The Official Liverpool thread 2007/08

[all_funkt_up]

Kop - defensive mistakes cost us dearly. Maybe with Agger's pace, the balls over the top would have been snuffed out and Spurs wouldnt have scored 2. But the fact remains that we still arent playing fluent football and dont look like scoring many.

We can play like that and not concede and we will grind out low scoring wins. But if we start conceding as well as not playing well up front, we're in trouble.

I agree that its not time for panic stations as yet. Early days and games in hand on some of the teams immediately around us, but even still something has to change before we lose too much ground. Someone could do with having a wee chat with Gerrard. His form has been terrible since the international break.

[all_funkt_up]

Pretty damning summary of the game from Liverweb's Andy:

Originally Posted by liverweb.org.uk

Liverpool 2 Tottenham Hotspur 2

Well there was a marginal improvement between this game and the
Marseille game but I put that down to the hard work of Andriy
Voronin. He stood out head and shoulders above any other Red on the
day and grabbed the opening goal. However it took a last minute
equaliser from Fernando Torres to paper over the cracks of this
dismal showing.

The Reds now go in to an international break following two poor
showings at Anfield. That stops Rafa getting stuck in to the lads and
especially in my mind Steven Gerrard who is looking like he's going
through that should I leave motion again.

The Reds got the game started at Anfield attacking the Anny road end
in the first half.

After just three minutes Spurs won a free kick on the edge of the
Reds box. Gareth Bale bent it round the wall but also the post.
However the Spurs end all cheered thinking it had gone in. Moments
later when Reina spotted the goal kick up they all realised - much to
the amusement of the home fans.

Spurs were given plenty of the ball from the start and allowed to
play it along the back and in to the midfield. This affected the
whole structure of the game. Pennant tucked right in which didn't
help the Reds attacking wise because there was always acres of space
in the one area where he should have been.

The opening goal came for the Reds trough Andriy Voronin. The Reds
were awarded a free kick after Jenas hugged Gerrard near their own
area. Gerrard took the free kick and blasted it low and central.
Robinson failed to hold the ball and Voronin had gambled on a fumble
from the off and stabbed the loose ball home. A great start for the
Reds and surely something to build on. The home fans chanted England
No1 at Robinson who must have wanted the ground to open up at this
point.

Spurs though were still being gifted far too much ball in the area's
which could damage us. With the Reds one up it brought Spurs out even
more now though and made for a very open game.

Just short of the half hour and Gerrard hit the post with a second
bending free kick from outside the area. This time though the ball
flew away off the post and not back in to the path of Voronin who was
again waiting for the rebound.

A minute later at the other end and Reina and Carragher combined to
make a hash of a ball through the back which Berbatov stabbed
goalwards only for Carragher to rescue the ball again and hammer it
clear.

The Reds should have buried the game on thirty three minutes but why
no-one would just bury the ball in the back of the net I don't know.
Torres passed to Voronin who set up Gerrard who then dilly dallied
away before seeing his shot blocked. They were trying to walk the
ball in to the back of the net.

On the stroke of half time the Reds were finally made to pay for
their ineptness when Berbatov again beat Hyypia in the air. This time
though Keane managed to get on the end of it and tuck the ball past
Reina and in to the net to send the sides in all square at the
interval.

A minute in to the second half and Spurs were in front in a virtual
carbon copy of their first. Long ball forward, Berbatov flick and
Keane gambled and scored. Surely now was a time for the character to
really show for the Reds. Time to knuckle down, lead from the front
and grab this game back.

That just didn't happen though. That's when your manager stands up to
be counted and change the game around a bit with your subs. Babel
arrived for Arbeloa which pushed Riise back. Then Kuyt replaced
Pennant down the right but it just never happened.

Spurs slowly started to run the clock down content with the three
points and not coming under that much pressure.

