***official liverpool v city match thread***

[guv111]

I was not able go watch the entire match but i feel like the ref lost if for us argument is not good enough. Nor were we too often this season. We need to own up to this crap and maybe our team needs a kick in the arse due to all the complacency we saw this year.

I for one hated seeing that. I will say the injuries we had this season, our poor defending at times, and our overconfident attitude were more problematic than the refereeing. Our strikers inconsistency has also been maddening.

Next year will surely be even more difficult as chelsea will surely sign a striker and our other rivals will surely improve. Yet, if we learn how to play with passion regularly we really should do better than this. I really like pellegrini, and think he was the right choice to help us get out of the doldrums of mancini's overly critical approach, but i am going respectfully challenge him to show us next season his true worth. The team we saw earlier crushing opponents in the year is gone. Who's fault is that? Did we fall off, was injuries, or club's figure us out?

I agree with the first two paragraphs and can only speculate re. the third. In my opinion we don't have as many hungry players as Liverpool, or Everton for that matter. We have too many people resting on the laurels of 2012 and perhaps too many also who think the League Cup win is enough for this season.

If we'd got the draw our comeback deserved we'd not be having this conversation, but we didn't: we lost. We have a habit of losing games we really need to win, and we did it again today - and the way we lose these games has become all too predictable. Calamitous mistakes and terrible misses nearly always feature, and every time we blame the referee instead of key players who should be making weak refereeing irrelevant.

[PrezIke]

If we could play well for 90 minutes the league would already be won. The ability to only turn up for bits of games is really frustrating and probably easier to hide at home. Depressing day.

Hate to agree with this but i do.

You could say that about any team though. Liverpool would have won 6-0 if they were able to keep it up. As it was they were very very lucky to get away with it.

Our team is not perfect & never will be, but it will almost certainly get better.

i hope you're right, mate.

we need to learn from this somehow.

[Sparklehorse]

Have to say it Dzeko sub was a big mistake !
I'm proud by our response in the second half

[clawbaggio]

Yet another heroic comeback against our main rivals that ends in a 3 - 2 loss. We really must learn how to close it out when we are on top.

Still a long way to go. Anfield was like a library for long periods of the 2nd half. They are shitting themselves. Why did we have to hand it to them?

IF we lose the league we need to look at the massive blunders we have made against our 2 main rivals that have cost us 6 points

[zuricity]

Have to say it Dzeko sub was a big mistake !
I'm proud by our response in the second half

Of course it was. Absolutely wrongly timed.

[PeterParker]

Looks like Pellers confirmed that Yaya”s season is over.


Rodgers: I thought the ref was excellent.

[The Original Special One]

Proud of the lads today. Any other day and we would have won. 3 penalties not given Suarez should have been off and If Silvas mum had been taller we would have gone 3-2 up. Liverpool will not win all four if their last 4 matches so we have to win our last 6. We've been here before. Clattenburg is a c**t.

To be fair to Clattenburg I think that early yellow to Suarez was a bit premature, when most referees would have just given him a stiff lecture.
It was probably also a warning to him based on his reputation. But I think Clattenburg was alert to diving generally, and wasn't awarding anything, unless it happened right in front of his two eyes.
Which might have been the reason why Dzeko wasn't awarded a penalty.

But a weaker referee might have awarded them penalties for the challenges Kompany and Zaba made.

As for the Skrtel 'slam-dunk'. I await the Sky detailed analysis - which they deferred until after the Chelsea game - but I think its fair to say that it would have been more difficult for a referee to spot than the legendary Crouch 'slam-dunk' goal.

We got away with it at the Etihad, they got away with it at Anfield. I suppose it's true what they say about things evening themselves out.
They drop two points to the Chavs, and we win all our remaing games, the title is ours.
We always seem to prefer doing things the hard way, anyway

[Ted Hughes]

Proud of the lads today. Any other day and we would have won. 3 penalties not given Suarez should have been off and If Silvas mum had been taller we would have gone 3-2 up. Liverpool will not win all four if their last 4 matches so we have to win our last 6. We've been here before. Clattenburg is a c**t.

To be fair to Clattenburg I think that early yellow to Suarez was a bit premature, when most referees would have just given him a stiff lecture.
It was probably also a warning to him based on his reputation. But I think Clattenburg was alert to diving generally, and wasn't awarding anything, unless it happened right in front of his two eyes.
Which might have been the reason why Dzeko wasn't awarded a penalty.

But a weaker referee might have awarded them penalties for the challenges Kompany and Zaba made.

As for the Skrtel 'slam-dunk'. I await the Sky detailed analysis - which they deferred until after the Chelsea game - but I think its fair to say that it would have been more difficult for a referee to spot than the legendary Crouch 'slam-dunk' goal.

