Sqaud Rotation My a***

[Guest Greasy Belcher]

The Question of Squad Rotation.

 

So loads of our own fans are on Rafas back about squad rotation. Why? - Incase you were not watching we have won a few trophies using Rafas tactics in the last 2 years and have come on leaps and bounds under his stewardship. Just because the f*ckin media are putting a hex on us and undermining Rafa as much as possible because they are a bunch of lazy useless c^nts and want the title race over asap so their lazy uninforming bile will write it'self, does that really mean our own fans have to take the short cut through thinking and tow the same headline in lazy thoughless internet chatter? Squad rotation is getting a kicking as the cause of all our troubles which I find unacceptable. Next people will be blaming zonal marking or momo sissoko. Squad rotation is what you use to make sure your team does not collapse with a bout of fractured bones and splints and muscle tears at christmas. Squad rotation used properly is what keeps players on their toes and keeps players hungry in trainning. Its not as if people suddenly go out of match practice after missing a weekend game, thats whey we train every day and have reserve matches. Ffs stop reading your s***tty newspapers and agreeing with pundits who know less about football than I know about womens feelings.

 

I have just re watched the first half against man united trying to work out where it went wrong. And I feel I have narrowed it down to a couple of reasons. no of which have anything to do with squad rotation. And most are down to the players themselves.

 

Ball watching.

The first goal, Scholes plays the ball through and saunters into the six yard box. Our defence all turn and watch the winger tee up a low cross. 3 defenders mark one player and scholes strolls unmarked right up to Reinna for 2 bites of the cherry while our defence wave to there girlfriends and dream about birds in trees and butterflies in sunny meadows.

 

Alonso.

Needs to be dropped, Xabi is a shadow of Diao out there at the moment. A few games in ther ressies is what happens next.

 

Horses for Courses

You do not play lightweights against titan and you do not bring a mini to a monster truck stock race. Garcia should not have been on the picth against the likes of the man u defence. Kuyt was like a one man tag team against Ferdinand etc.

 

Gerrard Centre Now

Its f^cking obvious Stevie has had enough of the wing. He is visibly sick of watching the game from the stands and waiting for another miss placed pass to sail over into the stands.

 

Agger Back Asap

I'm not one to cry for every missing player every time we drop points, but Agger is class and I would like to see him remind either Carra or Sami that nobodys place is secure.

 

Pennant

If I was the manager a swift boot up the hole is the vacine I would be administering to Pennant right now. Hes got the ability, he needs to try harder.

 

Rafa

No critisism, we back the man in charge. He cant legislate for ball watching and people throwing the f*ckin towel in at half time. I just hope he runs the b*llocks of the team this week in trainning and punishes the lazy sods who are not rowing with the rest.

[Guest popzeus]

The Question of Squad Rotation.

 

So loads of our own fans are on Rafas back about squad rotation. Why? - Incase you were not watching we have won a few trophies using Rafas tactics in the last 2 years and have come on leaps and bounds under his stewardship. Just because the f*ckin media are putting a hex on us and undermining Rafa as much as possible because they are a bunch of lazy useless c^nts and want the title race over asap so their lazy uninforming bile will write it'self, does that really mean our own fans have to take the short cut through thinking and tow the same headline in lazy thoughless internet chatter? Squad rotation is getting a kicking as the cause of all our troubles which I find unacceptable. Next people will be blaming zonal marking or momo sissoko. Squad rotation is what you use to make sure your team does not collapse with a bout of fractured bones and splints and muscle tears at christmas. Squad rotation used properly is what keeps players on their toes and keeps players hungry in trainning. Its not as if people suddenly go out of match practice after missing a weekend game, thats whey we train every day and have reserve matches. Ffs stop reading your s***tty newspapers and agreeing with pundits who know less about football than I know about womens feelings.

 

I have just re watched the first half against man united trying to work out where it went wrong. And I feel I have narrowed it down to a couple of reasons. no of which have anything to do with squad rotation. And most are down to the players themselves.

 

Ball watching.

The first goal, Scholes plays the ball through and saunters into the six yard box. Our defence all turn and watch the winger tee up a low cross. 3 defenders mark one player and scholes strolls unmarked right up to Reinna for 2 bites of the cherry while our defence wave to there girlfriends and dream about birds in trees and butterflies in sunny meadows.

