My Liverpool Rant....

[jod23]

Plastic is our destiny and Watford cannot deny it.

Anyway, while the defensive problems have been well-covered by my fellow ********ed off Liverpool fans, it's up front where I'm most worried. The width obviously needs to be addressed, but the only way we look like scoring is via Gerrard from outside the area. I can't help but think that since our excellent performance against Chelsea, what has changed? The only thing I can think of is Xabi Alonso's injury - is he that crucial to us? Hamann is on a gradual decline and Gerrard seems hampered by injury or lack of interest, and our midfield has been slaughtered!

And that second goal we conceded was absolutely pathetic.

Well it helps if we actually play midfielders in midfield. I think against the Saints we started with Riise, Hamman, Gerrard and Garcia in midfield. Riise is a LB and Garcia is a forward?? But with Xabi, Kewell and Nunez unable to play...well what can you do. Bring back TLT, have more faith in the youngsters? I dont know but we need to stop playing players out of position.

 

[Jars458]

That was our worst performance that I have seen in five years

Utterly spineless.

Pellegrino was awful. Garcia terrible.

What about getting Diarra back from France?

 

[Lowie01]

Well it helps if we actually play midfielders in midfield. I think against the Saints we started with Riise, Hamman, Gerrard and Garcia in midfield. Riise is a LB and Garcia is a forward?? But with Xabi, Kewell and Nunez unable to play...well what can you do. Bring back TLT, have more faith in the youngsters? I dont know but we need to stop playing players out of position.

Injuries are forcing our hand at the moment, and I thought the team we put out on Saturday was the best one we could, with the exception of Traore for Warnock. Actually, I think Djimi has played reasonably well this season and was unlucky to be dropped, especially to accommodate someone playing out of position. But we may have to revert to the five-man midfield again until we come out of this, which further stretches limited resources.

 

[ExpectToWin]

Liverpool were simply outclassed by a far superior team

Go the Saints

 

[topdon]

Yes he is, no surprise that the lack of quality going forward that sudddenly happened coincided with Xabi's injury. When we clear out of defence, the back 4 always goes to him, then Xabi, being possibly the best passer in the league, would just give out perfect passes to our wide men and release them. His link up play is just marvelous, without him, the back 4 is just hoofing the ball long because they don't know where to go.

XA has been ruled out for the rest of the season. ********!

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N147609050125-0833.htm

 

[jeka]

the only reason carra was playing at right back was because our two recognised right backs (finnan and josemi) were both injured. So it was either play raven, who would have been making his league debut against man u or move our very own utility man there.

When the rest of our defence is fit, Pellegrino will not be getting a game.

 

[jod23]

the only reason carra was playing at right back was because our two recognised right backs (finnan and josemi) were both injured. So it was either play raven, who would have been making his league debut against man u or move our very own utility man there.

When the rest of our defence is fit, Pellegrino will not be getting a game.

I disagree. Rafa was playing favourites IMO. Carra and Hyypia had been pretty good in central defence and bringing in Raven for his debut would have been better than bringing in Pellegrino for his debut.

For starters, the CB positions are far more important than LB and RB. Plus Raven has grown up with english football and has been playing all season in the reserves and training with all the boys. Pellegrino had done nothing all season and was out of his depth and not even close to match fitness. His understanding of our tactics and of his teammates was not up to par yet as he had only just arrived at the club. Rafa played favourites.

 

[jeka]

I disagree. Rafa was playing favourites IMO. Carra and Hyypia had been pretty good in central defence and bringing in Raven for his debut would have been better than bringing in Pellegrino for his debut.

For starters, the CB positions are far more important than LB and RB. Plus Raven has grown up with english football and has been playing all season in the reserves and training with all the boys. Pellegrino had done nothing all season and was out of his depth and not even close to match fitness. His understanding of our tactics and of his teammates was not up to par yet as he had only just arrived at the club. Rafa played favourites.

Well as soon as the first choice back four were available, Pellegrino was dropped.

Not surprisingly either his not being in the centre of defence co-incided with a good away win

 

[jod23]

Well as soon as the first choice back four were available, Pellegrino was dropped.

Not surprisingly either his not being in the centre of defence co-incided with a good away win

Good to see Rafa has realised his mistakes and gone back to the Hyypia and Carragher partnership. Surprise, surprise, we win...

I still think we can get fourth. Only way we can keep Gerrard.

