Sissoko and Aurelio out of Everton match
Submitted by tony on Fri, 2007-02-02 22:41.
Momo Sissoko and Fabio Aurelio have been ruled out of the Merseyside derby.
It was thought Sissoko would make the squad originally having returned to training, but has not fully recovered from his shoulder injury, and Fabio Aurelio has a foot injury that has forced him to play no part.
Aurelio confirmed his injury: "I'm disappointed because it's a very good game, the atmosphere is brilliant and the team is doing well at the moment,"
"Also because I had just started to improve my physical condition. It's rubbish to have to stop again but I just have to be patient.
"I hope that I will be fit for the next game against Newcastle"
Liverpool 1 - Everton 4
yeah, thats the point from the match, Everton has taken 3 points from liverpool, all this due to useless strikers!! Especially Peter Crouch who scores only against relegated team like watford, charlton or west ham... at least kuyt and bellamy tried something in the match, but Crouch wasted all the golden opportunities given to him, had it beeen another striker in his place liverpool should have won by 3-0. We should have sold him when was getting 12 million for him and get a better striker, who is not useless, who can head balls, who don't fall in the opposite square when he get the ball and who don't shoot only on the goalkeeper..
same old story
Playing Khuyt on the left for half the game was shear lunacy and to use crouch up against a physical everton defence well what was he hoping, crouch would go down and we'd get a penalty... Pathetic!! why does Rafa do these things ??
Once again it has shown our style of football has not significantly improved and was embarrassing.. (sigh) to every one out there who thinks we are progressing nicely think again ... we re now going to have to fight for 4th spot champions league as assnall who are also in a rich vain of form (but get this ) play quality football will be clicking their heels with excitement. I like this web site because we tell it how it is and finishing fourth or third each yr with the motto 'we got more points than last season...... however so did everyone else' sounds shite! Get this I'm so bloody upset and we didn't even loose I feel like I'm just being cock teased by a glammed up tart (the boardroom and Rafa) who never deliver and have all the excuses in the world. Ok so maybe we won't win the prem for the foreseeable future but in the mean time can we get some folk in who understand about creativity on the pitch who bring flair and guile and a manager who doesn't just seem like a nice guy from spain!!
Small team tactics for a small team
Of course that draw today and our performance had a lot to do with ourselves. Other threads can deal with our failings (such as our finishing, passing, and certain players). I just want to draw your attention to something, namely that I have never seen an Everton team ever play for a 0-0 draw in a Derby before. Nick a goal and then defend, yes. But they knew today they weren't even capable of that.
They knew there is a massive difference in class between us, together with something like 20 points. They already had their big win against us in September, so Moyes, that gobshite small team manager, decided that they really didn't need to try winning today.
Their tactics today were the sort of tactics the likes of Scarborough would use against us in an FA Cup tie. Absolutely pathetic.
Their main threat seemed to be through throw-ins taken by Phil Neville. That says a lot. Their only chance came through a mistake.
If I was an Everton fan, I would be at least a bit ashamed of my team today. Blues who watched the game with me were critical of their tactics, which were small team tactics for a small team. Rafa was right.
__________________
Benitez
Why does anyone think progress is being made? Millions spent on a forward who cannot head a ball, has no pace or any strength. A right winger allowed to go by Leeds, Birmingham & Arsenal. A stubborn manager who declares no interest in the FA Cup or Carling Cup. (After we lose!) Whose tactical niavity means we cannot beat Sheff Utd, Middlesbrough, Blackburn, Everton, Portsmouth. Slags off ex players - Biscan and Smicer without foundation both of whom played instrumental parts in his Champions League draw. (Penalty victory) and tells us "we need to see the bigger picture". We have lived the "bigger picture" under Shanks, Paisley and Dalglish. Going absolutely nowhere with this clown in charge. Did he not know what tactics Everton would use - most of us had a rough idea in September. Slightly better than Bolton and Reading. Thanks for Istanbul - Thanks for the Arsenal pasting. Adios Amigo asap.
Pennant and Alonso cost us
There appeared to be some significant lack of quality passing all over the pitch, and sure there were some questionable managerial decisions. But for my money, the biggest problems on the pitch were Xabi's frequent decision to blast volleys rather than try to service the ball in. Moreso than that, Pennant was absolute rubbish today. His crosses and corners were rarely on target, and he never linked up with players effectively. Yet another game where he's proven to be problematic. True lunacy!
