beejay

If we are to win the title we have to improve on our set pieces. In tight games, time after time ManU & Chelsea get the winner from a corner or free kick but we so rarely threaten in the same situations. Total domination yesterday, loads of corners and direct frees from around the box but barely a decent attempt to speak of. It's asking far too much of our open play to expect us to consistently score in games where the opposition put everyone behind the ball. We either need a specialist or Rafa has to work them much harder on the training ground so we are far more of a threat in this department.

I hope & pray it isn't b****x, a takeover is the best solution for us right now

My bullsh*t antennae are activated by the notion that G&H would go so far as obtaining planning permission for a scheme such as this without having a comprehensive cost plan. It beggars belief that costs have escalated so much as to scrap the project since the plans were unveiled 3 or 4 months ago. It simply has to be a factor of the credit squeeze in spite of all that Parry is spinning. They can't raise the cash. I suspect also that the forecasts of profits from the new ground have come under scrutiny and have failed to stack up. Maybe G&H thought the supersonic scheme would have far more executive boxes etc selling at Emirates/Stamford Bridge rates until someone pointed out to them that Liverpool is not a suburb of London. The only other answer is that they put the scheme together with the option of selling the club, complete with a much more valuable planning consent, at a decent profit. In come DIC who agree to buy but only if the plans are scaled back to a more realistic level. One can but hope

Of course it isn't over yet. We've got a bloody good side and Rafa has a history of producing strong finishes. The Mancs were sh*te yesterday by any creative yardstick, we played all the football but lost yet again to a scruffy set piece. It happens. We more than matched them, we played Chelsea off the park and came within 12 mins of beating Arsenal at their peak. The real shame of this season is the time it has taken for Agger & Alonso to return. We'll see if Terry is back in 6 weeks, these injuries can really take their toll. We so miss Agger's composure at the back and his ability to enter the midfield in advanced positions. Xabi makes all the difference in controlling the tempo of a game and always showing for the ball. As was said when we bought him - he makes team-mates play better. Agger does the same for our distribution from the back. I genuinely believe we will regain our consistency when we have these 2 back because we will control games far more and now have enough firepower to finish teams off. All this assumes that Rafa is not undermined any more.

Like this one? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/arti...amp;ito=newsnow Or maybe http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/arti...amp;ito=newsnow

Rushian's info didn't come from the meeting - he doesn't know if it took place or not. He's saying he believes Rafa doesn't have any support at board level and Parry in particular wants him out (I'm paraphrasing, read his posts on rawk)

Marseilles were almost as bad as us at Anfield and we could have scored 3 or 4 in injury time, the lucky b***ards. If we defend the inevitable torrent of set pieces from them diving all over the place we should be able to create enough chances to sneak it. I remember Biscan getting sent off and a penalty wrongly given when we last had to get a result in Marseilles.

Starting to get well nervous now. I've been kidding meself that this game doesn't matter really, we've done Europe, need to concentrate on the League, no distractions blah blah but b*llox to all that, I'm desperate for us to go through. C'mon boys, for f*** sake start well, don't sit back, be brave in possession and let's have a right go at them.

Gillett has kept quiet while Hicks has been shouting his mouth off. Interesting that he is meeting Rafa on his own and is taking time out to see the Marseilles game. You just wonder if it could be true that Hicks might consider selling while Gillett is more long term.

Agree with that - Momo alongside Gerrard or Mascherano doesn't work, but he can still be effective with Xabi (or maybe Lucas) pulling the strings.

I've noticed in several games during breaks in play that he has been holding his side & kneeling down. I think the collapsed lung (he had to go to hospital with breathing difficulties) has really affected him and he is either playing through pain or is still encountering problems in catching his breath. Most of his mistakes seem to be from getting there too late or from semi-panic clearances. Some of this could be because he is having to work harder because we are missing Agger's pace at the back but I think he badly needs a break and Rafa can't rest him until Danny Boy is back. The failure to sign Heinze, compounded by Agger's long-term injury, has really hurt us this season although we have just about got away with it because Sami has been so good. Many of us thought he was no longer capable of performing at the top level playing twice a week but his form has got better & better.