 

[jeka]

I don't know if fourth will be good enough to keep Stevie G, IMO at the moment unless we make the CL final (which whilst possible is unlikely) he'll likely go

 

[jod23]

I dont know? Its really too hard to say if your not in the know. If we finish 4th and go well in the CL, say we beat Leverkusen and make the QF's and win the Carling Cup, maybe thats enough to keep Gerrard interested?

Hopefully he will also realise that Rafa has had to contend with a shocking run of injuries too. I think our season would be a lot different if we had Cisse, Alonso and Kewell not missing so much time. Pongolle also gone for the season, as well as Smicer missing all season up until his debut this week. Nunez got injured in his first training session and Gerrard himself broke his foot. Baros, Finnan and Hyypia have also missed games.

I know all teams will have injuries but we have had far more than the norm. With a fit and firing full squad I think were a pretty good side. Not to mention the off season signings we may make that could also sway Gerrards mind. All up in the air but im hoping he will at least give Rafa one more year to prove himself as a manager.

Lets be honest Gerrard is only 25 and any team in the world would love to have him so if he does leave it will be to a Chelsea, Real Madrid or Barcelona...he will no doubt win tons of trophies with these teams so whats the difference if he waits one more year. He will kick himself if he leaves and Liverpool get it together and start winning trophies without him.

 

[JLC]

I dont think Chelsea will get Gerrard as they have just posted huge losses so they would have to sell the players to get the money required.

Touchwood it appears we are out of our slump. Morientes will hopefully be the man that leads us to CL qualification for next year. He is just starting to warm up and he would have to be one of the best headers in the game around goals. Its just a pity El Moro cant play in the CL this year for us. We will struggle in the first leg as Gerrard and Alonso both wont be playing so i cant see any creativity coming in the midfield. That will mean we will have to win in Germany.

As for next season we need to offload Kewell and his big salary. Get another left sided player as Chelsea and Man U have shown the importance of having good wingers. It goes without saying that Dudek needs to go and we need perhaps Cesar from Real Madrid. We need another central defender preferably someone with more pace. Pellargino is an embarrassment.

If Gerrard does go it will be a huge blow but it may enable us to get two or three world class players with the money.

jlc

 

[Cooldude]

As if Chelsea cares about posting huge lossess, Roman would just open his wallet again.

As if they can't afford Gerrard

As if we can't survive without him

As of Kewell, he deserves another year, everyone knows his talent, but he has not been given a chance to show it with his constant niggling injuries, and even when he's on the park he's playing with injuries. He got screwed up by GH's bewildering tactics first season, and looked to be getting better until he got injured.

His wages ain't a problem, he'd just be on as much as Cheyrou's on (Who's on around 40-45k)

 

[JLC]

I think you will find that they have already told Mourinho that before they buy a big name player they have to sell one first. We all saw what happened with Leeds. Roman didnt make his billions by investing in things that return losses.

Kewell is one of the highest paid players at the club yet his output is minimal. He has played probably a couple of good games this year at best. Take away the Aussie bias and he was only playing average. We need a higher quality player to play on the left. That is if we want to be competing with the likes of Chelsea, Juventus etc etc

jlc

 

[Cooldude]

He's only been here for two years, FFS, and one year with an incompetent manager and another with a competent one but injury-riddled. Australian or not Australian, it has nothing to do with it, and I already said, his wages is not a problem whatsoever.

As if we have the money to buy an absolute quality left/right sider? We simply have to persist with Kewell for now, and those who say he should be sold are as knee jerk as they come. Wouldn't get much for selling him now anyway

 

[Rumbo]

What i witnessed last night was deporable. A team without any passion what so ever. I know Gerrard is carrying an injury, but geez, last night he looked like a man who has already packed his bags for Stamford Bridge.

Don't want Gerrard at Stamford bridge.He doesn't suit our style of play.
We don't need any more pommies in our team.

 

[jeka]

Parry puts Gerrard 'above money'

Interesting read
Basically no amount will buy Gerrard, but if he wants to go then he can

 

[Astill]

Hi,

What else can they say. The club doesnt want him to leave but no-one is bigger than LFC and never will be.

At the end of the day we will either have one of if not the best midfield players in the world playing for us, or we will have 30m+ to buy better players than we have.

At the end of the day LFC are here for LFC and not SG.

If he wants to leave, then he can. We will still be bigger than him and will more things in the years he is away than he will if he leaves.

I actually think he will stay. I think in the last 7 months SG will have seen we have the class to win big things.

!

 

[Koolo]

SG is way overrated, Alonso is the real loss, a player of vision and skill, who does not spray shots into the upper deck.

Todays guardian.

