Gerrard praises Reds and Pennant
Submitted by tony on Mon, 2007-01-01 20:30.
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard says Jermaine Pennant deserves recognition after his performance today against Bolton.
Pennant had a hand in Crouch and Gerrard's goals, and the Skipper was quick to point this out , along with praise for the rest of the team.
It was the perfect start: a home win, three points and a clean sheet and we played some really good football against a decent side.
"It's been a great week for me personally but personal things are put to one side when you go onto the pitch.
"It was a great team performance and there should be a special mention for Jermaine Pennant. He's been criticised this season but today he was fantastic, his crossing from the right was superb.
"My goal was really nice. I was really quiet second half but I was pleased with the goal.
"We've had a decent run of late and it was important to keep that going today. We were disappointed to lose at Blackburn because we've been playing well, but the idea now is to keep going and keep trying to close the gap on the top teams every week
Pennant's Performance
In the first half, there were a few people in the ground calling Pennant every name under the sun, until he came out in the second half and showed everyone what he is capable of.
He didnt stop running in the second half, and he kept beating defenders, not just getting crosses in, but his short passes were pretty much spot on also.
I will be the first to admit i have been disappointed in him this season, but after today i take everything i said back, he was brilliant today!
Good on you!
Pennats taken a while to find his feet and adapt to the system but we are finally seeing that we have actually got a bargain for a pace skillful winger. If we can get him flying between now and the end of the season then i don't think the tittle race is over just yet. mark my words pennant is key to our season as he frees up stevie to do what he does best.... Boss midfields. And if Peter crouch can bloody score with a header we'll have a better chance cos in Khyt we might have the hardest working striker in the prem!! I've been critical of Rafa over the start of the season and i still stand by a lot of what i said (tyron26) the team finally has the right balance yet and it's a shame injury had to bring this point home. Kewell to come back as well as the formidible MOmo plus lucas from blackburn and we could be very lively in the 07!
As for Fernando torres .. I can't see him coiming to us and I also can't see him being a big hit in the prem
remember.....
well it's that weekend again for all reds all over the world. 18yrs ago t/m we lost 96 fans, brothers, sons, daughters, sisters, aunts, uncles, grandsons, grandaughters, nieces and nephews in such a tragic event with each passing year the feelings doesn't fade but seem to grow stronger. and with these feelings we as a club can unite t/m wherever we are and pay our respects to the 96 liverpool fans who went watch a game of football and never came home. debates rage still to this day that justice hasn't been done and no, it hasn't. things happened that day what we are not to know about. things happened that day what we were never supposed to see at a football ground and STILL nobody is to blame? the truth will come out eventually, it always does.
so t/m we pay our respects to the 96 and also to their families. you will never, ever walk alone. JUSTICE FOR THE 96 YNWA
Arsenal
I'm sure we are all looking forward to Liverpool's two games versus arsenal over the next 7 days. Hopefully we can have a repeat of the fighting display we have shown against Bolton on monday. If we go out on to the pitch on both occasions with the same mentality as we did on monday, we can make an embarassment of arsenal, which is what we want of course
Pennants maturing dont u think ?
Pennant seems to create goal scoring opportunities every time he comes on as a sub. He always seems to add something .Earlier this season, there were several threads suggesting Pennant was nowhere near god enough to play for LFC and he was getting slated pretty much every week. These negative threads about him have become pretty much non existent over the last month or 2. He is winning over more and more fans every time he plays.
He does add a genuine threat on the right wing and it is a very good option to use to freshen/change things late on in a game whilst freeing up Gerrard to go more central.
Overall, i have been very impressed with his attitude and application this season and i believe he has improved alot. He may not start much at the moment but i am very happy to have him as a great option from the bench at least
Getting impressive
yeah, he really is improving just like Crouch...may be at the end we will just need another striker, and no need to buy anyone else, just keep the team strong together just like ManU did last yeah and conquer the title...
the players need to acquire consistency!
Keep improving guys...
Good Post
True SFL1979, credit where credits due! He's come on leaps and bounds, as long as he keeps his head down and works hard he'll be part of the LFC revolution ... best times of his career !!