0-0
0-0...
we had Three STRIKERS!!!We had 27 shots 10 on target... what went wrong?!!!
Useless Strikers!!!
Thats wat went wrong!!! We've got the wrong strikers who don't kno how to score goals, of course except against teams which are about to be relagated(against whom even a non professional like me can score)
We desperately need for good strikers who can score goals and be at the right place at the right time!
skill
we need players who can take players on and beat them not just booting the ball in the apponents area how many times from corners free kicks do liverpool players win headers hanotrdly any keep the ball on the deck and give robbie a go not just 5 mins here and there
he might not be robbie of old but give him the ball in the box and he will bury it
well said
Risse for has dipped of late no probs as we have cover ?? Well no actually we haven't as we sold warnock and Aurellio is more injured then not. This was the player who valencia allowed to leave on a free because get this .. he was always injured.. but what the hell lets have him any way. I truly believe we have some very talented players but they just don't seem to be playing with any freedom... u don't buy a ferrari to drive it on muddy bumpy country lanes no you take it on the track and let it do it's thing. Craig bellamy is a good stiker but he gets very little service and is forced wide much of the time how frustrating is that. xavi alons has now been eclipsed as the best spanish import by fabregas.. he really is just a glorified defender and without his passing range which has gone ary there's not much to his game. Right now he has to be more involved and i wouldn't mind seeing him further up the field with mascherano becoming the holding midfielder. Then we have the problem of where do we play gerrard and it all boils round xavi. Also the team needs to put it on the floor and move the ball around our movement is shite and it's making our play look shite. we have pace on the wings in pennant and gonzalez and with more off ball movement these guys wouldn't have to beat every one they come across which is added pressure .. if I'm an opposition defender I know those to lack in confidence to beat me plus the added bonus that their team mates wont make any clever runs so then his only aspect is to pass the ball back. And then we slaughter them for not being good enough! they were quality at their last clubs like so many other players but they come here and don't perform and suddenly they aren't good enough to wear the red shirt. How about another point of view ..perhaps the training and tactical aspect of LFC is not good enough! Rafa came over after winning to la ligues when barca were in decline and real were in turmoil that is still going on .. he inherited a good team and was fortunate with results. Take away the champions league and is he just houllier in disguise. now i know thats very controversial but i wonder...
Alonso
Alonso's passing looks shite because he has no one to pass to up front. He gets the ball, looks up and can only see Crouch hiding, Bellamy offside and Kuyt standing beside him in midfield. Kuyt is a game winner, scored the first vital goal against Chelski when we played them off the park. Why play him left wing. Looks like a Kuyt & Fowler (once again) partnership will have to save our season. We lost too many points on account of Crouch's poor finishing, poor movement and general lack of knowledge about the game.
sounds right
Khuyt and fowler up front does sound right as both can finish and are very clever off and on the ball but they must remain up front as options for stevie and and xavi. Yes they must pressure the op when we loose the ball but i do not want to see Khyut continually dropping deep to receive the ball.. both aren't blessed with pace so they need to stay up. Some may now be thinking back to rafas earlier statement that stevie on the right brings balance to the team it seems this is the case because of the system that he insists on playing. Gerrard is the best midfielder in the country in fact he shits on his counterparts yet lampard / scholes /cesc / etc all manage to work in the middle of the field to great effect for thier teams. So whats so different ???
How dose Crouch continue to play for the first team it's got to the stage where he's given special dispensation because he's such a nice guy. He is not strong enough and his movement is shite and for friggs sake he can't even header! lol I have to smile as i write that! got a tough game with newcastle and we have to play it straight. Pennant isn't performing and i'm sure many will remember that i'm his strongest supporter but i won't get into that now. Finnan has been extremely consistent so how about playing him on the wing and given the new guy a deputy with the added bonus of finnan helping out. Risse and aurellio on the left and stevie and xavi or macherano with khuyt and fowler up front or even bellamy!
whats everyones opinion?
Rafa
there s no guilt on the players!!!!rafa makes bad moves!!!
he transfered the formation from good one(4-4-2) into something like nothing(4-2-3-1).
Alonso or Gerrard
I have this feeling that Gerrard and Alonso midfield pairing does not work.I have doubt over a deep lyning playmaker and a box to box attacking midfield pairing .It seem that Alonos is unable to exert his influence when gerrard is beside him .In Ac milan ,Andy pirlo partner Gattsuo a defensive midfielder.At arsenal Fabragas pair up with silva a defensive midfield .It appear that both deep lying player maker are able to exert their influence in the middle while more mobile player like kaka for ac milan and Rosicky for arsenal is being push to the flank .Rafeal could be right when he push gerrard to either flank.
