Fear

[Mystic]

One thing really struck me last night, our players were scared, none of them wanted the ball, none of them we're confident to play with the ball or attack Madrid, and as a result Real rolled us over whilst our players were in awe.

There was a point in the second half when Markovic won the ball off Marcello on the right in our half, passed it back to Johnson, and then had the whole wing ready to run into, however he just stood there, scared to make the run and playing it safe, it wasn't until the whole of the Cenny shouted "Run" that he bothered to move, by that point the chance was gone.

This wasn't an issue just for him though, our midfield was overawed, I was told we bossed the early game (I missed than first 15 minutes thanks to the cunting M6 and M62), but what I saw was our players scared to match up to Madrid, Sterling seemed to be more interested in being annoyed at Balotelli than trying to play the game, Allen looked like a lost puppy, even Henderson was shy. It's frustrating because our midfield, if it got into their faces, would have had the beating of them, but they never really believed in themselves, and that's quite a worry.

Do we just have a fragile squad that's low on confidence? Even if we didn't capitulate again at the back, we'd have never won that game because we never believed in ourselves, and that filtered through to the crowd. It's worries me because it suggests that maybe Rodgers hasn't convinced the team that there is life after Suarez, and without the believe and swagger, we aren't doing anything this season. How do we get that confidence back?

Oh, I exclude Coutinho from this, he was absolutely brilliant last night, the team let him down.

 

[Actonian]

I've been watching Liverpool since 1961 and that's the first time I've seen a Liverpool team settle for a 3-0 defeat with 20 minutes to go. I do think there is a loss of confidence. The players seem to be on the back foot. The 3rd goal was down to that last night. A reluctance to attack the initial corner and then on the backfoot for the 2nd and 3rd balls. Another noticeable thing which reflects lack of confidence was that everyone takes an extra touch and the whole play is slowed down. Madrid were all one touch stuff, in fact a bit like us last season!

 

[Mystic]

I've been watching Liverpool since 1961 and that's the first time I've seen a Liverpool team settle for a 3-0 defeat with 20 minutes to go. I do think there is a loss of confidence. The players seem to be on the back foot. The 3rd goal was down to that last night. A reluctance to attack the initial corner and then on the backfoot for the 2nd and 3rd balls. Another noticeable thing which reflects lack of confidence was that everyone takes an extra touch and the whole play is slowed down. Madrid were all one touch stuff, in fact a bit like us last season!

Exactly, it's was ponderous and over thought, they cut us apart everytime they countered, and everyone was scared of that fact, which just made it easier for them, that will be a huge lesson for them last night.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

I've been watching Liverpool since 1961 and that's the first time I've seen a Liverpool team settle for a 3-0 defeat with 20 minutes to go.

Not the first time for me. We gave up against Portsmouth when we were 2-0 (?) down in a league game (I think, or maybe it was Reading) after 60 or 70 minutes a few seasons ago under Benitez. Think he had his eye on a CL game after that.

 

[RedStar]

I agree about the fear factor, we looked terrified collectively. These are the games when a captain needs to be talking to his teammates and keeping their heads in the game. Gerrard has seen tons of huge Euro games at anfield and should have been capable of this but he seems to shrink when we are losing our heads.

Have to disagree on the idea that our midfield was a match for theirs, I dont think any of our midfield 3 would make the bench at Madrid. For me the real shock was how much faster than us they were. With the exception of Sterling every one of their players seemed 2 yards faster than their opposite number

 

[Roopy]

I'd like to see some stats in regards to conceding goals.

Often, we seem to cop a goal and then cop another goal again very quickly.

 

[Modo]

Coutinho has really impressed after his time with Brazil

 

[RedStar]

Hes been much better since he was benched after stinking out the first few games. Good on him. We could do with taking that approach on a few others who appear to think there places are not subject to any competition.

 

[Hansern]

What was the average age on wednesday? For some of them it was the first big European night on Anfield and we have a very young team, nerves would obviousy be an issue.

I dont think we settled for anything but its a natural development at 3-0 with 20 mins to go.
We were tired and Real adjusted their team.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

I'd like to see some stats in regards to conceding goals.



