Liverpool Fc @ Anfield - Reds Supporters Gatherings

[S3vw]

Originally Posted by owen10

so many bros here are asking for RH's head. seriously im not sure if it works even if we bring in the best coaches like Jose Mourinho, MON or Guus Hiddink. i think our wretched state is due more to the quality of the squad we are having now.

sidetrack a bit, i watched the blackpool vs manc game last nite. blackpool was in control and should have won or at least drew. manc was virtually playing 2nd fiddle for most of the game when they woke up in the last 20 mins n popped up with 3 goals. it showed that if u have the depth n quality in the squad, no matter how lan u play, u can still win matches. problem is, when either/both SG n Torres are not performing on that day, the other players seemed to lose direction. no 1 can seem to inspire the team and can win a match single handedly. J Cole seemed the best bet but he too is goin thru a very bad spell. next closest could be Kuyt but he is more about playing with a high workrate. unfortunately, our other high profile candidates like mireles, babel, acquilani all failed to make the mark! haizzzzz ....... hopefully the next transfer window will change things when we acquire more solid players who can finally fit in. for now we juz gotta pray hard we have no more injuries to key players n can jump back to the Top 10 by then.

Guus Hiddink will be a very very gd choice

[Frankiestine]

I still think to effectively use J Cole, he should be play behind Torres. He is only creative in that role, as for Stevie G, put him back in his attacking midfield role where he is at his best.

[GeMiNiZzzzZzz]

Originally Posted by Frankiestine

I still think to effectively use J Cole, he should be play behind Torres. He is only creative in that role, as for Stevie G, put him back in his attacking midfield role where he is at his best.

I think the reason is our backline is now too weak, that y Stevie is playing deeper.

We may create more goals up front but probably concede more goals if he is pushed up further.

Jm is getting slower, krg very unstable, agger so unpredictable and injury prone. The rest r just sub-standard.

[Frankiestine]

That right notice that in both matches against Blackpool and Everton, most of the time Stevie G was actually back in defending and pushing play up from Liverpool own quarter.

[rahl]

Originally Posted by Frankiestine

That right notice that in both matches against Blackpool and Everton, most of the time Stevie G was actually back in defending and pushing play up from Liverpool own quarter.

And that's the recipe for failure - you lack a threat upfront to concern the opponent and eventually your defence will crack under pressure.

We have scored what - 7 goals in the league in 8 games. That's just ridiculous.

I completely agree the lack of width is killing us.

[tuyet]

Originally Posted by rahl

And that's the recipe for failure - you lack a threat upfront to concern the opponent and eventually your defence will crack under pressure.

We have scored what - 7 goals in the league in 8 games. That's just ridiculous.

I completely agree the lack of width is killing us.

Width play, in most winning teams, is crucial: capable overlapping fullbacks and baseline hugging midfielders always pose a attacking threat to oppenents, oppenents will be busy and fearful in trying to control the play, let alone launching their own attacks. And if coupled with a dictating commanding central midfielder(s), the game is more or less destined for a win.

Recalled this season how many goals have we conceeded from crosses at the width (most notably from the left), from gunners, scums, man city, blackpool and everton...bros should get the picture.

[Fire-Horse]

Bro Frankestine,

I agree with your assessment to play Cole behind Torres, with Gerrard in central attacking midefield, along with Meireles sitting in front of the back four. To me, thats absolutely crucial as there are no other central midfielders apart from Gerrard that we can rely on to create anything from the middle of the park.

I've said it before and i will say it again, Lucas Leiva does not add anything to the team at all. I will be glad to see him sold. So too with Rodriguez. As for Poulsen, he is at best a squad player and I would use him as a sub to come on to defend a lead with time running down to the end of a match.

Frankly, I would like to see Babel getting a run down the right with Kuyt injured at the moment. As for the left, I would play Jovanovic there for now. The other option is to give Aurelio a run on the left and see how that turns out. Neither player in my view will fare any worst than Cole (who is wasted playing wide left when he should be playing in the hole behind Torres) or Rodriguez (who is simply crap on either wing, come to think of it, I really cannot work out his best position???? ).

As for the back four, I would really like to see Skrtel partner Agger there for a change. Carragher (who isn't quite the same player he was two seasons ago)and Krygiakos can come in when either of them are injured or suspended. As for the right back role, we have a young guy named Kelly, let him deputize for Johnson. As for the left back role, we really need to go out an buy a better one than Konchesky (for example a player like Gareth Bale, who can play left back or left wing). IMHO, Konchesky is just adequate but really not fantastic. We need better and more skilful players rather than the average player being drafted in "to simply do a job".