At the moment it seem that Alonos and gerrard pairing contradicted lfc play.There is no one two between them .The moment Alonso have the ball ,gerrard is well ahead of him and no where insight .I have to agree with Philk14 ,alonso find one to pass to except defender behind him .Maybe the centre pairing equation is Alonso plus a defensive midfield or gerrard with adefensive midfield .It is Alonso or gerrard not ALonso and gerrard.
special striker needed
Kuyt ,bellamy and crouch are just compotent striker not with special quality to lead the line or saved lfc from adversity .Man u have rooney ,Arsenal have Henry and van persis and chelsea have drogoba and sheva .Kuyt is not a van bastern and Dennis .Bellamy and crouch are only good sidekick.What ifc need is a creator and scorer who turn half chances into goal and create somthing out of nothing .
Striker
LFC must search for a striker who score goals... once he get the ball he should think of putting the ball into the net!!!!!
Money
Speculation is sayin that the yanks are buying the club, the debt, stadium, and are also putting in an extra 120M..........for benitez to spend! He has to do it wisely tho(which im sure he will) - but who are all these kids he's signed? Signed another on deadlne...Huth?? who is he and all the others!?!?!?
If no strikers....
I've been saying this for a long time, that Crouch is useless against teams which are not in relegated zones and Bellamy is not ready enough to be a liverpool player coz he don't manage dribbling, is always offside and lacks the quality for good finishing..So whats the option?? The transfer window is close now!!
Lverpool need to start learning from other top teams how to get off this.. That is to get other players on the scoresheet, not just to wait for strikers to score.
Just look at ManUre in the weekend game or Arsenal game against liverpool in september, its there defenders who are scoring goals AND not from Corners BUT from free play so why can't liverpool players get in the opposition box occasionally when the other teams player are focussed only on strikers!!
Thats what has make ManU and Chelsea in front of us in the league, the capacity to get all players from their team on the scoresheet!!
I think Rafa left his coaching school too soon, earlier than expected and was not ready. He made his practice at ManU and Arsenal, learned a few things but forgot to ask questions..How do i win if i have useless strikers in my team??
too true
the team definetly need to chip in more when it comes to goals but on a whole the level of play has to greatly improve. it's quite embarressing being linked to the tittle and then putting up a display like the 1 at everton. Now we can all turn round and say they came for a draw but in truth we never really threatened and that needs to be said. stop hidding rafa!! and as for this alledged 100 plus mill transfer budget... do me a favour !! That is the most spin i'v heard since clinton insisted that he did not have relations with that girl. Be very warey of bankrupt yanks who come into town talking big money...! our style of play must be more fluid and the movement far clever! and if thats what everyone can see and it dosen't seem to be improving under rafa well what can u do?? as for his limited budget... bollocks look what harry rednaps done at pompey look what coppels done at reading and look what big sams done at bolton. mooyes said that we'd spent big money over the years and he weren't lying so rafa stop hidding
wat about if we dont have
wat about if we dont have any strikers left
Rafa won't give in
While Many Liverpool fans are saying that crouch should not be playing for us, or any team of Liverpool's standard, I don't think Rafa will give in too the desperate pleas. Crouch is more than often seen messing up goal opportunities and this is extremely frustrating for us supporters, but it doesn't seem to affect the manger at all. He apparently has an abundance of praise to offer to the striker, saying that he is one of our best players. Benitez has far too much faith in Peter Crouch to let him go,so I think those of us who would love to see the back of him should put our hopes on ice for the time being... Just what will he have to do, or not do before Rafa gets rid of him?
they all are
Lets face it mate most managers are stubborn so Rafas no different and he will ride the crouch wagon until the wheels come off (namely the summer). Rafa will be a managerial laughing stock if he buys pacey wingers and midfield industry and thinks crouch will be the conclusion to their services! No! it's there for all to see and top defences love it when they see him in our line up .. they just tap their pockets. Nah crouch is a great lad on the training ground when things ain't going to well as a manager you need that. But realistically i hope he doesn't go for villa not that he'd even come, but buys British with someone like Bent or someone with proven pedigree.
I belive we have decent stikers just that we have to improve our movement and on and off the ball as well as keeping it on the floor!
