ECHO Comment: "Fears of Witch-hunt Against Liverpool FC"

[Saint Domingo]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31844971

'Not the British way'

Former Liverpool player and manager Graeme Souness labelled Chelsea's approach "pathetic" and was particularly angered by their reaction to Ibrahimovic's challenge.

"PSG had to put up with stuff which I find really, really unappealing," the Sky Sports pundit said.

"To a man, they (Chelsea players) surrounded the referee, (Diego) Costa ran 50 yards to get involved.

"That is something we can do without. That is not the British way of doing things, it's creeping into our game, which is, I find, totally unacceptable."

'Dirty tricks' Chelsea

Fellow Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher was equally scathing.

"The worst bit of dirty tricks was from Chelsea, surrounding the referee, the reaction was disgraceful," the former Liverpool defender said.

"Jose Mourinho could end up being the most successful manager ever with the trophies he goes on to win in his career but I don't think him and his teams will be ever be loved because of actions like that.

"Does Mourinho care? I don't think he probably cares. I think it's sad."

Typical Kopite sky sports. Every week its 'Why United won't get top 4', 'why Liverpool will get top 4' 'Why Chelsea are so dirty' 'why Liverpool are amazing' 'lets have a laugh at Everton' - repeat ad nauseam. Its a joke channel almost as bad as BT sports. Problem is which fan base are sad enough to do nothing but watch sky sports? The RS so they have to make it appealing to them.

 

[toffeejack]

 

[Blue 1]

To be fair i hate Chelsea just as much as Liverpool these days, both clubs have no class at all.

TBH if I wasn't a Toffee I'd hate Chelsea more.

 

[MikeH72]

His pig face makes me want to throw up all of my internal organs

 

[catcherintherye]

I agree.

But when you see how easy it is to shut them down (Bolton and Blackburn did it with ease FFS!) you can see just how ropey the whole system is. It relies on teams being naive enough to leave players like Coutinho space...they'd never do it with Silva, for example. He's been the difference for them this season. Liverpool will still get leathered by teams sitting deep and pushing them hard down the flanks where they're exposed.

I see no innovation by Rodgers, tbh. It's just season two stuff reheated.

This is basically it. They rely on teams to fall into their trap. If sides underestimate them and try to play their "normal" game of attacking them they are well set up to hit on the break. It's probably why it was so easy to turn around their early season form as their turn around relies upon sides not developing an alternative way of playing to combat their counter attacking strategy.

However pretty poor teams (and I include us in this) have nullified them this season. It's only a matter of time before everyone works this out. The crowd, the players, Rodgers etc want a million miles an hour game where their headless chickens (Hendo, Allen, Stirling, Coutinho etc) can benefit in the chaos. As soon as you sit behind the ball they look very ordinary.

In the derby against a very shakey defence, despite enjoying long spells of possession did they even manage to create a single chance? Stirling goes back to being Danny Cadamateri and Coutinho because like a younger Leon Osman. Sturridge for all his alleged brilliance is nowhere near as good as they think he is.

This is added to by the fact they have a shakey defence and without Lucas no defensive midfield player. Gary Bowyer, and Neil Lennon, armed with division 1 strugglers managed to outwit Rodgers. Continental teams have outwitted him (look at how little goals they have got from open play). Essentially he is reliant on the kick and run amateurism and tactical ineptitude to make himself look good. I can't see that lasting much longer though.

 

[Jacob]

His pig face makes me want to throw up all of my internal organs

This is like a scene from The League of Gentlemen....all he needs is a headscarf as pictured with the village idiot

 

[Dithering Dougie]

Your avatar makes me throw up blood, please change it mate

His pig face makes me want to throw up all of my internal organs

I'm no doctor but it sounds like Ebola to me..

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

KOPTIES ARE GOBSHTIES !!

Woah, Pat got past the swear filter!

The man's powers know no bounds!

May God help us all!

 

[BlueWool85]

To be fair i hate Chelsea just as much as Liverpool these days, both clubs have no class at all.

I absolutely love how much Chelsea wind up their fans

 

[davek]

Asked about Chelsea's behaviour, Gerrard said players do whatever it takes to win and added that "we have all been guilty of overstepping the mark on occasions".

No, not all. You have though...loads.

 

[davek]

I absolutely love how much Chelsea wind up their fans

There's something unstable out him.

 

[deipnosophist]

I absolutely love how much Chelsea wind up their fans

....Look!...it's the Milky Bar Tit!

 

[davek]

....Look!...it's the Milky Bar Tit!

Ha Ha Ha.

 

[Jacob]

Steven Gerrard picks Luis Suarez, Fernando Torres and John Terry to play alongside him in charity match at Anfield

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2991679/Steven-Gerrard-picks-Luis-Suarez-Fernando-Torres-John-Terry-play-alongside-charity-match-Anfield.html#ixzz3UBi6DRGU

STEVEN GERRARD'S XI
Brad Jones; John Arne Riise, John Terry, Stephen Warnock; Ryan Babel, Xabi Alonso, Steven Gerrard (C), Kevin Nolan; Luis Suarez, Fernando Torres, Thierry Henry
JAMIE CARRAGHER'S XI
Pepe Reina; Alvaro Arbeloa, Jamie Carragher (C), Martin Kelly, Craig Noone, Raul Meireles, Jonjo Shelvey, Craig Bellamy, Luis Garcia, Didier Drogba, Dirk Kuyt

I see Gerrards picked Nolan on his side. Hopefully Kuyt on Carragher's team will revert to type and impail him with his customary flying two footer. In fact, it looks like the paramedics will be on stand by given the sly horrors on show on both teams. Torres back home too...."oh that's all in the past now...." again.

 

[Khalekan]

To be fair i hate Chelsea just as much as Liverpool these days, both clubs have no class at all.

How is it possible for an Evertonian to hate any other club with the same intensity as he hates the RS?