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stewie griffin 12:05 Fri Sep 19
Big SAM: Liverpool BLEW title chance, plus Balotelli & tightening up at the back
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Let’s be frank, our opponents tomorrow should be coming to Upton Park as Premier League champions - I think it would have been great for football in this country.
Those opportunities don’t come around too often and the challenge for Brendan Rodgers and his Liverpool team is to get back up there and use the knowledge and experience they have gained to make it across the line next time.
They were in pole position and had one hand on the trophy but they ended up throwing it away.
The one thing teams must do when they are fortunate enough to be in the situation Liverpool found themselves in last season is make sure they go on and win it.
They had no European football to distract them, their schedule was clear except for that one goal, that one focus. They were brilliant but they should have taken full advantage when they had it in the palm of their hands.
It is at times like that, though, when you can almost taste victory, that the pressure is at its most intense, like the snooker player who has to pot the black to win the World Championship, the golfer who has to sink the 8ft putt to win the Masters, the tennis player who has to win one more point to take the Wimbledon crown.
It was Liverpool’s task to have the mentality to get over the line and achieve greatness but they just fell short.
Remember it took Sir Alex Ferguson six years to win it with Manchester United — but look what happened after they had won it once.
Manchester City have done it — twice. They also knew how difficult it was to get over that finishing line — remember, they were struggling to beat 10-man QPR until Sergio Aguero popped up with seconds to go to win their first Premier League title.
Rodgers, though, has rightly accentuated the positives of last season. It was still a magnificent campaign for them.
Deep down, though, he and everyone else at Liverpool will know it was a fantastic opportunity to be the champions of the Premier League.
LOOKING AHEAD TO THE MATCH AND BALOTELLI
We’ll be up against Mario Balotelli tomorrow. He showed in the Champions League this week that he can score from a half-chance and if he has managed to improve his temperament on and off the field and become a more responsible adult, then I think he could be a big player for Liverpool. He’s not a Luis Suarez, but if he can finish the season in double figures, then he will have been a success.
Mario and others in that Liverpool squad are going to have to improve their scoring ratio to compensate for the departure of Suarez. The difference with us is that although we also have to improve our goals total, we haven’t just lost a massive scorer - we haven’t had one yet.
VICTORIES WILL COME ONCE WE TIGHTEN UP AT THE BACK
Our performance in the 2-2 draw at Hull was hugely encouraging.
We managed 58 per cent possession, 443 passes of which 332 were successful forward ones, 69 final third entries, 41 penalty area entries and 19 shots.
All impressive figures but things need to be tightened up at the other end, which would turn all that encouragement into victories.
There are times when you need to win games with a lot less possession than that, based on how well you counter-attack.
Stoke did just that against Manchester City, Aston Villa likewise against Liverpool. It was then all about Liverpool having an off-day rather than Villa nullifying Brendan Rodgers’s team with some superb tactical play.
It’s a pity sometimes you don’t get the credit for the way you’ve set your team up or even worse, you’re condemned as playing 19th-century football by a man whose teams have played that way themselves when necessary. Jose Mourinho is clever at deflecting criticism away from his team, though, and I admire him for that.
Our two goals at Hull were terrific for different reasons and such a surprise for the opposition’s defence and goalkeeper.
Michael Dawson took some stick for not being tighter on Enner Valencia for the first. Rubbish!
Enner only shifted the ball half a yard and had no back lift. Sometimes you just have to admire the talent.
I was equally pleased with the second goal, the way Diafra Sakho swivelled and hit it first time.
I’m still finding out things about our new players and Diafra taught me, with that single move, why he is a goalscorer. I don’t think anyone else on that pitch would have scored that goal.
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Replies - Newest Posts First ( Show In Chronological Order)
Dapablo
11:03 Sat Sep 20
Re: Big SAM: Liverpool BLEW title chance, plus Balotelli & tightening up at the back
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I thought it was all about the style of football we play?
So its just about you not likeing someone now regardless of the football. fuck West Ham United and what they can achieve we have to pander to miserable people becasue they're miserable people.
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teacoffeeteacoffee
10:07 Sat Sep 20
Re: Big SAM: Liverpool BLEW title chance, plus Balotelli & tightening up at the back
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Pardew is doing a good job taking a bit of pressure away from this cunt at the mo. If we lose our first 3 home games then he needs to go.
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crapnotshit
9:59 Sat Sep 20
Re: Big SAM: Liverpool BLEW title chance, plus Balotelli & tightening up at the back
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I will darby, if BFS shows his ambition to play in the same manner at home against pool and even go it the balls to scrap Nolan when fit!
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Darby_
9:55 Sat Sep 20
Re: Big SAM: Liverpool BLEW title chance, plus Balotelli & tightening up at the back
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Calm down, son.
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crapnotshit
9:31 Sat Sep 20
Re: Big SAM: Liverpool BLEW title chance, plus Balotelli & tightening up at the back
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Darby, "change of play this season"?
Wtf, first 3 games were just the same shit as last season with Cole and Nolan as our main strikers.
Against Hull we were set up different to what we have seen for years, and we played maybe our best match since BFS took over.
Why? Carroll, Nolan, Cole, Vaz, Jarvis, Collins were gone. A blessing!
