But the ends need to justify the means. Chelsea dropped cheap points. I can't speak for the lads who travelled over but most of them would have paid 56 quid at anfield to watch us put in a performance that would almost have embarrassed Man City in Europe and we got schooled. Yesterday's team ensured we competed at least and compared to what we've watched this season it wasn't a weakened team. We played players who should have been featuring more. Players who performed far better in the cup against Swansea than the others did on Saturday. So they earnee their place.
Rodgers saying Gerrard didn't start because he had a knock. I knew Rodgers having the backbone to actually drop him was too good to be true.
No need to play him Saturday then. Stick with Lucas and Can. Weird one though because the other day Rodgers said he told Gerrard a week ago his plans for upcoming games and he understood (i.e. resting him against Madrid). Coincidentally just before he went crying to the press over the contract. He does need to climb out of his arse and treat him as his boss rather than some star-struck teenager.
I was surprised when the criticism of Rodgers started. I can see both sides of the argument. On one hand they were always going to get beat by Madrid. On the other, you at least go and give it your best shot. I have no doubt Rodgers fielded a team with the knowledge it was not his strongest line up, he expected the worst, and hoped for a miracle. I think that's clear. The difficulty I have is that he was right - they didn't have any chance, and they have a tough game at the weekend. What is Liverpool's strongest side? For that you need to look at the players Rodgers is playing most regularly, setting aside injuries. One assumes he plays his strongest side in every game of the PL when he's able. That side was not the one that faced Madrid. I can see the argument that a club such as Liverpool should of been more adventurous - but it truly was a lost cause, imo.
In hindsight it worked out alright, but would you be singing the same tune if Madrid took their chance and won 5-0? You werent in that game at all. And again, before the game when that team was announced there was outrage on social media/phone in's etc In regards to Mourinho. . . not really the same. You can play a weakened side against Maribor and expect a result. Mourinho already said he wouldn't play Costa twice in 4 days coming off injury, Cech needs football but is still legitimately world class, he dropped Azpilicuelta because Ivanovic needed football after getting sent off vs us and banned in the league. But yes, it's the same as playing Kolo Toure at the Bernabeu. Or dropping Henderson/Sterling who we get told are a beacon of hope for England. Or playing Borini, who has played 50 minutes of PL football all year, who incidentally was an unused sub away to Basle when you lost 1-0. But yeah, play him away to Real ffs Again, it worked out well in the end, but don't give me this backtracking boll*cks after the event. At the time it was a strange move and you were all shi*tting bricks. Rodgers was more lucky than good in my opinion. But who cares, you've rested players so let's see if it pays of Saturday.
I don't think he knows his strongest side but you go by the most appearances. I've been critical of Rodgers' team selections pretty much all season. I think some players have been overused (Gerrard should be a squad player, Henderson and Sterling look knackered playing 3 games a week after the World Cup) and some others (Can, Lucas, Toure all got CL experience but didn't play the first 3 games. Borini offers more than Balotelli and Lambert in our system) have been under utilised. We've got a squad and we should use it properly and effectively. We did the other night. There isn't a player who was left out that I wish we started. A fresh Henderson and Sterling, yes, but they've been run into the ground this year.
I pose you two questions as you seem a reasonable bloke. 1) Did you have the same opinion when the team was announced or only after you lost 1-0? 2) Would you say he same thing if Real battered you, which in fairness they could have done.
That's where Rodgers showed balls with picking that team. I think there's more chance we'd have got stuffed with the team we put out at home and the tactics used that night. But Rodgers knew he couldn't do that again so he changed it. We went there and played well. It was never a 5-0 game, we were compact and resolute and that was down to the tactics and team selection. We even defended set pieces properly all night. It might have been 2 or 3, which would have led to more stick, but we played really well compared to the shite we've seen this season. And we've got players who needed games and players who needed a rest, which led to an improved performance. I was happy with the team because it's better than the team we have been putting out, full of under performing players all season with tactics that don't work. As long as we beat Ludogorets and Basle we'll go through so in that respect the game last night wasn't as important as the last two. Even if we won on Tuesday, or got a draw, we might still need two wins from those games. If you read the Newcastle match thread I was absolutely fuming and I was just glad I didn't have to witness that team again. I was embarrassed by our performance in the first leg and wanted to see Lucas and Can midfield anyway. When I saw the line up I did think it was a bit extreme and a risk but we went out and played well. Better than the team at the weekend would have done that's for sure. I'd be annoyed if we'd got battered. I've been annoyed all season at what i've seen as bad team selection and tactics and awful, disjointed performances. I wanted to see us be solid and resolute so we wouldn't get battered. Having Lucas and Can in there, rather than Gerrard ambling about, helped ensure that. Toure coming in organised the back four well as well and Johnson hasn't defended well at all this year so this wasn't the game for him. We needed work rate up front so it wasn't a night for Balotelli. The ones you'd quibble over are Sterling and Henderson but I think both need their minutes managed at the moment and looked knackered lately. Coutinho as well maybe but you could flip a coin with him and Lallana. Plus if fit you'd want Sakho and Sturridge in.
Well, that'll be a problem he needs to solve ASAP. Of course the 1-0 score line makes it appear to have been a good performance from Liverpool, and to an extent its undeniable. But Madrid really were in first gear, if they had upped their game to normal levels I think you'd of been slaughtered. As it was, Madrid were favorites to get the three points, and Liverpool turned up with a side that wasn't ever going to win it (your best side probably wouldn't have either, by the way - Madrid are a little bit special.....) As it stands Rodgers did the right thing. I can see how it would make people a little disappointed though. The great Liverpool of old would never have countenanced such a move. You never like your side turning up half beat already, as this appeared to be. But when you're up against a team that can tear you apart, you do what you have to......
