In yet
another inept Liverpool display lacking in the energy and creativity which became renowned
for last season and another Premier League game where Mario Balotelli failed to
find the net club, taking his unwanted streak to eight league
matches.
Newcastle's
Perez came on at halftime to score the winner after a lacklustre performance by
both sides in the first half. Moussa
Sissoko broke into the penalty area in the 73rd minute attempting to
play in Remy Cabella. In intercepting the cross Alberto Moreno intercepted failed to
clear and Perez lashed the ball in from 10 yards.
 |
| Perez celebrates the winner for the Magpies |
The first
half highlights included only two chances of note, Papiss Cisse coming
closest on 37 minutes when Glen Johnson
cleared his shot off the line after Simon Mignolet had failed to claim a
corner.
Three
minutes later, Martin Skrtel sent a free header wide from Steven Gerrard's
corner in Liverpool's only decent chance in a subdued performance.
Newcastle
could have secured the result four minutes after scoring when Cabella raced
through one-on-one against Mignolet, but the Liverpool goalkeeper saved
well Cabella's low shot with his feet.
Rodgers
introduced strikers Fabio Borini and Rickie Lambert in search of an equalizer,
but we failed to create anything of any significant note to work Tim Krul.
 |
| Another poor performance by the Reds |
Positives
I can't see any positives out of this lacklustre performance. We were shambolic, failing to play at the right tempo in all our games this season barring Spurs. Starting with slow build up
play from the back, through to poor movement from the front three players.
I understand his Tika Taka philosophy, but he does not have a plan B when
this theory does not work - one down with 5 minutes to go we needed
to get the ball up to the attack part as quickly as possible, not
continue passing the ball slowly around the keeper and the two central
defenders.
Negatives
Another
loss, another game without keeping a clean sheet, another game where we have
under performed all over the pitch, the list of negatives are endless. Our
fullbacks were both exceptionally poor today with Johnson's only positive being
that he headed off the line. Moreno's lack of awareness
has again resulted in us conceding a goal which again has
coincided with another defeat.
Rodgers buys
are what will ultimately decide his fate as Liverpool manager and so far apart
from Coutinho and Sturridge the rest of his buys in his tenure have not produced the required performances to back his judgement.
He left Lallana and Can on the bench and Markovic was not even chosen in the match
day squad - the owners could justifiably question why there was £45m worth of
unused talent left on the bench when we desperately needed a goal or creative
spark.
We do not
look a goal threat with Ballotelli playing up front as the main striker with no
one else supporting him.
We need to
either change it to provide him with support via Borini who will produce
intelligent runs or finally try something different giving Lambert a run of
games to get up to speed.
Another
option is to play Sterling in the centre off the front two so that he can get
as much of the ball as possible to attack teams both ways either from the left
or right and also means he has the option to run behind defences which has been
missing since Sturridge's injury problems.
There is no
point having over 60% possession throughout the game and not looking a goal
threat. We unlike our former striker Suarez are now playing toothless football
without any bite whatsoever, the longer that continues the more unlikely we
will be breaking bread at the same table as Barcelona, Madrid and co next season.
Newcastle
United (4-2-3-1) Krul; Janmaat, Coloccini, S Taylor, Dummett ; Colback, Abeid ;
Obertan (Aarons 27), Sissoko, Ameobi (Cabella 66); Cissé (Pérez 46).
Subs Elliot
(gk), Haidara, R Taylor, Gouffran.
Booked S
Taylor, Sissoko, Janmaat, Colback.
Liverpool
(4-2-3-1) Mignolet ; Johnson, Lovren, Skrtel, Moreno; Gerrard,
Allen (Borini 66); Sterling, Coutinho (Lambert 80), Henderson,
Balotelli.
Subs: B
Jones, Toure, Manquillo, Lallana, Can.
Booked:
Skrtel, Henderson, Lovren.
Referee: A
Marriner (W Midlands).
Attendance:
52,166
No pace in our team...
ReplyDeleteThanks to the Ref who kept his red card in his pocket. At least he could dish out two. We were loads of rubbish in the park. Another defensive mistake to give Newcastle their goal. They could even have had the 2nd just immediately after from another mistake as well. Where do we go from here. RM and Chelsea on our radar. Bleak time ahead tightened your belt and take your blood tablet regularly.
ReplyDeleteWe were total shite.
DeleteWe were again very poor.
DeleteOur team needs an urgent injection of youth such as blooding a Rossiter or bringing through one of our young strikers because we look so slow and ponderous throughout our team.
The tempo has been so slow with the build up play from the back setting the tone to our slow play.
Its no point having so much possession and not being able to create chances with the possession.
Easy to comment in hindsight, but I have banging on for over two seasons about the need for a dominant midfield player to help solidify the spine.
DeleteThe Balotelli nonsense averted critical gaze from all other the areas of weakness. The defence is struggling as a unit and the midfield is not going to overpower and dominate.
Brendan is throwing all his eggs in one basket expecting the return of Sturridge will cure all our ills. It’s highly debatable, but at least he may just invigorate the attack and hence the team.
