Mr. Biscan

Yeah but when Lucas actually has a half decent game, it's actually not world beating it's just that, half decent. It then gets over hyped to f***.

Who cares what Rafa does or doesn't do after Liverpool? Houllier won the French League twice after leaving us...Does that mean it was wrong to sack Houllier, no of course not.

mourinho and new owners ace

Wayne knows

Apart from that.

I had no clue what our attack was doing to be honest, when we got the ball Babel was looking over his shoulder wondering where the ball was going to come from, Kuyt lost the ball, got it back, Aquilani then gave the ball away and I'm not even sure what Yossi actually did yesterday.

Thats all well and good, but we haven't tried anything different. Although I agree with the sentiments.

Now you mention it I think you have a point. Aqui does tend to go forward more, he does tend to release the ball and to his credit he always tries to get himself in a good position. However when defending, he isn't giving me much confidence. I have noticed more IMO that our strikers are playing much more deeper, as I said even with Torres it isn't working enough. I lost count the amount of times Ngog came into the centre circle, got the ball, tried to find a pass and the attack broke down. Strikers shouldn't be doing that. Personally, I think if we are going to get the most out of this system we need someone big, strong and tall to hold the ball up and play it through to Torres, whilst having someone both dynamic with a cool head. Honestly, I can only think back to the Crouch and Torres debate. Maybe that could have worked given time? Infact think more recent regarding Keane, we perhaps got the system right, but not the player. Either way despite it's success, it isn't working at the moment for us, as well as Zonal Marking. We need a new approach, we need to try something different.

Pro Liverpool lid

It worked well last season with the same players, without Alonso Obviously. The way we have handled it has been awful, and the blame for that IMO lies soley at Rafa's door.

I don't think so, I think far so actually. He's the only player who actually looks like he gives a damn, time after time I saw him giving instructions if anyone is actually rallying the troops, acting like a captain figure it's Jamie. Not saying he's been brilliant because he hasn't, but he's done enough for this club to be cut some slack, and he's not been our worst defender. He's never been a player who can get the ball, bring it forward and player a killer pass week in week out, he does it often but clearly not enough. Hence the reason why Agger is the perfect partner, but that being said he as well hasn't been perfect as well, last night he was awful, got beat in the air so much it was nearly funny. Insua had a shocker, and looks like if this continues he'll be ruined, and Degen, well god bless him and all that but he just isn't good enough. In an ideal world where we had an ideal replacement for Carra I'd be more open to the idea of 'phasing him out' ala Hyypia, but we haven't got the money and as much as the players have been awful, our defence has been edgy from the first 5 minutes of the season, whatever is going on needs to be addressed, I don't think Benitez isn't addressing it and the coaching staff, but what is being done obviously isn't working. We have prided ourselves on our defence, but once more with the depature of Alonso we look 10x worse. Our defensive midfield is anything but defensive and Aquilani last night essentially jumped out of every tackle. People are far too hasty to write off Carra, to the extent he is almost becoming a scape goat. Our midfield is falling apart and our Full Backs aren't doing their job, and for all Johnson's attacking ability I'm not convinced about his defending.

I've just got a feeling that there doesn't seem to be the other side of the coin, there doesn't seem to be someone with a different opinion or a different approach.

Salif Diao is going to have a stormer.

How did we set up then?