Various Cock Ups
If you look at all the comments following the Derby it is the same problems over and over again. The issue lies with the manager. He doesn't know the difference between La Liga and the Premieship. Any team in the Prem can turn you over if they are on form. In La Liga there is probably four at most. Hence the comment about "small clubs". We are no closer to the Premirship now than we have been for the last 10 years. Kuyt can play and Bellamy has quality but needs to learn the Liverpool way. Unfortunately neither can be expected to perform with Crouch alongside them. Henry, van Persie, Saha, Larsson, Rooney, Drogba, Schevchenko, Crouch. Spot the odd one out - but our stubborn manage bought him and thats that. Reminds me of Houllier all over again. Speed, strength and firepower - pre requisites of any striker. They may not have them all but you need at least one. The tactical nonsense of Benitez reflects his lack of understanding of the Premiership. To win this league now you cannot afford to lose more than 3/4 games per season. Each team has to be ready for the individual game. Rafa - this might help you. Next year and every other year from now until the cows come home Everton will come for draw and try and nick a win on the break. So playing 4 at the back against Johnson for 90 minutes will make you look incompetent. Picking a striker on the left off midfield will confirm that incompetence and waiting until the 84th minute to make any changes makes you a clown. We need someone in there, next to Benitez if necessary, born and bred on Merseyside who knows how it feels to get beat 3 - 6 by Arsenal reserves. John Aldridge would put you in the right direction Rafa.
NEW players
i have never been a fan of bellamys he s ok but not lfc class nor is crouch kuyt ok pennant is only second rate rafa you know you need at least 4 players next year awinger vincente a defender who can defend and pass and beat oppsing defenders alves a centre half and a striker rafa next year will be your biggest test
i think liverpool should not
i think liverpool should not have all that money to waste and they should not have it atall because they are tring to get a take over manager aswell why should they take the money
Cisse v/s Crouch
Cisse is much more better than crouch if he plays in that position as a leading striker, he has pace is selfish and don't fall down so easily, or if he does fall down at least he get a penalty for the team!! Crouch is the useless player of lfc who can serve for only one purpose..to play against the weak teams.
Even Sinama pongolle would have done far much better if he was playing as many match that crouch played in that position.. that guy if was at Arsenal would have had been even better than Van Persie because there he would have got a chance to play upfront alongside a good striker like Henry..But in liverpool he's been playing on the wide behind useless strikers.. wat a waste!!
I'd like to see someday, a stikeforce between Dirk kuyt and Cisse or Pongolle, though i kno it won't happen.
That would have been much better options than playing Crouch upfront or Bellamy who is too rapid for the linesman and the crosses which are made toward him!!
Well well, finally it just left in my mind one thing..that Crouch would never be sold by Benitez and will always be given chances JUST because he is an English player, so he don;t wan't to hear that only his spanish armada is playing at anfield..So sad!!
Cisse v/s Crouch
I think Cisse is much more better than crouch if he plays in that position as the leading striker for that amount of match that crouch has been playing.. He definitely is much more better player coz he don't falls down so easily as useless crouch or if he does, at least he obtain a penalty for the team, he is much more rapid and physical!!
Had he been playing alongside Dirk kuyt other teams would have envy our striker, he is selfish enough and master his dribbling!
May be we can still keep Crouch for some purpose, to play against weak teams against which he is so perfect!! Unfortunately Bellamy is too rapid for the linesman and the crosses from his teammates.
Even Pongolle is better option than crouch if played as upfront striker and not on the wide, had he been in Arsenal he would have already been a star by now, coz there he would have been played in the correct position and alongside great strikers like henry, just look at van persie!!
I would have like to see a partnership between Kuyt and Cisse or Pongolle, that would have been a good one although i kno it won't happen with stubborn Benitez.
Benitez will keep playing Crouch even more just BECAUSE he is an English player, no other player would get such a golden opportunity :)
He fears that if he brings more player, fans will say "here comes another in the spanish Armada"
So guess we'll see useless crouch for some years to follow...
Crouch for Englands..
Useless crouch brings his great NO-GOAL scoring form to national levels, the only reason England loss the match because they've been playing with only 10 players and a useless striker upfront giving fouls to spanish team or losing the balls, or not in the right position at all time without forgeting the 1st minutes misses!!
From that match the only conclusion i can make, is that liverpool gonna lose heavily against Barcelona with strikers of such callibre!!!