What RH needs to do is to go out and sign two natural wingers for each flank as there is no width at all in the side. Hopefully, there will be some funds for RH in the January window to sign some quality wingers at the very least. The other position to fill for now is at left back. As for strikers, imagine if we have signed two natural wingers, we would then have Kuyt, Jovanovic and Ngog and even the young lad Pacheco, to fill in for Torres. To me, thats sufficient until the summer, when another quality striker can be brought in to supplement Torres.

Otherwise, whilst I am confident we will not be relegated or even fighting relegation, we will be at best a mid-table side this season!!!!

[Xgenre]

http://www.transferleague.co.uk/prem...transfers.html

This is interesting. Not sure if it's 100% correct but I think this isn't far from the actual figures. If the information is correct, I think we didn't give RH a budget yet for this year. Check out how much the team spends when Houllier or Rafa took over. Check out how much RH spends to change Rafa's team into his team.

Is it fair to give him time to bring in his own players in January? What will changing a manager now do for us? I'm not pro-RH ah. I am also very disappointed at how we play. Like shit is an under-statement. But besides stating the obvious, what else should we do to progress?

[The Milk Man]

Originally Posted by rahl

Don't you think you are being hasty writing off Raul now? I have seen him move with the ball box to box and push our attacks. He is by far better than Cole right now. I like the character he is showing now, if not the outcomes.

Raul has been our best player so far this season. He has excellent game intelligence. Maybe still a bit soft against aggressive opponents. Give him some time to settle and he will become another anfield legend. I have faith in him.

[The Milk Man]

Originally Posted by NZL97

bro, of course the manager matters as he is the one that picks the players & the formation............it is so obvious that we lack depth in the wings & people like cole, meireles, jovanovic, maxi are not true wingers, yet RH choose to play the same formation & players week in week out.

With the current batch of players that he has, what other formation can he deploy?

[The Milk Man]

Originally Posted by owen10

....... hopefully the next transfer window will change things when we acquire more solid players who can finally fit in.

Dun get your hopes too high. New owner Mr. John Henry has replied quite sarcastically that his name does not have a "Sheik" in front when asked by the media how much funding will Roy Hodgson be getting in the transfer window. We are very careful with our funds and make sure that every dollar we spend is spent wisely. If the club needs to buy new players, then obviously the commercial department has to work a lot harder.

Looks like we may have another Hicks & Gillet on board.

[rahl]

Originally Posted by tuyet

Recalled this season how many goals have we conceeded from crosses at the width (most notably from the left), from gunners, scums, man city, blackpool and everton...bros should get the picture.

Absolutely spot on and we saw Konchesky beaten in the first Everton goal.

Originally Posted by Fire-Horse

Bro Frankestine,
I agree with your assessment to play Cole behind Torres, with Gerrard in central attacking midefield, along with Meireles sitting in front of the back four.

Frankly, I would like to see Babel getting a run down the right with Kuyt injured at the moment. As for the left, I would play Jovanovic there for now. The other option is to give Aurelio a run on the left and see how that turns out.

What RH needs to do is to go out and sign two natural wingers for each flank as there is no width at all in the side. As for strikers, imagine if we have signed two natural wingers, we would then have Kuyt, Jovanovic and Ngog and even the young lad Pacheco, to fill in for Torres.

Sorry you have some decent comments but also some terribly flawed ones.

It should be clear that the need for a reliable goalscorer is top priority, above the need for wingers.

And while I talked about width, it's not necessary to sign 'natural wingers'. Riera is a case in point. He had no pace but was able to hold the ball and play his football brilliantly on the left side, and gave us balance that way. Maxi did well in the second half of last season too, but has inexplicably lost his form this season (I blame it on the Argentine exodus).

Flair players are a major risk.

Your team formation puts our best players in the centre and give-them-a-run-la players like Babel or Milan on the flanks. That will simply cramp the play. And if they don't perform, then? Throw more fringe players to the flanks?

Originally Posted by Xgenre

This is interesting. Not sure if it's 100% correct but I think this isn't far from the actual figures. If the information is correct, I think we didn't give RH a budget yet for this year.

That's my impression too - one in one out (although Rafa had to do the same in his final 2 seasons). Having said that, Roy could have signed a striker but left it to the end and screwed up.

