Written by another but for me it's nearly word perfect:
I am not going to call for Roy's head because it's futile and pathetic, so early on in his tenure, but I will criticise what was the most tactically inept 120 minutes of football I have ever seen not just in my days watching Liverpool, but in those seeing the game of football happen.
The XI that started were Hodgson's plan A, Hodgson's plan B, Hodgson's plan C.
Actually, I think to insinuate that there was a plan for the game tonight was inaccurate, I've never seen a footballing side play like that.
And here comes the inevitable comparision to Rafa that I'll be criticised for because I need to more on, but I'm not arsed, I'm doing it anyway;
We had some really shite performances in the domestic cup competitions with Rafa, Burnley, Barnsley, Reading x2 but never were we bossed like that at Anfield, never did we look as though not one player knew what their roles were, we controlled games under Rafa, and even when we were shite we were organised. That tonight was shambolic. There was no balance, there was no tact, no guile, no clue. We were overran by a side from League Two, I don't actually think Northampton played that well tonight, they didn't have to they just threw in a modertaely better performance than our shower and were unfortuate to suffer the indignity of extra time and penalities against whatever that was we did tonight. We are used to seeing an XI whose duties are drummed into them, who individually and collectively know what they are supposed to be doing from minute one to full time, tonight we threw 11 players onto the pitch and essentially waited to see how things panned out.
Defensively we were unbalanced, Wilson looked uncomfortable at full back, Kelly was piss poor, as where Agger and Kyrgiakos.
I thought Lucas and Spearing (in particular) threw in a good shift and battled for us, but they were overran as no one around could string two passes together.
The front four was pure shite for 90/120 minutes:
I have never wanted a Liverpool player to prove his worth more in my life than I have with Ryan Babel, but then you get shite like that from him today, his only contribution in the first half was a series of runs that were wildly offside. And then for the second 45 he contributed a series of a first touches that shot four or five tards out of reach and some gestures of disapproval to that going on around him. Fucking embarrasing, he should be ashamed of himself, he got an opportunity against an opposition of such a low standard, he should have shown some class and thrown in a good shift, created a few chances and said to Ry, thats what I can do, give me a chance against the big boys. Instead he ponces around for 90 minutes ad showed a complete lack of commitment and effort.
Ngog's first touch may well have been his goal. Pacheco was disappointing. And aside from Jova's goal, he did fuck all.
Not having any experience on the bench was criminal,
Not having any experience on the bench when we fielded a weakened team to that extent, even more so.
Not making a fucking substitution until the 90th minute was ridiculous.
In the entire 90 minutes I think I saw Roy stand up once, and all he did there was aimlessly point and return to the dugout, I've said it in a previous thread that I get the impression that Roy sends the side out to see how things pan out until
, has a word, then sees how things have panned out at the FT whistle. There isn't any communication from the bench to the boys on the pitch, aside from Sammy Lee getting up, shouting a bit and sitting down. But he has always done that, and will always do that, but where is the communication from the manager? The tactical expertise?
In 2005 we ridiculed Jose Mourinho for throwing on Robert Huth, in the Champions League Semi Final at Anfield, fast forward five years and were throwing our fourth choice centre half, and oddly captain for the night, Kyrgiakos up front because our bench consisted of a load of inexperienced kids and a substitute goalkeeper and it seemed the best option. It was fucking clueless, it was desperate and it was embarrassing.
I can't be arsed to even think about what I'be seen tonight anymore, but big quetion marks have to be held against Roy after that tonight, simply not good enough.
Thanks to firing squad for the "comedy gold" thing and Dr Manhattan for the cape, cheered me up.
Welldone to the three lads, Shelvey, Eccelston and Ince, who came on, all gave a good showing.
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