Stop dreaming u hardcore fans, its not gonna happen, we are 100% sure to lose the Barcelona match if Crouch will be playing 85 mins, coz Fowler will be given 5 mins to play so that people can see he is not at form (Thats what the manager always say, and guess he is right??)
give it a go
If crouch plays against Barcelona, they'll look back at that decision in 7 or 10 yrs with much merriment on match of the day or whatever its called then. Who remembers nunez he must have been one of the worst players to pull on the jersey but Rafa got him and decided to play him, same as crouch. Can't see him playing in the barca match and if he dose then (shakes head) the gaffa would loose all my respect. Barca is a step too far at the mo and we'll have to go there for a draw and become 'everton' which will be ironic :) and hope to get something at home. Struggling to actually talk of any positives other than momo and mascherano so i think the best bet is to talk formation. 4-5-1 .. Mscherano as the natural holding midfielder with alonso slightly advanced trying to thread passes into gerrard who plays as support for either Khuyt or fowler. On the wings perhaps pennant and gonzales.. if not push finnan further up and lets see what the new right bk is made off? But the key principle has too be the attacking movement
4-3-3
If you look at Chelsea recent success you'll see they have used a 4-3-3 formation. This has paid off for them in the league but in Europe not so. Our 2005 win should be looked at if we're to win this champs league. With the one man up front, smuthering the midfieled. Continental teams can't seem to handle that. As far as the league goes I think we should copy the chelsea formation. It might be a good way to get Momo, Stevie & Xavi to play there best ball in the same team. Fowler, Kuyt, and Bellamy might work well together up front then. Only worry is Riise being exposed at left back. Play Crouch against lower teams to give other fowards a rest. If used properly this formation can be lethal. The 2 wing forwards can be dropped back when opposition has the ball, creating a 5 man midfield or 2 supporting fowards for quick counter attacks.
Deserved defeat!!!!
For long i have been thinking the manager is wrong, but thats not true!! Even managers like Ferguson or Wenger would have been dissapointed and throw out strikers who miss golden opportunities out of their team.. or better, ferguson even hit his players with shoes when they did not performed well!
No future for liverpool with such performance, the problem is not with the management but with players, their salary should be regulated according to their performance. Its not acceptable to see players miss so many golden opportunities in one match..
GoodBye the Champions League place, now liverpool may find itself fighting for the 5th place in few weeks...
your right
your are right
i think players get payed too much
and i think the fans deserve much more too think that they pay to watch them play and see them not play well
lost intranslation
Yes champions league qualification is the most important aspect of the season... but football is a game where our nearest contenders can have slip ups as well. I watched the game and was pleased with the movement of the team in attacking situations but was disappointed at the finishing quality. Khuyt had a poor game by his standards and bellamy missed a hat full of chance but if it wasn't for the defensive mix up that gifted the goal it may have been a different story. Top prem teams are successful because the whole team chips in with goals and when that happens we aren't so critical about our strikers. Personally i would have loved to see pennant cut in and have a few cracks and as for zenden ???? why is he even pulling on the kit it's a flipping farce!!If our flanks can provide strong attacking options then these results will be less frequent. Players are at big clubs like liverpool will always be payed well as that is one of the reasons to attract good players ... bellamy took a pay cut to come to anfield... pennants money didn't significantly go up ... but players such as khyt .. garcia ... reina .... money did ! I don't feel they are being payed too much I look at the commitment issue and thats what a good manager has to be aware of... he needs to instill that hunger get every body thinking as a team (just as chelski) and you have too be pretty charismatic too! such things... perhaps benetez has lost in translation. I mean he seems like a nice guy but does he have the judge of character necessary to manage a team... i kinda doubt it as his preferred policy of management is to have a large squad that he revolves whilst using it as a means of control! that is not how u gain respect or any consistency... we need a manger who has spark, knows the British game and has an eye for talent and also a decent scouting director as paco definetly ain't one!
U take away champions league victory and Rafa hasn't achieved much more than houllier either... if the new owners are smart they'll be looking for his replacement in the summer because we are actually happy with a seasons that we finish in third place (bloody madness) i don't feel it's a lack of cash because the smaller clubs have not spent a quarter of the transfer budget we've spent but still they work with it and put up battling displays.
Would crouch / zenden / aurellio get a game for the other top 3 clubs????