Often, we seem to cop a goal and then cop another goal again very quickly.

From what I could compile; apologies if I left out any results (as if this isn't bad enough...):


2013 - 2014: League games in which we conceded 2 or more goals:
(a) Swansea 2-2 [Shelvey 2', Michu 64']
(a) Newcastle 2-2 [Cabaye 23', Dummett 56']
(a) Arsenal 2-0 [Cazorla 19', Ramsey 59']
(a) Everton 3-3 [Mirallas 8', Lukaku 72', 82'] // <= 10 mins
(a) Hull 3-1 [Livermore 20', Meyler 72', Skrtel og 87'] // <= 15 mins
(a) Man City 2-1 [Kompany 31', Negredo 45'] // <= 15 mins
(a) Chelsea 2-1 [Hazard 17', Eto'o 34'] // <= 20 mins
(a) Stoke 3-5 [Crouch 39', Adam 45', Walters 85'] // <= 10 mins
(h) Villa 2-2 [Weimann 25', Benteke 36'] // <= 10 mins
(a) Fulham 2-3 [Toure og 8', Richardson 63']
(h) Swansea 4-3 [Shelvey 23', Skrtel og 27', Bony 47'] // <= 5 mins
(a) Cardiff 3-6 [Mutch 9', Campbell 25', Mutch 88'] // <= 20 mins
(h) Man City 3-2 [Silva 57', Johnson og 62'] // <= 5 mins
(a) Norwich 2-3 [Snodgrass 29', Hooper 54', Snodgrass 77']
(a) Palace 3-3 [Delaney 79', Gayle 81', 88'] // <= 5 mins, <= 10 mins

2014 - 2015: League games in which we conceded 2 or more goals:
(a) Man City 1-3 [Jovetic 41', Jovetic 55', Aguero 69'] // <= 15 mins
(a) West Ham 3-1 [Reid 2', Sakho 7', Amalfitano 88'] // <= 5 mins
(a) QPR 2-3 [Vargas 87, 90'] // <= 5 mins

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In 2013-14, we conceded 2 goals or more in 15 games. In 10 of these games (26.3%), we conceded two (or more) goals in the same half within 20 minutes of each other. Actual breakdown of those occurrences (ie. no. of times we conceded within X minutes):

Bracket Home Away
<= 5 mins: 2 1
<= 10 mins: 0 4
<= 15 mins: 0 2
<= 20 mins: 0 2

In 2014-15, we've conceded 2 goals or more in 3 games. In 3 of these games (37.5%), we conceded two (or more) goals in the same half within 15 minutes of each other. Actual breakdown of those occurrences (ie. no. of times we conceded within X minutes):

Bracket Home Away
<= 5 mins: 0 2
<= 10 mins: 0 0
<= 15 mins: 0 1
<= 20 mins: 0 0

Not sure how this compares against our rivals' records.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Sorry I should have specified that those % figures refer to the percentage of all games played where we conceded 2 goals or more, i.e.
2013/14: conceded 2 goals or more within 20 mins in 10 out of 38 games = 26.3%
2014/15: conceded 2 goals or more within 20 mins in 3 out of 8 games = 37.5%

If you're interested in the % of games in which we conceded 2 or more goals within 20 minutes of each other vis-a-vis all games in which we conceded 2 or more goals, then it looks like this:
2013/14:
(A) conceded 2 goals or more = 15 games
(B) conceded 2 goals or more within 20 mins = 10 games
% (B/A) = 66.7%

2014/15:
(A) conceded 2 goals or more = 3 games
(B) conceded 2 goals or more within 15 mins = 3 games
% (B/A) = 100%

 

[Mystic]

Have to disagree on the idea that our midfield was a match for theirs, I dont think any of our midfield 3 would make the bench at Madrid. For me the real shock was how much faster than us they were. With the exception of Sterling every one of their players seemed 2 yards faster than their opposite number

I'm not saying our midfield was better than theirs, no chance, I'm saying that they could have got in their faces and bullied them, their midfield is full of talent, but wasn't the most physically imposing, a high spirited performance by us could have overrun them.