It is mornings like this that I hate. I went to bed very angry last night following our 3-1 loss at home to Aston Villa. I have woken up this morning thinking that I am okay and I am over the result but I am lying to myself. It still hurts big time. Where did it all go wrong last night? Everywhere I think!
Going into the match, I was positive that we were going to win following our performance against Stoke and the fact that Villa have started the season off poorly. Where I saw us winning the game was in central midfield as Villa looked very thin there going into the game. They have not been helped by the loss of Gareth Barry. Then when I saw their team sheet and saw that John Carew was not starting or even on the bench, I relaxed into my sofa and expected to see a win for us.
We should have scored very early on in the game when Torres, Benayoun and Gerrard all had an opportunity. That early goal would have just calmed the nerves and we would have probably gone on to score three or four. But the longer the game went and we failed to find the back of the net, the more frustrated the players got. And to make it worse Villa then scored or should I say Lucas scored.
For me, Lucas should be sold or loaned out or sent to the reserves!!! I have never had much faith in this guy and I gave him the benefit of the doubt and thought he should have a chance but last night he did NOTHING for us besides score an own goal. The own goal aside; just in general play, Lucas offered us NOTHING. What is this guy doing in the starting lineup? What really pissed me off was that there were times Mascherano was playing ahead of Lucas. I am sure this was not a tactic by Rafa but rather Mascherano seeing that Lucas is doing nothing going forward so I may as well do it myself.
When Lucas did get the ball, he did not look for a pass going forward but rather looked to spray the passes back or laterally. No forward momentum from Lucas at all. No forward runs by him into the box. So I ask yet again, “What is the guy doing in the team?” MoKo has defended Lucas in the past but I wonder how he will feel today after seeing Lucas’ game last night.
We can not shoulder all the blame on Lucas but I will shoulder 90% of it on him! The other 10% will be split up: Gerrrard had one of his worst games ever last night and he simply did not seem on song. Torres too was not at his best. Even though he got our only goal, he is still far from living up to his tag as the worlds best striker. I would shoulder 2% of the blame of those two and the rest will go to VORONIN and BABEL!!
These two only came on as second half subs but what piss poor games they had. I don’t think Voronin even knew where he was for the time he was on the field. As for Babel he came on and was meant to look lively but all he did was take long range shots at goal which never found the target. Two other players I would sell within a minute if ever I was incharge at Liverpool.
I may be writing this post out of frustration and I may be sounding too harsh or critical but I am pissed off. It hurts me everytime I see Liverpool loose. And now we are already 6 points off the pace. Some will say it is still too early but 6 points behind is 6 points behind and that is a FACT. We need to seriously knuckle down and make a plan going forward.
As drastic as this may sound but we need to do it until Aquilani gets fit: Stevie needs to come back and play in central midfield in place of Lucas. Then we put Benayoun in the hole behind Torres and then Riera wide on the left. This will give us a bit more structure and control in the midfield. For the sake of the team, Stevie needs to come back into central midfield right now, because the longer we keep Lucas there, the more trouble we are going to be in!
YNWA
its all bcoz of Rafa, rafa is sinking the team with his very poor tacticals, its clear to all EPL teams the way that Liverpool playing. Rafa’s Subs last night were just putting the players in randomly places, can u imagine Carra & johnson playing at the same line yesterday in the second half? can u imagine voronin playing as a midfielder last night? did u seen torres playing behind & also the sub of babel for yossi was a fool move, yossi was the best player & he got replaced, please guys think again on the match & do not throw on the players, the manager also didnt know what to do.
BTW, Lucas was crap & we need to sell him + babel & voronin as weel.
I swear I couldnt sleep last night.
Sezar
Its all very easy to blame Lucas for our defeat but honestly EVERYONE except our full backs and Masch were RUBBISH!! I would give 85% of the blame to our so-called captain fantastic.
Squad players are easy to target in these situations but the people that piss me off when we lose are the senior players who need to get their thumbs out their butts and lead the team. Gerrard missed chances and gave away a penalty at a crucial time. What the hell?!!!!
I do agree though, Voronin and Babel should be sold/released/reserved/not be allowed to kick a ball for Liverpool at Anfield or Melwood!
YNWA always!
Oh yeah, by the way, Yossi is a super player!
Ron’s post was accurate to a tee, Gerrard and Torres played very badly and the loss wasn’t just because of Lucas.
But Gerrard and Torres have won games for us before; and they consistently play well. Lucas, Babel and Voronin have been consistently crap and they must leave! Can someone tell me of a single game (except the Babel winner last season against Man U) where Babel, Lucas or Voronin have actually won a game for Liverpool?
Exactly
Lucas’ display in our OT 4-1!
Voronin has hardly played. His goal ratio is just like Keane yet Liverpool fans were complaining when Keane was sold!!
There are players who are shielded from critisism coz of past performances. But if that was worth anything then we should sign Maradona coz he was great before!!!!!!
