Looking back at that Manc game

[Ombudsam]

We're a good team aren't we. A very good team.

[Guest Sabre]

Yup. Can't score against our rivals though

[Archangel]

We're a good team aren't we. A very good team.

 

Good but still not consistent enough to lift the title

[Ombudsam]

Yup. Can't score against our rivals though

 

 

Good but still not consistent enough to lift the title

 

It'll come. The base is well and truly there.

 

I'm struggling to explain why we have gone backwards from last season in the league beyond Kewell though

[sean]

We were excellent. Can't be too down after a performance like that. Crap result and in sickening fashion but this one was easier to get over than others as we performed so well. Not as though the points were that important for us. Play like that and we'll be top 3 no question.

Hungry finisher is all we're lacking at the minute.

[Falconhoof]

We had Gerrard and Kewell out wide last season.

 

This season our wide players haven't hit the ground running, either when Gerrard played out there and was out of sorts or Pennant taking half a season to gain a bit of confidence. Out on the left we've had bugger all penetration.

 

Thats caused our strikers too be pulled out of the box too much.

 

When we get top quality wide players we'll challenge for the title. It really is that simple.

Edited March 4, 2007 by Graham

[4411]

Kewell made all the difference last season in the prem, defenders were scared of him and he could put quality balls in the box and linked superbly with Riise. He's the reason why Gerrard could drift so many times inside from the right, Alonso could always spray the ball out left to Kewell so the defense was stretched anyways. Although perhaps decent squad players, Gonzalez and Pennant will never reach the standard we're looking for in a winger, for me they don't do enough and I wouldn't be surprised if either one gave place for Adam Hammill on the bench next season if we brought in a quality winger.

[Gary Gekkaloys]

We improved the quality of our squad in the summer but we're still a couple of first teamers short. Look at United; they looked miles away from challenging Chelsea last year but now things have clicked - and without a major overhaul of the team.

 

I think we're in a similar position and given the expectation of having decent money to spend in the summer, I'd say we have reason to be optimistic.

[Red]

It feels like we're "almost there", but then again, it's felt like we've been "almost there" for years now.

[Guest Kev]

It feels like we're "almost there", but then again, it's felt like we've been "almost there" for years now.

 

More-or-less spot on. I reckon we are only maybe 3 players away.

 

But in all honesty some of Rafa's tactics and selections have me baffled. This I feel is also part of the problem.

[fred milne]

Kewell made all the difference last season in the prem.

I reckon Kewell's contribution to our league form last season has been overstated. The slow starts of Reina, Carragher, Gerrard and Bellamy this time out were more important.

 

The other factor is Sissoko - he hasn't had the same impact that he had last season. Of course, part of that is down to injury but even when he's been fit I think his form has often disappointed. I'm hoping its just 2nd season syndrome and that next year his development as a player will kick on a level.

[Guest Kev]

I think we can all forget about Kewell ever doing anything in a Liverpool shirt again.

[psl]

I think we can all forget about Kewell ever doing anything in a Liverpool shirt again.

 

I don't see why.

[Stevie H]

I reckon Kewell's contribution to our league form last season has been overstated.

i agree entirely with that. some real 20:20 hindsight going on.

[Gary Gekkaloys]

i agree entirely with that. some real 20:20 hindsight going on.

 

Probably, but Kewell did make a real contribution last year and we haven't had a wide player do that in a while.

[4411]

one thing though about the game, when we won a corner in the dying seconds why didn't Reina come up for it also? Didn't Finnan stay back also?

[Guest Anders Honoré]

I reckon Kewell's contribution to our league form last season has been overstated. The slow starts of Reina, Carragher, Gerrard and Bellamy this time out were more important.

 

As odd as it would have sounded two years ago, what you could expect from Kewell when he played was consistent quality, without necessarily being outstanding.

 

That kind of reliability is something we could well have used earlier in the season. Of course one player is not gonna make all the difference, but I reckon he could have made a positive one.

[Red]

More-or-less spot on. I reckon we are only maybe 3 players away.

 

But in all honesty some of Rafa's tactics and selections have me baffled. This I feel is also part of the problem.

 

 

Rafa's substitutions often strike me as pre-meditated, and by that I mean, he's already decided before the match that 'player x' will get so many minutes in a game.

 

Nothing unusual in that, I hear you say, but I think sometimes you get the impression he's sticking to his planned substitutions regardless of how the player is doing or how the game's going.

