Essential tinkering

[Caligula]

I think the vast majority of us know that the current rotation policy is not the path to Premiership glory. Time and again the team looks out of sorts and has a lack of awareness. The midfield and the strikers look like they have never played together before. Yes, sometimes, you need to bring in fresh legs but if players can't do 2 games in a week then our fitness regime is obviously failing.

 

Stevie is looking more and more disillusioned with every game. He is not a left winger, he is not a right winger. He is the best central midfield player in the country and probably Europe. But can he get a game there? Not a chance while the golden boy, Alonso, or Mr. 10% pass completion keep getting the nod. My prediction is that Stevie will leave at Christmas or next May.

 

Anyway, the essential tinkering that I was on about is as follows.

 

Drop Reina to see if he can find some confidence, play Stevie in the middle and drop either Alonso or Sissoko ( neither are doing the job at the moment ), Start with Gonzales on the left and Kuyt and Crouch up front. Bring Robbie back to the bench and let Bellamy taste life in the stiffs for a while.

 

Stick with the same team for 4 games and see if our form comes back. I have a feeling it probably would.

[Guest AnfieldGrass]

 

Drop Reina to see if he can find some confidence, play Stevie in the middle and drop either Alonso or Sissoko ( neither are doing the job at the moment ), Start with Gonzales on the left and Kuyt and Crouch up front. Bring Robbie back to the bench and let Bellamy taste life in the stiffs for a while.

 

 

Are you nuts? If anything we have to find a way that allows Xabi, Stevie, and Momo all play at their best. To say neither Momo or Xabi are doing their job is just plain moronic and lacks any sense to suggest the solution is to drop one of them when what we should be doing is finding a way to build a consistent side around our best players, of which XA and MS are two of.

[tomasjj]

I think the vast majority of us know that the current rotation policy is not the path to Premiership glory. Time and again the team looks out of sorts and has a lack of awareness. The midfield and the strikers look like they have never played together before. Yes, sometimes, you need to bring in fresh legs but if players can't do 2 games in a week then our fitness regime is obviously failing.

 

Stevie is looking more and more disillusioned with every game. He is not a left winger, he is not a right winger. He is the best central midfield player in the country and probably Europe. But can he get a game there? Not a chance while the golden boy, Alonso, or Mr. 10% pass completion keep getting the nod. My prediction is that Stevie will leave at Christmas or next May.

 

Anyway, the essential tinkering that I was on about is as follows.

 

Drop Reina to see if he can find some confidence, play Stevie in the middle and drop either Alonso or Sissoko ( neither are doing the job at the moment ), Start with Gonzales on the left and Kuyt and Crouch up front. Bring Robbie back to the bench and let Bellamy taste life in the stiffs for a while.

 

Stick with the same team for 4 games and see if our form comes back. I have a feeling it probably would.

 

Stevie best in the middle? You reckon you know more than Rafa then?

Sorry, but he is too undiciplined to play there in a regular 4 man midfield. He needs two players covering for him since he wants to be involved all over the pitch.

 

And using this as an excuse to whip Alonso? Utter tripe.

Have you seen how Alonso works to try and pick up the pieces in midfield? See the Gala game for an example....when he was often left alone mopping up due to Gerrard running all over the shop. Not much sulking from Alonso there, just hard work.

 

I agree on Reina. He looks out of confidence and could use a little break. Dudek deserves a chance now.

 

Maybe we should look at the 4231 formation again when we play away?

Edited October 1, 2006 by tomasjj

[Guest Sabre]

I think the vast majority of us know that the current rotation policy is not the path to Premiership glory. Time and again the team looks out of sorts and has a lack of awareness. The midfield and the strikers look like they have never played together before. Yes, sometimes, you need to bring in fresh legs but if players can't do 2 games in a week then our fitness regime is obviously failing.

 

Stevie is looking more and more disillusioned with every game. He is not a left winger, he is not a right winger. He is the best central midfield player in the country and probably Europe. But can he get a game there? Not a chance while the golden boy, Alonso, or Mr. 10% pass completion keep getting the nod. My prediction is that Stevie will leave at Christmas or next May.

 

Anyway, the essential tinkering that I was on about is as follows.

 

Drop Reina to see if he can find some confidence, play Stevie in the middle and drop either Alonso or Sissoko ( neither are doing the job at the moment ), Start with Gonzales on the left and Kuyt and Crouch up front. Bring Robbie back to the bench and let Bellamy taste life in the stiffs for a while.

