Miserable b*****d thread

[sutty]

Watching last night if you were objective you'd say that was easy. Tense, but easy. Liverpool were head and shoulders better than the current champions of europe.

 

Yet we lost the game (if not the tie). This was the season in 1 match for me. Pressure, control, hitting the woodwork, chances going begging. Then get hit at the other end. Don't get me wrong I'm delighted by the result and not focusing on the fact we got beat but the thought occurred.

 

The 2nd thing I'd say is that the intensity that we saw last night was incredible. The focus and desire to win was huge. That simply hasn't been there for some of the league games. Where is it? If we want to win the league we need to be at that level 80-90% of the time. If we were at that level we wouldn't be out of the league title race right now.

[RP]

Players cannot play at that intensity all the time, or arguably even 80-90% of the time.

 

Steven Gerrard is one of the world's best players - but sometimes he doesn't look like it. Same principle.

 

I agree though with the gist of your argument. The most annoying thing about not genuinely challenging for the League is that we are good enough - knocking Barcelona out over two legs is perfect evidence of that. In many ways it would be much more palatable if we just plain weren't good enough.

[Cunny]

we were better than them in the first half

I'd like to see us keep the ball better and not be in panic stations mode every time we had the ball in our half.

[sutty]

Players cannot play at that intensity all the time, or arguably even 80-90% of the time.

 

Steven Gerrard is one of the world's best players - but sometimes he doesn't look like it. Same principle.

 

I agree though with the gist of your argument. The most annoying thing about not genuinely challenging for the League is that we are good enough - knocking Barcelona out over two legs is perfect evidence of that. In many ways it would be much more palatable if we just plain weren't good enough.

 

 

Maybe the numbers are high - obviously there are home games against mediocre oppo that we can cruise in, to an extent.

 

But that fact remains that the commitment at Barca away and (for example) Bolton away were quite some way apart.

[RP]

I really think it's just down to the fact that players are human and it is hard(er) to raise yourself for a game at the Reebok/Bramall Lane/Riverside than one at the Nou Camp.

[sutty]

I really think it's just down to the fact that players are human and it is hard(er) to raise yourself for a game at the Reebok/Bramall Lane/Riverside than one at the Nou Camp.

 

These are the same c**** who hand in a transfer request because we aren't challenging for the title!

[RP]

These are the same c**** who hand in a transfer request because we aren't challenging for the title!

 

 

I didn't say it was right.

 

Professional footballers are, in general, c***s.

[HK]

Players cannot play at that intensity all the time, or arguably even 80-90% of the time.

 

Steven Gerrard is one of the world's best players - but sometimes he doesn't look like it. Same principle.

 

I agree though with the gist of your argument. The most annoying thing about not genuinely challenging for the League is that we are good enough - knocking Barcelona out over two legs is perfect evidence of that. In many ways it would be much more palatable if we just plain weren't good enough.

TBH, I don't think we are good enough. Of course, when we play to the best of our capabilities, we can beat anyone... but so can the likes of Man U, chelsea and Arsenal. Alas, no team can do that every single match.

The difference is that ManU and Chelsea can beat their opponents when they are playing only 70% of their best but we can't. Their squad talent pool allows them the flexibility to be suboptimal yet win matches. Our squad don't.

Is hardly surprising that we are doing better in the Champions League because we are up for it every single time.

[RP]

Their squad talent pool allows them the flexibility to be suboptimal yet win matches.

 

You'd get good marks in bullsh** bingo for that gem.

[HK]

You'd get good marks in bullsh** bingo for that gem.

So you think ManU has a cr*p team?

[RP]

So you think ManU has a cr*p team?

 

 

That of course is exactly what I said. Well done.

[HK]

That of course is exactly what I said. Well done.

Objectivity is not your forte I guess...

[RP]

And humour is not yours?

[Guest John Mal]

Players cannot play at that intensity all the time, or arguably even 80-90% of the time.

 

Steven Gerrard is one of the world's best players - but sometimes he doesn't look like it. Same principle.

 

I agree though with the gist of your argument. The most annoying thing about not genuinely challenging for the League is that we are good enough - knocking Barcelona out over two legs is perfect evidence of that. In many ways it would be much more palatable if we just plain weren't good enough.

 

Spot on all this.

 

We can beat anyone in a one off game or two legged cup tie because we're a good side with a tactically brilliant manager. But over the course of a long season it's impossible to keep up that same level of performance week-in-week-out, as we've seen with the mancs recently, and at times you need individuals to win you games and make the difference, ala Ronaldo or Drogba.

 

Gerrard can, and has, done it in the past, but we can't rely on him every week.