 

Alonso.

Needs to be dropped, Xabi is a shadow of Diao out there at the moment. A few games in ther ressies is what happens next.

 

Horses for Courses

You do not play lightweights against titan and you do not bring a mini to a monster truck stock race. Garcia should not have been on the picth against the likes of the man u defence. Kuyt was like a one man tag team against Ferdinand etc.

 

Gerrard Centre Now

Its f^cking obvious Stevie has had enough of the wing. He is visibly sick of watching the game from the stands and waiting for another miss placed pass to sail over into the stands.

 

Agger Back Asap

I'm not one to cry for every missing player every time we drop points, but Agger is class and I would like to see him remind either Carra or Sami that nobodys place is secure.

 

Pennant

If I was the manager a swift boot up the hole is the vacine I would be administering to Pennant right now. Hes got the ability, he needs to try harder.

 

Rafa

No critisism, we back the man in charge. He cant legislate for ball watching and people throwing the f*ckin towel in at half time. I just hope he runs the b*llocks of the team this week in trainning and punishes the lazy sods who are not rowing with the rest.

 

 

Here fu*king here. Can't argue with any of that.

[Molby]

Here fu*king here. Can't argue with any of that.

me neither but I would qualify the bit about Gerrard on the right

 

I would switch him back because I agree it looks like he has simply had enough of not being in the middle - and this could be the wrong decision on 2 counts:

 

1. Allowing Gerrard to decide where he plays, as opposed to Rafa

 

2. I might be completely wrong and Gerrard is simply tired or whatever and has no axe to grind at all about where he plays

[fred milne]

Alonso.

Needs to be dropped, Xabi is a shadow of Diao out there at the moment. A few games in ther ressies is what happens next.

I don't buy that.

[Leo No.8]

It amazes me - suddenly Gerrard in the middle is the answer to all our problems.

 

Last season he scored 23 goals, and had easily his best ever season for Liverpool Football Club playing almost exclusively on the right.

 

His lack of form is simply that - he's not invincible. Gerrard is just not playing well, like the rest of the team and you can't just put the things he does wrong down to the position in which he's playing.

 

If he played badly in the middle would everyone start screaming for him to play on the right?

[Kahnee]

If he played badly in the middle would everyone start screaming for him to play on the right?

 

I think you know the answer to that

[Andy @ Allerton]

Gerrard has been as poor as anyone and placing him in the centre won't change that.

 

With a bit of luck we'd be sitting pretty towards the top of the table.

 

We haven't had the luck that the chances we've had deserved.

 

We have had the kind of luck that has led to several goals against us.

 

We haven't been playing anywhere nearly as bad as the press and certain people here are making out

 

If benitez carries on as he has then things will (eventually) be fine and we'll come out of it all a much better all-round team.

 

Nothing to change. Nothing to see. nothing to moan about. IMO.

[Coyler]

I believe it is not long ago that he was in fact played in the middle and was equally as off-colour. He's just going through a bad patch.

 

Unfortunately the performance levels of his midfield colleagues are in no way near high enough to facilitate him playing himself back into form.

[Guest Greasy Belcher]

Gerrard is like Roy Keane, If he see's something is not working he roasts the player that keeps dropping the ball, he then feels the need to do everything himself untill the player in question pulls his pants up. Maybe Xabi is taking it personally and it maybe is affecting his game. I don't like it when our fans complain about Gerrard being a spoilt brat when he berrates he own team mates, Roy Keane did it for years and we all drooled at the passion and the fire. Right now is when Stevie needs to forget being popular with team mates and tear some f*cking ears off. Rafa should centre the captain so everyone else on the team is within reach of his wrath. Stevie needs to be let off the leash and rip off the muzzle. So much emphasis has been placed on controlling his temper and being the ultimate pro is hampering his game. Stevie should call a team meeting in front of Everyone and appoligise in advance for the next phase of his captaincy, which will be the roaring berrating angry terrifying monster phase.