I know what you are thinking....Bu..Bu it worked last season? I know it did and it worked very well, we had confidence, we had a strong defence and desire. Torres and Gerrard where on fire when available and Xabi was sensational. Only one thing has changed, and that has been Xabi Alonso. Take him out of the equation and we have Masch, Lucas, Aqui and Gerrard 4 players who can occupy that area. At the beginning of the season we knew we where going to be without Aquilani, therefore we should have done the following IMO. Yossi or Kuyt upfront with Torres, Gerrard back into midfield with Masch or Lucas, or on the right side. The thing I have noticed lately with this system is that the likes of Ngog or Kuyt who have played in the hole or upfront is that they have had to come into midfield to get the ball, even Torres did it when he was on the pitch in the first half. They get the ball in the centre circle, look forward and there is no one there. Kuyt isn't making the runs, Yossi yesterday especially wasn't getting into the game, and overall we are short of options. When Reading got the ball, they had players way out wide, Agger looked incredibly uncomfortable, and Carra was always looking behind him. The Reading midfield got the ball and looked composed and always managed to find the right man. We by comparison looked desperately short of ideas. Back to the Gerrard situation, I know how lethal Gerrard and Torres are, but by the same token our midfield looks awful, it has no drive and isn't dynamic. Dirk Kuyt can run, Yossi does show glimpses but Lucas is absolutely awful and Mascherano's mind is elsewhere. Gerrard is good enough to play in midfield, we know that, he has been one of the best in the world in that position. He is dynamic, he can get forward, push wide get back and pull the strings. He is the only player who can replace what Xabi gave us. I know the time has come and gone now, Aqui is now fit and we look as if we are sticking with the two holding midfielders with Lucas going forward (Which he isn't good enough to do). But we still look as bad as we did without Aqui. We need a plan B and above all we need to change the system we are currently employing, just because something worked a year ago, 6 months ago or 5 years ago doesn't mean the same will stand. We need to change something, we can't go playing 1 striker upfront, no matter how good or bad at home. I am utterly convinced that Torres needs a partner, Ngog or Torres or even Yossi. Our players are dyanamic, Yossi, Kuyt and Gerrard especially they can play left, right in the hole or the centre, and thats without even mentioning what Riera and Babel can do as well. The way we have handled the Xabi depature has been criminal, and if Aquilani doesn't prove his worth soon then he will soon feel the pressure. Thoughts?

Still can't believe how f***ing s*** we are

I counted 3 times players just skipped past him. He needs to show his worth now.

He's a bit of a c***, but he'd be our c***.

We need to get Mourinho if he goes the Mancs thats quite literally it.

We can't afford to sack Rafa. £5 Million a year for 5 years. Laughing.

I'd have played Gerrard in midfield either right or in the centre and Yossi, Ngog or Kuyt upfront with Torres.

The way I saw us set up was this ____Lucas Aqulani_____ Kuyt___________Yossi Gerrard Torres Then in the second half it was Lucas Aquilani Kuyt_________Yossi Ngog Babel Honestly when Ngog got the ball he was in the centre circle, we should have played and I don't mean to sound like Mike Bassett here, 4-4-f***ing-2.

I turned to my mate and said if we don't get a 2nd we won't win. That sitter they missed before they equalised was incredible.

Just got in Out fought, beaten in the air every single f***ing time Out thought...See what I did there? Out played They played with confidence and intent We tried to control the game and pass it side ways Ngog f***ing spent most of his time in midfield Lucas Leiva is f***ing s*** and anyone who says otherwise has no f***ing clue what he or she is talking about If Aquilani is a £20 Million player worth £30 Million he needs to start f***ing showing it, he was s*** defensively today. 2 HOLDING MIDFIELD PLAYERS AT HOME AGAINST READING OR ANY OTHER NO MARK f***ING TEAM DOESN'T f***ING WORK We get the ball, our strikers play far too deep and then we have no options. Reading pinged the ball from end to end, they knew what they where doing. Reading where by far the better team and I stayed behind to applaud, well done to them. Yet another spineless approach by Benitez, and an utter horror show from our defense. Our tactical f***ing genius needs to get his a*** into gear before it gets nasty. People said 'What if he wins the FA Cup and UEFA Cup is that good enough?' Well we are out of the FA Cup so if we don't win the UEFA can we sack him then? I'm beyond livid from a selfish point of view I've been up since 6 trying to sort out tickets, driving all around Liverpool, going to f***ing cancelled lectures and what not, and to get served that s*** is un-real. 1 Goal in over 210 Minutes of football against a Championship Team fighting relegation is incredible. This is one of my worst moments as a Liverpool supporter tbh, I am beyond angry at that f***ing gang of spineless c**** on the pitch, and that fella on the bench who has more excuses than sense. If I ever see 2 holding midfield players at Anfield again, I will no longer sing his name at the ground. This is and hasn't been since the beginning of the season, Good enough. Rafa Out.

For what it's worth. I remember people saying the same things about the forum when the dark days of Houllier where coming around. It's not the forum thats the problem Anny, it's the members and entrenched views and not many people can accept that their is another side to the coin, and that not everything is down to the owners, and yes I know I'm probably calling the kettle black, but you get my drift.