Benayoun came on for the final fifteen minutes in place of Voronin
who had worked his socks off all over the pitch. He was our best
attacker and bet defender on the day as he tracked back all over the
pitch. As good as his defending was and crucial this simply isn't his
job and surely highlights a huge and woeful gap in the midfield.
Perhaps our so called captain and great midfielder can explain where
he was because quite simply he hasn't been at Anfield in the last two
games but seems to be above criticism in some quarters.

Finally in the final minutes of the game the Reds grabbed an
equaliser to paper over the cracks. Finnan sent in a deep cross which
Torres headed home at the far post. All of a sudden there seemed to
be that oh let's all pile forward and score a goal. Spurs don't look
comfy at the back but this must have been their easiest game for a
while.

The final whistle went and to be honest I think we robbed Spurs in
the end. To come out of that game with a point is purely luck. The
international break now sees most of the squad disappear which means
when they come back they'll have a couple of days to get themselves
ready for the away Derby. Now that's a game to work hard in. Given
the lack of effort in the last two games only jet lag could be an
excuse next time as they are all surely fresh!

MotM : Andriy Voronin - worked incredibly hard for the Reds all day
and was in the crucial place to bag the opening goal.

[Kop66]

That stops Rafa getting stuck in to the lads and
especially in my mind Steven Gerrard who is looking like he's going
through that should I leave motion again.

He wouldn't of wrote that if Gerrards free kick had gone in instead of hitting the post and he played a very large part in our 1st goal. Stupid statement.
I wont argue with the comments on Voronin though, i thought he was excellent yesterday.


I prefer to take this view tbh.

From Liverpoolfc.tv

Steven Gerrard has urged Liverpool fans not to panic after two more Barclays Premier League points slipped away at Anfield yesterday.
The Reds' skipper is aware of the mood of disappointment among supporters after the Reds dropped points at home for the third time this season, but he insists there's no reason to feel despondent with the team still unbeaten in the league and sitting in the top four of the table.

"We haven't been ourselves of late, that's true," Gerrard told Liverpoolfc.tv at the opening of Jamie Carragher's Cafe Sports England in the city centre last night. "The results haven't been good and the performances could have been better.

"We're going through a dip in form which all top teams do at some stage and we just have to make sure we play our way through it. We're not performing to the standards we can do but that will change.

"I'm asking the fans to trust me when I say there's no crisis here. We have fantastic players and a world class manager and we will get things right again, there's no doubt about that.

"We've got an international break now which will give Rafa the chance to look at things and work with the players who are staying behind. For those of us going away, we have to get the jobs done with our countries and then come back ready for a massive match at Everton.

"If we can turn in a performance in the derby and win the game then things will be looking better again. That's what we'll be aiming for."

[all_funkt_up]

You're spot in with Andriy there mate. Voronin had an excellent game yesterday. He was tracking back and made a couple of last ditch tackles in our penny area.

He's a grafter!

[all_funkt_up]

This should cheer everyone up

http://rapidshare.com/files/31770158/1984-05-30.mp3

[Kop66]

Ahh, you can just see old crazy horse throwing his arms in the air and going daft in that studio cant you.

[all_funkt_up]

That was John Peel's show 23 years ago - playing teenage kicks as well.

Imagine how buzzing he must have been just after watching number 4 come in...

[Kop66]

Was he alive for the 5th or had he gone by then?

[all_funkt_up]

Dont know mate, I think its 3 years but I will check it out.

[ONEDUNME]

Peel died in October 2004. It was 2005 when they won the 5th wasn't it?

So no then.

[andeeeee]

c`mon the reds , give the blue shyte a lesson in football

[andeeeee]

theyve brought another dvd out

[all_funkt_up]

Lets face it, we were lucky to win today against a team that finished with 9-men on the pitch. I thought they started well and had Everton on the ropes for at least the first 15 minutes or so. But we didnt take our chances and then Everton had the upper hand right the way through to half time to be honest.

Moyed countered the 5-man midfield of Liverpool (albeit one with Voronin and Gerrard as very offensive) and Benitez failed to adjust his tactics accordingly. By fair means or foul, Lescott had the better of Finnan down the left and Rafa didnt come up with an answer.

