Official Liverpool FC Supporters Thread II

[F1 Fan]

Because it goes against the spirit of the competition- you want your best players to be playing in the bigger games. This was probably Liverpool's marquee fixture for the group stages.

Also, another reason why people are criticising Rodgers is because he talks pretty big about Liverpool and their European pedigree. Playing a "B" team against the defending champions indicates that you have a clear inferiority complex, regardless of how he wants to dress it up. Lest we forget how Mourinho was criticised for his decision to field a weakened team against Liverpool in April.

I respectfully disagree.

Firstly, he didn't play our under 18 team. Moreno, Manq, Allen, Migs and Lallana are first team regulars. Secondly, if he had played a full team last night, only to play a weakened team against Chelsea, what would you have said? We knew it would be tough to balance all competitions and we know we don't have a strong enough team.

 

[RanzB]

I respectfully disagree.

Firstly, he didn't play our under 18 team. Moreno, Manq, Allen, Migs and Lallana are first team regulars. Secondly, if he had played a full team last night, only to play a weakened team against Chelsea, what would you have said? We knew it would be tough to balance all competitions and we know we don't have a strong enough squad.

Ftfy. And yeah, I agree. He's had to prioritise because of increased competition. But he does have to shoulder some of the blame for adding a bit of mediocrity to the squad instead of quality.

 

[Maverick Jester]

It also means he's a pragmatist, something you have to be at times when managing a football club.

Which would be fine, if he didn't soundly denounce pragmatism in the first place. Hypocrisy should be called out, especially when coming from someone as verbose as he is.

I respectfully disagree.

Firstly, he didn't play our under 18 team. Moreno, Manq, Allen, Migs and Lallana are first team regulars. Secondly, if he had played a full team last night, only to play a weakened team against Chelsea, what would you have said? We knew it would be tough to balance all competitions and we know we don't have a strong enough team.

He's solely to blame for the strength of the squad. I totally understand the balancing act, but ceding the game before the ball has been kicked is disingenuous to his philosophy and the competition. It's not like last night's game wasn't important, either- LFC needed a result.

 

[RanzB]

Which would be fine, if he didn't soundly denounce pragmatism in the first place. Hypocrisy should be called out, especially when coming from someone as verbose as he is.

I suppose. But I wanna see you call out Mourinho when he does it

 

[Maverick Jester]

I suppose. But I wanna see you call out Mourinho when he does it

I do. Like the nonsense against City and United when he should have gone for the jugular.

 

[RanzB]

I do. Like the nonsense against City and United when he should have gone for the jugular.

Yup. Four points lost, but still sitting pretty. I think I was referring more to his run-ins with teams that park the bus against Chelsea.

 

[Maverick Jester]

Yup. Four points lost, but still sitting pretty. I think I was referring more to his run-ins with teams that park the bus against Chelsea.

He's done a lot better this season, to be fair. But I await the clash with West Ham, and whether we go back to the 19th century for that game

 

[RanzB]

He's done a lot better this season, to be fair. But I await the clash with West Ham, and whether we go back to the 19th century for that game

Chelsea 0-1 West Ham

 

[smokey]

I respectfully disagree.

Firstly, he didn't play our under 18 team. Moreno, Manq, Allen, Migs and Lallana are first team regulars. Secondly, if he had played a full team last night, only to play a weakened team against Chelsea, what would you have said? We knew it would be tough to balance all competitions and we know we don't have a strong enough team.

You lot do realize you have a day's rest extra on us. Right? It's not like we're not playing away as well.

 

[RanzB]

You lot do realize you have a day's rest extra on us. Right? It's not like we're not playing away as well.

Yeah, but you do realise you are the League leaders by a fair amount and LFC are struggling? Come on, BR is getting a bum rap here.

 

[smokey]

Yup. Four points lost, but still sitting pretty. I think I was referring more to his run-ins with teams that park the bus against Chelsea.

Yup. Four points lost, but still sitting pretty. I think I was referring more to his run-ins with teams that park the bus against Chelsea.

1. I happen to agree with his choices to a degree. Yeah, we could have killed off the game but you know what - I'm happy with 2 points from those two AWAY games. We didn't go full on berserk and tire out players needlessly. We hardly ever lay on full 100% effort simply because the season is long and you make certain choices so that you can last the whole 9 yards.