I have no issue with Rafa on rotation, but what is so baffling is the change in personnel. Agger, Alonso & Aurelio are nearly fit so the time to rest Sami, Lucas & Babbel or Kewell is surely when they are back? Not when we have just had a week off. Rafa got this one so wrong - our squad is strong but we have some passengers and played most of them in this vital game when there were better, more reliable options

Rafa's said we have no injuries. He also said pretty much that he took off Gerrard, Torres & Carra because the game was gone. Rafa must be trying to get the sack with that team selection today. Crazy. We have been on fire with real shape & balance to the side but the side was stripped of all width & creativity. We keep hearing that Alonso, Agger & Aurelio are nearly ready. We have a week off before the game. So why change everything? Why no Kewell, Babel, Benayoun, Lucas, Hyypia? On the penalties, the 1st one was the correct decision but the 2nd was a pen - it doesn't matter if he got a touch, he went through Torres from behind to get the ball. Clear penalty and thr turning point in the game.

Warm words from Rafa. Is that 1. to hike the price up 2. we think he can make it at anfield 3. rafa is training & coaching his existing players http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N...071206-0821.htm

Torres is clever enough to make it work with Crouch. I noticed against Bolton that they were both playing high up the pitch in central positions so they were one-on-one with the centrebacks. Torres would then spin off his marker eg with his goal. When Kuyt & Voronin play they drop deeper but that invariably leaves Torres with 2 markers. Rafa has a plan for each opponent and sometimes it works best with the link striker, but on other occasions Crouch's presence gives Togs more space. As someone else posted, our other option is also pretty mouth-watering - the 4-3-3 with Alonso/Lucas, Mascherano & Gerrard in the middle and Kewell/Babel & Benayoun flanking Torres. That might work better against a really top side with 5 in the middle who will retain possession.

some of these should be saved and transferred onto banners!!

In the current circumstances where Rafa's position has been openly in question, I imagine Capello has been sounded out through agents, but his total lack of english would be much more of a problem at club than international level. Surprised he hasn't been linked with Newcastle but maybe that will be in tomorrow's papers.

Fernando Torres is so good that... ...he can take my daughter out on a date. But that's all Fernando

More about Big Sam's management style http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/view/2...-Sam-Allardyce/

Couple of quotes from other boards featuring the Count talking about Bascombe's article and a story about Parry : Originally Posted by Count Morfeo Lord below. You can take an undead horse to water but you can't make that neighing steed drink a drop. Sensationalist?? When have you known the Baron to ever be wrong? What, you don't believe his story because you don't want to? Or because good old uncle Hicks says it's speculative? It's OK, you can put your heads back in the sand now. Quote from: someone relatively reliable on raotl Iknow some people on here are not too keen on the attacks on Parry,cos they dont want to rock the boat or he gets in touch to talk things over with the RTK over cheese and biscuits,but this has got me fuming as it will every like minded supporter on here. Friend,(not into football i may add) says to me,f***in el,theres no love lost between that Parry and Benitez is there? I asked him to explain,and he told me he had been to a coaching conference at the Atheneum in town on thursday night,Parry was the guest speaker and he belittled Benitez on several occasions,and this is in public, 24hrs after the protest march for Rafa! What a smarmy arrogant g*******,he said the Miracle of Istanbul was a myth,that he had lost control in the dressing room,he then repeated the story that he was ready to send 12 men onto the pitch until Carragher intervened. Called it choas,which it may well have been,but to bring this s**** up with all that is going on at the club at this present shows his true colours! He summed up"just goes to show,the players know better than the coach!" I thought there was a truce and he goes and undermines the manager less than 24hrs later to a load of businessmen in liverpool city center?

Riise was very good yesterday in contrast to his performances the rest of the season. Just wonder if the fact that there is an embargo on sales & purchases means he thinks he still has a future at Liverpool. His demeanour in other games suggested he knew he was on his way out. Ditto Crouch lately

I don't think a fat lot has changed, other than Hicks has got the message that our fans & media are way different from what he's used to. The owners have not said Rafa's job is safe, when given every opportunity to do so, so clearly it isn't. But the fans & results, plus Rafa's show of contrition, have given him a stay of execution. We have to be vigilant and make sure if a result or two go against us (as they are bound to at some point) it isn't seen to be an excuse for dumping Rafa. Molby/Knox's campaign has to go on...

Friend of mine was at a function recently where both Parry & Ayres were present and remarked afterwards that the atmosphere between the two was frosty to say the least.

You might be right - tried a check and just came up with this link http://rangersorrobbers.wordpress.com/cate...s-sports-group/ Their petition has nothing on ours