KopTalk.com Forums Football Liverpool FC Forum Furious at the players today.

We should not be relying on "Mourinho's comments" about giving up on fourth, and Arsenal's general post-season deflation to make fourth place in the top four. We should be aiming to knock City out of their perch in third place, and to do that we might have needed an extra two points today.

Firstly... Our team "should" be enough to win at Anfield on any given day. Period. The crowd is behind you. You're the players most used to the stadium, pitch and atmosphere. You're also going to be in control of possession so there are no excuses for needing to make changes to win the game.

Why was the team we put out not good enough? Was it the tactics? Was it the players and a lack of commitment? Was it a lacklustre display at the back, or at the front? Was it down to bad luck or bad officiating? Was it to do with injuries or suspensions? Or is it the fundamental larger issue, that actually right now, the clubs squad isn't good enough?

Personally, TODAY, I feel like this is 100% down to the players. I don't care for people asking whether we could have changed players earlier. Why are the players in need of Klopps changes to break down a team that didn't manage a decent attempt on goal against them in two league meetings!? On another day, a draw with clean sheet against Southampton might have been acceptable, but there is more at stake for us than that and we didn't show it.

I would go as far as to say that the only three players that started that didn't disappoint were the centre-backs and goalkeeper, who handled everything they had to with consummate ease. Both full-backs were disappointing going forward, the middle three were passengers. Coutinho and Firmino continued to drop deep when they needed to keep the defence occupied, and Origi, for all the athleticism, didn't get the ball enough, and fell away when he did.

Tactically, we didn't need Lucas, Can and Wijnaldum (three defensive/central) midfielders together today, but they have to learn to take responsibility and adapt to the needs of the team rather than play it safe. Sideways passes. Hopeful balls forward. Give it to the full-back. They are better players than that. Pace of play needs to pick up a HELL OF A LOT to be acceptable. We didn't need Coutinho and Firmino to look for the ball when the team needs them to occupy and stretch the defence for midfielders to exploit and support. We didn't need Milner (to face up and drop back onto his right foot) or Clyne (to fail to beat the first man crossing and sit deeper) when we're pressing for a goal. Finally, Origi, who is seen as a strong yet pacey forward, was outmuscled in his hold up play, and far too predictable when trying to beat a man. All in all, those 11 players weren't worthy of a 6/10 today

I'm done with covering this up/justifying it to myself. People can blame Klopp if they want to but this is a fundamental issue that has grown since January and its time the players dealt with the truth. They are playing to entertain and to win, and if you're any less than 100% committed to that, you're not fit to wear the shirt on matchday.

If I were Klopp, I'd have changed the team earlier. I'd have made it abundantly clear that their pitiful display was their fault alone, but Klopp will understand full well that had we lost that game on the back of those comments, they may have proven more damaging than comments for growth.

I realise our squad is the weakest of the top six, and that we do have some injuries, but that is no excuse for the last four months. I expect a big display next weekend. Arsenal could be a point behind us by then. No room to hide or disappoint. We should all expect better.

Today is down to the manager end of ,Milner could have bailed him out but alas.Unfortunately the LFC job seems to have become a poison chalice,which destroys good managers and players alike. Its become painfully obvious what teams will do when they come here,yet we go into every game the same and I dont have a clue why he wont change it.

Couldn't disagree more Kano. If you win 1-0, and we've been improving in that regard for grinding out results, you've done enough to get the result and deserve it. Ferguson built a legacy on those results. I find it incredibly mis-placed to think that Klopp is now somehow tarnished/underwhelming, that players become terrible at the club, or that we're not improving against these kinds of teams. There were positives in the game, even if they are hard to see right now, but I find that subjective position a little melodramatic and ill-conceived to be frank.

This was no different to the Watford game. Can's goal overshadowed the performance.

Southampton failed to have a shot on target in both league games.

They had a plan. It was better than ours. We need to find a way to score against teams that do nothing but sit back

The mood at Anfield today was not very complementary to the players and Klopp was getting some let's say questioning around where I was

Not melodramatic at all JJ I'm 100% behind Klopp just he seems to be making things difficult. You mention Ferguson and I can't help but think that Fergie would have started a must win home game with his strongest attacking options and if they were not fully fit taken them off later in the game. What worries me is rest assured it won't be every season the Gunners and the Mancs will have such poor seasons and we don't seem to be taking advantage of that. Southampton hardly have a back line of Neur,Maldini,Baresi, Lam and Nesta we should be able to break them down and it's happening far too often. What's the solution.. I don't know.

Yeah, I'm behind Klopp. But can't make the players a scapegoat, the manager needs to be blamed as well. For instance why can't we win crucial games? Why did we not reinforce the team?

This is the business end of the season Mr Bojangles. This is about results. I know we all watch and pay to see good football, but when they are not coming, you have to take solace from the progress you've seen and just look for the result. A point was not enough today, but a 1-0 win with a Can spectacular goal is a win and three points. That should be all we need, even if its a scrappy finish from two yards deflecting off of a defenders knee.

I firmly disagree that their plan was better. They, like all teams, come to win in any capacity they can. Puel even spoke of his disappointment at their counter attacking play. A point covers up the performances, which saw only one side on the front foot, but is fair, because we didn't break them down or take the chances we made. Better? No...

I understand that in the stands, in the game, during the game, you will go through questioning the manager and his decisions not to change it, and the players and their individual performances Stanley. Post-match, people are generally looking for larger answers. I think Klopp has made his own mistakes in the game, but the players should be held accountable for every moment they're on the pitch playing poorly when it is clear everyone is aware of what is at stake.

I think it is when you say that manager is responsible end of Kano. We've gone through a lot with the players we have, and he has shown to get a lot more out of them than Rodgers before him. He has also shown to sign players that have improved us, and you talk about not capitalising, but we're above both teams with the top four CL spot in our hands... It might not be the title Leicester managed, but capitalise he has, even if we all agree that blame in the squad depth also lies with him and we're all disappointed he hasn't managed to achieve more this season out of Europe.

I agree that we should be able to break them down. I think a lot of that lies in the squad depth, variety, and trust in players from the bench to make a difference and at the moment, Klopp clearly doesn't trust them to make the desired impact enough to make changes earlier. Blame him for that all you want, but the players on that pitch have no point of excuse for their pace of play or invention. I don't see how blaming Klopp answers why we didn't win today.

You make valid points JJ but Klopp picked a very defensive midfield to face a team who came to defend? Why I don't know,but surely that's down to him ,and surely it's the manager that dictates the players pace and invention otherwise what else is he on the sidelines for?

You're a stat man JJ, so how can you say Klopp gets a lot more out of his players than Rodgers did, when their stats are identical.