Right now we are failing ignominiously and I’d go so far as to say we were dreadful. For the first time in his reign Brendan looks under pressure and he has to find a way to change things quickly because by the end of the next week we could be hanging on in the Champions League by a thread and basically left with the also rans fighting for two Champions League places. And should Man United beat City and we lose to Chelsea next week then the whole dynamic changes and we will be up against it if we are not already.
Totally, David, no spring to inject fast forward runs, our pace was so slow, especially the first half? Had now idea, playing the ball in our own half. Amount of time SG raising he's hands to push forward and make runs, no one bothered, and that what happens when you play a game with fait, eventually you will get caught up and we paid the price today, no excuses.
DeleteWe were so poor, due to early KO ruined my weekend.
DeleteHurry on back Sturridge, Balotelli is such a disappointment.
Valerie, Borini upfront against Real Madrid?
DeleteSaturday was dreadful.
DeleteWhat should our tactic be against RM. Defend and hope for the best, but you can only do that if you have a good keeper you can rely on.
Mo
Saturday was brutal. Very depressing performance. Think he has to go two up top for a while with either sterling playing alongside balotelli and making runs in behind for coutihno to find or giving borin a run beside balotelli....
DeleteLooks like he's trying to be cagey until Sturridge is back but with defence like ours that is always going to end in tears. Sterling wasted out wide for me, his key asset is spinning away from tight marking in central areas and beat men when they have to commit...
I'd be tempted to go for broke at least against Chelsea and go with
Ming
Manq. Srtel lov Moreno
Gerarrd
Hendo. Coutihno
Mo,
DeleteNot just our keeper now is it? The back four as a unit are horrible. He pulled Jordan Henderson back to help Stevie in the holding roll with Joe Allen in the King pin position to create and it just didn't happen with him or ahead of him. It was poor. Unsurprisingly, Sterling is experiencing a dip in form and Coutinho didn't turn up. Mario, not even going to blame him with the lack of service.
Would like to him move sometimes to a 4-4-2 and can only see that working with Emre Can alongside Henderson of the players he has available.
I do not think any of those Newcastle players worth £10m in my valuation. But they were there scrambling and fought for the Manager who has come back from the dead according to one of their fans. It is that kind of spirit that I expect from Liverpool players when they visit Spain. Well you may possibly say I expect a 2:1 win for the red, I still do ad hope and believe we may get something out of the game. I know I am alone in dare to think so.
DeleteFor a whole 45 minutes we only registered one attempt at goal none on target. Moreno did what he is good at, made mistake for the goal. Ming did ok for me. As I said earlier tightened your belt folks because Chelsea is on our radar, the game we are solid underdog. How I wish they turn up and be the first team to beat Chelsea this season. At least deny them that 3 points and let Jose feel the pain his side inflicted on us even in this early days.
Playing with 10 men against Chelsea, that really is a risky formation you’ve gone for Luke.
DeleteSaturday was painful to watch, ponderous football from us, we continue to play like a bunch of strangers. Newcastle are a very average football team yet they were probably worthy of their victory. Rodgers comes out after the game and talks about a team in transition, of course we’re in transition after losing one of the best players in the world but the management team have singularly failed to plan for that transition, Rodgers said it of Spurs last season, when you spend over 100 million you expect to be challenging for titles, at this rate fourth place will be a miracle for us and we have 45 millions worth of player in Lallana and Markovic kicking their heals on the bench making no impact on Saturday. Must do better, quickly.
DeleteSorry my mistake, Markovic didn’t even make the bench, is he injured or just dropped?
DeleteI am sure Roger is aware that there is no such thing as job security in his kind of employment. It is a result driven business, get the best result or you can start searching for the nearest job centres or League 1 or vacancies.
DeleteAccrington Stanley are looking…
DeleteFrom F365, sort of sums it up –
DeleteAnother lifeless Liverpool performance leaves Brendan Rodgers with plenty to ponder ahead of Tuesday's trip to Real Madrid as Newcastle's resurgence continued with their fourth consecutive victory.
Considering this fixture has produced more goals than any other in the Premier League, Saturday's encounter was surprisingly subdued before the hosts broke the deadlock late in the second half. Liverpool were particularly poor before the break, waiting until the 40th minute to muster their first attempt, and failed to replicate the rousing fight-back that defeated Swansea in the Capital One Cup, managing just a single shot after Ayoze Perez's 73rd-minute strike.
With both teams looking for inspiration following a dull opening period, the introduction of Perez and Remy Cabella provided Alan Pardew's side with a telling attacking threat. Brendan Rodgers, meanwhile, was left to rue his unconvincing summer spending, relying on the unwanted Fabio Borini and goalless Rickie Lambert to make the difference.
The contrast between the two teams' substitutions highlights Rodgers' struggles in the transfer market. Although Adam Lallana, Emre Can and Lazar Markovic may eventually come good for the Reds, it seems that juncture will arrive too late to secure a top-four place this season. The first two remained on the bench at St James' Park, while Markovic wasn't even included in the squad. When Liverpool were desperate for a goal, £45m worth of attacking talent was left unused.
