Liverpool v Everton. 28th Jan at 20.00.

[Shaun4658]

isn't it ironic that after 10 years of needless damage control there, the time we ACTUALLY needed it we just keep on attacking and conceding on the counter attack. What was the defence doing on the half way line?!

We blew it last night, both player wise and tactically. We were naive, and cavalier. Sat way to high up the pitch. They sat back with one pressing and let us have it. Once we moved into the middle third, they pressed and crowded us out, then hit us on the break.

We were playing such a high line against a team with pace all over its attacking lines. Roberto dropped the ball on this one, and it pains me to say it, but Rodgers got his tactics spot on. We were just all over the place.

Then the players themselves. Misplaced passes, lack of any real flair and we hardly got them turned once. When we did we created the near chance for Naismith. It was a horrendous performance all round.

The team and the manager need to take a long hard look at themselves after that result. We could also do with another 2 signings. If Roberto is saving his doe for a Lukaku bid in the summer, he should revise that and get players in now.

 

[grandjoeblue]

What league places are likely to get Europa this season, do Sunderland get a place just for reaching the final or do they have to beat city, we could get far in the fa cup if we get a home draw if we beat swansea.

 

[Allezfan]

What league places are likely to get Europa this season, do Sunderland get a place just for reaching the final or do they have to beat city, we could get far in the fa cup if we get a home draw if we beat swansea.

The europa is 5th, the league cup winners and the fa cup finalists.

So if City win the league cup and chelsea and arsenal play in the fa cup final, 7th is good enough. Sunderland win the league cup and play forest in the fa cup final and we need 5th.

Winning the fa cup is the surest way of getting into it, like.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

Chin up lads

At least we probably won't get relegated eh?

Small mercies

 

[Big Fat Sam]

What league places are likely to get Europa this season, do Sunderland get a place just for reaching the final or do they have to beat city, we could get far in the fa cup if we get a home draw if we beat swansea.

There are three spots open for the Europa League.

Fifth qualifies automatically.

If City win it drops down to sixth in the league too as Carling Cup runners up don't get the space if they lose to a team either already qualified for european competition.

Then it depends on the FA Cup. That's good that the top four are facing each other as it makes it more likely we can get to the final. However on the other hand should we get dumped out and one of the top four face a lower team in the final then the runners up get it.

If it's two of the top five in the league against each other then the place goes to seventh in the league.

So it's likely we'll get a euro spot this season, but no doubt it'll mess next year up and we'll finish about 10th as a result of too small a squad and severe burnout by Christmas.

 

[grandjoeblue]

Unsure why hodgson doesnt build the england team around Sturidge, good player him.

Not sure why we used the right side so much last night, stones was right wing a lot of the time and he clearly isnt comfortable. We should have focused on the left.

Although Pienaar did a 0.1/10 performance last night so maybe thats why they never.

 

[Pabbers]

Manager will learn more about the player in defeat, so lets hope he takes plenty from last night.

We need pace at the back, cover in the middle, and a perm striker.

 

[Allezfan]

I can't see us not finishing in the top 7. Man U might catch us but newcastle shouldn't.

It'll be the cups that decide whether we get in europe or not. We might end up regreting that fulham game if we get city away in the fa quarters.

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

I can't see us not finishing in the top 7. Man U might catch us but newcastle shouldn't.

It'll be the cups that decide whether we get in europe or not. We might end up regreting that fulham game if we get city away in the fa quarters.

I'll ALWAYS regret that Fulham game

Lukaku was wide open

WIDE OPEN FFS!

 

[Jeff Jones]

I thought it was a dive as well now i think about it. Granted a lot from the game has escaped me (on purpose) but i remember that. I also remember that michael Owen was saying at the time about howard 'gave him a reason to go down'.

See that is what i am sick of, atitudes like that. A player is fouled or he dives, simple as. I am sick of hearing strikers have a right to go down, they don't! They get volleyed and the ref doesnt stop the play then that is bad refereeing. If they get tackled and the defender doesnt win the ball, penalty. A goal keeper who makes an attempt to GET THE F 'IN BALL is not inviting a player to throw himself to the ground.

Pretty much the state of our game is noone can even touch the goal keeper or be near him in any way when you score a goal. When a player has the ball in the box, the goal keeper has no right to even dive at him because acording to the experts the player can just kick the keeper and go down to win one.

I'm sick of saying this but goalkeepers must stop diving for the ball in one on ones. It makes it so easy for forwards to either score, or if they think it might be a bit too hard, to purposely make contact with the goalie in the knowledge that unthinking
referees - that's the best description I could come up with without saying stupid - will give a penalty and almost always wave a red card.

Stay on your feet FGS. Play it like an outfield defender. Have you never heard of a block tackle?

Think back to the penalty Suarez got against Villa last week. He was heading into a tight angle and if Guzman - is that his name? - had stayed on his feet and tackled him like a fullback Suarez almost certainly wouldn't have scored. By going to ground he made the goal a bloody certainty.

 

[Jeff Jones]

You definitely want to do Waiheke Island...wineries, beaches etc.
Best beach in town (to my thinking) is Thornes Bay on North Shore
Of course the Sky Tower is worth a trip to the top
Damn good museum, also MOTAT museum and the zoo.
Kelly Tarltons underwater world is a pretty good couple of hours
Viaduct is a very good general hang out, bars restaurants
Go fishing on the harbour...good fish just offshore
Showgirls...haven't been in a while but had high quality strippers last I looked

Thanks mate, I'll make a note of all those, but I don't think our women will let us fit the Showgirls thing in.

Don't think we'll be doing any fishing, either.

 

[CrabbyPaddy]

Martinez couldn't deal with Brenda's tactics. His philosophy must have changed from death by football to death by hoofball haha.

 

[allen]

Let's hope that schooling is indeed a schooling and Martinez learns something valuable from it.

If there's one thing I'm sure of, though, it's that he has the capacity to right the ship. He'll make the players believe again.

 

[WarwickHunt]

Kills me to say this but imagine Deulofeu in that Liverpool team. They looked good last night attacking and showed they deserve the 4th spot more than us and Spurs

 

[SteKelly]

Kills me to say this but imagine Deulofeu in that Liverpool team. They looked good last night attacking and showed they deserve the 4th spot more than us and Spurs

They wont pay 29m on him.

Liverpool are good mate! Before this game people thought they were poor