 

I've mad a b'stard of myself and recieved countless yellow cards for swearing at my own team mates. After the game you tell them they did well and not to take things personal, after a while everyone accepts its part of your game and they shout back at you and the team hardens and fights every game.

 

Our problem at the moment, the real reason we never challenge is because we are too soft. Rafa needs to learn a trick developed by Ferguson at united 15 years ago and pick up on by Jose straigh away. Convince the team that are hated by everone and they harden and don't give a fck who they upset on the way to 3 points every game. How can a team with Reinna / Carra / Hypia / Riise / Sissoko / Gerrard / Bellamy / Kuyt be getting out fought week in week out? - because Rafa is a nice logical man who believes in fair play and hard work.

 

Rafas ethics will provide the team with all the supplied they need to climb and mountain, but to be the lion at the summit requires more that that.

 

To win this League

you gotta be the baddest mutter fuucka in the valley

you gotta be the troll that lives under the bridge

you gotta be the phantom in the theatre of dreams

you gotta be the out of control fire at woodison

you gotta be the sandstorm in the emirates

you gotta be the don of the villa

you gotta be the pacemaker of the white heart

you gotta be the billy joel of upton park

you gotta be the damn busters at the riverside

you gotta be the warden of St James Park

you gotta be the Sherrif of Ewood

you gotta be the Skyscraper over the cottage

you gotta be the Irrate customer returning faulty goods at the reebok and JJB

 

 

You can not turn up with cap in hand begging for three point from the ref and linesman, you got to all these grounds and annouce, F^CK YOU. We are liverpool FC. We came down off skull mountain on king kongs shoulders we are taking 3 points when we leave. bend over and lube up.

 

 

hope this makes someone laugh.

Edited October 24, 2006 by Greasy Belcher

[yellow jumper]

Gerrard has been as poor as anyone and placing him in the centre won't change that.

 

With a bit of luck we'd be sitting pretty towards the top of the table.

 

We haven't had the luck that the chances we've had deserved.

 

We have had the kind of luck that has led to several goals against us.

 

We haven't been playing anywhere nearly as bad as the press and certain people here are making out

 

If benitez carries on as he has then things will (eventually) be fine and we'll come out of it all a much better all-round team.

 

Nothing to change. Nothing to see. nothing to moan about. IMO.

 

agree with much of what you have said here and elsewhere. i do think that we played well against Chelsea (as well as we have at Stamford Bridge in the league in recent seasons), Everton and Bolton until the first goal went against us. in fact in patches we looked okay after we went behind. but facts remain we're struggling to score away (whether because of luck or lack of inventiveness) and we're leaking silly goals at the other end. not a good combination.

 

sunday was worrying because confidence looked shot for some, and others just didn't look bothered.

 

agree benitez needs to keep his conviction, but there is also an onus on the players to show that they believe in a manager who has guided them to a couple of big trophies in two seasons. even if they are forced to sit out the odd game. mentality needs to be spot on from them and i'm not sure it is right now.

Edited October 24, 2006 by george lees

[Guest wezza]

100% spot on! Good post!

[_00_deathscar]

Laugh?

 

I thought that was the best post I've read in a while.

 

We didn't win all those League and European Cups with Emelyn Hughes and Souness shaking hands with the opposition and waving to his girlfriend whilst playing...

[Nebraska Red]

alot of what the original poster said is true.

 

however, the trophies we have won have been cup competitions and a preseason shield.

 

what we all want is the Premier League trophy being paraded around Anfield and that requires a level of consisitency that we do not appear to be capable of at the moment.

 

Squad rotation is a neccessary evil in today's game, but we seem to be taking it a little too far. I would love Rafa to pick a side and let them get used to playing together for a lengthy run of games, but I just don't see him doing it right now.

[genghis]

Greasy Belcher:

[AJ The Red]

If Sg is playing on the right i wish he would have the bloody discipline to actually stay there and do the job for the team.

 

Him coming inside all the time isnt helping the team he needs to provide the width and crosses, thats his blinking job when he plays there.

 

It bloody annoys me that he always abandons his roll, he needs to time his runs properly if he wants to burst into the box not clog the mf up and the team play so narrow

[RedMarauder]

Gerrard is like Roy Keane, If he see's something is not working he roasts the player that keeps dropping the ball It all makes sense now

 

you gotta be the billy joel of upton park - Every one else has beaten them, so why not use a piano?