And the rest
"Would Couch,Zenden, Aurellio get a game....". There not the only ones in the squad that'd struggle to get a look in at the other 3. Bellamy, Riise, Garcia, Hyypia, Pennant all lack the quality to play first team football for a league winning team. We have a big squad of mostly mediocre players. I'd rather have quality over quantity. Rafa should just say to players, "Look, this is my first choice eleven. But I need you incase of injuries / suspensions/ fatigue and so on." If they don't like it well then he should say, "For sure, if you don't like. Fuck off and play for West Ham, Charlton or Everton, some small club." This is LIVERPOOL and as Carra once said, "What's bigger than LIverpool?..What, more money?"
hope this helps
Bellamy, hypia and pennant under the right management would do well at a top club as they are good players .. it has been said many a time that bellamy looks like he's playing on a leash and that you get the best from him when he's allowed freedom to be an annoyingly little git!! Pennant done heroics for Birmingham last season and hypia still reads the game like a master so i'm happy with those guys and yes i think they'd do well in any team in the top 10 (hypia is a concern because of his age. Now don't get me wrong I love Liverpool FC but these days what contributes a big club?? Is it the ability to attract the top players ? is it the ability to win the domestic league every now and again? is it having the biggest stadium in the league? or is it the fact that 20 odd nearly 20 yrs ago you were very successful and living on he memory? I honestly don't know and am uncomfortable throwing the words 'small club around' cos we are all adults here and can work out the true story for ourselves. It's like maclaren / sven ... they aren't dealing with mediocre players but still England national team struggle ????????????
Good points
You may very well be right. But to me all them questions you asked is just loser talk (no offence intended). It seems to me that for far too long some fans and people within the club have been too comfortable settling for runners up or worse and getting the odd cup now and again. Carra and Gerrard have only stayed at Liverpool because they believe or were convinced that we can become champions and once again become the greatest team in the league. So it seems that a positive attitude is creeping back in to the club. Its just a shame it was lost for so long.
looking at it from a distance
Maybe it dose sound negative but i think we need to be honest with ourselves to avoid the problem of living in a bubble. The fact that gerrard was even linked with a move away and that it took wining the champions league after a crap season for him to stay talks volumes.. not too mention a massive pay rise!! Yes there are times there is a positive feeling but it's so sporadic that it's more hope than anything.. cos lets be honest if we didn't have third or fourth we would be just any prem team.. so it's almost as if were just going through the emotions. Everyone in football may say oh 'Liverpool have a great chance this year' but that is only because we are top 4 not because our style of play is breath taking or that we are filled to the brim with superstars, nope it's the fact will be the most likely team in around the area top mount a challenge should a top 2 team really cock up!
Perhaps i need to be more blunt and say that the moores, parry era didn't do anything domestically for the club and their last legacy gift is Rafa , who just doesn't seem to be able to translate well into the English game.. I'm sure in spain he is hot stuff but in the prem he makes some bewildering decisions that only someone not familiar with the EPL could make! You know this attitude of 'give em a chance' has been this sites motto but it hasn't been too successful and believe much of our success has been down to stevie g's wonder goals! while we are giving everyone a chance the rest are pushing on... then we get another 2yrs down the line and sack him.. he walks into a cushy Spanish job does well and lfc still struggle. Sometimes you have to make risky decisions and take a gamble thats what makes pioneers succsesful!
the new era.....
i said yesterday to a mate that the best we can hope for is 4th now, what with the gooners at that pt having 2 games in hand. being a life long red it pained me to say that but it is, at the moment, the only realistic option.
do we all know what the answer is? all we can do is speculate and give our opinions as we are all playing for the same team at the end of the day.
the premiership is "our bread and butter" and no matter what we achieve in other comps liverpool football club is primed on titles.cups are a bonus, that's the way it is at anfield but the title is the one we want the most.
how long before stevie g lifts the title? who knows.(soon i hope...)
i find alot of the new generation of fans who have been brought up on past triumphs past down by family don't understand our club's history and what is expected of them, that's why i'm 100% behind rtk.
liverpool football club are the most successful team this country has ever seen. we have what i would call the best fans in the world to. these elements should, no will, go along way in making the new era a success and bring the holy grail back to it's rightful place but it will take time and we have to be patient.
Same Excuse.. Deaf Strikers!!!
"We need to learn, when you create clear opportunities you need to take them and finish off the game." Thats Rafa Post Match comment, Everytime its the same comment after everymatch we lose, i remember he said exactly the same thing against Middlebrough last year when we lost away!!
Are the strikers deaf or what!! Even schoolkids would have had scored from the chances which the lfc strikers missed!! Are they professional enough?? I don't think so!! Till when will we be hearing the same coment from the manager?? Guess i kno when is the next time i will hear that again.. post Barcelona match!!!