Crouch, Benitez & The Prem
The normal Benitez service was resumed against Reading. Arbeloa our new right / left back. Sissoko playing right midfield and Crouch back to his best. One scapegoat that never gets mentioned is Bellamy - he must look at Crouch and wonder what he has to do. I didn't rave when Crouch scored against Arsenal and PSV. It's what he's paid to do and we shouldn't have to wait nearly two years to see it. The 5 man midfield looks our best solution with natural wingers / wing backs playing. Gerrard is then free and the whole team looks like a unit. Rafa decide on one bloody system and stick to it - or we will never improve in the Premiership. If we start arsing about like this again in August we will be behind by September. Players need a rest and we will have injuries but we should stick to one system.
r u Joking ?
we have the most tactically astute manager in the game and you want him to stick to just one system ?
don't you think it may be somewhat of a disadvantage that every opposing team would know our system week in week out and would therefore be able to counteract it.
This is why otleyred Rafa is the Gaffa and your not.
R U Joking
4 - 5 - 1 gives you more flexibility. Better than the nonsense of playing Gerrard out of position for most of the season. The most tactically astute manger in the game? - only if you want to come third, fourth or even fifth in the Premiership on a regular basis.
Rafa no
we have nt won the title under Rafa
because we dont have the players !but the cup wins of the last 2 seasons are a result of the tactics employed by the manager where we have beaten teams with superior squads and resources (along with having the best midfielder in the world game at the moment ) it sounds like you dont rate Rafa perhaps you would like to suggest who you think would do a better job ?
Not only did Rafa guide us
Not only did Rafa guide us to Champions League glory but he did it with the likes of Smicer, Biscan, Baros, Dudek and Traore in the squad / team.
Tactical genius, surely?
Tactics are half the battle
I think where Benitez is strongest is in the belief he gives his team that they can win in Europe against anyone. I respect the man greatly for the belief he instils in his team whatever European giant they are playing. Winning the 2005 Champions League with such ordinary players will never be repeated. But neither would Benitez himself if he had to use the same players again. It was a one off season as regards the inferior players we then possessed. Some of them were terrible.
Tactically astute Rafa definitely is, in European knockout games anyway. But genius is too strong a word and too easily used. His decision to not play Didi Hamann in the final of 2005 which allowed Kaka all the space to wreak havoc in front of our back four was a glaring tactical error which we paid for dearly throughout that first half. So was the decision to play the perenially mistake ridden Traore at left back when he could have played Riise there and Kewell left midfield. Traore had a dreadful first 75 minutes and no one was surprised. He shouldn't have played unless there was absolutely no option.
So to call Rafa a tactical genius is over the top. But for Gerrard's brilliant last minute goal we had also lost an FA Cup final against an inferior side.
In Europe he seems to have the right balance of confidence, organisation and attacking weapons to score the vital goals. But it helps that we are usually underdogs against the big clubs and he has an incredible crowd at Anfield to be the 12th man that few clubs can match. But two semi-finals in 3 years is an excellent return in the Champions League.
Who else other than bentitez
Who else other than benitez can bring us Premiership glory and also be able to challenge for european competitions ?
Before i used to think 1red1pool was wrong, but as of late i can see where he is coming from.
Gum chewing fergie can do it and so can moaninho .What is it the benitez lacks? Knowledge of the premier league ?? he's been in it for three years and been quite impressive, but he still lacks the final touch where its been away from home.To be able to win almost everything u have to be able to beat the "small" teams with no disrespect intended (well a little bit on evertons behalf).
does he need time ?? or does he need more money..well the money should be available for him next season and time ..well some of us fans are running out of it to be honest.Still i come back to the question of who else instead of benitez can be challenging for all competitions at the same time..i cant think of anyone to be honest except kenny dalglish but his days as a manager are over...i always think of what it might of been if he stayed on and didnt go to blackburn...oh well.
The game today is going to be a tough one and we need to show the passion that we had when we demolished arsenal<<
for sure
Alright scouse for life?. Rafa lacks the mentality of a top EPL manager, yes he's a nice guy who believes in hard work but he dosen't have that gritty factor about him that you maybe need. He trys to instill order by using a rotation system to keep players on their toes, however if your not continually winning it looses a lot of it's potency. The other day he is reported in the paper as saying he keeps stevie on his toes by
not paying him any credit and insisting he can do better! Fair enough but then to say these are the same tactics he employs with his 8yr old daughter is a slap in the face to arguably the best midfielder in the world!! Rafa may be better suited with a right hand anfield man beside him in the mold of Aldridge, even if only for a couple of seasons. But with his Spanish yes men who seem more concerned with diet than actual ability he's not going to get an outside opinion.
