The Official Liverpool thread 2007/08

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Originally Posted by andeeeee

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

Is that what we're doing though? I dont have a problem with playing like Chelsea in recent seasons. Controlling the game, squeezing the opposition til they pop and nailing most games 1-0 would do me fine. But I dont see that.

I see increasingly erratic performances on and off the field. Frankly, the "best midfield in the world" chant needs to find a new home for the time being. Momo's confidence looks shot, Xabi has been below par since the World Cup and Gerrard seems to have his "should I move to a bigger club?" head on at the moment.

My main concern is that we're not progressing at all and I wonder whether that had something to do with Pako leaving. When a manager starts to fall out with his back room staff, you have problems. It is not the sign of a happy club.

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Sorry to bleat on about it, but here's an excellent quote from Matt on thisisanfield.com


I can’t begin to try and work out the removal of Gerrard from the game just when he was finally beginning to show some form and confidence after winning the penalty. Fair enough, Lucas looked good but had we not won the second penalty late on, or if Everton had been given either of the two pretty legitimate penalty calls, this would have been a substitution which would have been hugely questioned.

I’d have loved to have seen Pennant be brought on as soon as we went 1-1, for him to replace Sissoko and go 442 with Gerrard alongside Mascherano, Pennant and Benayoun down the wings and go at them. Bringing Pennant on might even have stopped their dangerman - Lescott, yes Lescott - from making his surging runs down our right side.

You may say I shouldn’t be ‘moaning’, that we ‘won ugly and that’s a good sign’ but that doesn’t wash. We were incredibly lucky and our performance was again lacking.

Watching Liverpool at the moment is extremely frustrating, we have the players, we have the manager but yet the manager is making some strange decisions in his use of the players. He got very, very lucky at Goodison, let’s hope we don’t need luck in the next few crucial fixtures with Beşiktaş away on Wednesday and Arsenal at home next weekend.

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Oh dear

[Winrew]

Oh Dear indeed , i think the text i sent during the match was rather more simple , it was " fuck "

Bottom of the group now

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I dont know what the answer is Winrew. I imagine a great many Liverpool fans will be taking advantage of the 2/1 on Arsenal at the weekend in the thought that they will get some money back when we are gubbed come Sunday.

One thing I do know though, pundits and the media create pressure. They often say that managers are not given enough time and that the way the game operates today is crazy, but they are the ones that hype teams up, wind fans up and consequently contribute to managers getting sacked. The moment I found out Jol had left last night, I thought "oh shit - we're next".

The blood hungry gutter snipes at the Red Tops had yet another managerial casualty and like a pen full of man eating pigs, they were after their next kill. They can sense weakness and it creates a frenzy in the media, this in turn creates a frenzy amongst the fans. Its a self fulfilling prophecy. They feed off each other and tear into the flesh of a fallen manager.

Rotation seems to be the gripe with most of the fans who ring 6-0-6 and other phone ins. Rant Line Inc must be doing a bomb of late as anyone and everyone is moaning about rotation, rotation, rotation. Here's a rotation fact for all you guys who love spinning around:

• Season 2006/07 - Liverpool made the same amount of Premier League changes as Manchester United last season (118, at just over three per game),

Benitez made 2 changes to his victorious team for the match against Besiktas midweek. Both of them were attacking and both changes were pretty much in-line with public opinion, ie: Momo is playing shit at the moment.

I dont mind criticising anyone, but hacking into people for no apparent reason does my head in. Benitez sticks with Kuyt and Voronin and he gets laid into. If Benitez had played Crouch and dare I say, rotated, he would be leaving himself open to criticism from those who despise the 'R' word.

If Benitez is to go, I imagine the 'R' word will be banded about as the root cause of the problem and its simply not the case. Gerrard cant play 60 games a season, he needs a rest at some point. Yet when he does rest, rotate, drop him - the media immediately latches on to it and the likes of Lawro (and the rest of the cast of the pantomime that Football Focus has become) will no doubt lash Benitez for a crazy/foolhardy/senseless/mad decision to rest our number 1/talismanic/superhuman slub captain.

Its funny because the media know he cant play 60 games a year. Yet when he is rested, they are only too keen to hound Benitez for his decision. Funny how most pundits are failed managers themselves and most sports journalists are frustrated observers whose management experience is probably limited to a season on Championship Manager.

Yet these buffoons pass judgement over the likes of Rafa and Jol too.

