so..players of the season so far..

[floyd the barber]

we are halfway through, everything looking fantastic for us....top of the league how many of us expected us to be here? i know i didnt, i expected us to be top 3...and definetly closer to chelsea and the mancs, but to be top is outstanding...also considering the torres injury plus the skrtel loss....which was a huge blow, thankfully Agger has started to find his form again...not forgetting the outstanding hyypia which leads me nicely to my players of the season so far..

 

Sami Hyypia

Dirk Kuyt

Xabi Alonso

 

 

All 3 have been consistent, with hyypia...not being a regular starter but when called upon has been fantastic....and really a bit of a suprise, i didnt think he would reach the towers that he did a couple of seasons back...but so far this current season has seen some of his best performances..

 

Dirk Kuyt was poor last season......but has been consistent this, week after week he puts in some unbelievable hard work and is now finally starting to get the plaudits and i believe..has won over the crowd

 

Xabi Alonso another who was wildly hit and miss last season...in fact id say this has been his best 5 months since he joined us......has really stepped up and put the past summers transfer speculation behind him.

 

 

Other outstanding performers so far......Gerrard,Reina,Arbeloa and even though we have only seen him get a consistent run this past month...insua who looks a really bright prospect and one who will hopefully push the awful dossena out in this januarys transfer window..

 

 

Those that need to step up..

 

Masch - he looks knackered to me and seems to have lost a yard this season, hes also not chasing the opponents around like we have seen in the past (maybe down to coaching?!?!)his passing has also been awful (normally hes excellent at this, a really underrated part of his game)he really needs to step it up this second half of the season.

 

Keane - we all know about keane, has looked better in the past month....but hopefully will stop waving his arms about, moaning at other players and concentrate of getting consistent and realising that its a team game

 

Lucas - definete improvement this past month, again though needs to take it up another level, maybe work on his concentration which seems to go amiss at times.....definetly seems more comfortable when attacking.

 

Reira - made a good start...went cold for 2 months and has showed some signs of life in the last home game...needs to be far more consistent and start beating his man instead of cutting in everytime...when he first came here, he would get to the line and would play in outstanding crosses....seems to have stopped doing that for some season..

 

 

Those that have had their chance and need to be shipped out..

 

Babel - hes had plenty of chances(though he might not think that) yet seems lazy and doesnt display the work effort required from our team....his crossing is dreadful as his awareness....there is definete talent hidden within...doubt we will ever see it though

 

Pennant - bye,bye

 

Doessena - completely out of his depth

 

 

 

Thoughts.......?

Edited January 1, 2009 by Lets get Masched

[Ste M]

You're wrong about Babel. Who's shown far more in his 18 months here than Lucas (who has admittedly been playing well of late).

 

Alonso's the Footballer of the Year IMO. Not seen a better player than him in the league this season. Watching him playing is like watching the big 6 foot kid playing amongst the first years at school.

Edited January 1, 2009 by Ste M

[floyd the barber]

trouble with babel is where do you play him? where do you fit him in? Hes blatently not a winger....his running off the ball is poor..his crossing is absymal...

 

Hes like a very-very-very poor mans Henry..i see his future position similar to where Henry played at arsenal..

 

Problem with babel is once every time a pink elephant flys past my window he looks like a genius...........the rest of the time hes like jimmy carter.

 

I just cant see babel getting much more of a chance here.......he also would probably fetch a decent fee, if i was offered 10million today.....id take it.

[psl]

We'd be crazy to sell Babel.

[Ste M]

The kid needs to be playing regular football now, that's his biggest problem.

 

I thought Rafa got it spot on with him last year, had he played him from the start he'd have flopped massively, but he used the softly softly approach and gave him moreplaying time and starts as the season wore on, and he looked superb.

 

He's got it badly wrong this year though, really. The only way he can improve is by playing regular footy, but Rafa won't give him the starts. I think he's actually played less this year so far than last.

 

If he doesn't start playing more, his talent will be wasted, and we'll have chucked £11M down the swanny.

[Magic8Ball]

trouble with babel is where do you play him? where do you fit him in? Hes blatently not a winger....his running off the ball is poor..his crossing is absymal...

 

Hes like a very-very-very poor mans Henry..i see his future position similar to where Henry played at arsenal..

 

Problem with babel is once every time a pink elephant flys past my window he looks like a genius...........the rest of the time hes like jimmy carter.

 

I just cant see babel getting much more of a chance here.......he also would probably fetch a decent fee, if i was offered 10million today.....id take it.