Mourinho has warriors ... the team spirit is immense you can see it on the pitch and interviews. They regularly meet up outside and have game nights on the old xbox ps2 .. and that builds commraderie! No one hides there as the manager won't have it!! Too many LFC players have been allowed to hide and that has to change .. call a spade a spade and give credit where it's due! dropping points to teams such as today at the business end of the season is not the true mark of champions and it's a worry!!
I think we'll qualify for champs footy but we have been fortunate at the same time... some say that doesn't matter its where you are that counts, but when good fortune runs out true form shows!!!
We have some new lads coming in the summer, allegedly 40 mill to spend and new owners... and the possibility that the prick parry will be sacked .. This for me is his money season he has to challenge all the way till May and I don't mean 3rd! Anything less and he will know about it!!
Too cautious in Premiership
Our draw at City was miserable stuff and while it doesn't matter so much now we can only come 3rd, it still shows our greatest problem in the Premiership.
Benitez's primary instinct is caution. Keep a tight defence and the goal will come eventually. It works in Europe. But too often in the Premiership away from home he lacks the moral courage to let the team open up and go for goals. Draws away from home are not good enough to win the league anymore. Utd and Chelski have set new standards. Benitez has to take the risks away from home next season to win the games. He can't keep accepting these boring 0-0 draws. If in the last 15 minutes of these games we are level then he needs to let Gerrard stay foward and not track back. He needs to take risks to win these games. Clean sheets are not so great if you keep dropping 2 points in a league where you need to win, win, win, home and away. This is the reality he needs to accept. The Premiership winners will win a lot more games than the La Liga winners if you compare this season and the last few. Rafa needs to realise that a draw away in Spain to the midtable teams is ok, in England it's points dropped.
Teams like Man City are
Teams like Man City are always going to sit back and defend against the likes of Liverpool. It makes for shite football, but its the only way they'll survive. I admire a team like Watford who try to play the game properly. But they're just not good enough. To break down the likes of Man City, Everton, Bolton and Sheff Utd you need to show some craft and then put a finishing touch (a goal) on the end of it. These are teams that we've lost 12 points to in the 8 fixtures. Steven Gerrard is gone off form again and needs to to pick things up for the run in and the Champs League. He was the difference in the tough games against these teams and should, as captain, set the bench mark for the other LFC players.
rafa and the title
when liverpool were winning the title left, right and centre back in their heyday there wasn't much in the way of opposition around to stop us, apart from nottingham forest, aston villa and everton over a 12yr period from 1978 to 1990. out of those 3 as much as i hate to say it everton pushed us the most, the local rivalry playing a major part.
today it is such a different story. we have 4 top teams in the premiership, all capable of great things. some have been their, seen it, done it all and worn the t-shirt i.e man ure and the gooners. chavski are only their because of roman's millions so they don't count!
for liverpool and rafa benitez to win the premiership it is going to take one hell of an effort and it is one i am sure can happen but rafa needs more time to build his squad and the new funds from the takeover will help but rafa isn't one to just go out and spend. he won't buy superstar names just for the sake of it as he has the future of our great club at heart. and what a future it could be given time. rafa is the right man for the job, end of story.
The Rafa Debate
You have to rate Benitez for what has been achieved in Europe but I do not belive he is a genuis. Following the Reds in the 60's 70's 80's etc we were the best in England and then conquered Europe.
I would prefer to be the best in England again - as we all would. So far I do not belive Rafa has "adjusted" to the Premiership particularly away from home where he has proven to be anything but a tactical genius. I still believe we need someone next to him to develop the premeirship mentality. We cannot continue to lose /draw at Middlesbrough, Blackburn, Bolton, Eveton, Aston Villa, Newcastle etc. Crack this problem and we have a genius in the making.
82 points in the league last
82 points in the league last season, not a bad total. Our highest in nearly 20 years. Any other season in the last decade with that amount and we'd have won the league. Its just about getting a settled squad.
Title should have been Ours!!!
Well 82 points last season, so had Benitez not been stubborn and let other players played instead of having extra faith in Peter Crouch last season, the title should have been ours!!!
If Fowler would have not been bought and bring us victory in the last 6 matches by his prolific goals, do u guys really think we would have been 82 points???
Had Rafa not implemented the wrong squad rotating system at the beginning of the season, don't u think we should have been closer to 82 pts again???