Gerrard and Torres shoulder the blame for me. Gerrard more so cos his key involvements were all negeative, missing and penalty!!!
WE lost because Villa put in a defensive performance that would have required us to either score that early chance or to play at the same level as at the end of the season when the ball was sticking to feet and shoots all flying in from any distance.
It’s early season and I’m of the opinion top teams don’t hit top form till Jan. Only little teams get into the season on peak play well till Dec and fade to 7th (like Villa) at the end. you cannot sustain the energy levels to play like they did last night. Let me remind you of Hull last season!
Again like last season we’ve have played mainly top half teams (2 out of 3)early on. look at the Mancs they’ve played 2 promoted clubs already!!!!!
But you play what’s in front of you. We just have to do better under the circumstances.
A plea to my fellow fans. Don’t be superficial. It’s easy to pick on Lucas. We can’t have our own fans BULLYING our own players!!!!
Can I add that Villa’s second goal was Torres’ fault. He was asleep on the job. The ball was in his zone and all he actually had to do was put in a proper challenge and Davies would not have been able to score.
Gerrard and Torres costed us! Plain and simple! This Lucas talk is just to cover for the “superstars”.
At this rate of star worship we’ll end up like McClaren’s England squad. Thankfully Rafa don’t take reputations into account in dishing out blame!!
We all agree that Gerrard and Torres played badly. That is not in dispute. No one on the forum is star worshipping.
The point here is that Lucas has consistently played badly. Blame Gerrard for the penalty, blame Torres for the header, but who is to blame for the Villa opener? We cannot turn a blind eye to that especially in light of previous dissapointing performances. If Torres and Gerrard play badly why can’t the other players (e.g Lucas) step up? When games were tight last season Yossi would come off of the bench and win it for us. That is a player who has proven his worth. Are we then saying that Liverpool winning or losing depends solely on Gerrard or Torres?
As regards Lucas at OT I wouldn’t go so far as to say he won the game for Liverpool, it was one of his better performances but him winning it for us? I disagree.
We must also be careful to reduce soccer to stats, Voronin may have the same goal ratio as Keane but in the games I watched, Keane’s overall contribution to the team was always good. As Ron said, Voronin came on and looked like a headless chicken. Note, this is not the first time that Voronin has played badly in a Liverpool shirt.
If I can ask the forum one simple question: How did Lucas play against Villa?
What people need to understand is that you can not blame Gerrard or Torres because over the past few seasons they have been excellent for us, but in the case of Lucas hes always been the bench warmer and now when he gets his chance he blows it by putting poor performances and 1 performance just about average (against Tottenham) but other than that he is just a body running around the field like a headless chicken. call me a Lucas hater but i have given him many chances to change my mind but he just has not provided that spark of brilliance to be on that starting line up, i just cant wait for Aquilani, until then please drop Lucas give Spearing a go.
YOU CAN’T GIVE LUCAS 90% of the blame. He is def shite, and i do not want him on the team, but what about Torres and is whiny antics, falling everywhere. Or Gerrard, with the dumbest slide tackle ever and inaccurate passing and three missed goals. Or Carragher, who for the second time this season has been beaten on a set piece header. Or how bout Kuyt, who got no production on that right side. I thought Glen Johnson was playing RM for the longest time and I think Johnson had a great game.
I think at the end of the day Liverpool Played badly against Villa. We can list all teh palyers and their faults all day but if liverpool TEAM had played well and won no one would be asking about Lucas’ contribution, Torres’ whining etc.
The team just has to find a way of playing well and winning irrespective of who is on the field. That is the expectation we all have as fans. At the peak of our run towards the end of last season it actually didn’t matter who did what in the team coz as at TEAM they were magnificent. We must just work with what we have.
With Lucas in or out of the team I expect Liverpool to beat all comers, absolutely everyone! and i think as a TEAM we are capable of it and we have show this in the past.
It is worth remembering that in Champion’s League winning side there were some players who in my opinion who rank in the Lucas range and even lower. The current side is way better than that side.
When we’re winning again you find everyone on the team will play and look like a star!
COME ON LIVERPOOL!!!!! YNWA
Thats a good point MoKo. If I am not mistaken Biscan was in that Champions League team! What is it with Rafa and these dodgy midfielders?
I missed the above response from elias330. In all this we are forgetting that Spearing is also available.
Do you guys think he is worth a try?
@Manny, Biscan was not a Rafa signing. He was part Houllier’s disasterous collection.
@Moko, I rate Spearing very highly and think he will be way more effective than Lucas. Let’s give him a go.
Aston Villa were just more hungry than Liverpool. I was more concerned by the way they appeared faster and quicker to the ball. Not sure if I should be too worried but at the moment, our defenders are looking too slow. We might just concede a whole host of goals this season if our backline keeps on playing like their feet are permanantly attached to the turf.