 

Stick with the same team for 4 games and see if our form comes back. I have a feeling it probably would.

 

Don't think you have a clue.

 

You reckon that we should play Stevie in the position he favours just because he thinks he should be played there? If he was clearly the best central midfielder in Europe then I'm sure Rafa would know that better than you. Gerrard loves to attack and is too indisciplined to play as part of a central midfield duo. Just because he can get more shots on target in a more central position doesn't mean that he's the best player for that position.

 

I'd love to know why you think that Alonso is overrated when he is the one busting a gut to (a) win the ball back, (b) shoot and score goals, © keep the ball moving and therefore (d) get it to Gerrard so he can score. I would also like to know why you think Sissoko is only completing 10% of his passes and why you actually think it's the be all and end all if he doesn't pass as well as Alonso/Gerrard. He's in the team for a job that Gerrard can't do - simple as.

 

Yes, let's drop Reina so he builds up confidence - you'd be a great manager. Let's raise Bellamy's confidence by sticking him in the reserves until Christmas - that'll learn him.

[_00_deathscar]

This is ridiculous.

 

Are Sky trying to brainwash us by paying their representatives to register on our site now or something?

[Sion]

Dropping a GK to GAIN confidence, yeah that'll work. Seriously though on the topic of GK's, Carson's doing great at Chalrton from what i've seen, looks like in a few years he could be England's number 1.

[Hassony]

Dropping a GK to GAIN confidence, yeah that'll work. Seriously though on the topic of GK's, Carson's doing great at Chalrton from what i've seen, looks like in a few years he could be England's number 1.

its easier for a keeper to shine in a team like charlton than a big team like liverpool, where he has to keep his concentration at all time

 

and i am not sure there is a major problem with Pepe's confidence, as even yesterday he didn't hesitate to come and punch the ball like he usually does, he is just not geting the same level of protection from his defence as last season.

[John am Rhein]

I think the vast majority of us know that the current rotation policy is not the path to Premiership glory.

 

Yeah, if only this cluless Benitez could see that!

 

How do these people end up in charge of football teams while the people who REALLY know end up driving taxis, mowing lawns and appearing on Sky Sports?

[Hassony]

Yeah, if only this cluless Benitez could see that!

 

How do these people end up in charge of football teams while the people who REALLY know end up driving taxis, mowing lawns and appearing on Sky Sports?

how i wish we had someone like andy gray or charlie nicholas in charge of liverpool

[Eskimo]

Yeah, if only this cluless Benitez could see that!

 

How do these people end up in charge of football teams while the people who REALLY know end up driving taxis, mowing lawns and appearing on Sky Sports?

 

[Internationinteroperability]

I blame Matt Le Tissier.

 

So far he's predicted three away defeats fur us

 

He hasn't yet managed to get the score right though

[Cisse]

How can fielding Reina, SF, JAR, Sami/Carra, Pennant, Xabi/Momo, Kuyt, Gerrard, Bellamy be called tinkering. That should be our strongest starting 11 (or very close to).

 

Some people around here amazes me

[_00_deathscar]

Yeah, if only this cluless Benitez could see that!

 

How do these people end up in charge of football teams while the people who REALLY know end up driving taxis, mowing lawns and appearing on Sky Sports?

 

 

Thanks, that made my day.

[LeeRadford]

I think the vast majority of us know that the current rotation policy is not the path to Premiership glory. Time and again the team looks out of sorts and has a lack of awareness. The midfield and the strikers look like they have never played together before. Yes, sometimes, you need to bring in fresh legs but if players can't do 2 games in a week then our fitness regime is obviously failing.

 

Stevie is looking more and more disillusioned with every game. He is not a left winger, he is not a right winger. He is the best central midfield player in the country and probably Europe. But can he get a game there? Not a chance while the golden boy, Alonso, or Mr. 10% pass completion keep getting the nod. My prediction is that Stevie will leave at Christmas or next May.

 

Anyway, the essential tinkering that I was on about is as follows.

 

Drop Reina to see if he can find some confidence, play Stevie in the middle and drop either Alonso or Sissoko ( neither are doing the job at the moment ), Start with Gonzales on the left and Kuyt and Crouch up front. Bring Robbie back to the bench and let Bellamy taste life in the stiffs for a while.