Originally Posted by The Milk Man

Raul has been our best player so far this season. He has excellent game intelligence. Maybe still a bit soft against aggressive opponents. Give him some time to settle and he will become another anfield legend. I have faith in him.

Agreed here. Go, the tattoo man!

Originally Posted by The Milk Man

Dun get your hopes too high.

Looks like we may have another Hicks & Gillet on board.

Relax bro, Henry is just being careful in what he says now. And he's gone around listening to club people and fans, which is the right thing to do. Let's wait till January to judge him.

[owen10]

Originally Posted by rahl

Don't you think you are being hasty writing off Raul now? I have seen him move with the ball box to box and push our attacks. He is by far better than Cole right now. I like the character he is showing now, if not the outcomes.

im not writing raul off. juz stating the fact that based on current form the few star players mentioned aint goin to turn the team ard if SG and/or Torres do not play. these players are proven talents, they may regain their form one day but it may take time.

[hawksbay]

Teams Popular Channels Community my footytube Inter's Rafael Benítez uses 'milk' analogy to turn sour on Liverpool
• Former Liverpool manager hits back at Tom Hicks claim
• 'I was watching the fans and I was really sad' by Kevin McCarra in Milan Today


Liverpool do not catch the eye in a Premier League table that shows them interred in 19th place but they are still prominent in the mind of a manager who left them in the summer. Considering that Rafael Benítez is now in command of the Champions League holders Internazionale and has the Group A match with Tottenham Hotspur at San Siro before him, his readiness to reflect on matters at Anfield was marked. He responded strongly to the allegation by Tom Hicks, one of the deposed co-owners, that his extravagant spending had been ruinous.

"I prefer not to talk too much about Liverpool," Benítez said before hurling himself into the subject. There was amusement when he emphasised that the club's squad is every bit as feeble as it looks. Benítez opted to translate a Spanish saying into English, which gave it a peculiar tone. "White liquid in a bottle has to be milk," he said.

Before long Benítez even had a mention for "John the milkman in the Wirral", whom he used to know. All the same the Spanish proverb was, at heart, no more esoteric than someone in England remarking that "if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck it probably is a duck". Benítez may have appeared offbeat but he was straining to empathise with the Liverpool support. "I was watching the fans," he said, "and I was really sad after the defeat [to Everton] the other day."

There is more than a hint of self-interest in his comments. A claim is being made that there were mitigating factors to Liverpool's disappointing seventh place last season. Benítez underlines the contrast with the campaign that had preceded the decline. "After 86 points and finishing second in the league, what changed?" he asked rhetorically. "The Americans, they chose a new managing director and everything changed.

"The managing director [Christian Purslow] is involved in all the decisions: new lawyer, new chief of press, new manager, nine new players, new medical staff, new fitness coaches. They changed everything that we were doing in the past. So, if you want to ask again what was going on, it's simple: they changed something and, at the end, they changed everything."

Some of those developments, such as the signings, occurred after Benítez had left and it is informative that he talks as if these matters affected him directly. Purslow, who succeeded Rick Parry, was being accused at an unexpected moment since he has lately been popular as one of the three directors who opposed Hicks and George Gillett last week to bring about their downfall. Benítez will have to tear himself away from reflections on Anfield melodrama, since he now has his role to play on a grand Serie A stage. Its lustre was enhanced when José Mourinho steered Inter to their third European Cup triumph, 35 years after its predecessor. In the interests of tidiness, the club made a point of doing the clean sweep by clinching a domestic Double as well.

Few references were made to Tottenham at Inter's Appiano Gentile base but the side will have to show their authority all over again. While Benítez's tenure has opened well enough, many presume that decline is the only prospect for men who, in many cases are in the closing phase of their careers. The knowhow, of course, is vast and Tottenham are novices in the Champions League but Harry Redknapp's squad may also have a sense of excitement to fuel them. That could keep minds off the concerns about the lack of a settled central defence. While such potential ebullience is a concern

[hawksbay]

" border="0" alt="" onload="NcodeImageResizer.createOn(this);" />People wonder why alot of Liverpool fans support him? Its because we see him for what he has truly done. Not the media myths that are put out. I applaud him for his football ideoligies of 'controlling the game' and his stance of not being too buddyish with the players. IMO, a very underrated manager. May L'pool live with you Rafa. Thanks for the memories. YNWA