 

Rafa has done a great job so far, IMO, and got us to a point where we can compete with the top sides, especially in Europe, but need that injection of real quality to take us on. And I'm sure if he'd had the money to spend on the players he wanted the process would have been a lot quicker.

[sutty]

Spot on all this.

 

We can beat anyone in a one off game or two legged cup tie because we're a good side with a tactically brilliant manager. But over the course of a long season it's impossible to keep up that same level of performance week-in-week-out, as we've seen with the mancs recently, and at times you need individuals to win you games and make the difference, ala Ronaldo or Drogba.

 

Gerrard can, and has, done it in the past, but we can't rely on him every week.

 

Rafa has done a great job so far, IMO, and got us to a point where we can compete with the top sides, especially in Europe, but need that injection of real quality to take us on. And I'm sure if he'd had the money to spend on the players he wanted the process would have been a lot quicker.

 

Mancs are convinced we are 5 players off a good team.

 

I'm with you on this actually. A couple of match winner types that don't upset the balance is what is needed come the summer

[jimmylibel]

Serious question have we actually sneaked a win in the league all season?

 

I reckon we're saving up all our luck for next season

[Cobs]

Serious question have we actually sneaked a win in the league all season?

 

I reckon we're saving up all our luck for next season

Spurs away ?

 

 

I reckon we're saving all our luck for the remaining rounds of the Champions League this season

[sutty]

Spurs away ?

I reckon we're saving all our luck for the remaining rounds of the Champions League this season

 

That's pretty much it. And we didn't deserve to lose that game, just were a little fortunate to win.

[jimmylibel]

Spurs away ?

I reckon we're saving all our luck for the remaining rounds of the Champions League this season

 

Ahhh, good call.

 

Don't think there have been any games we've shaded this season either, we've either completely outplayed teams or lost/ drew. The Mancs on the other hand have had a load of jammy wins.

[Guest John Mal]

Mancs are convinced we are 5 players off a good team.

 

I'm with you on this actually. A couple of match winner types that don't upset the balance is what is needed come the summer

 

I wouldn't expect anything less from that lot, I can smell their fear from here.

 

1 or 2 players in the right positions for me. I'd love to see a genuine playmaker type come in, someone like Garcia who can play off the main striker and drift all along the forward line. I think that system suits us much better and we'll also get much more out of Kuyt who will finally get to play as a centre forward.

 

We missed the boat on Simao and Alves, IMO. Two players with real flair. Not getting those two really set us back a bit, and we had to settle for inferior players.

 

Even someone like Kewell would have made a massive difference this season, if fit obviously.

[theredfella]

You'd get good marks in bullsh** bingo for that gem.

 

[Coyler]

Ahhh, good call.

 

Don't think there have been any games we've shaded this season either, we've either completely outplayed teams or lost/ drew. The Mancs on the other hand have had a load of jammy wins.

Loads of them.

 

Didn't our ageing team scrape loads of dodgy victories in the '89/'90 season?

[sutty]

I wouldn't expect anything less from that lot, I can smell their fear from here.

 

1 or 2 players in the right positions for me. I'd love to see a genuine playmaker type come in, someone like Garcia who can play off the main striker and drift all along the forward line. I think that system suits us much better and we'll also get much more out of Kuyt who will finally get to play as a centre forward.

 

We missed the boat on Simao and Alves, IMO. Two players with real flair. Not getting those two really set us back a bit, and we had to settle for inferior players.

 

Even someone like Kewell would have made a massive difference this season, if fit obviously.

 

I think we need a goalscorer rather than a Garcia type.

 

Agree with the wide players assessment

[Guest RedLegend]

Serious question have we actually sneaked a win in the league all season?

 

I reckon we're saving up all our luck for next season

 

Sky showed a stat the last day showing that we have the worst record along with Watford of gaining points in the last 10 minutes of games. We were on 0 with them. In other words turning a draw into a win in the last 10 minutes of games or a loss into a draw.

[Guest Scot]

Watching last night if you were objective you'd say that was easy. Tense, but easy. Liverpool were head and shoulders better than the current champions of europe.

 

Yet we lost the game (if not the tie). This was the season in 1 match for me. Pressure, control, hitting the woodwork, chances going begging. Then get hit at the other end. Don't get me wrong I'm delighted by the result and not focusing on the fact we got beat but the thought occurred.

 

The 2nd thing I'd say is that the intensity that we saw last night was incredible. The focus and desire to win was huge. That simply hasn't been there for some of the league games. Where is it? If we want to win the league we need to be at that level 80-90% of the time. If we were at that level we wouldn't be out of the league title race right now.

 

Agree with that. I said at half-time that I was nervous about having so many good opportunities and not scoring.