"As of now, Liverpool have won a higher percentage of their games this season without him in the side than with. And lost a lower percentage. When he's not in the team, they score, on average, more than half-a-goal a game more, while picking up a higher average of Premiership points per match. Luis Garcia has a better goals-to-shots ratio than our hero. And as for which Liverpool player is highest up the Opta rankings? "

 

[jeka]

Agree with everyhting posted about No single player being bigger than the club, and that this season we have not been so one-dimensional in midfield, with the introduction of Alonso and Garcia.

However, IMO, It will be a big step backwards to the club if Gerrard goes, just like the loss of Owen was last summer. Yes we have progressed since last season but that progress would have been much greater if we still had Owen, the same goes for Stevie G and next season, if indeed he leaves over the summer.

 

[Astill]

Hi,

SG is way overrated, Alonso is the real loss, a player of vision and skill, who does not spray shots into the upper deck.

Todays guardian.

"As of now, Liverpool have won a higher percentage of their games this season without him in the side than with. And lost a lower percentage. When he's not in the team, they score, on average, more than half-a-goal a game more, while picking up a higher average of Premiership points per match. Luis Garcia has a better goals-to-shots ratio than our hero. And as for which Liverpool player is highest up the Opta rankings? "

The guardian peice has some merit but Gerrard and Alonso complement each other nicely. If SG stays and they get a good run of games together, I know it would be an awesome combination.

The Garcia comparison is also just using statistics to try and prove a point that is just not true in reality. SG shoots more from outside the box, where as Garcia has missed some real sitters close up.

Also, I beleive SG has scored more goals than Garcia and thats the only one of two stats that really matter. How many goals you score and how many you conceed.

 

[Cooldude]

Liverpool does not need Steven Gerrard as much as some thinks

Our central midfield was very strong when Gerrard got injured and Hamann and Alonso took over. Alonso is a superb player, if he's an English, the tabloid would be blowing their loads over him instead of Gerrard.

He picks a man up, long or short pass, from anywhere. Superb vision and the ability to link up with the defence and then set us up forward with his surgeon-like passes by picking out our wide men.

Whereas Gerrard is just very prone to losing the ball as his last 2 months have shown.

Alonso does a great job at covering the back four, too. Gerrard, though, is very good defensively when he's there, but is indiscipline at his covering, since most of his runs always exposes his defence (One of our main problems last season with a slow centre half pairing + Didi)

Even when we beat Fulham on the weekend, our central midfield got smashed, which has been happening ever since when Alonso got injured (Bloody hell, they got smashed by Soton FFS).

Alonso costed 10.7 million. We can sell Gerrard for 30+ million, and Rafa can easily plug out someone of equal quality without being as overpriced (but extremely talented) as Gerrard.

And talks from the press, and from the player himself, of leaving all the time ain't gonna be good on the morale of the squad.

If Gerrard stays, that's great, if he doesn't, we'll still be the same. Owen was replaced, and so will Gerrard if he leaves.

 

[jod23]

I think you've lost the plot Cooldude. Gerrard is Liverpool's best player, Alonso is also very good but Gerrard is just about the best central midfielder in the world and he wont be easily replaced.

Owen hasnt being replaced either? Owen's strike rate for Liverpool was extremely impressive and he has continued that at Real. Nobody has replaced Michael and until Baros or Morientes or even Cisse is banging in the goals at pretty much one every second game then he will never be replaced.

 

[Cooldude]

I think you've lost the plot Cooldude. Gerrard is Liverpool's best player, Alonso is also very good but Gerrard is just about the best central midfielder in the world and he wont be easily replaced.

I think you've lost the plot and your marbles if you truly do think that. How many games have you actually watch? Gerrard has been average since the new year.

Don't point out that Olympiakos goal either, it was a wonderful moment, but before that goal, he was invisible, just like he's been for quite a while now.

Owen hasnt being replaced either? Owen's strike rate for Liverpool was extremely impressive and he has continued that at Real. Nobody has replaced Michael and until Baros or Morientes or even Cisse is banging in the goals at pretty much one every second game then he will never be replaced.

Owen never scored over 19 league goals per season

Baros has quite a few already this season.

Owen has been adequetly replaced by Morientes and Baros, Gerrard's replacement in Alonso is already here.

Can't believe some people actually DO believe in the media hype of Gerrard...

 

[funkyfreo]

Owen has been adequetly replaced by Morientes and Baros, Gerrard's replacement in Alonso is already here.

No way - we sold Owen and bought Cisse, who broke his leg. There is no way we planned to replace Owen with Baros, and Morientes is a maybe-stop-gap solution.