I thought Gerrard's fall was world class and becoming of the club's talisman. A drop such as that is what you're looking for from your big players in games such as these. There arent many better fallers in the modern game than Gerrard. Ever since he insisted on playing in a central role, as opposed to on the wing, he really has emerged as one of the games premier floppers when clean through on goal. Recent memorable tumbles include Sheffield United away, Villa away and now he can add Everton to his illustrious list.

Magic stuff.

Rafa made a hash of his substitutions as well. He took Gerrard off and left a midfield 3 of Masch, Momo and Lucas. No natural width there and lets face it - 3 players that you dont want to be relying on to score a vital winning goal.

Momo had a couple of swipes at the ball in the box unsuccessfully, maybe choosing a different club from the leg caddy may bring better luck next time. Thats not to slag momo off of course, my point is that you dont want him in such an offensive position in the first place. He isnt an offensive player. Sticking him further forward and expecting a goal from him is not realistic.

Then with 2 minutes of normal time left - he brings Pennant on. Pennant is good at exposing space and at stretching the game. None of that is really possible when the team you face have 10 men behind the ball and are trying to save a point. So therefore the substitution was a strange one in my book. Maybe bringing Crouch on would have been a more textbook approach.

We were able to snatch all 3 points after Neville stopped a certain goal and saw red as a consequence. As it hapens, even this was slightly fortunate as Lescott (I think it was) was dragged to the floor late on by Carra.

If the tables had been turned today - we would have felt very hard done by.

As it happens, we won, but we still dont look like a credible outfit - let alone a team as such.

[all_funkt_up]

Oh and I hope people noticed these today




Classic!

The people's supermarket

[andeeeee]

Originally Posted by all_funkt_up

Lets face it, we were lucky to win today against a team that finished with 9-men on the pitch. I thought they started well and had Everton on the ropes for at least the first 15 minutes or so. But we didnt take our chances and then Everton had the upper hand right the way through to half time to be honest.

Moyed countered the 5-man midfield of Liverpool (albeit one with Voronin and Gerrard as very offensive) and Benitez failed to adjust his tactics accordingly. By fair means or foul, Lescott had the better of Finnan down the left and Rafa didnt come up with an answer.

I thought Gerrard's fall was world class and becoming of the club's talisman. A drop such as that is what you're looking for from your big players in games such as these. There arent many better fallers in the modern game than Gerrard. Ever since he insisted on playing in a central role, as opposed to on the wing, he really has emerged as one of the games premier floppers when clean through on goal. Recent memorable tumbles include Sheffield United away, Villa away and now he can add Everton to his illustrious list.

Magic stuff.

Rafa made a hash of his substitutions as well. He took Gerrard off and left a midfield 3 of Masch, Momo and Lucas. No natural width there and lets face it - 3 players that you dont want to be relying on to score a vital winning goal.

Momo had a couple of swipes at the ball in the box unsuccessfully, maybe choosing a different club from the leg caddy may bring better luck next time. Thats not to slag momo off of course, my point is that you dont want him in such an offensive position in the first place. He isnt an offensive player. Sticking him further forward and expecting a goal from him is not realistic.

Then with 2 minutes of normal time left - he brings Pennant on. Pennant is good at exposing space and at stretching the game. None of that is really possible when the team you face have 10 men behind the ball and are trying to save a point. So therefore the substitution was a strange one in my book. Maybe bringing Crouch on would have been a more textbook approach.

We were able to snatch all 3 points after Neville stopped a certain goal and saw red as a consequence. As it hapens, even this was slightly fortunate as Lescott (I think it was) was dragged to the floor late on by Carra.

If the tables had been turned today - we would have felt very hard done by.

As it happens, we won, but we still dont look like a credible outfit - let alone a team as such.

agreed
buts its about grinding out results and having a little luck ( something liverpool havent had for a while)