either. Liverpool can't keep spending these vast sums on players who aren't good enough for third division games. If these players really aren't good enough what can Rodgers do to improve them aside from giving them playing time against vastly inferior teams? Personally I think there is a lot of optimism about what Rodgers is doing and his selections will have sound reasoning on account he is a top coach.

[kinboshi]

We have seen lots of big teams crash out of cup competitions to lower league sides this week. I think the reality is a lot of big money players just don't have the appetite for it. Fringe players should relish the opportunity to put on a display but it seems if it's not premier league football or champions league football the passion goes missing. I don't think this is a Liverpool specific problem, it's symptomatic of football in general at the moment and the attitude of fancy dan players who overrate themselves. Blaming Rodgers isn't the answer either because whatever team he put out should have bashed Oldham up. I mean when do you give fringe players experience if it's not in a game like this?

I agree it's not just Liverpool, but disagree that Rodgers can be absolved of all blame. Midfield far too weak in a game that he knew would be a battle. He did the same against Stoke and in other games this season.

Of course it's the players' fault, but Coates, Robinson, Borini and at the moment Allen just aren't good enough and Rodgers is the one who plays them or not.

To Guy, last season Liverpool won a cup, lost in the FA Cup final. Yes it's nice to go on a cup run, but for the development of this squad the club needs CL football. I also don't think Rafa lived off winning one cup,  but it probably did buy him more time.

If in all reality £15m Joe Allen, £11m Fabio Borini and £7m Sebastian Coates aren't good enough to face Oldham Athletic then Liverpool really do have fundamental problems with their player recruitment strategy. Let's not forget £35m Andy Carroll wasn't good enough either. Liverpool can't keep spending these vast sums on players who aren't good enough for third division games.

I couldn't disagree less. 

A lot of money has been spent on mediocre 'talent', and of course, even these players should be good enough for a match against Oldham.  But they couldn't get themselves up for that when given a chance to showcase their ability and send a message to the boss that they should be playing regularly.  Some of the money spent was before Rodgers' time so he can't be blamed for that.  But some of it was down to him, and he seems reluctant to admit when his 'darlings' aren't performing.

If these players really aren't good enough what can Rodgers do to improve them aside from giving them playing time against vastly inferior teams? Personally I think there is a lot of optimism about what Rodgers is doing and his selections will have sound reasoning on account he is a top coach.

Rodgers has done well in fits and bursts.  At other times he's struggled to get the short-term results that are probably needed (it's a very results-orientated job after all). Is the squad moving forward under Rodgers, yes - I'd like to think so.  But with games such as yesterday, the match against Villa, and a whole load of other games this season, I do find myself questioning Rodgers' approach.  I understand the need to rotate, and yesterday was a good time to rest a few key players ahead of the very important match on Wednesday.  But it's clear to see that resting too much of the 'spine' of the team didn't (and hasn't previously) work. There was no bite in midfield yesterday, and Rodgers must have known that Allen would struggle (again) in a match like that? Behind Allen was a make-shift defence and Henderson decided to have an off-day as well.  Within 10 minutes Rodgers could see it wasn't working, like he did against Stoke.  But again, there was no change when it was needed. Horses for courses.