tomasjj

I still cannot get my head around to why we let this one slide so easily and without any fuzz.

Rafa has taught them well :

That's a fair point. he could easily have turned out that way. I do wonder when refs are going to start giving stonewall penos though. There have been a few this season.

I thought he was ok. Missed a clear peno though. Lucas was clattered in the area by yobo. Nothing near the ball. And I still think both Fellani and Cahill should have been booked. The way Cahill got away from leveling Mascherano after 2 minutes was just daft.

Yes, I agree. A team out of form, lacking in confidence, will almost inevitably become protective of a lead.

Against these yarddogs Aquilani I will be massively surprised if Aquilani starts. Lucas and Masch in the middle, and Kuyt to start as well. Abysmal form or not, his physicality is needed at the pits.

So he's no better than Rafa in the transfer market then.

Didn't he sign Quaresma for a big fee, then not use him much?

Alehouse challenge. He got what he deserved.

WE WANT YOUR QUESTIONS FOR PELLEGRINO Liverpoolfc.tv 11 November 2009 We'll soon be filming an interview with Mauricio Pellegrino at Melwood - and we want you to ask the questions. Whatever you want to ask our first-team coach, this is your chance. Whether it be about his work as part of the management team at Melwood, his Anfield playing days or the season so far, send your questions to us and we'll put a selection of the best ones to him on your behalf. Please email all questions to: admin@liverpoolfc.tv. Fill yer boots lads...

So would I, but there were other parts of your post I was debating as well.

So, that's one detail, and I am not sure I buy it anyway. But regardless, what about the rest of the post? Because I am not sure it is about "insurance".

I don't think he has played there much, even if I remember a couple of decent appearances there. He has also played up front, and initially this season, on the left.

As to the original post, it could just be that Kuyt is considered better than Babel, or brings more to the team in total. It doesn't always have to be a complicated explanation, although with Rafa we might expect that ,) As for 442, I don't think we played that against Fulham, but the usual 4231 thing. Kuyt as insurance for an attacking fullback, perhaps, but I think it has more to do with the philosophy of the full backs providing the width. This is the flavour of the year in football, as is the attacking from midfield thing (460 formations etc.). It is also useful as it is harder to defend against, a player running into space coming from behind. When Riera doesn't play, we do the same on the left, with Benny cutting in and the full back providing width. It is what the formation is set up to do. Babel has done ok on the right, but he has only played there for about 1 match in total hasn't he?

Dzagoev reminds me of Arshavin, or Aguero in a way. Gonna be a star that kid.

Even Aki is better than the lame Aquaman suggestion.

I don't think Rafa would start both Aki and Torres. That would mean he will have 2 players he will have to sub at one point. Leaves little flexibility both tactically and in terms of possible injuries.

The Greek to score against their depleted Maginot line. Set piece header.

Standards are slipping around here.

Voronin looked better than Kuyt out there today. created a few chances and did well in periods, was invisible in others though.

A salary cap hasn't been on the table, but what was it that Uefa were up to regarding a limit to the % of debt a club could have? Not sure, but could such a thing tickle Kraft and get him back on stage?

Are you aware that in a lot of those games he played on the wing, and many were sub appearances?

Aye, Plus Dirk is s**** when deployed up front on his own.

Yeah, I'd preferred if Benny stayed on. I would have taken Ngog off, who was out of breath from the 70th minute. He could neither challenge for the ball, pressure their defence, nor get back into his position up front after defensive set pieces...well, until about 3 min. later.

Voronin actually used the ball intelligently when he came on. jumps behind the sofa