Babel needs games to develop, some people cant work on things in training their experience requires games - Babel seems to be one of these players. I suspect he'll take a long time to come good - but when he does ......

 

Personally I think we need to find a loan club for him (after he signs a long contract) somewhere like Hull - doing ok, trying to play attacking football - give him a season in a team like that, if he improves keep him, else he'll take too long to become consistently good

[Rimbeux]

I think in terms of player of the season, Alonso is heading it for me, his form has been consistently excellent. Kuyt started well, but is fading, and it's between him Gerrard (who is just exploding now) and Reina, who has gained us points and CL status this season already, for the 2nd and 3rd places.

 

 

A lot more to come from Keane, Masch, Riera, Babel.

 

We should push out passangers like Pennant. The two new fullbacks have yet to make any impact at all. My opinion is that our mentality has improved by letting such as Crouch and Riise go, not so much their ability as their mental strength, commitment and attitude. We need winners who take responsibility, believe in the methods and know and perform their role. Right now, there's four or five you'd worry about in that respect.

[Earl Hafler]

we are halfway through, everything looking fantastic for us....top of the league how many of us expected us to be here? i know i didnt, i expected us to be top 3...and definetly closer to chelsea and the mancs, but to be top is outstanding...also considering the torres injury plus the skrtel loss....which was a huge blow, thankfully Agger has started to find his form again...not forgetting the outstanding hyypia which leads me nicely to my players of the season so far..

 

Sami Hyypia

Dirk Kuyt

Xabi Alonso

All 3 have been consistent, with hyypia...not being a regular starter but when called upon has been fantastic....and really a bit of a suprise, i didnt think he would reach the towers that he did a couple of seasons back...but so far this current season has seen some of his best performances..

 

Dirk Kuyt was poor last season......but has been consistent this, week after week he puts in some unbelievable hard work and is now finally starting to get the plaudits and i believe..has won over the crowd

 

Xabi Alonso another who was wildly hit and miss last season...in fact id say this has been his best 5 months since he joined us......has really stepped up and put the past summers transfer speculation behind him.

Other outstanding performers so far......Gerrard,Reina,Arbeloa and even though we have only seen him get a consistent run this past month...insua who looks a really bright prospect and one who will hopefully push the awful dossena out in this januarys transfer window..

Those that need to step up..

 

Masch - he looks knackered to me and seems to have lost a yard this season, hes also not chasing the opponents around like we have seen in the past (maybe down to coaching?!?!)his passing has also been awful (normally hes excellent at this, a really underrated part of his game)he really needs to step it up this second half of the season.

 

Keane - we all know about keane, has looked better in the past month....but hopefully will stop waving his arms about, moaning at other players and concentrate of getting consistent and realising that its a team game

 

Lucas - definete improvement this past month, again though needs to take it up another level, maybe work on his concentration which seems to go amiss at times.....definetly seems more comfortable when attacking.

 

Reira - made a good start...went cold for 2 months and has showed some signs of life in the last home game...needs to be far more consistent and start beating his man instead of cutting in everytime...when he first came here, he would get to the line and would play in outstanding crosses....seems to have stopped doing that for some season..

Those that have had their chance and need to be shipped out..

 

Babel - hes had plenty of chances(though he might not think that) yet seems lazy and doesnt display the work effort required from our team....his crossing is dreadful as his awareness....there is definete talent hidden within...doubt we will ever see it though

 

Pennant - bye,bye

 

Doessena - completely out of his depth

Thoughts.......?

 

Can't see how you can have Kuyt as one of the players and Riera as a ' must do better '. Riera was a huge reason for our good start but has gone off the boil in the last month or so. Kuyt hasn't been in good form for weeks either.

 

 

Alonso is the outstanding player of the season for us and i think he's in better form than his debut season, minus the 50 yard goals.

[Hightown Phil]

He never scored any 50 yard goals in his first season.

[Earl Hafler]

He never scored any 50 yard goals in his first season.

 

[Earl Hafler]

duplicate post.

Edited January 1, 2009 by Earl Hafler

[Hightown Phil]

If that was fishing it's the worst piece of fishing in the world ever.

 

Fishing should be funny, like me telling a lad in the office today that a particular horse would win because it's his birthday. Simply, that wasn't.

[Earl Hafler]

If that was fishing it's the worst piece of fishing in the world ever.

 

Fishing should be funny, like me telling a lad in the office today that a particular horse would win because it's his birthday. Simply, that wasn't.

