Liverpool vs Aston Villa Post-Match Thread

[AV84]

Not the most important thing about the day but I took all the Liverpool players out of my FPL team, and I didn't captain Haaland, so I think I'll just quit football now.

[PaulWinch again]

Atrocious performance. No effort off the ball and whether under pressure or not on it, we gave it away so cheaply all game.

Absolutely chronic.

Hottest I've ever been at a game too, sweated more than the players.

And that is the common denominator in the Newcastle and Liverpool games. With our style we absolutely have to nail the intensity off the ball or we’re finished.

[PaulTheVillan]

Well, the lawn looks great.

And mine. I’ll have the post mow bad back tomorrow.

Got the lawn and the hedge done. Well the wife did, but i did help a bit.

Uncannily like my afternoon. Are we married to the same woman?

The wife sprayed the drive with some weed killer. She didn’t break a sweat.

[ez]

Four points off top four going into the break. That doesn't sound too bad.

[Goldenballs]

I know it was a bad loss but lets not forget that 2 of of last seasons top 5 away from home out of the way. To lose our main physical presence in defence early on in both were fucking hammer blows as well.

Yep true. This and the Newcastle game have been well off it, and we need to be physically better. But overall the points are pretty much where I expected to be, it’s the level of performance we need to deal with.

yep, exactly, defeats away at Liverpool and Newcastle aren't going to be what decides where we finish but we do need to learn from them that, against pace, you can't play a high line and let them have the ball in their own half.

In a way I think results like this will be what decides where we finish if people were hoping for Champions league, the manner of the defeats especially.  To finish top 4 you usually need to be taking points from tough away games. I guess it depends what people are/were expecting from us this season.

These 2 defeats and the window we had make me think that top 4 is definitely out of reach. Europa will be tough.

[jwarry]

We got bullied today and we didn’t have Ty to stand up to them

[gpbarr]

Don’t get too high with the highs, too low with the lows.

Just as the Newcastle defeat won’t define our season, nor will this. Some daft over optimism pre game - they have lost once in 40 odd games at Anfield (or something like that) and we are still a long way from top 4 material.

Torres, Carlos, Diaby still adjusting to this league - it will take time and patience. Let’s not start writing world class players off based on 200 mins of football.

I predicted after Newcastle we would bounce back against Everton and we did - just as we will do against Palace in a fortnight.

Still feel we will finish top 6.

UTV

[Bent Neilsens Screamer]

Poor in defence, non existent in midfield, nothing up front.
Digne tried to get forward and Diaby made some good runs and looked the most likely but can’t remember when we were collectively so poor, we showed more against Newcastle.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Pau Torres. I wonder what Unai would be doing if Mings wasn't injured. Square pegs in round holes? Torres was shocking today and until now looks way off the pace. He'll certainly need time to adapt but right now he fills me with absolutely no confidence. I'm just surprised and thankful Liverpool didn't target him more. That said we gave them the freedom of the park, our midfield were sat too deep, especially Dougie who was back to being the defensive midfielder.

Last season our midfield was so solid so why change it? Losing Carlos was an easy switch, Konsa moves across, Cash drops back and we strengthen the midfield with either  Dendoncker or Tielemans which would free up Dougie. Why Unai decided to keep the original shape that clearly wasn't working by bringing on Bailey is anybody's guess. Crazy.

Liverpool never had to do much, we were so poor we made it easy for them. I bet they've had tougher friendlies.

[steamer]

Atrocious performance. No effort off the ball and whether under pressure or not on it, we gave it away so cheaply all game.

Absolutely chronic.
The level of intensity was non existent, The midfield was missing and why could someone not stop Arnold destroying us with long balls over the top
Thank goodness for the break. As someone said Palace are a robust  team and we need to be up for it.

Hottest I've ever been at a game too, sweated more than the players.

And that is the common denominator in the Newcastle and Liverpool games. With our style we absolutely have to nail the intensity off the ball or we’re finished.

[Ads]

Carlos was back on the pitch after the game and seemed to be walking OK, so hopefully not a long term knock.

[chrisw1]

Very poor and very predictable.

If you buy defenders who aren’t very good at defending and then play a high line against one of the best counter attacking teams in the league without pressuring the ball, what do you expect?  It felt inevitable.

[PaulWinch again]

Carlos was back on the pitch after the game and seemed to be walking OK, so hopefully not a long term knock.

Fingers crossed.

[Rudy Can't Fail]

Carlos was back on the pitch after the game and seemed to be walking OK, so hopefully not a long term knock.

Finally a bit of good news.

[ASHTONVILLA]

Carlos doen't come off and I think we may have salvaged a point. It was very disruptive.