We got away with it at the Etihad, they got away with it at Anfield. I suppose it's true what they say about things evening themselves out.
They drop two points to the Chavs, and we win all our remaing games, the title is ours.
We always seem to prefer doing things the hard way, anyway

Chelsea are not out of this yet imo. I'm not convinced that City nor Liverpool will only slip up once.

It could all be on the last game.

[South Stand Balti]

Looks like Pellers confirmed that Yaya”s season is over. Rodgers: I thought the ref was excellent.

Season over? What did MP say?

[PeterParker]

Looks like Pellers confirmed that Yaya”s season is over. Rodgers: I thought the ref was excellent.

Season over? What did MP say?

Basically that Yaya looks bad and he is out, didn't get what he said about the ref though.

From what i saw, he was talking with BeIN Sports.

[BlueMoonAwoken]

If we do lose the league, it will come down to our "world class" striker being injured for big parts of the season. If we want to be a dominant force in europe and at home then we need our "stars" to be in the big games.

If Liverpool do win the league then i wont begrudge them as they have been the only team to match us. If we win all our remaining games and liverpool draw v chelsea or chelsea win we still win the league by 1 point!!

It aint over yet!

[Ted Hughes]

If we do lose the league, it will come down to our "world class" striker being injured for big parts of the season. If we want to be a dominant force in europe and at home then we need our "stars" to be in the big games.

If Liverpool do win the league then i wont begrudge them as they have been the only team to match us. If we win all our remaining games and liverpool draw v chelsea or chelsea win we still win the league by 1 point!!

It aint over yet!

If they win the last 14 games on the trot then fair play to them. That would be pretty unique & most teams would struggle to match it.

[nottsblue]

Where to start? Really disappointing result today.

I personally feel that though we can still win the league, we won't. If we don't it won't be because we lost today. For me, it was the four away games lost in first six games. We have been playing catch up ever since. Done it admirably mind, with just one defeat in 20 before today, but catch up nontheless and I think we've left ourselves too much to do.

The referee today I actually thought handled the occasion very well as well as the game. Yes we could have had a penalty for the Silva incident, but Kompanys tug on Suarez could easily have been given as well. As for the Skrtel handball, not one City player appealed and it wasn't until a minute or two later it was picked up. Can therefore see why referee missed it. Again Suarez could've been booked for diving but in the cold light of day that accusation could be levied at Dzeko. Wrongly I might add but these incidents did even themselves out.

Second half we were immense. Therein actually is our downfall too often this season. We only started to play when we are chasing the game. It has happened a number of times this season. Also the opposite has happened. Start well and tail off leading to the opposition getting back into games. We don't quite have the knack or knowledge of how to grind out results and see games through like rags or Chelsea seem to be able to do.

Bringing Dzeko off actually stopped our momentum. Hindsight is great but Fernandinho would have come off for me, reverting to a 442. Milners crosses might then have found a target. We were unlucky with dippers third as merlin was just inches away from winning it for us, then they had a rare foray upfield and Komps ballsed it up bigtime. It happens. Some of the comments about replacing him must be wind ups. No defender is error free, and he has been and will continue to be, immense for us.

The season isn't over yet. Not by a long chalk and though its not in our destiny, we start again next week. And if we do ultimately come up short in the Prem we regroup in the summer, refresh the squad and start all over again in August. We will be better equipped and more importantly, Pellers will be more accustomed to English game and his errors early doors will not be repeated. He is still the man for the job for me.

Keep the faith fellow blues

[The Original Special One]

Proud of the lads today. Any other day and we would have won. 3 penalties not given Suarez should have been off and If Silvas mum had been taller we would have gone 3-2 up. Liverpool will not win all four if their last 4 matches so we have to win our last 6. We've been here before. Clattenburg is a c**t.

To be fair to Clattenburg I think that early yellow to Suarez was a bit premature, when most referees would have just given him a stiff lecture.
It was probably also a warning to him based on his reputation. But I think Clattenburg was alert to diving generally, and wasn't awarding anything, unless it happened right in front of his two eyes.
Which might have been the reason why Dzeko wasn't awarded a penalty.

But a weaker referee might have awarded them penalties for the challenges Kompany and Zaba made.

As for the Skrtel 'slam-dunk'. I await the Sky detailed analysis - which they deferred until after the Chelsea game - but I think its fair to say that it would have been more difficult for a referee to spot than the legendary Crouch 'slam-dunk' goal.

We got away with it at the Etihad, they got away with it at Anfield. I suppose it's true what they say about things evening themselves out.
They drop two points to the Chavs, and we win all our remaing games, the title is ours.
We always seem to prefer doing things the hard way, anyway

Chelsea are not out of this yet imo. I'm not convinced that City nor Liverpool will only slip up once.

It could all be on the last game.