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Come on Robbie lad, hope he gets a goal tonight, for old time's sake


When the ball hits the net
Its a fairly safe bet that its Fowler
Robbie Fowler
And When Liverpool score
You will hear the Kop roar "Oh, its Fowler
Robbie Fowler"
Ian Rush, Roger Hunt
Who's the best man up front? "Oh, its Fowler
Robbie Fowler"
He's the King of the Kop
He's the best of the lot
Robbie Fowler

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Oh and for the record - a very experimental team out there tonight. Babel and Crouch up front. Leto and El Zhar out on the flanks with Lucas finally getting a first team start!

Cant wait to watch it later on

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Originally Posted by Winrew

Bottom of the group now

Things looking a bit better now. Football gets you scratching your head and askng questions doesnt it - how can this be the same team that beat us 2 weeks ago? We absolutely humped them here.

I think a well balanced team is what its all about. Pick the best team for the formation you want to play. So if you play with 2 strikers, play one up and one off rather than 2 forwards who cant hold the line. Play individuals in their best positions and get them to pass to each other.

When its done well, it looks so easy.

We will qualify! I've got me train tickets booked for the Marseille game in December - going on the Monday night to London and kipping at Dan's. The 7am train to Paris and then change for the Marseille bound TGV to arrive around 2pm on the Tuesday. Yeesssssssssssss.

At least there'll be something riding on this game - batter Porto in the game a week Wednesday and then onwards to Marseille.

[Winrew]

I thought Benayoun had a hell of a game.

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Fuck me, Rafa's a hard man to please. We've just got the stadium signed off and just humped Besiktas by the biggest ever winning margin in the Champions League and he says it was "almost a perfect day" - ha ha.

Good one Rafa

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Originally Posted by Winrew

I thought Benayoun had a hell of a game.

Yep, his control was great, sprayed the ball round the pitch and linked up well with Arbeloa on the wing. All round he was great and I just hope that he plays against Fulham too, so that he gets to maintain his good form.

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Here's something to make us all smile - I was going to stick it in the rumour mill but dont even think i'll bother. It isnt a rumour, its pure comedy:

Liverpool eye-up Sunderland's Kenwyne Jones

By Vicki Hodges
Last Updated: 10:41am GMT 06/11/2007

Benitez's interest in the 6ft 5in forward may signal the end of Peter Crouch's time at Anfield, who could be used as bait to secure the services of the 23-year-old, reports the Mirror.

Jones joined Sunderland in a £6m move from Southampton in August and has been a revelation for the Premier League newcomers this season by scoring four goals in eight appearances.

Sunderland manager Roy Keane has not been surprised by the interest generated by Jones' form since making the step up from the Championship, but would be reluctant to let the club's top scorer leave.

"Kenwyne is a big player for us and has taken on the responsibility like a true man," Keane said. "If he continues in the form he's in I would expect some calls when the transfer window opens.

"There are not that many big targetmen out there and the fact he's also quick, has a good touch and is scoring goals makes it obvious that people will identify him."

Keane, however, could be persuaded to part with the Trinidad and Tobago international if Crouch was offered as part of Liverpool's offer.

Crouch, at 6ft 7ins would be an ideal like-for-like replacement for Jones but might opt against a move to the Stadium of Light with other clubs interested in signing the England international should he be surplus to requirements at Anfield.

Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has already expressed an interest to bring Crouch back to Villa Park, while Manchester City coach Sven-Goran Eriksson is an admirer of the giant striker having handed him his international break.

Liverpool eye-up Sunderland's Kenwyne Jones - Telegraph

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According to the Independent, Villa are about to launch a £20m double swoop for Carson and Crouch. I tell you what, I'd be fucked off if that goes through.

Carseon, bought for £500k and sold for circa £10m is good business. But I wouldnt be happy letting Crouch go for anything less than £15m - because he's a damn good player who scores when he plays. If Darren Bent is worth £16m then to let Crouch leave for around £10m is poor on our account. An international class, proven goalscorer who doesnt get a game with us while Kuyt toils to no avail game after game.

To let him go in the first place doesnt make sense IMO, but if he has to go to let him depart for a paltry £10m - no way Jose.

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You have to laugh at stuff thats gets printed - here's a story that no doubt goes under the banner "Club chase good manager"

Bayern Munich have earmarked Rafa Benitez as a possible replacement for coach Ottmar Hitzfeld, who is out of contract next May. Discreet enquiries have been made about the Liverpool manager, who has previously rejected overtures from Inter Milan and Real Madrid.

If he rejects Inter and Real, why the fuck would he want to move to Bayern?

Hands off, the Rafalution is moving into top gear.

[andeeeee]

get the mobile in the mood for chrimbo