 

 

Good points nonetheless

[Cooldude]

It's funny how people want Alonso dropped now when this season he has still been miles better than Gerrard have been

 

If we drop possibly the most important player of our side and the player most crucial to our system we might as well kiss the f***ing season goodbye

 

Alonso's the only midfield player out there who look like creating anything and taking over the midfield atm, even though he ain't doing it well.

[yellow jumper]

gerrard isn't like roy keane and he shouldn't try to be. it's one of the laziest comparisons around.

 

gerrard's at his best when he's leading by example, keane was at his best when he was bullying a game as much by force of his personality as any great talent. he was closer to sissoko than gerrard in terms of the type of work he got through, although better in and around the penalty area.

 

the best way to let gerrard effect his team mates positively is to give him license to run and effect the game in a dynamic way. there's no point putting him in the middle when your entire strategy is about controlling the centre of the park.

 

keane was an articulate, agressive b*****d with license and personaluty to be his manager's 'haridryer' on the pitch. he was also a very good player, but not in the same league to gerrard when it comes to an ability to effect a game in an attacking sense.

 

when gerrard gives a b******ing he just looks like a whinger.

[Guest sonofshankly]

The Question of Squad Rotation.

 

So loads of our own fans are on Rafas back about squad rotation. Why? - Incase you were not watching we have won a few trophies using Rafas tactics in the last 2 years and have come on leaps and bounds under his stewardship. Just because the f*ckin media are putting a hex on us and undermining Rafa as much as possible because they are a bunch of lazy useless c^nts and want the title race over asap so their lazy uninforming bile will write it'self, does that really mean our own fans have to take the short cut through thinking and tow the same headline in lazy thoughless internet chatter? Squad rotation is getting a kicking as the cause of all our troubles which I find unacceptable. Next people will be blaming zonal marking or momo sissoko. Squad rotation is what you use to make sure your team does not collapse with a bout of fractured bones and splints and muscle tears at christmas. Squad rotation used properly is what keeps players on their toes and keeps players hungry in trainning. Its not as if people suddenly go out of match practice after missing a weekend game, thats whey we train every day and have reserve matches. Ffs stop reading your s***tty newspapers and agreeing with pundits who know less about football than I know about womens feelings.

 

I have just re watched the first half against man united trying to work out where it went wrong. And I feel I have narrowed it down to a couple of reasons. no of which have anything to do with squad rotation. And most are down to the players themselves.

 

Ball watching.

The first goal, Scholes plays the ball through and saunters into the six yard box. Our defence all turn and watch the winger tee up a low cross. 3 defenders mark one player and scholes strolls unmarked right up to Reinna for 2 bites of the cherry while our defence wave to there girlfriends and dream about birds in trees and butterflies in sunny meadows.

 

Alonso.

Needs to be dropped, Xabi is a shadow of Diao out there at the moment. A few games in ther ressies is what happens next.

 

Horses for Courses

You do not play lightweights against titan and you do not bring a mini to a monster truck stock race. Garcia should not have been on the picth against the likes of the man u defence. Kuyt was like a one man tag team against Ferdinand etc.

 

Gerrard Centre Now

Its f^cking obvious Stevie has had enough of the wing. He is visibly sick of watching the game from the stands and waiting for another miss placed pass to sail over into the stands.

 

Agger Back Asap

I'm not one to cry for every missing player every time we drop points, but Agger is class and I would like to see him remind either Carra or Sami that nobodys place is secure.

 

Pennant

If I was the manager a swift boot up the hole is the vacine I would be administering to Pennant right now. Hes got the ability, he needs to try harder.

 

Rafa

No critisism, we back the man in charge. He cant legislate for ball watching and people throwing the f*ckin towel in at half time. I just hope he runs the b*llocks of the team this week in trainning and punishes the lazy sods who are not rowing with the rest.

 

F*ck it i love rafa!

We are so lucky to have the great man at the club!

[Tones]

It amazes me - suddenly Gerrard in the middle is the answer to all our problems.

 

Last season he scored 23 goals, and had easily his best ever season for Liverpool Football Club playing almost exclusively on the right.