Rodgers has frequently passed comment on Tottenham's transfer failings with the money they received for Gareth Bale in 2013, but he is now facing the same accusations. "Look at Tottenham, (when) you spend over £100m you'd expect to be challenging for the league," said Rodgers as he spoke about Liverpool punching above their weight before the defeat to Chelsea in April. He must now regret those words after the same level of investment has seen his team go backwards.
Failing to take advantage of the Suarez windfall isn't Liverpool's only similarity to Spurs, as the Reds revealed in their fourth Premier League defeat of the campaign. Individual errors are also proving problematic, with Alberto Moreno's hesitation gifting Newcastle the decisive goal - a mistake he also made against Manchester City - and Simon Mignolet almost doing the same in the first half when he failed to meet a cross, forcing Glen Johnson to clear off the line.
"Anything we had to deal with until the goal, we dealt well with defensively, there were no real issues," said Rodgers afterwards. "But we made a mistake and the mistake, unfortunately, has cost us the game and that's the biggest disappointment of it all."
There was no purpose to Liverpool's play. Despite averaging 59% possession, they managed only six shots as Tim Krul enjoyed a quiet afternoon. The passing was often aimless - particularly out of defence, with Dejan Lovren and Martin Skrtel completing just five of 16 long balls attempted - while the Reds were wasteful in the final third. That Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho recorded pass accuracy rates of 64% and 67% emphasises the lack of understanding in an attack that previously looked telepathic.
So far this season, the spotlight has been on Mario Balotelli's performances, but gradually it appears to be turning on Rodgers. "People talk about pressure but it's absolutely wonderful," the manager continued in April. It's unlikely he's feeling equally optimistic ten games into the current campaign.
"Anything we had to deal with until the goal, we dealt well with defensively, there were no real issues," said Rodgers afterwards. "But we made a mistake and the mistake, unfortunately, has cost us the game and that's the biggest disappointment of it all."
DeleteWhat is BR saying in the above statement? We did not create any clear cut chances. I just wish that he takes his eyes off his backside and put them where they belong so he can really see what fans are seeing.
Mo
He must have missed Johnson having to head the ball of the line or perhaps he counts that as dealing with things defensively? We are a shambles, like I’ve said before ‘can’t score can’t defend’ is a dangerous recipe for any team.
DeleteHe must have another air punch by Migs too. I'll be at the game in Madrid tomorrow so I've got to be optimistic - we can keep a clean sheet and Balo will be given good service snd score a hatrick!
DeleteThe way we played on Saturday is the team we have become. We just have to hope we can pull out a few good performances along the way
Karl,
DeleteMake sure you have sufficient blood pressure tablets – because we are going to do so well that your blood pressure will not be able to handle the shock of the performance level. Yes people will say that we are going into the lions den. Once a upon a time invincible can become beatable
Ha, thought there was something a bit funny looking with my team! Throw can in beside hendo then and back to the diamond. Not playing with any width anyway so may as well try and be compact through the centre and try and get some much needed support to balotelli and some much missed movement in behind our opponents...
DeleteYeah I agree the persistence with these 4-3-3 variations is getting us nowhere. 4-4-2 diamond until Sturridge gets back, we will probably still lose games but at least we might register the odd shot on target, at the minute there’s nothing happening up front for us.
DeleteBaz, I'd like to see a conventional 4-4-2 at times. No sentiment, just needs must. Midfield of Can and Henderson in the middle, Lallana and Markovic wide with Sterling behind Balotelli. I'd like to see Can have a run of games in the side because we need some continuity in some shape of form with strength alongside Henderson. Changes week in week out when we are playing like drains can't be helping. January can't come soon enough to get a goalkeeper in, don't know who, but, hopefully he's scouting big time!
DeleteWho is the man doing our scouting!!!!!!!
DeleteI would also go for Vic’s formation – we need a totally change as we currently look as toothless as a 90 year old who has ate sweets all his life !!!
DeleteBy January, it may well be all over if not then PRAY.
DeleteBR will make the same mistake again in the Jan transfer window. Again we may end up with too many changes.
Mo
BR thohht he was really clever trying to play a 3 (including Glen) at the back and Sterling and Moreno as wing backs. Clearly did not work.
DeleteIn January we might very well see FSG refusing to put their hands in their pockets, look what happened last Jan and Ian Ayre is always bleating on about how there’s no value in the January market. Rodgers has spent a lot of money, I think that FSG will feel within their rights to tell him to get on with what he’s got.
DeleteAnd Stevie G threatening to ply his trade elsewhere if he is not offered a new deal.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, thank you uncle SG but we need to move forward now …
Will someone wake me up tomorrow morning?
ReplyDeleteMo
You have to fight in every game, team play, help each other out, but we had non of that, Chelsea, and Arsnal showed that, NC done the same.
DeleteReal Madrid Here we come...
Totally agree lets go down fighting and come out of this game proud of our team – a defensive display where we get an honourable draw would just be brilliant !!!
DeleteKarl as your at the stadium if it's all going Pete Tong get down to the dugout and have a word!
DeleteI've brought my boots just in case, should have brought my mac too should BR have a wobbler. He better do better than he did on Saturday and select the right team without thinking about the Chelski game unless we're 3-0 up in injury time. come on Liverpool!
Delete