 

Eh ?

[Hightown Phil]

I thought you were fishing with the 50 yarder comment.

 

I shall leave now.

[stressederic]

He never scored any 50 yard goals in his first season.

 

He came bloody close away at United.

[mathewbet1]

1. Gerrard - Look at the match winning performances he'll be player of the year imo.

 

2. Reina - Excellent, best keeper in league thi year

 

3. Alonso - Patchy at start of season, but excellent overall.

[floyd the barber]

Can't see how you can have Kuyt as one of the players and Riera as a ' must do better '. Riera was a huge reason for our good start but has gone off the boil in the last month or so. Kuyt hasn't been in good form for weeks either.

Alonso is the outstanding player of the season for us and i think he's in better form than his debut season, minus the 50 yard goals.

 

the only reason kuyt has gone of the boil recently is because he was moved up front......back in the right midfield position again and we will see him return to his early season form.....well saying that, hes only been poor in a couple of games this season..and both those were when he was playing as a striker.

 

Reira had a good first couple of months.....and besides a couple of nice goals, hasnt really done a great deal since.

[Toni]

the only reason kuyt has gone of the boil recently is because he was moved up front......back in the right midfield position again and we will see him return to his early season form.....well saying that, hes only been poor in a couple of games this season..and both those were when he was playing as a striker.

 

Reira had a good first couple of months.....and besides a couple of nice goals, hasnt really done a great deal since.

 

kuyt, albeit his workate and admittingly his importance in the team when we must play a very disciplined game ironically is an avreage player. right midfield is that department, where liverpool needs to streghten the most.

 

rieira is a good player who unlike kuyt has the ability to make things happen.

 

babel has the potential to become world class. would rather send him a season on loan assuring myself that he s in fact a flop, than sell him and bang my head vs the wall everyday watching him develop into a world class player.

 

you need a mixture of everything in a team, but your wide players greatest assest rarely must be their respective workate

[floyd the barber]

kuyt, albeit his workate and admittingly his importance in the team when we must play a very disciplined game ironically is an avreage player. right midfield is that department, where liverpool needs to streghten the most.

 

rieira is a good player who unlike kuyt has the ability to make things happen.

 

babel has the potential to become world class. would rather send him a season on loan assuring myself that he s in fact a flop, than sell him and bang my head vs the wall everyday watching him develop into a world class player.

 

you need a mixture of everything in a team, but your wide players greatest assest rarely must be their respective workate

 

if there are any stat masters out there......id be interested in seeing who has the most assists this season, it wouldnt suprise me if dirk was top.

[Earl Hafler]

the only reason kuyt has gone of the boil recently is because he was moved up front......back in the right midfield position again and we will see him return to his early season form.....well saying that, hes only been poor in a couple of games this season..and both those were when he was playing as a striker.

 

Reira had a good first couple of months.....and besides a couple of nice goals, hasnt really done a great deal since.

 

I don't agree with that. I think his form started to dip whilst Torres was still in the side and Keane has often played farthest forward since Fernando's injury. 2 goals since the Wigan game in mid October and his touch has looked more like that of last winter rather than the excellent early season form he showed.

 

I think he puts so much effort in that he's bound to have these dips in form and ideally i'd still like to see someone on the right who can take people on - i think it's what has hindered us at home when teams have " parked the bus ". It's reliant on us making the perfect throughball into a packed defence or switching the play and having Gerrard or one of the forwards make a run from deep, although we have seen both fullbacks in attack more than at anytime under Rafa that i can recall.

 

Alonso, Riera, Kuyt, Reina and Gerrard would be my players of the season so far

 

Disappointments would be Babel, Dossena and Keane, although he's started to show some form recently

[kacangpool]

mascher hasn't been as good as last season. can't wait till torres hits form.

[Saintslfc13]

You're wrong about Babel. Who's shown far more in his 18 months here than Lucas (who has admittedly been playing well of late).

 

Alonso's the Footballer of the Year IMO. Not seen a better player than him in the league this season. Watching him playing is like watching the big 6 foot kid playing amongst the first years at school.

 

 

Babel has the worst attitude of any young player I've ever seen play for liverpool. He moans about not playing upfront and does f*ck all with his chances on the left. If he doesn't show a desire to play his role and "force Rafa's hand" in playing him where he wants to be, then we need to get shot before he creates problems. Lucas while not having the goal scoring super sub appearances has progressed far better than Babel in his 18 months here.