Evra, Ferdinand, Anderson and Hargreaves

ronney's only just come back. it always takes a few games for him to get back to top form.

Originally Posted by Whalefish

Tbh if they had scored I think our attacking players could have stepped up 2 or 3 gears quite easily. I don't think the defending was last ditch or anything like that. We were well organised and restricted them to the odd dip from range - I never really felt it was a back to the wall job. Apart from the free kick at the end I don't think I came close to shitting myself once.

I don't think the win was lucky either. It was tough but then I wouldn't have expected any less playing against 'anti-football' though. Kick and rush, hoof after hoof after hoof. All in all delighted.

Anderson and Hargreaves were immense.

However, there were times when I felt - or wished - our passing had been better. Oh and in Rooney's case he hadn't had to stretch for that ball towards the end. It'd been 2-0 if his little legs were a bit longer or if the lad was a little quicker.

I concur. My read of the match was that went with a game plan of letting their technically inept back four have a fair amount of space to move into, something they don't have the ability or intelligence to utilise at all, whilst heavily compressing the midfield area and using Tevez to harass and close down Mascherano (forcing Gerrard to come deep to pick the ball up from the back four). This meant that Rooney was fairly isolated up front, but also stopped them playing any kind of football through the midfield.

Didn't result in a pretty match, but it worked very effectively. VdS blunders aside, did they even create one decent chance in the entire match? Very impressive.

Originally Posted by Serenity Now

I concur. My read of the match was that went with a game plan of letting their technically inept back four have a fair amount of space to move into, something they don't have the ability or intelligence to utilise at all, whilst heavily compressing the midfield area and using Tevez to harass and close down Mascherano (forcing Gerrard to come deep to pick the ball up from the back four). This meant that Rooney was fairly isolated up front, but also stopped them playing any kind of football through the midfield.

Didn't result in a pretty match, but it worked very effectively. VdS blunders aside, did they even create one decent chance in the entire match? Very impressive.

agreed. the plan seemed to be to allow hypia to act as liverpool's play maker. the results of which we saw yesterday. a ferdinand he ain't. not a pretty game to watch (and not good on the nerves in the last 10 minutes - cheers for that wayne) but a very attractive three points.

I thought we were really comfortable to be honest. their best chance, Eddy acting a @#%&! aside, was a 25 yarder. We never let them cause us major problems because of the way our back 6 defended. I was slightly disappointed how we counter attacked though, just didn't seem to come off. As to Ronnie, though he did OK considering the put 3 players on him every time he got it.

I was convinced Gerrard was going to score with that free kick at the end though

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

I thought we were really comfortable to be honest. their best chance, Eddy acting a @#%&! aside, was a 25 yarder. We never let them cause us major problems because of the way our back 6 defended. I was slightly disappointed how we counter attacked though, just didn't seem to come off. As to Ronnie, though he did OK considering the put 3 players on him every time he got it.

and not forgetting brown having a shocker behind him. thought ronnie looked better when he moved more up front.

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

I thought we were really comfortable to be honest. their best chance, Eddy acting a @#%&! aside, was a 25 yarder. We never let them cause us major problems because of the way our back 6 defended. I was slightly disappointed how we counter attacked though, just didn't seem to come off. As to Ronnie, though he did OK considering the put 3 players on him every time he got it.

This was like another ronnie performance of this season rather than last season.

Lots of frustrating moments but come up with the goods at the right moment like the cross for rooney chance. Where as last year from first to last he was holding the game by the scruff of its neck and dictating it.

Hopefully he will improve.

Originally Posted by flange

I was convinced Gerrard was going to score with that free kick at the end though

The last 10 minutes was horrible and made even worse by the pissing smoking ban. I was a wreck.

Originally Posted by keano's love

This was like another ronnie performance of this season rather than last season.

Lots of frustrating moments but come up with the goods at the right moment like the cross for rooney chance. Where as last year from first to last he was holding the game by the scruff of its neck and dictating it.

Hopefully he will improve.

As I say, they were putting 3 players on him everytime he got the ball. The fgact he's still created a coupla chances despite this showsthe player he is and oppostion teams doing that create space for Tevez, Rooney et al. Personally I'm happy with Ronnie, I don't think he's quite up to last seasons standards but the team is, which is what matters.

Originally Posted by Crumps

The last 10 minutes was horrible and made even worse by the pissing smoking ban. I was a wreck.

Funny thing is though, they were putting us under pressure but created nowt, thanks to how well we defended. The free kick decision was a joke too, unlessd Peter Crouch is actually made of balloons.

Originally Posted by antonin jablonsky

Funny thing is though, they were putting us under pressure but created nowt, thanks to how well we defended. The free kick decision was a joke too, unlessd Peter Crouch is actually made of balloons.

I know but the doomlord in me will always raise his ugly fat head when we are in positions like that. I think I am dying as well.