Ginu

And with us being on 4 points and marseille at 7, this is the perfect Rafa fixture. A knock-out type game. I reckon we'll do very well knowing it's essentially a winner qualifies match (obviously with one final game still).

After watching this, Babel is definitely a striker or a wide forward... not a winger. Our strongest lineup is Reina Arbeloa Carra Agger Aurelio Benayoun Gerrard Xabi/Masch Kewell Crouch/Babel Torres Yes Crouch is in there. He does so well holding up the ball and helping us maintain possession, even if he isn't scoring (yet he did get 2 today). And if Harry isn't fit, Benny can play on the left and Pennant on the right. The key though is Arbeloa and Aurelio as fullbacks. Without them, the passing out of our defense isn't great. As we saw today, they give us an attacking threat when they're in the side and are much better going forward than Finnan and Riise. And without Xabi, they add a passing presence and improve our first pass which lacks A LOT when they or Xabi aren't in the side. With Kuyt and Voronin, we have a lot of options up front, but Babel has to be up there. His pace, strength, finishing and creativity are needed at the top of the box.

He slipped.

So what was the point of this thread? When was the last time we had a player score a goal like that. And I meant his first one. Gerrard has never even done that before. This kid is a work of art.

Our performance against Arsenal showed the huge gulf that exists between the two teams. And for blackburn to hold an 80-20% possession advantage against us for quite a long period during the match, there certainly is something that needs to be discovered. We've put in far too many below par performances this season for it to be just a dip in form. lol i'm not bitter but there's certainly something wrong this season.

Anyone else? Hopefully we can get to the bottom of what's causing our poor form. Some are suggesting we should consider Mourinho, others that we need to replace a bunch of players, and others suggesting we're aren't able to play attacking football. I'm concerned because since Rafa has been here, he has been considered a defensive-minded manager.

Sorry I was editing it. I guess it re-posted the entire topic.

There's been a problem with my account for about a month. I think I just sorted it out. I've had a lot of time to think about our recent form. This is what I've come up with. We need to change our entire approach to this team. See, when Rafa arrived, the entire first season was spent teaching the team how to play defense. Keeping clean sheets. Zonal marking. Anything and everything to make sure we minimized the goals against. Since then we've achieved that and we've done wonders in the Champions League. But not once since Rafa arrived does it seem like we've spent the same amount of time learning offense. We just don't seem like we know what to do in the final third and it seems like our team is built for defense only. While we may keep our clean sheet, but it results in us not scoring enough goals to get the 3 points. Consequently, we don't have the players who are comfortable on the ball moving forward. This includes essentially our entire defensive line and affects our entire transition from defense to midfield. That's why we don't play exciting football like Arsenal and Man United. That's why we resort to hoofing the ball up from the defense or passing back to Reina whenever we have a chance. So 9 times out of 10, our first pass is poor. Looking at our team, there are so many players we need to replace and we need to change our entire philosophy. And our defensive line isn't getting any younger. While Riise has to go, Finnan, Carra and Hyypia all need first-11 competition for the present and future, players that can use both feet, can all make a pass and are football smart. Yes, Stevie Finnan is very reliable at the back, yes Carra plays with the heart of a lion and yes Sami is great in the air, but can we honestly say they're capable of playing the way the back line of Arsenal and Man United do? I honestly can't say that. Do we ever see Carra playing in the opponent's box on a corner as well as Ferdinand does and challenging the goalkeeper? While Agger does this, do we ever see Carra joining the counter-attack like Toure? While Finnan makes a great tackle and can send in a good cross, but does he have the pace of and can beat a defender like Sagna can? Is Riise even as capable as Evra or Clichy? While Riise has become good defensively (again, that has been our focus under Rafa), when he enteres the opposing half, can he do anything but put in a chip cross or fierce shot and only with left foot? We just don't have the players throughout the team that can be both attacking and defending players. Arbeloa gives us hope that the manager is looking at the right players because he looks more than capable of doing this. But until we get in 3 excellent defenders that can "rival" our rival's players in those positions IN BOTH attacking and defending capabilities, we won't win the title. You may be able to do with one in the team, say Finnan or Carra, but not both or all. Getting Torres, Benayoun, Arbeloa, Mascherano and Babel is a start. All are the "next-generation" type of players that we have lacked in recent years. Even Agger is a great showing of this. But we lack the "fluidity" that our rivals have continually shown in the last 5 years. It only comes with the right players. And while Kuyt and Voronin work hard, if Kuyt runs around like he does but we lack that fluidity, his contribution gets negated because our play doesn't result in him getting the ball in the box. Notice how he rarely takes shots? These are the thoughts that I've been building up for the past 3-4 weeks. Hopefully it works to give us fans some perspective about why we have failed to score goals and already have 4 or 5 draws this season. Liverpool Football Club should never be satisfied with just remaining unbeaten. If we continually draw, after a couple, they might as well be considered losses. A big change in our philosophy is necessary. We need to consider ourself an attacking team, not a defensive one. We need to get replacements for our back line and a top quality winger and we'll see results. YNWA