Edited March 5, 2007 by Red

[Red]

One thing that always impressed me with Kewell at the end of last season was how well he kept and used the ball. Interesting to see how Riise has been exposed this season with no one in front of him with the ablity to do that.

[Nebraska Red]

we will be close, but not quite there, for a while until we start to get players into the box in numbers on a regular basis.

 

we played 2 holding midfielders at home yesterday and our best player out wide.

 

you are rarely going to see Alonso and Sissoko bombing into the box to fill the gaps when the likes of kuyt and Bellamy go wide to deliver the ball. this only leaves Gerrard and when he plays wide he becomes a little isolated.

 

do we really need 2 holding midfielders when we play at home, even against the top teams?

 

yesterday's game cried out for us to get more bodies in the box as Bellamy was dragging Vidic out wide and leaving huge gaps. when he crossed that ball just ahead of Kuyt, we only had Kuyt anywhere near the ball.

 

i have never been a big fan of kewell, but he does have decent ball control and can hold the ball up to let us get other players forward. i agree with those who do not see him playing another match for us though.

 

and finally, we will get better when we sort out the delivery from corners and free kicks and get our throw in takers something to aim at.

Edited March 5, 2007 by nebraska red

[Guz]

We improved the quality of our squad in the summer but we're still a couple of first teamers short. Look at United; they looked miles away from challenging Chelsea last year but now things have clicked - and without a major overhaul of the team.

 

I think we're in a similar position and given the expectation of having decent money to spend in the summer, I'd say we have reason to be optimistic.

 

They bought Carrick, got Scholes back, Saha fit for the whole season, Evra and Vidic bedding into the side more and an ever maturing Ronaldo. Thats a lot of players but 5 who were at the club that improved and only one new signing. I agree we're in a similar situation but think we need two, maybe three, ready-made attacking players and a change to the way we approach games against our rivals. I remember us destroying Arsenal in the first 45 minutes of the 2-1 3 years ago (mellor's last minute winner) with football at a high pace, tempo and swift passing. We did the same to them last year at home but away from home and against the mancs and chelsea we look a different side.

[mooks]

More-or-less spot on. I reckon we are only maybe 3 players away.

 

But in all honesty some of Rafa's tactics and selections have me baffled. This I feel is also part of the problem.

Note to Rafa: Please don't employ tactics or team selections that leave Kev baffled.

 

Thank you.

[Nebraska Red]

They bought Carrick, got Scholes back, Saha fit for the whole season, Evra and Vidic bedding into the side more and an ever maturing Ronaldo. Thats a lot of players but 5 who were at the club that improved and only one new signing. I agree we're in a similar situation but think we need two, maybe three, ready-made attacking players and a change to the way we approach games against our rivals. I remember us destroying Arsenal in the first 45 minutes of the 2-1 3 years ago (mellor's last minute winner) with football at a high pace, tempo and swift passing. We did the same to them last year at home but away from home and against the mancs and chelsea we look a different side.

 

personally, I think we give most of the opposition way too much respect when we play away from home in the PL. i watched some of the Chavs game yesterday and they played away like they do at home, they controlled the game for long periods and rarely looked to be in trouble. that is what we should be doing.

[Guz]

personally, I think we give most of the opposition way too much respect when we play away from home in the PL. i watched some of the Chavs game yesterday and they played away like they do at home, they controlled the game for long periods and rarely looked to be in trouble. that is what we should be doing.

 

Absolutely. Sometimes it takes a goal to get us kicked into action and then we respond with some good football with an attacking intent. The mancs for the past 15 years have played with a horrible smugness, almost arrogance about them, even when they're under pressure as if they have a inner belief that they're better than the opposition and eventually it'll show. Think we're too nice sometimes and I dont mean not getting into the referee's face etc. but rather proving that we have better players and can play good football

[Bootle Buck]

Rafa's substitutions often strike me as pre-meditated, and by that I mean, he's already decided before the match that 'player x' will get so many minutes in a game.

 

Nothing unusual in that, I hear you say, but I think sometimes you get the impression he's sticking to his planned substitutions regardless of how the player is doing or how the game's going.

 

I have the feeling he favours certain players and gives them more opportunity when not playing well. Kuyt is the one that baffles me most. Even when he has looked tired, out of sorts or not looking like scoring Rafa in most cases leaves him out there. When he will take Crouch and Bellamy out without giving them that much time.