 

His lack of form is simply that - he's not invincible. Gerrard is just not playing well, like the rest of the team and you can't just put the things he does wrong down to the position in which he's playing.

 

If he played badly in the middle would everyone start screaming for him to play on the right?

 

Thats my thinking too. The whole team is bad at the minute. How could Gerrard switching to the middle change the whole teams form. People just love to pick a subject with us and hammer it. First it was all zonal markings fault, then squad rotation and now Gerrard in the middle.

[Guest Anders Honoré]

Last season he scored 23 goals, and had easily his best ever season for Liverpool Football Club playing almost exclusively on the right.

 

Where do people get this from? He played a lot of games centrally last year. It took Benitez some way into the season before figuring he could play him there (am I the only one who remembers how often Cisse had to play on the right last year? Where did Gerrard play in those games?) and even then, Gerrard also played games in the middle. He scored the majority of his goals from central midfield last year, not the right.

 

Gerrard is as good or poor on the right as he is from the centre. I don't think the question is what Gerrard's best position is.

 

I personally prefer him in the centre because the team has better shape that way, although pennant always cutting inside isn't a very attractive alternative at the moment. His passing range is better utilised in the centre. And considering how little penetration we have centrally otherwise, I'd want him to play there as I have all along.

[lawrie]

It's funny how people want Alonso dropped now when this season he has still been miles better than Gerrard have been

 

If we drop possibly the most important player of our side and the player most crucial to our system we might as well kiss the f***ing season goodbye

 

Alonso's the only midfield player out there who look like creating anything and taking over the midfield atm, even though he ain't doing it well.

 

I don't see it like that at all. Swap the names around and that's where I'm coming from. It's funny how supporters of the same team can have such polarised opinions.

[Rimbeux]

It amazes me - suddenly Gerrard in the middle is the answer to all our problems.

 

Last season he scored 23 goals, and had easily his best ever season for Liverpool Football Club playing almost exclusively on the right.

 

His lack of form is simply that - he's not invincible. Gerrard is just not playing well, like the rest of the team and you can't just put the things he does wrong down to the position in which he's playing.

 

If he played badly in the middle would everyone start screaming for him to play on the right?

 

 

Where do people get this from? He played a lot of games centrally last year. It took Benitez some way into the season before figuring he could play him there (am I the only one who remembers how often Cisse had to play on the right last year? Where did Gerrard play in those games?) and even then, Gerrard also played games in the middle. He scored the majority of his goals from central midfield last year, not the right.

 

Gerrard is as good or poor on the right as he is from the centre. I don't think the question is what Gerrard's best position is.

 

I personally prefer him in the centre because the team has better shape that way, although pennant always cutting inside isn't a very attractive alternative at the moment. His passing range is better utilised in the centre. And considering how little penetration we have centrally otherwise, I'd want him to play there as I have all along.

 

 

Anders, you've said it all for me

[Earl Hafler]

It amazes me - suddenly Gerrard in the middle is the answer to all our problems.

 

Last season he scored 23 goals, and had easily his best ever season for Liverpool Football Club playing almost exclusively on the right.

 

His lack of form is simply that - he's not invincible. Gerrard is just not playing well, like the rest of the team and you can't just put the things he does wrong down to the position in which he's playing.

 

If he played badly in the middle would everyone start screaming for him to play on the right?

 

Leo...

 

when the team is winning, squad rotation keeps everyone on their toes and the affect on the side isn't so obvious.

 

We are not playing well lwith the current tactics. Crouch dropped yet again after scoring in midweek. Gerrard, Sissoko and Xabi's positions set in stone despite none of them playing near the level they're capable of.

 

Pick a side, stick with it and allow key players run into form.

 

Saying rotation isn't a problem is just being antimedia.

Edited October 24, 2006 by George Kaplan

[Bootle Buck]

Too much is being made of the rotation policy. Injuries in many cases have forced Rafa's hand to make changes. Carra, Agger, Riise, Gerrard, Momo, Bellamy, Pennant and Kuyt have missed games because of injury and not neccesarily tinkering from Rafa.

Edited October 24, 2006 by Bootle Buck