At least, there is a familiar look about the table today. But you're right. Best 11 is a dynamic concept, far too often spouted by many of today's herd-behaviour pundits as something cast iron and immutable. To my mind, it is based on many things: training ground form, physical sharpness and conditioning and, as England found out in the last two games, the best 11 also means the right combinations. We had 9 full internationals out there and they ought to do the job, against Portsmouth, Man U or anybody else.
International break or no international break, playing the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester away will be a lot tougher than this game so I hate to see points dropped like this. We should have been able to win, even without Torres and Gerrard. There were chances to score and it simply didn't happen.
I really can't express of how pissed I am. I have a feeling that the pre match thinking was "Do we really have to show up for this or can we just call in for our 3 points?" It's what, 5th match of the season and we're giving away points like this? We played the fuckin Chavs and we went out like it was the CL final....with a grudge ...and by the refs own admission we shudda had 3 points. We play a dangerous team like Pompey and we sit players on the bench until Pompy have the feel of the match and have settled in, then we try and change up....too bloody late. Why TF didn't we show up to win and then when we're comfortably ahead shift gears down, so much easier. Right now it seems to be some sort of sport guessing what Rafa will do next. What he should be doing at this stage of the season is plan on winning by playing the best f***** team he has. Don't tell me that these professional players are tired already! After the hour mark, if play allows THAT is the time to try new combinations. So much hope for this season and the same old freakin crap...! Well done Harry and Pompey. Rafa, I await your responce. AAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggggggggghu........!!!!!!!
I’m disappointed to have dropped the points as well. Our 11 who started have the quality to win this but they didn’t. Better than last season but still not good enough. Some of the other teams competing for the title also struggled today (thank god). There is a long way to go and we are still in the fight.
That's a non-sequitur. There's no direct correlation between having the quality to win a game and actually winning it. The side that played today was good enough to win. It didn't win.
The only thing "dangerous" about portsmouth is that they always seemed able to score 1 or 2 goals. If that's what you were talking about, then Benitez's strategy would appear to be on the right track.
Yep! He got it half right, he stopped them scoring. (Thanks to Pepe) Then there a little matter of the fact that you have to score at least one yourself to win.
I really don't think we played all that well. So far in the season I have been happy with the likes of Babel and Voronin. I think Torres is incredible. That's the kind of striker I like seeing playing for my team. I am a bit concerned about Benayoun and Crouch though. They don't seem to be cutting it for me.
Benayoun seemed to create some space and generated positive attacking football, but he overcooked a couple of crosses ( as did everyone else ). Crouch is a marked man. It's completely obvious that he can't drool in the box without having a foul called. Excessive moisture on the turf. Free kick. Voronin had a very average game, in my book. He didn't take advantage of the chances he had, although the shot that hit the bar was very close. Torres was dangerous, but he might have done better with his left foot. I think Liverpool was very fortunate to come away from this match with a point. I'm not completely satisfied with the result, and this is a fixture that the Reds might have lost last year, but the draw is a fair outcome, based on overall play. Did Benitez wait too late to bring on Gerrard and Torres? Well, they didn't score, and I don't think the players they replaced were playing badly. Would they have done better given an entire half? Maybe. But that isn't a given. One think I'm sure of. Torres and Kuijt will be in the lineup in Porto. Benitez will try to bury the Portuguese side.
I agree. We have played 5 games and are two points behind the Arse. Only Chelsea have faced another Big Four match -- let's see who wins next week when they meet up with ManUre at the Skip. We have not yielded a goal from the run of play in 5 league matchs. We've played only two home games, and one of those was Chelsea. We have two wins and a draw on the road. Already Chelsea have discovered that Villa Park won't be too hospitable this year. That fixture is a plus three for us versus Chelsea. Even the win at Sunderland is going to look good later in the year. Mad Dog will keep them organized and will give everyone trouble up there. As Matt points out, our result at Pompey is the same as Manure's. It is early days and we won't win the league in September but we've made sure we won't lose it in September either. And let's give some credit -- that is a well orgainized Pompey team with some talent and who've been training with a full squad for two weeks pointing right at this game . That said, the squad simply was one touch away from squeezing out three. Reina saved a penalty and we can now concentrate on Porto. Remember Rafa has to manage a squad -- we have three games in the next ten days, four in a fortnight. YNWA
We did not play well today and Portsmouth had the better chances to score today. Historically speaking Portsmouth have a pretty good record against us and are very strong at home. To get a draw is disappointing but not such a bad result. Portsmouth played us in Hong Kong pre-season and got a 0-0 draw so have shown they can shut us out for 90 mins. It is slightly disheartening but we should look at our progress in terms of points gained compared to last season - we had 7 pts from 5 matches so we are 4 ahead this time around. Plus our rivals bar Arsenal have less points. So relatively we are better off than last year. Also consider we have the highest goal difference and have played less home games than out title rivals and have a game in hand on Man U and Chelsea. Liverpool need to focus on winning in Porto and then taking all 3 pts against Birmingham in a weekend when Man U and/or Chelsea will drop points. Keep the faith - we would have loved to be in this position before the season started.
Not the best effort but atleast we didn't drop all three point, thanks Pepe! Lets hope we needed this yto shake off the int break cobwebs.
I was very disappointed in our play in the last 20 minutes - why do we pay our midfield players - to play defense??? They have rarely touched the ball as we have lobbed it past the midfield to our forwards just to lose it quickly and allow more possesion to Pompey...to be fair, Torres did well with the little he got. Free kicks and corners were, as always, horrendous - we present no danger whatsoever. PS What the hell was that penalty all about - we need to hire a phone operator to receive all "we're sorry but we made a mistake" calls from referees - 1-800-IMBLIND
imho the penalty was right, platini has called for more action against holding and shirt pulling, now lets see those penalty's given against other teams bar liverpool
Platini has nothing to do with the laws of the game or their interpretation. FIFA and the Home Countries FA's determine the laws and each FA administers the refereeing in their own country. That was just a complete joke of a call -- not Riley, it was the AR and while Arbs had some shirt he was already inside the man and gained no advantage -- play on anywhere in the world.
I think Rafa needs to figure out our set pieces and corners. Yes, every once in a while Gerrard hits an absolute beauty of a ball for a goal. However, there are so many times where our free kicks don't accomplish anything and our corners are the same. I'm disappointed in the result, but I will take it because we were away from home and Portsmouth plays us tough every year. On to Porto....
Its a point gained from the corresponding fixture from last year, and we could have quite easily gone away with 0 points. If you look at it that way- its better, but its still not good enough.
When was the last time we scored from corners I cant remeber its so shite I am sorry but our captains corners are either not good enough or our attackers in the particular game had their boots glued to the ground. There is also the lack in off the ball movement or is it just me??
The last time we have scored from a corner was 3 matches ago. Hyypia against Toulouse. So we have gone an entire 2 matches with out scoring from a corner. Liverpool did not play well in the Portsmouth match. Let's not get too concerned as we did get a point away from home.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=463842&root=england&cc=4716...nice article!!!...The solution seemed simple: win the game, and then rotate
I listened to Hunter, than watched the tape delay later. you know what, i think pompey are going to be a tough nut this year. Sol, Distan and James make a pretty good central defense. Pompey are oldish, last year they tailed off. better to play them late in the year than early imo. Was actually fairly entertaining for a 0-0. Even making all the subs we couldnt dent em, though. ah well.
They beat Man Utd 1-0 there earlier in the season, so perhaps we'll look back at this game and say that's a valuable away point.