Of course but the game showed he's got options which he doesn't appear to have trusted in this season. I think you need to go back a week as well. After the Swansea game in the cup (with the likes of Lucas, Manquilo, Toure and Borini starting) Rodgers called it the best we've played all season and Pascoe did as well. They were both really pleased with the performance. Then on Saturday they're all left out and we produce arguably our worst performance of the season. That's going to have a bearing in making the changes. Unfortunately I don't think there's a team we could have put out that would really have given us much hope of a result because there's no goals in the team and a clean sheet against a team who score 4 every week is unrealistic. If we had Sturridge fit and Sterling on form then we could have done ourselves justice more. Without that then we did what we had to do of being resolute and well organised which we haven't been defensively for a good while. Yeah Madrid could have been better but they could have been better at Anfield. That could easily have been 5 or 6 but Madrid took pity on us second half. Most teams go to Madrid and concede a shitload. You play 6 CL group games and the aim is to go through. If we do that then we've done our job. Then you can judge us on our last 16 performances. If we aren't good enough to beat Ludogorets and Basle and get through then we'll deserve stick then.
People will remember the result, not the selection. So you're right, after losing big time at home - a 1-0 loss away will be remembered as decent. History tells us Madrid can't win the CL this season - but it'll take someone special to stop them.
Real and Bayern are a cut above everyone else. I think if anyone else wins it this season it'll be Chelsea. If we can get through the group then as long as we can avoid Bayern we'd have a good chance against anyone else in that last 16 IF we pick it up after Christmas.
Yes, as you can see in this thread. Come on smart arse...you tell us what you think is Liverpool strongest side. For me I'd probably say Mignolet Manquillo---Skrtel---Lovren---Moreno Henderson---Can---Lallana Sterling Sturridge---Balotelli or Borini Bolded started the game, red came on as a sub and green unavailable. So that leaves Lovren (who has been shite all season) Henderson, Sterling and Sturridge who is injured. So, two players Henderson and Sterling that maybe should have started. Sterling has been poor for a few weeks, if you bother checking Liverpool matchday threads (and I know you do that avidly) you'll see most Liverpool fans have been saying this.
There lies the problem, Can, Lallana and Markovic were all brought in in the summer, all have been injured this season. Lallana missed the first month or so, he would have figured a lo more. Can too missed over a month, I personally would have him starting every game and Markovic was bought to be an alternative to Sterling, Coutinho, etc...all three are quite clearly first team/rotation players.
I posted that hours before the team sheet was announced. That's fairly close to who actually played. In my honest opinion, we don't have a strongest 11 at the moment. We've been calling for Rodgers to use the squad more for weeks. They didn't though. The Bale chance was the only real glaring opportunity they missed too. They had an awful lot of long range efforts. From our point of view it was a much improved defensive display, it wasn't perfect by any means but it was encouraging to see. Being more solid defensively was something Rodgers talked about before and after the match, I think he picked a team that he thought would do that. It's certainly a more logical assumption than simply "throwing it away"(people say that as if we could go there and win at a canter) through cowardice. . .
Did people actually watch this game? There seems to be a suggestion Real took it easy, did they hell, they were clearly trying for the entire 90 minutes. Ronaldo himself was determined to score. But as per norm, its Liverpool, the opponents either 1) didn't try or 2) played shite. Another comical thing is, UnitedRoads continued mention of us playing Toure??? He was our best player was probably MOTM for both sides, sort of makes a mockery out of his point.
Yeah, I think some of this stems from pre-season. Lallana, Can and Markovic all got injured on the America tour so never got a proper pre-season and have been playing catch up. Then Can got crocked again playing for Germany the same time Sturridge got crocked for England. But for that they'd have likely been used a lot more. We spent £50m on the three of them ffs. Madrid's performance levels were roughly the same as the first game, whereas ours markedly improved. We made it so easy for them at Anfield, whereas they had to work for their chances against us. At Anfield, every time they attacked they had a free run at goal and we had nobody to put a challenge in or close the space. It would have been crazy to not change it after that. You can argue over the extremes of it but changes were certainly needed.
Yeah Richie, good points, strange innit, playing three players that cost £55m (Can, Lallana and Markovic) in place of three players that cost about £20m (Gerrard, Henderson and Sterling) is being a coward
But I think you've picked that strongest team after the game, and that's my point. I've read all your arguments and I can see where your coming from. . . but my point is that I think you've adapted your arguments after only losing 1-0. Your having a dig at me for laughing at Toure being picked, but you've got to consider it assuming you don;t know you only lost 1-0. Not In a month of Sundays do i think you would consider Borini in your best 11 before his impressive display Tuesday where he worked hard. In addition there is no chance you would be comfortable with Kolo Toure at the Bernabeu, Machida, tbf you nailed your colours to the mast with that team before the game so I'll give you credit there. And Ritchie well reasoned as usual, but your point about resting players and comparing it to Chelsea is nonsense. My point is you don't rest players, or give gametime to players who haven't played all year away to Real Madrid ffs. You go with your best. . . end of story. You can say after the game it was your best because they played well, but you even said you thought the team was a"bit extreme" and a "risk" I will leave it at this. In my opinion Rodgers played a weakened team and effectively conceded defeat before the game. I think that team worked really well and frankly If Madrid were a bit more clinical and got for example 3 goals Rodgers would be questioned. As it happened you lost 1-0. So whilst i will acknowledge that you kept the score down due to your team, I never felt Madrid got out first gear and nor did I think you looked remotely threatening. Ultimately Saturday's result will determine whether it was the right choice or not.
But who is the alternative to Borini? Balotelli? If he has one of his off days he's passenger, which playing the best team on the planet you can do without. Lambert? No way, he's not mobile enough for games like this.
