Liverpool’s decision to allow kids free entry with an adult saw helped Anfield to it’s biggest Europa League attendance this season, in a game with little riding on the outcome after Liverpool had already qualified for the next round, and Utrecht were already out.
However, Roy’s promise of involving Torres and Reina in a strong line up, with neither taking part saw him fielding questions after the game suggesting that he decided against it, and didn’t lie to supporters to try and boost ticket sales.
Strangely however, Torres was on the bench, which made the whole affair even more bewildering.
So thousands of excited children came to their first ever game at Anfield with their proud parents, to witness a truly abject display. Symbolic of the recent football on offer.
The passionate Utrecht fans were amongst the highlight of the night – occupying parts of both the lower and upper Anfield Road. Their mexican waves, bouncing and their Beatles songs kept many entertained. Liverpool fans however seem to have already lost the will and levels of expectation seem to be on the decline. It almost looks like the reds fans have moved past anger and on to apathy. Screams at the players have gone, and been replaced with heads in hands and looking to the sky.
In the first half Jovanovic and Cole occupied the wings, although both were clearly struggling to cope in their positions. Jovanovic did hit a shot against the crossbar early on but that was about as good as it got. It seems he would have been far better utilised up front, as a target man, but the ineffectual Babel played up top – another depressing performance from him. When he had a chance to shine against Dutch opponents in a no pressure game.
Martin Kelly had a busy night but coped well. Busy in part because both Poulsen and Jovanovic insisted on passing backwards to him some of the most awkward passes they could.
Joe Cole was another disappointment on the night. When one ball landed at his feet in a great opportunity late on, he took on the appearance of a rabbit staring in to headlights, before firing the ball at the keeper.
Dani Pacheco offered glimpses of his talent. He came on second half but this time was played on the left wing. His first touch an excellent forward through-ball, one of the best passes of the evening. He won a free kick later on, and immediately grabbed the ball to take the dead ball. Cole snatched it off him before firing it low at the wall.
Dirk Kuyt did get a late run out, an opportunity for him to play against his old club. Their fans had been singing for his appearance for most of the game. Although he too failed to produce any work of note in his brief cameo.
Liverpool win the group and with the 23 other qualifiers and 8 teams from the Champions League will go in to the final 32 of the Europa League.
In a game at Anfield in which Liverpool could have set out with a degree of creative freedom, the reds were poor. Let’s hope the next generation of Liverpool fans are prepared to give the club another chance.
that damien comolli fills me with horror, just saw him on sky and his lack of ambition is just shocking, untill we change the whole of clubs mentalitty and go for better players and really try to pull of a couple of high profile deals, then we are just going to tred water, and i no for a fact that i am right.
this comolli is looking like a complete waste of time……watch the interview on sky and you tell me if this fills you with confidence,? and they want the fans to keep pumping our money!!
on a day that our so called super scout is away in nyon doing awaiting the europa draw which atletico madrid are not in. i find it hard to think why already as of 10pm last nite the club have not faxed a huge bid to sign aguero, im saying he would come, but for god sake its this type of aggressive deal doing that will get liverpool back to the top, i cannot think for the life of me me why lfc have not gone huge with this player, its the best time to buy when players are out of any european cups.
away to spara prauge in chech on the fri 17th, get a 1 nil away win then smash then at anfield, easy tie this, great draw!!!! get in, come you redmen, but first will we get rid of that bloke ROY HODGSON PLEASE…. AND NOW
sell most of the players uncluding that donkey shelvy, waht the hell is there about that one paced donkey, he is just rubbish, spearing is miles better.
out;
babel, poulsen, konchesky,jones,el zhar, degen, plessies, insua, aquilani,shelvy,darby, joe cole, jovanovic.
please all go and lets invest for once and do it properly this time.
and know i dont mean over rated crap like cahil, n zogbia and all that, i mean;
mata, turan, young, coentrao, bastos, luiz, pereria, lopez suarez aguero
If he had played Torres and Reina you would have been complaining that he risked our best players in a match that didn’t matter.
