Didn’t Mané win us the penalty even if it was Salah who slotted it?
Mané was one of our better players in the1st half. In the second he appeared very isolated and ran into a lot of cul de sacs however I don’t think he was anywhere near as bad as some are making out.
2 Likes
Mane being compared to Balotelli has to be one of the most mental comparisons I’ve ever read.
8 Likes
Mane like Bobby, as has Origi, have an awful lot of credits in the bank from past exploits…
It helps keep fans on board when their performances begin to struggle… least we can do is it not. But on poor performance levels, everything has a saturation point and only Jurgen knows what his own is. Unfortunately, too many others have offered nothing over these past years apart from promise and expectation season after season… So why should we show them the same respect as others.
Every single one of those players on the bench yesterday, collectively, should have been akin to a pack of hungry wolves being held back until their moment of release… That is what we are missing from some of the squad players… Someone to get on that pitch in the hour of need and terrorise the opposition. Pity Jota was needed so early on as he is the only one that arrives late on the scene that actually looks as though he means business.
2 Likes
Quite disappointed are final ball was poor and we seemed very one paced. We never looked like scoring a second.
I am still not disappointed with the final score. Chelsea are a very, very good team, lead by a top manager.
Playing CSKA London at home is also one of the most difficult matches for us.Looking at our last 10 home league games vs. these, the stats are clear - 3 wins, 2 losses and 5 draws, i.e. 50% of our matches at Anfield end without a winner.
Looking at what they spent for transfer for the last 2 seasons - last summer they spend 250 mln. pounds for new players. This season it is 100 mln. pounds for Lukaku and they will probably sign Kounde for 50+ mln. pounds. They are ambitious and obviouslu have more money to spend than us.
Klopp is fighting against mega financial beasts - Manure, Chel$ea, $ity. Even Arsenal, Spurs, Villa and Everton are regularly outspending us. It is pretty obvious that FSG are not able to show the same financial muscles.
And still our main hope is Juergen Klopp, he is some kind of magician. We played a good game and a point is not a bad result. Looking at our net spending, since Klopp is our manager, I don’t think that fans should have unreal expectations for the manager and the players.
Even this season the club made a profit of around 10 mln. pounds from transfers.
Defensively we were ok, one mistake from a set piece and Chelsea had several dangerous counter attacks, but that is normal, we were playing a high line and chased a result and they have speed and quality all over the pitch
We also scored from a set pieace and mistake. It was Mendy’s ball, but Alonso headed it to Matip.
VvD is still not at 100%, but even at 70% he looks like a top, top player. Virgil needs more matches and his fitness and form will only improve. Matip was solid and dependable, if he stays injury free, soon he will be in peak form too. Trent was our best creative player and that says a lot about our midfilders. Robbo was rusty, but that was expected, soon he will be fine and competition with Tsimikas won’t harm him.
Fab, Hendo and Elliott did well, but nothing spectacular. And still Harvey deserves praise - only 18 years old playing in huge matches against top opponents. Compliments for the manager that he has the balls to play an 18 year old kid ahead of Tiago, Keita, Ox and even the more experienced Jones.
And at the same time it says something about the confidence of Klopp in those who stayed on the bench, because, if for for example, Gini was here, it is clear that he would start.
The front three were decent. Mo best of all. We lost Bobby and Jota did not have his best game.
Maybe tomorrow Klopp will say once again that Taki was fantastic in training, but still with 10 minutes left yesterday, against 10 men Chelsea he introduced a left back, had one more substituon and did not use it…
If he had someone like Sarr, Adama Traore ot Saint Maximin we all know that he would play him and such a plyer mkes a difference between a draw and a win, but his squad options are Origi /not even on the bench/ and Minamino /again unused substitute/ and clearly he doesn’t trust them.
This season the battle for top 4 will be fierce. Manure spent 150 mln. pounds and with the players they signed I hugely doubt that our wage bill is bigger than theirs anymore. Chelsea are a top team, managed by a top manager and I fully expect them to fight for the title. City are the current champions and they added Grealish for 100 mln. pounds. Leicester spent 60 mln. pounds for 3 new players and they will give it a try for a 3rd season in a row. NES is a very good manager and Spurs will be better with him.