Players are paid to play, one week rest is enough, ManU or Chelsea are not resting their players yet they kept winning, so whats so special about the liverpool squad that they needed extra rests??? And if the rotating was providing good result we would have been satisfied but it was worst result after the rotation!! All of us wanted the best team to be fielded in each and everymatch, but that was not the case...
New tv station
About time too. Why are we so behind everyone else? I really think Rick Parry was/is a very inadequate man in the job. He just seems to lack the innovation, urgency and ambition that is needed at giant clubs.
You can be sure he wouldn't get employed at any other huge club given the way he has let Liverpool fall behind. Were we not even one of the last Premiership teams to launch an official club website too? Really poor stuff at such a great club.
I would sell alonso to Barca
ONLY if they will let rafa sign eto and xavi. alonso will leave within the next 2 years and sign for barca. rafa needs a top class striker ie eto. rafa will need a playmaker, if alonso is sold ie xavi. deal or no deal?.
owen
i would like owen back if hes over his injury he knows the liverpool way and like the other strikers is less a gamble the signing to newcastle was a mistake you can blame his agent for that iheard when liverpool did not sign him he cried his eyes out imagine owen with the mancs no way do i want that rafa give him ago he will score 20 plus aseason at 12mil cheaper than villa and he has proved it in the prem unlike villa or the rest mike belongs at liverpool he knows that now
I agree about Owen, I'd like
I agree about Owen, I'd like to see him back at Anfield. Maybe he would be a let down; but if we gave Cisse and ten million to Newcastle, and Owen told them he wanted to return, we would get him.
I think he made a huge mistake to leave, realises it now and would be even more hungry to score goals for Liverpool if he got that 2nd chance. He's as good as Villa if he's fully fit and he's a lot cheaper and knows the league and styles inside out. Him or Anelka should return in the summer.
No disrespect
No disrespect Rouman but things aren't bad enough for me to want to take Owen back. He made his bed and thats it!! I'd off load crouch and Zenden and use the cash to buy Bent from Charlton someone with pace power and height.
Owen
I to think he made the biggest mistake of his life,
he would have a champions league medal if he had stayed.
And yes he was a good Liverpool player but he has got to many injuries to give 100% to LFC.
Owen's Injuries
While in my heart of hearts, i would love to see Michael Owen back at Liverpool, the sad reality is, how many games will Rafa get out of him. Hes so injury prone now, that you wonder is it really worth taking a risk on him and of the injuries hes sustained, what has those injuries taken out of him.
Hes a fantastic player and his finishing is second to none and i was gutted that he went to Newcastle instead of Liverpool. But with the setbacks and injuries hes had, i dont know if he could recapture his form, i dunno maybe im wrong, i'd like to think i am, but personally i would like to see Anelka back at Anfield, he was fanatstic during his 6 month spell and his link up play was briliant, a proper team player, unfortunatley for him, Houllier had other plans and it was a huge mistake to get rid of him. Hes on form now at Bolton and like what 1Red1Pool said with his experience of playing in the Premiership, he would be less of a risk compared to some of the La Liga players we've been touted with, so maybe theres no harm in Rafa putting in a bid for Anelka, on his day he is world class, fact!!!!
Who's to say we would have
Who's to say we would have won the Champs league with Owen up front. when he played for us our style was different. The ball over the defence for him to run on to. This might not have suited european football and we may have suffered. Anelka would be a good signing as I've said before, he matured a bit now so we might not see the strops he threw at the likes of Arsenal, Madrid and Man City. The only time he was level headed was his six months at LFC. He is class and can score from anywhere, a proper STRIKER. He just wants to score. Has also remained injury free (touch wood) throughout his career.
6pts from safety....
3pts tonite and then 3 again saturday will, barring a disaster, guarantee us champions league football next season and with it being 2 home games against m'boro and wigan you would expect 6pts. we can turn our attentions to the champions league tie with chavski and relax to a certain degree and concentrate 100% on chavski knowing we are in "the safety zone" in the premiership so to speak if we do collect those 6pts.
i believe that if the above scenario is in place before the 1st encounter with chavski it could work in our favour.
i don't care what anyone says, we are the underdogs against chavski and that's how i like it. the pressure is on them as they are still going for the quadruple. in fact we are the underdogs of the last four. man ure and ac milan are rated more likely to lift big ears on my 23rd than us lot according to the bookies.
every red fan must think it but i'm gonna say it. may 23rd, number 6, it's coming home...again!!!!
Post new comment