Quote:
Originally Posted by Xgenre
Can't believe what Rafa sees in Lucas. Can't pass, can't head, can't hold midfield, yet he's there. Even Mascherano looks so lost playing next to Lucas. Can't believe the decision to take off Riera and retain Benyanoun too. I don't understand why we are playing so defensive today. Didn't even start either Keane or a fit Torres.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Frankiestine
Lucas was the main culprit in the central of midfield, giving away the ball and committing unnecessary fouls. Reira was not his usual self, in fact even Stevie not till the latter half of the second half than he sort of came alive. I feel starting with Babel and Keane would have been a better option, as they have the skill to open up defenses.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by owen10
i share yr same sentiments too, like every Pool fan. d result is not much diff fr a defeat. i thk we missed alonso badly. d creative, killer passes in midfield were missing. like u mentioned, lucas n riera were off form. gerrard tried hard as usual but were denied by d posts twice.
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Fellas, think about this - why do you blame Lucas? Because he was the one taking the ball in midfield, trying to find a pass through two lines of defenders. What were the more senior midfielders doing? Mascherano? Benayoun?
I don't deny Lucas had a poor game but so did everyone else, including Stevie G. It seems like every season we must have at least one or two scapegoats to criticise until the cows come home.
Of course we missed Alonso. If you want to question Rafa's tactics, I can live with that. Although we had more or less the same team with Lucas against Newcastle and won 5-1.
BPL: Newcastle United 1 Liverpool 5
Scorers: Gerrard x2, Hyypia, Babel, Alonso pen
Team: Reina, Carragher, Insua, Agger, Hyypia, Mascherano, Lucas, Gerrard (Ngog 71), Kuyt (Skrtel 79), Babel, Benayoun (Alonso 60).
Subs: Cavalieri, Keane, Riera, Alonso, Ngog, El Zhar, Skrtel.
BPL: Stokes City 0 Liverpool 0
Team: Reina, Carragher, Aurelio, Hyypia, Skrtel, Mascherano, Lucas, Benayoun (Babel 76), Riera (Torres 61), Gerrard, Kuyt.
Subs: Cavalieri, Keane, Torres, Dossena, Babel, Plessis, El Zhar.
As fans, it's ok to feel sick to the stomach when results don't go well. But it's times like this that show whether our colour is red. Call a spade a spade but be fair.
My response to the result is this: we have played two of our stinkiest games this season against Stoke. That is the ray of light. May the rest of our games be much better.