Carra's definitely been off pace this season. I hope for our sake he's not fully fit ATM.

(8) Xabi Alonso, Lucas Leiva, Gerrard and Mascherano (8)

Think that was because Babel came on to be honest.

Riise is a "jar" of sh*te... pun intended

Kuyt Gerrard Lucas

If that is Lucas's consistent level of performance, I see Gerrard moving permanently wide with Lucas competing with Mascherano for a spot alongside Alonso. Momo terrifies me when he's on the pitch.

Momo shouldn't get a look at the first team after this performance... can't complete a f*ckin pass...

Lucas deserved his first goal by the way he played since he came on... Neville is such a c*nt

GET THE F*CK IN! LUCAS YOU HAVE NOW ARRIVED... GREAT POSITIONING... TRANSFER THAT MOMO BOY

As long as we have Sissoko, Hyypia and Riise at the club in the capacity that they're used, we're not going anywhere.

What you say is true BUT in the last 13 minutes of a match I guarantee you Stevie isn't playing near the centre circle but pushing up and imposing a few yards outside the box. He would definitely be playing higher up the pitch at that stage of the game so your point isn't completely valid. It actually supports the writer who states that Stevie needs to play as an attacking midfielder or wide player, not a central mid.

Mancini would.

For me, we need: Quaresma Anelka Kompany (or an Agger like astute purchase) Whether we can get all 3 is another story. Riise and Crouch to get the AXE.

I agree completely. To me we lack the quality in the side. This summer we got the depth, but we still lack the quality.

In January we need to show a ruthless streak. Riise and Crouch need to be sold to tell these players they can't f*ck around. Voronin and Kuyt are too similar as players in terms of approach and we need another player with pace like Torres: an Owen-like player to replace Crouch. 3 out of 4 strikers without much pace (Kuyt is questionable here because he makes it up with effort) causes a lot of problems. I said before and I'll say it again we're 4 or 5 first team players away from winning this league. A pacey centreback that can control the play and make a pass like Agger (Kompany?), pacey right defender that offers a goal scoring threat and can finish (like Sagna for Arsenal - an Arbeloa for the right defender position if you will), a TOP-DRAWER right winger (Benayoun and Pennant are great subs but you won't find a Premiership winning side with either of those players in your starting 11 - they're good players but we need a world-class winger that offers the complete package) and that elusive striker. We need to get rid of players that aren't good on the ball. They absolutely kill our approach play because they constantly give up the ball (Riise). We need to launch a bid for Eto'o this January. I don't care if he's cup-tied. We can see what Torres has done for us since he's got here. I can only imagine what we would have done this season so far without him. We need these types of world-class players. Bring Eto'o in ASAP.

Our right back will shift into midfield and Kuyt will play forward