2. Stone age defending... totally agree with you. Then again, if he didn't get mad, he wouldn't be Mourinho. I'm happy he does get angry - shows his winning spirit. Won't agree with him though (since we do it when it's the "pragmatic" thing to do.

3. Rodgers behaved like a smug **** the whole of last season, as if Liverpool were somehow the last bastion of beautiful football. They had no European competition (did they even do anything in the cups?) and Suarez. Now that it's going badly for him, I'm over the moon. **** him.

 

[smokey]

Yeah, but you do realise you are the League leaders by a fair amount and LFC are struggling? Come on, BR is getting a bum rap here.

How is our league position relevant at this time? Just because we have a healthy 6 point lead against City (it's only 4 against Southampton), it doesn't mean a win isn't just as important for us as it is for them. Two slip-ups is all we need to surrender that lead to City. Two losses. That's not exactly a HUGE LEAD that allows us to become complacent.

 

[Maverick Jester]

Ian Ladyman's thoughts on Rodgers' selection are quite interesting.

 

[Maverick Jester]

Chelsea 0-1 West Ham

With Stewart "No Foot" Downing to get the winner, I'll bet?

 

[Maverick Jester]

Yeah, but you do realise you are the League leaders by a fair amount and LFC are struggling? Come on, BR is getting a bum rap here.

Only because of his previous actions and comments.

 

[Maverick Jester]

3. Rodgers behaved like a smug **** the whole of last season, as if Liverpool were somehow the last bastion of beautiful football. They had no European competition (did they even do anything in the cups?) and Suarez. Now that it's going badly for him, I'm over the moon. **** him.

This in particular. His arrogance is astounding at times, yet gets brushed aside constantly. Ironically, I've been told that Mourinho was arrogant to tell Wenger to remain in his technical area during the Chelsea-Arsenal game. Different standards being applied is my biggest annoyance.

 

[RexxGrim]

Surely he played the B team last time (3-0 loss at home). This must have been the A team. (1-0 loss away)

 

[RanzB]

1. I happen to agree with his choices to a degree. Yeah, we could have killed off the game but you know what - I'm happy with 2 points from those two AWAY games. We didn't go full on berserk and tire out players needlessly. We hardly ever lay on full 100% effort simply because the season is long and you make certain choices so that you can last the whole 9 yards.

But you'd be happier with 6 points I'm sure, and for those two games you hardly needed to go full on beserk to capitalise on the one goal lead. And as for the second part, isn't that what BR is doing?

2. Stone age defending... totally agree with you. Then again, if he didn't get mad, he wouldn't be Mourinho. I'm happy he does get angry - shows his winning spirit. Won't agree with him though (since we do it when it's the "pragmatic" thing to do.

I don't mind him being angry, it's the hypocrisy that MJ and I were discussing.

3. Rodgers behaved like a smug **** the whole of last season, as if Liverpool were somehow the last bastion of beautiful football. They had no European competition (did they even do anything in the cups?) and Suarez. Now that it's going badly for him, I'm over the moon. **** him.

Can't argue with the first part.

 

[RanzB]

How is our league position relevant at this time? Just because we have a healthy 6 point lead against City (it's only 4 against Southampton), it doesn't mean a win isn't just as important for us as it is for them. Two slip-ups is all we need to surrender that lead to City. Two losses. That's not exactly a HUGE LEAD that allows us to become complacent.

It's relevant to BR. The fact that you're League leaders mean you are the form team. For some reason you're looking at this from Chelsea's perspective when I was commenting on BR's actions from his own (and LFC's) stance.

And stop being a drama queen I said 'fair amount', not 'HUGE'.

With Stewart "No Foot" Downing to get the winner, I'll bet?

Big Sam himself, no less. Or if he couldn't be arsed, Valencia.

Only because of his previous actions and comments.

I can see what you're saying, but the criticism I'm picking up is the fact that he put out that weakened team at all, not that he's suddenly being a hypocrite after last season's crowing.

 

[smokey]

Surely he played the B team last time (3-0 loss at home). This must have been the A team. (1-0 loss away)

Truth.

BTW: Borini to come in the last ten minutes and equalize against Chelsea over the weekend. "It's written in the stars"™