Whatever he did, he couldn’t win.
Grow up, and stop whinning.
You are exactly right. Nobody thought Torres should play.
The problem was that on Tuesday Roy came out and said he would. It was a mistake entirely of his own making.
yes we are slipping to new lows liverpool is a joke now. no one fears us any more. it just goes from bad to worse
It’s time to start venting our frustration at the owners. It’s absolute nonsense to suggest that they haven’t had the time to make a difference at anfield. The biggest difference they could make is to bomb Hodgson immediately and get the ship back on course. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Purslow is poison. He bombed Rafa and appointed Hodgson, ignoring Kenny in the process. He’s never gonna tell the owners he ballsed up by appointing Hodgson and so they’ll keep listening to him.
Post removed: Do not post in ALL capital letters.
I have supported Liverpool for more than 40 years, and what you forget is that hodgson was appointed by thicks, they were frauds and so is hodgson, time after time he makes excuses and twists facts & last night again, a prime example thousands of kids encouraged to come to Anfield, and they see this old codger playing his 8 men defensive tactics (watch it again to see how deep we played, at home!) against an average dutch side..he apologises (again) to his buddies in the media,
I would make him apologise to each and every supporter, because he is dragging us down to his level, but its so obvious to 95% of us, jet journos and explayers (who want an english manager at all costs?) big him up, that is disgusting because they are putting their bias before the wishes of the vast majority of LFC Supporters, this is the first time in my life i have ever been ashamed of an LFC “manager” .
… IMO Henry, Werner, & “fenway” are to blame, they took on something they know nothing about, have listened to Purslow and not us,,,overlooked Kenny, endorsed hodgson, appointed “damian” who also “admires” hodson (enough said?), a loser who has won nothing of significance ..which completely contradicts the aclaimed NESV “we are winners” mantra (& VERY slick) ” PR ” …but fits perfectly into the previous LFC office “spin” which is now sickening.. when you complain , REDmates, direct your bile at the source ..the owners have the power to correct the hodgson error….so, are they naive , or clueless, or ..worse?
i agree with you 100% ,,,i live in the us now but have supported LFC for 39 years…i missed my first match on purpose…cant watch this impostor
NESV are not trusting the fans …actually i think its a power play…that’s the mentality of franchises over here ..fans have no input and are expected to support ..end of…i believe its a smoke and mirrors act …just keep LFC in the prem and make money from its branding
At this stage we will lose ALL our stars as they want to be playing in the CL next year at this stage we wont even get into the europa league. He has to go now or we are done for.
If he thinks that we will keep reina, torres or any of the so called big names then think again on these results. We are slipping further behind united as we are let alone giving this prat any more time. GET KENNY in NOW until the end of season then evaluate things from there.
Who is he going to sign in Jan more bum
Last night was an absolute joke, why did Woy state before the game that he was playing a near full team was it just to get a crowd in? That should never need to be done especially on a european night. The guy played a team that was more than capable of winning. We had at least 4 internationals in our starting line up.
The players just do not seem to want to play for him and the jibs he is pulling is beyond me, he does not have a clue what he is doing. Apart from draggin LFC into the mire.
Last night was one of the worst games I have ever had the misfortune of seeing live and even at £20 a ticket I felt ripped off.
Noblelox,you are correct,the kop was quiet,but it wasnt made up of day-trip-tourists,just lots of fed up fans who had given up their time and money only to watch a slow,defensive display avoid of ideas and creativity.
Your match report is good,if not a little harsh on babel who had to cope with long balls to his head or heavy through balls.
Overall a terrible game!
I agree with all that, a pretty good and balanced review of the match. In my life, I have never been on the Kop before where everyone was silent and sat down within 10 minuted of kick off. Part of that can be blamed that the Kop was mainly made up of day-trip tourists, but also down to the apathy your highlight.
Personally I was filled with expectation. Expectation that Hodgeson cannot limp on for much longer, and it shames me that we may go through 2 managers in one season, but needs must!