 

Stick with the same team for 4 games and see if our form comes back. I have a feeling it probably would.

 

You register and then wait six months to post this pile of garbage?

 

I think its time for you carer to up the dosage mate.

[Guest Kev]

I don't like rotation, never have done - never will.

[c00p]

I think it would be interesting to see Gerrard in the middle of a 3 man midfield. This would allow him not to have to keep running back as Alonso and Momo would be there.

 

Gerrard supporting Kuyt as the lone striker would be worth a go with Gonzalez and Pennant on their respective wings.

[Guest flaps]

I don't like rotation, never have done - never will.

 

thats thrown the cat amongst the pigeons

 

(awaits sarcastic/pompous/dismissive responses with glee)

 

can't say I like it much myself, maybe thats why weve lost 3 and drawn one so far this season

[Guest Kev]

(awaits sarcastic/pompous/dismissive responses with glee)

 

You wont get any off me.

[Guest flaps]

go on, it seems like everyone else has gone quiet

[Dublinred4ever]

This figure the media are obseesed with of 93 or whatever it is now games in a row without the same team being picked is a load of horses***

 

First of all, in those 93 games you can be guaranteed that he picked the same team for the 56th game as he did the for the 54th and maybe the 50th.

 

In other words the same team probably played in 30 of those games and maybe that team with one or two changes played in another 40.

 

During those games there would've been League cup, matches, early round FA cup games, champions league games and end of season games where squad playeres got a run. I dunno if they include friendlies in that. We also had an injury crisis the season before last.

 

So, yeah Rafa chops and changes a bit but get over it FFS

 

Rafas rotation is the new zonal marking as far as the media are concerned when it comes to us

[So Cal Red]

I think the vast majority of us know that the current rotation policy is not the path to Premiership glory. Time and again the team looks out of sorts and has a lack of awareness. The midfield and the strikers look like they have never played together before. Yes, sometimes, you need to bring in fresh legs but if players can't do 2 games in a week then our fitness regime is obviously failing.

 

Stevie is looking more and more disillusioned with every game. He is not a left winger, he is not a right winger. He is the best central midfield player in the country and probably Europe. But can he get a game there? Not a chance while the golden boy, Alonso, or Mr. 10% pass completion keep getting the nod. My prediction is that Stevie will leave at Christmas or next May.

 

Anyway, the essential tinkering that I was on about is as follows.

 

Drop Reina to see if he can find some confidence, play Stevie in the middle and drop either Alonso or Sissoko ( neither are doing the job at the moment ), Start with Gonzales on the left and Kuyt and Crouch up front. Bring Robbie back to the bench and let Bellamy taste life in the stiffs for a while.

 

Stick with the same team for 4 games and see if our form comes back. I have a feeling it probably would.

 

 

can't say i agree w/ any of that

 

Don't think you have a clue.

 

You reckon that we should play Stevie in the position he favours just because he thinks he should be played there? If he was clearly the best central midfielder in Europe then I'm sure Rafa would know that better than you. Gerrard loves to attack and is too indisciplined to play as part of a central midfield duo. Just because he can get more shots on target in a more central position doesn't mean that he's the best player for that position.

 

I'd love to know why you think that Alonso is overrated when he is the one busting a gut to (a) win the ball back, (b) shoot and score goals, © keep the ball moving and therefore (d) get it to Gerrard so he can score. I would also like to know why you think Sissoko is only completing 10% of his passes and why you actually think it's the be all and end all if he doesn't pass as well as Alonso/Gerrard. He's in the team for a job that Gerrard can't do - simple as.

 

Yes, let's drop Reina so he builds up confidence - you'd be a great manager. Let's raise Bellamy's confidence by sticking him in the reserves until Christmas - that'll learn him.

 

spot on

 

This is ridiculous.

 

Are Sky trying to brainwash us by paying their representatives to register on our site now or something?

 

as evident in the first post of this thread, it is not beyond the realm of possibilities.

 

Yeah, if only this cluless Benitez could see that!

 

How do these people end up in charge of football teams while the people who REALLY know end up driving taxis, mowing lawns and appearing on Sky Sports?

 

now that's the question on everyone's mind!

[Maldini]

Why wasn't this "tinkering" a problem until it passed the 90th game mark?

 

Hoe come we never heard about the 75th? 80th? 85th? because we were in the middle of a 13-game-winning-streak at the end of the season that happened mainly because of rotation, that's why.