Guess the manager don't have really great options apart from smacking the useless strikers for the time being, but we can still wait "trophyless" till next season, and hope we'll be playing in Champions league..
There's a lack of class up
There's a lack of class up front. We desperately need a Fernando Torres or David Villa in the summer. Kuyt works really hard but is not a top level assassin. Bellamy and Crouch are just back up strikers. They're good players but not good enough for a weekly spot in a championship winning team.
Also, we need a world class centre half alongside Carra. I dread to think what Reina will be like when real pressure is on him, like the FA Cup final, because he is prone to error.
What's most disappointing is that after we get within 5 points of Chelsea we "bottle" it with a draw and a loss at a really crucial time.
Mentally, we don't know how these players would react even if we were only 3 points off top spot. To me, it looks like they tend to suffer from shaky nerves at crucial periods.
Creativety
We'll probably go on a good run now that its too late.What a load of bollox? Even if we win our last 11 games it only means 1 point more than last years 82. Thats hardly enough progression for a club and fans that expect to win. We need a creative spark in attack. Someone who can score from everywhere and in tough games when the chips are down.
who's available?
philk14: know where u r coming from but seriously who is out their? now we are gonna have the £ to spend in the summer whoever we go 4 his club will want more £ cos' we've got it 2 spend!
david villa has been mentioned but would he be anoter nando? he would cost alot 2. think crouch mite be on his way in the summer and i have a feeling robbie mite be released so 2 strikers are on the agenda. kuyt is class and bellamy always gives u that counter attack quality with his pace so they should stay.
strikers aside zenden 4 me should go, never has done it, never will. ppl 4get but harry kewell is still at the club 2. b interesting 2 c wat happens with him.
let's face it 4th place is quite possibly our best bet this season with the gooners having 2games in hand. is it good enuff? it will have 2 be 4 this season. i said last year 2007/08 is our title season and now we have the £ it could well happen.
attracting new players
yes we will have cash but the mind frame of the squad lacks that winning mentality or togetherness of top teams. Which top team in Europe is gonna sell their prized asset let alone them wanting to actually come to LFC. Our football has gone down hill , too many high balls to much negative play not enough determination to get into the oppositions box... would u leave a top team for that (because then it would only be for the money) ? The figures show that Rafa has spent some 70 mill now where i come from thats a hell of a lot of money. i'd say we have quality over the park but the wrong mentality!
2007/08 season being ours ?? it's a pipe dream !! arsenal / manure / chelski will always attract the players that we'd wont before us, and to think any differently would be silly.. the club cant live off its old rep forever! Hopefully the new owners have done their homework and we'll see significant change over the summer. It's a sad fact the some things just don't import well and rafa seems to be one of those!
the future
tyron26: see what u mean, there have been some duff signings since rafa has been at the helm, josemi was one of the worst! alot of £ has been spent and yes, it is gonna be hard to attract top talent to anfield but it has to be done. we have the nucleus of a good team, it's the fringes what need sorting. reina, finnan, agger, carra, stevie g and kuyt would start every time 4 me regardless. we need 5 players around them.
interesting to read stevie g's comments today in the press regarding the takeover and the meeting with gillet and hicks. he sounds v confident.
to be honest i can't say where we will be in 36mths time, i just felt on the back of the champions league success in 2005 and last years fa cup final win this season we would challenge for the title a bit better than we have lately, build momentum then next sesason i felt it would be THE season. still might happen, you never know!!!
Barca game
Judging by sundays performace, is there even a chance of Liverpool beating Barcalona in the champions league? that should be our main worry at this time. forget about the future , the next 11 games, it's always one match at a time, especially with Liverpool. One week we're fantastic and there's talk of finishing second in the league and the next it's like this, questioning the players and the manager and saying it would be a miracle if we finished third. Liverpool need to find a balance and Rafa needs to Think about his selection for the Barca game more than ever.The players also need to go out there as if it was a champions league final because if we don't come out the other end of these matches as winners then that's it for Liverpool this season.
Its up to the players and
Its up to the players and the manager to worry about the next game. As fans we can look forward and think about 3 or 4 games ahead or 3 or 4 years. Also, I'd be very worried if the manager wasn't thinking about the future. Rafa's the man for the job, he's made vast improvements on the Houllier era (A complete waste of 5 years). Although things seem to have stalled this season. Thought we'd give Chelski a run for there money this time round. They're an average club with average facilities and a rich owner to buy big players. Hope they fall apart like Real Madrid did. Imagine what a Massive club like LFC could do with half the money they have.