We are lucky that Arsenal chose the incompetent Arteta, who spent more than 130 mln. pounds this summer, but with better manager they will improve too.
Top 4 is the realistic aim for me, anything more will be a bonus.If we beat Leeds away /another very difficult match/, we will be in a very solid position.
4 Likes
The only time I’ve seen them not given is pre-VAR when the ref has completely missed it.
4 Likes
Good points MB…
Looking more and more as each season passes…
Points are being won and lost in the Stock Exchange than on the pitch…
As fans, when do we really start to accept the game we knew has finished forever.
2 Likes
Your weak attempts at humour once again let you down.
But keep believing whatever makes you happy.
2 Likes
When I saw that anthony “blue-moon” taylor was the ref, I thought that this would be an extraordinarily hard match. And so it proved. He gave them everything they asked of him.
They fell over; they got a free kick.
They flattened our players, play on.
Every dubious throw-in and corner (including the corner from which they scored) he gave them.
It was obvious that he didn’t want to give the penalty - he tried to let the game carry on, but was forced by VAR to go back and look at it. I doubt he wanted to issue a red card but was obliged to do so by the letter of the law.
He let cheatski get away with time wasting, play acting head injuries, taking free kicks and throw in metres from the correct position.
Yes, we could and should have done better, one or two of our lads were clearly off the pace (Mane in particular) but it’s not easy when you are playing against 12 men. Even after the sending off we were still playing against 11.
I was astonished that he didn’t contrive to send one of our players off or to award a pen to the chavs, just to balance things up. 
8 Likes
I never attempt humour. But love the shit insult, well done you for trying, have a gold star.
Come on, we’ve seen some real howlers with VAR.
hand on my heart…penalty…maybe…red card…never.
not in the game i grew up in love with.
i cant see how the kid meant it…he may have gained advantage by it…but in my mind, he stays on the park.
edit…and im very open to the idea theres a ‘willingness’ to perhaps not give decisions our way…
2 Likes
It’s a definite penalty. James clearly moves his arm to the flight of the ball.
James denies a clear goal scoring opportunity with a deliberate hand ball. A penalty and a red card is the correct decision.
14 Likes
In the game you grew up in love with a lot of things were different. Handball, penalty, goal scoring chance denied so red card.
Thats the rules, whether we agree or not this is the only decision.
3 Likes
still unclear to me…
looks damning in slow mo and still frames but the arm moves involuntarily when you lift your leg.
im not gonna make a big deal out of it, i can definately see a penalty…but to me, in the spirit of the game, its not a red.
look at the players reaction (not the chelsea guys) look at Mane and Henderson…they immediately talk to the guy because they know its a tough red…
just saying…i know ill get pelters on here…but hand on heart…its a cunt of a red to get as a player…
4 Likes
isnt it still meant to be only for intentional handball (the red, not the penalty)
1 Like
Anyone in doubt have a look at this.
3 Likes
Once a penalty is awarded for handball, that denies a clear goal-scoring opportunity, it has to be a red.
It may be
but it’s the letter of the law. End of.
10 Likes
He knows what he is doing with his arm… no question.
It is the same arm he sticks out to grab the post to stop himself falling…
Natural instinct or not in a nano-second… he handled the ball.!
3 Likes
He deliberately pushes the ball to prevent the goal. Without that arm pushing the ball the ball goes in. Make of that what you will however the ‘new’ changed rules says it’s a red card offense.
For once the ref is correct to the letter of the law, not our fault not the refs fault, take it up with the law makers.
What is noticeable without VAR that creep of a ref wouldn’t have given anything despite a clear handball and clear protests. Perhaps if the ref had done his job in the first place so that VAR didn’t have to interveen James would have stayed on. Even so VAR was correct to interveen and that meant the ref had no choice due to his initial incompetence.
2 Likes