Although nobody wants Chelsea/Mourinho to win the title, we need them going to Anfield with something to play for.

If Liverpool are still in pole position, they'll be very, very, nervous!
Especially if we're right on their coat-tails

[Tony P]

Just got in. Well, went through every emotion in a boozer full of Scouse, both plastic and unemployed. First half I have to give credit for the Shock and Awe they unleashed on us. Best football I've seen for a long time and we had no answer for it.

Second half we were by far the better side, playing with belief - Big up to Jimmy Milner for that. It could have been a different story if Silva had scored from Kun's ball. Their winner was a mistake which could have easily come from Škrtel or Allen.

Yaya will be a loss, but Aguero back is a plus. If Liverpool play like they did against us second half against Chelsea, they'll get battered.

It's not over yet.

[The Original Special One]

If we do lose the league, it will come down to our "world class" striker being injured for big parts of the season. If we want to be a dominant force in europe and at home then we need our "stars" to be in the big games.

If Liverpool do win the league then i wont begrudge them as they have been the only team to match us. If we win all our remaining games and liverpool draw v chelsea or chelsea win we still win the league by 1 point!!

It aint over yet!

He is World-class; not "world class"

[blues2win]

Looking at the replay of the handball Skrtel punches it right off Garcia's head stopping a likely goal. Bad miss by the officials. Clattenberg did see the Suarez dive so Vinny's wrestling was irrelevant. We got the thin end of the decisions which was sadly predictable.

We're still in it. Keep the faith.

[The Original Special One]

Just got in. Well, went through every emotion in a boozer full of Scouse, both plastic and unemployed. First half I have to give credit for the Shock and Awe they unleashed on us. Best football I've seen for a long time and we had no answer for it.

Second half we were by far the better side, playing with belief - Big up to Jimmy Milner for that. It could have been a different story if Silva had scored from Kun's ball. Their winner was a mistake which could have easily come from Škrtel or Allen.

Yaya will be a loss, but Aguero back is a plus. If Liverpool play like they did against us second half against Chelsea, they'll get battered.

It's not over yet.

I'm not worried about the Yaya loss; start Javi Garcia, and Fernandinho knows he's got a disciplined defensive-minded player behind him while he goes roaming.
Plus we got the interaction between Silva-Nasri, and Silva-Nasri-Kun-Jimmy-boy-Zaba.
And Kolarov firing over those Scud-missiles when he plays.

I love Yaya to bits, and at his best there's nobody in the Premier League even comes close, but boy is the lad moody!

[Woodyblue]

Where to start? Really disappointing result today. I personally feel that though we can still win the league, we won't. If we don't it won't be because we lost today. For me, it was the four away games lost in first six games. We have been playing catch up ever since. Done it admirably mind, with just one defeat in 20 before today, but catch up nontheless and I think we've left ourselves too much to do. The referee today I actually thought handled the occasion very well as well as the game. Yes we could have had a penalty for the Silva incident, but Kompanys tug on Suarez could easily have been given as well. As for the Skrtel handball, not one City player appealed and it wasn't until a minute or two later it was picked up. Can therefore see why referee missed it. Again Suarez could've been booked for diving but in the cold light of day that accusation could be levied at Dzeko. Wrongly I might add but these incidents did even themselves out. Second half we were immense. Therein actually is our downfall too often this season. We only started to play when we are chasing the game. It has happened a number of times this season. Also the opposite has happened. Start well and tail off leading to the opposition getting back into games. We don't quite have the knack or knowledge of how to grind out results and see games through like rags or Chelsea seem to be able to do. Bringing Dzeko off actually stopped our momentum. Hindsight is great but Fernandinho would have come off for me, reverting to a 442. Milners crosses might then have found a target. We were unlucky with dippers third as merlin was just inches away from winning it for us, then they had a rare foray upfield and Komps ballsed it up bigtime. It happens. Some of the comments about replacing him must be wind ups. No defender is error free, and he has been and will continue to be, immense for us. The season isn't over yet. Not by a long chalk and though its not in our destiny, we start again next week. And if we do ultimately come up short in the Prem we regroup in the summer, refresh the squad and start all over again in August. We will be better equipped and more importantly, Pellers will be more accustomed to English game and his errors early doors will not be repeated. He is still the man for the job for me. Keep the faith fellow blues

Great post mate. Totally agree.

[hartfordsheartbeat]

You can read pellers like a book though. He has to get it into his head that some players are more suited to these games than others. Milner being the point in mind. He understands what this game would mean to our fans and put in a real shift. I have yet to see much evidence of the counts tactical nous either. it's all very well having a happy squad but there's times when you need to inject a bit of venom into them. slow starts have become the norm rather than the exception (rags excluded) Those 2 points needlessly dropped at arsenal looking very significant now.