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Nicey
9:19 Sat Sep 20
Re: Big SAM: Liverpool BLEW title chance, plus Balotelli & tightening up at the back
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I really enjoyed the game against Hull. I have already said this also.
Feel free to reach your own conclusions though.
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Darby_
9:15 Sat Sep 20
Re: Big SAM: Liverpool BLEW title chance, plus Balotelli & tightening up at the back
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Nicey, have you been pleased with the change of style so far this season?
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Nicey
8:29 Sat Sep 20
Re: Big SAM: Liverpool BLEW title chance, plus Balotelli & tightening up at the back
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PS thanks for only AIDS.
Bad AIDS and you and I would have words.
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Nicey
8:28 Sat Sep 20
Re: Big SAM: Liverpool BLEW title chance, plus Balotelli & tightening up at the back
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How strange for an adult man to wish such a thing on a person because they have a different view point tothem.
Make sure you get some bandages for those knuckles after dragging them on the floor so much.
Only love to you my friend x
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Vexed
3:13 Sat Sep 20
Re: Big SAM: Liverpool BLEW title chance, plus Balotelli & tightening up at the back
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You're a proper boring cunt Nicey. AIDS is too good for you.
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Nicey
2:46 Sat Sep 20
Re: Big SAM: Liverpool BLEW title chance, plus Balotelli & tightening up at the back
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Oh dear god
We managed 58 per cent possession, 443 passes of which 332 were successful forward ones, 69 final third entries, 41 penalty area entries and 19 shots.
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Nicey
2:44 Sat Sep 20
Re: Big SAM: Liverpool BLEW title chance, plus Balotelli & tightening up at the back
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The one thing teams must do when they are fortunate enough to be in the situation Liverpool found themselves in last season is make sure they go on and win it.
Ok I'm stuck here. I don't want to upset the allardyce lovers but whatever way I look at this I think it will.
I want to say "what experience do you have in winning the league?"
But I also want to say "shut up you fat prick! Why antagonise the team that want to rip us a new one?"
I'm sure a BFS apologist will be able to spin why this is good.
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Sven Roeder
12:12 Sat Sep 20
Re: Big SAM: Liverpool BLEW title chance, plus Balotelli & tightening up at the back
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It's a slightly pointless one.
Passes where the ball is received inside the penalty area is probably more meaningful.
Best stats are:
Points
Goals
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Vexed
12:03 Sat Sep 20
Re: Big SAM: Liverpool BLEW title chance, plus Balotelli & tightening up at the back
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Penalty box entries is a pathetic stat.
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Babelman
12:00 Sat Sep 20
Re: Big SAM: Liverpool BLEW title chance, plus Balotelli & tightening up at the back
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Let’s be frank, our opponents tomorrow should be coming to Upton Park as Premier League champions - I think it would have been great for football in this country.
Fuck off not them whining cunts, with more chips on their sholders than Mc Cains....
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Sir Alf
11:55 Fri Sep 19
Re: Big SAM: Liverpool BLEW title chance, plus Balotelli & tightening up at the back
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Also agree with El scorch, try to take the game to them and we will suffer a heavy defeat. Grind them down is the best approach so I would not be surprised to see a midfield 5 of: Noble, Song, Kouyate, Downing and the French geezer to keep things tight and Sakho starting up top on his own and Valencia coming on to stretch them in the 2nd half. They play with 5 in midfield with Henderson and Gerrard deep. They also use wing backs so we have to deny space in the middle areas. Playing 2 up front and 4 in a diamond would be very risky.
But at least we have options for different approaches. Just that Large Sam is not known for different tactics in successive games.
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Sir Alf
11:49 Fri Sep 19
Re: Big SAM: Liverpool BLEW title chance, plus Balotelli & tightening up at the back
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Wont matter what we do. We lose against Liverpool at home nearly always, we lose when on TV nearly always nowadays, we lose 5:30PM fixtures usually and our home form is simply dreadful at the moment.
All the omens and stats suggest nothing but disappointment. I suppose we have a different team this season to last but only blind faith, delusion or the fact that football still (although more rarely in the modern game) can have a media darling / top 6 team still being turned over by one of the "B League" clubs :)
But I foresee a spirited performance and referee decision seeing us narrowly and perhaps undeservedly ending up on the losing side. Its what happens when we play the Scousers :-(
Sams attempts at mind games, if they are, will be fruitless.
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chav slav
10:55 Fri Sep 19
Re: Big SAM: Liverpool BLEW title chance, plus Balotelli & tightening up at the back
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El scorchios got it right beat the shit by attacking, medieval 19th century against the top 6
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chav slav
10:48 Fri Sep 19
Re: Big SAM: Liverpool BLEW title chance, plus Balotelli & tightening up at the back
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Enner only shifted the ball half a yard and there was no back lift,
Its a beach ball you fat cunt, he,s hit a very light ball in the golfsweetspot ,what's the amazement!!!
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joey5000
10:19 Fri Sep 19
Re: Big SAM: Liverpool BLEW title chance, plus Balotelli & tightening up at the back
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I really, really, really hate this cunt. Pretty much every word he writes pisses me off.
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riosleftsock
8:09 Fri Sep 19
Re: Big SAM: Liverpool BLEW title chance, plus Balotelli & tightening up at the back
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Fantastic dig at Mourinho, I bet he enjoyed that.
To be fair, that was one of Sam's more positive pieces today.
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