ITS TIME TO BRING MORE YOUNG PLAYERS THROUGH
I KNOW LIVERPOOL HAVE GOOD PLAYERS BUT I THINK ITS TIME TO GIVE SOME MORE YOUNG PLAYERS A CHANCE TO SHOW WHAT THE HAVE GOT
THEY WILL HAVE THE HUNGER AND THE PASSION.
ALSO WITH THE NEW OWNERS TAKING LIVERPOOL OVER I THINK THIS WILL BE ARE BEST CHANCE FOR NEXT SEASON AND RAFA WILL HAVE THE FUNDS TO MAKE THIS CLUB GREAT AGAIN
WELCOME BACK TO THE GLORY YEARS
GIBBOTRUERED
There's a lack of quality in
There's a lack of quality in the first team and that's our greatest problem. Being a good team that will finish in the top 4 and might win a cup is what you do with players like Riise, Hyppia, Crouch, Kewell, Zenden, Pennant and Bellamy.
But if you want to be league champions you need some really top class players. Besides Gerrard and maybe Alonso none of our players would be sought by Europe's biggest sides for serious money.
We need to spend on quality. My fear is Rafa seems to like workhorses above flair. He needs to go for matchwinners because we only have one consistent one, Gerrard.
Workhorses of liverpool...
Thats right mate, Rafa seems to like workhorses that will keep passing the ball to their mates in front of the goal and saying "you first" liverpool will not win the title with players like kuyt or alonso, they are great players, can say world class but they don't looks like players that opposition teams have, who have the flair to score at anytime, Lverpool really need quality players who can score.. we need a killer striker.. we should have get rid of useless players as soon as an opportunity come by (12million from newcastle for crouch) But because he is a workhorse who rafa admires he has been kept and of course he rewarded rafa confidence by scoring against teams about to be relegated IF ONLY THERE WERE MORE TEAMS LIKE THAT, the title would have been ours :))
Yet, another one is maybe on his way to Anfield, David Villa is simply a workhorse like kuyt, if u watch the match of spain v/s England u noticed that he don't even get in the square just like kuyt..So still no clear title bid at the horizon..
Same Old Excuses
We are now the proud holders of one of the worst away records in the League. 50% of all the away games have been lost. You do not have to be Einstein to see some of the problems on Saturday. Sissoko and Zenden come back after months - might have been worth considering 5 in midfield to give them some protection ? It's pissing down and the pitch is like a mud bath. It was going to be difficult for fit players never mind two coming back from long term injuries. Most of this season we have heard the excuse "We need to score the first goal" We did - and lost. Benitez hasn't a clue on how to tackle the Premiership. Doesn't know when a scrap is coming, doesn't know how to adjust to the conditions, just keeps going with the same old tried and trusted. We have dropped 25 points on our travels before the end of February. He seems oblivious to the lack of a quality paceman up front. Substitutions are as baffling as ever. Can we have a poll to see the priorities next season? There has to be only one - The Premiership Mr Benitez and this squad will not win it. We had a great day out in Istanbul but its history. Qualify by all means, provided we don't drop too many more points away from home, but next year 1/2 price entry for the ground please, play the second eleven in all CL games and win the bloody Premiership. Not interseted in anything else at all. PS You need at least one quality striker.
From the heart otleyred and
From the heart otleyred and i feel your pain!!! Too many school boy errors made three years into his reign is just not good enough. The EPL is the main priority for the next 5 seasons at least, to put us back on the map as LFC... total dominance is needed! But the mentality and to be honest certain individuals of the squad just do not make the grade. Who do we have to hold responsible for that?? players will tell you that under the gaffa things have really improved ...etc ... and we have a great chance!! but they are being picked and played so will say but anything.. remember the world cup and sven.. soon as it was revealed he was getting the chop a lot of england players began pipping up about the crazy formations and player selections. My point is that when you hear players bleating on about Rafa this and rafa that ... it's called selection loyalty and when players seem to be immune from the chop it's not good for the team. If we are too get a new manager he'll inherit a big squad of players who hardly speak English and don't cut the grade... come on this is a farce !! Where is the bloody logic... oh i'm sorry i forgot captain stevie gerrard / vladimar smicer / dietmar hamman / jurzey dudek and rafa won the champions league final 3yrs ago!! see the odd one out??
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